The Northern Review

Commentary from the Northern Tier of America

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Entries from March 2008

Fed. R. Evid. 404(b)

March 12th, 2008 · No Comments

It seems the government wants to use Fed. R. Evid. 404(b) to show predisposition to commit bribery on the part of Dick Scruggs, Zach Scruggs and Sid Backstrom. They was to use the information from Joey Langston and Tim Balducci regarding the Wilson Case before Judge Bobby DeLaughter to show in essence that the defendants [...]

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Eliot Spitzer

March 11th, 2008 · No Comments

Years ago I worked with a person who was quite publicly visible in a certain jurisdiction and who was clearly in the sights of a certain extremely powerful organization. I recall a story of my friend being approached one night in a Holiday Inn by a very attractive woman who sought his attentions. [...]

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Earwigging — A Mississippi Tradition

March 10th, 2008 · No Comments

Mississippi has a long history of an unusual pratice — earwigging. Earwigging means “to annoy or attempt to influence by private talk .”
In the past century, Mississippi developed rules of trial practice which were directed toward bringing an end to the practice. The Mississippi Law Journal in 1936 - 1937 discussed such a rule — [...]

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Jefferson Davis, Mississippian

March 6th, 2008 · No Comments

This morning I read the first few chapters of Shelby Foote’s Civil War Narrative. I read about Jefferson Davis, his youth, his character, his desire to be a leader of his people, his tenacity and his heroism. Quite remarkable. We have little knowledge of the way in which realities impose themselves on character, even sometimes [...]

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How We Should Look at Things, Part 2

March 5th, 2008 · No Comments

What should we be looking for when we observe the processes of law? Taking sides and then watching the process as if it was a game does not seem very edifying. What a serious citizen should be looking for is much deeper.
It is much deeper because in the matter he is actually observing forces playing [...]

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How Should We Look At Things?

March 2nd, 2008 · No Comments

When I think about the process of the law as presented by the Dick Scruggs Matter I wonder what it is I am to do? What should a reasonable person bring to the situation? Should I be one of those who takes pleasure in possibility that someone is in trouble? Should I become [...]

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The Justice System? Justice or War?

March 1st, 2008 · No Comments

The case against Dick Scruggs in Alabama was dismissed yesterday. The Order can be found here. One of the main commentators in these matters said this about the decision:
UPDATE: I read it, and all I can say is thank goodness, it has been a long time coming — finally, a case where the criminal [...]

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