By: Scooby Constitution protected

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 9, UPI)-representative of the Florida lawyers charged with fraud and Scooby conspiracy says the family is protected by the freedom of religion and free speech.

Nine members, the prediction of the Fort Lauderdale family, the dignity of the Roma, led by Rose marks were arrested in August in a federal fraud conspiracy charges and confusion of defrauding their clients for 40 million dollars, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Sunday.

Nine members of the family are free, but is prohibited, the fortune will tell you, or is employed in the spiritual healers, while they are awaiting a trial.

Now the defense lawyers try to get rejected the proposed November test date before charges, claimed members of the family, was correct in practice, fortune, and spiritual healing says, because it is a part of the religious beliefs of the Constitution and that the fortune is about the freedom of expression is protected.

"Nancy marks, on the basis of his religion, and friends," attorney Michael Gottlieb wrote in a 24-page legal document about religious rights. "Based on this, the prosecution, the defendant has lost his income and has not been able to make use of his historic religious and spiritual gifts to the living."

His request was rejected by the family payments, as compared to the Gottlieb "religious teachers, preachers, and healers and demon chasers" evangelists and psychic friends network, which televised shows that often ask for donations.

"Still does not have these people. .. it will take on a continuous basis for the title of the Shrew in the exercise of their faith or Gypsy simply training the selected part. Nor are they subject to persecution and prosecution of the mustattu and espousing beliefs and economic ... even when their forecasts are short, I miss the mark, or the other genuinely accepted beliefs, "Gottlieb wrote.

Prosecutors have not yet responded to the request, and the judge is expected to decide after hearing from both sides in the next several weeks.

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Lawyer: psychics protected by Constitution - UPI.com

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AppId is over the quota

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 9 (UPI) -- Lawyers representing a Florida family of psychics charged with fraud and conspiracy says the family is protected by freedom of religion and free speech.

Nine members of a fortune-telling Fort Lauderdale family of Roma decent led by Rose Marks were arrested in August on federal fraud conspiracy charges and accused of defrauding their clients of $40 million, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Sunday.

The nine family members are free on bail, but are barred from fortune telling or working as spiritual healers while they await trial.

Now, in an effort to get the charges dismissed before the proposed November trial date, defense lawyers argued the family members had a constitutional right to practice fortune telling and spiritual healing because it is a part of their religious beliefs and that fortune telling is protected by freedom of speech.

"Nancy Marks' conduct is rooted in her religion and spirituality," attorney Michael Gottlieb wrote in a 24-page legal document about religious rights. "Based upon this prosecution, the defendant has lost her livelihood and has been unable to make a living using her historical religious and spiritual gifts."

In his request to have the family's charges dismissed, Gottlieb compared their actions to "religious teachers, preachers, and healers and demon chasers," evangelists and the Psychic Friends Network, who have televised shows that often ask for donations.

"Yet none of these individuals... endure the constant derogatory label of being called a Gypsy for simply exercising their faith or practicing their chosen profession. Nor are they vilified and persecuted and prosecuted for espousing their beliefs and profiting ... even when their predictions fall short, miss the mark or are at odds with other genuinely accepted beliefs," Gottlieb wrote.

Prosecutors have not yet responded to the request and the judge is expected to rule on the matter in the next several weeks after hearing from both sides.

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Lawyer: Pollock 'absolutely not guilty' - Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog)

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AppId is over the quota
6:30 pm March 27, 2012, by Ken Sugiura

The attorney for Georgia Tech assistant men’s tennis coach Conor Pollock asserted his client’s innocence Tuesday. Pollock was arrested Saturday on charges of rape and possession of cocaine and marijuana.

“He is absolutely not guilty,” J. Tom Morgan said. “That’s not defense lawyer [talk]. This kid is absolutely not guilty.”

Pollock was arrested after a 23-year-old woman told Atlanta police investigators that Pollock raped her early Saturday. According to information gathered by police, Pollock approached the woman and a friend outside a Buckhead bar and invited them to his apartment.

According to a police report, “The victim advised police that she remembers being at the apartment and then waking up to the suspect raping her.”

Morgan acknowledged that the two met at the bar and returned to Pollock’s Buckhead apartment, but said that Pollock did not rape the woman.

“We all make decisions we regret later, but that doesn’t mean those decisions were criminal acts,” he said.

Morgan said he filed a bond motion Tuesday to have a bond set for Pollock, who remains in Fulton County jail. It is his hope that all three charges will be dropped, beginning with the rape charge.

Pollock, hired by Tech last August, has been placed on administrative leave.

Ken Sugiura, Georgia Tech blog

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Lawyer: San Francisco sheriff won't resign - Atlanta Journal Constitution

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AppId is over the quota
By PAUL ELIAS

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — A defiant San Francisco sheriff said Tuesday he has no plans to resign despite the threat of an ethics probe over a domestic violence case.

"I wanted to and have taken full responsibility," Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi told a throng of reporters outside his office in San Francisco City Hall

A judge on Monday sentenced Mirkarimi to three years of probation and a year of counseling after the sheriff pleaded guilty to misdemeanor false imprisonment.

Mayor Ed Lee on Monday told Mirkarimi to resign or he would start the process of removing him from office for official misconduct. Lee is expected to address the media later Tuesday.

Mirkarimi said his actions on New Year's Eve that left his wife's arm bruised did not constitute official misconduct within the meaning of the law. He declined to elaborate. Mirkarimi was sworn in as sheriff on Jan. 8 after serving two terms on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

Attorney Lidia Stiglich told The Associated Press that Mirkarimi will hire another attorney to represent him before the city's Ethics Commission and Board of Supervisors if Lee follows through on his threat to try to remove him from office.

Lee can temporarily suspend the sheriff and start the process of permanently removing Mirkarimi, but it would take the votes of nine of the 11 members of the Board of Supervisors to accomplish that task. The matter would first be referred to the city's Ethics Commission if Lee decides to push for removal.

Mirkarimi pleaded guilty to misdemeanor false imprisonment in exchange for the dropping of three other misdemeanor charges of domestic violence, child endangerment and dissuading a witness.

The plea deal was struck as a jury was picked for a trial that promised to embarrass the sheriff with testimony about infidelity, his temper and other intimate details.

San Francisco District Attorney George Gascon said the false imprisonment charge was a domestic violence plea and the conviction was just as serious as the charges that were dropped.

Under the plea agreement, Mirkarimi must pay $590 in fines, serve probation, spend a year in a domestic violence intervention program, take parenting classes and do community service.

The district attorney said Mirkarimi will be barred from carrying a gun until a judge lifts a stay-away order still in place that prevents the sheriff from seeing his wife without court permission. Gascon said that order could stay in place for the entire three years of probation.

Mirkarimi also said he was undergoing counseling to address "my arrogance and anger management issues" and reiterated his advocacy against domestic violence while serving two-terms on the Board of Supervisors.

___

March 20, 2012 08:06 PM EDT

Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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