Legal Commentary

McCain Supporter Falsely Alleged Politically Motivated Physical Attack

Posted on October 24, 2008
A Pennsylvania woman says that she was attacked at an ATM in Pittsburgh by a robber, who proceeded to carve a “B” in her face when he saw her McCain bumper sticker. It turns out to be a lie and Ashley Todd, 20, of College Park, Texas, will be charged with filing a false [...

More Problems on Stevens Jury: Deliberations Suspended After Death of Juror?s Father

Posted on October 24, 2008
First there was the gross prosecutorial misconduct. Then there was the juror misconduct. Now, another juror has left after the death of her father — suspending deliberations. Sen. Ted Stevens’ trial has had all of the sense of control and predictability as a falling locomotive...

Louisiana Court Recognizes Marriage Between Couisins as Valid

Posted on October 23, 2008
In a very interesting decision (with implications for same-sex marriage), a Louisiana court has held that the state must recognize a foreign marriage between cousins despite the fact that such a marriage would be null and void in the statem The 1st Circuit Appeals court ruled that there is no strong public policy that [...

Judge Bars Gang Members and Associates From Distributing Mongol Logo and Symbol

Posted on October 23, 2008
A federal court has issued an interesting ruling after the arrest of various members of the Mongols motorcycle gang: gang members, their family and their associates are enjoined from wearing, licensing, selling or distributing the gang’s logo...

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Preacher Tony Alamo Accused of Having Nine-Year-Old Wife

Posted on October 23, 2008
In the large library of truly bad mugshots, this just may be the worst. Preacher Tony Alamo’s mugshot was released with new allegations that he had multiple wives, including a nine-year-old girl. Alamo is going to be held without bond as a flight risk after a hearing before U...

Zamboni Palin: Track?s Missing Sibling

Posted on October 23, 2008
Ok, I will miss her. Gov. Sarah Palin today not only stated that she is an intellectual (despite all outward appearances and available tests would indicate) but that she wanted a sixth child named Zamboni. I have been searching for video of this interview to determine if the Zamboni thing was a joke, [...

Trouble in the Stevens Jury: Juror Number Nine Triggers Hearing

Posted on October 23, 2008
For most of the trial, many observers were waiting for the infamous temper of Sen. Ted Stevens (R. Alaska) to be unleashed before the jury. It now appears that the attention should have been directed on the ninth juror from the left. The other jurors have formally requested that Judge Sullivan replace Juror [...

Dr. Phil Sue by O.J. Simpson Memorabilia Dealer

Posted on October 22, 2008
Dr. Phil is again in hot water. This time, he is being sued by Thomas Riccio — the memorabilia dealer who led O.J. Simpson to a hotel room to regain sports memorabilia. In his torts action, Riccio says that Philip McGraw and Stage 29 Media committed defamation, fraud, and infliction of emotional distress [...

Florida Police Officer Fired for Tasering Teen for Fun at Party

Posted on October 22, 2008
Eustis, Florida Officer Dan Nesmith was the life of the party when he tasered a 15-year-old boy for fun as the crowd cheered. He then reportedly returned to drinking with the kids, including possible underaged drinkers. He is now a party animal and an ex-cop...

Video: Obama Sign Thief Caught on Tape

Posted on October 22, 2008
I love this video from Phoenix, Arizona. There have been the usual complaints from both camps about vandals ruining or taking signs. Now, one of these creeps has been caught on tape and is now the subject of a police complaint. As these videos reveal, this was not a unique occurrence...

Lipstick on a PAC: Palin Criticized for Using Campaign Funds for Clothing and Alaskan Funds for Kids? Travel

Posted on October 22, 2008
If the difference between a Hockey Mom and a pit bull is lipstick, Gov. Sarah Palin may also want to throw in “and $150,000 in expenses.” It turns out that the lipstick is paid for by the Republican National Committee. This week Palin has been hammered by disclosures that she spent $150,000 of [...

Acting Her Age: 76-Year-Old Woman Arrested for 73rd Time

Posted on October 22, 2008
Katherine Kelly is a one-woman crime wave with 73 arrests in her 76 years (those first three years appear to have been spent as a criminal apprentice). Her latest arrest was for stealing a police decoy wallet in a supermarket and stuffing it in her bra...

Not Such a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Tulane Law Student Accused of Stealing Shoe of Mister Rogers

Posted on October 21, 2008
Faculty members at Tulane Law School (where I began my teaching career) are searching for the culprit in a dastardly crime: the theft of one of Mr. Rogers’ shoes from the Children’s Museum during the Barrister’s Ball. It appears that someone took a different meaning to his question “could you be mine?” when [...

Afghan Journalism Student Sentenced to 20 Years for Asking About Women?s Rights in Journalism Class

Posted on October 21, 2008
As the fighting in Afghanistan continues to worsen, there are new questions about the government that we are fighting to maintain. An Afghan appeals court sentenced journalism student Parwez Kambakhsh, 24, to twenty years in prison for asking questions about women’s rights under Islam...

Brigham Young University Denies Diploma to Creator of Shirtless Morman ?Men on a Mission? Calendar

Posted on October 21, 2008
When Chad Hardy created the “Men on a Mission” Calendar of shirtless Mormon hunks, he thought is was a fun idea. Church elders disagreed and excommunicated him. Now, Brigham Young University has denied him a diploma and said that he cannot receive on until he is reinstated by the Mormon church...

Nuptial Slip and Fall: Negligent Best Man Causes Wedding Disaster on Video

Posted on October 21, 2008
Something old, something new, something borrowed, and something . . . dry. The video below shows the yet untapped potential of nuptial slip and falls. The video does not show the three personal injury lawyers diving into the pool by instinct. Count the potential litigants...

Pig Skin Could Land Jester in Pen: Ohio 89-Year-Old Grandma Charged For Keeping Football in Yard

Posted on October 21, 2008
The police in Blue Ash, Ohio have finally got their man. Well, in this case, their 80-year-old grandma. Edna Jester was tired of balls going into her yard, so the last time she refused to give it back. Her neighbor called the police and she is now charged with petty theft...

Rep. Michele Bachmann Calls for Investigation of Anti-American Members of Congress and Suggests Obama is Anti-American ? Then Denies the Statements

Posted on October 20, 2008
Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann is still reaping the whirlwind from her comments on Hardball calling Obama’s view anti-American and calling for an investigation of members of Congress for anti-American views. After the comments were widely attacked as McCarthyism, Bachmann denied saying them but the damage appears to have been done in the sixth [...

Set for Shag: Michigan Man Caught in Flagrante Delicto With Car Wash Vacuum

Posted on October 20, 2008
Ok, I have been a criminal defense attorney for over two decades but I am not sure how you charge this crime. In Thomas Township, Michigan, police arrested a 29-year-old man for “receiving sexual favors from a vacuum” at a car wash. While money was exchanged, it is probably not solicitation or prostitution...

British Woman Killed in Kabul for Working With Christian Charity

Posted on October 20, 2008
Gayle Williams, 34, a British citizen working with the Christian charity Serve Afghanistan was gunned down on Monday — accusing by the Taliban of spreading Christianity. The death reflects a continuing growth of Taliban actions. Williams had been pulled out of Kandahar due to the growing violence and threats in that city against [...

New Hampshire Passes Special Moose-Hunting Law Allows Terminally Ill Citizens to Kill Moose

Posted on October 20, 2008
In New Hampshire, state Rep. Bob L’Heureux was concerned that seriously or terminally ill citizens might not be able to bag a Moose, so he has passed a law allowing special hunting permits for children and adults. The law allowed 9-year old Keith Locke to shoot a 650-pound bull...

How Shalt Not File Frivolous Lawsuits: School Board Seeks Way to Stop Endless Lawsuits by Alabama Preacher

Posted on October 19, 2008
Alabama preacher Orlando Bethel and his wife Glynis appear to like render upon Caesar what is Caesar’s in the form of a continual stream of lawsuits. Now the Baldwin County’s school board has asked a judge block further lawsuits. The Bethels responded, you guessed it, by filing another lawsuit for $5 million...

Photographer Attacked by Jewish Settlers While Taking Pictures of Palestinian Farmers

Posted on October 19, 2008
Jewish settlers attacked a photographer who was taking pictures of Palestinian farmers picking olives in the West Bank on Saturday — an attack filmed by AP Television. One man then hit a woman who tried to retrieve the camera that the settlers took from the photographer...

?This Can?t Happen in America . . . Ohio Maybe But Not America?

Posted on October 19, 2008
Homer Simpson tried to warn us about electronic voting machines that changed votes for Obama into votes for McCain. Now, in West Virginia, voters are complaining that what happened to Homer in this clip happened to them. As Homer might say, “this can’t happen in West Virginia, Ohio maybe but not West Virginia...

Contempt in Four Easy Steps: Illegal Cha-Cha Lessons Leads Arthur Murray Dance Instructor

Posted on October 19, 2008
Dance instructor Eric Rush is now sitting in jail for criminal cha-cha lessons. This might be hard to explain to fellow inmates who can boast manslaughter or car-jacking for their earning their bones, but Rush literally danced his way into jail by violating an order not to teach dance under an agreement with his [...

Video: Palin Plays Self on Saturday Night

Posted on October 19, 2008
Palin was hilarious last night on SNL and here are the videos. Just click here and here. Frankly, this was a great idea for the campaign, but it is clear that they played it very conservatively. Palin had surprisingly few lines, though we seemed quite relaxed...

Palin Loses to Beluga Whales

Posted on October 18, 2008
Gov. Sarah Palin lost another environmental fight this week — to the Bush Administration. The Interior Department has decided that the beautiful white Beluga whales are indeed endangered despite Palin’s efforts to block such protection. Earlier, Palin failed in her efforts to block protections for the polar bear...

Pressing the Flesh: Two Congressmen Face Public Scandals Over Affairs

Posted on October 18, 2008
This week has seen two members of Congress forced into public over affairs. U.S. Rep. Tim Mahoney, Mark Foley’s replacement in Florida, has admitted to “multiple affairs” but insisted that (while immoral) they were perfectly legal. At least one was with a former staff member...

Man Dies After Trying to Blow Up Georgia Law Firm

Posted on October 18, 2008
Police in Dalton, Georgia are investigating an explosion at a law office and killed Lloyd Cantrell, 71, who is believed to have set off the blast. One lawyer and three employees were hurt at the small firm of McCamy, Phillips, Tuggle & Fordham. The firm deals with wrongful deaths from their small [...

Supreme Court Rules Against GOP Voter Challenge into Ohio While Obama Campaign Calls for Investigation in FBI/McCain Links

Posted on October 18, 2008
This week is ending with a bang with the Supreme Court reversing a decision of the Sixth Circuit that ordered Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner to produce the list of mismatched voters — as many as 200,000. The Obama camp went on the offensive has called for the current special prosecutor to investigate [...

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