President Bush came out today to address the latest controversy over torture involving secret memos that appear to endorse the use of methods considered torture under international law. The President, however, simply repeated his statement that “we don’t torture.” Continue reading “President Bush Defends Administration on Latest Torture Flap”
Category: Justice
In the on-going controversy over the defamation lawsuit against Rep. Jack Murtha, one of the collateral issues has been whether the Marines that he accused of a massacre would be tried for murder. Today, it appears that there will be no such charges coming out of the killing of roughly two dozen Iraqi citizens in the town of Haditha in November 2005. Continue reading “Bad News for Murtha? No Murder Charges Likely in Haditha case”
There was a time when an office football pool was viewed as sufficient outlet for competition. However, the LA Times now reports that deputies at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have been competing to see how many people they can arrest in a 24-hour period. Continue reading “Cops At Play: Arrest and Impound Competitions in the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department”
In a variation of the famous “I am Spartacus” scene, defendants appear to be jumping up and screaming “I Am Gay” as a defense to a hate crime against gays. Continue reading “Novel Defense: Man Claims that He is Gay in Hate Crime Case”
A new report shows that the Bush Administration may have continued its endorsement of tactics viewed as torture in secret despite public claims to the contrary. Continue reading “Justice Department Continued to Endorse Possible Torture in Secret Memo”
A new video shows police officer hitting a cuffed suspect in Braddock, Pa., for not apparent reason. Continue reading “Video Shows Police Officer Hitting a Cuffed Suspect”
For years, some of us have been pointing out repeatedly the fact that the Domestic Surveillance Program implemented by President Bush constituted a federal crime. Indeed, many were horrified when the Democrats decided to extend the program, codifying if only temporarily an unlawful program. Now a former top Bush attorney has admitted that he and others knew it was illegal. Continue reading “Former Bush Administration Official Admits that Parts of Surveillance Program Were Clearly Illegal”
This week, six justices participated in the tradition of the Red Mass. This is a traditional that originates in Europe around 1245 at the start of the judicial year of the Scared Roman Rota, the court of the Holy See. It is a tradition that has long made me uneasy and this year’s homily by Archbishop Timothy Dolan showed why. Continue reading “The Red Mass and the Calling of the Faithful on the Supreme Court”
The testimony below concerns the new controversy of the status of tobacco as a product in the U.S. Continue reading “Testimony: Tobacco and Regulation by Litigation”
The President of Duke University today apologizes to the Duke Lacrosse students for failing to do more to protect their rights — an act strikingly transparent and tragically too late. Continue reading “Duke President Apologizes for “Not Getting it Right””
A recent report indicates that former judge Michael Mukasey’s special security detail cost the taxpayers $10,000 a day and over $28 million despite the fact that many people in the government doubted a serious threat against him from terrorists. Continue reading “AG Nominee Mukasey Cost Taxpayers $28 Million in Security”
Juries often find tapes to be conclusive evidence. They pride themselves on their ability to read the truth from a source that does not spin or package a statement. Thus, the first reaction (as the FBI knows) to the disclosure of a sting is critical. Continue reading “Jefferson Tape: “What a Waste””
Amid recent videos of police abuse, Chicago is facing thousands of complaints of police beating and arresting citizens with no cause. Between 2002 and 2004, over 10,000 complaints have been filed but only 18 have resulted in meaningful disciplinary action. Continue reading “Widespread Abuse Alleged Against Chicago Police Department”
A well-known Conn. attorney admitted this week that he destroyed evidence in a child pornography investigation at Christ Church in Greenwich, the former church of President George H.W. Bush. Continue reading “Lawyer Pleads Guilty to Destruction of Porn Files from Church Computer”
The Bush Administration has finally yielded to international demands and offerred legal representation to high-value detainees. For the story, click here It represents the abandonment of one of the most hypocritical and controversial positions of the United States in its war on terror. Continue reading “Bush Administration Finally Yields to Demand for Lawyers for High-Value Detainees”