I'm not watching the Republican debate, but if you are, feel free to comment. (Added: I'm following a bit on Twitter which is much more entertaining. A huge number of people are associating Newt's describing himself as cheerful with his multiple marriages and sex life. Not too many favorable comments on any of them at #CNNDebate.)

28 prison guards, and the Director, Deputy Director and Security Chief of Apodaca Prison in Mexico have been arrested in connection with the riot, escape and slaughter of 44 inmates there last week. The guards are accused of far more than helping with the escape:

Investigators say they have evidence that guards helped plan the killings....Prison guards plotted with the Zetas gang to organise the mass escape and slaughter members of the rival Gulf Cartel, the authorities said. ...The 44 dead prisoners were stabbed, strangled or beaten to death.

Guantanamo Detainee Majid Kahn will plead guilty as part of a plea deal next week.[More...]

Dominique Strauss-Kahn has been released from custody after two days of questioning in the investigation of alleged organized prostitution, misuse of corporate funds and police corruption. No charges have been filed against him. He was given a summons to appear again in March, possibly as a witness and possibly for the filing of charges.

I'm still looking for the text of the 13 page written bail decision for Kim DotCom who was released yesterday. The media describes it but doesn't bother to upload it so we all can read it for ourselves. If you run across it, please let me know where in comments.

Say hello to the Wrongful Convictions blog by law profs and innocence project members, offering an international perspective.

Welcome Back, BTD.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

DEA prosecutions were down in 2011. Mexican prison guards at Apodaca Prison have admitted being paid for their involvement in the Zetas jailbreak that killed 44 Gulf Cartel members.

Bruce Springsteen has released the second song from Wrecking Ball, Shackled and Drawn.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Your turn. Here's an open thread, all topics welcoem.

I've got a few more episodes of Downton Abbey to catch up on before tonight's finale. Have any of you been watching it? You can watch the entire season 2 without commercials on PBS here, and Season 1 is streaming on Netflix.

Michelle Obama and the First Daughters are in Aspen for a ski vacation.

For those of you following other things today, here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

The U.S. has filed a 90 page superseding indictment against Kim DotCom and the other Megaupload defendants, adding several wire fraud and copyright infringement charges. The U.S. has seized $50 million from the defendants so far. [More...]

Congress has passed the extension of the Payroll Tax Cut.

According to the AP, ICE is now saying the agent shooting involved a workplace matter. A subordinate agent shot a supervising agent, a third agent intervened and shot the subordinate agent. The subordinate agent/first shooter is the one who died. The agent he shot is in the hospital. The intervening agent who killed the shooter is fine.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

Medical marijuana dispensaries are officially out of business today in Fort Collins.

Underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, will be sentenced tomorrow in Detroit for his failed attempt to blow up a plane on Christmas Day. He represented himself and pleaded guilty. At least one count mandates a life sentence. His stand-by counsel is seeking less time, alleging the statute violates the 8th Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment and the Commerce Clause. He also moved to strike the report of the Government's "martyr" and suicide bombing expert, Simon Perry from Hebrew University in Jerusalem, who has never been qualified by the court in this case as an expert and whose reference materials for his conclusions about future risk of dangerousness were not provided to the defense. Having read Dr. Perry's report (available on PACER and described at length here) I agree the expert's report should not be considered. Plus, excluding it won't make a difference given the mandatory life sentence requirement -- so all the Government is doing is providing Abdulmutallab provide another ground for appeal. [More...]

Bump: Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

President Obama is heading west for three days of fundraising. There will be 8 events in all. Musical headliner for the LA fundraiser: The Foo Fighters.

Is the Megaupload extradition on shaky ground? The issue was raised by the Judge at Kim DotCom's bail hearing. The prosecutor acknowledged the extradition treaty doesn't refer to copyright offenses, but said the U.S. could bootstrap through the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime and New Zealand's Extradition Act. [More...]

I'm out for the rest of the day.

Open Thread.

I'm still focused on the Grammy Awards show and Whitney Houston. The latest: Her daughter, 19 year old Bobbi Kristina, has been taken by ambulance from the Beverly Hilton to the hospital, for issues reportedly related to her emotional distraught over her mother's death.

Check out Big Tent Democrat's post at Daily Kos, E.J. Dionne Breaks Faith With Progressive Values.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.