On February 16, 2004 Gov. Rick Perry (Texas) executed an innocent man. His name was Cameron Todd Willingham and he was convicted of murder via arson for the deaths of his three young children. Perry also impeded the investigation of the incident by the Texas Forensic Science Commission when he replaced four of the nine members in an attempt to change the report showing there no evidence of arson.
Category: Uncategorized
We have discussed the situation regarding the anonymous blogger who complained about the salary and perks of Pastor Mac Brunson, here. Detective Robert Hinson of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office got a subpoena and forced Google to reveal the blogger’s identity. Hinson also worked for the church as part of the pastor’s security detail.
Hope you kept your headphones/earbuds handy. It’s Little Darlin’ by The Diamonds in glorious STEREO!
It just needs …
No, really: “Mark 11:12-14 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard him say it.”
H/T boingboing
-David Drumm (Nal)
November 1-6 has been declared “Vaccine Awareness Week.” What a great idea. Especially with the whooping cough epidemic in California. The epidemic is the largest outbreak in more than 60 years and has claimed the lives of 10 children. Over 6200 cases have been reported since January. A perfect time for vaccine awareness, right?
Let’s dig a little deeper …
We have previously discussed the cafe owner who was ordered to remove the exhaust fan, here. The fan was ordered removed because it blew bacon odors that were offensive to Muslims.
Seems like another story of accommodation, but …
Peter Crotty has some peculiar ideas about his job responsibilities. Crotty, a waiter at Buffalo Wild Wings, in suburban Skokie, Illinois, takes waiting tables and the “Wild” in “Wild Wings” very seriously. When three area teens decided to skip out on their $51.00 bill, Crotty did his best Olivia Newton John (no, not ‘Let’s Get Physical,” it’s “Grease,” silly) and leaped aboard the roof rack of the teens’ SUV. Our earnest garçon rode the vehicle for eight blocks until the vehicle went behind a building and Crotty jumped off. Dutiful as ever, Crotty ran back to the restaurant and finished his shift. Cops were called and made arrests. And you wonder why there are no car-hops around anymore.
Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Source: UPI
Norfolk, Virginia, Police Detective Robert Glenn Ford had a reputation as a hard-nosed cop who handled most of the City’s high profile criminal cases. Now he’s got another one but it’s his name “across the v” from the Government. Ford was convicted in federal court in Norfolk of extortion and lying to federal investigators. Specifically, the Government alleged that Ford took money from criminal defendants in exchange for helping them get lighter sentences. Ford maintains his innocence and vows to appeal.
Ford handled 200 homicide cases including the infamous “Norfolk 4” case which resulted in four convictions for the rape and murder of an 18-year-old wife of a Norfolk sailor. Ford was accused by lawyers for the “Norfolk 4” of planting jailhouse snitches near in the men’s cell blocks to solicit confessions.
Continue reading “Does Convicted Cop Equal Reasonable Doubt?”
A consumer-conscious Uniontown, Pennsylvania man called local police to complain about the quality of the marijuana he just purchased. When police arrived, the 21-year-old complained that the pot was “nasty.” A field test by the officers revealed the stash was not marijuana at all, but our boy-genius is not off the hook. He could still be charged with possession of a counterfeit controlled substance. No word yet on whether the seller takes returns.
I’ve often wondered why possession of a “counterfeit” controlled substance is a crime at all. Certainly, attempting to sell or selling the counterfeit substance could be punished as criminal fraud, but what is the public policy reason to prevent possession of , say, oregano? Do we want really want to criminalize even more conduct as we fight the Drug War?
— Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger
Source: AP
Oklahoma voters will be voting on a curious and troubling constitutional amendment. Labelled the “Save Our State” amendment, State Question 775 seeks to ban the use of Islamic law in state court. Not any other form of religious or international law, just Islamic law. GOP State Senator Rex Duncan wants to protect the state from the ravages of Islamic law despite the fact that there has not been any record of Islamic law ever being invoked in Oklahoma. Indeed, in 2000, there were only 6,000 Muslims in the entire state.
Continue reading “Too Sooner For Sharia? Oklahoma Legislators Seek To Bar Application of Sharia Law in State Courts”
I am happy to report we will be implementing another one of your suggestions for improving the blog. Various people suggested a year ago that we have guest blogging to allow regulars a chance to make entries on the blog. With my upcoming speech in France, I thought it would be a great time to try this out for a week from October 31st to November 6th. I have selected three of our best known and most respected regulars: David Drumm (aka Nal), Elaine Magliaro (aka Elaine M) and Mark Esposito (aka Mespo). They will be blogging every day for that week (including on November 7th if they have any material left). They will be signing their entries and will have the full run of the blog. I am very grateful to them and I am very excited to see their work in the coming week.
We have been following cases where public employees have been disciplined or fired for activities in their private lives from teachers to coaches to lunch ladies (and here and here) to prison guards to city officials to police officers. There have also been such cases involving private employers as well as international cases (here). Now, Portland police Capt. Mark Kruger has been disciplined for his actions celebrating the exploits of German soldiers — actions that have labeled him a “Nazi sympathizer.”
Continue reading “Oregon Police Officer Disciplined as “Nazi Sympathizer””
The fifth day of the Senate trial for United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous starts today at 8 a.m.
Continue reading “PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL — DAY FIVE”
Manhattan Supreme Court Judge O. Peter Sherwood has put an end to an interesting tort lawsuit over the use of a picture in the movie “Couples Retreat.” Former bikini model Irina Krupnik was disgusted when the movie showed actor Jon Favreau’s character masturbating to her picture and claimed that such use went beyond what was agreed to in a contract. She demanded $10 million but, according to Judge Sherwood, she will receive nothing.
Continue reading “Former Bikini Model Loses Tort Claim Over Use of Photo in Movie”
Rabbi Yehuda Levin, spokesman for an alliance of 850 Orthodox members of the Rabbinical Alliance of America, has denounced Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan in not just political but Biblical terms.
Continue reading ““Not Kosher”: Rabbis Warn Kagan Confirmation Would Lead To New “Sodom and Gomorrah””