Justices: Racially Based Peremptory Challenges Reverse Murder Conviction SNYDER V. LOUISIANA
(U.S. Supreme Ct., March 19, 2008) – A Louisiana conviction for first-degree murder and death sentence is reversed where the trial judge committed clear error in its ruling on an objection to the prosecution’s strike of a black juror during voir dire, in violation of Batson v. Kentucky, 476 U. S. 79.
The New York Law Journal has reported that Melvyn Weiss has agreed to plead guilty to a racketeering charge for participating in a scheme to pay kickbacks to lead plaintiffs in shareholder suits.
Mr. Weiss, a famed securities class action lawyer, was one of the co-founders of the law firm Milberg Weiss.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY:
Virtual Law: Navigating the Legal Landscape of Virtual Worlds
By Benjamin Tyson Duranske
“The Web has exploded as medium for commerce and communication, but it’s also become a favorite attack vector for criminals. And while the bad guys are motivated by money, the damage they wreak transcends the balance sheet: loss of reputation, lawsuits, loss of investor confidence and sometimes crippling liability.”
“Click below to get a new whitepaper from FinJan that highlights the new techniques hackers use to infiltrate your networks, with critical steps you can take to prevent them by using real-time content inspection technologies.”
From: CIO Security Alert, February 23, 2008
The American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section and The South Carolina Bar Present:
Superior Direct and Cross-Examination: Demonstrations from Trial Masters of the ABA Criminal Justice Section and the S.C. Bar*
8:45 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 4, 2008
Decision Date: February 20, 2008:
DANFORTH v. MINNESOTA CERTIORARI TO THE SUPREME COURT OF MINNESOTA
No. 06-8273. Argued October 31, 2007-Decided February 20, 2008
“Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Feb. 11, 2008) – The U.S. Department of Defense announced that six high-value detainees held in Guantanamo Bay were charged, under the Military Commissions Act, with planning and executing the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Specific charges include violations of the laws of war, attacking civilians, attacking civilian objects, intentionally causing serious bodily injury, destroying of property in violation of the laws of war, terrorism, and material support to terrorism”
U.S. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed et.al.: Specifications and Charges
Source: Findlaw Featured Documents, February 11, 2008.
A Report for Congress Prepared by Garrine P. Laney, Analyst in Social Policy, Domestic Policy Division of the Congressional Research Service, February 4, 2008.
The following is from the Summary:
“Monitoring the movement of sex offenders in communities continues to be of interest to Congress, state legislatures, and local governments. In response to some citizens’ concerns, Congress passed the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-248), which, among other provisions, provides for mandatory registration of sex offenders who are released from prison, closer scrutiny of them,
Below is the table of contents for the latest issue of Criminology, which is now available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/toc/crim/45/4?ai=i79&ui=73miz&af=H
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Criminology
From the New Jersey Law Journal December 17, 2007.
N.J. Ends Capital Punishment, Commutes All Death Sentences
Michael Booth
Criminal Law Library Blog