Court denies appeal over prosecutor-judge affair
• APThe U.S. Supreme Court on Monday left in place the conviction of a man sent to Texas death row despite the admission of an affair between his trial judge and the prosecutor.
Contents Pages by Subject
Criminal Justice System
Jury Acquits VA. Man of Indecent Exposure
• The New York TimesErick Williamson has argued since his October arrest that he should not be punished for being naked in the privacy of his own home. A jury agreed with him Wednesday and acquitted him of all charges.
Secret audio tape offers insight into the bizarre ideology of arrested Christian militia leader
• Yahoo! News blogThe tape was played by federal prosecutors at the bond hearing for the 8 Hutaree members. It captures an anti-government rant by a man alleged to be the group's leader. He calls birth certificates, driver's licenses, building permits, and other gove
Rajaratnam lawyers fight wiretap orders disclosurer
• ReutersThe public does not have the right to see [public] court applications and orders for wiretaps in the Galleon hedge fund insider trading case, lawyers for accused fund founder Raj Rajaratnam argued on Wednesday.
Rajaratnam lawyers fight wiretap orders disclosurer
• ReutersThe public does not have the right to see [public] court applications and orders for wiretaps in the Galleon hedge fund insider trading case, lawyers for accused fund founder Raj Rajaratnam argued on Wednesday.
Policing for Profit
• Institute for JusticeGiving law enforcement a direct stake in forfeiture efforts, most state and federal laws encourage policing for profit, not justice. Policing for Profit also grades the states on how well they protect property owners—only three states receive a B or
Official: Gun charges after FBI raids in Midwest
• APAgents conducted weekend raids in Michigan, Indiana and Ohio and arrested at least 3 people, and a militia leader in Michigan said the target of at least 1 of the raids was a Christian militia group, the FBI said. Some of those arrested face gun char
Police: Arrest in NJ Walmart racial comment case
• APPolice said they made an arrest in the case of a racial comment being made over the public-address system at a Walmart. A male voice came over the PA system and announced: "Attention, Walmart customers: All black people, leave the store now."
Holder: Osama bin Laden will never face US trial
• APThe comparison to convicted killer Manson angered Rep. John Culberson, R-Texas, who said it showed the Obama administration doesn't understand the American public's desire to treat terrorists as wartime enemies, not criminal defendants.
Obama advisers set to recommend military tribunals for alleged 9/11 plotters
• Washington PostPresident Obama's advisers are nearing a recommendation that Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the self-proclaimed mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, be prosecuted in a military tribunal, that would reverse Attorney General Holder's plan to try him in c
Safety Is Issue as Budget Cuts Free Prisoners
• NY TimesIn the rush to save money in grim budgetary times, states nationwide have trimmed their prison populations by expanding parole programs and early releases. But the result — more convicted felons on the streets, not behind bars — has unleashed a backl
Cheese Thief Jailed for 7 Years in California
• NY TimesMore than a year after a man was arrested outside a market in California with a $3.99 bag of Tillamook shredded cheese in his pants he had not paid for, a judge decided to go relatively easy on him, sentencing him to 7 years and 8 months in jail.
NY prosecutor clears U.S. liberal group ACORN workers
• ReutersEmployees at the U.S. liberal grass-roots group ACORN who were caught on video giving tax advice to a couple posing as a pimp and a prostitute have been cleared of criminal wrongdoing, New York prosecutors said on Monday.
Little did I know, She was Only 16 years old.
• Citizens for Change AmericaWhen I was 21, I went to an 18 and over nightclub with my best friend because he just turned 18. While I was there I met a girl that claimed to be 19 and we exchanged numbers. I hung out at her house with her mom and step-dad there - They knew how ol
Iris scans may prevent mistaken release of inmates
• APThe Justice Dept. has given a $500,000 grant to the National Sheriff's Association, which is doling out the money in $10,000 grants across the country that will create a national database that better identifies, registers and tracks inmates
Obama aides push back on venue for terrorism trials
• ReutersThe Obama administration bluntly urged the Congress on Thursday to steer clear of directing where terrorism suspects should be prosecuted, pushing back against efforts to require military rather than civilian trials.
DHS accomplices face legal liability
• Papers PleaseBut if the TSA, Border Patrol, & other DHS agencies won’t engage in formal rulemaking or issue publicly disclosed regulations or orders that can be reviewed by the courts, the next best thing is for those who enforce those non-regulations & non-order
Taxpayers Underwrite Prosecutors' Negligence; Prosecutors Get Promoted
• The AgitatorWho won’t be paying? Former prosecutors convicted Masters on flimsy evidence. They were actually censured by Colorado Supreme Court for not bothering to look into evidence undermining their case and for withholding exculpatory evidence
Man Got Eight Years for Deaths From Accelerating Toyota
• The AgitatorKoua Fong Lee, a Laotian immigrant serving 8 years in prison for vehicular manslaughter. Lee was driving a 1996 Toyota Camry, when he accelerated to 90 mph, ran 2 stop signs, then struck another car, killing 3 of its occupants. Lee says the car accel
MHD3 Files Intent-to-Sue For Jones County, MS Incident
• Motor Home Diaries (h/t The Agitator)Jason, Adam and myself are seeking to hold accountable those from the Jones County Sheriff’s Department and the Mississippi Highway Safety Patrol that violated our rights on May 14th. Our awesome legal team recently submitted an intent-to-sue letter
Lawmakers Consider an Animal Abuse Registry
• NY TimesCalifornia may soon place animal abusers on the same level as sex offenders by listing them in an online registry, complete with their home addresses and places of employment. Would be the first of its kind in the country and is just the latest law g
Public schools ask kids: How old were you when you first used meth? Carried a handgun?
Michael KielskyJust examples from the Arizona Youth Survey - public school parents are assumed to consent - best teach your children: "You have a right to remain silent, anything you say will be used against you." You have to, because the schools won't!
Judge runs scared on court date! Court wastes my valuable time.
Nick BravoAfter waiting over five weeks for the court date on Feb 19th I recieve a letter stating the judge called in sick and that the new date is in the middle of April, over 6 weeks from now.
Duke lacrosse accuser charged in attempt to kill
• APPolice have charged Crystal Gail Mangum, 31, with attempting to kill her boyfriend. Mangum wrongly accused 3 Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006. A judge ordered she remain in jail on a $1 million bond.
Dad accused in 'honor killing' will not face death penalty
• Arizona RepublicThe decision not to seek the death penalty comes after Almaleki's public defender asked a judge to take special precautions to ensure the County Attorney's Office wouldn't wrongly seek the death penalty because Almaleki is a Muslim.
Ruin Your Day with Bumper Hornberger and AntiWar's Scott Horton
• AntiWar.comScott Horton and Jacob "Bumper" Hornberger discuss terrorism trials, torture, extraordinary rendition, assassination, and their implications on American life going forward.
Legal synthetic "fake" Marijuana slips through cracks of the drug war; popularity growing
• APSome industrious marijuana users have seized on an obscure but easily accessible substance that mimics the drug's effects on the brain — creating a popular trade in legal dope.
Civil court is a sham.
Nick BravoA couple months ago I got pulled over on my electric bicycle by nine squad cars and was written a ticket for not having insurance, no registration, and no license. I go to court again on the 19th to continue the charade in which the state violates it
Officers Won’t Face Federal Charges in Sean Bell Killing
• NY TimesFederal authorities said they would not bring a civil rights case against police involved in the killing of a 23-year-old black man who was shot by the police outside a strip club on his wedding day. "Neither accident, mistake, fear, negligence, nor
Arizona Students Will Take Survey for Criminal Justice Commission
Jeneen ZuckerEach survey had a serial number and most of my son’s classes have assigned seats. This allows for positive tracking. Our children are being intimidated behind closed doors and locked fences to answer personal questions, many of them about their
