For years, critics have pointed to a notable pattern of the members of the Ohio Supreme Court voting overwhelmingly with campaign donors. One justice, Terrence O’Donnell voted 91 percent of the time with her campaign donors. One Justice complained that campaigning in Ohio made him feel like a “hooker,” pandering before special interests with cases before the Court. This is not unique, as noted below. Continue reading “Ohio Supreme Court Criticized for Ruling Overwhelmingly In Favor of Campaign Donors”
This week saw another fatality among hunters after Michael Shane Hasting shot and killed Randall Williamson. Williamson was sitting in a tree when he was felled by Hasting. Continue reading “Hunter Shoots Another Hunter Out of Tree”
In New Delhi, All India Muslim Women Personal Law Board is trying to improve the status of Muslim woman in the new “Shariat Nikahnama” that would allow women to divorce their husbands when they have affairs with other woman and to stop the practice of allowing men to divorce their wives via SMS or emails. Continue reading “Muslim Women in India Fight Not to be Divorced By SMS and Emails”
Easter for Roman Catholic Ruben Enaje is a little more involved than the standard run to the store for a couple dozen eggs and fake basket grass. Enaje likes it a bit more real, so he annually has himself crucified to honor the Lord. He will be only one of 19 this year. As the videos below indicate, this is a common practice and comes on the heels of a health instruction in the Philippines on how to properly whip yourself with hygienic whips. Continue reading “Eggs, Coloring, Crucifixion Nails: Man Celebrates Easter with 22nd Crucifixion”
I have often written about judges who seem to relish the imposition of “creative sentences” that often involve shaming or degrading acts to be perform by defendants. Scott County Associate Judge Christine Dalton in Davenport came now be added to this ignoble list. ith a lengthy and violent criminal record to his name, Pachino Hill is going to church. Dalton has ordered a criminal defendant Pachino Hill to attend church in a wildly inappropriate sentence. Continue reading “Iowa Judge Orders Criminal to Church in Another Abuse of “Creative Sentencing””
A case out of New York has shown how immigration officials can prey upon immigrants for green cards and administrative measures. The arrest of Isaac R. Baichu, 46, an adjudicator for the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services, was particularly enlightening due to a recording made of his threats against a married Colombian woman that if she did not give him sexual favors, he would cause trouble for her and her family. Continue reading “Immigration Official Arrested After Allegedly Trading Sex for Green Cards”
One of the least known dangers for children is pool drains, which can have such powerful suction that they can hold a child under water or even pull organs from their bodies. Abigail Taylor, 6, died this week after struggling with the aftermath of such a nightmare: a wading pool drain at the Minneapolis Golf Club in St. Louis Park, Minn. pulled out part of her intestinal tract. Continue reading “Another Child Dies Due to Pool Drain System”
The State Department has fired two contract the passport file of Barack Obama’s passport file. The Department insists that it was a case of “imprudent curiosity,” but an investigation is planned by the inspector general. Continue reading “Administration Cites “Imprudent Curiosity” and Fires Two Employees in Obama Passport Controversy”
According to prosecutors, 91-year-old Ralph Ridenour was fully competent to stand trial in Colorado. The only problem was that he was dead at the time.
Continue reading “Fit But Dead: Prosecutors Argue in Court that Defendant is Fit for Trial a Month After He Dies”
A very disturbing story is emerging from New York where the principal of the city’s first Arabic-language school (the Khalil Gibran International Academy) said that she was forced to resign over mild statements regarding a tee-shirt sold by an outside group. Debbie Almontaser was the target of a concerted campaign to get the administration of Mayor Bloomberg to fire her. Continue reading “Arabic Public School Principal Forced to Resign Over Tee-Shirt Comment”
A judicial panel has recommended the most severe penalty of removal for a judge accused of making racially insensitive remarks about “white folks.” The panel is seeking the removal of Leflore County Court Judge Solomon Osborne for making racially charged statements about “white folks” and then allegedly lying about it in an affidavit. Continue reading “Mississippi Judge Faces Removal Over Remarks About “White Folks””
Washington, D.C. Judge John Bayly Jr. had accepted a reprimand and apologized for detaining a public defender, Liyah Brown, after she refused to stop talking in his court. Continue reading “D.C. Judge Sanctioned Over Jailing Talkative Public Defender”
In yet another police abuse story, two California Highway Patrol officers were found guilty of using excessive force and violating the constitutional rights of 72-year-old Jack Nolan in 2006. What is remarkable is that after a jury found in his favor and issued a very reasonable $75,000 award, the judge reduced its to medical bills alone. Such judicial intervention is precisely why we lack of deterrent for certain forms of government abuses. Continue reading “California Highway Patrol Officers Found Guilty of Abusing 72-Year-Old But Judge Rescinds Most Damages”
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s office is under scrutiny after colleagues of Deputy James Council led him from a possible crime scene without drug or alcohol testing after he killed two bicyclists and almost killed a third. He was seen by witnesses driving erratically before plowing into the Third Pillar Racing Team. Some reported that he seemed in a daze by witnesses. Yet, he was treated in a starkly different fashion for most such potential defendants. Continue reading “Police Officer is Led From Scene by Colleagues after Hitting Line of Bicyclists Without Drug or Alcohol Testing”
An interesting police abuse case has been filed in Nevada. Federal agent Brad Hare is suing the Henderson police department over a beating he allegedly received when officers were called by a disgruntled pool opponent. Continue reading “Law Enforcement Officer Sued City Over Police Abuse”