Congress, Criminal law, Justice, Politics, Religion, Society, Uncategorized

The War on Women Continues in Ohio

Flag_of_Ohio_svg

Respectfully submitted by Lawrence E. Rafferty (rafflaw)-Guest Blogger

Last week we read Prof. Turley’s article concerning a bill proposed in New Mexico that attempts to make it unlawful for a rape victim to have an abortion because it would be akin to destroying the “evidence” of the rape claim.  While that bill is an insult to women and right thinking men everywhere, I submit that it is further evidence that the longest “war” on record, is still going strong in this country.  One of the most controversial examples of how women in general and rape victims in particular,  can be turned into the criminals by the public and even the police and prosecution is the case of an alleged gang rape in August, 2012,  in Steubenville, Ohio.

The victim was a 16-year-old girl who after passing out at a party from drinking and/or date rape drugs was allegedly repeatedly raped and abused by members of the Steubenville Big Red football team. The details of what the victim endured are both heartbreaking and disgusting.  I apologize in advance for the lurid details, but they are necessary to fully understand how egregious the attacks were and how egregious the post crime attacks on the victim and her family were. Continue reading “The War on Women Continues in Ohio” →

Uncategorized

Grace Under Pressure: Owen Groesser’s Long Shot

By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

Image

The stat line read: MIN PLAYED: 2  3FGA: 4  3FGM: 2 PF: 0  TP: 6. Not bad for a basketball player but hardly Lebron-esque.

But for former equipment manager turned basketball player Owen Groesser it was indeed remarkable. Owen plays for Coach Jeff Howell’s Van Hoosen Middle School seventh-grade team in Rochester Hills, Michigan. In the final home game of the season, Howell asked Owen to put down his stat sheet and suit up for the game that would decide the city championship. Owen was ecstatic especially  since he’d been practicing at home with his dad all year just to enjoy shooting around with the guys during the practice sessions. Now he had a chance to play in a real game before his friends and teachers.

Continue reading “Grace Under Pressure: Owen Groesser’s Long Shot” →

Politics, Society

If You Ain’t Cheating, You Ain’t Trying: Virginia Republicans And The Jarring Demographics of Desperation [UPDATED]

By Mark Esposito, Guest Blogger

The Quake of 2012

earthquake We had a  big earthquake in Virginia last November. No,  not the famous one about a year earlier that almost swamped poor Louisa County and  rattled walls all the way to Washington, D.C.  This one was political not seismic and it sent Barack Obama back into the White House for round two of a historic presidency. Once a reliably Red State, the Oldest of American Dominions and former Capitol of the Confederacy hadn’t voted for a Democratic candidate for President since ol’ “Put a Missile in the Kremlin Bathroom” Barry Goldwater scared his way out of  the 1964 election to molasses-mouthed Texan, LBJ.  2008 seemed to break the trend, but the close election was explained away  by Virginia Republicans as a sort of a once in a lifetime reaction to the nation’s first viable African-American presidential candidate  and some incredibly magnificent missteps by John McCain. Read that as picking Sarah Palin and the senator’s disjointed response to the fiscal crisis.

Continue reading “If You Ain’t Cheating, You Ain’t Trying: Virginia Republicans And The Jarring Demographics of Desperation [UPDATED]” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Free Speech, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Carmen Ortiz: Prosecution for Political Ego?

Submitted by: Mike Spindell, guest blogger

HK_Central_Statue_Square_Legislative_Council_Building_n_Themis_sOne of the main concerns we Americans should have is about the state of our criminal justice system. How a society deals with the issue of criminality is one of the ways that we all can judge its freedom from oppression. This country has been selling our “democracy” to the world for 8 decades now as an example of how a modern nation should operate. Continue reading “Carmen Ortiz: Prosecution for Political Ego?” →

Religion, Torts

The Limits Of Catholic Morality

-Submitted by David Drumm (Nal), Guest Blogger

catholic healthOn New Year’s Day 2006, 31-year-old Lori Stodghill, seven months pregnant with twin boys, was vomiting and out of breath. She called her obstetrician, Dr. Pelham Staples, and he instructed her to go to the emergency room at St. Thomas More Hospital in Cañon City, Colorado. Her husband Jeremy, drove her to the hospital where Lori later suffered a cardiac arrest and stopped breathing due to a pulmonary embolism. Staples never ended up coming to the hospital. Lori’s unborn sons stayed with her.

Continue reading “The Limits Of Catholic Morality” →

Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Society

Court Rules Obama Appointments Violated The Constitution

PresObamaA year ago, I testified in Congress that the recess appointments of President Barack Obama were unconstitutional. Those four appointments by President Obama included Richard Cordray, who had been denied confirmation to a consumer protection board in a Republican filibuster. While I liked Cordray, I testified that the appointments were in my opinion clearly unconstitutional. The D.C. Circuit has now agreed with that view and the panel unanimously ruled that Obama violated the Constitution with his circumvention of Congress.

Continue reading “Court Rules Obama Appointments Violated The Constitution” →

Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Religion, Society

Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Illinois Cross Case

BaldknobcrossThe U.S. Supreme Court this week refused to hear a challenge by an Illinois atheist to the use of public funds to renovate the 111-foot-high Bald Knob Cross of Peace on the highest mountain in Southern Illinois. The court never considered the merits because Robert Sherman was found to have no standing to bring the lawsuit. I have previously written about my opposition to the Supreme Court’s narrow definition of standing — rulings that effectively insulate some constitutional violations from review as in our lawsuit against the Libyan war.

Continue reading “Supreme Court Refuses To Hear Illinois Cross Case” →

Society, Torts

Women Sue “Revenge Porn Site” Where Men Publish Photos of Former Girlfriends

thumb_computer_assault_2For our torts lovers, there is an interesting case out of Fort Worth. We have been following the increased litigation over websites that trash former boyfriends or girlfriends or spouses or even strangers (here and here and here). In the latest case various girlfriends are suing over what is described by some as a “revenge porn site” called Texxxan.com where men revenge on their ex-girlfriends by publishing revealing pictures of their former lovers.

Continue reading “Women Sue “Revenge Porn Site” Where Men Publish Photos of Former Girlfriends” →

Bizarre, Free Speech, International

“Stop Saying That!”: Qantas Flight Attendant Demands Passenger Change T-Shirt With Princess Bride Quote

15744_187310782365_1464670_s180px-Qantas_Airways_Limited_logo.svgWe have been following the increasing crackdown on passengers wearing T-Shirts on airlines deemed offensive or threatening. These cases often raise free speech questions, but also raise serious questions of the increasing irrationality of airline staff and some passengers. The t-shirt of Wynand Mullins is a good example. Mullins wore a t-shirt on a Qantas flight from Sydney with the well-known quote from Princess Bride by character Montoya (played in the film by Mandy Patinkin): “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father, prepare to die.” Some passengers became alarmed by the t-shirt, presumably convinced that a terrorist would not only advertise his intent but choose a fictional character from a children’s book to represent his deep homicidal beliefs. Flight staff insisted that he change his shirt. Presumably, there was a passenger with five fingers that felt personally threatened by the quotation.

Continue reading ““Stop Saying That!”: Qantas Flight Attendant Demands Passenger Change T-Shirt With Princess Bride Quote” →

Bizarre, Criminal law

Florida Man Arrested After Trying To Force Fiancée to Swallow Engagement Ring

article-2267368-171FF7F3000005DC-464_634x602We have a new example for our criminal defense lawyers (and budding criminals) on the blog of how not to respond to an arrest. Faron Thompson, 29, was arrested after he tried to force his fiancée (now presumably his former fiancée) to swallow their engagement ring after she said she wanted to call off their wedding. Given his statements after the arrest, one can understand how she decided to let this gem go.

Continue reading “Florida Man Arrested After Trying To Force Fiancée to Swallow Engagement Ring” →

Bizarre, International, Religion

Legos or Logos? Turks Protest Latest Lego Set

Screen-shot-2013-01-25-at-10.21.08-AM220px-İstanbul-AyasofyaAustria’s Turkish community has launched an international campaign against Lego because it insists that a Lego model sold as “Jabba’s Palace” is based on the sacred Hagia Sophia mosque in Istanbul. It is a curious argument since the only similarity is the use of a classic domed palace structure. I have been to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul (which is spectacular) and I fail to see the clear duplication. Ironically, the original church was dedicated to the Logos not the Legos, which might be the source of the confusion.

Continue reading “Legos or Logos? Turks Protest Latest Lego Set” →

Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Politics, Society

New Mexico Legislator Introduces Bill To Make It A Crime of “Destroying Evidence” For A Rape Victim To Get An Abortion

HBROWNew Mexico Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R) has introduced House Bill 206, a bill that would make it a crime a rape victim to get an abortion as destruction of evidence of a crime. Brown is a lawyer and a member of the judiciary committee. She is also an ardent pro-life legislator who has made eliminating abortion (and “debunking” global warming) a mission. and, after a national outcry, says that the bill was poorly drafted will be changed to address the public concerns.

Continue reading “New Mexico Legislator Introduces Bill To Make It A Crime of “Destroying Evidence” For A Rape Victim To Get An Abortion” →

Courts, Criminal law, International

Infamous Indian Rape Trial Begins Behind Closed Doors and Under Gag Order

gavel2We have previously discussed the horrific gang rape of a 23-year-old student. The trial is now beginning. However, the court has ordered that it be conducted behind closed doors despite the fact that the victim is dead. In addition, the judge has imposed a gag order on the lawyers. It is a poor decision by the judge and denies the public’s interest to view such trials. While India may not have the same right to public proceedings that we have in the United States, the denial of public access to the trial in such an important case is a terrible judgment on the part of the Court. This case has galvanized public opinion and forced Indian officials to deal with a long-ignored problem of rape in the country. Those officials would prefer for the trial to be conducted in secret.

Continue reading “Infamous Indian Rape Trial Begins Behind Closed Doors and Under Gag Order” →