The Bush Administration is seeking to train firefighters to serve as eyes and ears in the war on terror: a role that raises significant civil liberties questions. Under this plan, firefighters would look for evidence of possible terrorism in the homes and businesses that they inspect or enter. Continue reading “Homeland Security to Use Firefighters to Spot Potential Terror Suspects”
In another entry into the abuse of tasers, this video shows police using a taser to the neck of a pregnant mother after throwing her on her stomach to the ground. Continue reading “Shock Video: Police Taser Pregnant Mother”
Geoffrey Fieger is fighting for his law license in classic Fieger fashion: he is suing everyone from prosecutors to judges. In the meantime, judges are expressing surprising levels of public contempt for Fieger — and each other. Continue reading “Michigan Judges and Geoffrey Fieger Attack Each Other”
Dennis Lindberg is a 14-year-old Jehovah’s Witness who has leukemia. His parents (who do not have legal custody and are not Jehovah’s Witnesses) have demanded that he be given a needed blood transfusion. However, Judge John Meyer ruled that the boy can refuse the treatment, even though it will inevitably lead to his death. Continue reading “14-Year-Old Allowed to Refuse Life-Saving Treatment Over Objections from His Parents”
Ex-Oral Roberts University President Richard Roberts told students that God told him to resign even though he didn’t want to. Continue reading “Oral Roberts University President: God Told Me to Resign”
The Sudan government is proceeding with charges against British teacher Gillian Gibbons, 54, who is accused of offending Islam by allowing her young children to name a teddy bear “Mohammad.” ‘ Continue reading “Teacher Charged in Sudan in the Mohammad Teddy Bear Case”
Niagara Falls City Court Judge Robert Restaino has been taken off the bench after a perfectly bizarre incident involving a cellphone and a short judicial temper. Restaino was upset that someone violated the no cellphone rule and ordered that all 46 people in the courtroom be searched and jailed. Continue reading “New York Judge Removed from Bench After Jailing Entire Courtroom Over Cellphone Interruption”
An Oklahoma businessman has pledged $70 million to Oral Roberts University — a move that could prevent the closing of the financially strapped school in the midst of the latest scandal. Continue reading “Oral Roberts University to Receive $70 Million Gift”
Mitt Romney is facing a withering attack for his alleged statement that he would not appoint a Muslim to his cabinet. Continue reading “Romney Under Fire for Allegedly Dismissing Notion of Any Muslim Cabinet Member”
Many observers have long believed that there was a federal cover-up in the alleged suicide of Kenneth Trentadue in a federal prison. His brother has long argued that federal officials, not suicide, were behind the death in August 1995. Now, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled against the federal government’s effort to withhold a critical report on the case. Continue reading “Federal Appellate Court Rules Against Government in Trentadue Case”
Given the recent ruling in the case, this prior column on the scandal and saga of Kenneth Trentadue may be of interest. Continue reading “The Kenneth Trentadue Scandal”
As the election approaches, it is becoming apparent that no one actually supported going to war in Iraq. In separate statements this week, Bill Clinton and Karl Rove revised history and their roles in supporting the Iraq War. Continue reading “Clinton and Rove Revise History on War: It Turns Out That No One Actually Supported the Iraq War”
In the ultimate demonstration of extremism, a school in Sudan has been forced to close in fear that extremists could take violent actions against students or teachers in the aftermath of the controversy over the naming of a class bear “Mohammed.” Lillian Gibbons, a 54-year-old teacher at the Unity High School in Khartoum, was arrested for insulting Islam when she allowed her children to pick the name. Continue reading “School Closed in Sudan to Avoid Violence by Extremists After Mohammed Teddy Bear Incident”
A district court has ordered a military contractor to pay $5 million in damages to the family of Army Lt. Col. Dominic “Rocky” Baragona for his death in Iraq. It is a case that could open the door to more lawsuits against contractors in Iraq. Continue reading “Contractor Ordered to Pay $5 million to Family of Soldier Killed in Iraq”
A case is brewing in California that could revisit controversies over constitutional taking of private property and the common law concerning public easements. Douglas Rigg, a 43-year-old architect, is challenging the property owners of a development called Seadrift near Stinson beach that bans the public from use of their beach. Continue reading “California Development Sued for Denying Public Use of Beach: A New Coastal Takings Case?”