Steve Benen writes: "It's not an abortion bill, but the debate managed to turn to abortion. It's not a gun bill, but the debate has managed to turn to guns. It's funny how the culture-war issues manage to sneak their way into everything." How did guns get into the picture? Well, about a week ago, Gun Owners of America told … Read More
Census Worker Death Ruled A Suicide
Kentucky state police have ruled that Bill Sparkman, the census worker found dead with a rope around his neck and "fed" scrawled on his chest, was a suicide. Sparkman apparently made his suicide look like a murder in the hopes that his son would get a pay out from his insurance policies.
We Get Emails
I received this email from Erick Erickson, proprietor of Redstate, the pre-eminent right wing blog: Today Barack Obama is going to announce that the terrorist mastermind of September 11th, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, will be sent to New York City for a criminal trial in a civilian court. In that trial, the terrorist will get all the rights afforded an American citizen … Read More
Fort Hood Shooting
I guess everyone will have their own theories about why Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire at Fort Hood, killing 13, and wounding dozens. How much of it had to do with the fact that he was a Muslim? How much of it had to do with the fact that he was taunted as a Muslim? How much of it … Read More
BREAKING: Obama Signs Matthew Shepard/James Byrd Hate Crimes Legislation
Actually the Hate Crimes bill was tacked on to the 2009 Defense Appropriations Act, which Obama signed this afternoon, but it's still there, and Obama noted the significance of it: So today I'm pleased to say that we have proved that change is possible. It may not come quickly, or all at once, but if you push hard enough, it … Read More
An Opening Paragraph We Didn’t Particularly Enjoy Reading
From the Boston Herald: RALEIGH, N.C. — Twenty murderers, rapists and robbers sentenced to life in North Carolina prisons in the 1970s will be released at the end of October as a result of recent court rulings. Why? Well, basically it comes down to this. These murderers, rapists, and robberts were sentenced to life in prison in the 1970s as … Read More
Governor Perry Doubles Down on Willingham
This story is starting to get national attention. Presumably, that's why Perry said what he said: Gov. Rick Perry on Wednesday defended his actions in the execution of Cameron Todd Willingham, calling him a “monster” and a “bad man” who murdered his children. Specifics? Sure… “Willingham was a monster,” the governor said. “Here's a guy who murdered his three children, … Read More
Latest Update On The Execution of Cameron Todd Willingham
Looks like Texas’s Republican Governnor Rick Perry is digging a deeper hole for himself. The Houston Chronicle adds some more details about how Perry disregarded doubts of Willingham’s guilt. Three days before the execution, Willingham’s attorney alerted Perry of a new arson analysis that cast doubt on the conviction. The ultimate analysis came from a respected arson expert, Dr. Gerald … Read More
The Seventh Sense Silly Legal Advice Corner
Q. I have a restraining order filed against me. Can I still "poke" that person on Facebook? A: It depends on the terms of the restraining order, but the answer is probably "no". A Hendersonville woman was arrested for virtually “poking” someone on the social networking site Facebook. Shannon D. Jackson, 36, was arrested Friday, Sept. 25 for allegedly violating … Read More
Justice Scalia Wants Dumber Lawyers?
As reported in the Wall Street Journal law blog, Justice Scalia has some interesting opinions when it comes to the quality of counsel that appears before him in the U.S. Supreme Court: Well, you know, two chiefs ago, Chief Justice Burger, used to complain about the low quality of counsel. I used to have just the opposite reaction. I used … Read More
Judicial Activism
Number of questions asked by new Justice Sonia Sotomayor to litigants during her first hour on the Supreme Court bench: 36 Number of questions asked by Justice Clarence Thomas to litigants over the past three year: zero
Oyez! Oyez!
It's the first Monday in October, so the U.S. Supreme Court is now in session. I've already outlined the big cases this term (as I see them) here. This week on the docket, the Court will hear arguments for two First Amendment cases — one about speech; one about religion. The speech one I find particularly interesting. The case is on … Read More
“Hold That Line! Hold That Line!” (Luke 3:7)
I don't have all the facts, just this: Cheerleaders at a north Georgia high school will have to fall back on school spirit alone to inspire the football team tonight against a longtime rival because the school district will no longer allow them to hold up signs bearing Bible verses. The Catoosa school district banned the signs over concerns they … Read More
New North Carolina Laws Day
Being the beginning of another fiscal year, about 100 new laws go into effect in the State of North Carolina today. They're all listed here (PDF). But just so you know, here are a few: Local governments get to regulate golf carts now. Phew. Our long national nightmare is… uh… over? It's now illegal to sell novelty lighters. (A "novelty … Read More
Governor Perry (R-Tx) Trying To Bury The Willingham Case
I've blogged twice now (here and here) about Cameron Todd Willingham, the Texas man who was tried, convicted, and eventually executed on what now appears to be really bad "expert" testimony. In a nutshell, arson "experts" were convinced that Willingham intentionally started a house fire intending to kill his children (all three died). There was no other evidence against Willingham … Read More