There is an extraordinary case out of Queensland, Australia. Chris Illingworth, 61, is charged for merely copying and watching a viral video of a man swinging a baby. Prosecutors have charged that he distributed a child abuse video –even though the government itself rated the video as MA15+ (appropriate for anyone over 15). It is part of an ongoing trend in the West in rolling back on free speech rights.
Continue reading “Australian Man Faces Twenty Years for Sharing Baby-Swinging Video”
Last night I discussed the growing speculation that Justice John Paul Stevens, an icon of the Court with over three decades of service, may be preparing to retire (here). On both a personal and jurisprudential level, Stevens remains one of my favorite judicial figures. He is a man who had a transformative impact on his country. His place in history will likely be discussed for years to come. With this news and the justices returning to the city for the new term, this story may be of interest. Below is my cover article in the American History Magazine on my choices for the top nine justices — as well as my list of the Supreme failures on the Court.
Continue reading “The Supremes: Picking the Top Nine Justices of All Time”
Public schools are cutting back deeply during this economic downturn but you would not know it from reading the credit card bill for Brian Keith Johnson, the Montgomery College president. Johnson appears to have personally taken on the cause of stimulating the economy with his state-funded spending. Unfortunately, he has a global reach, including a $4,051 hotel bill in Delhi. To make matters worse, last year an Arizona court issued a warrant for Johnson for failure to pay $12,000 in unpaid child support.
Continue reading “Maryland College President Under Fire For Lavish Spending”
Due to its cultural insularity and secrecy, legal commentators often have to act like old Sovietologists who would predict shifts in power by who in the Politburo was standing where on top of Lenin’s tomb. For Supremologists, there are other common indicators: the most prominent is the reduction of judicial clerks. Speculation over Stevens’ retirement is now at its peak with news that he has selected only one clerk for next year. I will be discussing this story on tonight’s Rachel Maddow.
Continue reading “Stevens: Speculation Grows Over Stevens Resignation”
There is a mass arrest story. As has been discussed earlier, we have an ongoing arrest case in Washington, D.C., here. In May 2007 police arrested dozens of young people who police alleged were basically rioting through the streets. The students insisted that they were on their way to a funeral for a murdered friend. Now, there has been a settlement of the case with all charges dropped and the payment of damages.
Continue reading “New York Settles Mass Arrest Case — Drops Charges”
Former Miss California Carrie Prejean, 22, has sued Miss California USA for libel, public disclosure of private facts, religious discrimination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and negligent infliction of emotional distress stemming from the controversy over her position on gay marriage. She was stripped of her title earlier this year, but the officials insist it was due to her breaking her contract and failing to perform her duties as Miss California, including the missing of appearances. The complaint also named Miss California USA officials Keith Lewis and Shanna Moakler and publicist Roger Neal.
Continue reading “Miss California Superior Court: Carrier Prejean Sues Pageant Over Termination”
An Illinois sheriff this week is seeking to reverse a board decision reinstating three officers in Tazewell county, Illinois despite this shocking video tape. On the video, Sergeant Richard Johnston, and correctional officers Jeffery Bieber and Justin Piro are shown beating Becky Behm after she was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol October 17, 2008.
Evolution in Sedalia, Missouri appears to be moving in reverse. The band leaders of the Smith-Cotton High School Tiger Pride Marching Band thought that they had a cute idea in showing the images of monkeys evolving into band members under the words “Brass Evolutions 2009.” Parents and teachers objected that evolution (a scientific theory) was advancing a “religious” viewpoint. Amazingly, the school agreed and ordered the t-shirts turned in by the students.
In a rare departure from the trend in the expanding use of tasers by law enforcement, the city council of Memphis has refused a request by the Memphis Police Department to add tasers to its arsenal.
Continue reading “Memphis Turns Down Tasers For Its Officers”
Harris County Criminal Court-at-Law judge Donald W. Jackson, 59, has been indicted on a misdemeanor charge of official oppression – allegedly offering to get a DWI defendant help in dismissing her case in exchange for a sexual relationship. Notably, he allegedly insisted that he was not interested in “a one-night stand” in seeking to secure counsel for Ariana M. Venegas. If so, it is a new variation on past judicial pick-up lines that simply offer to trade sex for rulings.
In an interesting twist to the usual negative political traditions in New Jersey, a spokeswoman for New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine has attacked Republican challenger Chris Christie’s driving record, denouncing him as “a complete menace to society on the highways of New Jersey” with 13 moving violations over the last two and a half decades. If you recall, Corzine had two speeding tickets going back to 1992, and most importantly a third ticket for failing to wear a seat belt in the car accident that nearly killed him in 2007.
Continue reading “Who Would You Want to Drive You to the Governor’s Mansion? Corzine Spokesperson Raises Driving Skills As Criteria for Office”
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel has played a large role in tax policy — and advocated increasing taxes to pay for the massive spending of this Congress. He is now accused of underreporting his own income by a shocking degree. Republicans have complained that the media and blogs have been relatively muted in covering the story.
Pastor Steven Anderson has used his position at Faithful World Baptist Church, in Tempe, Arizona to bring just a little more hate into the world. Pastor Anderson is praying for the death of President Obama and an eternity in hell.
Continue reading “Pastor Prays for President Obama’s Death on Eve of His Visit to Arizona”
While other school officials are struggling against the scourges of drugs and violence, officials at the Richmond Community Schools in Indiana have started a campaign against the ravages of stripes and plaids. Officials have prohibited clothing other than solid colors and have parents seeing solid red.
Continue reading “Good Citizens Don’t Wear Plaid: Richmond Schools Ban Stripes and Plaids as Key to Success”
Cincinnati Police Officer Anthony Plummer is accused of tasering the wrong person in the wrong way. First, he allegedly tasered a woman who was on her knees with her hands in the air. Second, it turned out to be Celeste Thomas, 26, daughter of City Councilman Cecil Thomas, a former police officer who heads the council’s law and safety committee.
Continue reading “Cincinnati Police Officer Suspended After Tasering Woman on Her Knees With Her Hands in the Air”