James Ford Seale , alleged to have been a member of the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) , was sentenced to three life sentences Friday for his role in the kidnapping and death of two 19-year old teens in Mississippi in 1964. Seale was convicted in June of two counts of kidnapping resulting in death and [...]

A UK judge Thursday ordered British Home Secretary Jacqui Smith to hold off deportations of failed asylum seekers to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) pending a determination by an Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) on whether the DRC is a safe destination. Ten rejected asylum seekers scheduled to be deported on August 30 [...]

US Director of National Intelligence Mike McConnell has confirmed that telecommunications companies have provided vital cooperation to the warrantless domestic wiretapping program , the New York Times reported Friday. In an interview with the El Paso Times last week, McConnell called for Congress to grant immunity from prosecution to the companies that helped in the [...]

The 2007 Permanent Constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand, August 24, 2007 . Read the full text of the constitution in English and in Thai . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko said Friday that he establish a body to draft a new Ukrainian constitution and will propose amendments to clarify the distribution of power between the presidency, parliament, and the cabinet. In remarks marking Ukraine's Independence Day, Yushchenko addressed the need for legislative and constitutional reform: The president said he was "full [...]

US Assistant Attorney General Wan J. Kim has resigned as head of the Justice Department's embattled Civil Rights Division . Kim's resignation, announced Thursday, is effective the end of the month. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales praised Kim for "his honest opinions and valuable contributions as an advisor." According to the DOJ: During Mr. Kim's tenure, [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit has refused to block organic food company Whole Foods Market from buying rival grocer Wild Oats Markets . US District Judge Paul Friedman refused to issue an injunction blocking the acquisition last week, and the US Federal Trade Commission appealed that decision to the [...]

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Chief Prosecutor Carla Del Ponte will serve as Switzerland's ambassador to Argentina when her term as ICTY prosecutor expires at the end of the year, the Swiss Foreign Ministry said Thursday. Del Ponte, former Swiss attorney general, has served two four-year terms as the ICTY chief prosecutor. She [...]

A US Marines investigating officer has recommended that murder charges be dropped against Lance Cpl. Stephen Tatum for his role in the killing and suspected cover-up of the death of 24 Iraqi civilians at Haditha in November 2005. Lt. Col. Paul Ware said that there was insufficient evidence to support bringing Tatum to court-martial on [...]

Pakistan Muslim League and Nawaz Sharif v. Federation of Pakistan, Supreme Court of Pakistan, August 23, 2007 . Read the full text of the order . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.