It appears that the final battle from Star Wars will happen in an English court. In this legal sequel, Andrew Ainsworth, a prop designer, is up against the empire headed by director George Lucas and his massive company, Lucasfilm. The dispute is over the rights to the stormtrooper costumes. It seems that Ainsworth may be making costumes from the original mold from the film. “Obi-Wan has taught you well,'” young Ainsworth, but the courts may have different plans for you and your stormtroopers. Continue reading “Obi-Won, Lucas Zero: English Court Faces Financial Demand Over Stormtroopers”
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You are only allowed to swear once in deposition — at the start and to God. This is a lesson being taught to New York mortgage company owner, Aaron Wider. Federal Trial Judge Eduardo Robreno hit Wider with a $29,323 fine for swearing 73 times in the deposition, shown in an excerpted video below. This is however not unique as the other video below from a different case indicates. Continue reading “Swear Once and Only Once So Help You God: New Yorker Fined for Swearing in Deposition”
One can only imagine what Freud would do with this. Prince al-Walid bin Talal has announced the construction of a mile-high tower in the Saudi Arabian desert. Continue reading “Building Envy: Saudi Prince Announces Building That Will Be Twice As Big as Nearest Rival”
In Connecticut, Garrett A. Dalton was hoping to win Hannah Montana tickets by running in women’s clothing and high heels for 40-yards. He now may lose his job and faces fraud charges. Continue reading “Run in Drag Could Lead to Stint in Joint”
There were many objections to arming pilots after 9-11 — not the least with the danger of intentionally adding a gun to flights that could be taken by terrorists or mishandled by pilots. For those critics, a US Airways flight from Denver will likely be cited often: a pilot accidentally discharged his weapon in the cockpit during the flight.
Continue reading “Pilot’s Gun Goes Off in Cockpit on US Airways Flight”
The case reads like a modern version of Arsenic and Old Lace, but here the old ladies are killing the old men for their insurance policies. Helen Golay, 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75, are accused of insuring homeless men and then running them over to collect millions in insurance benefits.
Continue reading “Autos and Old Lace: Elderly Women Accused of Insuring and Then Running Over Homeless Men”
Entries on Sunday will be delayed due to my deployment on the Cutter U.S.S. Taney (USCGC Taney (WPG/WHEC-37)). Continue reading “U.S.S. Taney Bound”
Texas Supreme Court Justice David Medina has been accused of ethics violations in the misuse of campaign funds. The charges come at a time that Medina is dealing with a recent indictment for arson — an indictment quashed by a local prosecutor. Now Medina and Texas Supreme Court Justices Paul Green and Nathan Hecht are facing serious ethics charges. With a federal judge facing possible criminal charges for sexual assault and another facing demands to step down, it has been a particularly bad year for the Texas bench. Continue reading “Medina (and two other Texas Supreme Court Justices) Face Ethics Charge”
With little attention in the media, the Justice Department has filed papers in federal court arguing that the CIA did not have an obligation to preserve the infamous torture tapes and therefore was lawfully entitled to destroy them. The filing patently demonstrates the conflict of interest in Attorney General Michael Mukasey insisting that the Justice Department investigate the possible criminal conduct in the matter. Now, the Justice Department is not only investigating itself, but it is investigating a crime that it has rejected as baseless in court filings. The ACLU case has also shown that other officials were aware of the tapes, including the CIA Inspector General’s Office — which means that the agency “watchdogs” knew of a torture program – a clear criminal enterprise – and did nothing. Continue reading “Justice Department Argues in Court that CIA Did Not Have to Preserve Torture Tapes While It Continues to “Independently Investigate” That Very Crime”
As Congress deals with rising complaints over junk mail clogging mailboxes, it might want to start by reducing its own contributions to the scourge. Last year, U.S. House members spent $20.3 million to spend unsolicited mail to constituents on subjects ranging from car care to advice on job interviews. It is one of the reasons why incumbents are so difficult to unseat — members have created a constructive public subsidy for campaigns, but only for incumbents. Continue reading “House Members Spent Over $20 Million Dollars on Junk Mail”
For those who believe that the nation is finally coming to grips with the infamous program of torture implemented by President Bush, think again. The Republican senators are not only refusing to confront the White House, they actually blocked legislation to bar torture. Continue reading “Senate GOP Blocks Effort to Outlaw Torture”
In an extraordinary sentencing, Montana Judge James Haynes has sentenced Robert Stearns to 225 years for three felony counts of indecent exposure. Continue reading “Court Sentences Montana Man to 225 Years for Indecent Exposure”
Below is the written testimony on prison and sentencing reform before the House Judiciary Committee scheduled for December 6, 2007. Continue reading “Testimony on Prisoner Reform and Older Prisoners before the House Judiciary Committee”
There are 15,000 people trying to get off the government’s growing terror watch list, but facing bureaucratic delay and indecision. Continue reading “15,000 Seeking to Get Off Terror Watch List of Over 200,000”
In the latest story of alleged taser abuse, the Chicago police tasered an 82-year-old woman — an act that could have easily resulted in a heart attack. For the full story, click here