Legal Commentary

Tuesday Open Thread

By Jeralyn

I won't be blogging until Christmas Day or after, but I did want to note:

• Congrats to Joe Tacopina who got an acquittal for actor Lillo Brancato on second degree murder and burglary charges (Background here.) Brancato won't go free immediately, he was convicted of attempted burglary and faces a 3 to 15 year sentence on the count. But he's been in jail awaiting trial for 3 years, so he'll get credit for that against any sentence imposed. More news on the verdicts here and here.

And wires, wires, everywhere.

• The Washington Post explores the secret tapes used against Rod Blagojevich.

• Also in WaPo, the FBI's wiring of a peasant Afghan farmer to convict a member of the Taliban in U.S. criminal courts of "narco-terrorism."

I'll be back in a few days, BTD and TChris will be posting as their schedules permit. This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Full post as published by TalkLeft on December 23, 2008 (boomark / email).