AG-nominee Jeff Sessions puts focus on crime in opening statement before confirmation hearing
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Will Massachusetts Pardon Individuals Locked Up for Marijuana Crimes?
Vermont governor Peter Shumlin recently issued 192 pardons to individuals with marijuana convictions, as long as the offenses were not related to DUI charges or violent crimes. This bold move begs the question, will Massachusetts follow suit? Although pot has been decriminalized in Vermont, the green mountain state still hasn’t legalized recreational use. So, if Vermont can pardon those convicted of pot crimes, can’t Mass? How can people be locked up for something that is no longer a crime? It’s a good question, and a problem that certain MA lawmakers are trying to resolve. A group consisting of the ACLU, Massachusetts Senator Jamie Eldridge, and Horace Small, the Executive DIrector of the Union of Minority Neighborhoods, is currently crafting new legislation that would apply marijuana legalization retroactively throughout the state. This new legislation would, in turn, free individuals who are behind bars because of pot. “We’ve approved medical…
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Nazi Memorabilia, Guns, and 10,000 Rounds of Ammo Found in Home of Lexington Man
Last week, police announced the seizure of 83 guns, with 10,000 rounds of ammo and a Nazi helmet from the house of a Massachusetts man. Robert Ivarson, 49, of Lexington, is facing civil rights and harassment charges for allegedly littering the driveway of a black family with banana peels. Following the discovery of the weapons arsenal, Ivarson is facing 13 new charges. In addition to the guns and ammo, law enforcement also found 50 pounds of black powder in the man’s residence. Ivarson faces multiple counts of possession of a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without a license, and possession of a large-capacity feeding device. He also faces one count of being an armed career criminal. According to investigators, Ivarson was under video surveillance at the time of the banana incident. He allegedly threw the peels onto the victim’s property on three consecutive days. According to CBS, Ivarson is currently on house arrest, facing hate crime charges.…
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Conflict of Interest or Insider Trading? Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and the Trump Organization
On January 10th, 2017, it was announced that Jared Kushner, Donald Trump’s son-in-law, was appointed as Senior Advisor to the future President. News reports of “conflict of interest” by Donald Trump, Jared Kushner and the Trump family have morphed into allegations of insider trading, a crime punishable by prison and significant financial penalties. New York Senator and Senate Minority Leader, Charles Schumer, brought up the issue of insider trading and cabinet nominees at a news conference last week, and…POLITICO reports that Congressman Elijah Cummings is looking at corruption hearings on the Trump business and its ties into the government. Source: abcnews.com Continue reading →
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Ethical Republican Is An Oxymoron
My philosophy professor in college, Richard Sugarman, found it ironic that the government had to have an Ethics Department. It has been a very long time but if I can correctly recall, his view was that all government institutions should embody ethical conduct and that Ethics should not be separate and distinct -- much less, in a separate building -- from the rest of the government. (Sugarman, I learned recently, was very close to Bernie Sanders and was the one who convinced him initially to run for Mayor of Burlington)Well, the Republicans don't merely want to keep Ethics separate and distinct from the operations of government. They want to remove it from public discourse altogether. They want to reduce it to at most a procedural nicety -- a technicality -- rather than a fundamental aspect of democracy. In essence, they don't just want…
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MATRIMONIO HOMOSEXUAL ¿Debe ampararse?
He leído la sentencia COMPLETA que ordena la inscripción del “matrimonio” homosexual entre un peruano y un mexicano celebrado en octubre del año 2010 en el país del segundo contrayente. El año 1984 no sólo era inimaginable el “matrimonio” entre humanos del mismo sexo, los homosexuales eran discriminados por ser tales, su capacidad para participar en un concurso laboral era casi nula, peinadores su destino, con el tiempo se amplió, sin cambiar la esencia de la labor a estilistas, maquilladores. Estaban altamente reprimidos de exhibirse conforme deseaban ser vistos por la sanción de la sociedad y no sólo como se sostiene por la Juez, por razones religiosas sino por cuestiones naturales ese tipo de conductas era reprochable. Pero la sociedad avanza, se adapta a ciertas cosas que no puede evitar por mucho que se golpeé contra la pared y fue aceptando a los…
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100 MPH Winds in Colorado Springs
I thought the winds were bad here Christmas Day, but yesterday they were just outrageous. They hit 100 mph in Colorado Springs. The Colorado Springs Airport recorded an all-time record wind gust of 80 mph at 12:02 p.m. and a gust of 101 mph was... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Page Pate discusses Dylann Roof death penalty case
Writing for CNN Opinion, attorney Page Pate sheds some light on Dylann Roof’s decision to bench his court-appointed lawyers and defend himself during the penalty phase of his hearing for… read more → The post Page Pate discusses Dylann Roof death penalty case appeared first on Pate & Johnson Law Firm.
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Idaho State Police to award Silver Stars and Certificate of Appreciation for Heroism
IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE - generated by our News Release ListServer DO NOT REPLY --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Idaho State Police Regional Communication Center - North 615 W Wilbur Ave Suite A Coeur d'Alene, Idaho 83815 Please direct questions to the appropriate District Offices District 1 (208) 209-8620 Fax (208) 209- 8618 The Idaho State Police will be awarding two Silver Stars for Heroism and a Certificate of Appreciation for Heroism on January 13th, 2017. The media and members of the public are invited to attend both ceremonies. On Friday January 13th at 11:45 a.m, The Idaho State Police will award a Certificate of Appreciation for Heroism to Dwight Bailey of Spokane, for the lifesaving actions he took on June 13th, 2016. Mr. Bailey assisted in saving a female?s life on I90 near milepost 2, Pleasantview in Post Falls. The award will be presented on Friday, January 13th at…
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When Terror Victims Sue Twitter Over ISIS
A few months ago, a federal judge in California tossed a lawsuit by the family of a terror victim, finding Twitter isn't liable for ISIS rhetoric. Yesterday, the families of some of those who died in European attacks for which ISIS has taken... [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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Tuesday Open Thread
It's a jail day for me, which means an open thread for you. All topics welcome. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
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News Scan
2016 Deadliest Year for Suicide Attacks: A study by the Institute for National Security Studies indicates that more people were killed in suicide attacks last year than in any year on record. Vonat Friling of FoxNews reports that 5,650 were killed in such attacks worldwide and in 70% of the cases the Islamic State was responsible. While most of the attacks were in Iran and Syria, several very deadly Isis inspired attacks also occurred in Western Europe and the United States. The study also found an increase in attacks carried out by women. Manhunt Continues for Florida Cop Killer: Hundreds of officers are searching for Markeith Loyd, the suspect in the December 13 murder of his pregnant girlfriend and wounding of her brother, and the January 9 murder of Orlando Police Sergent Debra Clayton, when she confronted him in a Wal-Mart parking lot. Rene Stuzman and Stephanie Allen of the Orlando Sentinel report that Loyd was a habitual…
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Idaho State Police Road Safe January 28th
The Idaho State Police will be holding a Road Safe Class for the 2016/2017 winter driving season on Saturday, January 28, 2017 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The class will be held at the Idaho State Police District 1 Office located at 615 West Wilbur Avenue in Coeur d Alene (Meeting Room A & B). This is the fourteenth year this award-winning program has been offered to the public. This is presented in a classroom setting designed to educate drivers of all ages (teens, adults and seniors), on the typical problems associated with winter road conditions in Idaho. The class consists of a PowerPoint presentation and video giving safe driving tips, as well as suggestions to prepare for the winter driving season. Other topics discussed will be how to deal with aggressive drivers, DUIs, and other driving problems and situations encountered on the roadways. The class will last for approximately 3 hours. There is no cost for the class. PLEASE CALL (208) 209-8620 Monday - Friday 8…
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Who is liable for falls from scaffolding in Pennsylvania?
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the leading cause of construction site fatalities is falls from heights. Of course, one of the most common ways construction workers can be involved in these types of falls is when using scaffolding. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a fall from scaffolding, you might not know whom you can hold liable. Learn more here.Why do scaffolding falls occur?There are several different circumstances that might lead to a fall from scaffolding. The most common examples include:Scaffolding collapsesScaffolding detaching from wallLack of safety railing or defective railingSlippery surfaces due to ice, snow, or waterNo fall protection devices, such as harnesses, providedLack of safety trainingScaffolding set up on uneven groundFalls from scaffolding can lead to serious injuries including bruises, sprains, broken bones, head and spinal trauma, and even death.Who is liable for my scaffolding accident?Liability for a…
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Study Shows Ignition Interlock Devices Reduce Fatal DUI Accidents
A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that states that have laws in place requiring ignition interlock devices after any drunk driving conviction have a lower number of alcohol-related fatal car accidents than other states. This study, conducted by the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health and the Colorado School of Public Health, is the first to research the impact of ignition interlock devices on fatal DUI accidents nationwide.According to the research, states that require all drivers convicted of a DUI to install an ignition interlock device see an average of a seven percent decrease in the number of fatal crashes with a blood alcohol content (BAC) level above 0.08. States saw an eight percent decrease in the number of fatal crashes involving a BAC at or above 0.15.The study estimates that ignition interlock laws, first passed in 1993, have prevented approximately 1,250 deadly alcohol-related crashes. How do…
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Interesting new report on impact of Prop 47 on drug arrests in California
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Water in Roadway on I84 in Meridian
IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE - generated by our News Release ListServer DO NOT REPLY --------------------------------------------------------------------------- IDAHO STATE POLICE NEWS RELEASE District 3 Patrol 700 S. Stratford Dr., Meridian 83642 (208) 846-7550 Fax (208) 846-7520 For Immediate Release: 1/10/17 2:35 p.m. Please direct questions to the District Office Idaho State Police is currently investigating a crash westbound on I84 at milepost 43, between Meridian Rd. and Ten Mile Rd. Standing water has accumulated and is blocking lanes of traffic on both the left and right edges of westbound I84. The two center lanes are clear, but the right and left lanes are flooded. The Idaho Transportation Department is aware of the issue and is responding. EH/NEH -------------
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FBI: Violent Crime Up in First Half of 2016
The FBI issued this press release yesterday on its Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report.All of the offenses in the violent crime category--murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape (revised definition), rape (legacy definition), aggravated assault, and robbery--showed increases when data from the first six months of 2016 were compared with data from the first six months of 2015. The number of aggravated assaults increased 6.5 percent, murders increased 5.2 percent, rapes (legacy definition) increased 4.4 percent, rapes (revised definition) rose 3.5 percent, and robbery offenses were up 3.2 percent.* * *In the property crime category, offenses dropped 0.6 percent. Burglaries were down 3.4 percent, and larceny-thefts declined 0.8 percent. However, motor vehicle thefts increased 6.6 percent.We at CJLF will be looking at the data…
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Charleston Church shooter Dylann Roof sentencing to death by federal jury
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A Conversation with Jimmie David Gentle, Reflecting on Joe DuRocher
When you first become a lawyer, it’s a special feeling. Everything is new, and egos are out of control (new lawyers are the worst, trust me). Back in 1993, I joined Joe DuRocher’s Public Defender’s office and was thrust into a glorious pot of new attorneys, many of whom are now judges, friends, or both. Jimmie “David” Gentle was in that group, and we have been friends ever since. David has taken a different path of late, which we’ll get to eventually. First, why are we talking about our old boss? Well, I’m getting more and more sentimental these days. My morning routine involves listing a few things I’m thankful for, and rather consistently, I have deep gratitude toward my old boss Joe DuRocher. Joe passed on in 2012, and I miss him. Also, I owe him. He gave me not just a job, but a great career. I’ll never be able to repay him for that. The…
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