Criminal law attorney Constantine “Connie” Xinos bagged a trophy worth bragging about: nailing 11-year-old Sydney Sabbagha for trying to defend the staff of the public library of Oak Brook, Illinois. This Pediatric Perry Mason moment was a matter of some pride for Xinos, who told a reporter “I wanted that kid to lose sleep that night.”
Continue reading “The Pediatric Perry Mason: Illinois Attorney Nails 11-Year-Old Who Tried to Save Public Library Staff”
Category: Lawyering
It turns out that the correct meaning of ‘Stalinistic” is kind, family-oriented, and greatly loved. Or, at least that is the view expressed in a Russian court by Joseph Stalin’s grandson, Yevgeny Dzhugashvili. (Stalin’s given name was Joseph Dzhugashvili). He is suing opposition newspaper Novaya Gazeta for publishing declassified death warrants from the period and offering an unvarnished account of the atrocities under Stalin.
Continue reading “Defaming Uncle Joe: Stalin Family Sues Newspaper for Portraying Stalin as Stalinistic”
President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. It is a great honor for this country and for the President. For civil libertarians, however, the prize is a bit of a mixed message. Obama has blocked any investigation of war crimes or torture in violation of international law. He has also supported the limitation of free speech to allow the criminalization of criticism of religion. With less than a year in office, the selection may send the wrong message to Obama that personality rather than principles succeed in both domestic and international politics.
Continue reading “Obama Wins Nobel Peace Prize”
The FAA has released a disturbing tape (below) of an air traffic controller who is heard over a flight recording joking about a dead cat with a female friend as a small plane and tourist helicopter collided in midair — killing nine.
Continue reading “Nine Lives: Air Controller Heard Joking About Dead Cat Just Before Air Collision”
We have been following the bizarre case of former Mobile County Circuit Judge Herman Thomas who is accused of ordering the male inmates be brought to his chambers where he would spank them and have sex with them. With the judge facing trial on various criminal charges, the case took another strange turn when a former inmate charged in a lawsuit that his former attorney coerced him into testifying against the judge. The case of Willie Pearson was dropped after he accused attorney Joe Kulakowski of threatening him. However, the prosecutor insists that the other cases will proceed as planned for trial.
Continue reading “Former Alabama Judge Faces Trial This Week For Allegedly Spanking and Sexually Assaulting Inmates in Chambers”
There is a bizarre case out of Fresno California where Enrique Gonzalez faced lifetime imprisonment for “aggravated mayhem and street terrorism” because he allowed his 7-year-old son to have a quarter-sized tattoo on his right hip. While Fresno County Superior Court Judge Hillary Chittick wisely rejected the excessive charge of mayhem by the prosecutors, he still faces years in jail for cruel and inhumane treatment of a child.
Continue reading “Father Faces Jail Sentence For Giving Seven-Year-Old Son A Quarter-Sized Tattoo”
Do these apples look alike? Computer giant Apple appears to believe so. It is suing Australia’s Woolworths for trademark infringement over the use of the new logo.
Continue reading “And Apple Commanded: “You Must Not Take of the Apple Tree . . . For You Will Surely Be Sued””
When a 17-year-old sex offender escaped from a juvenile treatment program in Baltimore County, many wondered where the counselors were at the time of the escape. Well, police say that one counselor never let him leave her sight. Tyra M. Greenfield, 26, was arrested after allegedly allowing the boy to stay at her house and having sex with the sex offender. Not quite the approach recommended by the manual on sex offender counseling. The charges, however, are interesting.
Continue reading “Sex Offender Sleepover: Counselor Arrested After Allegedly Taking Teenage Sex Offender Home to Have Sex”
Mark Alan Jarosik, 43, believes it is never too early to shop for Christmas. He was arrested in California for trying to hire a man to kill his ex-girlfriend and to videotape the murder . . . so he could watch it over the Christmas holiday.
Continue reading “Stocking Snuffer: California Man Allegedly Tries to Hire Hitman to Kill Ex-Girlfriend on Videotape To Watch Over Christmas”
Below is today’s column on the first day of the October Term for the Supreme Court. It specifically explores the first amendment cases on the docket. There are four major such cases thus far on the docket and, most importantly, two free speech cases that will be strong indicators of the views of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
Continue reading “Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s Free-Speech Tests”
There is a disturbing and important ruling out of the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit. In the prisoner case below, Nelson v. Correctional Medical Services, the court examined whether a prisoner guard is entitled to qualified immunity when she shackles a female prisoner during labor despite the objections of the medical staff. Arkansas corrections officer Patricia Turensky was found not to be entitled to such protection for her actions in shackling inmate Shawanna Nelson. The decision was handed down on October 2, 2009.
There is a fascinating case in Ontario, Canada this week. Levi Shaeffer, 30, was shot dead by Peterborough police officers when he was camping near Pickle lake. He had not committed any crimes and was simply camping on an island. However, an investigation was terminated because the officers involved in the shooting did not write down contemporary accounts of the shooting after meeting with counsel. Chief Murray Rodd, however, insists on the department website that “[w]e are truly dedicated to our core values to be the best Police Service, providing the highest standard of professionalism in partnership with our community.” They might want to start with writing down accounts of shooting campers.
Judge Charles J. Markey is asking for a public rehearing. The New York Law Journal and the ABA Journal ran a story detailing how Markey allegedly denied a motion or dismissed a case due to improper stapling. The story was picked up on various legal blogs, including this blog. However, Markey has written a letter to the editor insisting that the facts have been distorted and that this was no “case of first impression” of dismissal for negligent stapling. He seems to have a case.
Continue reading “Decoupling the Staple Story: New York Jurist Challenges Account Over Negligent Stapling Story”
Roy Werbel was shocked, shocked when he found no fruit in his froot loops. Werbel is suing Kellogg’s because he believed Toucan Sam when he declared: “Follow my nose! It always knows! The flavor of froot! Wherever it grows!” Werbel insists that he reasonably assumed “froot” was “fruit.”
Continue reading “Will Toucan Sam Sing on the Stand? Man Sues Kellogg’s Over Fruitless “Froot””
The high-end supporters of filmmaker Roman Polanski have been relying more on a documentary than documents in claiming his innocence, citing the film “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired” as showing that Polanski was railroaded. The film features former prosecutor David F. Wells confirming improper communications by the judge. He has now admitted that it was a lie and he was grandstanding in the film.
Continue reading “Ex-Prosecutor Admits He Lied in Polanski Movie”