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The victim of an anti-gay assault identified his attacker from pictures on his Facebook.com profile. Philip Cooney, 19, a Georgetown University sophomore was arraigned on simple assault, but may face more serious hate crime charges. The attack occurred in the early morning hours of Sept. 9 along the 1400 block of 36th Street, NW when Cooney allegedly taunted, tackled and punched the victim repeatedly for being gay.
In a suburban Minneapolis courtroom yesterday attorneys for Sen. Larry Craig sought to withdraw his disorderly conduct plea resulting from his arrest at an airport restroom where he reportedly solicited a sexual encounter through a series of foot-tapping and hand-swiping signals.
One of Craig's attorneys, Billy Martin, argued that the senator's actions were merely "innocuous" behavior, but Judge Charles A. Porter seemed skeptical and said that he would have a decision by the end of next week.
NYT story here.
Capitol Police sergeant Mike Malloy, left, watches as Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Sartori questions a juvenile witness, identified only by her initials, whom officer Malloy is accused of having sex with and videotaping the act.
WaPo story here.
An unusual panel of jurists at the U.S. District courthouse in DC, made up of Circuit Judge David S. Tatel and District Judges Paul L. Friedman and Emmet G. Sullivan, heard arguments in a Texas case that seeks to change a key provision of the recently reauthorized Voting Rights Act. As it stands, districts with a history of discrimination at the polls are required to obtain pre-clearance from Justice before making any changes to their voting procedures.
The sketch shows Chris Ward, a lawyer for plaintiff Northeast Austin Municipal Utility District Number One, arguing before the panel.
AP's Pete Yost has the story here.
U.S. Navy ensign and fourth-year medical student Troy Lewis sat with his attorney as Assistant U.S. Attorney Julieanne Himelstein summed up the government's case for the jury. Lewis had used the internet to arrange a sexual encounter with a ten-year old, but his contact turned out to be an undercover DC police detective.
The local NBC4 has the story here (usually they do a better job shooting the sketches, and where's my credit?!?).
Neil Volz, a former aide to convicted congressman Bob Ney who went on to work for disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, was yesterday sentenced by Judge Ellen Huvelle to two years probation. He received leniency for his cooperation with the government in their prosecution of Ney and others.
The sketch below shows Volz testifying at the trial of former GSA chief David Safavian about the infamous St. Andrews golf trip.
