Every once in a while, it’s nice to get a gift from a colleague in the law profession. We lawyers have tons of money from representing big name clients, so big time gifts aren’t necessary. It’s the most heartfelt ones that count. My associate Dr. Phillips recently bought me a gund stuffed animal which reminded me of my childhood when I would have liked such a thing. I immediately demoted him and went to lunch with champagne.
Things just keep getting worse for embattled quarterback Michael Vick. After pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges, he has now been ordered to pay the Atlanta Falcons $20 million dollars in salary since he will be in jail during the season. I find the justice system funny in that someone who kills dogs gets the full brutality of the law while corporate thugs get away free.
A teacher in the state of Utah who had been honored as one of the state’s best pleaded guilty to child sex charges which could land him in jail for 30 years to life. He admitted to putting his hands down the pants of multiple young girls. Frank Laine Hall, a 37 year old 1st grade teacher will be registered as a sex offender for life. The company that gave out the teaching award, Huntsman Corp. is trying to cover up the fact they gave a child molester an award for service to children as we speak.
Police in Nebraska are still looking for a suspect after a breaking and entering that left an elderly woman in the hospital. A white male that is described only as stout with a mustache and glasses broke open a window on 82-year old Gertrude Jenkins’s home Saturday thinking no one was home. When she woke up, he hit her in the head with a wrench and stole her jewelry collection, valued at nearly a thousand dollars. State police as well as local Sheriff’s offices are continuing the search, but have little evidence beyond some fingerprints on her Blinds.
What is it these days with celebrities and animal abuse? Do these people just get kicks from torturing and killing dumb animals? I’m no PETA fanatic and I love to eat red meat, but this is ridiculous. It stretches beyond US borders, as evidenced by popular Bollywood actor Salman Khan. You just can’t make up a name like that. Bollywood is India’s answer to our Hollywood where many popular Asian features are filmed. Anyway, the man was accused of poaching a rare species of deer in 1998. I guess they don’t have a constitutional guarantee of speedy trials over there.
An eccentric Ohio man living in the Columbus suburb of Worthington will get 19 years for shooting a cheerleader who was trespassing on his property. A group of kids decided to scare themselves by visiting the reclusive man’s property, which has a spooky reputation because of a cauldron in the front yard. The loner overreacted and shot wildly into the night with his rifle, injuring a young woman into paralysis. This is an interesting case, because you could very easily say both were at fault and both acted very stupidly in the situation.
Uncle Kracker, who was once a DJ for popular rap and rock star Kid Rock, was arrested yesterday in North Carolina after a 26-year old woman accused him of making unwanted sexual advances toward her in the Ess Lounge night club. The 33 year old musician is being held in the Wake County Jail pending his $5 million dollar bail. It’s too early to tell whether this is a legitimate claim or crying wolf. I see shades of the Kobe Bryant case opening up with this one.
People have been wondering what effect the case against Michael Vick will have on his NFL season. With the rest of his friends entering guilty pleas, Vick is now cornered to accept the bargain. If he does, it leaves him susceptible to missing playing time under the NFL’s code of conduct. The judge in his case is also very strict, so only time will tell. Here is a video from liberal Air America on the situation and Vick’s future.
Two corporate thugs are getting their dues this evening, as Adelphia executives John Rigas and his son Tim reported to a North Carolina federal prison for their roll in the collapse of the cable giant. Like other rich folks, they remained free as their appeals ran their course. Now, a judge has ended those processes and these two clowns will be brought to justice. Charges against them include bank fraud, conspiracy, and securities fraud. I always find it amazing how these people get away for years without going to jail when they swindled many out of millions of dollars, but a common pickpocket will be thrown in jail almost instantly.