A court in South Korea gave a 30-year prison term Thursday to a Chinese fisherman for stabbing a South Korean coast guard officer to death in December. China immediately protested the ruling.
The stabbing occurred after South Korean officers boarded a Chinese boat over suspicions of illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea. The incident prompted anger in both countries and led their presidents to agree to work toward preventing more clashes.
South Korea's Incheon District Court said Thursday's sentencing was a warning against future violence.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Weimin told a news conference in Beijing that China rejected the South Korean sentencing. He said China urged South Korea to properly handle the case and called on Seoul to respect the legitimate rights of Chinese fishermen.
Chinese fishing boats have been going farther afield to feed growing domestic demand for seafood. With some 300,000 fishing vessels and 8 million fishermen, the Chinese fishing industry is by far the world's largest. But catches have decreased in waters close to China's shores, forcing the fleet to venture farther.
South Korea's coast guard says it has seized hundreds of Chinese ships over the years for illegal fishing in the Yellow Sea, which is rich in blue crabs, anchovies and croaker. The ships are usually released after a fine is paid, though violence occasionally occurs.
In 2008, one South Korean coast guard officer was killed and six others injured in a clash with Chinese fishermen in South Korean waters.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
16 defendants due in court in Ohio Amish attacks
Sixteen Amish men and women face arraignment Thursday in federal court on charges involved in beard- and hair-cutting attacks against fellow Amish in Ohio.
An updated indictment filed last month added new allegations that the suspects tried to hide or destroy evidence, including a disposable camera, shears and a bag of hair from the victims.
The four women recently added to the case are also due to appear alongside the original 12 defendants in federal court in Cleveland on Thursday afternoon.
The dozen previous defendants have pleaded not guilty.
A feud over church discipline allegedly led to attacks in which the beards and hair of men and hair of women were cut, an act considered deeply offensive in Amish culture. The Amish believe the Bible instructs women to let their hair grow long and men to grow beards and stop shaving once they marry.
The updated indictment also charges alleged ringleader Sam Mullet Sr. with lying to federal agents during their investigation by denying knowledge of an October assault.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Court nixes civil suits over lies to grand jury
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Monday that witnesses who lie to a grand jury are protected from civil lawsuits, giving them the same protection that witnesses get at trials.
The justices ruled against Charles Rehberg, an accountant who was indicted three times involving charges that he harassed doctors affiliated with a south Georgia hospital system.
After the third indictment was dismissed even before a trial, Rehberg sued local prosecutors and their investigator, James Paulk. Rehberg said that he was placed under investigation because of the hospital's political connections and that Paulk's false grand jury testimony led to the indictments.
But Justice Samuel Alito said Rehberg's lawsuit should not go forward. Witnesses are protected from civil lawsuits over what they say in trial testimony. "Grand jury witnesses should enjoy the same immunity as witnesses at trial," Alito said. "This means that a grand jury witness has absolute immunity."
The justices ruled against Charles Rehberg, an accountant who was indicted three times involving charges that he harassed doctors affiliated with a south Georgia hospital system.
After the third indictment was dismissed even before a trial, Rehberg sued local prosecutors and their investigator, James Paulk. Rehberg said that he was placed under investigation because of the hospital's political connections and that Paulk's false grand jury testimony led to the indictments.
But Justice Samuel Alito said Rehberg's lawsuit should not go forward. Witnesses are protected from civil lawsuits over what they say in trial testimony. "Grand jury witnesses should enjoy the same immunity as witnesses at trial," Alito said. "This means that a grand jury witness has absolute immunity."
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Supreme Court 101 in session at high court Supreme Court 101 in session at high court
George Mason University law student Matthew Long still has three months
of schoolwork before graduation, but this week he and two classmates had
a case before the Supreme Court.
The group of students is part of a new class dedicated to Supreme Court work at the Fairfax, Va., school. Nationwide, more than a half dozen law schools offer similar courses.
The students don't get to argue the cases. They aren't even lawyers yet. But students participating in the so-called Supreme Court clinics get to do everything else: research issues, draft briefs and consult with the lawyer actually presenting the case to the high court.
"We're all very much aware that you can go your entire legal career without ever being on a case before this court, and it's unbelievable that we'd have this experience as law students," Long, 26, said as he stood outside the Supreme Court after Monday's arguments in a case about a man in prison for murder in Colorado and time limits involved in his case.
Stanford University started the first Supreme Court clinic for students in 2004 and is still involved in the most cases. But schools with clinics now include Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Virginia and the University of Texas. In the past three years, clinics report that students have been involved in about 1 out of every 6 cases argued before the court. This week, students are participating in two of the court's cases.
The group of students is part of a new class dedicated to Supreme Court work at the Fairfax, Va., school. Nationwide, more than a half dozen law schools offer similar courses.
The students don't get to argue the cases. They aren't even lawyers yet. But students participating in the so-called Supreme Court clinics get to do everything else: research issues, draft briefs and consult with the lawyer actually presenting the case to the high court.
"We're all very much aware that you can go your entire legal career without ever being on a case before this court, and it's unbelievable that we'd have this experience as law students," Long, 26, said as he stood outside the Supreme Court after Monday's arguments in a case about a man in prison for murder in Colorado and time limits involved in his case.
Stanford University started the first Supreme Court clinic for students in 2004 and is still involved in the most cases. But schools with clinics now include Harvard University, Yale University, the University of Virginia and the University of Texas. In the past three years, clinics report that students have been involved in about 1 out of every 6 cases argued before the court. This week, students are participating in two of the court's cases.
Driver acquitted in deadly Megabus crash in NY Driver acquitted in deadly Megabus crash in NY
A bus driver was acquitted Tuesday of homicide charges in the deaths of
four passengers killed when his double-decker crashed into an overpass
in upstate New York.
A judge announced the verdict after a non-jury trial for 60-year-old John Tomaszewski of Yardville, N.J. Tomaszewski would have faced up to four years in state prison on each of four counts of criminally negligent homicide. He sat with his head bowed and showed no reaction as Onondaga County Court Judge Anthony Aloi read the verdict.
"It was a tragic accident and four people lost their lives," Tomaszewski said as he left court. "It's something I'll have to deal with the rest of my life."
There were 29 passengers on the Megabus when the top of the bus hit the railroad bridge in Salina, just outside Syracuse, early on the morning of Sept. 11, 2010.
Tomaszewski was driving from Philadelphia to Toronto with a planned stop at the Regional Transportation Center in Syracuse when he missed an exit from Interstate 81 and ended up on the parkway instead.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Bednarksi said during the trial that Tomaszewski was using a personal GPS device as he tried to find his way to the bus station and passed 13 low-bridge warning signs, some with flashing yellow lights, before the wreck.
A judge announced the verdict after a non-jury trial for 60-year-old John Tomaszewski of Yardville, N.J. Tomaszewski would have faced up to four years in state prison on each of four counts of criminally negligent homicide. He sat with his head bowed and showed no reaction as Onondaga County Court Judge Anthony Aloi read the verdict.
"It was a tragic accident and four people lost their lives," Tomaszewski said as he left court. "It's something I'll have to deal with the rest of my life."
There were 29 passengers on the Megabus when the top of the bus hit the railroad bridge in Salina, just outside Syracuse, early on the morning of Sept. 11, 2010.
Tomaszewski was driving from Philadelphia to Toronto with a planned stop at the Regional Transportation Center in Syracuse when he missed an exit from Interstate 81 and ended up on the parkway instead.
Assistant District Attorney Chris Bednarksi said during the trial that Tomaszewski was using a personal GPS device as he tried to find his way to the bus station and passed 13 low-bridge warning signs, some with flashing yellow lights, before the wreck.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Curtis law firm moves D.C. office
Every month, we like to feature news circulating with local law firms and attorneys in the country. Today we would like to take part in the announcement of Curtis law firm moving their offices. Read more below, visit their law firm website, or leave us a comment!
The D.C. office of law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP has relocated its headquarters to larger space downtown.
The firm said that its new location, on the top floor of 1717 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, more than doubles the size of its offices and will allow for continued expansion of its practice.
"This relocation marks an important step in Curtis’ ongoing expansion in Washington,” said D.C. Managing Partner Daniel Lenihan.
The firm said that it has added four senior lawyers to its D.C. office since December 2008.
According to its Web site, Curtis has three U.S. offices with 16 professionals working in Washington, five working in Houston and more than 100 based in New York. In addition, Curtis has 10 international offices.
The D.C. office of law firm Curtis, Mallet-Prevost, Colt & Mosle LLP has relocated its headquarters to larger space downtown.
The firm said that its new location, on the top floor of 1717 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, more than doubles the size of its offices and will allow for continued expansion of its practice.
"This relocation marks an important step in Curtis’ ongoing expansion in Washington,” said D.C. Managing Partner Daniel Lenihan.
The firm said that it has added four senior lawyers to its D.C. office since December 2008.
According to its Web site, Curtis has three U.S. offices with 16 professionals working in Washington, five working in Houston and more than 100 based in New York. In addition, Curtis has 10 international offices.
Carey, Danis team with Lowe on new law firm
St. Louis attorneys John Carey, Joseph Danis and Jeffrey Lowe said Monday they formed Carey, Danis & Lowe law firm.
Carey, 48, and Danis, 40, were already practicing together as Carey & Danis LLC, which focused on pharmaceutical liability, mass torts and class actions, recovering more than $800 million for its clients.
The Lowe Law Firm focused its practice on personal injury cases and has won some of the largest jury verdicts in Missouri, obtaining settlements and judgments of more than $150 million. Lowe, 53, obtained a $105 million verdict against Bridgestone/Firestone in 2000 on behalf of Randy Dorman for injuries he suffered when a tire rim assembly exploded.
The new firm will handle pharmaceutical liability, product liability, personal injury, medical malpractice, class actions, and economic loss cases throughout the United States.
Carey, 48, and Danis, 40, were already practicing together as Carey & Danis LLC, which focused on pharmaceutical liability, mass torts and class actions, recovering more than $800 million for its clients.
The Lowe Law Firm focused its practice on personal injury cases and has won some of the largest jury verdicts in Missouri, obtaining settlements and judgments of more than $150 million. Lowe, 53, obtained a $105 million verdict against Bridgestone/Firestone in 2000 on behalf of Randy Dorman for injuries he suffered when a tire rim assembly exploded.
The new firm will handle pharmaceutical liability, product liability, personal injury, medical malpractice, class actions, and economic loss cases throughout the United States.
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