Link.

In my view, it severely undermines Zimmerman's claims.

Speaking for me only

(TL:) Comments now closed.)

Clayton Osbon, the Jet Blue pilot who freaked out today on a flight causing the plane to be diverted to Amarillo, has been charged with interfering with a flight crew. He's also on a psychiatric hold.

Update: The judge's ruling is here. Selected quotes have been added below.

After a six week trial, a federal judge in Detroit has acquitted 7 members of the Hutaree militia group charged with terror offenses.

Only weapons charges remain against the supposed leader, David Stone and his son Joshua.

On the second anniversary of the Hutaree arrests, U.S. District Judge Victoria Roberts granted a defense motion Tuesday to acquit the militia members on seven charges, including seditious conspiracy and conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction. The most serious charge could have resulted in life prison sentences. She ordered the trial to continue against Hutaree leader David Stone Sr. and his son, Joshua Stone, on weapons-related charges.

Congrats to Jim Thomas, Bill Swor and the rest of the defense team. [More...]

Everyone seems to have an opinion about the Trayvon Martin case. Even though the facts aren't fully known, and few take the time to actually examine Florida's laws and the multiple fact-driven jury instructions in self-defense cases, those invested in one side or the other either make stuff up or selectively choose certain facts and ignore others to fit their agenda.

Let's look at a case that happened in Illinois. It went to trial and there was a sentencing. Where do you come down on the outcome? It is not equivocal to the Trayvon Martin case, although it does have a few parallel issues.

In University Park near Chicago, a man was walking his dog when it ran up on neighbor's lawn and peed. The homeowner came out and displayed a gun. He didn't use it at the time, but the dog owner, after seeing it, cursed the homeowner and punched him. The homeowner shot and killed the dog owner. [More..]

There are new details of George Zimmerman's account of the fatal encounter with Trayvon Martin.

In an account given to Sanford police that was passed on to the state attorney’s office, George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26, said that Trayvon had punched him and then repeatedly slammed his head into the sidewalk in the moments leading up to the shooting.

....In Mr. Zimmerman’s sequence of events to the police, he returned to his S.U.V. after he was unable to find him, Trayvon then approached Mr. Zimmerman from behind and they exchanged words. Then. Mr. Zimmerman said, Trayvon hit him hard enough that he fell to the ground — which, if true, would explain what Mr. Zimmerman’s lawyer, Craig Sonner, has said was a broken nose—and began slamming his head into the sidewalk.

More details of the leaked police report revealed by the Orlando Sentinel are here. The Sun Sentinel also describes a witness' account: [More]

Dominique Strauss-Kahn was placed under formal investigation today in France on charges of participating in an organized vice ring. According to Reuters,

Judges had the option of putting him under investigation for having potentially benefited from misappropriated company funds if he knowingly attended prostitute sessions paid for by his executive friends using expense accounts.

Instead, the investigation will focus on the pandering angle, and whether Strauss-Kahn was aware that the women at the parties were prostitutes supplied by pimps.

He may or may not have to stand trial:

Under French law, "juges d'instruction," which are a cross between investigating prosecutors and criminal magistrates, notify the accused they are under investigation and can hold the person if they believe it warranted. It is they who later decide whether to send the case to court.

Put another way: "Under French law, preliminary charges mean authorities have reason to believe a crime was committed but allow more time for investigation."

He has been released on bond. [More..]

Abdelkader Merah, brother of Mohamed Maher, who was killed in a police raid in Toulouse after confessing to the killing of Jewish students and their teacher and three French soldiers, was brought before a judge at the Palais de Justice in Paris early Sunday morning. He is expected to be charged with complicity in his brother's killings or criminal conspiracy in connection with a terrorist enterprise.

Abdelkader's wife, Yasmina Mesbah who was arrested with him, was released at 4:30 am today without charges, according to her lawyer. (Her name seems to be disappearing from news articles, here's another cached version.) Zoulhika Aziri, the mother of Abdelkader and Mohamed, was released from custody Saturday. She also won't face charges. [More...]

Kim and Mona Dotcom are the proud parents of twin girls, delivered Thursday at the National Women's Hospital in Auckland. The twins are healthy, and Mona is doing fine.

They arrived as scheduled by caesarean, weighing in at 2.4kg and 2.8kg. On Friday, he texted: "Two healthy Kiwis were born yesterday. All good. When they asked me if I'd like to keep the placenta (weird question) I said 'yes' and 'please send it to the FBI for forensic analysis so they can verify there is no pirate DNA'."

On a more serious note, he thanked the judges who approved his bail:

"I would like to thank them for the opportunity to be there with Mona for the birth. It meant a lot to us."

The other three Dotcom kids have names beginning with "K": Kimmo, Kaylo and Kobi.

The Herald on Sunday suggested a name and he responded: "Kiwi Dotcom it is. Awesome!"

A justice of the New Zealand High Court has granted Kim Dotcom $60,000. a month to live on while awaiting the outcome of the U.S. extradition request.

In a decision released today, the court said a $20,000 monthly living allowance would come from the interest paid on the $10 million Dotcom has invested in NZ government bonds. The remaining $40,000 will be paid in monthly installments from a $301,000 bank account he has had returned to him.

One of his two 2011 Mercedes was also ordered returned. (He had a 2011 Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG, with the license plate "POLICE” and a 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML63.)

No ruling yet on whether the procedurally defective restraining order will result in him getting all seized property back.

DOJ and the FBI will investigate the killing of Trayvon Martin.

I hope this results in a restriction on members of neighborhood watch groups playing cop. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes:

Mr. Zimmerman is not a cop. He had no legal right to question a law-abiding citizen based on his suspicions. Unless the legal standard now is that black youth have to show fearful deference to random strangers who stop them on streets they have a legal right to be, then Mr. Zimmerman's actions weren't justified.

I don't think that statement should be restricted to youth or persons of a specific race. It should be apply to everyone. Vigilante justice is no justice at all. Leave policing to police. [More...]

Authorities in New Zealand goofed. They applied for the seizure/restraining order on Megaupload and KimDotCom's assets under the wrong legal provision. On Friday, New Zealand High Court Justice Judith Potter declared the order null and void, and found it had no legal effect.

The Crown admitted the error about a week after Kim Dotcom and Megaupload's assets were seized, and on January 30, submitted a revised version under the correct portion of the statute, which the court granted on a temporary basis. Kim DotCom filed a motion attacking the order during the first week in February.

While Justice Potter has now ruled the first order was invalid, she has yet to rule on whether whether the new seizure order can legally cover assets seized under the old, invalid order. If she rules it cannot, she may order Kim Dotcom and the other defendants' property returned to them. [More...]

John Edwards has added Rielle Hunter's lawyers to his legal team in his criminal case. The two lawyers represented Hunter in her civil case against Andrew Young. James Cooney and his firm moved to withdraw. A hearing was held today to determine if there might be a conflict, since Rielle is a potential government witness against him, and whether it was waivable. Both John and Rielle waived any potential conflict. If Rielle testifies, she will be cross-examined by lead counsel Abbe Lowell or someone from his office, rather than her former lawyers.

The Government disclosed in pleadings today that Rielle Hunter received immunity in the criminal case. [More...]