Afternoon Briefs: Client convicted of tax attorney's murder; 4th Circuit says Sessions was wrong
Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Mark Reinstein/Shutterstock.com.
Client convicted of murdering his tax attorney
A former city council member in Cedar Lake, Indiana, was convicted of murder Wednesday for the fatal shooting of his tax attorney. Jurors convicted William “Bill” Landske, 84, for the 2018 shooting death of Hobart, Indiana, lawyer T. Edward Page. Landske shot Page when he went to his home to retrieve tax documents after concluding the lawyer was procrastinating. Landske’s defense lawyer had argued unsuccessfully that the crime was committed in a sudden heat that made the offense voluntary manslaughter. (The Post-Tribune, NWI.com)
4th Circuit says immigration judges have power to grant administrative closures
Federal law gives immigration judges the power to indefinitely pause cases using administrative closures, and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions erred when he reached a contrary decision, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday. Even if the regulations are ambiguous, Sessions’ interpretation isn’t entitled to deference because it amounted to an “unfair surprise” that disrupted the parties’ expectations, the appeals court said. The appeals court vacated a Board of Immigration Appeals decision that denied an administrative closure to Jesus Zuniga Romero. (4th Circuit decision)
Judge rules lifer’s solitary confinement is cruel and unusual
A federal judge in Connecticut has ruled that it is cruel and unusual punishment to hold an inmate for long periods in solitary confinement. U.S. District Judge Stefan Underhill ruled for convicted cop killer Richard Reynolds, who was resentenced to life in prison after the state supreme court ruled capital punishment was unconstitutional. “The fact that people commit inhumane crimes does not give the state the right to treat them inhumanely,” Underhill wrote. (The Connecticut Post, the Hartford Courant)
Gender pay gap grows for general counsel
The gender pay gap is growing for general counsel at the country’s top-earning public companies, according to a study by Equilar. Male general counsel earned 18.6% more than females, the biggest difference since Equilar began conducting its wage studies in 2014. The median pay for male general counsel was $2.63 million in 2018, compared with $2.21 million for female general counsel. (Corporate Counsel)
Lawyer pleads guilty to stealing $1.4M from charity
Litchfield, Connecticut, lawyer Kevin Creed pleaded guilty to wire fraud Wednesday for stealing $1.4 million from a charity he founded to provide no-cost accommodations for veterans receiving care at VA medical centers and their family members who accompanied them. Prosecutors said Creed used the money for his law firm and for personal expenses. (The Hartford Courant, press release)
