Khodorkovsky to file second appeal of fraud, tax evasion conviction News
Khodorkovsky to file second appeal of fraud, tax evasion conviction

[JURIST] Former head of Russia oil giant Yukos Mikhail Khodorkovsky [defense website; JURIST news archive] announced Tuesday that he would file a second appeal of his conviction [JURIST report] on fraud and tax evasion charges. Last month, a Moscow appeals court rejected [JURIST report] Khodorkovsky's initial appeal [PDF backgrounder], but reduced his nine-year sentence by one year. In this second stage of the appeals process [backgrounder], the Moscow court may decide whether to accept the appeal or let the lower court ruling stand. The case may ultimately be appealed to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation [official website]. RIA Novosti has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Ku Klux Klan founded

The US hate group known as the Ku Klux Klan was founded on December 24, 1865 in Pulaski, Tennessee as a reaction to reconstruction efforts following the Union victory in the American Civil War. The group would later become notorious for its attacks on Black Americans, being targeted by the Enforcement Act of 1871, which imposed civil and criminal liability for deprivation of constitutional rights. Read the Enforcement Act of 1871.  

Hamid Karzai born

On December 24, 1957, Hamid Karzai was born in Karz, Afghanistan. He would go on to become in 2004 his country's first elected president after the end of Taliban rule in 2001.