BREAKING NEWS ~ Judge throws out England guilty plea in Abu Ghraib trial News
BREAKING NEWS ~ Judge throws out England guilty plea in Abu Ghraib trial

[JURIST] A military judge at Fort Hood has rejected Pfc. Lynndie England's guilty plea in her Abu Ghraib prison scandal court-martial, torpedoing her plea agreement.

2:51 PM ET – In declaring the mistrial, Col. James Pohl said statements by England about her understanding of the purpose of her activities with the Iraqi detainees at Abu Ghraib could not be reconciled with testimony from Pvt. Charles Graner and undermined the conspiracy charge. AP now has a full story.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.