How Appealing



Friday, June 18, 2010

“Mental retardation burden of proof in death cases unconstitutional”: Bill Rankin of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a news update that begins, “The burden that Georgia places on death-penalty defendants to prove they are mentally retarded — and thus ineligible for execution — is unconstitutional, the federal appeals court in Atlanta ruled Friday.”

You can access today’s ruling of a divided three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit at this link.

Posted at 10:55 PM by Howard Bashman



“Supreme Court rules on employer monitoring of cellphone, computer conversations”: Robert Barnes has this article today in The Washington Post.

In today’s edition of USA Today, Joan Biskupic reports that “Court upholds search of police officer’s texts; Places limits on government workers’ privacy.”

The Press-Enterprise of Riverside, California has an article headlined “Can’t assume government-sent messages are private.”

The Washington Times reports that “Court rejects privacy of texter in narrow ruling.”

The Kansas City Star reports that “Supreme Court ruling finds messages sent on employer-provided equipment not private.”

And Tony Mauro of The National Law Journal reports that “Supreme Court Allows Search of Employee’s City-Owned Pager.”

Posted at 5:11 PM by Howard Bashman



“Texas judge goes before panel with career on line”: The Associated Press has a report that begins, “Prosecutors say Sharon Keller is ‘not the right person’ to be the highest-ranking criminal judge in Texas if she can’t admit she wrongly turned away a death row inmate’s attorneys the night of his execution.”

Posted at 2:33 PM by Howard Bashman



“Justices Debate Issues in an Oceanfront Case”: Adam Liptak has this article today in The New York Times. The newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Common Sense and Private Property.”

In today’s edition of The Washington Post, Robert Barnes reports that “Supreme Court rules Fla. beach work doesn’t affect property owners’ rights.”

David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times reports that “Supreme Court rejects Florida beach owners’ claim; Justices rule that Florida law trumps property rights in a case in which the state added sand to an eroding beach, turning oceanfront property into ocean-view property.”

Joan Biskupic of USA Today reports that “Justices rule against Florida landowners in beach dispute.”

Michael Doyle of McClatchy Newspapers reports that “Florida beachfront landowners lose in Supreme Court tie.”

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor reports that “Supreme Court rules against homeowners in Florida beach dispute; The Supreme Court ruled against a group of waterfront property owners who said the state of Florida owed them money because it pumped sand onto beaches eroded by storms, lowering property values.”

The St, Petersburg Times reports that “Supreme Court decision backs beach renourishment.”

The Palm Beach Post reports that “Beachfront owners lose Supreme Court case over property rights.”

The Northwest Florida Daily News has an article headlined “Supreme Court: Restoring beaches is not ‘taking’ private property.”

And on yesterday evening’s broadcast of NPR’s “All Things Considered,” Nina Totenberg had an audio segment entitled “High Court Rules Against Beachfront Homeowners.”

Posted at 11:55 AM by Howard Bashman



“Dawn Johnsen: ‘I Have No Regrets.'” David Ingram had this post last night at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

Posted at 11:14 AM by Howard Bashman



“Wone conspiracy case moves forward, D.C. judge rules”: Today’s edition of The Washington Post contains an article that begins, “A D.C. Superior Court judge’s decision Thursday to allow the Robert Wone conspiracy trial to move forward without any major acquittals sent defense attorneys racing to revise their strategy and coordinate witnesses for the rest of the proceedings.”

Posted at 11:10 AM by Howard Bashman



“Gardner executed: 25 years on death row ends in hail of bullets.” This article appears today in The Salt Lake Tribune, along with articles headlined “Firing squad: An eyewitness account of Gardner’s execution; Tribune reporter was one of nine media witnesses“; “Two loud bangs end 25 years on death row for Gardner“; “For a condemned killer’s family, one final visit; Loved ones say he’s ‘at peace’“; “How Gardner spent his final hours“; and “Protesters pray, plead for end to capital punishment; They lament Utah has death penalty but keep hope.”

Today’s edition of The Deseret News contains articles headlined “Gardner’s life ends with hardly a word; Witnesses not certain he died immediately“; “Brother, daughter allowed 1 last hug through prison bars“; “Families, strangers commemorate Ronnie Lee Gardner’s death differently“; and “9 remain on Utah’s death row; the next to be executed is unclear.”

The New York Times reports that “Utah Executes Murderer by Firing Squad.”

CNN.com reports that “Gardner executed by firing squad.”

And The Associated Press reports that “Utah firing squad executes convicted killer.”

Posted at 9:57 AM by Howard Bashman