Katrina flooding ruling re: US Army engineers [US DC] News
Katrina flooding ruling re: US Army engineers [US DC]

In re: Katrina Canal Breaches Consolidated Litigation, US District Judge Stanwood Duval Jr., US District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, February 2, 2007 [ruling that the US Army Corps of Engineers can be sued by victims of Hurricane Katrina flood damage who allege the Corps ignored warnings that the Mississippi River-Gulf Outlet contained defects that exacerbated the flooding]. Read the full text of the order [PDF]. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Chief Justice Taft resigned

On February 3, 1930, Chief Justice William Howard Taft, former President of the United States, resigned from the United States Supreme Court for health reasons. He died 5 weeks later. Learn more about the life and career(s) of William Howard Taft and review his complex medical history.

Last execution in Australia

On February 3, 1967, Ronald Ryan became the last person executed in Australia. He was hanged in Pentridge Prison in Melbourne for killing a guard during an escape attempt. Belief in Ryan's innocence led to protests across the country, culminating in the Death Penalty Abolition Act of 1973. The Last Man Hanged, a documentary about the execution of Ronald Ryan, was released in 1993.