Most Shocking Verdict: Judge Rules Rapper Can be Prosecuted for Gun on CD Cover
Brandon Duncan, a.k.a Tiny Doo, is heading to trial over a compact disc cover featuring a gun and bullets, according to an impassioned Counter Current News story.
A judge ruled the case can proceed as a rarely used portion of the California Penal Code, Section PC186.22(b)(1), is being cited to show Duncan is involved in a gang conspiracy and is using his gang status to sell albums. Duncan’s attorney contests the judge’s decision to permit a trial, stating he has no criminal records and they CD’s lyrics do not indicate any plans to commit crime.
Read the full article from Counter Current News.
Most Religious Verdict: Pakistani Media Mogul Handed 26-Years for Blasphemy
Geo News owner Mir Shakeel-ur-Rehman has been sentenced to 26 years in jail for showing a video of people dancing to music relating to the wedding of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad's daughter, according to this article in Haaretz.
An appeal is planned. The story cites a growing rift between the Pakistani Military and the news organization and some are speculating the blasphemy law is being used to silence critics of the military. Some groups are alleging the law is being used to settle personal vendetta’s, as well, and there has been a dramatic rise in blasphemy cases and violence against the accused blasphemers. Read the full article in Haaretz.
Most Impactful Verdict: Grand Jury Opts Not to Indicate Ferguson Cop
Former police officer Darren Wilson will not be indicted for the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, the result of a case regarding an August incident in Ferguson, Missouri that has sparked a wide swath of racially-charged protests nationwide. So reports Vanity Fair.
This article details the contentious prosecution, deliberations and protests surrounding the shooting. Conflicting reports about the circumstances leading to Brown’s shooting, an unarmed 18-year-old African American killed by a white police officer, resulted in a grand jury’s decision not to pursue charges. However, the FBI and Justice Department are conducting separate and independent investigations into the matter. Read the full article from Vanity Fair.
Most Expensive Verdict: Jury Awards $186M in AutoZone Discrimination Case
A California jury decided punitive damages stemming from an employment discrimination case are worth a cool $186 million after a former employee of AutoZone claimed she was punished and fired for getting pregnant. According to the Wall Street Journal, Rosario Juarez was also awarded $800,000 in compensatory damages; however, as juries do not have the final word on awards, some speculate the damages may be scaled back.
In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court established a general rule that the ratio of punitive damages be 9:1 with respect to compensatory damages. AutoZone plans to fight the unusually generous verdict.
Read the full article from The Wall Street Journal.
Most Scientific Verdict: Transvaginal Mesh Trial Could Yield Collective Settlement
Boston Scientific Corp. lost two cases regarding its transvaginal mesh devices, which are used for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse, which may lead to a large-scale settlement of the company’s other outstanding cases, according to Reuters.
The company was cited for “gross negligence.” Experts posit that the substantial compensatory damages could be troublesome for Boston Scientific, as they face 24,000 other cases in U.S. and state courts. High compensatory awards, which are relatively more objective rewards that pertain to concrete medical expenses and lost wages, might negatively impact the company’s ability to mitigate future loses with respect to transvaginal mesh cases, the article states. Read the full article from Reuters.