Trial begins for US soldier charged in Iraqi shooting death News
Trial begins for US soldier charged in Iraqi shooting death

[JURIST] Staff Sgt. Shane Werst's military trial is set to start Monday in the shooting death of Iraqi detainee Naser Ismail. Werst was charged in November 2004 [AP report] after a soldier in his squad reported that Werst shot Ismail, already in custody after a house raid, and then planted a gun on him to give the appearance of a shooting in self-defense. Werst, who backed out of an earlier plea bargain, faces up to life in prison if convicted of murder and obstruction of justice. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

South Africa becomes first country on continent to legalize same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriages became legal in South Africa on November 30, 2006 as the country's Civil Union Act, 2006 went into effect, making South Africa the only country on the African continent to legalize same-sex marriage. Read the Civil Union Act, 2006.