There is a horrific story out of Michigan where a couple, Scott and Jennifer Petkov, are accused of a cruel campaign targeting a seven-year-old girl, Kathleen Edwards who is dying from Huntington’s disease. The Petkov’s allegedly posted pictures showing Kathleen’s mother (Laura Edwards, who died of the disease last year at the age of 24) in the arms of the grim reaper and photo shopped a picture of Kathleen with her face above a set of crossed bones. The story (which has gone viral internationally) raises questions over the possible civil and criminal liability for such actions.
Continue reading “Can The Petkovs Be Charged or Sued in Their Alleged Harassment of a Dying Seven-Year-Old Girl?”
This always happens when everyone rushes for the door at once.
Erwin Arnada, 47, former editor-in-chief of Playboy Indonesia, has begun a two-year sentence for publishing pictures of women in undergarments — photos that are less revealing than the standard ads found in the Subway.
Continue reading “Indonesia Court Sentences Playboy Executive To Two Years in Jail for Indecency”
What is it about public officials and Nazi uniforms these days. We just saw a Portland police officer accused wearing a Nazi uniform and building a memorial to fallen German soldiers including a SS officer and a war criminal. Now, Rich Iott, Ohio Republican nominee for Ohio’s Ninth District (second from the right) has been shown in his World War II German uniform.
Continue reading “The Reich Man For the Job? Ohio GOP Candidate Shown in Nazi Uniform”
Caitlin Sanchez, 14, has filed a lawsuit against Nickelodeon alleging that the network denied her full compensation as the voice for “Dora the Explorer.” The New Jersey team says that she (and her parents) were taken advantage of by network lawyers who convinced them to sign an unfair and ambiguous contract.
Continue reading “Dora Explores Liability: Voice of Cartoon Character Sues Nickelodeon”
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””
There is a fascinating case in Canada on the legal status of babies carried by surrogates. We have seen various rulings in surrogate cases, including surrogates awarded custody and surrogates fighting for such rights. The couple who (upon learning that the baby carried by their surrogate had Down’s Syndrome) wanted to abort the baby. However, the surrogate refused and wanted to complete the pregnancy.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee has pulled an ad showing real West Virginia guys complaining about West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin (D). The problem is that the real guys were not only actors but actors from Philadelphia. The ad makers told the talent agency that “We are going for a ‘Hicky’ Blue Collar look.”
Continue reading “National Republican Senatorial Committee Uses Philadelphia Actors to Portray “Hicky” West Virginia Voters”
This is pretty cool. Scientists are about to release mosquitoes infected with a bacteria that cut cut the incidence of dengue fever in half.
Continue reading “Scientists To Release Altered Mosquitoes To Fight Dengue Fever”
Philadelphia police officers Sean Alivera, 31, and Christopher Luciano, 23, have been charged with an impressive list of crimes, including criminal conspiracy, robbery, kidnapping, unlawful restraint, false imprisonment, theft, and other related charges. These alleged crimes culminated in what police say was Alivera and Luciano robbing an undercover police officer. In the meantime, 129 police officers in Puerto Rico have been arrested in a widespread federal corruption investigation.
Continue reading “Philadelphia Police Officers Arrested After Allegedly Robbing Fellow Officer”
We have previously discussed how the Obama Administration played down the environmental damage caused by the BP oil spill, including public statements by people like Carol Browner that the oil (which was later found) had miraculously disappeared. Now, documents have been disclosed suggesting that the Obama Administration blocked efforts by federal scientists to tell the public of how bad the oil spill was. Once again, there is relatively little attention to this story. The Bush Administration was accused of the same type of manipulation of scientific reports and was generally (and rightfully) savaged in the press.
Continue reading “Obama Administration Accused of Blocking Report on Potential Seriousness of BP Spill”
In Pittsburgh, Allegheny County Judge Joseph Williams has caused a controversy by rejecting a plea bargain on the ground that it is the type of deal that “only goes to white boys.” The plea agreement involved three months probation for a man accused of fighting with police during a traffic stop.
Continue reading “Pittsburgh Judge Rejects Plea Agreement As Something That Prosecutor Only Gives “To White Boys””
San Diego police officer Robert Acosta and his wife Monique were allegedly not happy with the foreclosure on their million-dollar home. According to witnesses, they trashed the home, tore up the garden, and stole items before leaving the property. They now have been arrested and face a claim for over $200,000 in damages.
Continue reading “San Diego Police Officer Accused of Trashing Million Dollar Home After Foreclosure”
Mississippi Chancery Judge Talmadge Littlejohn means it when he asks everyone to stand and say the pledge of allegiance. When attorney Danny Lampley of Oxford stood but did not recite, Littlejohn threw him in jail.
Littlejohn was just honored by the Mississippi bar for 50 years in public service.
Continue reading “Mississippi Lawyer Jailed By Court For Not Reciting Pledge of Allegiance”
As has been the practice on this blog, I wanted to disclose my representation of the Brown family, who are the subjects of the new series “Sister Wives” on TLC. As in the past, any comments on the case by me will be limited. However, various people have suggested the reported criminal investigation as a subject for this blog and I wanted to explain why I have not posted anything on the controversy.
Continue reading “Representation in “Sister Wives” Case”