Legal Commentary

Saturday Open Thread

By Jeralyn

Time for an open thread, you pick the topics.

Here's a few things I haven't gotten around to writing about:

• Nevada County Dems are picking state delegates today. The delegates picked at their county caucuses aren't bound by their pledge and today's tally may or may not match the caucus results. More here.

• Tavis Smiley is receiving threats from Obama supporters over his criticism of Obama for not attending his State of the Black Union event. Hillary is attending the Louisiana event and will be speaking there.

• Check out the new film, Taxi to the Dark Side, about the politics of torture. It tells the story of Dilawar, whom we've frequently written about.

  In December 2002 a young Afghan named Dilawar, proud of his new taxi, picked up three fares. Shortly afterwards he and his passengers were detained as Taliban sympathizers by American forces, and Dilawar – almost certainly an innocent bystander – was flown to the Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan. He died after a few days in detention there. Medical examiners reported that his legs, at the time of death, looked like they had been run over by a bus.

• California prison officials are re-examining its policy on strip-searching prisoners.

• The LA Times reports that restrictive sex offender laws may increase crime. (Via Sentencing Law and Policy.)

What are you reading about today?

Full post as published by TalkLeft on February 23, 2008 (boomark / email).