Alito Senate confirmation assured News
Alito Senate confirmation assured

[JURIST] Public statements of support by several US senators Tuesday assured the confirmation of Judge Samuel Alito [JURIST news archive] to the US Supreme Court. Commitments by five Republicans appear to have pushed him beyond the requisite 50 votes in the 100-member chamber; one Democrat, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) [official website] has also said he will support Alito's candidacy [JURIST report]. The full Senate [official website] convenes Wednesday morning to consider the nomination following Tuesday's 10-8 party-line vote [JURIST report] in the Senate Judiciary Committee. , however, is not expected to enjoy the same broad support as former nominee and now Chief Justice John Roberts [JURIST news archive], who received only 22 "no" votes in the wake of his September 2005 confirmation hearings [JURIST report]. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Tojo and other Japanese WWII leaders executed for war crimes

On December 23, 1948, former Japanese premier Hideki Tojo and six other Japanese war leaders were executed for war crimes in Tokyo.

Learn more about the Tokyo War Crimes Trials.

Terry Nichols convicted for Oklahoma City bombing

On December 23, 1997, Terry Nichols was found guilty of conspiracy and involuntary manslaughter for assisting Timothy McVeigh in bombing the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. He was later sentenced to life in prison. On April 19, 1995, McVeigh detonated a truck bomb that gutted the building and killed 168 people, making it the deadliest terrorist attack on US. soil until the attacks of September 11, 2001. McVeigh was convicted for his role before Nichols on June 2, 1997. Learn more about the trials of Terry Nichols and Timothy McVeigh.