Judge sentences former CIA contractor to eight years for abusing Afghan detainee News
Judge sentences former CIA contractor to eight years for abusing Afghan detainee

[JURIST] A federal judge in Raleigh, North Carolina Tuesday sentenced David Passaro [Raleigh News and Observer materials; Wikipedia profile] to eight years and four months in prison as well as three years of supervised release on charges [JURIST report] related to his abuse of a detainee in Afghanistan [JURIST report]. Passaro was convicted [JURIST report] last year on three misdemeanor counts of simple assault and one felony count of assault resulting in the bodily injury of Afghan prisoner Abdul Wali [Wikipedia profile], who later died in US custody. Passaro was not actually charged with Wali's death and US District Judge Terrence Boyle [official profile] said the absence of an autopsy on Wali contributed to Passaro avoiding a murder charge.

Passaro is the first and only US civilian to be tried in connection with detainee abuse in Iraq or Afghanistan. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Pope Urban II sparks First Crusade

Pope Urban II threw his support behind what would become the First Crusade on November 27, 1095 during the Council of Clairmont. The Pope urged the council's participants to render aid to the Byzantine Empire, which was being attacked by the Seljuks. Pope Urban called for a wide coalition of rich and poor to combat the threat, which eventually resulted in the conquest of much of the Muslim-controlled Levant by the Crusaders and the establishment of the Crusader States. Read Pope Urban's address.  

Catholic Code of Canon Law revised

On November 27, 1983, the revised Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church went into effect. Learn more about the history of Canon Law from Professor Kenneth Pennington of the Catholic University of America's Columbus School of Law.

Alfred Nobel creates Nobel Prize in his will

On November 27, 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his will, creating the Nobel Prize. Learn more about the history of the Nobel Prize and the Nobel Commission.