The Baltimore Sun is reporting: Today’s newspaper contains articles headlined “Attacks may be tied to snipers; Malvo told police that he and Muhammad shot 4 others, Post reports” and “Judge criticizes prison term; Ex-city officer sentenced to mandatory 315 years for gun crimes, robbing drug dealers.”
In news from Vermont: The Rutland Herald today contains an article headlined “Fell says he is ‘truly sorry’ for killing of Tressa King” that begins, “Federal Judge William Sessions handed down the first death sentence in Vermont in nearly 50 years, ordering Friday that Donald Fell be executed in Terre Haute, Ind., for the slaying of a North Clarendon woman more than five years ago.”
And the newspaper also reports today that “Jurors speak out for first time on death sentence case.”
“Malvo’s Admission Provides Answers; Victims, Families Find Comfort In Knowledge”: The Washington Post contains this article today.
And The Los Angeles Times reports today that “Sniper Admits to Killing Man in L.A. Months Before D.C. Shooting Rampage; Lee Boyd Malvo tells of a shooting months before the East Coast killing rampage, a newspaper reports; Police review old cases seeking a link.”
“Porn Plea Means Ex-O.C. Judge Won’t Get State Work; Ronald C. Kline, whose home computer had images of child sex, gets a judicial panel’s most serious penalty”: This article appeared yesterday in The Los Angeles Times.
“U.S. court upholds city liability rules on parades, protests”: Bob Egelko has this article today in The San Francisco Chronicle. My earlier coverage appears at this link.
“Ruling: Indecent exposure case; Attorneys for former District Judge Donald Thompson are seeking to have indecent exposure charges tried separately from a misdemeanor.” This article appears today in The Tulsa World.
The Oklahoman reports today that “Judge ruled OK to preside at trial.”
And The Sapulpa (Okla.) Daily Herald reports that “Motion to remove Thompson trial judge denied.”
“Small World: Another side to the Reno sniper case.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.
“Judges call for more security after courthouse shooting”: This article appears today in The Reno Gazette-Journal, along with an article headlined “Daughter to stay with Mack family.”
“The Life of an ‘American Taliban’ in a U.S. Jail”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) appeared on this evening’s broadcast of NPR‘s “All Things Considered.” The segment consists of an interview with the author of an article headlined “Innocent,” focusing on John Walker Lindh, contained in the July 2006 issue of Esquire magazine.
“Legal gap may let girls wed at age 12; ‘Horrified’ lawmakers vow changes after a judge rules on common-law marriage in Colorado”: This article appears today in The Denver Post.
And The Rocky Mountain News reports today that “Marriage ruling a ‘real shocker.’”
My earlier coverage appears at this link.
“Lesbian loses in custody case; Couple split after both had cared for child”: The Louisville Courier-Journal today contains this article reporting on a ruling that the Supreme Court of Kentucky issued yesterday.
Sioux or be Siouxd: The Washington Post reports today that “N. Dakota to Sue NCAA Over Nickname.”
The Grand Forks Herald today contains an article headlined “UND v. NCAA: State Board says no public funds can be used to pay for lawsuit.”
And The Forum of Fargo, North Dakota reports today that “Board OKs lawsuit.”
My earlier coverage appeared yesterday in a post titled “Fighting Sioux to sue in fight against NCAA to continue using that nickname.”
“Judge to stay on bench in Thompson indecent exposure case”: The Tulsa World today contains a news update that begins, “District Judge Charles Allen McCall can continue to hear a misdemeanor computer charge against former District Judge Donald Thompson, who also stands accused of indecent exposure. District Judge Jan Dreiling refused to remove McCall from the case after a special hearing on the issue which has derailed the trial of Thompson, who is accused of masturbating and using a penis pump on himself in his courtroom during trials.”
The Sapulpa (Okla.) Daily Herald today contains an article headlined “Trial on hold for constitutional check” that begins, “The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals expects to announce by noon Monday its decision on whether the law of misuse of a state computer is constitutional. The decision is paramount if the trial of former judge Donald D. Thompson is to continue next week.”
And The Oklahoman today contains an article headlined “Statements in former judge’s trial on hold; Defense attorneys have filed appeals.”
“Court pick says anti-bias action doesn’t work”: Yesterday’s edition of The Oklahoman contained an article that begins, “Oklahoma City attorney Jerome Holmes, who may become the first black judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit, has been an outspoken critic of affirmative action programs and black American leaders such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson.”
“Vt. Has 1st Death Sentence in 50 Years”: The Associated Press provides this report.
“This appeal raises a narrow and highly specific question–whether an options exchange, by creating, listing, and facilitating the trading of options on shares in an exchange traded fund (‘ETF’) designed to track a proprietary market index, misappropriates intellectual-property rights of the creator of the index.” So begins an opinion that a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit issued today. The very next sentence of the opinion states, “The district court found no such infringement, and we agree.”
“We consider the facial constitutionality of ordinances enacted by the City of Santa Monica to regulate activity in its outdoor public spaces.” So begins the lead opinion among three separate opinions that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued today.
In today’s mail: An advance reader’s edition of the novel “The Interpretation of Murder,” by Yale Law Professor Jed Rubenfeld. The book even has its own snazzy web site.
“According to Mr. LeMay, the Postal Service contracts with its patrons to provide preferred handling and expedited treatment of Priority Mail, but fails to do so.” Today a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirms the dismissal for lack of jurisdiction of Lance LeMay’s putative class action against the U.S. Postal Service for breach of a federal common law contract. You can access today’s ruling at this link.
“High Court Allows Use of Evidence Taken in Violation of Knock Rule”: Jess Bravin and Ben Winograd have this article (pass-through link) today in The Wall Street Journal.
“Senate approves Reid bill to increase court security in wake of shooting”: This article appears today in The Reno Gazette-Journal, along with articles headlined “FBI gets fugitive warrant for Mack, joins search” and “Charla Mack foresaw violent acts.”
“Ruling on Police Searches Divides Justices”: This audio segment (RealPlayer required) featuring Nina Totenberg appeared on today’s broadcast of NPR‘s “Morning Edition.”
“Appeals court nominee answers questions on affirmative action”: The Tulsa World today contains an article that begins, “Appeals court nominee Jerome Holmes vowed Thursday to follow the law if confirmed as questions arose concerning what some see as the Oklahoman’s hostility to affirmative action and other anti-discrimination laws.”
“Supreme Court Weakens Police ‘Knock and Announce’ Rule”: David G. Savage has this article today in The Los Angeles Times. And the newspaper also contains an editorial entitled “Court to cops: knock the door down; Supes irresponsibly remove penalties for police who don’t ring the doorbell.”
In today’s edition of USA Today, Joan Biskupic reports that “Justices allow no-knock searches; 5-4 decision backing police is major shift.”
The Detroit Free Press reports that “Cops don’t have to knock; Supreme Court reverses precedent.”
The Detroit News reports that “High court alters rules on evidence; Following Detroit drug raid, cops allowed to present items at trial, even if they don’t knock.”
In The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Police intrusion for evidence allowed; Knock, announce not always needed, high court rules.”
The Washington Times reports that “Evidence allowed in no-knock raid.”
And The New York Times contains an editorial entitled “The Don’t-Bother-to-Knock Rule.”
The Los Angeles Times is reporting: Today’s newspaper contains articles headlined “Milberg Case a Hot Potato for Judges; The jurists disqualify themselves, in a sign of the indicted law firm’s extensive involvement with the legal system” and “Janavs’ Courtroom Blends High Drama, the Mundane; The L.A. County judge, who lost to a bagel store owner in the June 6 primary and was reinstated by Schwarzenegger, is unfazed by the whirlwind of her job.”
“After the Enron Trial, Defense Firm Is Stuck With the Tab”: The Washington Post today contains an article that begins, “To the list of employees, investors and businesses who suffered financial misfortune in Enron Corp.’s demise, add this one: the law firm defending former chief executive Jeffrey K. Skilling.”
“Malvo Claims 4 Other Shootings, Source Says; List of Snipers’ Confirmed and Suspected Attacks Across U.S. Grows to 27 — 17 Fatal”: This front page article appears today in The Washington Post.
“The End of Innocence”: Today in The New York Times, Law Professor David R. Dow has an op-ed that begins, “Earlier this week, the Supreme Court decided, in a 5-to-3 opinion, that a Tennessee prison inmate named Paul G. House was entitled to prove he did not commit the crime for which he was sent to death row.”
“Law Firms, Unflattered, Turn on Soundalikes”: The New York Times contains this article today.
“Flats jurors may get to go public; Ruling revives hopes that story can be told”: This article appears today in The Rocky Mountain News.
And The Denver Post reports today that “Court says part of Flats probe can be released.”
My earlier coverage appears at this link.
“Supreme Court honors Rehnquist; Late chief justice remembered as brilliant and kindhearted”: CNN.com provides this report.
Tony Mauro is reporting: Now available online from law.com are articles headlined “Is Bush Signaling an About-Face on Detainees? Some say the president may be backpedaling on the Guantanamo detainee issue in preparation for a high court defeat” and “High Court Eases ‘Knock and Announce’ Rule for Police; Ruling shows impact of Alito vote, may herald end of recent Court unanimity.”
“Court Limits Protection Against Improper Entry”: Linda Greenhouse will have this article Friday in The New York Times.
And in Friday’s edition of The Washington Post, Charles Lane will report that “Court Eases ‘No Knock’ Search Ban; Illegally Collected Evidence Allowed.”
“In August 1996, exactly seven years after the grand jury was first impaneled to consider evidence seized in the 1989 FBI raid of Rocky Flats, twenty of those jurors filed suit, asking that they at last be allowed to tell their story–if not to the world, then at least to a judge.” So reported Denver’s Westword newspaper, in this article published on October 15, 1998.
Today, a unanimous three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit issued an opinion reviving the court action and directing the federal district court to consider the matter on its merits.
Additional background about the case can be found in a Westword article headlined “The Other Jury“; in a Denver Post article headlined “Rocky Flats Grand Jury Sues to Tell All“; in an Associated Press article headlined “Book accuses Justice Dept. of nuclear plant coverup; Health officials say claims under review“; and in a Wired News article headlined “Site Publishes, Pulls Disputed Jury Report.”
Representing the grand jurors in the Tenth Circuit appeal decided today was Law Professor Jonathan Turley. He was assisted by the law firm that loves you, Bushell & Peck.
“Court Rules Warrant Is Enough”: David G. Savage of The Los Angeles Times provides this news update.
Stephen Henderson of Knight Ridder Newspapers reports that “Supreme Court backs wide police search powers.”
In Friday’s edition of The Christian Science Monitor, Warren Richey will report that “Supreme Court gives police more power; The 5-to-4 ruling allows police to use evidence from a search where they didn’t first announce their presence.”
And on this evening’s broadcast of NPR‘s “All Things Considered,” Nina Totenberg had an audio segment entitled “Alito, Roberts Sway Court on Police Searches” (RealPlayer required).