Afternoon Briefs: Harvey Weinstein threatened with jail for courtroom phone use; Supreme Court closes for weather
Harvey Weinstein in 2014. Photo from Wikimedia Commons.
Judge threatens to jail Harvey Weinstein after he uses cellphone in court
On Tuesday, a Manhattan judge threatened to jail former film producer Harvey Weinstein for using his cellphone in the courtroom where jurors will be picked for his rape trial. “Is this really the way you want to end up in jail for the rest of your life, by texting and violating a court order?” asked Judge James Burke, who warned Weinstein not to answer the question. Weinstein gave up two phones as he entered the courtroom but kept two others. He was using one of them when Burke entered the courtroom. Burke also refused a defense request Tuesday to delay the trial because of publicity about new rape charges against Weinstein in Los Angeles that were announced Monday. (BuzzFeed News, the New York Law Journal)
Supreme Court announces weather closing
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it is closing to the public at 1 p.m. because of inclement weather. No arguments were scheduled. Federal employees have been told to leave by 1 p.m. because of the forecast for snow. (@GregStohr, the Washington Post)
Suspended lawyer pleads guilty to collecting ex-client’s pension funds after his death
A suspended Rhode Island lawyer pleaded guilty Monday to collecting more than $234,000 in a former client’s pension funds for nearly 12 years after the client died. Oleg Nikolyszyn, 65, of Providence, will be sentenced in April. (The Providence Journal, press release)
Dean of Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School retires
Following the December news that Atlanta’s John Marshall Law School was removed from probation by the ABA and received the green light to convert to a nonprofit, its dean, Malcolm L. Morris, has retired as of Jan. 1. He has been the law school’s dean since July 2014, according to a news release. Jace C. Gatewood, the law school’s associate dean of academic programs and associate dean of graduate programs, was appointed as the school’s interim dean and CEO. (Press release)
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