Recent Updates
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Fifth Circuit rules on jurors using Bible
Recent Cases 08/15/2008The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit on Thursday refused to grant a writ of habeas corpus to convicted murder Khristian Oliver, who had argued that his Sixth and Eighth Amendment rights were violated when the jury took Bible passages into ac...
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Unsafe Practices Alleged At Firing Range
Recent Cases 08/14/2008Andrews International, which runs a purportedly "lead-free" firing range in Burbank, fired its managers for protesting that company owner Randy Andrews repeatedly allowed lead bullets to be fired there, including a case where actor Brendan Andrews fi...
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Woman Says Northwestern Won't Protect Her
Recent Cases 08/13/2008A student claims that after she was raped by a fellow student, Northwestern University violated its own rules and delayed taking action against her rapist, subjecting her to further, distressing contact with him. Plaintiff Sarah Poe sued Northwestern...
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VA Properly Denied Voter Registration, Court Rules
Recent Cases 08/12/2008The Department of Veterans Affairs was fair in its denial of a Democratic group's attempt to register voters at one of its buildings, the 9th Circuit ruled. Judge Graber found that the district court erred when it ruled Steven Preminger and the Santa...
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SEC investigating bank over auction-rate securities sales
Recent Cases 08/11/2008The Bank of New York Mellon Corp. disclosed Friday in its quarterly report that the Securities and Exchange Commission is investigating possible breaches of procedure by one of the bank's subsidiaries in auction-rate securities sales and purchases. A...
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Former Bush Assistant Sues over 'Swing Vote'
Recent Cases 08/08/2008Bradley Blakeman, a former member of the Bush administration, claims the movie "Swing Vote" is based on a copyrighted treatment he gave to actor Kelsey Grammer, who passed it along to Disney's Touchstone Pictures without his knowledge or permission. ...
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'Junior' Gotti Arrested on Murder Charge
Recent Cases 08/05/2008John A. "Junior" Gotti has been arrested on charges linking him to three New York murders, The New York Times reported. He is expected to be indicted on racketeering and murder-conspiracy charges over the killings, which took place nearly two decades...
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'Trashman' Posted Alarmist Videos, Feds Say
Recent Cases 08/04/2008Anton Dunn, using the alias "Trashman," posted threatening videos on YouTube, in which he claims to have told Gerber employees to poison baby food with the intent to kill millions of black babies, federal prosecutors claim. Dunn has been charged with...
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Latinos Lose Bid to Redraw Ward Map in Aurora, Ill.
Recent Cases 07/28/2008Latino citizens in Aurora, Ill., are not entitled to have the city ward map redrawn to favor Latino candidates, the 7th Circuit ruled. Judge Easterbrook upheld the district court's ruling that Latino voters are not deprived of proper voting represent...
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Rolling Stones' Copyright Holder Sues Derivative Rapper
Recent Cases 07/25/2008Dwayne Carter, known as "L'il Wayne" to the two or three fans he has, illegally used the Rolling Stones' hit, "Play With Fire," in a "vile ... sexist and offensive" knockoff called "Playing With Fire," ABKCO Music claims in Federal Court....
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Mother Loses Custody Due To Her Bizarre Behavior
Recent Cases 07/24/2008A California appeals court affirmed the appointment of a guardian ad litem for a girl whose mother led police on a 12-minute high-speed chase with her 7-month-old daughter in tow, kept feces and urine in jars near the kitchen sink, and told relatives...
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Tommy Tune Sues Manager, Marvin Shulman
Recent Cases 07/22/2008Tommy Tune claims his manager Marvin Shulman took him for a long, expensive ride, overcharging for commissions, taking a commission even on the sale of Tune's home and his capital gains, and outsourcing management duties to third parties, using Tune'...