The US House Judiciary Committee voted 16-9 Wednesday to approve a bill that would eliminate sentencing disparities for powder and crack cocaine offenses. The bill, co-sponsored by committee chairman John Conyers (D-MI) would eliminate the distinction between the two forms of the drug under federal law. Conyers said: We have taken a big step today [...]

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on Thursday announced they are conducting criminal investigations into alleged intentional misconduct by their soldiers during December and January's fighting in the Gaza strip. In a report seeking "to place the Gaza Operation in its proper factual and legal context," the IDF said that they are currently investigating 13 allegations [...]

A judge in the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Wednesday ordered the release of Kuwaiti Guantanamo Bay detainee Khaled Al-Mutairi. Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly granted Al-Mutairi's petition for habeas corpus, finding insufficient evidence for his continued detention. The classified memorandum opinion, which sets forth in detail the reasons for Al-Mutairi's release, will [...]

A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of New York on Wednesday ruled that Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman with alleged ties to al Qaeda, is mentally competent to stand trial. Siddiqui was charged in August with assault and the attempted murder of a US officer after allegedly opening fire on [...]

John Lott : "By a 58 to 39 majority, the US Senate voted last week to let concealed handgun permit holders carry handguns across state lines. Yet, it was two votes short of the 60 needed to overcome a filibuster. The legislation sponsored by Senator John Thune (R, SD) would have allowed reciprocity in permitting, [...]

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday announced the indictment of 32 for allegedly filing $16 million dollars in fraudulent Medicare claims. According to the indictment, those involved in the scheme submitted claims for arthritis devices and nutrition packages that we either medically unnecessary or were never [...]

Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service on Wednesday said that Rosneft , the country's largest oil producer, broke unfair competition laws by over-inflating wholesale prices of petroleum products. According to the FAS, Rosneft violated Article 10 of the country's Law on the Protection of Competition by artificially decreasing the available supply of gasoline, kerosene, and diesel fuels [...]

Mutairi, et al. v. USA, et al., US District Court for the District of Columbia, approved July 29, 2009 . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. Latest commentary available here. JURIST has more on Khaled al-Mutairi.

An Act To amend the Controlled Substances Act and the Controlled Substances Import and Export Act regarding penalties for cocaine offenses, US House Judiciary Committee, approved July 29, 2009 . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. Latest commentary available here. JURIST has more on crack/cocaine sentencing disparities.

USA v. Siddiqui, US District Court for the Southern District of New York, July 29, 2009 . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here. Latest commentary available here.