Sarah Shourd, one of three American hikers detained in Iran, describes her year in solitary confinement in the Iranian prison in the New York Times. It's very depressing, but a good reminder that extended solitary confinement is torture.

The New York Times had an interview with the jury forewoman in the Viktor Bout trial earlier this week. Viktor Bout's wife, Alla Bout, who attended all of the trial except for the verdict return, has told a Russian newspaper that Bout's lawyers will challenge the verdict based on the interview. The article says "over the last few weeks" she has become something of an expert on Viktor Bout. It also says:

Another thing also became obvious: her knowledge of Mr. Bout was more expansive than she had realized. I had seen that terrible Nicolas Cage movie,” she said, a reference to the film “Lord of War,” which is believed to have been inspired by Mr. Bout, “and I had no idea it was about this guy.”

I wonder when exactly she realized this. Was it while the trial was going on or after the verdict was rendered? From the "past few weeks" reference, it could have been either. [More...]

Carlos Sagustume, the Guatemalan ex-soldier and drug dealer who became a DEA informant, has been paid $9 million for his work by the U.S. Government.

The Associated Press explains the payments, $7 million of which came from the State Department's Narcotic Rewards program.

Sagustume, who was the prime informant in the Viktor Bout case, also reeled in Monzer al Kassar, whose 30 year sentence was upheld by the Second Circuit in September. Viktor Bout's lawyer questioned Sagustume about his role in the case. The New Yorker had this long and fascinating article on the elaborate sting and DEA's Special Operations Division (SOD.)

Sagustume said he has only been paid $250,000 so far for Viktor Bout, but he's hoping for more, likely in my view for a cut of any forfeiture proceeds. [More...]

It's the one night of the year we get to turn back time. Hope you make the most of your extra hour.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Take me down little Suzie won't you take me down
I know you think you're the queen of the underground
You can send me dead flowers every morning
Send me dead flowers by the mail
Say it with dead flowers at my wedding
And I wont forget to put roses on your grave

I was hoping Barrett Brown would wake up this morning and realize he's accomplished his mission of maximizing publicity for his purported six figure book deal with Amazon and drop his plan to unmask cartel collaborators -- whether the Zetas or their rivals. Apparently not. [More...]

I have a little time before I have to start working again so I thought I would share my thoughts on today's college football slate.

Miami (Florida) -15½ over Duke (2 units); Oklahoma State -21 over Kansas State (4 units); Oklahoma -14 over Texas A&M (5 units); Mississippi -2 Kentucky (3 units); Cincinnati -3½ over Pittsburgh (2 units); Notre Dame -14 over Wake Forest (3 units); Iowa +4 over Michigan (2 units); Army +17 over Air Force (2 units); Texas Tech +14 over Texas (2 units); Nebraska -17½ over Northwestern (4 units); Connecticut -2 over Syracuse (2 units).

In this year's Game of the Century, I like LSU +5 over Alabama (3 units.) I also expect a fair amount of points to be scored and am taking Over 42 (3 units.)

Go Gators!

Open Thread.

Via Huffington Post and NORML, here's the letter signed by 9 members of Congress asking President Obama to stop the raids on medical marijuana businesses.

It is our strong position that local and state governments must be allowed to develop, implement and enforce their own public health laws with regard to medical cannabis," the letter stated.

The letter asks Obama to administratively reschedule marijuana so it's no longer a Schedule I substance or publicly support H.R. 1983, States' Medical Marijuana Patient Protection Act, that would prohibit federal interference in state-run medical marijuana clinics. The bill was introduced by Rep. Barney Frank. [More...]

Who knew Anonymous' Barrett Brown had a sense of humor? His latest tweet:

Now my weed dealer won't come by because he's afraid of the damned Zetas. #OpCartel

Maybe he read my post calling him the latest drug war recruit and wants to assure people it's not true.

Congrats to Glenn Greenwald, whose new book, Liberty and Justice for Some, is now at #25 of the NY Times Bestseller List for Hardocover NonFiction.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Roshaja Harvey was found to have violated the terms of his supervised release for using marijuana. Harvey appealed, contending that because he had a doctor's recommendation to use marijuana in California pursuant to the California Compassionate Use Act of 1996, he did not violate the possession prohibition of the Federal Controlled Substances Act. He also argued a doctor's "order" was different than a "prescription."

The 9th Circuit has rejected his defense, affirmed the trial court's order, and added:

Whatever else “order” might mean under § 844(a) of the Controlled Substances Act, it does not include a mere recommendation from a physician pursuant to the Compassionate Use Act.

[More...]

Joshua Monson, a defendant charged with drug possession in King County, Washington stabbed his lawyer with a pencil. The Court gave him another lawyer. Same thing. And a third lawyer, whom he stabbed in the side of the head with a pen. Monson was out of luck.

The Court ordered Monson to trial pro se (with standby counsel.) Monson was strapped in a restraint chair and surrounded by security officers during trial. He was convicted.

Next up: Monson has a pending second degree murder trial for alleging killing a man while he was talking on a cell phone. He also has pending charges for assaulting his attorneys and corrections guards.

State doctors found Monson competent to stand trial.

Update: This is now a Barrett Brown individual mission, not an Anonymous mission. Here's Brown's latest. Shorter version: Barrett Brown, drug warrior recruit.

Anonymous has again canceled OpCartel, its threatened exposure operation against the Zetas cartel. It says its kidnapped member has been released. It also says retaliation threats played a role.

The cartel had threatened to kill 10 people for each name of a Zeta supporter revealed.

Barrett Brown, on Twitter, says he will "now go after other cartels with help from informants" and that the e-mails identifying Zeta supporters will go to Der Spiegel.

Raj Rajaratnam has been designated to FMC Devens, in Massachusetts.

Rajaratnam' medical issues were a big focus at sentencing. It's likely he will need a kidney transplant and dialysis during his 11 years in prison. FMC Devens contracts with the University of Massachusetts for kidney transplant services.

Recently, FMC Devens published a contract solicitation for mortuary services for its inmates. It estimates a maximum of 25 inmate deaths per year. Currently, there are 1,096 inmates at FMC Devens. [More...]