Legal Headlines, Week 6

Another Wednesday is upon us, which means another set of legal headlines from your friendly neighborhood law firm.  Here's what's in the news:

Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
 Blagojevich caught national attention when it was rumored that he tried to appoint President Obama's vacant Senate seat after the 2008 Presidential Election.  Last summer Blagojevich was on trial for similar charges but was only convicted of lying to the FBI-- a crime with a five year prison sentence.  For fans of Balgojevich, don't fret,  I sense an appeal is in your future.

Woman fired over Headscarf
A headscarf is often a very misunderstood symbol of Islam and is often associated with oppression and terrorism.  A young California woman was hired at a local Abercrombie & Fitch store and went to the interview wearing her headscarf.  Upon hiring, she was told the headscarf was fine as long as it fit the store dress code colors.  Several months later, she was fired when she was told to work without wearing the headscarf; something that she said was simply unacceptable.  This trial has potential to set First Amendment precedent related to dress codes that are dictated in scripture.  I'm anxious to see where this will go.

TRIAL UPDATE!!
A few weeks ago, I posted about the trial of  Richard Poplawski.  The trial has concluded, and the defendant Poplawski was sentanced to death, by lethal injection.  Judge Jeffrey A. Manning has set a formal sentencing hearing for September 6 for the remainder of Poplawski's charges, which include attempted murder and assault on a law officer, related to the other police he fired upon.


Forceful Medication on the Table for Arizona Shooting Suspect
As we watch the amazing recovery of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, we are left wondering if she, as well as the other victims of the Arizona Shooting, will ever recieve justice.  Earlier this month, it was said that the trial of Arizona shooter Jared Loughner was too incompetent to stand trial.  Now it seems the judge is looking to forcibly medicate Loughner, which his attorneys argue is a violation of his First Amendment rights.  Yet, it would get his schizophrenia under control, and thus allow him be able to stand trial.  There's no telling what the ruling will be in this case.

Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter!

Light Blogging This Week

Ladies and gentleman, I had the utmost intention of updating the blog properly during my week at lovely Topsail, North Carolina. However, due to a spotty internet connection, I wasn't able do my usual research and update the blog properly- hence why links, photos, and other lovely blog appendages are not readily available for your blog reading pleasure.

Never fear! I will return with double legal headlines next week as well as an exciting posts about womens' driving rights in Saudi Arabia. Why this particular topic, you may ask? You'll just have to wait and see next Friday!

Stay tuned for more excitement from your friendly neighborhood law firm!

Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter!

Legal Headlines Mid-Week, 4

Ah, another Wensday is upon us, just waiting to be enlightened by the legal headlines, mid-week.  So, what's on deck?

The Barefoot Bandit Pleads "Not Guilty"

Do any of you remember this case?  For those of you that may have forgotten, the alleged bandit, Colton Harris-Moore, had the police on a wild goose chase for two long years, eluding the cops by his constant theft of boats, planes and cars, while barefoot.  (With all his shenanigans you would have thought he might have taken the time to steal some form of footwear...but I digress)  Upon his capture in the Bahamas he was extradited to the US.  The defense suggests that a deal is in the works and could be agreed upon as early as tomorrow.


Casey Anthony's Prosecution to Finish This Week
As the prosecution wraps up their case this week,  the jury is yet again presented with the gruesome facts of this case.  Young Caylee Anthony's body was found, decomposed, with duct tape wrapped around the skull. The defense now has a difficult time, with all this evidence, sticking to their claim that Caylee had drowned in the pool and her death just went unreported for psychological reasons.  We're going to keep our eyes on this one. 


Jury Selected in Richard Poplowski Case

How about something local for a change?  For you readers who aren't from Pittsburgh, here's a major case that many are happy to finally see under way.  Defendant Richad Poplowski is being accused with the murder of three Pittsburgh police officers.  As the police were coming to the Poplowski residence in response to a 911 call,  he opened fire killing all three officers on the scene.  It was a shock that the jury was selected so quickly because, owing to the media coverage, people believed it would be difficult to find a jury that would give a fair trial.  Only time will tell. 


And, my personal favorite for the week:


Grandmother Accused of Gang Activity
The last person you would expect of gang activity would be a sweet, innocent granny.  Yet, these are the accusations of her landlord who has presented her with an eviction notice, citing her involvement with a gang.  Despite her friends and neighbors claiming that the accusations are false, she may still be evicted.  She's lived in the same apartment for 30 years which means that she has either been a gang member during her longterm stay at this residence, or her landlord is just looking for a reason to get rid of her.


Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter!

Legal Headlines Mid-Week, 3

Another Wensday is upon us, which means another stack of new and noteworthy legal headlines to keep our eyes on!  Here's what's in the news:

Jaycee Dugard's Release of Her Horrific Experiences in Captivity

The title speaks for itself; one can only imagine the horrifc torture that this poor girl had to endure during her eighteen years in captivity.  Now free, and with her kidnapper behind bars, Jaycee Dugard bravely recalls the details of her ordeal. 

John Edwards Indicted
He just can't seem to stay out of trouble.  After the details were released of his affair during his presidential campaign his reputation had been on a continuous decline.  Accused of inappropraite use of campaign funds and conspiracy, Edwards has now lost all hope of a presidential bid anytime soon. Currently he's seeking a deal that would exclude any jail time.  We'll keep you posted!

Strauss-Kahn Pleads Not Guilty
It seems like months have passed since Strauss-Kahn was arrested for alleged sexual assault.  Now his case is back in the forfront of media attention with his plea of "not guilty" to the charges against him.  He currently is being held in his Manhattan apartment, under constant surveillance, until his trial.  This French presidential hopeful will be a constant in the summer news, so stay tuned!

Good Samaritan Assaulted- Dies
A good deed never goes unpunished, especially in this instance.  Fifty three year old Jose Guadalupe Garcia stopped to help a man in a disabled van on the side of the road.  When he reached out to shake the driver of the van's hand, he was assaulted and was taken to the hospital and was listed under critical condition.  He later died of his injuries.

Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter!

Ratko Mladic, Genocide and the Declaration of Human Rights

As the grandaughter of Holocaust survivors, I was overjoyed when I heard of the arrest of Ratko Mladic this past week.  His mass murder of Serbian Muslims was one of the most horrific crimes of the 90s; it is relieving to finally see some justice.   Now Mladic will be tried at the Hague, the home of the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court, for crimes against humanity.  Established after WWII, the Court was part of the United Nations attempt to prevent further attempts of mass murder and genocide.  The United Nations also coined the word "genocide" and created the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as further attempts to curb such behavior.

Despite their intentions, mass murder still continued; at least now with a name for the horrific crimes that were being committed.  Rwanda, Bosnia and most recently Darfur, stand as proof that despite the creation of laws and world wide awareness, there is no easy way to prevent the ideology of superiority that is the cause of mass murder and genocide.




Curious to learn more as you watch Mladic's trial unfold?  I recommend reading, A Problem From Hell: America in the Age of Genocide by Samantha Power.  Although it's a very detailed read, this book provides the best overview of the century of genocide, beginning with the highly disputed Armenian genocide by the Turks, up until after the Bosnian Wars.  Examining the political and social perspectives, it gives the reader a very distinct and honest view of the most horrific crimes of the past century.  Perhaps it's not the best 'beach read', but it is probably one of the most informative if you have any interest in learning more about this unique, sad, and intricate history.

Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter!

Libraries and Harper Collin's- The Growing Debates over E-Books

Do you have a library card? If you live in the city of Pittsburgh, I'm willing to place a wager that you do. Even if you're not from the City of Champions, I'm sure you probably have a library card.   If you don't, well then, that's very sad.   Contact me IMMEDIATELY and I'll tell you how to get one.  Library cards open doorways to worlds unkown, provide free, useful services to the public and are just, plain, awesome. This isn't just my own opinion, so don't think I'm merely blowing smoke your way.

So why am I discussing libraries on a law blog?  Well it's because of an issue that has come up concerning digital books, specifically with the publisher Harper Collins.  Here's the issue itself, in general:

When a library buys a hard copy of the book that hard copy is theirs.  Period.  They can circulate it until it falls apart and no one from Harper Collins can come and say, "That book has circulated more than it's worth.  You need to give it back now."  Balderdash!  They'd be laughed out of the library for their stupidity.

Yet this is what they are doing, digitally.  Libraries, fully willing to cater to the public's needs, are now going digital!  E-books are now available through the Carnegie Library as well as many other libraries across the USA.  It works like this:  you buy one digital copy of a book, and like a hard copy it can only be borrowed by one person at one time.  When they are finished the ebook is put on the digital e-shelf and can be borrowed again by another patron.  It can be placed on hold, but is never returned late because it automatically expires once the lending time is up.

Harper Collins feels that a digital book is only allowed a certain amount of circulations, and after that number of circulations they take the ebook back.  Don't ask me how this happens in cyberspace, because I'm not entirely sure of the process, but the book is no longer the library's and they have to buy another copy.

On the one hand, this seems like a silly, artificial constraint. When you buy something, you own it, and the same rules should apply to e-books as they do with hard copies.  Yet Harper Collins is arguing that should be a distinction between digital and hard copy.

Regardless of which argument prevails, this definitely raises questions about new applications of copyright law.  Is there a difference between the digital world and the real world in terms of product?  If so, what is that difference?

Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter! 

Legal Headlines Mid-Week, 2

Another Wednesday is upon us, and that means another update from your friendly neighborhood law firm to update you on the interesting cases in the news this week.  Here's what we're keeping an eye on:

The imprisonment of Bosnia genocide suspect, Retko Mladic
Retko Mladic, a commander during the Bosnian wars with Serbia, was imprisoned after fifteen years of searching for crimes against humanity that rivaled those of WWII.  Claiming that he is too ill to stand trial, his lawyer is already asking for leniency.  I'm curious to see how this story will turn out as now after his capture it could be a turning point for reconciliation in the Balkans and allow the people to begin to heal.

A Woman Pepper sprays Children at a Playground
I was shocked when I saw this story on CNN.  With no provocation at all this 21 year old woman comes to a playground and pepper sprays two innocent children.  The police have to tend to angry parents and the courts have to ask, "What on Earth is wrong with this woman?"  I'm sure this will be a quick and easy trial.

Casey Anthony Trial, Week 2
From shocking secrets that came out to be pointless duds to audacious claims of abuse, this trial has all the makings of a very bad daytime soap opera.  Perhaps that is its appeal to the viewers of Nancy Grace who provides ample coverage of the trial.  I'm sure there will be more twists and turns with this trial this week, than a game of Chutes and Ladders!

2 Men Dressed as Nuns Rob Palos Heights Bank
Ridiculous, ludicrous and just plain wrong.  The absurdity of this gimmick, I believe besides stealing mass amounts of cash, was just to get their five minutes of fame, which admittedly, we are giving to them.

Questions, Comments, Concerns about your own legal matters?  Elliott & Davis offers free 30 minute legal consultations!  412-780-0008 and of course you can always contact us via blog, Facebook and Twitter!