Terrorism

Federal judge tossed from case for ‘immovable’ views, suggestion that US lawyers are lazy and arrogant

A controversial federal judge in Houston has been booted from a case once again by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans. The federal appeals court said U.S. District Judge Lynn Hughes had a “fixed and inflexible view of the case.”

May 10, 2021 10:25 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: ABA president comments on Law Day rule-of-law theme; virtual grand juries upheld

ABA president notes significance of Law Day theme ABA President Patricia Lee Refo said this year’s Law Day theme—“Advancing the Rule of Law Now”—is particularly significant considering last year’s events. “The rule of law means no one is above the law, and no one is beneath it,” she said in…

Apr 30, 2021 3:00 PM CDT

Detainee’s quest for information on secret CIA interrogation site will get Supreme Court review

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether the state-secrets privilege protects information about a secret CIA jail in Poland in a lawsuit by a suspected terrorist.

Apr 26, 2021 3:10 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Chauvin found guilty in George Floyd’s death; why red flag law wasn’t used against FedEx gunman

Chauvin is found guilty of all charges in George Floyd’s death Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has been found guilty of all charges in the 2020 death of George Floyd. Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. Chauvin, who is white, was convicted for…

Apr 20, 2021 4:29 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Defamation suit against Trump proceeds; 4th Circuit upholds terrorist watch list

Trump has to face defamation suit Donald Trump has lost his bid to delay a defamation suit that was based on his status as president. The New York Court of Appeals agreed to dismiss Trump’s appeal on Tuesday, arguing that the issues in the suit by a former Apprentice contestant…

Mar 31, 2021 4:45 PM CDT

Supreme Court will consider reinstating death sentence for Boston bomber

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to consider whether a federal appeals court erred when it vacated the death penalty for convicted Boston bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev.

Mar 22, 2021 12:19 PM CDT

9th Circuit says surveillance program exposed by Snowden was illegal but upholds convictions

A federal appeals court said Wednesday the massive phone data collection program revealed by whistleblower Edward Snowden, who copied and leaked classified information from the National Security Agency in 2013 when he was a CIA employee and subcontractor, violated federal law and possibly the Fourth Amendment.

Sep 3, 2020 12:23 PM CDT

FBI secret wiretap applications had errors and made assertions lacking factual backup, audit says

FBI secret surveillance applications contained errors and assertions that were not backed up by required documentation, according to findings of an audit by the U.S. Department of Justice’s inspector general.

Mar 31, 2020 3:19 PM CDT

Judge rules woman who joined ISIS is not US citizen based on birthright citizenship exception

A federal judge in Washington, D.C., ruled from the bench Thursday that an Alabama woman who joined the Islamic State group and traveled to Syria is not a U.S. citizen because of an exception to the Constitution’s grant of birthright citizenship.

Nov 15, 2019 11:31 AM CST

Fighting for first responders sickened at ground zero turned into yearslong legal battle

In the new episode of the Modern Law Library, William Groner talks to Lee Rawles about co-writing his book, the challenge of “being ahead of the science,” and how political interests worsened one of the largest environmental disasters in history.

Oct 30, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Murder charge against 9-year-old tossed; judge bans mystery proceedings

Judge tosses murder charge against 9-year-old boy A murder defendant cried and hugged his father after Michigan Judge David Tomlinson tossed a murder charge against him Friday. The defendant was 9 years old. He was accused of fatally shooting his adoptive mother. Tomlinson found the boy incompetent to stand trial…

Sep 30, 2019 4:25 PM CDT

Federal judge tosses suit by gay lawyer who says his co-counsel outed him to al-Qaida client

A federal judge in Chicago has ruled that a mitigation specialist who worked on the defense team for accused Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed can’t sue a co-counsel accused of outing him as a gay man to the client.

Sep 17, 2019 2:05 PM CDT

Terrorism watchlist violates due process rights, federal judge rules

A federal judge in Virginia has ruled that the federal government’s terrorism watchlist violates the due process rights of U.S. citizens who are in the database. U.S. District Judge Anthony Trenga of Alexandria ruled Wednesday that the government provides no notice to people who were included on the list, no explanation of the criteria or evidence used to determine watchlist status, and no process to get off the list.

Sep 6, 2019 10:01 AM CDT

Facebook isn’t liable for algorithm that put terrorist content in news feeds, 2nd Circuit rules

A federal appeals court has ruled for Facebook in a lawsuit by U.S. citizens who are victims of Hamas attacks in Israel. The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New York ruled for Facebook on Wednesday in a 2-1 decision, report Courthouse News Service, Reuters and Law360. Circuit Judge…

Aug 1, 2019 12:43 PM CDT

Breyer says SCOTUS has to decide whether Guantanamo detainees can continue to be held

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer said Monday that the high court should consider whether the Constitution permits continued detention of Guantanamo detainees. Breyer called for Supreme Court action in a statement respecting its refusal to hear the case of Moath Hamza Ahmed al-Alwi, a Yemeni national who has…

Jun 10, 2019 11:14 AM CDT