From the Virginian-Pilot: A jury convicted Ryan Frederick of voluntary manslaughter this afternoon in the January 2008 death of Chesapeake police Detective Jarrod Shivers. It also convicted him of simple possession of marijuana. In the process, the group opted against the two most serious charges filed against the 29-year-old - capital murder and manufacturing marijuana. As I … [Read more...] about Ryan Frederick Verdict
Archives for February 2009
Ryan Frederick Deliberation
The Ryan Frederick case has been handed to the jury to decide. From the coverage, it sounds like the state's case for first-degree murder is pretty shaky, but the jury has been instructed to consider lesser included charges. Anything could happen, but I'm thinking the jury is going to feel uncomfortable freeing a man who killed a police officer. I think he'll probably end up … [Read more...] about Ryan Frederick Deliberation
The Secret Porn Police
While our government was busy using enhanced interrogation methods on suspected terrorists, they were engaging in a shadowy quasi-legal battle against simulated torture, according to the directors and producers of the documentary Graphic Sexual Horror. Other than the railroading of Paul "Max Hardcore" Little, the government's resurgence of pornography prosecutions under Bush … [Read more...] about The Secret Porn Police
Michael Phelps Smokes Up
I don't know why this caught my eye, but yet another sports figure---this time it's Olympic Swimmer Michael Phelps---has admitted he's smoked pot, complete with ritual show-trial confession: "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate … [Read more...] about Michael Phelps Smokes Up