"Fun Facts Saturday" There is an island (Hans Island) which is disputed territory between Canada and Denmark. The militaries of both countries periodically visit the island to remove the other guy’s flag. They leave a bottle of Danish schnapps or Canadian whiskey. It is known as the “Whiskey War” or the “Liquor War.” This is … Continue reading The Modern War Between Canada and Denmark
"Court Case Friday" They say, “Confession is good for the soul.” Here are 4 embarrassing episodes when I publicly demonstrated my ignorance of modern technology. Round One: “You Can’t Hurt the Computer” Shortly after becoming a judge, I needed to learn how to use the court computer. My first court computer had a … Continue reading “Fight of the Century:” Me “the Dinosaur” versus the Court Computers
"Court Case Friday" A girlfriend and boyfriend loved each other and lived together for years. They were both heavy drinkers. One night, in a nearby county, they both got drunk and ended up in a fight. A witness called the police. Since the boyfriend “won” the fight, the police deemed him to be the “primary … Continue reading “He Chose Alcohol Over Love, Booze Over His Beloved”
I once had an unforgettable and entertaining attempt rape case. The victim was a woman janitor at an elementary school. She was wiry and under 5' tall. She worked throughout the night on the graveyard shift. At about 3:00 am, she heard movement behind her. She turned around and was shocked to see a man … Continue reading The Female School Janitor versus The Wannabe Rapist
Police Violence and the Rush to Judgment We need to be cautious about rushing to judgment. This is especially true when it involves either a criminal suspect or a police officer. I know a detective who had a very traumatic confrontation was he was a young officer. He was on routine patrol in his black-and-white … Continue reading “Cop Murders Suspect”
As a rookie D.A. I was assigned to West Court in Westminster, California. (Coincidentally, that is also where I began my judicial career.) The Stanton Police Chief personally invited me to go on a police ride along with his officers. Stanton had a small underfunded, understaffed, underpaid, and under-equipped police department. (A few years later, … Continue reading My One and Only Hair-raising Police Ride Along
The London Edition 