Cleveland Prosecutor, Cops Sued Over Release of Suspect Later Accused of 11 Murders

A wrongful death suit targets the city of Cleveland, several police officers and an assistant prosecutor for the release of a suspect later accused of killing 11 people. The suit was filed on behalf of five of the victims found in the home of sex offender Anthony Sowell, according to…

Dec 9, 2010 12:33 PM CST

1 Way or Another, Homeless Headed to Jail, Says Fla. Mayor; Public Defender Vows $50/Hour Fight

A new homeless shelter expected to open in a month on Florida’s west coast will arguably offer those down on their luck something of a Hobson’s Choice. If they are found sleeping on the sidewalk, they can be arrested and locked up in a cell. Or they can opt to…

Dec 8, 2010 7:54 PM CST

Woman, 80, Vows to Fight $100 Ticket for Tossing Newspaper Into ‘Litter’ Trash Can

An 80-year-old woman living on Social Security vows to fight the $100 ticket she says she got for tossing a newspaper into the public trash can outside her New York City apartment on Sunday. It appears that Delia Gluckin was cited by what the New York Post calls an overzealous…

Dec 8, 2010 5:47 PM CST

US Faces Obstacles to Prosecution of WikiLeaks Founder, Now in UK Custody

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange turned himself in to British police on Tuesday as U.S. officials confirmed a criminal investigation into his website’s release of documents. Assange, who is an Australian citizen, plans to fight extradition to Sweden, where he stands accused of sexual assault, according to the Washington Post and…

Dec 7, 2010 12:37 PM CST

Report Says Ex-Maricopa Co. Attorney and Aide Should Be Disbarred, Alleges Conspiracy Against Judge

An out-of-state lawyer brought in by the Arizona Supreme Court to investigate a controversial former Maricopa County attorney has recommended that Andrew Thomas be disbarred. The investigator, attorney John Gleason of Colorado, contends, among other accusations, that Thomas and former deputy county attorney Lisa Aubuchon “conspired with each other and…

Dec 6, 2010 9:42 PM CST

WikiLeaks Cites New Woes for Site & Founder as Officials Warn US Workers & Students to Stay Away

After last week’s refusal by Amazon to continue hosting WikiLeaks in the wake of a massive U.S. State Department data dump by the secret-spilling website, as well as news that its founder, Julian Assange, 39, is being sought by Interpol for questioning concerning alleged sex crimes, both the site and…

Dec 6, 2010 6:52 PM CST

‘Helter Skelter’ Slayer Charles Manson Chats on ‘Cell’ Phone, Gets Extra 30 Days on Life Term

Among the thousands of contraband cell phones confiscated from California prison inmates in recent years was one found under the mattress of Charles Manson, the notorious architect of the 1969 slayings of pregnant actress Sharon Tate and others at her home. It is a concern that an inmate convicted of…

Dec 4, 2010 1:09 AM CST

Fla. Gov Studies Doors Front Man’s Wild Miami Night, Prepping for Pardon Hearing

Jim Morrison urged his fans at a 1969 concert to “love your neighbor ‘til it hurts!” But did the Doors front man expose himself? That is the critical question outgoing Florida governor Charlie Crist is studying as he prepares with a thick notebook of material for a Clemency Board hearing…

Dec 3, 2010 10:26 PM CST

Voted Out of Kindergarten by Classmates, Autistic Boy, 5, Gets $350K Settlement

The family of a 5-year-old boy who, at his teacher’s suggestion, was voted out of his kindergarten class by the other children has won a $350,000 settlement of a federal lawsuit. About $150,000 of the money will be paid in structured settlement, starting in 2020, when Alex Barton is 18…

Dec 2, 2010 10:59 PM CST

Twitter Is ‘Force Multiplier,’ Could Help Nab Stolen Autos, Seattle Police Say

The Seattle police department made history this week by sending out its first tweet about a stolen vehicle. But that tweet at was soon followed by another, and the city’s cops plan to use the social networking site routinely to enlist the public’s help in looking for hot cars, reports…

Dec 2, 2010 8:02 PM CST

He Said, She Said: Lawyer Claims Cop Abused Authority in Relationship Dispute

A bad relationship between a Virginia civil rights lawyer and a Washington, D.C., police officer has become a hard-fought federal court battle, as attorney Matthew LeFande seeks to hold officer Carolyn Mische-Hoeges civilly accountable for allegedly abusing her authority by pursuing a criminal case against him. A federal stalking charge…

Dec 2, 2010 12:41 AM CST

Illinois OKs Civil Unions for Same-Sex—and Opposite-Sex—Couples

Following the lead of five other states that have already approved some form of recognized same-sex relationships, lawmakers in Illinois today approved a bill to provide for same-sex—and opposite-sex—civil unions. The Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act approved today by the state senate says civil unions will be…

Dec 1, 2010 9:38 PM CST

Medical Marijuana Is No Get-Rich-Quick Scheme

Dec 1, 2010 7:48 AM CST

Glenn Beck’s Book Discovery Becomes Tea Party Constitutional Inspiration

A constitutional book author who argued international bankers are promoting a one-world government is inspiring some Tea Party candidates, thanks to a Fox News television personality. The late author, W. Cleon Skousen, is “the constitutional guru of the Tea Party movement,” according to a New York Times magazine column by…

Nov 30, 2010 12:00 PM CST

Fed’l Judge Puts Hold on Okla. Amendment Banning State-Court Use of Shariah Law

A federal judge in Oklahoma today issued a permanent injunction putting a hold on a new ban on the use of Shariah law in the state’s courts, until it can be determined whether the voter-approved state constitutional amendment that implements the ban violates the U.S. Constitution in multiple ways. “While…

Nov 30, 2010 1:03 AM CST