Florida v. Butler kicks off the Elite 8 matchups. Florida defeated the Jimmers in overtime in a poorly played game by both teams. Alex Tyus had a career gamer to save the Gators. Butler played well for 37 minutes against Wisconsin, but then looked vulnerable to pressure and almost spit the game up.

Butler is a very physical team, with a very skilled guard in Shelvin Mack. They play good defense. Matt Howard has played quite well. Florida has shown it can play fast or slow, and has a deep bench. It will be interesting to see how Billy Donovan decides to play it, especially in light of Butler's miscues against pressure by Wisconsin late in their previous game.

If Florida shoots well, I believe they should have a good chance to win. If not, probably not. I expect another nailbiter, so I will take Butler (+4) (2 units.) More . . .

You remember when Willie Nelson was busted at the border with 6 oz of pot? Those charges have now been resolved. He gets off with a fine and playing a song:

Nelson was arrested Nov. 26 after a Border Patrol agent smelled pot wafting from Nelson’s tour bus at the Sierra Blanca checkpoint. A little more than six ounces was found on the bus.

Nelson was arraigned and on the road again after paying a $2,500 bond. Now the charges have been fully resolved. He has to pay a $100 fine and sing a song at the courthouse:

My picks for tonight's games:

Marquette +4½ over North Carolina (2 units). North Carolina has looked shaky.

Richmond +10½ over Kansas (2 units). Just a hunch.

Ohio State -6 over Kentucky (3 units). Best team in the tournament. Best low post player in Sullnger. Experienced. Ohio State should win easily over a poorly coached Kentucky team.

Florida State -4 over Va Commonwealth (4 units.) VCU has been on a roll. They are not that good. Down to Earth tonight. Noles win easily.

In Britain, MPs and members of the House of Lords, have formed a new "All-Party Parliamentary Group " on Drug Policy Reform, and requesting new policies for drug issues. They say the policies should be guided by scientific evidence. They argue:

Despite governments worldwide drawing up tough laws against dealers and users over the past 50 years, illegal drugs have become more accessible. Vast amounts of money have been wasted on unsuccessful crackdowns, while criminals have made fortunes importing drugs into this country. The increasing use of the most harmful drugs such as heroin has also led to “enormous health problems”, according to the group.

The current policies have failed. But other countries, such as Portugal, have had success. The difference: [More...]

Update: The text of the memo is here.

The Wall St. Journal has obtained a copy of a new Department of Justice Memorandum authorizing a delay in providing Miranda rights to terror suspects in certain circumstances.

The move is one of the Obama administration's most significant revisions to rules governing the investigation of terror suspects in the U.S. And it potentially opens a new political tussle over national security policy, as the administration marks another step back from pre-election criticism of unorthodox counterterror methods.

Isn't this a risky move by DOJ? What authority does it have to change Miranda rights? Shouldn't this be up to Congress or the Supreme Court? [More..]

Former Qwest CEO Joe Nacchio, still serving a 70 month sentence on his insider trading conviction, has sued his chief defense counsel, ex-U.S. District Court Judge Herb Stern and his firm, Stern & Kilcullen LLC (including partner Kilcullen) for negligence in representing him and for overbilling.

The firm billed Nacchio more than $25 million to defend criminal and civil matters, charging tens of thousands of dollars for staff breakfasts, attorney underwear and in-room movies during the trial in federal court in Denver, according to the complaint in state Superior Court in Newark, New Jersey.

On the negligence, Nacchio alleges: [More...]

I'll be watching the basketball. So here's an Open Thread.

Let's Go Gators!

Open Thread.

4 games are on tap tonight in the Sweet 16 portion of March Madness.

Kicking it off is the Florida-BYU game. BYU guard Jimmer Fridette is the likely Player of the Year in college basketball. His range for tonight's matchup in New Orleans begins from Lake Ponchartrain. (BTD sidebar: I was born in New Orleans.) A year ago, these two teams played a 2OT thriller in the first round of the NCAAs with The Jimmer going for 37 in leading the Cougars to the win. Both teams are markedly better this year. Another thriller in store tonight? The Law of Gus suggests so. Gus Johnson is calling the Florida-BYU game and when Gus calls a game, any game, the chance seem to rise markedly that it will be a thriller. More . . .

38 years later in 2004:

45 years later, it's Motown night on American Idol. While I'd love for one of the contestants to choose a Four Tops song and channel Levi Stubbs, I'll be glad to watch whoever they choose. The appeal of Motown is ageless and timeless and it's always fun to see it passed on to a new generation.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

The Government began presenting its evidence yesterday in the trial of baseball giant Barry Bonds, who is charged with making false declarations to the grand jury about steroid use and obstruction of justice.

Jeff Novitsky, former IRS agent and lead investigator in the steroid cases, was the first witness. He testified Bonds' misstatements to the grand jury hampered the investigation. One of the elements of the false statement charge is that the statement had to be material to the grand jury investigation.

Also yesterday, the Judge sent Bonds' former trainer, Gregg Anderson, back to jail for refusing to testify. He'll stay there for the duration of the trial, which is expected to last a month. [More..]

Former Georgia federal judge Jack Camp was sentenced to 30 days for his illegal drug use. As I wrote here, his lawyers argued in their sentencing memorandum that Camp had brain damage:

Camp's sentencing statement contains a plethora of mitigation, from his bi-polar disorder for which he received the wrong kind of medication, to complications from a difficult operation for prostate cancer that required the removal of his entire prostate, to a bicycle accident in 2000 that caused brain damage. Interestingly, the defense says the temporal lobe damage caused by the accident didn't affect him cognitively, it just caused him to have poorer impulse control.

So from 2000 until his resignation in 2010 (which was required by the plea agreement) this judge, who was sentencing drug defendants and others to jail, was suffering from bi-polar disorder and temporal lobe damage, as well as engaging in illegal drug activity

The disclosures by Camp's lawyers have prompted several defendants to seek to resentencing and in some cases a new trial. [More..]