If the simple pot possession case against Willy Nelson is any measure, West Texas justice appears based on some fundamental differences from the rest of the country. While such minor charges are generally handled by mail, Hudspeth County’s judge Becky Dean-Walker has demanded that the star appear before her in her courtroom. Now, County Attorney Kit Bramblett is joining in on the fun with Nelson by offering a plea only if Nelson sings “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” for the court. I hate to be a cold blanket, but find this neither funny nor tolerable for a legal system. Both the judge and the prosecutor appear to be intoxicated by celebrity crime.
There is an interesting ruling out of Oregon where the Court of Appeals ruled that teeth cannot be treated as a dangerous weapon for the purposes of establishing a basis for first-degree assault conviction of Scott Russell Kuperus II. It is a clear case of prosecutorial over-charging and a trial judge who failed in protecting against such abusive claims.
Continue reading “Taking the Bite Out of Crime: Oregon Court Rules Teeth Are Not Dangerous Weapons”
There is a bizarre confrontation in Salisbury, Connecticut where state police have applied for a warrant to arrest Superior Court judge Corinne L. Klatt after refusing to sign a prior arrest warrant. Salisbury Resident Trooper Mark Lauretano charges that Klatt is guilty of coercion and hindering a criminal investigation by refusing to sign the warrant.
Continue reading “Connecticut Police Seek Arrest of Judge After She Refuses To Sign Warrant”
It is one of the worst pranks played in schools. A friend starts to sit down and a student holds a pencil pointing up on the chair. Millions of kids have either been the culprit or the victim of this prank. However, in Ohio, one such 12-year-old child has been arrested and charged criminally after he played the prank during choir class — leading to the other 12-year-old boy being sent to the hospital.
Continue reading “Pencil Prank Leads to Arrest and Criminal Charging of Middle School Student”
A Texas jury sentenced James Steven Corley, 52, to 99 years in jail after his 16th conviction for driving while intoxicated. The jury deliberated only an hour after the guilty verdict in handing down the extreme sentence.
Continue reading “Texas Man Receives 99 Year Sentence After 16th DWI”
There may be a lawsuit in the making in Ohio where a mother has accused Army recruiters of causing her son’s death through draconian dieting techniques. The death of Glenni Wilsey, 20, would normally be a pure case of assumption of the risk. However, the recruiters allegedly recommended a bizarre and dangerous course to qualify for the Army’s EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) Unit.
Continue reading “Army Recruiters Accused of Pushing Ohio Man Into Fatal Diet and Exercise Regimen”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
A few days ago, I was listening to All Things Considered on NPR while I was driving in my car. Host John Burnett was talking about an investigation into Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in Mississippi. The prison facility for youthful offenders is being run by a private company called GEO Group. According to NPR, privatized 
prison services are a $3 billion dollar industry in this country—and GEO Group is our nation’s second largest for-profit prison operator.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
John O. Brennan is Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism, and Assistant to the President. In remarks made at the Brennan Center for Justice, NYU School of Law, Brennan presented a forceful public call for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center and the use of the federal courts to try some of the detainees there. Key word: some.
Continue reading “Brennan Slams Congress for Encroaching on Obama’s Authority”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
Rudy: Hey, Jack, did you hear about that naughty dog named Denver who ate a whole bag of cat treats while his owner was out of the house? Well, his owner figured out who the culprit was and gave him a timeout in the kennel. Maybe Mom and Dad should do the same thing to you when you empty my food dish!
Jack: Aw…you don’t mean that, do you, buddy? We Labs are active dogs. We need continual sustenance so we can maintain our high energy level.
Rudy: Energy smenergy! I’d like you to stay the heck away from my cat food!
Jack: Rudy, little bro, I may feed from your food dish—but I’d NEVER eat a whole bag of your kitty treats! Trust me.
Continue reading “A Sunday Jack & Rudy Post…Including a Guilty Dog Video”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
in 2004, in an effort to increase minority home ownership, then-Gov. Pawlenty urged the Minnesota Housing Financing Agency (MHFA) to partner with local groups and businesses. The MHFA partnered with the African Development Center (ADC), developing culturally sensitive financial products that would allow Muslims to own homes. Sharia (Islamic law) prohibits the payment or acceptance of interest fees for loans of money. Charging interest on loans is also forbidden according to Jewish law.
Submitted By Lawrence Rafferty, (rafflaw), Guest Blogger
When someone mentions the United States Chamber of Commerce to me, I automatically think of the recent claims that were made that the Chamber solicited campaign donations from foreign corporations during the last election cycle. “A ThinkProgress investigation has found that the Chamber funds its political attack campaign out of its general account, which solicits foreign funding. And while the Chamber will likely assert it has internal controls, foreign money is fungible, permitting the Chamber to run its unprecedented attack campaign. According to legal experts consulted by ThinkProgress, the Chamber is likely skirting longstanding campaign finance law that bans the involvement of foreign corporations in American elections.” Think Progress While that may be an atrocious and possibly illegal funding of domestic elections with foreign money, I am not currently interested in that “activity” of our friends at the Chamber of Commerce. Something else caught my eye! Continue reading “The United Chamber of Hacking?”
Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger
The Society of Jesus, Oregon Province—a group of Jesuits who serve the Northwest—has agreed to pay a settlement of $166 million to childhood v
ictims of sexual and physical abuse. The abuse of approximately 500 Native Americans and Alaskan Natives is reported to have taken place at mission and boarding schools operated by the Jesuits on Indian Reservations in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Alaska, and Montana.
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Bryan Fischer is the director of analysis for government and policy for the American Family Association (designated a hate group by the SPLC), which claims 2 million online supporters and 180,000 subscribers to its AFA Journal. Fischer recently said that the First Amendment doesn’t apply to Muslims, writing: “Islam has no fundamental First Amendment claims, for the simple reason that it was not written to protect the religion of Islam.”
Continue reading “Bryan Fischer – Republican Presidential Hopefuls Go-To Guy”
-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger
Bernard von NotHaus, 67, was convicted making coins resembling and similar to United States coins; of issuing, passing, selling and possessing Liberty Dollar coins; of issuing and passing Liberty Dollar coins intended for use as current money; and of conspiracy against the United States.
von NotHaus was charged with violation of 18 U.S.C. § 485, conspiracy to possess and sell coins in resemblance or similitude of any foreign gold or silver coin current in the United States or in actual use and circulation as money within the United States.
The Syrian government has reportedly opened fired on protesters soon after President Bashar al-Assad promised to put an end to protests. The reported massacre occurred in the city of Sanamin near Daraa. Given President Barack Obama’s rationale for going to war in Libya, doesn’t that mean we will soon be bombing Damascus as we have Tripoli? After all, both Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton insisted that they had no choice when it was clear that the government was shooting protesters. Now, Syrian protesters can claim the same right to a U.S. led “time-limited, scope-limited military action.”
Continue reading “Onward To Syria? Government Reportedly Massacres Citizens”