Legal Commentary

Bush Legacy: China Defends Its Use of Torture By Citing The Bush Torture Program

Posted on March 13, 2008
The Bush Administration has long been ridiculed by the international community as converting the United States from a leader in human rights to the very symbol of the violation of core principles of human rights. However, few were prepared for the utter hypocrisy of watching the Administration condemn China for its use of torture [...

Obama?s Minister: Sing ?God Damn America?

Posted on March 13, 2008
The complications of the faith-based politics seems to be building. First, McCain has been criticized for his support — and warm acceptance of support — from religious bigots and extremists. Now, Obama is facing statements from his minister, Rev...

Undercover Bust: Tehran Chief of Police Makes Spitzer Looks Positively Restrained

Posted on March 13, 2008
Eliot Spitzer can finally claim some level of restraint. Tehran’s police chief, Reza Zarei has reportedly been arrested naked in a brothel with six naked prostitutes. Before his bust, Zarei was charged with enforcing morals on the city, which he did with vigor...

Spitzer Reportedly Spent $80,000 on Call Girls Over 10 Years

Posted on March 12, 2008
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s problems are mounting. GOP legislators are pursuing impeachment while reports have surfaced that he spent over $80,000 on prostitutes over ten years. If true, the sheer scope of his involvement with prostitution rings will almost certainly force the hand of prosecutors to bring a substantial criminal charge...

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House Fails to Override Bush?s Veto of Torture Bill

Posted on March 12, 2008
The House of Representatives fell 51 votes short of an override of President Bush’s veto of the ban on waterboarding. By a vote of 225-188, the House has failed to override the veto. During the debate, Rep. Pete Hoekstra of Michigan, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, sided with preserving torture...

Bad Press Day: Reporter Attacks Pole, Family Attacks Reporter, Anchor Attacks Reporter; Reporter Attacks Anchor

Posted on March 12, 2008
This is hardly a promising start to a day for the Fourth Estate. These videos show attacks on reporters and reporters attacking themselves. In two amazing videos, one can see the perils and the personalities of journalism in raw display. First, there is a video of a reporter being attacked by a family while [...

Your Skeleton Must Fit in the Overhead Compartment or Below Your Seat . . .

Posted on March 12, 2008
Sure, I can’t get on a plane with a soda, but it appears that airlines are fine with carry-on skeletons. This story is likely to everyone who has had to throw out a latte at a security gate. A woman was allowed to fly to Italy with the full skeleton of her brother, who died [...

John Denver?s Country Roads Song Leads to Karaoke Massacre

Posted on March 12, 2008
For those who have long seen a connection between John Denver songs and the increasing homicide rate, a case in Thailand appears to offer concrete proof. The song was driving Weenus Chumkamnerd, 52, crazy as it was performed over and over again by his neighbors in karaoke parties...

Court Stays Running Fines Against Locy in Anthrax Litigation

Posted on March 12, 2008
The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia blocked the $5000 a day fines imposed on former USA Today reporter Toni Locy by Judge Reggie Walton for refusing to reveal her sources in stories about the criminal investigation of the 2001 anthrax attacks...

Chief U.S. District Judge Edward Nottingham Tied to Prostitution Ring In Denver

Posted on March 11, 2008
While New York Governor Eliot Spitzer is dealing with a criminal investigation into his alleged use of a high-priced call girl service, a similar investigation is being conducted by the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit into the alleged use of prostitutes by Chief U...

Cuffed and Cozy: New York School Sued for Handcuffing and Threatening Four-Year-Olds for Not Napping

Posted on March 11, 2008
School officials in New York has an interesting way of coaxing kids to sleep — you handcuff them and tell them that they will never see their parents again. That is the alleged misconduct in a lawsuit brought by parents in the Bronx on behalf of two 4 year old students...

Video: Oklahoma Legislator Rants About Gays as Threat to the Nation

Posted on March 11, 2008
Oklahoma House representative Sally Kern has achieved a modicum of fame or infamy with a video racing on the Internet. Kern gave a speech to about 50 Republicans that has taken back the nation in the unrestrained hatred and intolerance directed at gays, accusing them of “destroying this nation...

Could Spitzer Be Charged Under the Mann Act?

Posted on March 11, 2008
One of the more interesting aspects of the Spitzer prostitution scandal is the possibly of a charge under the Mann Act. It is quite a difference for the governor. Under the Mann Act, he could be looking at 20 years while under the D.C. law it would be only 90 days...

Shocking Video: A Saudi Woman Driving!

Posted on March 11, 2008
Saudi officials are aghast as a shocking video of a Saudi woman on the Internet. The outcry would make one believe it was a snuff film or pornographic movie. In fact it is even more salacious: it shows Wajeha Al-Huwaider driving. The video below should raise awareness of the subclass status of [...

YouTube Removes Video of Puppy Being Thrown Off Cliff by Marine

Posted on March 10, 2008
YouTube has again attracted controversy by pulling a video. This time it has removed the video of Marine David Motari throwing a puppy off a cliff as shown below in a different link. The company appears unwilling to recognize that some disturbing videos serve an important public interest, as with the torture videos [...

Putting the Lie Back into Sexual Liaison: Italian Supreme Court Says Wives Can Lie About Lovers

Posted on March 10, 2008
The Italian Supreme Court has ruled that wives can lie when asked questions in a criminal iinvestigation that would reveal an affair. It is a jurisdiction that might have saved Bill Clinton, but it is not clear that the Court would extend the same privilege to men...

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer Target in Criminal Prostitution Investigation

Posted on March 10, 2008
New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer has confirmed that he has been snared in a criminal investigation of a high-priced prostitution ring in Washington, D.C. Spitzer appears to have been “Client No. 9″ in an investigation of the Emperors Club VIP, which hires out prostitutes for as much as $5,500 an hour...

Pennsylvania Judge to Stand Trial for Criminal Fraud ? After Claiming ?Excruciating? Injuries in 5 MPH Crash

Posted on March 10, 2008
Former Superior Court Judge Michael T. Joyce is seeking a venue change from Erie to Pittsburgh, Pa., for his criminal trial on insurance fraud charges — the first such trial of a former judge in 14 years. Once an appellate judge Joyce’s recreational activities — and abilities — will be at the heart of [...

Kentucky Legislator Seeks to Make Anonymous On-Line Postings Illegal

Posted on March 10, 2008
Kentucky Representative Tim Couch wants to know who is saying what on the Internet. He has proposed legislation to make anonymous postings online illegal. It would face a daunting challenge on constitutional grounds. Couch would require posters to include their real name, address and e-mail address and fine site hosts for filing to required [...

Client No. 9: Affidavit Details Alleged Spitzer?s Dealings with Prostitution Ring

Posted on March 10, 2008
The supporting affidavit released today painted a detailed and disturbing picture of Eliot Spitzer’s liaison with a high-priced call girl service. He allegedly used the name “George Fox” to book the room at the Mayflower Hotel — the name of a Spitzer contributor...

Federal Judge?s Order Could Financially Ruin Former Reporter for Protecting Sources

Posted on March 09, 2008
Former USA Today reporter (and now West Virginia journalism professor) Toni Locy faces financial ruin after an extraordinary order from U.S. District Court Judge Reggie Walton. The court imposed $5000 a day on her personally for refusing to disclose her sources in the case filed by former Army scientist, Steven J...

Airline Pilots Challenge the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act

Posted on March 09, 2008
As counsel to older pilots around the country challenging the Age 60 Rule, I have been litigating the FAA’s orders forcing hundreds of experienced pilots into retirement upon turning 60 years old. The recent enactment of the Fair Treatment for Experienced Pilots Act merely replaced one Age 60 regulatory rule with an even more [...

Tanks Don?t Kill People . . . : Videos Show the Potential of Tank Torts

Posted on March 09, 2008
A recent video shows a drunk soldiers taking a Russian tank out of a spin, hitting a house and terrorizing a family. As these videos indicate, however, tanking for fun is not just a Russian past time. We have yet to see a tort action for tank torts, but it would make for an interesting [...

Newspaper Appeals $18 Million for Publishing True Story in False Light Case

Posted on March 08, 2008
Pensacola News Journal faces possible insolvency if the Florida Supreme Court upholds an $18 million judgment against it for publishing true facts in a false light case. At issue is the inclusion of true facts about how Joe Anderson, the owner of one of the state’s largest paving companies, killed his wife...

Secret Service Bar Sikh Leaders From Meeting with the Pope over Ceremonial Knife or Kirpaan

Posted on March 08, 2008
Representatives of the Sikh faith have been barred by the Secret Service from participating in a meeting with Pope Benedict XVI next month because they wear the Kirpaan, or ceremonial knife. Given the fact that these would be leaders of the Sikh faith, the Secret Service appear like perfect morons in barring the Sikhs...

Bush Vetos Ban on Waterboarding ? Democrats Feign Shock

Posted on March 08, 2008
President Bush waited until Saturday to veto the ban on waterboarding, hoping to diminish press and congressional attention. He had nothing to fear. Both democrats and republicans have already guaranteed that Bush will not be held accountable for the torture program...

New Orleans Cops Allegedly Beat and Tase an Innocent Man; Then Lose Video of Incident

Posted on March 07, 2008
In what seems like a scene out of the movie “The Big Easy,” New Orleans police are accused of beating and using a taser on Steven Elloie on June 23, 2006 and then losing the critical police tape showing the incident. The two officers, Jason Samuel and Hans Ganthier, are defendants in another such [...

Shoot Like a Con: Golf Pro Tripp Isenhour Criminally Charged with Killing Migratory Bird

Posted on March 07, 2008
PGA Tour golfer Tripp Isenhour has been charged with intentionally killing a red-shouldered hawk (pictured below) after it forced him to do a re-take while filming his series “Shoot Like A Pro.” John Henry Isenhour III, his real name when he is not depopulating nature, now faces 14 months in jail if convicted...

Beware of Scotsman: Aide Fired After Newspaper Publishes Off-Record ?Monster? Comment

Posted on March 07, 2008
Samantha Power is an award-winning and respected academic has served as Mr Obama’s key foreign policy aide. She has now resigned after the Scotman newspaper published an off-the-record comment about Hillary Clinton, calling her a “monster” who will do or say anything to get elected...

I?ll File, You Drive: 8 Year Old Passes Law School Entrance Exam

Posted on March 07, 2008
If you are hiring a lawyer in Brazil, you may want to be sure to call before Dora the Explorer comes on. Joao Victor Portellinha recently passed the entrance test for law school despite the fact that he is in the fifth grade. It may be a good idea for the government to [...

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