California Requiring Judges to Report Sexual Orientation: Daniel Halper of The Weekly Standard reports the Administrative Office of the Courts announced in an internal memo sent to all California judges and justices it is requiring them to report their gender identification and sexual orientation, to make sure there is adequate diversity on the judicial bench. Romunda Price of the AOC wrote in an internal memo, "Providing complete and accurate aggregate demographic data is crucial to
garnering continuing legislative support for securing critically needed
judgeships."
Nebraska Death Row Inmate Granted Stay: Margery A. Beck of the Associated Press reports the Nebraska Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold the scheduled March 6 execution of Michael Ryan, who was sentenced to death for two 1985 cult-related slayings. Ryan was granted a stay of execution while a district court considers his request to have his sentence commuted to life in prison. Over a three day period in 1985, James Thimm was beaten, sexually abused, shot, stomped, and partially skinned while he was still alive. His fingertips had also been shot off on one hand. Ryan was also convicted of beating to death a 5-year-old boy who was the son of a cult member. A spokeswoman for the Nebraska Attorney General's office said they will review all their options.
New Human Bones Found in Search of Serial Killers' Victims: Nanette Asimov of the San Francisco Chronicle reports investigators said Thursday they found new human bones in Calaveras County in the search for victims of the so-called Speed Freak Killers Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog. San Joaquin County sheriff's investigators had not identified the remains yet, but confirmed they were human. So far, investigators have identified the remains of two victims and found among 1,000 bone fragments.
Nebraska Death Row Inmate Granted Stay: Margery A. Beck of the Associated Press reports the Nebraska Supreme Court on Thursday put on hold the scheduled March 6 execution of Michael Ryan, who was sentenced to death for two 1985 cult-related slayings. Ryan was granted a stay of execution while a district court considers his request to have his sentence commuted to life in prison. Over a three day period in 1985, James Thimm was beaten, sexually abused, shot, stomped, and partially skinned while he was still alive. His fingertips had also been shot off on one hand. Ryan was also convicted of beating to death a 5-year-old boy who was the son of a cult member. A spokeswoman for the Nebraska Attorney General's office said they will review all their options.
New Human Bones Found in Search of Serial Killers' Victims: Nanette Asimov of the San Francisco Chronicle reports investigators said Thursday they found new human bones in Calaveras County in the search for victims of the so-called Speed Freak Killers Wesley Shermantine and Loren Herzog. San Joaquin County sheriff's investigators had not identified the remains yet, but confirmed they were human. So far, investigators have identified the remains of two victims and found among 1,000 bone fragments.
The Nebraska Supreme Court ought to be completely ashamed of itself. There is a little boy (to say nothing of the adult) who deserves justice.
The crime was committed in 1985.