MN Statute Outlawing Pranks is Unconstitutional
Although the law is relatively unknown to the general public, MN Statute 609.913 actually makes the execution of April Fools Day pranks (as well as pranks practiced during the rest of the year) illegal...
View ArticleDemocracy Now Examines Duane Buck Case
"Prosecutor Seeks Stay of Execution for Texas Prisoner Duane Buck, Sentenced to Death for Being Black," is the Democracy Now report with Amy Goodman. There is audio at the link. Although Duane Buck’s...
View ArticleHigh Bail Set For Massachusetts Woman Charged With Motor Vehicle Homicide
Kathleen Allen, a twenty three year old Middleboro, Massachusetts woman was held on one hundred thousand dollars bail after her arraignment in the Wareham District Court. It is alleged that Allen was...
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Monday Open Thread
I'll be busy at work the rest of the day. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome. [[ This is a content summary only. Visit my website for full links, other content, and more! ]]
View ArticleAnaheim Man Arrested for Irvine Gun and Drug Crimes
Irvine, Orange County - An Anaheim man was arrested for gun crimes and drug charges in Irvine on Friday. Following a three month in investigation police say Anthony Risberg, 37, was arrested on...
View ArticleInternational Innocence Round-up: April 1, 2013
A BBC article on the problems of using informants focuses on US practice, but has implications for other countries. This includes Singapore, where those who are facing drug trafficking charges can...
View ArticleUnanimous SCOTUS summary reversal of Ninth Circuit on right-of-appoint-counsel
A long day of meetings has meant it has taken me nearly all day to note today's notable Sixth Amendment ruling from the Supreme Court in Marshall v. Rodgers, No. 12-382 (S. Ct. Apr. 1, 2013) (available...
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Rapper “Too Short” Will Not Face Meth Charges
Rapper Todd Anthony “Too Short” Shaw was arrested in Los Angeles for driving under the influence and for possessing meth. According to a Fox News report, Los Angeles prosecutors have dropped the...
View ArticleWatch: Arizona Arson Case Featured on 60 Minutes
Sunday night's episode of CBS' 60 Minutes featured a segment on Louis Taylor, a man who was wrongfully convicted of setting the 1970 Pioneer Hotel fire in Tucson, Arizona which took the lives of 29...
View ArticleCalifornia figures out GPS tracking won't work if GPS trackers don't work
The silly tilte to this post is prompted by this notable lengthy story from the Los Angeles Times, which carries the following headline and sub-heading: "Tests found major flaws in parolee GPS...
View ArticleOpinion rejecting Ninth Circuit's approach to requests for counsel after waiver
The per curiam opinion in Marshall v. Rodgers concludes that the Ninth Circuit misapplied AEDPA by finding "clearly established Federal law" by examining Circuit precedent rather than Supreme Court...
View ArticleSupreme Court: Warrant needed for drug dog used on private property
Police officers in Miami, Florida, got a tip in December 2006 that a person was likely engaged in a marijuana growing operation in his home. An officer and a trained police dog went up to the...
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St. Louis Judge Throws Out Speeding Camera Ticket
In an important ruling that could possibly spell the end for Missouri speeding cameras, a judge in St. Louis County ruled that the speed camera tickets issued by Moline Acres conflict with state law....
View ArticleThe House I Live In | Documentary about America's War on Drugs | Independent...
The House I Live In | Documentary about America's War on Drugs | Independent Lens | PBS
View ArticleInteresting split Fourth Circuit finds police lies made subsequent plea...
The Fourth Circuit today has a very interesting split panel opinion that might be seen as an example, at least by the defense bar, of bad facts making for good plea agreement law. Here is how the...
View Article"James Holmes' Victims Applaud Death Penalty Plan: 'I Want Him Dead'"
The title of this post is the notable headline of this ABC News report on the (not-very-surprising) decision today by Colorado prosecutors to seek the death penalty for mass murderer James Holmes. Here...
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Macy's Employee At SouthPark Mall Charged With Embezzlement :: Charlotte...
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: "What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?" An employee of Macy's in Charlotte's SouthPark Mall was charged yesterday with embezzling...
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California Court Funding
The court system has suffered profound funding losses in the past several years. Year after year the legislature cuts the court's funding until now it has reached crisis proportions. Layoffs of court...
View ArticleYo Ho Yo Ho The Pirate’s Life For Me
In a recent discussion amongst criminal-defense lawyers about the murder of the Kaufman County District Attorney, and whether we would represent the person charged with the murder (assuming that anyone...
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Traffic Infractions Most LIkely To Get You Pulled Over
According to a study by Edmonds.com, in which they polled three police agencies, there are several traffic violations which police departments specifically look to issue tickets for. So if you are...
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