There are legal phrases we hear all the time, and “the right to a speedy trial” is one of those. But what does the right entail, and just how speedy is speedy enough? Because each criminal case is unique, there is no one answer to this question. But here are some considerations when thinking about speedy trial issues: The Constitution’s Sixth Amendment guarantees a speedy trial, but doesn’t go into a whole lot of detail:...
It’s official: South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is headed to court now that S.C. First Lady Jenny Sanford filed for divorce on grounds of adultery in family court. Disappearing off the radar for six days in June to see his Argentinian mistress, journalist Maria Belén Chapur (inset, left), the Governor may best be remembered by local constituents as a heartbreaker, instead of, ahem, a wise politician. Jenny Sanford apparently first discovered that her husband was cheating on her when she found correspondence between him and Belén Chapur in January 2009....
Two Wisconsin men have denied allegations that they raped a woman with a live snake. John Bullock, 24 and Damota Jones, 25, pleaded not guilty to the snake rape in Eau Claire County Circuit Court to first-degree sexual assault. Bullock, Jones and the alleged victim were drinking and dancing at Jones’ home. Authorities alleged that Jones invited the woman into a bedroom to show her photos of his children, but was then hit on the head, thrown to the floor and nearly unconscious, the Star Tribune reports....
When can a court order a mental or psychiatric evaluation? These evaluations often involve long medical and psychiatric tests, so they are not doled out lightly. But as Olympic track star Oscar Pistorius’ case shows, a mental evaluation can be ordered if it’s alleged that a mental condition may have contributed to the commission of a crime. Pistorius is set to begin his psychiatric evaluation next week in South Africa, The Associated Press reports....
The makers of blood thinner Pradaxa have agreed to pay a $650 million to settle U.S. lawsuits involving the drug. The agreement, announced yesterday by German drug-maker Boehringer Ingelheim and reported by The New York Times comes after 4,000 lawsuits claiming the company failed to properly warn patients that the drug could lead to serious or fatal side effects were filed in state and federal courts. The company continues to maintain that they’ve done nothing wrong....
America considers itself to be a free market, and aside from some obvious things like drugs, bombs, and people, you can pretty much buy whatever you want. Even incredibly harmful products like cigarettes, Tasers, and, yes, cars are available for purchase with a few restrictions. But there are a few products you’d probably be surprised to learn are illegal to buy in our fair country. (Or at least illegal to buy in certain states or on your own....
The Google Android user has something else to worry about besides IPhone envy. It turns out the Android user must also worry about malware apps that could scam them out of money from their bank accounts. USA Today reports that apps from the developer “09Droid” were pulled from Google’s Android Marketplace because of concerns that the apps could possibly be programmed to steal account login information of Android users. ComputerWorld reports that some banking institutions warned customers not to use the Android apps....
The federal government and retailers have responded very quickly to an Associated Press investigative report that found high amounts of cadmium in children’s products such as cheap jewelry. Cadmium toxicity is a big concern since cadmium is known to cause cancer, kidney problems, hinder brain development in small children, and cause bones to weaken. The report caused possible items of harm to be pulled from the shelves of Walmart and Claire’s....
I’m sorry … was that Pizza Boys or Pizzaboyzzz with five “z’s”? Evidently that is important, according to Robert Karageuzian (with one “z”), an online merchant of art collective merchandise, many of which have pizza as the art’s subject matter. He sued Kendall Jenner, Apple Inc., and Daniel Chetri over trademark infringement for their Pizza Boys talkshow that aired on Apple’s Beats 1 in April 2018. The plaintiff in this case is claiming that the defendants’ talk show is confusing his clients and harming his business....
It’s a classic online scam: A buyer who lives far away sends a check for more than the asking price, usually followed by a request for some of the money back. When unsuspecting sellers play along, they almost always end up getting burned when it’s discovered that the check is fake and the money is long gone. Craigslist has become especially fertile ground for scammers employing this method. In one recent case, a Colorado woman selling her car Craigslist was contacted by an out-of-town buyer who sent her a check for more than the asking price, purportedly to “hold the car....
Every Halloween raises the specter of candy laced with drugs, or drugs made to look like candy, finding their way into children’s trick or treat bags. (We know it’s only April, but bear with us here.) The worry builds all October, and then most kids come home with the standard Snickers Mini and not some LSD-laced Starburst. It would also help if parents and school administrators were familiar with what drugs look like – much of the paranoia about drug-laced candy or candy replica drugs comes from a fear that drugs could look like anything or find their way into everything....
Numerous celebrities have gotten caught up in promoting cryptocurrency, getting big money to endorse virtual currency companies on their social media accounts. But a few have declined to disclose this promotion, and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is hitting them with big fines. The SEC announced they are treating Initial Coin Offerings (ICO’s) the same way they treat Initial Public Offerings (IPO’s) for securities. As such, the SEC announced in 2017 that ICO’s must comply with all federal security laws, including full disclosure to investors....
On February 9, the CPSC announced more drop side crib recalls, this time involving all Generation 2 Worldwide and “ChildESIGNS” cribs. The CPSC staff urges parents and caregivers to stop using these cribs immediately. Do not attempt to fix these cribs. The plastic hardware on the recalled cribs can break which may cause the drop side of the crib to detach from a corner of the crib. When the drop side detaches, it creates a space in which an infant or toddler can roll and become wedged or entrapped, causing a risk of suffocation or strangulation....
There are plenty of valid reasons for suing P Diddy, or Sean Combs. Constantly changing his name. Appearing in a hundred videos and just saying, “uh huh, yeah.” His VH1 series I Want to Work for Diddy. But conspiring with Rodney King to bring down the World Trade Center on September 11th? Questionable. But that’s just what happened according to Valerie Joyce Wilson Turks, RadarOnline reports. She also alleges that P Diddy date raped her 24 years ago....
A jury awarded sportscaster and TV personality Erin Andrews $55 million in damages in a civil suit against a stalker and a Nashville, Tennessee Marriott that gave him a room right next to hers in 2008. Andrews initially sought $75 million and this case stems from the 2009 release of a video that shows Andrews naked in her hotel room. It was taken by Michael David Barrett, who has since served a criminal sentence for stalking, and now owes a hefty damages award he probably will not be able to pay....
In the battle against unwanted sales calls, it’s nice to know the government is on your side. The Do Not Call Registry was a good start, but in the age of cell phones, emails, and text messages, regulatory agencies can struggle to keep pace with tech-savvy telemarketers. So the Federal Communications Commission recently issued some new advice on stopping unwanted calls, texts, and even faxes. (Remember those?) The FCC also published their telemarketing rules, establishing restriction on robocalls....
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), drug maker Pfizer Inc. has halted the development of its experimental cholesterol drug torcetrapib, because a number of patients taking the drug in clinical trials experienced an increase in heart problems. The director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research also announced that similar cholesterol drugs (called “CETP inhibitors”) currently in development will undergo increased scrutiny. Read the FDA Press Release Statement from Pfizer, Inc....
Food and Drug Safety Goes See-Through? This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the formation of a new task force that will examine the agency’s policies and practices when it comes to making information public. The task force will make recommendations on how the FDA can improve the transparency of its operations and decision-making processes. What sorts of changes can consumers expect through the FDA’s new looking glass?...
Over $2 million worth of “Age Intervention Eyelash” applicator tubes have been ordered seized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), because use of the product may cause decreased vision in persons already using a particular prescription medication. The Age Intervention Eyelash product contains an active ingredient that is also used to treat elevated pressure inside the eye (called “intraocular pressure”), and people who use the product while taking medication for elevated intraocular pressure may suffer damage to the optic nerve, possibly leading to decreased vision, and even blindness....
Former wrestler Hulk Hogan has sued his ex-wife Linda Bollea for defamation. No, she didn’t poke fun at his famous mustache or hairline. And it’s not like she publicly stated that pro-wrestling isn’t real. Bollea writes, in her new book “Wrestling the Hulk – My Life Against the Ropes,” Bollea details some “intimate” moments in her marriage. She accuses Hogan of abuse. She also gave interviews where she hinted that the ex-wrestler had homosexual encounters during their marriage....
