I previously wrote a column about the ongoing controversy over statutory rape prosecutions, the subject of prior blogs. Now, Grant County District Attorney Lisa Riniker appears intent on outdoing other prosecutors by charging a 6-year-old boy with first-degree sexual assault for what the family says was playing doctor with a 5-year-old girl.
George Hinnenkamp, 89, can be forgiven for being as “surprised as hell” in being sued recently by two passengers involved in an accident in his car. First, he was not driving the car at the time. Second, the driver was the man who stole his car.
Continue reading “Oregon Man Sued After Thief Steals His Car and Crashes Weeks Later”
As many of you know, I am lead counsel in the Sister Wives case challenging the constitutionality of Utah’s statute criminalizing plural or polygamous marriage. I also served as legal expert in the challenge to a similar law in Canada. The court has now ruled in that case and upheld the law in the decision below. While I strongly disagree with both the legal and factual conclusions of the Court, it is a decision that is worth reading. The decision can now be appealed to the higher courts in Canada.
Continue reading “Canadian Court Upholds Polygamy Law”
I wanted to wish all of our virtual family at the blog another Happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving remains my favorite holiday and I hope that each of you will have a great time today.
Continue reading “Happy Thanksgiving!!!”
In celebration of Thanksgiving, I give you our annual Turkey Torts of a few potential and actual lawsuits from this holiday. From deep-fried Turkeys to salmonella salads, the holiday gives personal injury lawyers a great deal to be thankful for. This year we have an array of Thanksgiving-related litigation to report from copyright to torts.
We previously followed the horrific story of an elderly man knocked unconscious by a teenager while his friends laughed and mocked the man at a CTA station. He is Scotty Strahan, 18, who does appear to be the man in the widely viewed videotape on YouTube.
Continue reading “Chicago Police Arrest Alleged Attacker in YouTube Video”
Everyone person who has illusions about the still awaited breakout of democracy and freedom in Afghanistan should read the article below. It details the life of a woman called Gulnaz who was raped by her cousin’s husband and became pregnant. Rather than prosecute the man, she was convicted of sex outside of marriage and given a choice: marry your rapist or spend twelve years in jail. She has been serving the sentence with her daughter in jail in this abomination produced by Sharia law. In the meantime, the EU has yielded to demand by the Afghan government that it bar the showing of a movie featuring her story, and other women like her.
Continue reading “Meet Gulnaz: The Face of The Plight of Women in “Free” Afghanistan”
UCLA researcher have announced a discovery that should have garnered more attention in the media: a mouthwash that could effectively eliminate dental cavities. The study details how the researchers have been able to eliminate S. mutans bacteria – the main cause of tooth decay — while not killing good bacteria that helps fight tooth decay. Current mouthwash products act like nuclear bombs — killing good and bad bacteria indiscriminately. The scientists used new antimicrobial technology known as specifically targeted anti-microbial peptides, or STAMP.
Continue reading “Scientists Develop “Smart Bomb” Mouthwash That Could Eliminate Tooth Decay”
There is an interesting study out by University of Notre Dame Psychology Professor Gabriel Radvansky, which appears to show that one of the causes of forgetfulness may be doorways. Radvansky’s study shows that “entering or exiting through a doorway serves as an ‘event boundary’ in the mind, which separates episodes of activity and files them away.” Does this mean that we need a type of psychological feng shui movement with homes built with fewer doorways?
Continue reading “Abandon Memory All Ye Who Enter Here: Study Finds Doorways Cause Forgetfulness”
In Chesapeake, Virginia, Ashley Fowler, 22, is our latest example of an a human who allegedly expresses her feelings by killing or torturing a pet. In this case, it was a pet piglet of her friend’s former boyfriend, Zach Sawyer, who raised piglets as therapy after an accident. Fowler is accused of decapitating the piglet.
Continue reading “Virginia Woman Accused of Stabbing and Decapitating Piglet”
We have been following the uproar over Suffolk Professor Michael Avery’s email criticizing the sending of care packages to troops abroad. Many of us joined in that criticism while supporting Avery’s right to raise his objections. Now, an adjunct professor, U.S. Army Reserve Major Robert Roughsedge, serving in Afghanistan has resigned over the controversy — a curious response that seems to suggest that Avery should not have been allowed to voice such positions.
Continue reading “Suffolk Professor Resigns Over Anti-Military Statements of Colleague”
The Justice Department is infamous for conducting long investigations of its own attorneys and finding no grounds for criminal charges as in the dubious investigation of attorneys involved in the torture program. Now, a special prosecutor has found that (surprise) there is no basis for criminal charges against Justice Department officials who concealed evidence in the prosecution of former U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens in open contempt of court. The reason is something only found plausible in the Justice Department’s review of its own conduct: U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan failed to order them not to conceal evidence and comply with ethical rules. I kid you not.
Continue reading “Special Prosecutor: DOJ Attorneys Cannot Be Charged With Criminal Contempt Because They Were Not Ordered To Comply With Legal and Ethical Rules”
Two teenagers share a passing kiss is viewed by most people as a sign of young love. The assistant principal at Orange River Elementary School, however, viewed it as a matter for immediate police intervention. The teacher called in the Lee County Sheriff to handle the teens. As Oliver Wendell Holmes said “[t]he sound of a kiss is not so loud as that of a cannon, but its echo lasts a great deal longer.” That was not even counting the time for arraignment in Florida.
Continue reading “Forbidden Love: Florida School Officials Reportedly Call In Police After Seeing Two Teens Kiss”
Now this is an interesting warning defect case. Toys R Us are selling “You & Me Interactive Triplets” dolls that parents say use bad language. Parents claim that the dolls say “Hey, Crazy Bitch.” Of course, produce defects are those problems that are more dangerous than the expectations of the ordinary consumer. In this case, the child is not in physical danger but the product exposes them to bad language. The dolls are simply too interactive and a bit too “street” for many parents.
Continue reading “Trashing Talking Triplets: Parents Object to Interactive Triplets Dolls That Allegedly Say “Hey, Crazy Bitch.””
For many years, the slogan for Tootsie Rolls was “The world looks mighty good to me cause Tootsie Rolls are all I see.” It appears that that marketing slogan has become a legal strategy. The candy company is suing Footzyrolls in Chicago for trademark confusion. It is yet another lawsuit in a series that we have discussed. I remain highly critical of the current law that allows effective ownership of generic images or terms, obvious parodies, or in this case, a vague familiar name.
Continue reading “Tootsie Sues Footzy: Candy Company Claims Shoe Line Will Confuse Customers”