Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Use of the death penalty is disappearing from entire sections of the United States, and eroding in others
According to data from the Death Penalty Information Center, not only have executions declined by 75%, but death sentences have dropped by 85%. “There were more than 300 death sentences per year that were imposed in the United States in the mid-1990s,” said the Director. “We are going to, this year, have the fifth straight year in which there were fewer than 50 death sentences imposed.” Earlier this year, the Kentucky Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a case that could raise the death-penalty eligibility age in the state to 21. Since 1976, three people have been executed in Kentucky. Supporters say public opinion, high-profile cases, and improvements in capital punishment defense and evidence have all contributed to judges and juries shifting away from death sentences. Statistics show that use of the death penalty remains concentrated in the South. 29 states, along with the U-S government and military, continue to have the death penalty as an option in criminal cases. (Public News Service)
Indiana judges suspended after drunken parking lot brawl that left two of them shot
Three Indiana judges have been temporarily suspended without pay over their involvement in a drunken brawl in a White Castle parking lot earlier this year — that ended with two of them shot. The two men and the lady were attending a judicial conference in Indianapolis in May when they gathered at a bar to drink for several hours before deciding to head to a strip club called the Red Garter. The establishment was closed, so at around 3:15 a.m., they wound up at White Castle, instead. While a fourth judge accompanying them went inside the restaurant, the three remained outside. During that time, a car with two male passengers drove by and yelled something out the window. One of the male judges reacted by flipping them the bird, and the men rolled into the parking lot to confront the judges who were described in court documents as being “in a heavily intoxicated state.” The confrontation ended when one of the men from the car pulled a gun and shot the male judges a total of three times, investigators said. Both judges were seriously injured and were hospitalized for several days. After the incident, the Indiana Supreme Court was less than impressed and decided to hand down penalties to the judges, “not primarily to punish a judge, but rather to preserve the integrity of and public confidence in the judicial system.” The female judge and the male judges that was shot twice were were both given 30 day unpaid suspensions from the bench, while the male judge that got shot once was handed a more severe sentence of 60 day suspension with no pay because he pleaded guilty to battery charges related to the incident earlier this year. (The Blaze)
Newark Named Most Expensive Airport In The United States
The vast majority of flyers may not have much say in what airport they depart from. But those who do might be surprised to find just how much farther their dollar will go at one airport than another. To calculate the most expensive and affordable airports in the nation, researchers considered some of the common costs incurred by travelers at the biggest airports in the country (by passenger count), starting with the average price of domestic airfare, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Adding that with the price of a baggage-cart rental (with lots of help from the people at Smarte Carte), parking fees, how much it costs to take an Uber from the city center and what you pay for a coffee at the airport Starbucks, or a comparable chain in airports without a Starbucks across airports in the US, finding New York’s LaGuardia Airport to hold that dubious honor with a cup of Joe costing $3.10. Portland International Airport was named the most affordable, at $2.15.
The Most Expensive Airports in the US
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) (Newark, New Jersey)
- John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) (New York City, New York)
- Dulles International Airport (IAD) (Dulles, Virginia)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO) (San Francisco, California)
- LaGuardia International Airport (LGA) (New York City, New York)
The Most Affordable Airports in the US
- McCarran International Airport (LAS) (Las Vegas, Nevada)
- Orlando International Airport (MCO) (Orlando, Florida)
- Fort Lauderdale – Hollywood International Airport (FLL) (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
- Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) (San Jose, California)
- Oakland International Airport (OAK) (Oakland, California)
Florida woman bit boyfriend’s penis ‘out of frustration’: cops
A 33-year-old woman in Miami Beach, Florida allegedly bit her boyfriend’s penis and threatened him with a knife after she accused him of wanting to have sex with another woman. The alleged assault happened during an hours-long drinking session. She was drinking beers with her boyfriend when a female friend joined them at about midnight, according to the report. The friend left a short time later but the woman became enraged and accused her boyfriend of wanting to have sex with the woman. She allegedly shouted at him, grabbed him by the arms and “began to poke him with a knife,” according to a police report. She then “bit his penis out of frustration,” he later told police. She was arrested and hit with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, according to county records. Her bond was set at $6,500. (NBC 2)
Fewer of jobless claim benefits
Dwindling jobless claims are down to more than just a tight labor market. Stricter eligibility requirements, as well as reductions in the amount and duration of unemployment benefits since the end of the last recession, have contributed to an almost 10% decline in recipients — to 28% of jobless Americans. And while a higher-than-average number of people are quitting their jobs, the fact that they’re doing so voluntarily generally disqualifies them from making claims. (Department of Labor)
The Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments about a controversial name change involving a Minneapolis lake
The change was made to better reflect American Indian history, and one local historian says more of these actions can be expected. The name change from “Lake Calhoun” to its original Dakota name, “Bde Maka Ska” is one of several recent examples of an iconic place or building considered for re-naming in honor of Native Americans. A University of Minnesota history professor, who studies indigenous people, says getting influential leaders to listen has been a turning point. Following a petition, the state Department of Natural Resources last year decided on the name change. Supporters of the change felt naming the lake for 1800’s politician John C. Calhoun was offensive because of his policies towards American Indians. But a group opposed to the change says the agency overstepped its power, and is asking the court to intervene. The professor says the decision in Minneapolis is significant because the lake is the largest in the city and has a notable legacy. On a national scale, he says efforts to rename “Mount McKinley” to “Mount Denali” (which trace back to the 1970s) eventually paid off and had a huge impact on the movement. There’s also been a recent movement to rename a mountain inside Yellowstone National Park. In Minnesota, the state historical society is seeking input on renaming Fort Snelling. (Public News Service)
Google to shield personal data
Google will limit advertisers’ access to personal data after European authorities fined the tech giant for violating its privacy laws. From February, the company will stop advertisers from viewing information on websites a user has visited, preventing them from tying sensitive searches to the users. Google has faced scrutiny on both sides of the Atlantic over its advertising business, with 50 U.S. attorneys general launching an antitrust investigation into the search giant. (The Wall Street Journal)
That’s no hooker — that’s your arresting officer
A Seattle police captain found out the hard way that one of his fellow officers was on undercover vice patrol, a report said. The 53-year-old police captain propositioned a woman he thought was a hooker — but she was actually an undercover cop. He was arrested after he offered her $40, the report said. The captain, who works in the department’s professional standards bureau, was then rushed though the criminal justice system, getting booked in jail then released in less than half an hour. “Seattle police arrested a 53-year-old SPD employee last night in an undercover Vice operation in North Seattle,” the police department said in a statement. “The employee was booked into King County Jail with a request for misdemeanor charges, and the information was forwarded to the Office of Police Accountability,” they added. He was suspended after the bust. (KIRO)
Tuesday Stumbles In Like A Drunken Sailor With:
- American Made Matters Day
- Equal Opportunity Day (aka Gettysburg Address Day)
- Have A Bad Day Day
- International Men’s Day
- National Entrepreneurship Day (Third Tuesday)
- Parents Day (Tuesday of National Education Week)
- Rocky and Bullwinkle Day
- Women’s Entrepreneurship Day
- World Philosophy Day
- World Toilet Day
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