Certainly the most shocking story of the week comes from Cleveland, where Ariel Castro has been charged with abducting three women, sexually abusing them, and holding them captive for ten years. CNN has the basics here. One important legal question is whether Castro could be eligible for the death penalty, based on allegations that he impregnated one of the women, then deprived her of food and punched her in the stomach repeatedly, causing her to miscarry. As Sentencing Law and Policy explains here, Ohio’s murder statute encompasses causing “the death of another or the unlawful termination of another’s pregnancy,” seemingly opening the door to a capital prosecution. In other news: Taxes on attorneys' fees. The Republican leadership of the General Assembly has unveiled a plan to reduce state income tax rates but to expand the state sales tax to services, which generally aren’t covered now. The expansion would include lawyers’ fees, as the News and Observer reports here. Defense lawyers with substantial retained practices, what effect would the reform have on you? New judge. The News and Observer notes here that Governor McCrory has appointed Assistant District Attorney Ebern “Trip” Watson III a special superior court judge. Congratulations to Judge Watson. Judge Judy. Speaking of judges, though, Reader’s Digest is reporting that a TV judge, Judge Judy, received a higher popular approval rating than any of the nine sitting Supreme Court justices. (Crime and Consequences.) Sign of the apocalypse? Supreme Court. Speaking of the Supreme Court, and apocalypses, it came out [...]
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