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.

A little late with this. Here are my picks today (will provide the full bracket tonight):

K-State(W), Marquette (W), Murray State(W), Vandy(W), L-Ville(W), Montana, UNC-Asheville. W indicates my pick for straight up winners. Otherwise the pick is against the spread (i.e. Asheville is (+16) against the Cuse but I expect Cuse to win.)

Later games - New Mexico (W -4)(5 units), Va Commonwealth (W +7) (4 units), Gonzaga (W -1)(4 units), Baylor (W -7½) (3 units), Connecticut (W -1½), New Mexico State (W +6½) (3 units),Ohio State (W -17), Colorado (W +5½).

My Final 4 - Kentucky, Mizzou, Ohio State, Michigan. Ohio State-Kentucky in the Final. Ohio State to win it all. Open Thread.

Judicial Business of the U.S. Courts publishes the most detailed statistical tables on the work of the federal Judiciary. This week it released its statistical analysis for the 12 month period ending September 30, 2011. A summary is here, and the full report, with tables, is here.

The summary and news accounts of the report skip some of the report's most interesting statistics on criminal cases. The chart that leapt out at me is how bail has become the exception in federal courts while pre-trial detention has become the rule. First the punishment, then the verdict.

Where's the worst place to be charged with a crime? The district most likely to deny you bail, keep you locked up for months or years awaiting trial, in either federal detention centers or dismal county jails not meant to house long-term prisoners, where you are unable to work and provide for your family, have no access to meaningful rehabilitative programs and have only limited access to your lawyer in cramped visiting rooms to prepare your defense. [More...]

Via NBC News Chicago, above is the video of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's goodbye press statement before heading off to prison at FCI Englewood (photo here) in Colorado tomorrow .

Patti is with him. The house is mobbed by media as well as onlookers and supporters. He is incredibly upbeat, Patti looks absolutely devastated.

I intended to live-blog his speech but it was too compelling to type through. I had to just watch. A summary is below: [More...]

Stan Garnett, the District Attorney for Boulder, Colorado, has written a letter to Colorado U.S. Attorney John Walsh asking that the feds back off from threatening to prosecute medical marijuana dispensaries in Boulder that are in compliance with state law. From his letter, available here:

My view is that the resources of the United States Attorney’s Office should be focused elsewhere: on terrorism, serious economic crime, organized crime and serious drug dealing (involving significant amounts of heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine). I can see no legitimate basis in this judicial district to focus the resources of the United States government on the medical marijuana dispensaries that are otherwise compliant with Colorado law or local regulation. The people of Boulder County do not need Washington D.C. or the federal government dictating how far dispensaries should be from schools, or other fine points of local land use law.