Handling of teachers who are accused of having sex with students has come into question. Two cases down south are drawing major attention. Both women are white. The boys -- six in all -- are black.

Some of the blacks who make up more than a quarter of Laurens County's 70,000 residents are upset over the release of the teachers on bail. They say the cases reflect the way crimes by whites against blacks in the segregated South were treated less seriously than other offenses, and blacks who leveled accusations against whites were less likely to be believed. "If this had been black teachers, they would not be out of jail right now," said Corinnie Young, a 49-year-old bookstore employee who is black.

Above is Wendie Schweikert, 37, a former Laurens County, S.C., teacher. She was arrested last year on charges that she had sex with an 11-year-old student. Allenna Ward, 24, also taught in the county. She faces charges of with having sex with at least five underage boys, some of whom were students at her school.

Mary Kay Letourneau, served a 7-year sentence for having sex with student Vili Fualaau when he was 12. They had two children and wed in 2005.

There are literally dozens of cases involving teachers having sex with students. Legal Pub asks when will they start testing teachers for pedophile tendencies?

Da Vinci Code is Not the Holy Grail

Dan Brown believes authors should be free to draw from historical sources

The Court of Appeal in London has ruled that Dan Brown, author of The Da Vinci Code, did not reproduce ideas from an earlier work in his best-selling novel.

Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh, who claimed that themes from The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail were plagiarised by Brown, now face a huge legal fees.

The High Court in London ruled in April 2006 that US writer Brown had not copied the work of the two authors.

The Da Vinci Code, published in 2003, has sold more than 40m copies.

Baigent and Leigh's book, which was published in 1982, has sold some two million copies and was a best-seller when it was first released. The co-authors said they were disappointed by the Appellate Court ruling.
"We believed, and still do, that non-fiction authors would suffer and be discouraged from extensive research if it was found that any author could take another's ideas, 'morph' and repackage them, then sell them on," they said.

Both books explore the idea that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child together, and their bloodline still exists... The movie was boring and a bigger disappointment than the court decision. Legal pub opens the matter up for discussion.

Still More Famous Folks Making Legal Headlines

Courtesy of the A.P.: 2007-03-27 03:36:26
New York Subway Hero Sues Lawyer
By SAMUEL MAULL
AP
NEW YORK (March 27) - A man cheered as a hero for jumping onto a subway track to rescue a stranger has sued a lawyer he claims manipulated him into an unfair contract meant to profit on his fame.

So let me get this straight... First he is a hero who did what anyone would have done. Now he is saying his lawyer didn't get him enough money for his heroic deeds. What do you all think about this malpractice suit?

Famous Folks in Trouble

Ok, you are right. She is dead. But she is still famous and trouble is still associated with her name. The autopsy results will be published today. You heard it here first. Rumor has it that she died from complications of perscription medicine overdose. If she was furnished the medicine without a perscription, look for a wrongful death suit to be filed. This thickens the plot.

The police have been carefully investigating her death. This could be a fertile source of ammunition for the lawyers in the civil suit. In the meantime, DNA tests of the child were ordered. Birkhead is one step closer to a great deal of wealth.

Athletes in Legal Hot Water

As the NCAA begins talk of winners and losers, what do you all think of Jamar Smith of the University of Illinois. Jamar allegedly got drunk, got in an accident in which his team mate Brian Carwell was severely injured, and left the scene. Jamar allegedly gets out of the car at his apartment and leaves Carwell in the car (thinking he was dead).

Not sure what you all think, but it sure seems like bad judgment. See the previous comments on why impaired driving must stop!

Speaking of athletes, on the left is Tonya Harding who recently has a run in with law. She claims an adverse reaction to a new medicine caused her recent less then stellar conduct. Is she a potential student Athlete for Illinois or Gonzaga?

Paul McCartney Divorce Update:8-27-07 Maybe All Paul Needs is Love, Love...

Sir Paul McCartney will reportedly pay his estranged wife Heather Mills $80 million in an out-of-court divorce settlement - $20 million for each of the four years they were married. The former Beatle has agreed to hand over his luxury Georgian house in St John's Wood, north-west London and a Beverly Hills mansion in Los Angeles - which together are said to be worth $25 million.

The News of the World reports that McCartney's 35-year-old fashion designer daughter Stella and her elder sister Mary are angry that the deal means their father cannot speak out to counter Mills' allegations that he was abusive to her.

Update 8-27-07: Paul McCartney may be so frugal that he will reconcile with estranged wife Heather Mills in order to save the $70 million should they divorce. Apparently, there have been signs of an improving relationship between McCartney and Mills. The couple's three-year-old daughter Bea may be facilitating a reconciliation. Stay tuned $$$$

Anna Nicole Smith R.I.P.

She is now laid to rest. Like M.M. before her, her candle burned out long before her legend ever will. R.I. P.

More Beauties with Legal Problems

Courtesy of the AP:

2007-02-28 16:15:28
Paris Hilton May Be Headed to Jail
Heiress' Probation May Be Revoked for Latest Violation
AP
WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (Feb. 28) - Paris Hilton could have her probation revoked - possibly resulting in jail time - if she is found to have been driving with a suspended license because it would violate conditions of her previous sentence for reckless driving, authorities said Wednesday.

Legal Pub:

Paris needs to hire a designated driver. Any takers?

Drunk Driving Has Got To End

Courtesy of the AP:

Man Gets 18 Years in DUI Wedding Crash
By FRANK ELTMAN
AP
MINEOLA, N.Y. (March 1) - A drunken driver was sentenced Wednesday to 18 years to life in prison for a rare murder conviction in the deaths of a limousine chauffeur and a 7-year-old flower girl heading home from a wedding. ..

Legal Pub Comments:

This Defendant was well over the legal limit and was driving his Pickup the wrong way down the street. The accident was actually captured on video and it appears the Defendant made no major efforts to avoid the impact. At our pub, we serve up the news. Bars and social hosts should avoid serving drunks. Not just because there may be civil liability, but because it is the right thing to do!