Legal news, some illegal. All of it interesting
1. The 10-Foot Wide House That Spite Built
A Florida builder bought a narrow “leftover” lot in South Jacksonville Beach with plans to construct a 15-foot-wide house. Neighbors didn’t exactly bring over a welcome basket. They held a block party, as in banding together to block the variance the owner would need to build his house. A public hearing saw dozens of neighbors voice their extreme opposition to the idea. And the city sided with the hood. But never underestimate the power of spite. The lot owner, mostly because he was over all of them, went ahead with construction, building a 10-foot-wide house, that includes a garage. This lovely turn-around-carefully-key can be all yours for $600K.
2. $4M Suit Over Copied One-of-a-Kind Album
Convicted Pharma Bro, Martin Shkreli, is accused of copying what was supposed to be a one-of-a-kind album by hip-hoppers Wu-Tang Clan. The group that paid $4.75M for it is suing. Shkreli gave up the album to settle part of a forfeiture order from his 2017 fraud convictions. But this is a guy willing to raise prices on lifesaving medications by 5K percent, so … The lawsuit claims Shkreli bragged on social media he made copies. And then there was the album “listening party” on live stream last weekend. It was enough for a federal judge to issue Brochacho a temporary restraining order ahead of a possible injunction later this month.
3. Judge Jails Atty For Knowing of Secret Witness MTG
Rapper Young Thug’s defense attorney in his ongoing RICO trial will join him for 10 weekends in jail for alleged contempt of court. A Georgia judge ordered Brian Steel arrested after he raised concerns over a private chambers meeting that included a hostile witness requiring immunity and prosecutors but excluded the defense. The judge didn’t justify the meeting. His sole concern was how Steel found out about it. When Steel repeatedly refused to answer, the judge had deputies arrest him. Steel is appealing the contempt order on so many grounds. Meanwhile, he’s asked to be jailed in the same facility as his client so he can keep working on his defense.
There ain’t no parte like an ex parte here…
4. MJ Disappearing from Martha’s Vineyard
Martha’s Vineyard is dangerously close to running out of pot. Dude, it’s causing a lawsuit. Although Massachusetts voters opted to legalize MJ more than seven years ago, the state’s Cannabis Control Commission beleafs transporting it across the ocean violates federal laws. There are delivery routes entirely within Massachusetts’ waters but getting commissioners to embrace bud-dism is harder than pushing a giant stoner up a hill. A dispensary owner who says he’s on the verge of going out of business, sued the Commission. That prompted commissioners to say finding a solution was a high priority, heh, heh, heh, and enter settlement discussions.
5. Harvard, Yes Harvard Study on Aliens Among Us
Harvard researchers say aliens could be living with us or under us or on the moon. In a paper just released by Harvard and Montana Technological University, researchers speculated that “cryptoterrestrials” may explain unidentified and unexplainable observations around the world every year. UFOs could be spaceships visiting their Earth-based alien friends. Academics posited that ETs may live under lakes and volcanoes – kinda like Keebler elves live in trees and make cookies. They could also be disguising themselves as humans to fit in or have traveled from the future. Researchers say the study’s goal was to offer an alternate, “unconventional” explanation for unidentified aerial phenomena. Mission accomplished.
