Conservative commentator Robert Novak is back in the news. This time it is not for mowing down pedestrians in his sports car. Instead, Novak has refuted all of those defenders who insisted that he would never have intentionally blown the cover of a CIA operatives. In a new interview, Novak says that he would out CIA Valerie Plame again despite knowing that she was under cover. While he previously indicated that he should not have revealed her name, he now says that he would have knowingly blown her cover despite the violation of federal law and impact on national security. Why? Because of the bad things people have said about him.
The video below is Hollywood’s response to the passage of Proposition 8: a full-throated, star-studded musical. There is something quintessentially Hollywood in all this.
Continue reading “Proposition 8: The Musical”
The tough economic times are producing some highly questionable revenue measures by cities and states. One of the most problematic is the growing trend for towns, cities, and counties to charge citizens to use of police or fire services in emergencies. At least 24 states have such laws on the books and private contractors are pushing for every state to allow them to collect from crime and fire victims.
Continue reading “Fire Sale: Fire and Police Departments Charging Victims for Services”
As Wal-Mart faces lawsuits over its failure to stop a lethal holiday stampede, it is also facing a bizarre case in its Greensburg, Pennsylvania store. A 29-year-old man has been questioned over his videotaping of other men going to the toilet.
A terrible case has emerged from Albert Lea, Minnesota where two of the former Good Samaritan Society employees — 19-year-old Brianna Broitzman and 18-year-old Ashton Larson — have been criminally charged with the abuse of elderly patients in a nursing home. A total of eight juveniles were allegedly involved and four have been charged with failing to report the abuse. The case may trigger civil litigation against both the nursing home and potentially the Good Samaritan Society itself.
Continue reading “Teen Good Samaritans Charged With Elder Abuse at Nursing Home”
The holiday lawsuits have begun with two customers alleging negligence after being injured in the holiday stampede that killed temporary Wal-Mart worker Jdimytai Damour, 34. A father and son team — Fritz Mesadieu (51) and Jonathan Mesadieu (19) — are suing for their neck and back injuries (classic slip-and-fall injuries). In the meantime, police are reviewing tapes to search for the shoppers who stomped Damour to death. Below is the video showing little control over the surging crowd. In the meantime, the family of Damour have sued for his wrongful death.
Roman Polanski is back on the criminal docket. Thirty years after his conviction for a sex offense involving a minor, Polanski’s lawyers are asking a California court to dismiss the case against him, claiming prosecutorial and judicial misconduct. The filing is based on “extraordinary new evidence” of “repeated, unlawful, and unethical misconduct” by the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office and the judge in Polanski’s case — evidence uncovered in the making of an HBO documentary, “Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired.’
Continue reading “Roman Polanski Files to Set Aside Criminal Warrant”
An interesting case has emerged out of Loveland, Colorado. J.P. Weichel, 40, has been criminally charged for libel for statements that he made on CraigsList under a nineteenth century law. Weichel allegedly made the comments in Craigslist’s “Rants and Raves Section.” Weichel says that he “was just venting.” It is a rare case of such defamation that is made even more rare by the use of a criminal versus civil charge.
Continue reading “Rants and Raves: Man Criminally Charged for Alleged Libel on Craigslist”
The Capitol Visitor Center has finally opened as a symbol of congressional over-runs and poor management. Years late and many millions over budget, the Center is a towering example of the inability of Congress to balance its own checkbook. The only problem may be stinking citizens and rotting souls. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said that members will celebrate that they will no longer have to “smell the tourists” while Sen. Jim DeMint has denounced the building as being Godless.
There is an interesting case filed against the Hilton Hotel chain by the night manager of the SkyWater Restaurant and Lounge. Deborah Smith claims that she was fired after she had walked in on and witnessed several members of Hilton’s upper management engaging in sex acts in a banquet room.
Continue reading “Hilton Employee Alleges Hotel Fired Her After Disclosure of Executive Orgy”
With the unanimous vote of the bipartisan Minnesota Board of Canvassers against his demand for the counting of rejected ballots, Al Franken (D) is suggesting that he may ask the Senate (with a democratic majority) to simply order the counting of the ballots and hand him the victory over incumbent Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.). It is the nuclear option in the Constitution and rarely used for obvious reasons.
Continue reading “Nuclear Option: Franken Lawyer Suggests He May Invoke Senate Option to Trump State Board”
New York Giants receiver Plaxico Burress is looking at a very serious prosecution after shooting himself in the leg with his own gun while at a club in New York. In the meantime, a hospital worker New York Presbyterian Hospital who appears to have helped Burress by not reporting the gunshot has been fired.
Continue reading “Giant Killer: Plaxico Burress Facing Jail Time Over Gun Wound”
Congratulations to everyone who regularly posts at this blog. Our blog has made the top 100 legal blogs in the annual survey by the ABA Journal. [OK, there is no trophy but I figured we needed something] The Journal is now taking votes on various categories from professor/legal theory blog (including this blog) and various other categories like crime and technology. This blog is in the top ten for professor/legal theory blogs and you can vote on the ranking by click vote now here.
Continue reading “Turley Blog Makes Top 100: Vote Now For Your Favorite Blogs”
Randy Goodman, 49, thought that he had the better of a deer when he shot a 240-pound buck with his .270 caliber rifle. This deer, however, refused to become venison before getting a little vengeance. The amazing thing is that this is not the most embarrassing hunting story this season.
There is a bizarre holiday display in Washington. On one side is a Nativity scene and on the other is a atheist display denouncing religion. Tis the season for our endless debate over entanglement of church and state. Yet, here, a Wisconsin group takes an obnoxious approach that secretly should delight those who want to prolong this culture war.
Continue reading “Happy Holiday, You God-Enslaved Zombie: Atheists Get Their Own Holiday Display”