The bizarre case of Texas Lawyer Mary Roberts has captivated the bar and, with her testimony, did not disappoint those following the sordid details of the efforts by Roberts and her husband Ted Roberts. It is now before the jury and Mary Roberts may soon join her husband, Ted, in jail. Ted was previously convicted and given five years for his role in extracting tens of thousands of dollars from Mary’s four lovers. For members of the bar, these two could not be put away too soon. Continue reading “If You Like Pina Coladas and Walks in a Prison Yard: Lawyer’s Case Goes to Jury for Bilking Thousands from Former Lovers”
Category: Lawyering
In an extraordinary interview, former CIA officer John Kiriakou has come forward to publicly admit that he led the raid, which captured the al Qaeda operative Abu Zubaydah, and witnesses the waterboarding of the suspect. He further admits that waterboarding is torture — a fact already established by U.S. courts. Continue reading “CIA Interrogator Admits Publicly that Torture was Used on Suspects”
Below is today’s column in Roll Call on the potential basis for criminal prosecution in the destruction of CIA interrogation tapes. Continue reading “CIA Interrogation Tapes: “Bad” is Hardly the Word — Call it Criminal”
ABC News is reporting a shocking story of an woman who claims to have been ganged raped and then held in a container box by Halliburton/KBR in Iraq. The story of Jamie Leigh Jones is shocking and demands a congressional investigation into whether this contractor and the Justice Department covered up a heinous criminal act. Continue reading “Halliburton/KBR Accused of Cover-Up in Gang Rape”
The bizarre case of Texas Lawyer Mary Roberts has captivated the bar and, with her testimony, did not disappoint those following the sordid details of the efforts by Roberts and her husband Ted Roberts. Both were rightfully labeled as two of the worst human beings to put a J.D. after their names (a tough competition). Remarkably, Mary Roberts still believes that it was perfectly legal to hold up her lovers under threat of public disclosure of their affairs. However, until she cited Rupert Holmes’ “Escape (The Pina Colada Song)” in her testimony, I was not sure of the depth of her depravity. Continue reading “If You Like Pina Coladas and Walks in a Prison Yard: Lawyer Explains Her Effort to Extract Thousands from Former Lovers”
In light of the Larry Manzanares suicide case in Denver, this South Dakota case for a couple years ago may be illustrative. It got very little attention but should have. The South Dakota Supreme Court has ordered a new trial in the suicide case of Kristi Dodson. At issue is an interesting question of the standard to apply to a suicidal mind and the concept of contributory negligence. Continue reading “South Dakota Supreme Court Rules that Suicide Case Not Subject to Reasonable Person Standard for Contributory Negligence”
The family of former judge and Denver City Attorney Larry Manzanares announced their intention to sue Jefferson County district attorney, Scott W. Storey, his deputy and an investigator for contributing to her husband’s death. It is a case that raises disturbing questions over the causes of suicide and the increasing tendency of prosecutors to play to the media in high-profile cases. Continue reading “Family of Former Judge and Denver City Attorney Sue District Attorney Over Suicide”
On a Saturday, the Justice Department and the CIA announced that they would conduct internal investigations of the destruction of the CIA interrogation tapes. The announcements are clearly designed to forestall an effort to have an independent counsel or independent investigation, which is clearly called for in this instance. Continue reading “Justice and CIA Launch Investigations into Destroyed Tapes”
While the President insists that he has “no recollection” of being told about the plan to destroy CIA interrogation tapes, the White House admitted late Friday that former White House Counsel Harriet Miers knew. Continue reading “White House Knew of Plan to Destroy CIA Interrogation Tapes”
Teenager, Erik Crespo, used his MP3 player to secretly recorded an abusive interrogation by a New York Detective, Christopher Perino, that may not land the detective in jail for perjury. Continue reading “New York Detective Nailed on Perjury Charge By Teen MP3 Recording”
Two leading Democrats, Jane Harman and Jay Rockefeller admitted that they knew that the CIA intended to destroy the tapes of interrogations of a leading al-Qaida figure, but never knew for sure that the destruction was carried out. The startling news raises serious questions of acts of malfeasance by the Bush Administration and nonfeasance by Democratic members. Continue reading “Democrats Admit Knowledge of the CIA’s Plan to Destroy Tapes”
As the Supreme Court deliberates on the most recent Guantanamo Bay cases and whether detainees can be denied of access to a real court, the Washington Post is reporting that American officials held a teenager for years despite their knowledge that he was innocent. Indeed, only months area the U.S. seized Murat Kurnaz in Pakistan, it concluded that he was not guilty. However, he sat for four more years in Cuba. Continue reading “U.S. Held on to Teenager at Guantanamo for Years After U.S. Concluded that He Was Innocent”
Two attorneys have been criminally charged in novel cases charging theft of coercions and deception after Mary S. Roberts had affairs with men who were later allegedly shook down by her husband for hush money. Continue reading “Two Lawyers Criminally Charged in Bilking Wife’s Lovers in a Novel Pay-to-Play Scheme”
Casselberry Police Chief John Pavlis has fired Sergeant Andrea Eichhorn for her lawsuit against a victim in a frivolous slip-and-fall lawsuit. Now, the termination raises additional interesting questions in this sordid affair. Continue reading “Cop Fired After Suing a Victim for a Slip and Fall”
Rep. William Jefferson has filed a motion for a delay in his trial — currently scheduled for January 13, 2008. Continue reading “Jefferson Moves for Delay in January Trial Due to Diminishing Funds”