Tag Archives: trials

You Be the Judge: The Case of the Glass Eye

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Bill Bickel

A man is on trial for puncturing another man’s eye with a key during a fight outside a Philadelphia bar. The victim is on the stand, testifying, when his prosthetic eye suddenly pops out and falls into his hand. (What the judge decided) For links to CJA posts as soon … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News, Polls | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Drew Peterson’s Defense Claims Stacy Wanted to Blackmail Him

Posted on August 30, 2012 by Bill Bickel

The defense in Drew Peterson’s trial for the 2004 murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio, in an attempt to undermine fourth wife Stacy Peterson’s hearsay testimony (related by her pastor, since Stacy has been missing since 2007 and is widely believed to be dead), put Stacy’s divorce attorney on … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Bickel, Managing Editor, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, Editorials, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Christopher Vaughn’s Trial Begins Monday

Posted on August 17, 2012 by Bill Bickel

You’re probably aware, especially since you’re reading this, that Drew Peterson is currently on trial in Will County, Illinois for the murder of his third wife, Kathleen Savio. You’re less likely to know that one courtroom over, jury selection concluded this week for Christopher Vaughn’s murder trial, and the trial … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The James Holmes media blitz, why it will be a challenge convicting Drew Peterson, how John (”Monday”) Perrault’s lawyer Geragos-ed him, and how two sexual attackers’ attorneys Streisand-ed them

Posted on July 30, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Okay, here’s a thought… let’s stop delving into the minutiae of James Holmes’s life as if he’s this week’s celebrity, okay? Most of the time, these killers just wanted the world to pay attention to them. Maybe we shouldn’t show them that this is a good way to get it. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Bickel, Managing Editor, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, Editorials, News | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Scott Peterson and Drew Peterson Updates

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Bill Bickel

In yet another argument against California having a death penalty at all, Scott Peterson filed an automatic appeal of his sentence last week: claiming not only that he’s innocent, but that his trial was marred by incorrect evidentiary rulings and “overwhelming publicity.” His attorney argues that the trial, already moved … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News, Polls | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Judge: Prosecution CAN mention Stacy Peterson’s disappearance when Drew Peterson stands trial for Kathleen Savio’s murder, but…

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Will County (Illinois) Judge Edward Burmila ruled today that the prosecuction can mention that Drew Peterson’s fourth wife Stacy is missing, but can’t suggest that she’s dead or presumed dead or that Drew Peterson was responsible for her disappearance. This is a logical ruling for two reasons: it’s virtually certain … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News, Polls | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

Murder Trial Ends in Mistrial After Reporter Accidentally Tweets Photo of Juror

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Bill Bickel

In Topeka, Kansas, the judge presiding over the murder trial of Austin Tabor permitted cellphone cameras in the courtroom — with the condition that Kansas law, prohibiting close-ups that identify individual jurors, be adhered to. During opening statements last Tuesday (April 10), Ann Marie Bush, a reporter for a local … Continue reading →

Posted in Bill Bickel, Managing Editor, Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, Editorials, News, Polls | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Thursday Morning Miscellany

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Bill Bickel

Using Statistics in Court (part of a BBC podcast; this is the first ten-minute segment) Sea World Sued Because ”Whales Deserve the Same Protection Against Slavery as Humans. And because the whole reason we pay for a judicial system is to subsidize PETA’s publicity stunts. Joseph Bray Has a Court … Continue reading →

Posted in Lawsuits, Lighter Side, Media-Articles, Polls, Strange Lawsuits, Weird World Of Crime | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Should Mister Guilty Get a New Trial?

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Bill Bickel

[The presumption of innocence] is only defeated if, and when, Crown counsel has satisfied you beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Guilty – I’m sorry, that Mr. Wilson – is guilty of the crime charged -Ontario (Canada) Superior Court justice Madam Justice Faye McWatt, in a memorable Freudian slip, during … Continue reading →

Posted in Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News, Polls | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

Arkansas Supreme Court Rules on the Case of the Tweeting Juror

Posted on December 8, 2011 by Bill Bickel

The Arkansas Supreme Court today threw out Erickson Dimas-Martinez’s murderconviction today, citing the fact that the tweeting juror failed to obey the judge’s instructions, and that tweeting does qualify as “communication.” MoreThe full decision November 18, 2011: No, not a repeat from yesterday, though clearly we’re seeing a trend: Before … Continue reading →

Posted in Court Rulings, Current Criminal Justice Headline News, News | Tagged , , , | 14 Comments