You can’t open a newspaper or magazine today without reading about Olympian Bruce Jenner’s sex change. At first I didn’t believe it, but with his longer hair, nail polish, adam’s apple and facial surgery, together with his mother’s remarks to the media, I now believe it’s true. I also understand that he remains sexually attracted to women and so will live as a lesbian. I can’t imagine the courage it takes to commit to this transition so late in life. His story, however, reminds me of an article in the New York Post about a gender change involving prominent ABC network news editor and producer, Don Ennis. One morning in 2013 Mr. Ennis arrived at the ABC New York studios wearing a tight black dress and a long brown wig and advised his colleagues he was transitioning to a female. He asked to be called “Dawn”. “Please understand,” he said in a statement, “this is not a game of dress-up, or make-believe, it is…
Bruce Jenner Gender Bender
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Open Carry Laws in Florida
The Florida Fourth District Court of Appeal ruled last month against Dale Norman, who was convicted of a second degree misdemeanor after his 2012 arrest for openly carrying a holstered gun. Norman appealed his conviction, arguing that it was a violation of both the state and federal constitutions to ban the open carry of firearms. In Norman v. State, the court upheld Florida’s ban. It ruled that, though the Second Amendment protects the right to carry firearms outside the home for self-defense, the legislature may regulate the manner of bearing arms as long as it permits a reasonable method of carrying weapons. In Florida, that requirement is satisfied by concealed carry licenses. The court noted that the requirement to obtain a concealed carry permit in Florida is not an onerous condition, and so the requirement does not unduly restrict the right to bear arms. Open Carry Prohibition The Florida State Constitution protects the right to bear arms.…
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Rutland Volunteers Help Sex Offender Re-Enter Community
3-17-15 Vermont: A restorative justice program is showing remarkable success in helping high-risk offenders re-enter the community after prison. The idea is to create a circle of support and accountability, or CoSA, to help former inmates avoid re-offending. The concept originated in Canada in the 1990s and Vermont is one of a handful of states now using the program. Three Canadian studies have
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Does New Jersey have caps on wrongful death damages?
The state of New Jersey imposes no cap on wrongful death damages. In a wrongful death claim, survivors of the deceased may claim compensation for damages that include funeral and burial costs, financial losses, and other damages. Families in Trenton can seek full damages for all of these losses without any restrictions.Does New Jersey law impose caps on any type of personal injury award?Although, there is no cap or limit on wrongful death damages under New Jersey law, the state does impose a cap on the amount of punitive damages that you can recover as part of a personal injury claim.For example, in a medical malpractice claim, there is a cap on punitive damages that the plaintiff can recover. The cap is set at a limit of $350,000 or five times the compensated amount.Punitive damages claims typically lead to substantial damages. These are damages that are ordered not to compensate the plaintiff for his losses, but to punish the defendant for reckless conduct.Punitive damages…
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Prevent a DUI Arrest on St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is one of the most dangerous holidays to be on the road. As with most holidays, there is increased law enforcement presence, and there are drunk drivers everywhere. Celebrations on St. Patrick’s Day are notorious for the green beer and other alcoholic beverages. No matter how you choose to celebrate, keep in mind that law enforcement agencies across Florida will be stepping up their efforts to keep the roadways safe. Saint Patrick’s Day Drunk Driving Facts From 2009 to 2013, over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, 276 people were killed in drunk driving crashes across the nation. In 2013 on St. Patrick’s Day, 31 people were killed in drunk driving crashes. In 2013, two out of five auto accident fatalities over Saint Patrick’s Day weekend involved drunk drivers. On March 18, 2013, between midnight at 5:59 a.m., 55 percent of crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. If you plan on celebrating today with green beer or any other…
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Penn State Professor Arrested in Miami After Ranting on Plane
A Penn State University associate sociology professor was arrested during a flight from Nicaragua to Miami on Saturday. Her onboard speech about U.S.-Venezuela relations apparently got her pulled off a flight in Miami. Authorities claim that the 52-year-old, who lives outside Philadelphia, is facing disorderly conduct and breach of peace charges for going on a rant and lighting a cigarette during the flight. A passenger apparently caught the alleged rant on video. Police said it shows the woman lighting a cigarette and blaming it on another passenger. Flight attendants requested that police meet the flight in Miami, where the woman was taken into custody. The woman wrote an email after she returned to Pennsylvania that alleges she was mistreated. She says all she did was speak out against U.S. treatment of Venezuela. Disorderly conduct is classified as engaging in conduct that caused a disturbance by being unreasonably: Violent Loud Abusive Obscene Boisterous The problem with…
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MO Lt. Gov. Accuses USDoJ of Racism
David Lieb reports for AP:Missouri's lieutenant governor is accusing Justice Department officials of "fanning the flames of racial division," as the federal agency is criticizing Ferguson police for alleged racial biases following the fatal shooting of Michael Brown.Republican Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder on Tuesday also asserted that the department was "staffed with Marxists and black radicals" and defended statements he had made a day earlier accusing agency officials of racism.* …
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Notable empirical review of what happens to most death sentences
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*Final Update* Crash Blocks Interstate East at Northside
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: 03/17/2015 6:38 p.m. Please direct questions to the District Office ***Final Update*** On Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at 2:10 p.m., the Idaho State Police investigated a two vehicle crash on Interstate 84 west of exit 35. Saul Rocha, 43, of Redmond, Oregon, driving a 1992 Honda Accord was in the left lane westbound on Interstate 84. Near milepost 35, Rocha drove off the left shoulder, down the embankment, and into the eastbound lanes of Interstate 84. Rocha's vehicle was struck head on by a 2003 Ford F350 pickup driven by Rex C. Hiatt, 38, of Boise. All occupants were wearing their seatbelts and transported by ground ambulance to St. Alphonsus Regional Medical…
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The Implications of the "Blurred Lines" Verdict for Weird Al Yankovic
The major intellectual property story of the spring has been a lawsuit by Marvin Gaye's estate against Pharrell Williams and Robin Thicke. A jury recently held that Thicke and Williams' song, "Blurred Lines," infringed on the copyright for Gaye's song, "Got to Give It Up." I have not been following the litigation very closely, and I do not have much analysis of my own to add regarding the litigation itself, but you can find additional analysis and criticism of the case and verdict here, here, here, here, and here.While I am not a big fan of Pharell Williams or Robin Thicke, I am far more interested in the work of Weird Al Yankovic. Weird Al wrote an excellent parody of Williams' and Thicke's song, entitled "Word Crimes." Here it is:While Weird Al made sure to get permission from Thicke and Williams to use their song as a basis for his parody, would Thicke and Williams' recent loss spell trouble for Weird Al?Sherwin Siy…
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Fatal crash on SH-167 at milepost 3.7, near Grandview
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: 03/17/2015 9:04 p.m. Please direct questions to the District Office *****UPDATE***** On Tuesday, March 17, 2015, at approximately 1:35 p.m., the Idaho State Police investigated a two-vehicle, fatal crash on State Highway 167 at milepost 3.7. A juvenile driver, age 15, was southbound on SH-167 in a 2005 Chevrolet Trailblazer. Christopher Standage, 33, of Mountain Home, was northbound on SH-167 in a 1988 Chrysler New Yorker. The Trailblazer went off the right shoulder of the road; the driver overcorrected, came back on the road, and crossed the center line, where the Trailblazer struck the New Yorker. Both vehicles came to rest off the left shoulder of the road. Standage…
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RICO Charges in Federal Court
On October 15, 1970, the Organized Crime Control Act of 1970 became a law. In this Act is the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, better known as the RICO statute. The RICO statute’s purpose is to eliminate the infiltration of organized crime and racketeering into legitimate organizations operating in interstate commerce. Originally, its purpose was to prosecute the Mafia and other organizations that were engaged in organized crime; now, however, its application is a lot more widespread. Racketeering and Racketeers Racketeering is when organized groups, such as the Mafia, run illegal businesses, also known as rackets, or when they use real businesses to embezzle funds. In the beginning, racketeering took place in industries that were illegal such as prostitution, illegal weapons trafficking, and sex and drug trafficking. In time, however, it progressed to other kinds of businesses where racketeers, or mob bosses, would infiltrate the corporate world…
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Secret Service Agents Alleged to Have Driven Drunk During White House Bomb Threat
According to a recent news report from the Washington Post, a woman is alleged to have driven up to a security gate at the White House, and, while exiting the car, said she had a bomb and placed a package on the ground. Police say she then got back in her car and tried to drive away from pursuing members of the Uniformed Division of the Secret Service. The United States has Secret Service Special Agents, with whom we are all familiar and whose responsibilities include guarding the President and other public officials, and it also has a Uniformed Division (SSUD). The Uniformed Division of the Secret Service consists of police officers who guard facilities and embassies while driving around the city on bicycles and in marked squad cars. These officers are not Special Agents, but they have arrest powers similar to members of other police forces. Members of the SSUD attempted to stop suspect, when she hit them with her car before fleeing the scene. At this point, bomb…
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Annapolis Man Plows in DUI Checkpoint, Arrested for DUI
An Annapolis man injured was arrested Tuesday night (March 17) after injuring 3 people as he attempted to flee from police at a DUI checkpoint. The man, Marvis Montrell Pollock, was seen driving erratically around the checkpoint area but fled when police tried to pull him over. After a chase through the Arnold area, Pollock attempted to drive through vehicles sitting at a red light in turn disabling his own vehicle. Three people suffered minor injuries in the incident and Pollock’s car was destroyed when it burst into flames. Pollock is being charged with number of charges including DUI, fleeing and eluding, assault (for the cars he hit), driving without a license, and other related charges. The post Annapolis Man Plows in DUI Checkpoint, Arrested for DUI appeared first on Maryland DUI Lawyer | DWI Attorney | Blog.
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Not So Fast: Dismissal of DWI Charges for Failure to Schedule Trial in 30 Days
Defendants who drive while impaired while their licenses are revoked for another impaired driving offense or who drive while impaired without a license and without car insurance risk more than criminal prosecution. The vehicles they drive must be seized, and, if they are convicted, will be ordered forfeited. To speed up the forfeiture process, DWI […]
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News Scan
Border Patrol Agents Encouraged Not To Report Groups: US Border Patrol agent Chris Cabrera from the Rio Grande Valley Sector has revealed that agents are being chastised for reporting illegal alien groups exceeding 20 individuals. Edwin Mora of Breitbart reports that agents that do make such reports are assigned to process detainees at the station or patrol low volume areas in a fixed position as punishment. In recent Congressional testimony the Vice President of the National Border Patrol Council told lawmakers that the Obama administration is misleading the American people by manipulating border security data. "Ask any line Agent in the field and he or she will tell you that at best we apprehend 35-40% of the illegal immigrants attempting to cross. This number is even lower for drug smugglers who are much more adept at eluding capture," he said. Siblings of Murdered Parents Fight Killer's Parole: The year before California…
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Morales on Crimes of Migration
Daniel I. Morales (DePaul University College of Law) has posted Crimes of Migration (Wake Forest Law Review, Vol. 49, No. 4, 2015) on SSRN. Here is the abstract: Migration without permission is a crime — one prosecuted much more often...
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Sex offender workplace registry bill sparks debate
More insanity, if someone is at work how can s/he commit an offense! Am I reading this correctly, the police computers are too stupid to be able to record and transfer the information, between jurisdictions, so they are forcing the registrants to do it for them? Absolutely stupid.., they need to hire competent computer programmers. Or the state should pay the registrant for doing the work for
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Bundesrat: Botschaft zur Teilrevision des Mineralölsteuergesetzes verabschiedet
Gemäss Medienmitteilung des Bundesrates von Anfang März 2015 hat dieser die Botschaft zur Teilrevision des Mineralölsteuergesetzes zuhanden des Parlaments verabschiedet, nachdem der Bundesrat von den Ergebnissen der Vernehmlassung zur Teilrevision des Mineralölsteuergesetzes Kenntnis genommen und das Eidgenössische Finanzdepartement beauftragt hatte, eine Botschaft auszuarbeiten. Die Teilrevision betrifft (i) die teilweise Befreiung der Treibstoffe für Pistenfahrzeuge von der Mineralölsteuer und (ii) eine Kompetenzdelegation an die Steuerbehörde für gewisse Steuerbefreiungen:„Mit der vom Parlament überwiesenen Motion von Ständerat Isidor Baumann (12.4203) wurde der Bundesrat beauftragt, eine Änderung des Mineralölsteuergesetzes vorzuschlagen. Dies, um Pistenfahrzeuge teilweise von der Mineralölsteuer zu befreien. Rückerstattungsberechtigt sollen Verbraucher von Treibstoffen sein, die mit…
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Do I have a right to a speedy trial in Washington State?
So what is the right to a speedy trial? The Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution, provides that “[i]n all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy . . . trial.” The Clause is important because it protects the defendant from delay between the time when they are charged and the beginning of trial. But do you have a right to a speedy trial? Did you waive it? How can you know? And what happens if you are in prison and have other charges pending? I propose this hypothetical, you are pulled over for DUI in Seattle, you are then released and told to show up for your next court date, which is two months out. The next day, you are arrested for theft in another county. You have a long record and the judge throws the book at you. You decide to plea on the theft charge and are sentenced to 1 year in prison. So what happens to your speedy trial right on your DUI charge? When confronting speedy trial issues, always cite the Sixth…
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