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Appeals court oveturns Wash. ecoterror conviction
Court Feed News |
2010/09/16 12:27
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An appeals court overturned the conviction of a woman found guilty of helping with a notorious 2001 ecoterror attack that destroyed a university research center, concluding the judge made mistakes that cast doubt on the fairness of her trial. Briana Waters, 34, was convicted of serving as a lookout during the Earth Liberation Front attack on the University of Washington's Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle and was sentenced to six years in prison plus $6 million in restitution. A unanimous three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that the late U.S. District Judge Franklin Burgess made several errors that raised questions about the fairness of her trial. Waters' lawyer, Dennis Riordan, of San Francisco, said he was delighted and would move quickly to have her released pending another trial, if prosecutors decide to pursue one. Being imprisoned in Danbury, Conn., far from her young daughter, has been difficult, he said.
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5th Circuit Court Concludes Raptor School Security Constitutional
Court Feed News |
2010/09/15 10:07
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Schools across the nation have the constitutional right to screen campus visitors against sex offender data bases and to scan government issued drivers licenses or identification cards using Raptor Technologies, Inc, according to a recent ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals.
5th Circuit Court
“The Plaintiffs have failed to show, as they must to prevail, that they have been deprived of a constitutional right,” wrote the honorable Jerry Smith, Jacques Wiener, and Jennifer Elrod of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (LA, MS, TX). “Raptor takes only the minimum information necessary to determine sex offender status, identify the visitor, and ensure the lack of false positives.”
The suit resulted from a dispute between a parent, and school officials at Bee Cave Elementary School in Texas. The parent was denied access to her children’s school activities after repeatedly refusing to provide her driver’s license or other identification when checking-in at the front office.
Raptor Technologies, Inc.
Raptor President and CEO, Allan Measom hopes school administrators everywhere will embrace this ruling and put student safety first. “Since our inception eight years ago, our focus has been to provide schools and facilities with an added layer of security while providing a consistent and impartial system to screen and record campus visitors,” said Measom.
“During the 2009-10 school year, our technology detected approximately 2,200 sex offenders trying to enter the more than 7,000 schools using Raptor. Affordable technology protects our children,” said Measom.
U.S. District Court
In the original ruling favoring Raptor’s effective security technology, U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks stated, “Parents must recognize that our educators are already overburdened, not only with the education of our children, but also with the regulations and bureaucratic responsibilities placed on them. In today’s crowded public schools, making exceptions to reasonable school policies for each and every parent who dislikes a school rule is unworkable and further distracts from a school’s primary purpose: education. Not only that, but in the educational world following the Columbine school shooting and the increased visibility of and sensitivity to sex offender, schools have not only an interest but a duty to take appropriate steps to protect our children while they are at school.”
Measom said thousands of schools nationwide have yet to integrate technology with school safety procedures. But from the schools where Raptor works, he said, “We appreciate all of the support from parents, school administrators, front desk personnel, security personnel and law enforcement officials who we work with on a daily basis.”
Contact:
Allan Measom, President & CEO Raptor Technologies, Inc.
www.raptorware.com |
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Canadian Law Firm Files Denture Cream Lawsuit
Court Feed News |
2010/09/14 15:44
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A high-profile Canadian law firm has filed suit against the makers of PoliGrip and Fixodent, alleging that the companies failed to warn consumers sufficiently about the zinc contained in both products. The suit, filed by Tony Merchant of Saskatchewan, is the latest consequence of a 2008 article in the magazine Neurology linking denture cream and serious nerve damage. In a press release, Merchant acknowledged that the "companies have placed warnings and recognize the dangers." Still, Merchant says, those warnings failed to warn consumers adequately of the risks inherent in excessive zinc consumption. PoliGrip manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has moved aggressively in the past year to address the zinc issue. Last October, the company began outfitting PoliGrip packages with warnings that excessive zinc intake can cause "serious health effects," and advised customers to talk with their doctors. Proctor and Gamble, which makes Fixodent, provided similar warnings. |
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Judge hears from alleged "sham" Green candidates
Court Feed News |
2010/09/14 11:39
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Green Party nominees labeled "sham candidates" said in Arizona court that they are not running for office to siphon votes from Democrats. Christopher Campbell, Anthony Goshorn and Thomas Meadows testified Monday that Republicans planted the idea that they run for office as Green Party candidates but that taking votes from Democrats was never their motive. The Green and Democratic parties say at least 11 of the Green Party's nominees were recruited by Republicans to entice votes from liberals who might otherwise support the Democratic candidate. Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Dean Fink says he'll try to rule on Tuesday. A federal judge last week denied a separate Green Party request that the candidates be kicked from the November ballot.
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Court blasts Wisconsin judge for Hitler reference
Court Feed News |
2010/09/14 11:37
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An appeals court has admonished a federal judge in Wisconsin for claiming a convicted drug dealer's love for his family is akin to Adolf Hitler's love for his dog. The U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Monday ordered that the defendant, Jose Figueroa, be re-sentenced. The court said comments during sentencing from Judge Rudolph Randa of eastern Wisconsin were odd. Randa sentenced Figueroa to 20 years in prison for leading a drug conspiracy. Leniency requests were made for Figueroa on grounds he loves his family. Randa dismissed those requests, saying: "Hitler was admired by his family ... loved his dog. Yet he killed 6 million Jews." The judge also told Figueroa he would have been executed in some countries for such drug crimes.
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Philly news drivers last holdout to court sale
Court Feed News |
2010/09/13 17:07
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The publisher of Philadelphia's two largest newspapers is pushing unionized drivers to agree to contract terms before Tuesday's bankruptcy sale deadline. Drivers who deliver The Philadelphia Inquirer and Philadelphia Daily News are balking at plans to end company contributions to their Teamsters' pension fund. They are the only holdouts. About 15 other union groups, including the editorial unit, have agreed to contracts that include wage cuts and furloughs. Creditors who bid $139 million to win this year's auction of the company insist they will not close the sale without an agreement with the drivers. John Laigaie, president of the drivers unit, did not immediately return a message Monday. His members voted a second time Sunday to reject the creditors' offer.
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