Civil rights group releases scorecard on police body camera policies
201608.22
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Civil rights group releases scorecard on police body camera policies

[JURIST] The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and data analysis company Upturn [official websites] released the Body Worn Cameras Scorecard [statistical report] on Saturday, a report which concluded that the policies concerning civil rights and the use of body cameras varied widely in more than 50 police departments that were evaluated. Each department’s…

Court rejects Cosby’s attempt to reseal testimony on affairs
201608.19
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Court rejects Cosby’s attempt to reseal testimony on affairs

A federal appeals court on Monday rejected Bill Cosby’s effort to reseal his deposition testimony about extramarital affairs, prescription sedatives and payments to women, saying the documents are now a matter of public knowledge. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia ruled that the comedian’s appeal was moot. “The contents of the documents…

Navajo Nation sues EPA following toxic spill
201608.18
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Navajo Nation sues EPA following toxic spill

[JURIST] The Navajo Nation on Tuesday filed suit [complaint] against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [official website] alleging that water flowing from a punctured mine in Colorado was toxic and “damaged the Nation’s environment, people, and economy.” Specifically, the 48-page complaint alleges that the toxic wastewater contaminated the San Juan River, a river on which…

Right on! Feds Can’t Prosecute Medical Marijuana Users
201608.18
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Right on! Feds Can’t Prosecute Medical Marijuana Users

The 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that the US Justice Department can’t prosecute people who are strictly complying with state medical marijuana laws. In ten consolidated interlocutory appeals and petitions for writs of mandamus arising from three district courts in two states, the court vacated the district court’s orders denying relief to…

$1.3M Verdict Against Big Tobacco Upheld in Florida
201608.17
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$1.3M Verdict Against Big Tobacco Upheld in Florida

A Florida appeals court has upheld a judgment for a smoker’s estate in an Engle progeny case, rejecting arguments by Big Tobacco that federal law implicitly preempts relevant state-law tort claims and what the companies described as an effective ban on selling cigarettes, according to Law360. Florida’s Second District Court of Appeal upheld a jury verdict…