CBS reports that the PRISM program is an arm of the Stellar Wind program.

A top-secret arm of the controversial Stellar Wind program set up in the wake of 9/11 is allowing the National Security Agency and the FBI to tap directly into the central servers of nine major Internet companies to extract audio, video, photos, emails and documents that let analysts track an individual's communication, CBS News has learned.

The program, called PRISM, was established in 2007, according to The Washington Post, which broke the story Thursday evening. CBS News senior correspondent John Miller said it doesn't deal with names but was designed as a way for the government to track suspected terrorists. It culls metadata from Microsoft, Yahoo, Google, Facebook, PalTalk, AOL, Skype, YouTube and Apple and will soon include Dropbox.

The Stellar Wind program was revealed a few years ago by NSA Whistleblower William Binney and James Banford. (video here.) He says it is a domestic spying program: [More...]

There's an all day hearing going on in the George Zimmerman case. This morning was mostly taken up by the defense motion for sanctions for discovery violations pertaining to material on Trayvon Martin's cell phone. Recap here.

The Frye hearing on voice identification and speaker recognition is underway. You can watch live here. Due to scheduling issues, the defense is going first with one of its witnesses, FBI expert Dr. Hirotaka Nakasone. He was one of the examiners who examined the 911 call with screaming and the gunshot in the background. (Report here.)

He believes there are three challenges to biometric voice comparison.[More...]

Today the White House, without confirming the Guardian article about the FISA order requiring Verizon to turn over call detail records for all of Verizon's customers for at least three months, defended such an action in the name of terrorism and keeping us safe. The order is here. The Guardian reports:

The document shows for the first time that under the Obama administration the communication records of millions of US citizens are being collected indiscriminately and in bulk – regardless of whether they are suspected of any wrongdoing.

According to an unnamed White House Official: [More...]

So many news organizations today are writing about Hitler's soldiers being given meth-like pills. The articles seem to emanate from a Der Spiegel article this Sunday.

But this isn't news. Even Der Speigel wrote about it in 2005 -- recounted here.

Back in 2003, it was reported that the U.S. Air Force gave speed pills (dexedrine) to its pilots in Afghanistan to combat fatigue.

An Air Force physician sang the praises on Thursday of amphetamines used by two U.S. fighter pilots who bombed a Canadian infantry unit in Afghanistan, saying fatigue, not ``speed,'' kills. Col. Pete Demitry of the Air Force Surgeon General's office told reporters that Dexedrine, which the Air Force provides for pilots making long flights, was a life saver, not a dangerous drug that distorts judgment as attorneys for pilots William Umbach and Harry Schmidt have argued.

[More...]

At the Bradley Manning trial: Former computer hacker Adrian Lamo testified today.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

George Zimmerman has won his appeal of Judge Debra Nelson's denial of his request to depose Martin family lawyer Benjamin Crump about the interview of Witness 8, the woman on the phone with Trayvon Martin shortly before the shooting. (Background here.)

The opinion is here. Crump had intervened as a third party asserting various privileges. The appeals court noted he is not an attorney in the case (and not a prosecutor), and waived any privilege he might have had by having third parties from the media (ABC) present at the interview.

Crump said last night he will sit for the deposition. [More...]

The judge presiding over the criminal case of James Holmes, accused of the Aurora theater shootings, has accepted Holmes' plea of not guilty by reason of insanity.

Today was the deadline for the filing of non-capital motions. The defense filed a slew of them. They are available here.

One motion gives notice the defense will move for a change of venue before trial. In other pleadings, it asks that the jury be sequestered during jury selection and that non-English speaking jurors be allowed to serve (and that the court provide translators.) [More...]

A busy work day. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Supreme Court allows taking DNA swabs from arrestees.

Bradley Manning goes on trial today. He pleaded guilty to several offenses in February, but the Government wanted more. Among the charges for which he will be tried are violations of the Espionage Act and the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. He faces a potential life penalty.

Since much of the evidence is classified, large portions of the trial are not expected to take place in public.

Portions of his Feb. 2013 statement accepting responsibility for providing documents to Wikileaks have been unsealed. You can read it here. Highlights are here. The site FreeBradleyManning has many more details about Manning and the case.

The party at Owl Farm is about to get underway. Here's the tent with the stage the bands will be playing on. [More....]

It's time for the Annual NORML legal conference in Aspen.

Have a great weekend, I'll be checking in from time to time, but not before late tonight.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Manssor Arbabsiar, Texas used car dealer charged with in a murder for hire plot to kill the Iranian ambassador, has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. The Government alleged the Iranian military used him to hire a Mexican drug cartel to carry out the assassination.

Arbabsiar had approached someone he thought was a member of Los Zetas. He turned out to be a government informant.

Marcy at Empty Wheel has been following this story. Her post today on the sentencing is here.