Oregon

Lawyer described as a ‘decorated’ sniper is accused of shooting at another attorney’s office

Police have arrested a lawyer who practices in Portland, Oregon, for allegedly firing several shots at the office of another lawyer after an escalating dispute. Police arrested Erik Graeff, 42, of Vancouver, Washington, on charges of unlawful use of a weapon and reckless endangering, report the Oregonian and the Beaverton…

Mar 1, 2018 9:53 AM CST

Federal judge in Nevada throws out charges against Cliven Bundy and sons, slams government

After finding that FBI evidence was not disclosed to the defense before trial along with “flagrant misconduct” by prosecutors, a federal judge threw out charges in Nevada against cattleman Cliven Bundy, sons Ryan and Ammon, and Bundy supporter Ryan W. Payne. Monday’s dismissal with prejudice by U.S. District Judge Gloria…

Jan 8, 2018 4:55 PM CST

Inmates’ escape par for the course in private prison transport industry

The private prisoner transport company whose van was stolen by two inmates last week in Oklahoma — precipitating a national manhunt that remains underway — may be feeling a sense of deja vu. The company has suffered at least half a dozen other escapes in the last five years. Inmate…

Sep 1, 2017 7:00 AM CDT

Order for debarking surgery in dog nuisance suit is upheld on appeal

An Oregon appeals court has upheld a trial judge’s order that a couple’s dogs must get debarking surgery to prevent them from disturbing their neighbors. The appeals court ruled on Wednesday in a case involving Tibetan Mastiff dogs that were being bred at a Rouge River home, report the Oregonian…

Aug 31, 2017 10:37 AM CDT

Oregon county sues drugmakers for $250 million over opioids

Multnomah County, Oregon has filed a $250 million lawsuit against several pharmaceutical companies for allegedly persuading physicians to overprescribe opioids and causing widespread addiction, The Oregonian reports.

Aug 9, 2017 4:10 PM CDT

Oregon judge allows video game designer to change sex to ‘agender’

An Oregon judge has approved an application by a writer and video game designer to change from the male sex to “agender.” Judge Amy Holmes Hehn approved the petition submitted by Patrick Abbatiello on March 10, report the Associated Press and NBC News. Hehn also approved Abbatiello’s application to change…

Mar 24, 2017 11:19 AM CDT

Did judge help immigrant escape ICE agents waiting outside courtroom? Federal prosecutor complains

A federal prosecutor’s complaint has led to an internal investigation into whether an Oregon judge helped an immigrant avoid arrest by immigration agents waiting outside the courtroom. U.S. Attorney Billy Williams told court officials that a DUI defendant entered the courtroom of Judge Monica Herranz of Portland on Jan. 27,…

Mar 3, 2017 9:44 AM CST

Law prof who wore blackface violated school’s anti-discrimination policies, report finds

An University of Oregon law professor who wore blackface to a Halloween party violated the school’s anti-discrimination policies, according to an administrative investigation report released Wednesday. Scott Coltrane, the school’s provost, in a statement wrote that Nancy Shurtz didn’t “demonstrate ill intent” with her costume choice. Shurtz claims that her…

Dec 22, 2016 2:34 PM CST

Portland will tax companies that reward CEOs with disproportionately high pay

The city of Portland, Oregon, is addressing income inequality by taxing publicly traded companies in the city that pay their chief executives at least 100 times more than the median pay of their workers. The city council on Wednesday voted to require companies to pay an extra 10 percent in…

Dec 9, 2016 9:25 AM CST

Oregon judge is charged with gun violations for allegedly letting felon handle weapons

A judge in Marion County, Oregon, has been charged with two felonies for allegedly letting a felon handle firearms on two occasions. Judge Vance Day was charged in an indictment made public on Thursday, report the Oregonian, the Statesman Journal and the Portland Tribune. He is charged with two felony…

Nov 18, 2016 11:34 AM CST

Law prof who wore blackface at Halloween party ‘wounded our community,’ university president says

A University of Oregon law professor who wore blackface to her off-campus Halloween party “wounded our community,” according to a letter to students written by university president Michael Schill. Regardless of her intentions, Schill said, law professor Nancy Shurtz was wrong to choose such a costume, report the Oregonian and…

Nov 8, 2016 10:09 AM CST

Ammon Bundy’s lawyer is stunned with Taser and arrested after acquittals in refuge standoff

The lawyer representing Ammon Bundy was shocked with a Taser, tackled and arrested after he loudly objected to his client’s continued detention after his acquittal in Portland on Thursday. The surprising end came after the acquittal of brothers Ammon and Ryan Bundy, along with five others, following their six-week trial…

Oct 28, 2016 9:24 AM CDT

Oregon civil rights lawyer files First Amendment suit over surveillance of his Twitter account

The top civil rights lawyer with Oregon’s Department of Justice has filed a lawsuit claiming surveillance of his Twitter account violated his First Amendment right to freedom of speech about the topic Black Lives Matter. Erious Johnson’s lawsuit (PDF), filed Wednesday, also claims violation of his Fourth Amendment right to…

Oct 28, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Was Longbow Productions an FBI operation? Lawyer for standoff defendant seeks to toss interview

A lawyer representing a defendant in the Oregon standoff is asking a judge to toss an interview his client gave to a mysterious production company that some believe to be an FBI front. The lawyer for defendant Gregory Burleson claims the production company, Longbow Productions, “is a quasi law enforcement…

Oct 19, 2016 8:00 AM CDT

Oregon law requires Alzheimer’s patient be spoon-fed despite advance directive

Despite having signed an advance directive drawn up by a lawyer to limit attempts to prolong her life if she became incapacitated, an Oregon woman suffering early onset Alzheimer’s disease is being spoon-fed at a nursing home, the Mail Tribune newspaper of Medford, Oregon reports. When Bill Harris, of Ashland,…

Sep 20, 2016 1:15 PM CDT