It is a longstanding principle that people should not be punished for bad thoughts, but only for bad actions. A person can think about breaking the law, but should only be charged with an offense when a step is taken towards violating the law as people cannot be punished for thought crimes. There is, however, […]
READ MOREMADD Pushes for Nationwide Interlock Systems
The Associated Press notes today that Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) has kicked off a campaign to encourage all states to pass laws requiring “breath-test interlock devices” in the cars of people who have been convicted once of drunken driving. “Only New Mexico has such a law for first offenders; 45 states and the District of Columbia […]
READ MORESheldon Silvers Albany NY
Argentina and New York each got a wake-up call recently. In Argentina, the first anti-Peronist in 70-years has been elected as President while, in New York, a long-term, state legislator was convicted. Carlos Menem, a former Argentine President, has been convicted of embezzlement, the same charge brought against Sheldon Silver in New York. While Peronism […]
READ MOREDo police records compromise privacy of victims
Some police agencies do. Some police agencies don’t. And According to one Mid State Police chief, there is no law that mandates it gets done. We’re talking about redacting private, sensitive information on police reports that any citizen can obtain. The question is what information is necessary as part of the public document and what […]
READ MOREI Believe: 100 Words on Why Drug Policy Reform Matters
Drug policy is a complicated issue. Is there anything anybody can say in 100 words that would make you change your mind about the way we deal with drugs? Here’s my stab at it. What’s yours? I believe that America needs to change the way it deals with drugs. The war on drugs has made America […]
READ MOREScholarship Application: Pyotr Pavlensky
Johanna Lohman My activist Pyotr Pavlensky is a thirty-one year Russian performance artist and political activist. He studied at the St. Petersburg Art and Industry Academy. He has gained worldwide attention in the last three years for his outrageous public performances, which usually involve some type of self-mutilation. The performances are intended to draw attention […]
READ MORE“Drowning baby” con: Grandfather robbed after heroism
A sickening and bizarre con duped a grandfather into wading for, what he thought was a drowning baby. The scam happened near Portsmouth in Hampshire, UK on Wednesday at 10:30 in the morning. Abandoning his coat to jump into the water the thieves made off with £100 and some tobacco. The grandfather, John White, 48, […]
READ MOREIllegal Gambling
Online Fantasy Sports Constitute Illegal Gambling in New York In the state of New York, Article 225 of the Penal Code addresses crimes related to gambling. Gambling is defined to include risking something of value upon the outcome of a future contingent event that is not under your control with the understanding that something of […]
READ MORECriminal Impersonation in New York
Valbona Yzeiraj, an office manager in New York, appeared before a judge last week to answer to charges that she impersonated a dentist while the real dentist was away. According to prosecutors, Yzeiraj seriously injured patients while pulling their teeth and performing root canals on them. Yzeiraj told the judge that she had been trained […]
READ MOREForeign Banks Turning in Customers for Tax Fraud
The United States government has strict requirements when it comes to offshore bank accounts. Not only are accountholders required to report and pay all income earned from offshore investments, but accountholders are also required to file an annual Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR). Many accountholders are not even aware of FBAR requirements, […]
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