Miami airline passenger never claimed bomb, witnesses say News
Miami airline passenger never claimed bomb, witnesses say

[JURIST] Eyewitness reports are showing that Rigoberto Alpizar [Wikipedia profile], who was shot and killed onboard a plane [MSNBC report] at the Miami International Airport Wednesday, never claimed to have a bomb [TIME report]. Federal officials say they opened fire after Alpizar disobeyed their warnings to stop, reached into his backpack, and said he had a bomb. Passengers, however, who never perceived Alpizar as a threat, are now saying that were more afraid of air marshals during the incident than the reportedly mentally unstable Alpizar. Parallels are being drawn this US shooting and that of Jean Charles de Menezes [BBC report], the Brazilian man mistakenly shot by London police [JURIST report] at a London subway station days after the London bombings [JURIST news archive] last July. In the de Menezes case, it was announced Friday that officers involved in the shooting could face charges [BBC report]. The Independent Police Complaints Commission has been investigating the incident [JURIST report] and will "likely" forward its final report to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.