Towanda A. Shields, 47, seems to lack an understanding of the odds in a standard lottery but found a way to dramatically increase her odds of securing free long-term housing. Shields was arrested for allegedly threatening to kill state lottery officials in an outburst of frustration with her lack of success.
CNN has issued an apology after one of its on-air pundit called Julian Assange a Pedophile. Wikileaks threatened to sue for what would be clear defamation if untrue. However, that might not be the end of possible litigation. Another guest appears to have made the same allegation and the first pundit, Philip Mudd, a former CIA agent and CNN counterterrorism analyst, could still be sued in his own right.
We have been discussing the crackdown on “fake news,” including my view that this has become the latest rationale for various countries to rollback on free speech, including most recently top lawyers in Italy. This includes the question yesterday of whether newspaper like the Washington Post could be charged as the purveyors of “fake news.” Now that speculation appears to be reality in China where Apple took down the App for the New York Times, a move assumed to be part of China’s transparent campaign against what it deems “fake news” — which obviously means real news revealing truths about the authoritarian regime. Critics have charged that Apple has agreed to be the agent of censorship in order to pursue business in China. In the meantime, government controlled newspapers have invited the New York Times to “reflect” on it being barred from the App store. Not surprisingly, the Obama Administration’s effort to limit free speech has not gone unnoticed by the Chinese, who are citing the Obama policies (and new propaganda office) as support for its own legitimacy as an authoritarian system.
While the criminal acts are clear on the horrific videotapes showing the torture of disabled man in Chicago, the response to the videotape has been more unexpected. That includes the bizarre spin given initially by a ranking police officer that the torture could just been the type of “stupid decisions” made by “young adults.” CNN host Don Lemon is under fire for his response to the horrific videotapes from Chicago of a white disabled man being tortured by four black assailants. After a guest says quite understandably that the torture of the disabled man was “evil,” Lemon insists that it was not necessarily “evil” as opposed to “bad home training.” Millions of people were legitimately confused how torturing a disabled man, forcing him to drink from a toilet, and betraying his friendship with a former school mate could in any universe be just “bad home training.”
Continue reading “Controversies Erupt Over Coverage of Chicago Torture Videotape”
Chicago police are finally calling the horrific crimes committed against a white disabled man in Chicago a hate crime and released the names of the alleged culprits. They are Jordan Hill, 18, Tesfaye Cooper, 18, Brittany Covington, 18, and Tanishia Covington, 24 and faced hate crime and aggravated battery charges after torturing the man while shouting things like “F–k white people” and “F–k Trump.” In addition to cutting and beating the 18-year-old mentally disabled man, the suspects forced him to drink from a toilet. They are looking at sentences that could reach 50 years in jail if convicted.
Continue reading “Four Charged In Horrific Torture Of White Disabled Man In Chicago”
Two men and two women have been arrested after the filming of a young white man being tortured as what appears to be black assailants shout “f–k white people” and “F–k Donald Trump.” While the assailants appear African American as well as the woman filming the disgusting video for Facebook, the police refused to release the race of the arrested individuals or say whether this appears to be a hate crime. There has also been no statement from the Justice Department or agents dispatched to the Chicago to open a duel federal investigation as was the case in racially charged crimes in places like Ferguson, Missouri. The response from the local commander in Chicago is particularly curious. [UPDATE: A second video has surfaced showing the man forced to drink from a toilet.]
We have been discussing the crackdown on “fake news,” including my view that this has become the latest rationale for various countries to rollback on free speech, including most recently top lawyers in Italy. Leaders who have long fought to curtail free speech may have found the perfect vehicle to convince citizens to voluntarily surrender their right to free speech, even celebrate its passing. It is all being done in the name of “truth”, which apparently can only be found on the other side of the criminalization of speech. The debacle at the Washington Post over the false Russian hacking of the U.S. electricity grid highlights the problem with how these governments will choose between those publications deemed criminally false and those deemed merely recklessly unproven. No one is suggesting that the Washington Post would be sanctioned for this story, though some see a deeper failure in how the Post handled the controversy. I am actually sympathetic with the error, which can happen with the best of journalists. In today’s fast pace toward publications, errors can occur despite efforts to confirm sources and facts. My interest in how to distinguish between the Posts and other publications or sites. In the last few weeks, the suggestion is that governments should move against publications or sites that they deem peddlers of false news. The incident with the Post raises the question how and when government would use this new power.
The decline of free speech around the world is accelerating at such a rate that it can produce truly disorienting effects. Take the latest lawsuit by the Turkish Chess Federation (TSF). Chess players were the target of an Islamic extremist televangelist who told Muslims that playing chess is more sinful than gambling. It was yet another absurd declaration from a religious fanatic that should be answered with mocking disbelief. Instead, TSF moved from being a victim to being a violator with a lawsuit against Ahmet Mahmut Ünlü, popularly known as “Cübbeli Ahmet Hoca” (Robbed Ahmet Hoca). The group reportedly began “legal proceedings” over the comments, which should be protected as an exercise of free speech.
Continue reading “Turkish Chess Federation Sues Muslim Cleric Over Comments”
While many Democrats are calling for a shift back to the left and a rejection of the Clinton establishment, a recent poll from Gallup suggests that the population is moving further away from the party’s liberal wing. Indeed, Gallup found that more Americans consider themselves conservative than liberal. Yet, the real story is the loss from the middle of the spectrum.
As a torts professor, I admit to ranking new products by their likely litigious profiles. Amazon’s Alexa is a particular favorite. First there are the privacy concerns over the security of data on the devices. Then there was the constitutional criminal procedure concerns in a murder case in Arkansas. Alexa is an example of new technology potentially outstripping existing legal doctrines. The company is certainly making good on its final pledge of its slogan: “Work hard, have fun, make history”
Saudi Arabia has made flogging a virtual signature of the Kingdom. Flogging women for using bad language. Flogging bloggers. Even flogging tourists. The Kingdom could change its slogan to “Saudi Arabia: Come for the Basbousa, Stay for the beatings.” Now, the Kingdom is reportedly flogging dozens of foreign workers who protested the fact that they have not been paid. The Saudis have a long history of refusing to pay bills from hotels to maids to construction workers. The company involved in many of these protests is the Binladin Group . . . yes, the family business of that infamous Bin Laden.
We have been discussing the crackdown on “fake news,” including my view that this has become the latest rationale for various countries to rollback on free speech. Now Italy has has joined this ignoble list of Western countries using the ill-defined problem of “fake news” to justify the criminalization of speech and regulation of the Internet. Giovanni Pitruzzella, head of the Italian Competition Authority (an anti-trust body), has called for a crackdown by the European Union.
Continue reading “Leading Italian Lawyer Calls For A Crackdown On “Fake News” In The European Union”
When one thinks of the countries without a separation of church and state, countries like Israel, Iran, Saudi Arabia and others come readily to mind. It is often easy to forget that India struggles with the same issue as many call for the enforcement of core Hindi values. That was on display in Mewat, India when police raided roadside food stalls to confiscate beef and arrest anyone guilty of slaughtering a cow or selling the meat. This is a new local ordinance and violators can face 10 or 5 years respectively in jail.
Continue reading “India Cracks Down On Cow Slaughtering And The Sale Of Beef In Latest Attack On Secular Government”
Let’s just say Joseph Murphy, 20, is not a Trump fan and decided to expose himself to politics . . . and a Lake Buena Vista (Fla.) police officer.
Continue reading “Can You Guess What This Person Was Charged With?”
We have previously discussed how some criminal cases highlight the porous border that we share with Mexico. The most recent example is Tomas Martinez-Maldonado, 38, who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl. Martinez-Maldonado has been deported 10 times and voluntarily removed from the U.S. another nine times since 2003.