Category: Society

Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, International, Religion, Society

Third Secular Writer Hacked To Death By Islamic Extremists In Bangladesh

Ananta-Bijoy-Das_3300494iWe have been covering the attacks on secular writers and bloggers by Islamic extremists in Bangladesh. Now a third blogger and secular writer has been murdered by Islamic extremists . The latest victim is Ananta Bijoy Das, a blogger who advocated secularism, was attacked by four masked assailants wielding machetes. The rise of Islamic extremism has alarmed the free speech community in Bangladesh, which sees increasing Islamic orthodoxy in society and intolerance for non-Islamic views.

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Bizarre, Society

Yee of Little Faith: Brady Agent Attacks NFL and Alleges Collusion With Colts After Suspension Over Deflated Balls

As expected, the NFL has suspended New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and imposed team sanctions for “deflategate.” As we discussed this week, the NFL investigation found rejected the claims of innocence in all of the balls being deflated after inspection in the New England’s AFC title game against Indianapolis in January. The NFL report stated “We found these claims not plausible and contradicted by other evidence.” The report found that Brady “was at least generally aware” of all the plans to prepare the balls to his liking and that it was “more probable than not” that two Patriots employees – officials’ locker room attendant Jim McNally and equipment assistant John Jastremski – carried out the plan. McNally is accused of demanding expensive shoes and signed footballs, jerseys and cash. Now, Don Yee, the agent for New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, has lashed out at the NFL and suggested a bizarre pre-game collusion between the NFL and the Colts.

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Academia, Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Free Speech, Society

Boston University Professor Sparks Controversy Over Tweets Denounced As Racist and Sexist

GrundyPic-150x150Boston_University_seal.svgWhile Professor Saida Grundy has not actually started teaching at Boston University, she is already facing calls for her removal from the faculty. After being hired by BU, Grundy let loose with a series of tweets that are denounced as racist and sexist. Grundy tweeted, for example, “White masculinity isn’t a problem for america’s colleges, white masculinity is THE problem for america’s colleges.” The tweets have triggered a debate over whether there is a double standard for such comments and whether such comments should be treated as protected speech.

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Criminal law, International, Society

Spanish Authorities Find Eight Year Old Boy In Luggage At Border

smuggledboySpanish police were a bit surprised when they checked out the luggage of an Ivory Coast woman trying to come into the country from North Africa at a border crossing between Morocco and Spain. They were suspicious because the 19-year-old woman appeared nervous and decided to x-ray her bag. The 8-year-old boy, Abou, was described as in a “terrible state” when he was let out of the bag. It brings a chilling meaning to the old Samonsite slogan: “If you traveled the way your luggage does, would you look as good as Samsonite?”

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Science, Society

Happy Mother’s Day Mitochondrial Eve

mitochondrial-eveBy Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

This mother’s day, we can all express our gratitude and love for Mitochondrial Eve—the mother from whom we all descend. While we all cannot remember her from long ago we carry with us her lessons passed from her to each mother, who then did so to their children through all mothers of yesterday to all mothers today. Her words live in our Mitochondrial DNA; a part of our genetics that we all share.

Let us all toast this day the mothers of all our families and our common mom!

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Bizarre, Society

Child Walks Home From School—Panic Ensues

By Darren Smith, Weekend Contributor

milk-carton-missingA Seattle news medium saw it fitting to send a news team out to investigate a report of a child leaving school early and walking home. No, it was not The Onion but KOMO News. It does show a sense of the zeitgeist and the culture of fear that is sadly inherent in many today.

A five year old boy wanted to walk home after having first been driving to school by his father. He then left school early and walked home to see his mother. He reportedly walked a mile to reach home.
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Criminal law, Environment, Society

Destiny’s Child: Police Search For Teenager Who Defaced Park Cliff To Snag A Date To The Prom

spraypaintI recently posted a blog column about the increasing appearance of graffiti in national and state parks — and the need to ramp up punishments to deter this defacing of our natural wonders and wilderness. The last story concerned Andre Saraiva, an internationally known graffiti artist, who “tagged” and bragged about his own defacing of nature. He spray painted a boulder at the Joshua Tree National Park. Now authorities are looking for a teen who spray painted a rock face in Idaho to impress a girl and get her to go with him to the school prom. It should not be too different to investigate this particular crime, but the question remains the punishment that should be meted out.

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Criminal law, Society

Delaware Police Officer Indicted In Assault On Suspect Captured on Videotape

Screen Shot 2015-05-07 at 7.15.30 PM There is an interesting case developing in the Dover Police Department where a video has been released that has resulted in the indictment of Officer Tom Webster for his actions during an arrest on August 24, 2013. The suspect appears to be obeying his commands. What is interesting is that a prior grand jury declined to indict Webster, but prosecutors then tried again with another grand jury and secured an indictment.

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Society

The Brady Bunch: Report Implicates Patriots and Brady

200px-NFLgameballThe report is in on “Deflategate” and it does not look good for either the Patriots or Tom Brady. As we discussed earlier, Coach Bill Belichick insisted at the earlier press conference that he not only had no idea how the balls were deflated in New England’s AFC title game against Indianapolis in January. He claimed utter ignorance about virtually anything to do with the subject of air pressure and footballs. He was followed by quarterback Tom Brady who, despite previously saying that he preferred underinflated balls, said that he could not tell that the balls were deflated (even when a Colts employee could immediately feel the difference and report it). It is the immaculate deflation. It just happened by some cosmic coincidence over(1) and over(2) and over(3) and over(4) and over(5) and over(6) and over(7) and over(8) and over(9) and over(10) and over(11) again. Ted Wells does not appear to buy it though absent a confession, he could not conclusively say that the team or Brady was guilty. Instead, he concludes in this 243 page report that “We believe it is unlikely that an equipment assistant and a locker room attendant would deflate game balls without Brady’s knowledge and approval.”

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Thin Blue Line: Three Arrested For Allegedly Creating False Police Organization With Ties To The Templar Knights

picpart2There is an interesting case developing in California where police have arrested three people, including Brandon Kiel, 31 (left), an aide to California Attorney General (and Senate candidate) Kamala Harris. Kiel and Tonette Hayes, 56, and David Henry, 46, were arrested for allegedly operating an illegitimate “police department” that traces its origins to the Knights Templar. They claimed to be running a 3000 year old police organization founded by the Templar Knights with jurisdiction in 33 states and Mexico.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Society

“Because I feel like arresting you”: Minneapolis Police Officer Threatens To Break Leg Of Suspect In Videotaped Abusive Stop

Screen Shot 2015-05-06 at 7.49.57 PMA Minneapolis police officer has been relieved of duty while his department investigates a profanity-laced video in an encounter with a man at a car stop. During the abusive confrontation, the officer threatens to break the legs of a suspect if he attempts to escape.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Society, Torts

DEA Agents Who Arrested California Man On Minor Pot Charge and Then Left Him In Cell Without Light, Water, or Food For Days . . . Given Only Reprimands After Almost Killing Him

141px-DEA_badge_CThe Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) is infamous for stacking charges on defendants and arresting individuals for seemingly minor possessions. However, when it comes to its own agents, there appears to be an endless level of leniency. In 2012, DEA carried out a raid on a home and arrested a group of young people who were smoking marijuana. One was Daniel Chong. Despite the minor violation, Chong was arrested and interrogated. He was told that he would be released but DEA agents simply forgot about him and left him in a cell for five days without food or water. At one point, as the 23-year-old cried and begged for help, someone with the DEA came in and turned off the light in his cell to leave him in the dark. He was given no food or water. Someone was charged, right? Someone was fired, right? No, the DEA has decided that a few reprimands and short suspensions is fine for starving and almost killing Chong.

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Criminal law, Society, Torts

Oklahoma Woman Arrested For Allegedly Attacking the Corpse of a Former “Frenemy” and Pulling Out Her Hair, Messing Her Makeup, and Cutting Her Face

2There is a truly bizarre case out of Tulsa where Shaynna Smith (also known as Shaynna Sim), 27, is accused of going to her “frenemy’s” funeral and smudging her makeup and messing with hair. She is also accused of cutting the face of the deceased. However, the charge may surprise you.

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Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Society

Police Department Refuses To Release Videotape of Police Officer Shooting Man Out Of Concern Over Public Reaction

Dashcam DeniedThere is an interesting development in the case of North Augusta (S.C.) officer Justin Craven in the alleged murder of 68-year-old Ernest Satterwhite. Despite public disclosure laws, the police are refusing to release the videotape because they describe it as shocking and disturbing. Some would argue that that is precisely why it should be available to the public.

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