Recently, a viewer asked if I was not a bit too critical of tasers and asked if they were not better than having to resort to guns. The most obvious answer is that tasers are now used by some officers as a first response, though most officers use them appropriately. The choice is not between a taser and a gun. However, the case below shows this perils of such a choice and confusion with Madera officer Marcy Noriega. Continue reading “California Cop Mistakes Gun for Taser and Kills Handcuffed Suspect”
Category: Justice
The New York Times is reporting this morning that at least four White House officials, including Alberto Gonzales, discussed the plan to destroy the CIA interrogation tapes. The news deepens the scandal for the White House and makes it much more difficult for Attorney General Michael Mukasey to continue to refuse to appoint a special prosecutor. Continue reading “Four White House Officials — Including Gonzales — Knew of Tape Destruction Plan”
Saudi King Abdullah has also pardoned the man who was abducted with a rape victim in the infamous case in Saudi Arabia. A religious court had sentenced the rape victim to 200 lashes and six months in prison. The status of her male companion has been unclear and it has been reported that he was also raped by the attackers and also ordered to be flogged for violating Islamic rules about relationships with unmarried women. What is most remarkable, however, is the defense of the original laws under which they were both sentenced –citing their “torture” as sufficient punishment to teach them “a lesson.” In the meantime, the seven gang rapists received only two to seven years for their crime. Continue reading “Saudi King Pardons Male Companion with Victim in Infamous Rape Case; Says Their “Torture” Taught Them a Lesson”
In the ultimate expression of congressional — and possibly cultural — values, two full hearings have been ordered only a day into the renewed controversy over steroid abuse in baseball. This follows numerous hearings in prior years. Members are falling over themselves to get camera time on the issue. However, with the disclosure of an official program of torture ordered by the President, not a single public hearing has been scheduled other than a recent general hearing on waterboarding in the Senate. It appears that steroid abuse is simply more of a pressing issue that detainee abuse for the nation. Continue reading “Torture 0 Baseball 2 — Congress Moves to Deal with Steroid Abuse While Detainee Abuse Languishes”
The White House may have told District Judge Henry H. Kennedy not to “interfere” in the CIA tape controversy, but he appears to have other ideas. Today, he ordered a hearing for Friday on the question. He may be only the first judge to do so as the courts and Congress come to grips with an obvious case of obstruction and spoilation. Continue reading “Federal Judge Orders Hearing on Destroyed CIA Tapes”
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael L. Stern has awarded dancer Michael Flatley (of Rvierdance fame) more than $11 million in his lawsuit against Tyna Marie Robertson, a real estate agent who accused him of rape. Flatley showed that the sex was consensual in the case. In the meantime, Robertson’s former lawyer, D. Dean Mauro has been found to have extorted Flatley and also made a substantial settlement over the case. Continue reading “Riverdance Star Michael Flatley Wins $11 Million Against Woman Who Falsely Accused Him of Sexual Assault”
The Washington Post has reported that the FBI did not view the torture of Abu Zubaida as yielding valuable information — one of the principle arguments for embracing an official torture program. Continue reading “FBI Agents Contradict White House Insistence that Torture Yielded Valuable Information from Abu Zubaida”
The Senate has decided to delay its vote on the surveillance bill and specifically the immunity provision for the telecommunications companies. However, civil libertarians have little reason to celebrate. The telecom lobbyists appear to have the upper hand with some members of the Democratic leadership, which hopes to pass the immunity bill once attention fades in 2008. In an astonishing move, Sen. Diane Feinstein is trying to move the entire matter out of the federal courts and into the secret FISA court. The only value of such a move is to reduce the political fallout and make immunity more likely for the telecom companies. Continue reading “Senate Delays Vote on Surveillance Bill and Telecom Immunity”
The Bush Administration has lost another fight over privilege as it is advancing new claims in refusing information to Congress. U.S. District Court Judge Royce Lamberth has ruled that the information is part of the public record and is subject to disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act as “agency records.” Continue reading “White House Loses Privilege Fight Over Visitor Logs”
In a rare criminal case, a New York jury convicted a millionaire perfume makers Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and Varsha Mahender Sabhnani, 45, of enslaving two Indonesian housekeepers while using bizarre forms of punishments like forced eating of hot peppers and vomit. While the defense insists that the allegations are merely “histrionics,” the jury clearly found the two women credible and convicted the wealthy couple. Continue reading “Wealthy Couple Convicted in Slavery Case in New York”
In the latest taser outrage, Edward Casey, who left a courthouse briefly to retrieve money to pay a fine, was tackled and repeatedly tasered by police. What is truly amazing is that U.S. District Judge Robert E. Blackburn did not feel that this was a viable claim of police abuse. Fortunately, the Tenth Circuit did not agree. Continue reading “Man Repeatedly Tasered for Leaving Courthouse Briefly with Court File”
In an extraordinary statement, an employee for the government contractor Jeppensen International Trip Planning ( a Boeing subsidiary) referred to flights taking individuals to other countries as part of the Bush Administration’s “extraordinary rendition” program as “torture flights.” The company director, Bob Overby, reportedly told an August 2006 breakfast of new employees, that these were torture flights but that the flights paid well. Continue reading “Witness: Government Contractor Called Rendition Transfers “Torture Flights””
King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has issued a royal pardon for a rape victim sentenced to 200 lashes. This is progress for the kingdom but it is unlikely to reduce the utter shock of the world at the treatment of this woman. Continue reading “Rape Victim Receives Royal Saudi Pardon”
The American Bar Association Journal has received a torrent of irate messages over its announcement that disgraced former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales would be named 2007 Lawyer of the Year. It has renamed its annual selection to be “Newsmaker of the Year” to try to quell the national riot among lawyers. Continue reading “Gonzales No Longer ABA Journal’s “Lawyer of the Year””
This week, it became public knowledge that Al Sharpton appears to be under federal investigation for criminal conduct associated with his presidential campaign and the handling of funds. The FBI raided his offices and called his staff to appear before a grand jury. Now, a tape has emerged from a secret taping of Sharpton by the FBI at a New York hotel suite in 2003 purportedly showing him bargaining for contributions in exchange for influence. Continue reading “Al Sharpton Caught on FBI Tape Allegedly Trading Influence for Campaign Contributions”