Nogales, Ariz.-based U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Natan Ben-Shabat, 42, of Tucson, made his initial appearance last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Hector C. Estrada on charges of Unauthorized Access to a Government Computer. Ben-Shabat was released pending a December 1, 2009, trial date. The three-count information alleges that while employed as a U.S….
Release R-71 signatures, court says, but appeal planned
Lornet Turnbull reports: Protect Marriage Washington, which collected the signatures to get Referendum 71 on the November ballot, said it will appeal Thursday’s federal appeals-court ruling that cleared the way for public release of the names of those who signed petitions for the measure. “That particular group of judges saw the law one way; we’ll…
Back to the Future? Interracial couple denied marriage license
Civil rights advocates in eastern Louisiana are calling for a justice of the peace of Tangipahoa Parish to resign after he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple. “He’s an elected public official and one of his duties is to marry people. He doesn’t have the right to say he doesn’t believe…
Online defamation case: the limits of free speech
John Byrne of the Chicago Tribune updates us on the online defamation case covered here a few weeks ago. The case involves a Buffalo Grove, Illinois politician, Lisa Stone, who is seeking the name of someone who allegedly defamed her teenage son in online posts. Cook County Circuit Judge Jeffrey Lawrence ordered the Daily Herald…