News Story
Justice Dept. Stops One of Two Death Penalty Cases in San Francisco
The Justice Department has intervened to stop one of two death penalty trials in San Francisco. In the one case, the U.S. Attorney’s Office had reached a plea agreement with the defendant, but the Bush Justice Department insisted on going ahead with the death penalty. It looks like the plea agreement will now stand. The…
Bush Era Legal Memos Reveal Legal Errors
The Obama administration should be get kudos for releasing these revealing memos which show some of the legal errors of the Bush administration. Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. says this is all about government transparency. But the true test will be whether this administration practices a policy of transparency not just for matters involving the…
Justice Dept. Probing Interim Philly U.S. Atty. Laurie Magid For Fundraiser
U.S. Atty. Laurie Magid It’s never good, even if just for perception sake, when the Justice Department is investigating a U.S. Attorney. The question here is whether interim U.S. Atty. Laurie Magid went beyond the boundaries of a federal employee. By Emilie Lounsberry and George Anastasia Philadelphia Inquirer PHILADELPHIA — A $250-a-person fund-raiser held at…
Venuzuela Prez Chavez Rejects U.S. Drug Traffic Report; Takes Poke at Obama
President Chavez continues to flap his jaws and poke a stick at the U.S. This latest incident doesn’t bode well for the relationship between Chavez and the freshly-minted Obama regime. As Rodney King once said: “Can’t We All Just Get Along?” By The Associated Press CARACAS, Venezuela – President Hugo Chavez on Saturday rejected a…
Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court Moving; Could Help Perceptions
In real estate, they say, it’s location location location. Well, some are saying the same for the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court in Washington that is moving from the Justice Department to new digs in the U.S. District Court down the street. Some like U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth (in photo) hope the move will…
Fed Prosecutors in Barry Bond’s Case Bump Up Against Big Obstacles: Trial Delayed
The case against Barry Bonds has always been a tough one. For one, the key witness, his trainer, has refused to testify in trial. And two, the judge recently ruled that positive steroid tests were not admissible as evidence. The two developments have been a recipe for disaster for the assistant U.S. Attorneys, who are…
Granddaughter of Slave Audrey Collins is Chief U.S. District Judge in LA
Obviously the election of Barack Obama was a milestone in this country’s racial history. But the story of Audrey B. Collins, the granddaughter of a slave, is also a milestone worth noting. By Scott Glover Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES — Not long after Audrey B. Collins was named chief judge of the U.S. District…
Feds In San Francisco Go After Death Penalty For First Time Since 1948
Interestingly, the Justice Department trumped the local U.S. Attorney and decided to go for the death penalty in one of these cases even though the local U.S. Attorney had already worked out a plea agreement. The Bush Administration was not shy about pushing the death penalty, but that’s likely to change under the Obama regime….