Crimes

Published on: September 9, 2021

True Grift: Financial Crime: Bad Blood (Theranos), Madoff, Cuckoo’s Egg, Watergate, Etc

By Laura Orr

I’m no fan of the blood and drugs True Crime sub-genre, but I can’t resist a well written true (or alleged to be true) financial crime story, aka Follow the Money crime, no longer just associated with political crimes.

It’s possible I like them because the best of them are written by people who know their subjects, are excellent story tellers, and who almost always have a sense of humor that takes a slight edge off the outrage.

These are only a few of the many books written about financial and political flim-flams, confidence tricks, swindles, and scams, but they are some of my favorites. There are many more political, financial, and judicial true crime stories I could include … maybe later:

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Published on: May 24, 2016

Demonic Photos, Cloud Appreciation, and Terrestrial Musings (Burglar’s Guide to the City)

By Laura Orr

Demon Lake:

Is there anything better than astronaut photography (and is anyone wiser than some of our astronauts)? You can just Google [astronaut photographs etc] or start with this view of Lake of the Demon. (And here’s the Wikipeida Lake Rakshastal entry.) (And read Chris Hadfield’s books to your children for an inspirational, and perspirational, adventure.)

Cloud Appreciation Society:

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Published on: June 3, 2013

“Sleep driving” as a DUII Defense

By Holly

Last Friday, May 31st, the Oregon Supreme Court ruled on a DUII case involving “sleep driving” (State of Oregon v. James Robert Newman). In an unexpected move, the Court reversed the drunk driving conviction of a Portland man who claimed he was “sleep driving” when he was arrested. Newman admitted to drinking on the evening in question, but did not admit to voluntarily driving; as his arrest occurred after he had a friend drive him home and retired for the evening.

According to the May 31, 2013 Supreme Court media release, the Court held that a “defendant must commit a voluntary act with respect to the driving element of DUII to be convicted of that offense,” and thus the trial court erred in not allowing the defendant to introduce evidence that he was “sleep driving.” The Supreme Court ruled that the statute on requirements for criminal liability (ORS 191.095(1)) applies to DUII. ORS 191.095(1) reads: “The minimal requirement for criminal liability is the performance by a person of conduct which includes a voluntary act or the omission to perform an act which the person is capable of performing.” In constructing its opinion, the Court found legislative intent to “exclude from the definition of voluntary acts any acts that are taken when a person is sleeping” (p. 12).

The June 1 Oregonian article on the case notes the unanimous decision is sending “shock waves” through the state’s prosecutorial community. The article indicates the Court’s ruling shows prosecutors must now prove DUII defendants were voluntarily driving when they were arrested. The article also mentions the Oregon Department of Justice may try to work with legislators before the end of the current session to ensure involuntary driving doesn’t remain as a DUII defense.

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