In what may leave many people scratching their heads, a federal judge recently decided to dismiss the death penalty for the infamous alleged CEO killer, Luigi Manion. The judge herself admitted her ruling might appear “absurd” and disconnected from common sense. It all boils down to a peculiar interpretation of what constitutes a “crime of violence.” You see, in this topsy-turvy legal world, stalking apparently doesn’t hit the mark, thereby dismantling a part of the federal murder charges against Manion. With two of the four charges tossed out, the remaining ones just don’t quite make it to the death penalty list. It’s like math class, where 2 + 2 does not equal a lifetime vacation on death row.
Manion’s case is not shy of evidence, though. The judge allowed the police to use what was found in his backpack during his arrest. This treasure trove of incriminating evidence includes the alleged murder weapon and a detailed journal explaining his dastardly plot. It’s as if Manion thought the court might appreciate a guided tour of his diabolical intentions. Maybe he was under the impression that providing your own prosecution exhibit is just another quirk of this curious legal dance. The defense, predictably unfazed, maintains that they’re ready to battle it out in court, probably hopping from one technical loophole to another.
If you shift your gaze slightly left, you’ll notice the sensational side-show involving former CNN anchor Don Lemon, who has landed himself in hot soup under the FACE Act. Once a reporter, he made a rather unwise leap to active participant in a church invasion protest. It appears he mistook the press badge for a backstage pass to legal immunity. Armed with a camera and an apparent misunderstanding of the First Amendment, Lemon’s antics included harassing parishioners and tongue-lashing the pastor. His digital footprint, unfortunately for him, attests to everything.
For those catching up, the FACE Act isn’t about saving the human race from facial recognition tech. No, we’re talking about a law from the ‘90s, aimed at protecting clinics and churches from violence or threatening antics. The irony might not be lost on those who recall it being a Democratic venture during a time of staunch support for certain federal laws. Now, here stands Don Lemon, potentially facing legal penalties for not practicing what his former network preached.
Nothing says “awkward” like a high-profile figure trying to hide an elephant in the room under a thin veil of journalistic bravado. Yet, here we are, watching two cases unfold with enough drama to rival a reality TV show. Both Manion’s dismissal of death penalty considerations and Lemon’s misguided adventures provide a stark reminder of how swiftly one can become entangled in legal messes, where virtually nothing seems to make practical sense, at least in the world the rest of us live in.
