Author Archives: Lawyer Team

About Lawyer Team

This blog scans breaking news to find significant and interesting legal settlements. Lawyer.com is a directory website for lawyers. Featuring the best search in its field, lawyer.com connects people who need legal advice to the most qualified professionals who can provide it.

Terror Alert in Phoenix! Code: Baby Blue

Mock Terrorism? Who knows anymore.

 Mock Terrorism.  It sounds dumber when spoken than it does written here.  But I kid you not, this is something our country needs to look out for.  Michael Turley from Phoenix, Arizona, decided to make terrorism watch his job after the shooting at the Auora, Colorado movie theater. The 39 year old cinematographer and photographer filmed a short video with his 16 year old nephew to “test” the Phoenix police.  He first dressed his nephew in a blue sheet made to look like a toga.  Put a ski mask on him and armed him with a fake grenade/rocket launcher.  They then, paraded around the busiest streets in Phoneix pointing their weapon at citizens passing by.  The point was to stir up some emotions in the people walking by and to time how long it would take for Phoenix police to come to the scene.  Passersby called police to inform them of the situation even though they assumed it was a joke and were not really threatened.  When asked what they were doing with a fake grenade/rocket launcher they said they were making a movie.  Um?

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Salty Students Receive $1 Million For Being Peppered

Pepper spray

 Twenty one current and former University of California, Davis students have been awarded almost $1 million in a settlement with the University of California regents following a 2011 pepper spray incident.  Viral outrage over the incident was sparked when videos and images of a U.C.-Davis officer spraying defenseless students were posted to the internet.  The students, seen seated in a group, were participating in an Occupy protest to display their displeasure in increasing tuition prices and decreasing services.  Each student will individually receive $30,000 as well as a handwritten apology from Linda Katehi, the chancellor at U.C. Davis.  In addition to the settlement $630,000 was set aside for the 21 plaintiffs, another $250,000 will be issued to pay for legal fees and costs to the lawyers involved in the suit.  Moreover, the suit has since been recognized as a class action and will offer portions of an additional $100,000 that has been set aside for any other students who come forward with claims of being sprayed.

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New Apple iPhone Patent Raises First Amendment Concerns

iPhone issues

Apple recently acquired a patent  that would disable an iPhone’s camera, recording ability and even put it into sleep mode.  The patent characterizes its function as “forcing certain electronic devices to enter ‘sleep mode’ when entering a sensitive area”.  There are certainly some benefits of this feature that would make life a little less annoying.  Wouldn’t it be wonderful to never enjoy a film without the interruption of someone’s cell phone?  College lectures would be silent of ringtones and it could even cut down on cheating.  While these functions appear to be harmless and even beneficial, there are serious legal questions being raised that cause some to worry about other uses of the patent.   What exactly is a sensitive area and who gets to determine this?

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Colorado Man Wins $7.2 Million From Popcorn Fumes

Popcorn

Nothing like a buttery bowl of popcorn and a movie, right?  This is no longer the case for Wayne Watson from Denver, who developed a lung disease similar to bronchitis after inhaling the fumes from his microwavable bag of popcorn he had eaten regularly.  Wayne Watson settled with Gilster-Mary Lee Corp., The Kroger Co. and Dillon Companies Inc. for $7.2 million dollars for the damages to his lungs caused by the toxic buttery smell.  He won the lawsuit based on non-existent warning labels for diacetyl, an ingredient found in popcorn that gives the snack flavor.  Diacetyl, is linked with certain health conditions and is found in popcorn, margarine, and many baked goods.  It is even sometimes used to for bug repellent, good thing we are eating it.

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President Obama Appeals Injuction to Stop NDAA

Constitutional rights

 

Federal Judge Katherine recently put in place a permanent injunction to block the Obama Administration from implementing the indefinite detention portions of the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act.  President Obama has appealed this decision. In this law, American citizens’ right of due process and trial by jury have been severely weakened if not destroyed.  Any citizen considered an ‘associated force’ to terrorism may be held indefinitely.  This ambiguous language has left many to question what specifically an ‘associated force’ means.

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