Explicit texts allowed in evidence
Judge Staley rules against Harris, agreeing with the prosecution that explicit texts he sent to multiple women on the day of his son’s death could provide a motive for the murder charges and could demonstrate Harris’ state of mind leading up to and on the day of the boy’s death. Detectives say Harris had multiple online and in-person affairs and exchanged messages with six women, including an underage girl, as late as 15 minutes from when he last saw his son alive. They also say there is evidence Harris was unhappy in his family life and had said if it weren’t for his son, he would leave his wife. Harris, in one text:
I love my son and all, but we both need escapes.
The trial will begin the week of Feb. 22.
Zimbabwe will not charge
Zimbabwe’s Environment minister says the country will not charge American dentist Walter Palmer for killing Cecil because he had obtained legal authority to conduct the hunt. The government says Palmer is free to visit Zimbabwe as a tourist but not as a hunter.
We approached the police and then the Prosecutor General, and it turned out that Palmer came to Zimbabwe because all the papers were in order.
Defamation suit continues
Federal Judge Mastroianni says a defamation lawsuit brought against Cosby by three women who say he sexually abused them decades ago can move forward. Cosby’s lawyers had asked the judge to dismiss their suit, arguing that the remarks were personal opinions protected by the First Amendment and legal declarations made in his defense. Green, Serignese and Traitz have accused Cosby of drugging them and then having unwanted sexual contact with them. The defamatory comments range from statements dismissing their accusations as “ridiculous claims” and “absurd fabrication” to longer remarks that sought to discredit the accuser. Mastroianni:
The court recognizes that some jurisdictions do apply a version of the conditional self-defense privilege, which allows individuals, in certain circumstances, to publish defamatory responsive statements necessary to defend their reputation. However … such a privilege does not permit a defendant to knowingly publish false states.
Attorney for women:
We’d expect and hope the judge rejected every one of Mr. Cosby’s attempts to throw the case out of court and allowed the case to proceed.
Public intoxication arrest
LaBeouf is arrested in Austin for misdemeanor public intoxication. Witnesses say LeBeouf and a woman are denied entry to a bar because they are too intoxicated. LeBoeuf becomes verbally abusive and tries to force himself into the bar, but is stopped. He then runs down the street and jaywalks in front of police. They warn him to stop, but he continues to act bizarrely and is arrested. He is taken to the Travis County Jail.
90 day suspension
Blatter, Platini and Valcke are suspended for 90 days by FIFA’s ethics committee. Blatter’s lawyers say he is “disappointed” the committee had not followed its own code in allowing him an opportunity to be heard.
[The suspension is based on] a misunderstanding of the actions of the attorney general in Switzerland. President Blatter looks forward to the opportunity to present evidence that will demonstrate that he did not engage in any misconduct, criminal or otherwise.
Valcke says the suspension is “farcical” and based on “based on mere semblances”:
I refuse to believe this is a political decision taken in haste in order to taint a lifelong devotee of the game or crush my candidacy for the Fifa presidency.
UEFA says it has full confidence in Platini and will not remove him from duties while the FIFA suspension is ongoing.
Found guilty
A jury of 11 women and 1 man find Keys guilty on all three counts: conspiracy to commit computer hacking, transmission of malicious code causing unauthorized damage to a protected computer, and attempting to transmit malicious code to cause unauthorized damage to a protected computer. He faces a maximum of 25 years and will be sentenced on Jan 20, 2016. His lawyers say he will appeal. FBI:
This case demonstrates the FBI’s commitment to identify and investigate those who harass former employers by using insider knowledge to intentionally exploit computer systems—whether directly or by proxy—to damage the reputation and operations of a business. Individuals who use ‘bully’ tactics to attack computer networks will face justice for their actions.
Keys:
The government wanted to send a clear message that if you want to cover a group they don’t agree with, and you’re not complicit with them [the government], they will target you.
That was bullshit.
— Matthew Keys (@MatthewKeysLive) October 7, 2015
Arrested after mac-n-cheese commotion
Gatti, a University of Connecticut freshman, is arrested after he argues with a food service worker when denied service for carrying an open container of alcohol in the campus student union. He uses a gay slur against the manager and repeatedly demands:
Just give me some (expletive) bacon-jalapeno mac and cheese.
After shoving the the manager Gatti is tackled, subdued and arrested, charged with breach of the peace and criminal trespass.
UConn:
Generally speaking, any UConn student found to have violated the provisions of the Student Code may face penalties imposed by the Division of Student Affairs that range from probation to expulsion.
Widow, children settle estate claims
Williams’ widow and his three children reach a settlement over his estate. Lawyers say Susan Williams will remain in the San Francisco Bay Area home she shared with Williams and receive living expenses to maintain the home for the rest of her life. She will also receive a watch Robin Williams often wore, a bike bought on their honeymoon, and their wedding gifts. Lawyer:
Susan gets to enforce Robin’s wishes. She gets to stay in the house as Robin wanted, with the trust being created to pay the expenses.
Children’s lawyer:
I think they’re just very happy to have this behind them.
Trial starts
During opening arguments, Keys lawyer tells the jury his client is not guilty because he neither intended to cause damage, nor actually caused the amount of damage that the government alleges. The defense argues that Keys was in the Anonymous IRC channel as a journalist, looking to write up a “headline-grabbing story” about Anonymous. His lawyers say a major issue is whether Key’s actions were “low-level vandalism, or high-level, high-damage hacking,” and note the defaced article was changed back in an hour.
Matthew Keys did not know as much as the government says he knew. He did not know the true capabilities of the others in the chatroom with him.
Prosecutors claim that the Tribune spent over $5,000 to fix the defacement. They claims to have a recording of Keys confessing, “I did it,” as well as a written confession.
This is a case about online anonymous revenge.
Wrongful death suit
Meadow Walker files a wrongful death suit against Porsche allege that the Porsche Carrera GT lacked safety features that could have prevented the accident or, would have allowed her father to survive the crash. She also alleges that Porsche knew that the specific car in Paul’s case had a history of instability and control issues.
[The company] failed to install its electronic stability control system, which is specifically designed to protect against the swerving actions inherent in hyper-sensitive vehicles of this type.
Lawyer:
The bottom line is that the Porsche Carrera GT is a dangerous car. It doesn’t belong on the street. And we shouldn’t be without Paul Walker or his friend, Roger Rodas.
Refused Australian visa
Australia’s immigration department issues a “notice of intention to consider refusal” which means that Brown cannot enter the country. Tickets for his December tour in the country are due to go on sale Sept 28. He has 28 days to appeal. Australia’s Minister for Women:
People need to understand, if you are going to commit domestic violence and you want to travel around the world, there are going to be countries that say to you, ‘You cannot come in because you are not of the character that we expect in Australia’.
Drivers sue
Drivers begin to sue VW for misleading them about their car’s emissions. Customer:
I felt ill. It’s really made us feel very bad about what we ourselves are now doing to the environment.
Lawyers representing around three dozen VW customers:
Volkswagen has committed a bait and switch. Everyone we’ve spoken with feels that they’ve been lied to by Volkswagen. They were sold clean diesel cars when in fact they got dirty diesel cars.
Official name, gender change
Judge Rosenberg grants Jenner’s petition to change her name and gender during a brief hearing at LA Superior Court. Jenner does not attend but is represented by two lawyers. The approval means Jenner’s new name is Caitlyn Marie Jenner, replacing her birth name of William Bruce Jenner. She can now get documents — including a driver’s license and Social Security card — that conform to her new identity. Some details of the petition are redacted for provacy reasons:
Although public support for my transition has been overwhelmingly supportive, I am also receiving unwelcome negative attention from private citizens, including threats of bodily harm.
Criminal proceedings start
The Swiss attorney general’s office says announces criminal proceedings against Blatter, saying he is suspected of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation over a TV rights deal he signed with Warner, the former Caribbean football chief in 2005. Blatter is also suspected of ‘a disloyal payment’ against FIFA of two million Swiss francs to UEFA president Platini in 2011. Platini is the favourite to succeed Blatter. Under Swiss law, a payment is classified disloyal if it is against the best interest of the employer. Blatter’s offices are raided, and he is interrogated in the afternoon, after chairing a meeting of FIFA’s executive committee.
Up to seven years sentence
Mitchell is sentenced to between 2 1/3 years and seven years for her part in Matt and Sweat’s escape. Before sentencing she claims that Matt threatened to kill her husband if she didn’t help him and Sweat escape.
If I could take it all back I would. I can’t begin to explain how sorry I am for all this…Why I did what I did I don’t know, other than that I was scared for my husband.
She also offers to wear an ankle bracelet for life, which Judge Ryan rejects:
Ms. Mitchell I just don’t find that explanation credible, your husband’s life just would not have been in more danger…You did terrible things. At any time, you could have stopped the escape from happening.
He also notes that New York State officials estimate the cost of the search for Sweat and Matt at $23 million.
But staggering as the economic costs to New York State may be, the economic and non-economic cost suffered by so many people is incalculable. A large portion of the population was terrorized…[Law enforcement] traversed deeply inhospitable territory, never knowing if the next step they took would be their last.
Will not be prosecuted
The L.A. County D.A.’s Office says that Jenner was negligent, but not criminal and will not be prosecuted for vehicular manslaughter in February’s fatal PCH car crash. However, sources say that The D.A. can ignore the conclusions and go forward by filing criminal charges anyway, although it is seen as unlikely.
No discrimination against Asian students
The Federal Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights says there is no evidence that Princeton University discriminates against Asian and Asian-American applicants. One claim has come from a student originally from China who was wait-listed in 2006, while, they said, applicants of with similar credentials were accepted. The other is from the parents of a student of Indian descent who was rejected in 2010, who have asserted the university discriminated generally against Asian and Indian applicants. The Office found that that the university uses race and national origin in its admissions considerations as two of many factors, but that the university did not subject members of any group to different admissions standards than others. The university says that having perfect SAT scores and being valedictorian of a high school class does not guarantee admission to the school.
Pardoned
Fahmy, Baher, and Greste are pardoned, along with other human rights activists, by Egypt’s President Sisi. Fahmy:
[I still] can’t believe it. [Baher and I] have not digested the fact that we are free [yet].
Canadian officials say will help Fahmy with his departure from Egypt:
Canada is pleased that Egyptian President el-Sisi has granted Mr. Fahmy a pardon. We look forward to Mr. Fahmy reuniting with his family and loved ones, and his return to Canada.
Copyright not valid
Judge King rules that none of the companies that have collected royalties on Happy Birthday for the past 80 years have a valid copyright claim. The case was brought by Marya and Siegel, against Warner/Chappell, who make around two million dollars a year from royalty payments whenever the song is used. King:
The Hill sisters gave Summy Co. the rights to the melody, and the rights to piano arrangements based on the melody, but never any rights to the lyrics. Summy Co. had never acquired copyright to the song’s words.
Warner/Chappell:
We are looking at the court’s lengthy opinion and considering our options.
Sues Daniels for defamation
Penn sues Daniels for $10 million for defamation, based on comments Daniels made in a Hollywood Reporter interview:
[Terrence] ain’t done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn, and all of a sudden he’s some f*ckin’ demon.That’s a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America.
Suit:
This action arises from reckless, false, and defamatory statements made by Defendant Lee Daniels (“Daniels”) about one of this generation’s most highly-acclaimed and greatest artists and humanitarians, Sean Penn. As a result of Penn’s status as a public figure, he has for years been the subject of scandalous, scurrilous, and baseless attacks. But Penn, like any citizen, has a right to defend himself and will no longer tolerate the reckless and malicious behavior of others, who seek to aggrandize themselves or their projects at his expense. Accordingly, and because of Daniels’ defamatory statements, Penn brings this action for monetary relief, and to deter Daniels and others from their defamatory actions…Daniels falsely equates Penn with Howard, even though, while he has certainly had several brushes with the law, Penn (unlike Howard) has never been arrested, much less convicted, for domestic violence, as his ex-wives (including Madonna) would confirm and attest.