Stefano Brizzi, 50, clearly loved the series “Breaking Bad” — a taste shared with many of us. His other tastes however were a bit more exotic and lethal. Brizzi strangled to death police officer Gordon Semple, 59, in a sex game after meeting him on the gay cruising app. Brizzi seemed to model his life on the rather unfortunate model of Jesse Pinkman, including his ill-fated initial effort at body disposal.
Category: Criminal law
There is an interesting criminal investigation that seems to fulfill the Washington DC adage “One week on the cover of Time, next week doing time.” The point is that sometimes press is not a good thing. That would seem the case of Special Forces Maj. Matthew Golsteyn who went on Fox News for an interview. In the course of the interview, Golsteyn appears to admit to murdering a suspect in his custody in Afghanistan. Army investigators also watch television and immediately reopened the investigation into the death of the accused Taliban bombmaker.
There is a tragic reminder of the different levels of scrutiny and qualifications for pilots — airplane versus hot-air balloons. Alfred “Skip” Nichols, a pilot of a hot-air balloon, crashed last summer in Texas, killing himself and 15 sight-seeing passengers. It now appears that Nichols was taking a mix of different drugs, including the opiate pain-killer oxycodone. The result is a likely push for new regulation and a potential tort lawsuit, particularly after families learned that Nichols, 49, was convicted five times for driving while intoxicated and three times for drug offenses.
Continue reading “Pilot In Hot Air Balloon Crash That Killed 16 Found To Have History of DUIs and A Mix Of Drugs In His Body”
Look again. What would this Florida man want so bad that he allegedly was prepared to steal for it?
Continue reading “Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?”
We have previously discussed the increasing criminalization of speech. Dutch far-right politician Geert Wilders has been the focused of another of these past cases, which I have criticized as undermining free speech values. Now Wilders has been convicted of hate speech and inciting racial discrimination for espousing his far right views. One does not have to agree with Wilders — and many vehemently condemn his views — to see the implications of the criminalization of speech in Europe.
Continue reading “Conservative Dutch Politician Geert Wilders Convicted For Hate Speech”
As Congress and the incoming Trump Administration grapples with how to carry out Trump pledge for a crackdown on illegal immigration, a recent tragedy in Louisville has galvanized the pro-deportation forces. While most undocumented individuals lead productive lives in the United States, Miguel Angel Villasenor-Saucedo, 40, could well become the next Willy Horton for the crackdown campaign. After it was alleged that the illegal immigrant had killed two people in a hit-and-run. it was discovered that he had been deported eight times from this country. The case shows just how open our borders are when someone like this man can enter so easily after deportations.
Continue reading “Suspect In Deaths Of Two Women In Kentucky Was Deported Eight Times”
We have yet another example of Islamic Sharia “law” after an Iranian court eight female modes and four male models to jail for simply modeling clothes. Declaring such standard pictures as unIslamic and “vice,” the models were sentenced to periods ranging from one year to six years.
Continue reading “Iran Jails 12 Models For “Vice” After Merely Modeling Clothes”
We have been following the honor killings around the world where women are beaten and killed for attempting to marry for love or seek education in traditional Muslim countries. The latest murderer is Rahim Dad who can claim to have killed not just one but two wives for “honor.” Dad slit his wife’s throat in Bara Qabristan, Pakistan after an argument.
Continue reading “Pakistani Man Murders Wife In “Honor Killing” . . . 15 Years After Killing His First Wife For The Same Reason”
The medieval Islamic system enforced in Saudi Arabia is on display this week after Malak Al Shehri decided to do what most women around the world do without a second’s thought: she went out into public without covering herself up with a veil or hijab. Malak then posted herself on a public street. The result has been volcanic with some supporting her courage but many others calling for her to be beheaded or “thrown to the dogs.” It is a reminder of the plight of women in the Kingdom and other Islamic countries imposing Sharia law.
We recently discussed the suspension of Kirk Nurmi, the attorney for Arizona murderer Jodi Arias. Nurmi allegedly sought to cash in on his representation by revealing confidential information in his self-published book, “Trapped with Ms. Arias.” The former lawyer for Casey Anthony has fared little better. Todd Macaluso withdrew from the Casey Anthony case in 2010 after California ethics authorities accused him of mishandling client trust account money. Macaluso has now been arrested for an alleged conspiracy to fly at least 3,300 pounds of cocaine from Ecuador to Honduras in an effort to smuggle drugs into the United States.
Continue reading “Former Lawyer For Casey Anthony Arrested in Massive Drug Smuggling Case”
It was bound to happen once He Who Must Not Be Named lost it in the duel with Harry Potter. Police in Bangkok are looking for the infamous Elder Wand. Natdanai Asavaruks went to see the latest Harry Potter movie, “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them,” and let the Elder Wand in his car. When he returned, it was gone.
Continue reading “The Elder Wand Goes Missing . . . Again”
Donald Trump has set off a new controversy with a signature early morning tweet. Trump lashed out at those who burn American flags and said that they should be punished for their actions. The problem is that this question was already answered by the Supreme Court, which found that such acts (while despicable) are constitutionally protected under the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.
Continue reading “Trump Calls For Punishing Those Who Burn The American Flag”
I have previously criticized past prosecutions for stolen valor (here and here) as a threat to the first amendment. Such cases are deterred through social stigma and simple research. We have criminal laws allowing for the prosecution of those who use false claims to secure financial gain or benefits. Such is the case with former Marine Brandon Blackstone, who stole a combat veteran’s story of valor to secure a house and benefits. He is now facing 21 years in jail for his crimes in assuming the valor of Casey Owens, left, who lost both legs in combat. Blackstone served in the same unit as Owens.
We have long discussed the abusive Sharia system and its use to impose medieval justice on whole populations in the name of Islamic justice. The latest outrage comes out of our close ally, Indonesia. Videotapes this week show a woman screaming in pain as she was flogged for merely being seen with a male who was not a family member. Others were flogged for premarital sex or gambling or drinking alcohol in the barbaric public spectacle in Banda Aceh.
We have long discussed the sweetheart deal given General David Petraeus, who violated core professional and national security rules only only to avoid any jail time. It is part of what I have called our Animal Farm system where some people are more equal than others. Now Petraeus is under consideration for the positions of Secretary of State. It is an ironic twist since his predecessor in such a position was accused of recklessly compromising national security — the very allegations raised with regard to Petraeus.
Continue reading “THE RESURRECTION OF GENERAL DAVID PETRAEUS”