Afternoon Briefs: Former judge pleads guilty to murder; parents sue over Sharpie haircut punishment
Image from Shutterstock.com.
Former judge pleads guilty to murder of his ex-wife
Former Ohio judge Lance Mason pleaded guilty Tuesday to fatally stabbing his ex-wife, Aisha Fraser, in November. Mason had resigned his judgeship in 2015 after a previous guilty plea for assaulting the same woman. A University of Michigan law grad, Mason had worked as a prosecutor before becoming a judge. Mason, 51, faces a minimum sentence on the aggravated murder charge of life in prison, with parole eligibility after 20 years. (Cleveland.com, Courthouse News Service)
Parents sue Texas school for Sharpie haircut punishment
The parents of a black middle school student in Pearland, Texas, have sued the school district for allegedly using a black Sharpie to color in an “M” design shaved into his fade haircut. School officials maintained that the haircut violated dress code and gave the student a choice of an in-school suspension or the Sharpie punishment. The student didn’t choose the suspension because he feared getting kicked off the track team. The suit alleges assault as well as violations of the federal Civil Rights Act and the due process clause. (Courthouse News Service, the Houston Chronicle, the Aug. 18 lawsuit)
Walgreens not liable in car crash death caused by driver given wrong drug
Walgreens is not liable for a car crash death and injuries caused by a driver given the wrong prescription, according to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans. The appeals court said Texas courts would not find that the pharmacy had a duty to third parties who were not customers. (Law360)
9th Circuit blocks asylum rule but not nationwide
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco blocked the Trump administration’s new asylum rules Friday but only in states within its jurisdiction. That means migrants in Texas and New Mexico have to follow rules requiring asylum applicants to apply for asylum in at least one country they pass through on their way to the United States. But migrants in California and California aren’t covered by the rules. (The New York Times, the 9th Circuit decision via How Appealing)
Minor league players can sue over wages in class actions
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco has ruled that minor league baseball players who claim that they didn’t receive minimum wages or overtime pay can sue as a group. The 9th Circuit allowed a collective lawsuit under federal law and class actions under Florida, California and Texas wage laws. The 2014 lawsuit said most minor leaguers make $7,500 or less per year. (Law360, the Associated Press, the Los Angeles Times, Aug. 16 opinion)
