The autopsy results of Philip Seymour Hoffman are inconclusive. Authorities say further tests are needed to determine the cause of death.

My translation: He had multiple substances in his system and they can't say for sure whether any specific substance or combination caused his death.

The four people arrested last night have been charged with misdemeanor or felony drug possession. While one, a musician, knew Hoffman, it's not at all clear he was the source of Hoffman's heroin. The drugs seized during the search of their apartments did not have the markings found on the bags at Hoffman's apartment. Also, the heroin found at Hoffman's house did not contain Fentanyl.

The stepdaughter of arrestee Robert Vineberg, a jazz musician, said he hadn't seen Hoffman since November.

After 9 long years in Bali's notorious Kerobokan Prison, Australian Schapelle Corby is likely to be released on parole on Friday.

She will have to remain in Indonesia while on parole for 3 years. She'll live with her sister.
Her case was heard last week, and Prison Minister Akbar Hadi Prabowo is said to have approved. The final decision belongs to Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin, who has previously said he does not object.

“Some 1,700 inmates will be paroled, and Corby is indeed one of them,” Justice Minister Amir Syamsuddin said in Jakarta. He added that the letter authorizing Corby’s release would be signed within the next three days, after which she could leave Kerobokan Penitentiary in Bali.

Schapelle was approved for parole by the Bali Parole board last August. She became eligible for parole in 2012. The delays and bureaucratic wrangling are finally ending. All of our coverage of her case since 2005 is available here.

Schapelle was convicted of bringing 4 kilos of marijuana into Indonesia. She has always maintained her innocence.

Since the sad death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman is still prominent in the news, bringing with it the predictable wave of hysteria over heroin use and clamors for more restrictions on pain pills, I will use the opportunity to point out the futility of using our criminal laws as a response to heroin addiction, and the origins of heroin. [More..]

Not a good day for the Broncos, to say the least.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has died of a drug overdose. His personal assistant found him on the bathroom floor of a Manhattan apartment he had recently rented with a needle still in his arm. There was heroin nearby.

Hoffman had been struggling with drug issues since 2012, after being clean for more than 20 years. He last went through rehab in 2013.

Hoffman and his longtime partner, Mimi O'Donnell, had three children. He was nominated for an Oscar four times, and won Best Actor for "Capote." He had several current film projects on tap. [More...]

My wagers:

Pre-game - SUPER BOWL XLVIIi SPECIALS - Who will Barack Obama pick to win the game? Denver

On the national anthem: SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - How long will it take Renee Fleming to sing the official US National Anthem? Over 2 minutes 25 seconds +150

SUPER BOWL XLVIII SPECIALS - Will Knowshon Moreno cry during the singing of the National Anthem? No -140

On the coin toss - SUPER BOWL XLVIII - Coin Toss Tails -105

SUPER BOWL XLVIII - Will the team that wins the coin toss win the game? Yes

On the game result: Denver Broncos -2 1/2, Under 48

More on the flip.

Gov. Chris Christie sent this email in response to the media flap caused by a letter written by the lawyer for David Wildstein, the former Port Authority official involved in the lane closure scandal who has been seeking an immunity deal and payment of his legal fees.

I had written a long post with a lot of links on this yesterday but it got eaten by the computer when I accidentally closed the tab before publishing it. I don't have time to rewrite it all, so I'll just say it made many of the same points Christie does about the letter.

The lawyer's letter, which was carefully and ambiguously worded, didn't prove anything, let alone that what Christie said at the news conference was false. Here's the transcript of Christie's Jan. 9 press conference. [More...]

A chemist with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in Pensacola who conducted drug tests in 2,600 cases in 35 counties around the state has been relieved of duty after it was determined some of the drug samples in his cases were tampered with. The chemist allegedly swapped out some of the prescription pills with over the counter pills. Hundreds of drug convictions are now imperiled.

Head-scratching comment from Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi:

"This situation simply underlines the extent of the problem our country faces with prescription drug abuse."

Really? A police chemist falsifies evidence and the blame lies not with him but with those using the medication?

Last week, Justin Bieber was charged in Miami with driving under the influence, resisting arrest without force, and driving with an expired license. His toxicology report showed virtually no alcohol (.014). According to the results of his urine test, he had no amphetamines, opiates, oxycodone or Ambien (Zolpiderm)in his system. He tested positive for pot and Xanax, a prescription anxiety medication. These are not the results of someone with a drug problem. As to the drag racing allegation by police, that didn't happen either, according to the GPS data of the vehicle Justin was driving. The cops estimation of his speed in the police report was way off.

After a sojourn in Panama, he flew to Toronto where he had a pending misdemeanor-type charge for allegedly hitting a limo driver who was driving him and some friends around. He is represented in that case by the excellent Los Angeles attorney Howard Weitzman, and it sounds like that case will be tough to prove as well. [More...]

Best news yesterday: Obama is searching for inmates who could use a sentence commutation. Deputy AG James Cole said during a speech:

It is the department's goal to find additional candidates, who are similarly situated to the eight granted clemency last year, and recommend them to the president for clemency consideration,"

Candidates for clemency would include inmates who have had clean records in prison, do not present a threat to public safety and are facing excessive sentences, according to the speech.

[More...]

The media is full of praise for the Senate Judiciary Committee which yesterday passed a sentencing reform bill addressing mandatory minimum sentencing laws on drug offenses.

Not so fast. Here is S.1410, the Smarter Sentencing Act of 2013, as originally introduced by Senators Durbin, Leahy, and Whitehouse.

The version that passed the Judiciary Committee is a watered down, amended version of Durbin's bill. Durbin introduced a "Manager's Amendment" weakening the safety valve reform provision. Then the Committee approved amendments by Republican Charles Grassley that turned the bill into an enhanced crime bill, upping sentences and introducing more mandatory minimums for some non-drug crimes.

On mandatory minimums, the bill is an improvement, but far less than what is needed and certainly not historic. It reduces the mandatory minimum terms for drug offenses from 20, 10 and 5 years to 10, 5 and 2 years, respectively, and allows the 2010 crack cocaine sentencing reductions to apply retroactively to some classes of inmates, in the discretion of the judge. [More...]

An Italian court has convicted Amanda Knox of murder at a retrial, sentencing her to 28 1/2 years in prison. Knox, who lives in Seattle, says she won't return to Italy.

The judge has 90 days to issue a written ruling, and the defense can appeal it.

It's unlikely she would be extradited.

It is unlikely that Knox, who lives in Seattle, Washington, will return to Italy to serve additional prison time because U.S. law dictates that a person cannot be tried twice on the same charge, a legal expert told CNN. He believes that if Italy were to ask for extradition, U.S. officials would deny the request.

Her ex-boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito was also convicted and sentenced to 25 years. He attended portions of the trial and testified at one point. He is an Italian citizen and remains in Italy. It's likely Italy will revoke his passport but he is not expected to be arrested before the judge issues his written ruling.