A federal appellate panel found last week that the Bush Administration’s policy on relaxing controls on power companies would cause neurological injuries in 60,000 newborns a year. The unanimous panel (including Republican appointees) took the relatively rare step to strke down the EPA plan on mercury pollution as inimical to public health. The ruling also shows the real consequences to citizens in the Bush policies that consistently favor industry interests over public health interests. Continue reading “Court Blocks Bush Policy that Could Cause Neurological Injuries in 60,000 Newborns Each Year”
Law Student Adam Key, 23, is learning the practical elements of a first amendment case from his school, Regent University — though not under the usual clinical conditions. He is suing the University after he claims it violated his right to free speech last November in suspending for posting an unflattering picture of Pat Robertson on the Internet. Ironically, his case was heard by a judge who knows something about suspensions and discipline. Judge Samuel Kent, who was disciplined for misconduct himself and has been suspended from hearing criminal cases. He is believed to still be under criminal investigation for sexual assault and other crimes — and could face impeachment with another Fifth Circuit judge (click here). Continue reading “Disciplined Law Student Appears Before Disciplined Judge in Case Against Regent University”
Dr. Mazoltuv Borukhova in Queens has been arrested for paying a hitman $20,000 to kill her orthodontist husband, Dr. Daniel Malakov. What is most striking about the attempted hit is how sloppy it was with a trail of money and evidence leading back to the wife. Continue reading “Wife Pays Hitman to Drill Dentist Husband”
The British Olympic Association wants to make sure that its athletes do not confuse pollute the games with discussions of basic freedoms while in Beijing for the Olympic Games. Athletes must sign a contract promising not to criticize China for the denial of human rights. Continue reading “British Athletes Forced to Sign Agreement Not to Discuss China’s Abuses at Olympics”
Many attorneys perfect the firm handshake and winning smile as a signature of success. For attorney Kathy Brewer Rentas, 49, it may prove to be also the basis for assault on a prosecutor. Rentas is accused to shaking the hand of Assistant US Attorney Jennifer Keene so hard that it caused injury. What is most interesting is that this is not a unique charge. Continue reading “Strong-Arming the Prosecution: Attorney Charged with Assault for Aggressive Handshake”
Anne Publicover, a Dalhousie University student, appears to have been arrested for possession of a rodent with intent to pet. Publicover was merely standing before a ban in Halifax when an officer approached her to ask why she was wearing a hoddie and scarf — and carrying a rabbit and a rat. While she explained that it was winter and these were her pets, the officer still arrested her and sent her involuntarily for observation. To make matters worse, Publicover was charged for the transport. Continue reading “College Student Arrested without Cause, Sent to Hospital, and Then Charged for the Trip”
The Bush Administration has reversed its decision to deny a visa to Amy Winehouse due to allegations of drug abuse. However, the visa’s issuance will not result in her attending the Grammy Awards. The entire incident demonstrates the disturbing degree of discretion in the visa system, discretion that can lead to the arbitrary and capricious use of the laws governing entry into the United States. Continue reading “Administration Reverses Its Earlier Denial of Amy Winehouse’s Visa”
The last state has finally accepted what has been obvious to 49 other states: electrocution is cruel and unusual punishment. The Nebraska Supreme Court barred the use of the electric chair in the last state that still used it as its sole means of execution. Continue reading “The End of Electrocution in the United States?: Nebraska Supreme Court Bans Use of Electric Chair as a Method of Execution”
Michael and Marla Sklar, a Jewish couple, have led a long and lonely battle against the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) over what they allege is special treatment given to the Church of Scientology. The IRS has long stonewalled inquiries over the deal with Scientology. Still viewed as a cult and not a religion in some countries, Scientology itself litigated for years against the U.S. government over its tax status. At the heart of the case is the controversy over such Scientology practices such as auditing. This case has long been fascinating and could result in an important constitutional decision. Continue reading “Sklar – Scientology Case Enters Critical Stage Before Ninth Circuit”
Majority Leader Harry Reid has alleged that the Bush White House has offered to effectively trade off 84 nominees to the executive and judicial branches if the Senate confirms Steven Bradbury for head of the Office of Legal Counsel. It is another example of a made man in the Bush White House, who must be confirmed at any cost. Continue reading “Bush Reportedly Puts 84 Nominees at Risk for the Single Confirmation of Bradbury”
If the Supreme Court “know[s] pornography when [it] sees it.” how about politics? That may be the question with a case seeking review of an appellate decision to treat a documentary entitled “Hillary: The Movie” as akin to a campaign commercial. The movie, the work of David N. Bossie, is an attack on Clinton as well as campaign finance laws. It presents a compelling first amendment challenge to the law and its requirement that the producers disclose their list of donors. Continue reading “Supreme Court to Consider Review of “Hillary: The Movie””
The most dangerous thing at Saudi Starbucks is not the caffeine — if you are a woman at least. An American businesswoman named Yara (she is withholding her last name) was arrested, strip searched and forced to sign a false confession after she was captured in the act of sitting with a male at a Starbucks in Riyadh. Continue reading “A Latte and Hold the Lashes, Please: American Businesswomen Arrested, Strip Searched, and Forced to Sign False Confession for Sitting with Male Colleague at a Starbucks”
Attorney General Michael Mukasey has performed the central task for which he was chosen by the President and leading congressional leaders — he is refusing to allow a criminal investigation into water-boarding. It was a decision that seemed inevitable after Democrats like Chuck Schumer and Diane Feinstein saved his confirmation. Continue reading “Mukasey Refuses to Allow Criminal Investigation on Torture — Democrats and Republican Leaders Silently Cheer”
U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett has reduced by over half the damages awarded against a fundamentalist Kansas Church, which protests funerals of fallen soldiers from Iraq in a bizarre anti-homosexual crusade. The Westboro Baptist Church will now have to pay Albert Snyder, the fatehr of a dead Marine, $5 million rather than $10.9 million. Continue reading “Court Reduces Punitive Damages Against Radical Anti-Homosexual Church”
The Ninth Circuit has handed down a very interesting decision in a case of a police officer fired because he and his wife ran a private porn site in his free time. In January of 2002, the Chandler Police Department
discovered that Officer Ronald Dible was running the site, featuring his wife , Megan Dible, who performed various sex acts with various partners and objects. It was too much for the town and he was fired. It is a case that raises some difficult constitutional questions and the decision could cut deeply into first amendment rights. Continue reading “Court of Appeals Upholds Termination of Police Officer Over Private Porn Site”