Category: Society

Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Society

(Below) River Dance Closes Lincoln Tunnel

A Florida dance troupe is learning the cultural ways of the Big Apple after they ditched their cars in the Lincoln Tunnel and dashed away on foot wearing camo. Seems our tiny dancers were late for a TV appearance on BET’s “106 & Park” show.  Those lovers of dance, the Port Authority police and the FBI-NYPD Joint Terrorism Task Force gave chase. The Tunnel was shut-down for 45 minutes during rush hour. Even with the rousing police escort, the dancers were late and headed back to Jacksonville still undiscovered but famous nonetheless.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Media, Military, Politics, Society

Ghailani Acquitted On Major Terrorism Charges — Rep. King Responds With Call To Change Legal System

The trial of alleged Al Qaeda accomplice Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani has resulted in an acquittal on all major terrorism charges in New York. Ghailani was charged with crimes related to the 1998 suicide bombings of two U.S. embassies in Africa that killed 224 people, including 12 Americans. I will be discussing the verdict tonight on Hardball.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society, Torts

Montgomery Police Officer Given $185 Ticket After Paralyzing 14-Year-Old Boy

A Montgomery County police officer Jason Cokinos is back walking the beat after hitting and paralyzing 14-year-old Luis Jovel Jr. Cokinos was speeding to his off-duty job when he hit Jovel and received only a $185 speeding ticket. The county paid $400,000 in damages.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Media, Politics, Society

Arpaio Found To Have Abused Office To Target Critics — Proceeds To Make Steven Seagal a Deputy

An independent prosecutor has found Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio and former Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas had no basis for their public-corruption charges against critics and judges who sought to curtail their abuse of their offices. Navajo County Attorney Brad Carlyon reached the same conclusion as virtually all outside observers, including this blog. In the meantime, Arpaio continues his use of this office to pander to public sentiments and legitimize vigilantism. He announced this week that he had added “Hulk” star Lou Ferrigno and actor Steven Seagal to his anti-immigration posse.

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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

New York Police Nab Chess Felons in Park

New York Police swept into a park in bulletproof vests to arrest men trying to kill royals including two kings, two queens, four knights and even four bishops. The men had set up chess boards in a park that was empty at the time. It turns out that they were sitting in an area restricted to children or adults with children. They were given summons to appear to answer for their crimes in court and not allow to “castle” laterally to a nearby park.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Society

Bristol Palin Triggers Rampage in Wisconsin

Bristol Palin has been implicated in a rampage in Dane County, Wisconsin.  Her latest alleged victim from her appearance on Dancing with the Stars is Steven N. Cowan, 66.  Cowan shared the view of millions that Palin was not much of a star and even less of a dancer.  So, when she again escaped being voted off the show, Cowan snapped.  He grabbed his shotgun and shot his own television.  His wife fled after he demanded his handgun (presumably for a tradition coup de grâce she ran and returned with the police.

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Bizarre, Politics, Society, Torts

California Principal Blocks Ambulance Sent to Help Student To Protect Recently Remodeled Field

Parents in San Jose, California are upset over an astonishing decision made by a high school principal to stop an ambulance from driving onto a football field to help an injured player at Del Mar High School on October 29th. The principal Liz Seabury reportedly says she was following district orders to protect the school’s recently remodeled field from motorized vehicles.
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Academia, Bizarre, International, Society

Lens Louse: NYU Professor To Have Camera Installed In Back of His Head

NYU Professor Wafaa Bilal finally has the solution for all of those spit balls that come flying whenever he turns his back in class: he is having a camera implanted in the back of his head. That’s right, a camera. It is part of a project commissioned by a new museum in Qatar which will broadcast the live images to museum visitors.
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Bizarre, Courts, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Alito Criticized For Participation In Another Conservative Fundraiser

Last night on Rachel Maddow, I discussed the controversy over Supreme Court justices attending political fundraisers. Specifically, Justices Scalia, Thomas, and Alito have been criticized for their participation in such events. Most recently, Justice Samuel Alito was identified by Think Progress at a fundraiser for American Spectator. Alito reportedly said that “it’s not important” that he attends such events. I disagree.
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Criminal law, Politics, Society

Pennsylvania Passes New Castle Doctrine Law

We have long followed trend toward “Make My Day” and “Make My Day Better” laws (also known as “Castle Doctrine” laws) allowing homeowners to kill anyone who invades their homes (here). Some of us have been very critical of these laws as unnecessary and based on a misrepresentation of both the criminal and common law. Citizens are being told that they could be sued for defending their homes from invaders. Now politicians in Pennsylvania have latched on a new gimmick: a law called “stand your ground” that allows people to use lethal force to defend their homes from the outside.
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Bizarre, Media, Society

Parody or Pilfering? Court to Decide What’s What (In The Butt)

Brownmark Films is suing “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker in a case that seems right out of one of the South Park scripts. The court will decide whether Stone and Parker stole copyrighted material from “What What (in the Butt) — a music video that went viral. They are accused of stealing the idea from the website CollegeHumor, but the show insists that this is simply protected parody.

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Bizarre, Lawyering, Society, Torts

Hold the Fries: Did Burger Joint Get Raw Deal on Moby Dick Nuisance?

Steptoe & Johnson has prevailed against a burger restaurant, Rogue States, after the law firm complained that the fumes from the restaurant made them all smell like short-order cooks. Indeed, one of the firm’s “rainmakers” even reportedly threatened to resign from the firm if the burger smells were not removed from his office. D.C. Superior Court judge John Mott ruled that Rogue States was indeed responsible for a nuisance and must either abate the odors or close down.

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