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.

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.

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.

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.

It's afternoon in New York, but still morning in Denver.

Ed Kilgore, who's been killing it at Political Animal, on pearl clutching.

Open Thread.

Been out of pocket. But back now. I'll find something to write about.

Open Thread.

Swamped here, sorry for the lack of posting today. And I have more than 300 emails to get through before I get back to blogging.

I see there is fear and loathing in Afghanistan.

Kim DotCom says U.S. Government officials, including those from the Department of Justice and U.S. Senate, were among the biggest users of MegaUpload:

I hope we will soon have permission to give them and the rest of our users access to their files," Dotcom told the website.

The lamest season yet of The Bachelor finally ends tonight. There's also The Voice and Smash.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.