Technology

Watch Those “Jury Duty” Tweets, People

I was on NPR's Science Friday show this week, yapping about how lawyers are using Facebook profile information as evidence (summary: we use it all the time, if it might be relevant), and one of the topics we discussed is…


Louisiana May Criminalize Embarrassing Emails

The Louisiana legislature, always on the lookout for important problems to solve, appears likely to pass a bill that would make it a criminal offense to send an electronic message with the intent to "harass" or "embarrass" any person under…




Deputy Tracks Fugitive Through World of Warcraft

Alfred Hightower had been on the run since 2007, when a warrant was issued for his arrest on drug-dealing charges.   Hightower was apparently from Kokomo, Indiana, but had fled to Canada.  His downfall, though, was that he spent a…


911 Caller Declares Parenting Emergency

Police in Roxbury, Massachusetts, said that an exasperated mother called 911 on Saturday, saying she could not get her 14-year-old son to stop playing "Grand Theft Auto" and go to sleep.  Angela Mejia said she woke up at 2:30 a.m., hours…




“Grand Theft Auto” Insanity Defense Fails Again

I know this has been tried before, and I'd be surprised if it has ever worked, but it didn't work this time.  In an opinion issued on October 14, the California Court of Appeal held that an insanity plea to…


Cell-Phone Conversation Blamed for Accident at Sea

From a recent report of filings in San Francisco Superior Court: Bryerton v. Westar Marine Services, CGC-09-493160 (10/2/09) Marine personal injury action. The plaintiff was throwing a line to another ship when his ship's captain, who was distracted and talking…