Legal Commentary

Minnesota Professor Ousted After Tearing Down McCain Sign

Posted on November 04, 2008
St. Olaf in Northfield, Minnesota Professor Philip Busse has resigned under pressure after he recounted in an article on Huffington Post how he tore down a McCain campaign sign. He is now only only out of a job but he is charged with misdemeanor theft...

Raw Politics: Nudist Colony Demands ?Clothing Optional? Voting

Posted on November 04, 2008
And we thought hanging chads were a problem in 2000. The nudist community in Land O’ Lakes, Florida has formally requested a “clothing optional” polling site. The Caliente Resorts note that nothing in state law requires clothing. It does raises an interesting issue...

Georgia Fifth-Grader Asked to Draw Scary Mask and Then Suspended For It

Posted on November 03, 2008
This one is unbelievable. Fifth-grader Jordan Hood was asked to draw a Halloween mask last week at the Pooler Elementary School in Georgia. He did a classic vampire-dripping-blood-with-sharp-teeth picture (see on left). He even wrote “I Kill for Blood,” which is a nice touch...

Being Careful What One Asks For: Slew of Bizarre Heart Attacks Kill Men in Triumphant Moments

Posted on November 03, 2008
I was struck today by a series of stories that caution people to be careful what they ask for. Three stories of men who had heart attacks at different triumphant moments, including one with a newly repaired heart. In Ravenna, Michigan, Don Doane had just bowled a perfect 300 game...

To access this complete feed in the blog feed reader login or register for free.

Islamic Court in Somalia Stone to Death 13-Year-Old Rape Victim for Adultery

Posted on November 03, 2008
The stoning death of Aisha Ibrahim Duhulow for adultery in Somalia was disturbing enough, particularly after the local cleric said that Duhulow asked for the stoning. Now, Amnesty International has reported that Duholow was not 23, as claimed, but only 13 years old and had been raped by three men...

Vue to a Kill: Police Officer Suspected in Murder of Correctional Guard

Posted on November 03, 2008
Former Deputy Sheriff Chu Vue has been charged with the killing of state correctional officer Steve Lo. In a bail hearing, it was revealed that Vue allegedly had a classic motive for the killing: an affair between his wife and Lo. Lo, 39, was gunned down in his Sacramento garage while he was leaving [...

Stevens Juror Admits that She Lied About Dad ? Went to Horse Track

Posted on November 03, 2008
Juror No. 4 has been located. If you recall, the trial of Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens was thrown into disarray by the death of the father of Juror No. 4. In the latter matter, efforts to locate Juror No. 4 were strangely unsuccessful. Now, Marian Hinnant has come forward and admitted that [...

California Doctor Faces Criminal Charges for Allegedly Hastening Death To Harvest Organs

Posted on November 03, 2008
In Los Angeles, there is a case that raises both criminal and tort allegations of a doctor accused of hastening the death of a young man to harvest his organs. Dr. Hootan Roozrokh, a San Francisco transplant surgeon, is accused of the crime 2 1/2 years ago in the death of Ruben Navarro, 25...

Bush: ?What?s the G20??

Posted on November 03, 2008
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is under fired after the disclosure of an allegedly embarrassing statement by President Bush during a telephone conversation. Nothing classified mind you. During the call over the global financial crisis, Rudd suggested a meeting of the G20 and Bush responded “What’s the G20?” The group represents the world’s [...

Problems Begin to Appear with Early Voting

Posted on November 02, 2008
In Virginia, one of the key swing states in the election, it has been well known for months that there would be a likely record turn out. However, early voting problems are being reported across the state. Much like Ohio in 2004, people are reporting what appears to be a knowing failure to [...

South Carolina Man Shoots and Kills 12-Year-Old Trick-or-Treater

Posted on November 02, 2008
Quentin Patrick, 22, an ex-convict in Sumter, South Carolina shot and killed a trick-or-treater T.J. Darrisaw who came to his home on Halloween — spraying nearly 30 rounds with an assault rifle from inside his home after hearing a knock on the door...

Palin Falls for Prank Call From Faux Nicolas Sarkozy

Posted on November 02, 2008
If SNL with McCain was not funny enough, many people are tuning into the tape below where Sarah Palin speaks to French President Nicolas Sarkozy in what turned out to be a prank call from a Quebec radio station. In the call, Sarkozy speaks about his sex life and shooting animals with Palin, who [...

Video: John McCain on SNL as ?The True Maverick: A Republican Without Money?

Posted on November 02, 2008
John and Cindy McCain were hilarious last night on Saturday Night Live. In the video below, McCain teams up with Tina Fey in a QVC take-off that shows a much funnier side of McCain, who has always done surprisingly well on these shows, as the past clips below show...

Sen. Norm Coleman Sues Al Franken for Defamation

Posted on November 01, 2008
Thank God the elections are finally heading to the courts — and legal commentators. Sen. Norm Coleman (R-Minn.) has sued Democratic opponent Al Franken for defamation over Franken’s television ads claiming that Coleman is the fourth most corrupt senator in Washington...

Palinprudence: My First Amendment Rights are Threatened by Criticism

Posted on November 01, 2008
Elections are rarely fun for constitutional law scholars to watch. Both Democrats and Republicans mutilate the Constitution to fit into neat political pitches and soundbites. However, Gov. Sarah Palin has reached a new low with her interpretation of the first amendment as threatened by criticism of her views in the media...

Muslims Attack Attack Art Gallery and Artist Over Muslim Art Display In London

Posted on November 01, 2008
Sarah Maple, 23, is a Muslim and an artist in London has triggered a firestorm within the Muslim community. She has been threatened and the front glass windows of the gallery smashed over her portrayal of her own religion. This includes a work showing a woman in a headscarf holding a pig...

?Coming Out Day?: California Kindergarten Teacher Has Kids Sign Pro-Gay Pledge Cards

Posted on November 01, 2008
Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, California is under attack this week after parents learned that she asked her kindergarteners to sign card pledging to support gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender people...

Carbon Politics: Save the Polar Bears, Eat an Illegal Alien?

Posted on October 31, 2008
In this increasingly bizarre political season, this one is off the charts. An anti-immigration group has linked illegal immigration to global warming. The video explains that their carbon footprint of illegal aliens would be lower if they remained in their original countries...

Bush Seeking To De-Regulate Environmental Protection

Posted on October 31, 2008
After years of de-regulation led to the current financial meltdown, the Bush Administration is now promising to re-regulate the industry. However, it is quietly moving to de-regulate environmental protection laws. These regulatory changes violate a core tradition in American politics...

Bush Arrested for Hanging Obama in Effigy

Posted on October 31, 2008
Ok, not that Bush. This was Hunter Bush, 21, of Lexington, Kentucky who was arrested with e Joe Fischer, 22, a UK student, for hanging an effigy of Barack Obama from a tree. The charge was for disorderly conduct, though it is unclear why these men were arrested while a recent example of hanging [...

Shocking the Noble Boy: McCain Supporter Shocks Nine-Year-Old Boy with Electrified Campaign Sign

Posted on October 31, 2008
Just days after a McCain supporter in Ohio shot a teenager for knocking over his sign, Shawn Turschak of Chapel Hill, North Carolina shocked a nine-year-old boy after electrifying his campaign sign to protect it. What is unbelievable is that the police will not charge Turschak for this reckless act...

SPOOKY TORTS WITH TURLEY

Posted on October 31, 2008
Halloween is the favorite holiday for all torts professors and personal injury lawyers. (Indeed, I am convinced it was invented by a personal injury lawyer). Common carrier hay rides, lighting vegetables on fire, handing out foodstuffs without a permit ...

Elizabeth Dole Accuses Opponent of Being ?Godless? to Save Sinking Campaign

Posted on October 30, 2008
Sen. Elizabeth Dole appears unwilling to simply run on her faith. She is not running an ad that accuses her opponent state Sen. Kay Hagan of being “godless” because she was seen in the company of atheists at a fundraiser. Hagan is now taking legal action to stop the political ads...

Shooting the Wise Guy: McCain Supporter in Ohio Shoots Teenager Who Knocked Over Campaign Sign

Posted on October 30, 2008
Kenneth Rowles, 50, was charged in Ohio with felonious assault after he shot at two teenagers who had knocked over his McCain campaign sign. Patrick Wise, 16, had kicked the sign and then ran to a waiting SUV. Rowles fired a rifle three times at their fleeing SUV, hitting the vehicle all three [...

Sarkozy Loses Parody Case in French Court Over Voodoo Dolls

Posted on October 30, 2008
France has recently seem a rollback in free speech rights, but there remains enough in the country to defeat the ridiculous attempt by President Nicolas Sarkozy’s to stop sales of a “voodoo doll” in his image. Sarkozy is notoriously thin-skinned, but it is remarkable that any politician would object to a caricature item...

Not Kosher: Former Head of Nation?s Largest Kosher Meat-Packing Plant Arrested on Immigration Charges

Posted on October 30, 2008
Sholom Rubashkin, 49, a powerful member of the Hasidic Jewish community and former head of the kosher plant Agriprocessors, is now in police custody after being arrested for harboring illegal immigrants and aiding and abetting aggravated identity theft...

Will Alaskans Stand Up to Stevens - Now?

Posted on October 30, 2008
Below is today’s column in Roll Call where I discuss the Stevens conviction and the dismal state of the Alaskan delegation. The voters in Alaska will have a increasingly difficult time claiming to espouse “small town value” and “law and order politics” when they routinely reelect corrupt politicians...

Not So Nice N Easy: Cop Arrested for Stealing Donuts

Posted on October 30, 2008
Sgt. Steve Brody of the Morrisville State College University Police seemed intent on fulfilling stereotypes when he was arrested for stealing donuts. The New York college officer was nailed at the Valero Nice N Easy and is accused of taking $30 worth of pastries on at least 17 occasions...

It?s Official: New York Times Says it is Ruth Bader Ginsburg Not Ginsberg

Posted on October 30, 2008
The New York Times has misspelled her name over a dozen times since 2001 but it is finally stating publicly that, for the future, it will be Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and not Ginsberg. However, starting today it will be John Paul Stephens...

Hairstyle Strike is Struck: South Carolina Rules that Dreadlocks Are Not a Race-Neutral Basis for Striking a Juror

Posted on October 29, 2008
The South Carolina Supreme Court has ruled that striking a juror from a civil jury for wearing dreadlocks is not race neutral. Remarkably, there was a dissent filed in the close 3-2 decision by two justices who believe that it is appropriate to strike a juror over hairstyle...

Bloggers, promote your law blog by nominating your blog for inclusion in USLaw.com's Law Blog Directory and RSS Reader. Benefits described.