Criminal

Murder to be Tried for Murder

Corey Miller is now awaiting retrial for a second-degree murder charge after his conviction and life sentence were overturned on appeal.  Miller is a rap artist who went by the name "C-Murder" at the time of the alleged murder.  C-Murder…



Vote-Buying, Appalachian Style

The mayor of Appalachia, Virginia, a town of 2,000 in southwest Virginia, has been charged (along with 13 others) with election fraud and corruption.  The scandal includes charges that a slate of three candidates bought votes from hundreds of residents…


South African Police Shoot Invisible Man

On Friday, an East Rand flying squad shot a man wearing muti after he stole a bakkie from Limpopo. I know: not again. The translation (and I did have to do some research), is that a South African special police…



Mahjong: That Loving, Brutal Game

Legal consequences involving the Chinese tile game mahjong were in the news twice today. First, the AP reported that petty criminals in Taiwan are increasingly being given the choice of either paying a fine or engaging in community service.  ("Petty…


“CSI” Fans Possibly Better at Crime

For years, police and prosecutors have complained about the effect of law-and-order shows (like — well, like "Law and Order") on juries.  They say that having watched the shows, jurors expect certain things from the attorneys at trial, and in…



FYI: Judge Mockery Should Not Be Done On-Line

Here we thought kids understood the concept of the "Internet," but at least some do not get the fact that what you post there can be seen by anybody, including the judge who previously let you off with probation.  They…