A Los Angeles courtroom saw the last chapter today in the Erin Andrews stalker case. As has been widely covered, ESPN reporter Erin Andrews was spied on and video-taped by her stalker, Michael Barrett, who pled guilty to the charge of federal stalking in December, 2009. Andrews, who called Barrett a “sexual predator,” was present in court for the sentencing and argued for the longest sentence available under the law....
General Motors last week announced a recall of more than a million trucks due to an issue with a cable connecting the seatbelt. The cable reportedly can bend while drivers are in the seat and eventually cause the belts to loosen, reports GM; but it said no one has been hurt from this defect. Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks from 2014 and 2015, distributed in the US, Canada, the Middle East, and Latin America, are all affected....
Here is a story that is one more reason you should learn as much as you can about online privacy – and then just cross your fingers. On September 14, it was reported that a Google engineer working in a trusted position as a Site Reliability Engineer allegedly violated the privacy of several minors by improperly accessing many of their Google accounts that were available to him via his position at the company....
After filing a legal motion challenging his ex-wife Kate Gosselin, Jon Gosselin has dropped his primary custody lawsuit. On his Twitter account Jon Gosselin said he plans to settle the primary custody suit with Kate Gosselin and her attorneys privately, myfoxphilly.com reports. Kate Gosselin reportedly filed for both child support and alimony as previously discussed too. Kate has requested that Jon pay $21,700 a month in child support. In his lawsuit, Jon Gosselin alleged that Kate had become an “absentee mom” because she appeared on “Dancing With the Stars” and has a reality show in the works....
KimYe is officially engaged. Last night, entertainer Kanye West, 36, rented out San Francisco’s AT&T park just for the occasion and popped the question to reality-TV starlet Kim Kardashian, 33, in front of many of their friends and family, ABC’s “Good Morning America” reports. Kardashian, who is recently had a baby with West (named “North West”), is certainly no stranger to the spotlight. Prenuptial Agreement: Basics Even celebrities (well, especially celebrities, actually) should consider prenuptial agreements....
Driving drunk with your kids in the car may be becoming more common, but even a 4-year-old knows that it’s illegal. According to Detroit’s WXYZ-TV, more and more moms are getting busted for intoxicated driving, and their kids are typically with them. Bad parenting? Sure, but it could also land mom (or dad, if he’s the one drinking and driving) in prison for much longer than a typical DUI. Just in the last few months, it’s been hard to swing a Stoli bottle without hitting a report of a parent being arrested for DUI....
Toyota is issuing its second recall amid complaints among its consumers about sudden acceleration. The New York Times reports that the recall is intended to prevent possible accelerator pedal sticking. Accelerator pedal sticking is what Toyota claims is causing sudden acceleration. This recall will cover over 2.3 million vehicles made from 2005 through 2010. This is the second in what could be a few Toyota recalls. The first recall was supposed to fix the unintended acceleration problem by removing floor mats that could get stuck to the accelerator pedal....
Soon after President Barack Obama took the Presidential oath on Tuesday, his administration launched a new White House website and blog, continuing Mr. Obama’s emphasis on online communication and involvement as a presidential candidate, as President-Elect, and now as the 44th President of the United States. The revamped version of http://www.whitehouse.gov features a new White House Blog, which the new administration will use to further its stated goals of communication, transparency, and participation with the public....
OutKast rapper Big Boi will avoid jail. The star, whose real name is Antwan Patton, has struck a deal with prosecutors. The rapper was busted earlier this year disembarking a cruise ship in Florida with drugs on him. He was carrying ecstasy, a cigarette with marijuana residue, and MDMA. What exactly does Big Boi have to do to avoid the big house? He’ll have to endure three months of drug testing, do community service, and donate $2,000 to charities....
Sanford, Fla., Police Chief Bill Lee is temporarily stepping down from his post, as the Justice Department and FBI step in to investigate the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin. “I am keenly aware of the emotions associated with this tragic death of a child,” Lee said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. “I am also aware that my role as the leader of this agency has become a distraction from the investigation....
The Supreme Court came down on the side of warrantless DNA swabs on Monday, stating in a 5-4 majority that they did not violate a defendant’s 4th Amendment rights. In a somewhat surprising split, the Maryland v. King majority stated the Maryland law DNA sampling law did not violate convicted rapist Alonzo Jay King’s rights by authorizing police to take a DNA sample from King after arrest, reports Reuters. How does this ruling on DNA swabs sit with the Court’s prior rulings on collecting physical evidence from defendants?...
The sexual harassment lawsuit against action film star Steven Seagal is not moving forward just yet. His attorney, Marty Singer, has filed a motion to compel arbitration, which means the next hearing in the matter has been postponed until May 27, according to E! Online. In general, arbitration is a well-established and widely used means to end disputes. It is one of several kinds of alternative dispute resolution, which provide parties to a controversy with a choice other than litigation....
Suge Knight will have his day in court. Infamous music producer, Marion “Suge” Knight is no stranger to the court system. FindLaw has an amazing amount of articles detailing Knight’s many illegal escapades. Soon, he’ll stand trial once again, this time for murder, attempted murder, and hit-and-run. Knight has pleaded not guilty to all three charges. The trial will start July 7, 2015 and is expected to last 16 days....
Has Microsoft finally met its match in the regulators for the European Union? That’s doubtful, but the software giant will have to change its ways or hand over a sizable amount of cash under the terms of the settlement reached last Wednesday. Under the agreement reached with the EU, Microsoft has promised that for the next five years, purchasers of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 in 30 European countries will be shown a “browser choice” screen through a Windows update, giving them the opportunity to choose another browser as an alternative to the MS provided Internet Explorer....
Law enforcement is always getting fancy new tools to solve crime. Better DNA analysis, cell phone tracking and surveillance, and even social media can all help cops catch criminals. But what about stopping crime before it starts? New data analysis tools may be able to help law enforcement forecast where, when, and maybe even by whom crimes will be committed. But can predictive policing work? And can it be ethical?...
MTV’s “Buckwild” star Shain Gandee was found dead inside a sport utility vehicle that was partially submerged in a deep mud pit near his West Virginia home. Gandee’s uncle and another man also died in the SUV, which had apparently gotten stuck in the mud, reports The Associated Press. Police do not suspect foul play. Gandee, 21, had a penchant for outdoor activities, and “mudding,” or driving off-road in muddy conditions, appeared to be a big part of his life....
Five Ohio teenagers accused of playing an Ice Bucket Challenge prank on an autistic classmate are facing criminal charges. Prosecutors in Cuyahoga County, Ohio charged the teens – all juveniles, ranging in ages from 14 to 16 – with disorderly conduct. In addition, three of the teens are charged with misdemeanor assault, reports the The Plain Dealer. The charges stem from an incident earlier this year in which the teens dumped a bucket of filled with urine, tobacco, and spit on an autistic classmate who thought he was taking part in an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video....
It came as no surprise that the airlines kept jacking up their prices and limiting their services, often at a time when jet fuel prices were plummeting. Consumers had almost given in to the turbulence of high ticket prices. But the winds are changing, and the settlements are coming. Numerous airlines were hit with a class-action lawsuit, affecting potentially millions of fliers that bought tickets in the last seven years from American, United/Continental, Southwest, and Delta....
Has someone hacked your computer? Did someone steal your password? You probably have Alex Yucel and his Blackshades malware to blame. The co-creator of malware technology has been sentenced to prison for hacking after pleading guilty earlier this year. Back in 2010, Alex Yucel and Michael Hogue created Blackshades RAT. RAT stands for remote access tool. The program is a hacking software that allows hackers to access your computer and all its files from a remote location....
One surprising legal question being asked across the country is: Are strippers employees or independent contractors? The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that in one particular case, they are employees. Exotic dancers at Club Orleans in Topeka, Kansas, fought for their right to be classified as employees, reports The Kansas City Star. The dispute dates back to 2005. This classification is important to the strippers, as it can be the difference between receiving and not receiving certain benefits like unemployment insurance....
