In addition to the woman killed and others injured at Charlottesville, two innocent people had their lives turned upside down by the online mob. First, "alt-right" supporters (and even some mainstream conservatives) fingered the wrong guy as the owner/driver who mowed down demonstrators with his car: Prominent alt-right media personalities and websites framed a Michigan … Continue reading A great weekend for online justice
Media
“The Rise and Fall of Aereo”
Damon Root, in the latest issue of Reason, has an interesting piece explaining the U.S. Supreme Court battle between Aereo, makers of a tiny antenna which allowed subscribers to watch and record TV broadcasts on their mobile phones, and the major American TV networks. "Subscribers" might be the key word here. I get the impression … Continue reading “The Rise and Fall of Aereo”
Mark Steyn’s self-destructive streak
As a longtime fan of Steyn's writing, I'm disappointed to see him doing pretty much everything you should never do when you're the defendant in a defamation suit: In 2012—after writers for National Review and a prominent conservative think tank accused him of fraud and compared him to serial child molester Jerry Sandusky—climate scientist Michael Mann took the … Continue reading Mark Steyn’s self-destructive streak
“Cyber Safety” in Nova Scotia
This province's new Cyber Safety Act, drafted after the horrible Rehteah Parsons case came to light, officially took effect yesterday. The law firm of Stewart McKelvey published this brief summary of the new law: Cyberbullying is defined in the Act as: any electronic communication through the use of technology including, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, … Continue reading “Cyber Safety” in Nova Scotia
Book Review – Without Honour: The True Story of the Shafia Family and the Kingston Canal Murders by Rob Tripp
[Originally posted at Canadian Lawyer] “My children did a lot of cruelty toward me.” - Mohammad Shafia, testifying at his trial for murdering his first wife and three daughters His daughters’ “cruelty” manifested itself in several ways: wearing revealing and immodest clothing, dating boys, and refusing to follow his strict orders. And for that, they had … Continue reading Book Review – Without Honour: The True Story of the Shafia Family and the Kingston Canal Murders by Rob Tripp
Slandering the dead
It is understandable that friends and family members would instinctively rush to the defense of loved ones accused of a terrible crime. And, of course, they're innocent until proven guilty, and there may be details about the Rehtaeh Parsons case which we haven't heard yet. That said, what kind of jackals would do something like … Continue reading Slandering the dead
Whoever wins, we lose
The good news is, Donald Trump or Bill Maher will lose this case. The bad news is, Donald Trump or Bill Maher will win this case: Donald Trump is filing a lawsuit against Bill Maher for failing to live up to an "unconditional offer" made on NBC's Tonight Show to donate $5 million to charity if Trump provided a copy … Continue reading Whoever wins, we lose
The kids are alright
Not all child stars end up like Lindsay Lohan. Business Insider lists six who went on to become successful lawyers, like Charlie Korsmo from Dick Tracy and Hook: Law School: Yale Undergraduate: MIT — Physics Current job: Law professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law Films: "Hook," "What About Bob?," "Can't Hardly Wait," "Dick Tracy" How You Probably Know … Continue reading The kids are alright
What happened to everyone from the OJ trial?
Bitter Lawyer follows up. Marcia Clark is now a "special correspondent" for Entertainment Tonight, which is just seems too perfect.
A Separation
[This review originally appeared at CanadianLawyerMag.com.] I went into the Iranian film A Separation expecting a film about, well, a separation. And on its surface, the movie is about the breakdown of a marriage between two upper-middle-class professionals in Tehran, and the effect upon their preteen daughter. The very first scene gives us a glimpse of proceedings … Continue reading A Separation