Westboro Baptist Church: Fundamentalists, Funerals and the First Amendment

It was Evelyn Beatrice Hall (and not Voltaire) who first said: “I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”. Well I disagree with what “Pastor” Fred Phelps and his fanatical minions at Westboro Baptist Church have to say and I will not risk even a scuffed shoe to defend their right to say it.

I can think of few things worse than a family grieving and mourning the loss of a loved one being confronted and harangued by someone waving a sign carrying an offensive epithet such as “God Hates Fags”, “Semper Fi Fags” or “God Loves IEDs”. Epithets that are aimed squarely at the family of the deceased telling those assembled that Westboro believes God struck down their loved one to make a statement about his views on homosexuality. Who are these people to think that they have a direct line to heaven and that they can interpret the views of their God?

Detection of Deception: The Truth about Lying, in Business, in Law and in Life

Lying can be big business. People lie for a variety of reasons, but what it boils down to is that they lie because they believe it will benefit them and they lie hoping they can get away with it. Can you imagine, therefore, the huge benefit that any individual, or business, could gain if they could tell when someone was trying to deceive them?

We have all seen the TV show, the one where the guy with the English accent can tell someone is lying because of they way they smile, or twitch their nose for a fraction of a second. We have seen the stage performers who can convince an audience that they are a human lie detector. Well that is the fiction. People want to know the fact.

UK Higher Education, Fees, Riots and Royals

I want to begin this post by stating that I am a free market type chap. I believe in personal freedoms, so please no "commie" or "socialist" lash outs, I am neither. I also wish to state that I will never condone the violent actions of some student protestors in the UK as they give voice to their feelings of outrage over increases in fees (tuition for those reading in the USA). Today was a day of protests, like many before, that ended with a can of paint being thrown at the car carrying the Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall. I doubt that much of the violence was orchestrated by students, rather I fear others had a hand in this (perhaps someone from a DIY chain decided to “launch” a new product)

Blessings And Peace Officers Be Upon You?

In 2006 Julie Anne Yencer was arrested for drunken and reckless driving by a Davidson College police officer. She pleaded guilty but then appealed and asked a North Carolina state court to dismiss the charges because of Davidson's affiliation with the Presbyterian Church.

The college police officers' powers, including their power to arrest her, she argued, violated the separation of church and state. Why? Because, she argued, the officers ultimately answer to trustees, 80 percent of whom must be, under the college's bylaws, active members of a Christian church. Her lawyer argued that the state’s power cannot be exercised by a sectarian institution.

Amateur Legal Advice

I have something on my mind that has once again been brought to the fore by some recent events, so permit me to vent.

If I ever went to a hospital for surgery, I would probably run a mile (if my condition allowed it) if someone came in to my room and said, “I am not a doctor, but I am going to cut you open and remove your appendix, however, you should not consider that as being surgery as, again, I am not a doctor and don’t even play one on TV!”

Prosecuting Wikileaks' Assange

Attorney General Eric Holder has stated that the US Department of Justice is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation into Wikileaks founder Julian Assange.

Under the Espionage Act, anyone who has "unauthorized possession to information relating to the national defense" and has reason to believe it could harm the United States may be prosecuted if he publishes it or "willfully" retains it when the government has demanded its return. Make no mistake, the government has demanded the return. Unfortunately, however, prosecuting Assange may mean that more classified information will have to be released in order to prosecute him. After all, how can you show it has harmed the USA without divulging other secrets?

Welcome to “The True Verdict”

Welcome everyone to “The True Verdict”, a blog offering analysis and comment, from a non-partisan perspective, on law, politics and current affairs. I will do my very best to post regularly, and ask some friends to post as well on issues near and dear to their hearts.

I must, as every lawyer should, begin with a quick disclaimer. Nothing in this blog should be considered legal advice and no-one should be relying on this blog for legal advice. Nor does reading this blog constitute the formation of an attorney client relationship. It is comment and analysis, and perhaps some of my jokes along the way as well.

So, again, welcome, and I hope you enjoy reading my ramblings!