The Colorado House has passed a bill limiting the authority of prosecutors to charge juveniles as adults. The bill is here. It limits the offenses for which a juvenile can be subject to direct filing as an adult to class 1 felonies, class 2 felonies, crime of violence felonies for prior violent juvenile offenders, and violent sex offenses. It also allows judicial oversight.

If, after a preliminary hearing, the district court does not find probable cause for a direct-file-eligible offense, the court shall remand the
case to the juvenile court. The bill also provides for a reverse-transfer hearing for juveniles who fall within a specified class, which juveniles may petition the adult criminal court to transfer the case back to juvenile
court after the preliminary hearing.

Another reason not to like neighborhood watch groups. Vigiliante justice is no justice at all. Leave policing to the police.

Dancing With the Stars starts again, and it appears the show has learned a lesson and not repeated casting mistakes of seasons past like Nancy Grace and Bristol Palin. Maybe it can get back to being about dancing.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Staff Sergeant Robert Bales was $1 million in debt and has no memory of the killings. He and his wife had just listed their home for $50k less than they paid. He was on his fourth deployment.

How could his superiors not notice something askew? Was he evaluated or taking medication for depression? Taking the wrong combo of meds? He was recently passed over for promotion -- surely his record contains some concerns.

His background does not match the rosy description portrayed by those he grew up with: [More...]

Fun fact - when Peyton Manning played for the University of Tennessee, the Florida Gators beat his team 4 straight times.

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

3-5 ATS yesterday. Today will be better. The picks (bracket winners in bold):

Georgetown -4½ over NC State; Michigan State -7 over St Louis; North Carolina -8½ over Creighton; Norfolk State +14 over Florida; South Florida -3 over Ohio; Kansas -8 over Purdue; Xavier -4 over Lehigh; Florida State -2½ over Cincinnati.

Open Thread.

Authorities in New Zealand goofed. They applied for the seizure/restraining order on Megaupload and KimDotCom's assets under the wrong legal provision. On Friday, New Zealand High Court Justice Judith Potter declared the order null and void, and found it had no legal effect.

The Crown admitted the error about a week after Kim Dotcom and Megaupload's assets were seized, and on January 30, submitted a revised version under the correct portion of the statute, which the court granted on a temporary basis. Kim DotCom filed a motion attacking the order during the first week in February.

While Justice Potter has now ruled the first order was invalid, she has yet to rule on whether whether the new seizure order can legally cover assets seized under the old, invalid order. If she rules it cannot, she may order Kim Dotcom and the other defendants' property returned to them. [More...]

Bad day for me investment wise yesterday. 5-11 ATS (though it was not as bad as that seems as I made a large investment on one of my winners, North Carolina.) More than that, my brackets are busted as 2 of my Final 4 selections, Mizzou and Michigan, were bounced. My bracket is finished. That said, the Gators looked great and had their bracket cleared when Mizzou went down (of course Norfolk may be a monster.)

Games remain to be played. Here are today's picks (bracket winners in bold): Kansas State +4½ over Syracuse(7 units), Gonzaga +7½ over Ohio State (3 units), Murray State +5½ over Marquette (6 units),Vanderbilt -1 over Wisconsin, Va Commonwealth +6 over Indiana (5 units), Kentucky -11 over Iowa State (6 units), Colorado +7½ over Baylor (3 units), New Mexico +1½ over Louiville.

Open Thread.

The Bureau of Prisons has posted Rod Blagojevich's release date: May, 2024, 12 years from now.

Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers issued a press release today:

“Typically, a company would cringe at the news of its brand associated in any way with a convicted criminal. However, this is brand complementary. This is a high profile person headed to 14 years of confinement in federal prison who had the opportunity for one more meal as a free man and he chose to eat at Freddy’s,” commented Freddy’s President Bill Simon. “It’s difficult to imagine a better testimonial than that.”

We certainly appreciate Mr. Blagojevich’s choice of restaurants for his last meal,” said COO Scott Redler. “I just wish he would have turned his cup to have the logo facing out while he posed for pictures.”

[More...]

Strip Searches of female visitors at Afghan jails

A cop goes undercover at a high school posing as a student for 8 months. Result: 12 kids, ages 15 to 19 are now busted on charges of distributing drugs within 1,000 feet of a school. 8 are juveniles.

Another reporter/news producer who doesn't want to do any research before spouting off. He asks:

Why was [Blagojevich] allowed to arrive at prison in Colorado on his own terms if he was sentenced in Illinois?

[More...]

The ATS Picks (Bracket picks in bold) (I was 11-3-1 ATS yesterday, 1 loss in my bracket):

San Diego State +2½ (3 units), Texas +2½ over Cincinnati, South Florida +3, LIU +20 over Michigan State, Duke -12 (3 units), St Mary's CA -2 (3 units), Virginia +3½ over Florida, Missouri -21½, BEST BET - North Carolina -15 1/2 (12 units)Kansas -14 (3 units), Michigan -5½, Xavier +2½ (3 units), Florida State -6½, Memphis -3, Georgetown -4, Alabama -1½ (4 units.)

Go Gators!!!!!

Open Thread.

In other news today.....

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

John Edwards has added Rielle Hunter's lawyers to his legal team in his criminal case. The two lawyers represented Hunter in her civil case against Andrew Young. James Cooney and his firm moved to withdraw. A hearing was held today to determine if there might be a conflict, since Rielle is a potential government witness against him, and whether it was waivable. Both John and Rielle waived any potential conflict. If Rielle testifies, she will be cross-examined by lead counsel Abbe Lowell or someone from his office, rather than her former lawyers.

The Government disclosed in pleadings today that Rielle Hunter received immunity in the criminal case. [More...]

Update: The longest 60 seconds of Blago's life is probably this walk (video)from the car into the prison. Via the Denver Post, here's his real welcome crew.

*****

The media circus surrounding Rod Blagojevich continued today as he flew commerically to Denver and made his way to FCI Englewood.

Followed by helicopters and television news crews on the road that brought to mind the low speed chase of O.J. Simpson, Blagojevich arrived at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport. A mob of travelers took photographs on their cellphones as Blagojevich, his arms raised, stood in a body scanner before heading to down the concourse.