Legal Commentary

Hello Dalai: Spiritual Leader Hands Out $50,000 To Study Happiness

Posted on September 27, 2010
Dalai Lama has given researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison a donation of $50,000 to study happiness. Once again, I remain unclear why I am not the recipient of such academic grants. I could show that giving me just $25,000 would produce considerable happiness...

Report: Police Officer Allegedly Shoots Pregnant Woman and Pulls Her Through Bedroom Window

Posted on September 27, 2010
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office is investigating allegations that an officer shot a woman through a window who was 39-weeks pregnant and then pulled her through a bedroom window into the street. The officer was part of the Quad Cities Drug Enforcement Task Force who were executing a drug-related search warrant when a Detective Sergeant [...

Operation Book Burn: Pentagon Buys Thousands of New Book To Destroy Them

Posted on September 27, 2010
Army Reserve Lt. Col. Anthony Shaffer would normally feel honored that the Pentagon was so interested in his memoir “Operation Dark Heart” that it purchased thousands of copies. The problem is that the Pentagon bought the books to burn them...

The Ultimate Segway: Company Owner Drives Segway Off Cliff

Posted on September 27, 2010
Segway owner Jimi Heselden, 62, died yesterday when he rode his Segway off a cliff and into a river at his West Yorkshire estate. He often used a Segway to explore the grounds of his estate. Heselden is not the actual inventor but rather bought the company in early 2010...

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Introducing The Kennel Car

Posted on September 26, 2010
Now this is trunk space. This looks like a Mercedes, which can now claim the ability to not only cruise but to kennel.

French Court Convicts Google and Schmidt of Defamation

Posted on September 26, 2010
Google and its chief executive Eric Schmidt have been convicted of defamation in France in a decision that, in my view, defies logic and legal principles. The company was convicted due to the results of its “suggest” function which lists words commonly used by users...

North Carolina Race Leads To Defamation Lawsuit

Posted on September 26, 2010
There is an interesting defamation case coming out of a race in North Carolina. GOP candidate Eldon “Buck” Newton is claiming that Sen. A.B. Swindell (shown left) and the Democratic Party knowingly made misleading statements him in a campaign mailer in the race for the 11th Senate District...

In California, It?s BYOTP

Posted on September 26, 2010
Why is toilet paper so high on the list of budget cuts for states? We previously noted how states moved immediately against toilet paper after tightening their belts. Now, we can add California as places that are announcing BYOTP (Bring Your Own Toilet Paper) for tourists in some state parks...

DOJ Official: Black Panther Decision a ?Travesty of Justice?

Posted on September 26, 2010
This week Congress held hearings on the controversial decision by the Obama Administration to drop charges against Black Panther members for voter intimidation in Philadelphia in 2008. I have previously criticized the decision since I fail to see how these pictures did not show intimidation and the Obama Administration has created a dangerous precedent (if [...

Who Needs Surgery? Bam, Bam, Bam, You Have A New Hip

Posted on September 25, 2010
This video is making the rounds of a preacher who “installs” a new hip for this woman with the magic words “bam, bam, bam, bam, bam.” No this is not a GOP commercial on how “Obamacare” will work. This is a preacher who convinces people that all that surgery stuff is for the unbelievers...

Polly Want a Crack? Michigan Man Arrested in Fight With Parrot

Posted on September 25, 2010
A 49-year-old man in Michigan has been arrested following a novel alleged crime: a man-on-parrot fight. Police say that the man was seen shaking and punching his pet parrot. The responding officers say that they found a bleeding man and a limping parrot with feathers scattered about the park...

Judge Orders Lesbian Nurse Reinstated While Obama Administration Fights To Limit Earlier Ruling Finding DADT Unconstitutional

Posted on September 25, 2010
Civil libertarians enjoyed a major victory yesterday against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT) with the ruling in the case of Maj. Margaret Witt — ordering her reinstatement despite the fact that she is a lesbian. This important victory, however, was tempered by the news that the Obama Administration is seeking to limit the earlier blockbuster [...

Copter Dipping: Navy Pilots Suspended After Damaging Two Helicopters in Water Play

Posted on September 25, 2010
You heard of cow tipping, this is copter dipping. Two Navy helicopter pilots from North Island Naval Air Station have been grounded after this video showed them “copter dipping” with $33 million aircrafts in Lake Tahoe. The vehicles used were MH- 60 Romeo helicopters from North Island’s Helicopter Maritime Strike 41 squadron...

We Are Not Amused: Queen Sought Low-Income Funds To Heat Palace

Posted on September 24, 2010
It appears that, before the Queen asked the government to take over responsibility for the finances of palace, she had asked for the government to use energy-saving grants for low income families to heat the palace. The Queen was informed that such a use of low-income funds for her palace would be a tad unpopular...

Fowl Crime: Marine Pleads Guilty to Killing 50 Ducks at Petting Zoo

Posted on September 24, 2010
Marine Shayne Smalling, 20, appears to have a curious way of having fun. He pleaded guilty to stoning of 50 ducks to death June 2008 in a petting zoo in Cedar Rapids. Smalling is stationed at Twentynine Palms California. He pleaded guilty livestock abuse, a misdemeanor...

Biden Laments The ?Lethargy? of Democratic Voters

Posted on September 24, 2010
Vice President Biden noted yesterday that he hoped that the Tea Party might finally get Democratic and liberal votes out of their “lethargy.” The comment struck a nerve with me since various Democratic leaders have expressed surprise and mild criticism over the lack of enthusiasm by Democratic voters...

Can You Hear Me Now? Chinese Teacher Terminates Cellphone Call in Class

Posted on September 24, 2010
This video of a Chinese teacher responding to a student speaking on his cellphone has appeared on the Internet. I must confess considerable sympathy (and, yes, a degree of vicarious pleasure) in watching her response to a rude student. Every trip that I take to China shows exponential growth in cellphones — and the thoughtless [...

Uncivil Action: Was Lincoln Wrong on Secession?

Posted on September 24, 2010
With the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, I was asked in this cover story for the Civil War Magazine to explore the rivaling constitutional claims that were made at the start of that bloody conflict. As a military history buff, I have occasionally written for these history magazines but I found this assignment particularly [...

Report: Israel Offers To Extend Freeze on Settlements in Return for The Release of Convicted Spy Jonathan Pollard

Posted on September 23, 2010
The Washington Post is reporting that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered to extend a freeze on new settlements in exchange for the release of convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard. It is an astonishing offer, if true, since the settlements have long been a major barrier to peace negotiations but under this deal would be [...

Pennsylvania Police Charged With DUI Accident While Not Be Charged With Leaving Scene of Accident

Posted on September 23, 2010
In Pennsylvania, Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala (shown here)has made a controversial decision not to charge a Kennedy Township police officer with leaving the scene of a crime after he allegedly drove drunk and hit a man — leaving him critically injured...

Three Former Male Church Members Sue Megachurch Pastor Eddie Long For Sexual Harassment

Posted on September 23, 2010
It has become almost a mantra in contemporary news articles: a minister who preached against homosexuality accused of hidden homosexual relationships. In the case of Atlanta-based megachurch pastor Eddie Long (shown here in a past sermon), he is by last count accused in three lawsuits by young men who claim that they came to him [...

Florida Trooper Fires Nine Rounds in Retirement Center Area After His Car Is Innocently Bumped ? But Is Given Only One Week Suspension

Posted on September 23, 2010
A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was given only a one-week suspension without pay after he fired nine rounds at a vehicle that bumped his cruiser. In the incident caught on this videotape, Trooper Timothy E. Nichols was responding to a call about a man suspected of stealing two bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches from a [...

For Whom The Bell Tolls: Eight City Officials Arrested in Pay Scandal

Posted on September 22, 2010
There has been a development in the story over the officials in Bell, California. As we previously discussed, city officials raked in obscene salaries until exposed by the media. Eight of the officials have now reportedly been arrested, including former Bell City Manager Robert Rizzo...

Russian Party Leaders Call For Branding Of Corrupt Officials

Posted on September 22, 2010
Russian politicians appear to be adopting the methods of some Sharia courts in proposing that corrupt Russian officials be branded with the letter K (the Russian symbol for a bribe taker) on their left hands. Liberal Democratic Party deputies Sergei Ivanov and Igor Lebedev have proposed the draconian measure in the State Duma to shame [...

Getting to the Bottom of Crime: Spokane Man Given Rare Warrant For Fanny Flexing

Posted on September 22, 2010
Criminal defense attorneys often challenge the showing of probable cause used as the basis for search warrants. That is the argument of a Spokane, Washington man who was given a search warrant for his rectum simply because police officers said that he seemed to be tightening his cheeks and refused a rectal exam...

The Java Defense: Kentucky Man Alleges Caffeine Ingestion Led Him Kill Wife

Posted on September 22, 2010
A Kentucky man is claiming something akin to a “java defense.” Woody Will Smith, 33, claims that his ingestion of caffeine left him unable to control himself — leading to his killing his wife. Many have analogized this defense to the “twinkie defense” in the trial of defendant Dan White in the 1970s...

Elderly Man?s Neck Broken in Confrontation With Orlando Police Officer Over Illegally Parked Car

Posted on September 22, 2010
Daniel J. Daley, 84, is in critical condition after an Orlando police officer broke his neck in a confrontation on the street where the officer threw him to the ground. Witnesses say that the World War II veteran merely touched the officer during an argument over the towing of his car while the officer describes [...

PORTEOUS IMPEACHMENT TRIAL ? DAY FIVE

Posted on September 21, 2010
The fifth day of the Senate trial for United States District Court Judge Thomas Porteous starts today at 8 a.m. Some this testimony will center on Article IV of the impeachment. I have attached our motions to dismiss Article Fourth and our general summary if you are following the case...

Is Coons a Failed Bearded Marxist?

Posted on September 21, 2010
We just followed the debate in Delaware over whether the GOP candidate for governor is a failed witch or a witch wannabe. Now, new reports have raised the question whether her Democratic rival, Chris Coons, 47, is a failed bearded Marxist. You have to love this race...

Florida Wife Charged With Manslaughter For Giving Husband Gun Used in Suicide

Posted on September 20, 2010
There is an interesting case out of Miami where Valerie Jenkins, 56, has been charged with manslaughter after she allegedly handed her husband the gun with which he committed suicide. Robert Jenkins, 51, told her that he wanted to die and, when she threw him the gun, he proceeded to make good on the threat...

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