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Most Interesting Criminal Cases and Issues of 2011

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 11:43:42 AM EST
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It's that time of year when everyone is doing best of and worst of lists for 2011. Since I haven't found any on the year's most interesting criminal cases and issues that match what I found most interesting, I've prepared my own lists for TalkLeft. (Heads-up: "Most Interesting" is not the same as "Most Important". I will leave "Most Important" lists to others.)

First the court cases, then the cases that didn't make it to court, and then the top issues of the year. (With a few more categories thrown.)

The number one most interesting case of the year is easy: Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Full lists below: [More...]

Most Interesting Criminal Cases of 2011

Runners-Up:

Terror Cases - No Trial

Celebrity Cases:

Holdover Cases from 2010:

Over-hyped and Least Interesting Case of the Year:

  • Casey Anthony

Most Interesting Issues of 2011

  • Medical Marijuana Raids
  • Crack Cocaine Sentence Reductions
  • Non-closure of Guantanamo
  • Military Commission Trials and Indefinite Detention
  • U.S. Capture or Kill Policy
  • DEA as New Global Holy Warriors
  • DEA Extra-Territorial Stings
  • Mexican Drug Cartels and Extraditions
  • Increasing Electronic Surveillance
  • Wrongful Convictions
  • Lethal Injection Drugs
  • Money Laundering and Cybercrime
  • Immigration Enforcement

Most Over-hyped Issue of the Year:

  • Fast and Furious and DOJ

Feel free to add the crime cases and issues you found most interesting this year.

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    Most Interesting Criminal Cases and Issues of 2011 | 11 comments (11 topical)

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    DSK (none / 0) (#1)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 03:24:13 PM EST
    Seems like the case of the year to me.  It had everything.   Race, class, gender, horrible crime if true, international intrigue, impact on a country's elections, good-hearted DAs doing bad things in good faith, luxurious location, tawdry details.

    No. 1.

    Horrible? Not even close, ABG (none / 0) (#3)
    by Mr Natural on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 04:26:28 PM EST
    You want horrible - look at last week's Indiana babysitter debacle, in which the child being babysat ended up chopped into pieces.

    Parent
    ew (none / 0) (#6)
    by AngryBlackGuy on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 04:44:26 PM EST
    that is horrible.

    Parent
    Small correction (none / 0) (#2)
    by NYShooter on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 04:23:24 PM EST
    IMO, the "Execution of Troy Davis,"  as with the "Execution of Cameron Todd  Willingham" would be better described as the "Execution-Style Murder" of two possibly innocent men. From the Sociopathic, Oxymoronic "Law-Men," to the Politically ambitious, degenerate Prosecutors, to the President of the United States it seems that the ability to kill with impunity is as much a requirement as is the Oath of Office: "I will faithfully Execute..............."

    And, as I write this, our Representatives are lecturing the Egyptian Junta on the proper road to Democracy & The Rule of Law.

    First you must learn how to smile as you kill (5.00 / 2) (#4)
    by Mr Natural on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 04:33:27 PM EST
    ...If you want to live like the folks on the hill"

    - John Lennon's take, in Working Class Hero.

    Marianne Faithful's version


    Parent

    I love her version (none / 0) (#11)
    by sj on Sun Jan 01, 2012 at 06:24:01 PM EST
    You remind me that I haven't pulled out her "Blazing Away" album lately (I think this version and the CD/album are from the same performance).

    Parent
    DSK is the most interesting (none / 0) (#5)
    by KeysDan on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 04:39:44 PM EST
    in that, after the charges, arrest and denial of bail at the first court appearance,, the prosecutors, themselves,  subsequently sought to dismiss the  high profile case.  And, it was dismissed--as it did not all add up.

    I would put the Bradley Manning case higher on the list, perhaps number two.  The mis-treatment of Manning while in confinement should be cause celebre all by itself.  However, the  case involves so much, from computer security, capabilities for unauthorized access,  diplomatic management and fall out. Moreover,  Wikileaks and publication by the NYTimes and others are all interestingly intertwined with  the issues of crime, whistle-blowing, state secrets and embarrassment.  

    My vote goes to Doug Bruce. (none / 0) (#7)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 04:54:30 PM EST
    Convicted on 3 felony counts of tax evasion and facing a sentence of 12 years and $700,000.  

    Karma.

    disagree (none / 0) (#8)
    by Jeralyn on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 10:25:12 PM EST
    and by your last word "karma", you aren't referring to the case being interesting but your approval of the conviction. I happen to know Doug Bruce and while I may not agree with his politics, I don't think he belongs in prison, especially state prison. This is hardly the site for Schadenfreude [taking delight in the misfortunes of others].

    As to his case, he was convicted of not paying taxes on his personal income.

    Douglas Bruce, the infamous anti-tax crusader and author of Colorado's Taxpayer's Bill of Rights, was found guilty of tax evasion Wednesday for failing to pay income tax from 2005 through 2007.

    Throughout his trial, prosecutors argued that Bruce evaded his tax responsibilities by funneling his income through a non-profit that he created in 2001 called Active Citizens Together, and failing to report that income to the Department of Revenue.

    Bruce, who represented himself at trial, faces up to 6 years in prison -- taxpayers, ironically, will foot the bill -- and $500,000 in fines when he is sentenced on Feb. 13, 2012.

    He may have come up with the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (that prevents the state from raising taxes without a public vote) but the voters approved it. It was also 20 years ago.

    Parent

    Karma... (none / 0) (#9)
    by MileHi Hawkeye on Fri Dec 30, 2011 at 11:06:17 PM EST
    ...as in the Father of TABOR being convicted of tax evasion.  Someone who has lived on the fine line of what's legal and what's not for years is taken down by the very thing he detests--taxes.  Karma--"action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation".  

    I really don't see where in my comment I "took delight" in his "misfortune".  I put the quotes on that because misfortune is getting hit by a bus or getting cancer, not failing to pay your taxes.

    You can't be a Colorado political junkie and not find this case interesting, regardless of what you assume my personal opinion of the verdict was.

    I've also had interaction with Doug and found him to a narcissistic, petty bully.  Whether or not he lands in jail (and what are the chances of that?) depends on the court and not what you or I may think of him personally.    

    Parent

    I would say the Michael Morton exoneration (none / 0) (#10)
    by Rojas on Sat Dec 31, 2011 at 10:03:11 AM EST
    should be on that list.

    I'm not sure why it was not covered here. Perhaps it's because it's just another Texas case... Round up the usual suspects.

    NYTs has an editorial Justice and Prosecutorial Misconduct

    It's a poster child for reform of the absolute immunity standard that prosecutors now enjoy.


    Most Interesting Criminal Cases and Issues of 2011 | 11 comments (11 topical)

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