USLegal Reporter

Since 1999, the number of executions under the death penalty have dropped 57%, according to the Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC). The number of executions in 2007 was 42, compared to 98 in 1999. 37 states currently have a death penalty, although executions were carried out in only ten states last year. 86 percent of the executions in 2007 were carried out in southern states, mainly in Texas, with 62% of the total executions nationwide. Executions outside the South were conducted in Arizona, South Dakota, Indiana, and Ohio.

The U.S. Supreme Court issued a moratorium on executions in September 2007, in order to decide whether lethal injections constitute uncontitutional cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. This month the Court decided that the method doesn’t violate the Eighth Amendment, and stays imposed on executions pending the court’s ruling have been lifted. Therefore, this month’s decision may lead to an increase in executions in 2008.

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/18/death.penalty.decline/index.html

The United States Supreme Court today ruled that evidence gathered after an invalid state arrest could still be used against a suspect at trial.

David Lee Moore had been pulled over by police for driving on a suspended license. Under Virginia law, police in such situations issue a citation and let the driver go. Instead, police searched Moore’s vehicle and found crack cocaine. He was convicted on a drug charge and sentenced to three and a half years in prison.

The Virginia Supreme Court ruled that Moore should not have had the drug evidence used against him and overturned his conviction. The Supreme Court unanimously disagreed.

Writing for the Court Justice Antonin Scalia said, “When officers have probable cause to believe that a person has committed a crime in their presence, the Fourth Amendment permits them to make an arrest, and to search the suspect in order to safeguard evidence and ensure their own safety.”

The case is Virginia v. Moore.

Sources: http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/06-1082.pdf

http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/04/23/scotus.searches/

A federal grand jury today charged a U.S. Company and two Chinese businesses with manufacturing and importing pet food that contained unsafe ingredients.  ChemNutra, based in Las Vegas, and its top executives are now facing 26 misdemeanor counts and one felony.

Last March, more than 150 brands of dog and cat food were recalled after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received reports that animals were getting sick after eating tainted food. By Justice Department estimates, more than 4,000 dogs and cats died after eating contaminated products.

Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601103&sid=anKsuM0Nmuyc&refer=us

Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick voluntarily surrendered to authorities and was taken into custody today by the U.S. Marshal’s Service. Vick is now serving time for running an illegal dog fighting ring. He is being held at the Northern Neck Regional Jail in Warsaw, Virginia.

Vick was indicted by a federal grand jury in September. He pleaded guilty to a felony conspiracy stemming from running a dogfighting kennel on a property he owned in Virgina.

Vick is not actually scheduled to be sentenced until  December 10th. Vick’s lawyer said he decided to begin serving his prison time early to get out as soon as possible.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/11/19/vick.surrenders/?iref=mpstoryview

The California Supreme Court on Monday said parole agents can continue to sweep neighborhoods and arrest parolees in violation of Jessica’s law. The law prohibits convicted sex offenders from living within 2000 feet of a school or park where children can regularly be found.

The state department of corrections said it notified 1800 parolees that they were in violation of the law. Last week, sweeps began to arrest those in violation.

Four former sex offenders and parolees who were arrested in the crackdown and sought an injunction from the state Supreme Court to halt arrests. They claimed the law is vague and that it unfairly punishes former offenders after they are released from prison.

Source: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmVJurv4JDShhBqgKezeEJVnJJJAD8SA2B180 

New Orleans District Attorney, Eddie Jordan, announced that he would not file criminal charges against the Sisters of the Holy Family, which operated the Lafon nursing home in New Orleans, where 19 elderly patients died as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The Sisters of the Holy Family decided it was not safe to evacuate the elderly patients, but evacuated the elderly nuns in the facility and in a home across the street.

The decision followed a recent acquittal by a jury of owners of St. Rita’s Nursing Home in a nearby parish, who were charged with negligent homicide and cruelty for failure to evacuate their facility.

Source: http://www.nola.com/newsflash/louisiana/index.ssf?/base/news-34/118952281131470.xml&storylist=louisiana

A federal appeals court on Tuesday turned down former Illinois Governor George Ryan’s request for a new trial. Ryan was found guilty on multiple counts of fraud, corruption, and other charges in 2006.

His lawyer argued on appeal that jury deliberations were flawed because two jurors had not revealed that they had prior criminal records. Once it was discovered, those jurors were replaced by the district court judge.

A three judge panel for the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ruled 2-1 that the district judge had acted properly.

Ryan will now begin a six and a half year prison term.

Source: http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/paperchase/2007/08/federal-appeals-court-upholds-fraud.php

A federal jury today found 36-year old U.S. citizen Jose Padilla and two other suspects of Arab descent guilty of terrorism conspiracy charges. The men were convicted of conspiring to murder, kidnap and harm people overseas. Evidence was brought out during the trial that Padilla had planned to attend a terrorist training camp in Afghanistan in 2000. His co-defendants were accused of training Al Qaeda fighters and financing their missions.

Padilla becomes one of the first Americans to be named an “enemy combatant” since the September 11, 2001 attacks. He now faces life in prison.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/16/us/16cnd-padilla.html?hp

Tim Donaghy, a former referee for the National Basketball Association, surrendered to police in New York and plead guilty today to two felony counts related to betting on basketball games. The counts include conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and gambling on games in which he was an official. He now faces up to 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Donaghy was released on a $250,000 bond. He is scheduled to be sentenced on November 9th.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/15/sports/basketball/15cnd-NBA.html?em&ex=1187323200&en=27dc2854a57e41d3&ei=5087%0A, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081500300.html?hpid=topnews 

Joe Nacchio, the former CEO of Qwest Communications, was ordered by a federal judge today to forfeit $52 million that he gained from stock sales.

In April 2007, Nacchio was convicted of insider trading. He reportedly profited millions while withholding information from investors that the telecommunications company was at serious financial risk. Thousands of investors lost money when Quest’s stock dropped dramtically from about $60 a share in 2000 to $2 a share in 2002.

In addition to being ordered by a federal judge to hand over $52 million in 15 days, Nacchio has also been sentenced to six years in prison. He will also have to pay a $19 million fine, the maximum penalty.

Nacchio’s request for bail was denied pending an appeal. 

Sources: http://cbs2.com/topstories/topstories_story_208113304.html

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070727/ap_on_bi_ge/qwest_nacchio_sentencing