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Judge Breyer, off the bench, sounds the alarm about the direction of the Supreme Court

Sabir Ansary — Mon, 18 Mar 2024 09:37:26 +0000

Judge Stephen G. Breyer’s Supreme Court chambers aren’t as grand as the rooms he occupied before retiring in 2022, but they’re still quite nice. As before, they have a working fireplace, which was crackling when I visited him on a temperate afternoon in late February to talk about his new book.

In previous interviews, Judge Breyer could be opaque and opaque. This time he was direct. He said he planned to sound the alarm about the Supreme Court’s course of action.

Something important is happening, he said. The court has taken a wrong turn, he said, and it is not too late to turn back.

The book ‘Reading the Constitution: why I chose pragmatism’, Not Textualism’ will be published on March 26, the day the Supreme Court hears its next major abortion case, over access to pills used to end pregnancies.

The book pays a lot of attention to it Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the 2022 decision that abolished the constitutional right to abortion. Judge Breyer, in dissent, wrote that the decision was stunningly naive because he said it would bring the issue of abortion back into the political process.

“The Dobbs majority’s hope that the Legislature, not the court, will decide the abortion issue will not come to fruition,” he wrote.

During the interview he was more forceful. There are too many questions, he said. “Are they really going to allow women to die on the table because they won’t allow an abortion that would save her life? I mean, really, no one would do that. And they wouldn’t do that. And there will be dozens of questions like this.”

The book is a sustained critique of the current court’s approach to the law, an approach which, in his view, fetishizes the texts of statutes and the Constitution, reading them with a blank slate without common sense understanding their purpose and consequences to appreciate.

Without naming names, he appeared to call on the three members of the court appointed by President Donald J. Trump — Justices Neil M. Gorsuch, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett — to reconsider how they approach the role.

“Recently,” he wrote, “major cases have come before the court, while several new judges have spent only two or three years on the court. Major changes take time, and there are still many years for the newly appointed judges to decide whether they want to build the law using only textualism and originalism.”

He added that “they may be concerned about declining confidence in the court – as evidenced by opinion polls.”

Textualism is a way of interpreting statutes that focuses on their words, leading to decisions that focus on grammar and punctuation. Originalism attempts to interpret the Constitution as it was understood at the time it was adopted, even though Justice Breyer said in the interview, “half the country was not represented in the political process that led to the document.”

There are three major problems with originality, he wrote in the book.

“First, it requires judges to be historians — a role for which they may not be qualified — to continually search historical sources for the ‘answer’ where often there is none,” he wrote. “Second, it leaves no room for judges to consider the practical consequences of the constitutional rules they propose. And third, it does not take into account the ways in which our values as a society evolve over time as we learn from the mistakes of our past.”

Judge Breyer did not accuse the judges who use these methods of being political in the sense of partisanship or of acting in bad faith. But he said their approach represented an abdication of the judicial role, one in which they would have to look at a problem from every angle.

In his chamber, he recalled a different era, when three different Republican appointees — Justices Sandra Day O’Connor, David H. Souter and Anthony M. Kennedy — largely shared his basic approach to the law.

“Sandra, David – I mean, those two, I wouldn’t necessarily agree on the outcome in every case, but just the way you approach it.” Judge Breyer said. “And Tony too, to a considerable extent.”

Judge Breyer retired somewhat reluctantly, under pressure from liberals who wanted to ensure that President Biden could appoint his successor and that the conservative supermajority on the court, which currently stands at 6-3, would not become even more lopsided. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, former law clerk to Judge Breyer, now occupies his seat.

Judge Breyer, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994, has returned to Harvard Law School, where he taught before becoming a judge. But he said he missed his old job.

“As a professor you are mainly involved in what people have already decided in the past,” he says. “As a judge you are also interested in that, but what you decide influences the present and the future. And that is difficult. Because you don’t really know how it’s going to work out. You have to do your best there. I like that kind of work.”

He shrugged and seemed to reflect on the passage of time. “What can you do?” he asked. “It’s the human condition.”

Judge Breyer’s critics say his approach gives judges too much freedom to translate their preferences into law. I asked him for an example of a case where the law required him to reach a conclusion that conflicted with his personal views.

“What about all the death penalty cases?” he asked. Although he urged the court a dissent from 2015 In order to reconsider the constitutionality of the death penalty, he did not adopt the practice of some previous judges of issuing a dissenting opinion in every capital case. “That doesn’t mean I approved of it,” he said.

More generally, he added that he hoped his book would reach both a broad and limited audience.

“I’d like people to read it,” he said. “I’d like you to agree with me. So would any author. In fact, I would like the members of this court to read it and say, “Oh, not a bad point. Not a bad point.’ And that’s it.”

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Klay Thompson leaves the Warriors bench for the first time since 2012

Jeffrey Bailey — Fri, 16 Feb 2024 17:16:09 +0000

The last time Klay Thompson came off the bench was March 2012. He was 22, an unproven rookie. Monta Ellis started for him. Nate Robinson came off the bench next to him. The Golden State Warriors faced the LA Clippers. Chauncey Billups, now 47 and head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, was on that Clippers team.

Thompson was initially elevated to the starting lineup due to Stephen Curry's ankle injury and the Monta Ellis trade. That Clippers game was the finale of Curry's third season. He left after nine minutes and would stay for the last month. By the time Curry returned the following season, Thompson was the entrenched starter. The Splash Brothers were formed.

More than a decade later, Thompson's streak of consecutive starts extended to 727 games. It ended Thursday night in Utah, the dominant story in the Warriors' eventual 140-137 victory.

Steve Kerr replaced his four-time NBA champion with Brandin Podziemski, a rookie who had recently outperformed Thompson and, according to the data, completed the five-man group better alongside Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green. When explaining the decision after the game, Kerr pointed out the gaudy stats of that lineup. They have defeated their opponents by 57 points in 107 minutes.

Numbers indicated that this step was rational and perhaps necessary. Thompson is scoring career lows from the field and from 3 this season. The Warriors are in their postseason lives, entering Thursday with a 26-26 record, 10th in the Western Conference.

But that didn't make the conversation any easier. Kerr said he had been thinking about it for a while and decided to do it Thursday, a night after Kerr again held Thompson out of the Warriors' closing lineup before inserting him as a floor spacer in the final minute and watching Thompson make a mistake. intentional and unwise mistake against the Clippers. He told Thompson about the decision Thursday morning in Utah.

“He wasn't happy about it,” Kerr told reporters. “I didn't expect him to be happy about it.”

But what a response Thompson gave. He came out scorching, posting his highest point total of the season before the third quarter was over. He had 17 points in 11 minutes of the first half, earning closing duties, including a nice transition find in the final minute of the second quarter to Green, who finished with 23 points, his most since 2018. The Warriors scored 84 in the first half. half.

“You can do two things: you can pout, or you can go out there and respond.”

Klay reveals how he changed his mindset when he came off the bench after talking to Kerr pic.twitter.com/jC9XALO57c

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) February 16, 2024

Thompson didn't cool off after halftime. He scored 18 in a torrid third quarter, giving him 35 points. There he finished with 13 of his 22 shots and seven of his 13 3s, an excellent performance that helped the Warriors hold off the Jazz in a shootout despite nearly giving away a big lead late. Thompson also made a huge defensive play with 74 seconds left, stopping a Keyonte George drive and forcing a trip. It was Thompson's best game of the season.

“The fuel that fueled his competitiveness was the decision I made,” Kerr said. “He's such a competitor. I've seen him hit a million big shots. I've seen him guard the toughest guys in the league. Klay is a champion. He's an incredible player, a great person. I am blessed to coach him. It has been a difficult season for him and for us. Many transitions are taking place. Some of our younger guys are coming up. It's not that easy to do for him what Klay did five or six years ago. I think this can be a good balance to get the best out of Klay and get the best out of our team.”

Kerr said he plans to keep Podziemski in the starting lineup and Thompson off the bench after the All-Star break. He said the move isn't “permanent,” but he wants to give it a healthy look.

“Klay coming off the bench gives us a lot of firepower,” Kerr said.

(Photo by Klay Thompson: Alex Goodlett/Getty Images)

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Nicolas Jackson takes ninth yellow card on BENCH after bizarre incident

Jeffrey Bailey — Tue, 13 Feb 2024 02:23:14 +0000

NICHOLAS JACKSON picked up a bizarre yellow card while on the BENCH during Chelsea's 3-1 win over Crystal Palace.

A late performance from the Blues saw them maintain their epic winning streak over the Eagles, extending the run to 13 league matches.

Nicolas Jackson was shown a yellow card on the bench during Chelsea's win over Crystal PalaceCredit: Sky Sports

Jackson ran across the pitch to celebrate Chelsea's third goal at Selhurst ParkCredit: Sky Sports

It was Jackson's ninth booking of the season, putting him at risk of a two-match banCredit: Sky Sports

Former Palace loanee Gallagher struck twice as Chelsea came from behind, with Enzo Fernandez putting the finishing touches on a job well done at Selhurst Park.

The Argentine's 94th-minute try came just moments after Gallagher broke the deadlock with his second of the night.

And it led to wild celebrations among fans and players when the result was confirmed.

However, in the aftermath it emerged that Chelsea striker Jackson had received a yellow card.

This despite the fact that he was sent off the field fifteen minutes earlier.

As it turned out, Jackson, who only returned from Afcon duty with Senegal last week, sprinted across the entire field in his tracksuit to celebrate Fernandez's goal with his teammates.

The violation while leaving the technical area was quickly noticed by the match officials.

And Jackson, 22, was soon handed his ninth yellow card of the season, leaving him just one yellow card away from a TWO-match ban.

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Fans found the situation hilarious, with one saying: “Jackson found a way to get booked on the bench, unbelievable.”

Another blasted: “How did Jackson get benched?”

Top ten best Premier League players of all time, as Kevin de Bruyne and Cristiano Ronaldo both miss out on the top spot

One commented: “Jackson gets booked 15 minutes after he leaves, it's hilarious.”

Another added: “I'm a big fan of Jackson getting a yellow card for running across the pitch celebrating a goal. Independent thinking person.”

Jackson's first suspension came in September after receiving five yellow cards in just six games.

Pochettino had warned him just a week before the fifth yellow card that he needed to control his behavior on the pitch.

The Chelsea boss said: “I said (to Jackson) 'Come on, a striker gets four yellow cards, for protesting, for talking to the referee.' You should get yellow cards for different actions, not because of that.'

“It's so easy, so cheap. He could put the team in a very difficult situation. He understood. But Jackson is 22, he is young, he has to learn and improve.

“He's going to be a fantastic player, but he needs time. Jackson is a fantastic player, but he needs to be relaxed in front of goal.”

Jackson joined Chelsea from Villarreal for £32 million last summer and scored nine goals in 26 games.

He started out as a striker under Pochettino but has since switched to a new role on the left wing.

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McTominay climbs off the bench and makes it three in a row after Hojlund's goal

Jeffrey Bailey — Sun, 11 Feb 2024 18:43:13 +0000

Aston Villa 1-1 Man Utd

80. Garnacho creates another maze in the infield from the left.

We know he's too good for Cash, but he also accelerates past Tielemans to give himself room to shoot.

However, it ends in disappointment as he fails to gain any momentum in his attack as the ball swings through to his compatriot Martinez.

Aston Villa 1-1 Man Utd

78. As we approach the last ten, the consensus is that both sides have settled for the point on offer – making a mockery of Erik ten Hag calling the match a must-win.

Yet United are left in shock at the need to replace the injured Luke Shaw at half-time.

Aston Villa 1-1 Man Utd

76. Casemiro sees his chance to take the honors when he knocks down a loose ball thirty yards from goal.

The touch is good, the push forward is better, the resulting shot? Meh, not so much.

The view from Villa Park

There was a surprise substitution at half-time for United as Erik ten Hag replaced Luke Shaw with Victor Lindelof at left-back.

It can only be assumed that Shaw picked up an injury as Leon Bailey caused United headaches on the left.

But when Villa threaten it is on the right as Matty Cash delivers a cross that is met by Ollie Watkins.

However, the attacker's shot crashes onto Onana's chest from close range.

If you can't be good, be happy!

Matty Cash is the third player to be shown a yellow card when he brings down Rashford.

Villa are now well at the top and Emery brings in striker Moussa Diaby to hold midfielder Boubacar Kamara.

The payoff came almost immediately as Douglas Luiz struck to level Villa after 67 minutes.

Leon Bailey's corner is shot goalwards by Lenglet and although Onana saves, the ball breaks back to Bailey.

He picks out Douglas Luiz and the Brazilian beats Onana from close range.

Game on!

Aston Villa 1-1 Man Utd – Aston Villa substitution

74. And Villa follows suit with a change of his own.

Like Rashford, Leon Bailey was the favorite among the attacking players, but his race is over and it's time for Youri Tielemans.

Aston Villa 1-1 Man Utd – Man Utd substitution

73. Marcus Rashford looked a real threat at times today, but he will sit out the final stages.

Erik ten Hag decides to continue the procedure with Scott McTominay.

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Outrage as FIVE transgender students dominate the volleyball court during a women's varsity match, while biological women are kicked to the bench

Albert Elence — Tue, 06 Feb 2024 20:31:53 +0000

This is the shocking moment five transgender players hijacked a women's college volleyball match in Canada.

Footage showed the five athletes “dominating” a women's volleyball match between Seneca College and Centennial College in Toronto on Jan. 24.

The biologically male athletes were seen hitting the ball past their female teammates. The controversial players each remained on the field for the entire match, while the biologically female players were substituted on and off the bench.

The game sparked outrage among conservatives, who raised concerns about the health of the female athletes and were furious to see them benched.

The series comes amid a spike in the number of trans athletes dominating women's sporting events in the US and Canada, despite a massive public backlash.

Seneca and Centennial Colleges in Canada recently played a match with a total of five trans players between the two teams

While the trans athletes reportedly played the entire match, the biological female athletes took turns warming up the bench

Seneca played three transgender women during the game, while Centennial played with two transgender players.

A report from Rebel News said the trans players were 'dominating' the game, especially when it came to 'serving and spiking'.

“Real biological women needed medical attention because they had spikes removed from their heads,” said David Menzies, who was there to observe the game.

The biological males were 'always' on the pitch, meaning there were at least five female players on the bench at any time during the match.

Seneca College, the school with the most trans players, won the best-of-five series. Menzies was led away when he tried to interview players and coaches about the places transgender players take on women's teams.

Menzies said: 'They use this sport to pay their tuition fees.' It was unclear whether he was talking specifically about the players on the field or in general.

An anonymous source told Rebel that there have been “two major head injuries to female volleyball athletes in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association caused by transgender people.”

An anonymous source told the reporter that there have been “two major head injuries to female volleyball athletes in the Ontario Colleges Athletic Association caused by transgender individuals.”

The first reported injury was a concussion suffered last November by CL Viloria, who plays for Centennial.

“Viloria attacked the ball with great force and hit a La Cite volleyball player in the head,” the source said.

The second injury occurred on January 22, 2024 when Franz Largadas, a trans player who also plays for Seneca, “hit a La Cite player in the head,” causing a concussion.

“In the 2022-2023 season, Franz was on the roster of the Seneca College men's volleyball team and this year he is now on the roster of the women's volleyball team,” the source said.

'Five of them do not receive gender-affirming hormone therapy or have not undergone surgical gonad removal.

“There is currently no policy within the OCAA that is publicly stated on their website regarding the eligibility of transgender women,” they said.

A coach from one of the teams that utilizes the strength and athleticism of biologically male players refuses to speak to a Rebel News reporter

The other three trans players at the recent match were Ara Telan, Jhessi Garcia and Jaque Ronquillo.

A student who had been watching the match in the stands became excited by Menzies as he left the room.

You can go 'rot in hell,' one of them shouted at him, 'you white piece of shit**.'

When Menzies' camerawoman looked at the students, some of them appeared to chuckle at the hysterical student who was still screaming.

According to the source, there are currently six biological males playing in the OCAA. Both Seneca and Centennial are members.

Last month, US protesters hoping to “save women's sports” gathered outside the NCAA's annual convention to demand an end to transgender athletes competing in female events.

More than a dozen groups representing women's interests marched during the fourth “Our Bodies, Our Sports” rally, which took place in Phoenix, Arizona, outside the NCAA convention. The NCAA has allowed transgender athletes to compete since 2010.

Under current NCAA rules, an individual must undergo testosterone suppression treatment for 12 months and provide serum testosterone test results showing levels below the maximum for the sport.

According to the source, there are currently six biological males playing in the OCAA. Both Seneca and Centennial are members

There is currently no policy at the OCAA that is publicly stated on their website regarding the eligibility of transgender women

The International Olympic Committee said in November 2021 that it was up to individual sports to determine their own rules, abandoning its previous provision that trans women must suppress their testosterone levels for at least 12 months to compete.

In contrast, the governing body for athletics events, World Athletics (WA), announced in March last year that they would ban athletes who have gone through so-called 'male puberty' from competing in women's world rankings.

WA said the exclusion would apply to “male-to-female transgender athletes who have gone through male puberty.”

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I was on the bench against Man Utd two days ago – today I scored the winner for my new club

Jeffrey Bailey — Sun, 04 Feb 2024 06:56:11 +0000

JOE HODGE scored the winner for his new club – less than 48 hours after being left on the bench against Manchester United.

The Wolves youngster, 21, was not used by Gary O'Neil on Thursday evening as the Red Devils sealed a dramatic 4-3 victory.

Joe Hodge was on the bench for Wolves against Manchester United on Thursday eveningCredit: Getty

He scored the winner against Blackburn on SaturdayCredit: Rex

Hodge and three other outfield players remained in the Wolves dugout as Pedro Neto looked to salvage a point before Kobbie Mainoo finished in the 97th minute.

The match started on Thursday evening at 8:15 PM and ended just after 10:00 PM.

And at 11.05pm – five minutes after the transfer window officially closed – QPR confirmed they had loaned Hodge out for the rest of the season.

Hodge then drove overnight from the West Midlands to West London to train with his new teammates on Friday.

And after getting to know Marti Cifuentes and his team, the Rs were understood to be heading to Lancashire later on Friday – a 220-mile journey from the TSG training ground in Hounslow to Ewood Park.

Hodge was then named as one of the substitutes when the team news was announced for the championship match at 2 p.m.

Cifuentes turned to Hodge as part of a three-way substitution in the 58th minute.

And just seven minutes later the Ireland Under-21 international headed home in style.

Joe Hodge's hectic 48 hours

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 1

7.15pm – Named on Wolves bench against Man Utd
8.15pm – Wolves vs Man Utd starts
10.17pm – Full time at Molineux
11:00 PM – Transfer window closes
11.05pm – QPR announce signing of Hodge loans

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 2

Hodge drives 230 kilometers from Molineux to London
Training with new QPR teammates at the TSG training ground
The QPR team travels 360 kilometers to Blackburn

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3

2pm – Hodge named on QPR bench
3pm – Kick-off between Blackburn and QPR
4.16pm – Hodge comes off the bench for his debut
4:23pm – Hodge scores to make it 2-0
4.59pm – Full-time at Ewood Park as QPR win 2-1

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That gave the Hoops a 2-0 lead with two goals in three minutes.

And although Sam Gallagher pulled one back for Blackburn, there was no repeat of the late chaos of two nights ago as QPR held on for a crucial three points as they battle to avoid relegation to League One.

Unsurprisingly, there was a lot of admiration for Hodge on social media after his whirlwind few days.

One fan said: “Joe Hodge I love you with all my heart xx”

Another wrote: “What a start to Hodge's career. I'm glad you took the Wolves journey. Thank you!”

A third added: “Could Joe Hodge be the best thing Gary O'Neil has done for QPR since being sent off at Wembley?”

And one end user commented: “Don't fall in love with a borrowed player, don't fall in love with a borrowed player, don't fall in love with a borrowed player… (10 minutes after Joe Hodge's debut) Never leave .”

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Laura Woods jokes about becoming Prem boss as she is seen on the bench

Jeffrey Bailey — Mon, 29 Jan 2024 16:50:33 +0000

LAURA WOODS has joked she is preparing to take over as Liverpool manager after being spotted in the Anfield dugout.

The ITV presenter hosted Liverpool's FA Cup win over Norwich.

Laura Woods joked that she is considering a career change

The presenter was at Anfield to cover Liverpool's victory over NorwichCredit: ITV

But while she wasn't presenting on screen, she took a seat behind the Reds dugout.

The TV cameras caught Woods looking thoughtfully behind Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

An eagle-eyed fan spotted her and wondered if she was planning to take over from Klopp, who announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season.

She jokingly responded: “Consider my next move ”

Woods is not the first presenter to enter the Anfield dugout after TNT Sports' Jules Breach was spotted sitting behind Klopp during the Merseyside derby in October.

Woods, 36, also stood out thanks to her beautiful coat.

She was dressed in a sumptuous black coat with gold buttons and brown leather lapels.

The presenter wore black leather fingerless gloves to match her jacket.

Woods was on duty for ITVCredit: Instagram

The presenter also reports on the Champions League for TNT SportsCredit: Instagram

Woods has 765,000 Instagram followers

While colleague Ian Wright got fans talking after showing off the latest addition to his quirky hat collection.

The expert was also dressed in a leather jacket and woolen hat.

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Declan Rice's cousin made a shock call to the Villa bench in the FA Cup against Chelsea

Jeffrey Bailey — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 20:05:47 +0000

ASTON VILLA have handed a shock FA Cup call-up against Chelsea to an ex-Blues boy best known as Declan Rice's cousin.

And Finley Munroe would still be at Stamford Bridge – if club chiefs had followed the advice of club legend Ashley Cole.

Finley Munroe was named as Villa substitute at Chelsea in the fourth roundCredit: Rex

Declan Rice is a big family name for Finley Munroe to follow in the gameCredit: Getty

Villa named the 18-year-old left-back as one of their nine substitutes for Friday night's fourth round clash against Chelsea.

The Birmingham Mail say the elegant defender is a cousin of Arsenal's £105million England midfielder Rice.

Munroe was at Chelsea as a child but was shown the exit at the age of 16.

But it is thought former Blues and Arsenal left-back Cole urged the club to KEEP the youngster.

Munroe has made five appearances for Villa's under-23s this season.

The Birmingham Mail reports that he was a popular prospect after Chelsea refused to keep him.

Leicester City and Nottingham Forest are said to have offered Munroe professional terms while other clubs floated.

But it is claimed Villa Academy chief Mark Harrison has persuaded the starlet to join the Midlanders in 2021.

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Munroe looked on as Douglas Luiz ruled out an early opener for Villa.

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E. Leo Milonas, Lion and defender of the New York Bench, dies at the age of 87

Sabir Ansary — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 14:04:35 +0000

E. Leo Milonas, a determined lawyer who governed the New York courts for a quarter century and was known to rise to defend his fellow judges in public disputes, in one case sparring with Mayor Edward I. Koch, died on Jan. 2 at his home. house in the Riverdale section of the Bronx. He was 87.

The cause was heart failure, his wife Helen said.

Throughout his career on the court – beginning with his appointment to the Criminal Court by Mayor John V. Lindsay in 1972 as New York City’s youngest judge, at age 36, until his retirement from a state court in 1998 profession – Judge Milonas has worked to make the legal system more efficient, transparent and representative.

As court administrator for New York City and then New York State, he strongly supported a system in which judges were appointed on the basis of merit, upon the recommendation of qualified screening committees, rather than being elected by popular vote.

But he was also pragmatic about judges being filled through elections, insisting that nominees by politicians be selected only from candidates vetted by independent panels.

Since 2019, Judge Milonas (pronounced muh-LONE-us) led the New York Commission on Judicial Nomination, through which the governor submits potential appointments to the state Court of Appeals, the highest court. Decades earlier, Judge Milonas’ name appeared on the list several times as vacancies arose, although he was never named to fill any of them.

Although he was highly regarded by colleagues, prosecutors and defense attorneys for his sense of humor and warmth, he could also be a fearless opponent.

Jonathan Lippman, a former chief judge of the state Court of Appeals, said in a telephone interview that Judge Milonas “did not hesitate to take on mayors and other government leaders who he believes are eroding the independence of the judiciary.”

An example of this occurred in 1981, when Judge Milonas, as deputy chief administrative judge of the New York City courts, a job he assumed in 1979, accused Mayor Koch of scapegoating the judiciary for the increase in crime and the lax enforcement of a strict new state weapon. law.

The mayor said prosecution of cases under the law, aimed at keeping unlicensed handguns out of the hands of convicted criminals, was moving too slowly through the courts. But Judge Milonas disputed that claim in a lengthy open letter to the mayor, in which he pointed out, among other things, that the judiciary was only one part of the criminal justice system.

“The courts are not the police or the prosecutors,” he told the mayor. “Judges don’t arrest and prosecute people.”

In 1981, as deputy chief administrator for the city’s courts, he publicly criticized a proposal by Chief Judge Lawrence H. Cooke, the state’s chief judicial officer, to randomly and temporarily rotate judges from lower courts to the state Supreme Court to ease the increasing caseload to help process. . It would be far better, Judge Milonas said, to choose and retain on the bench those who proved most effective.

His perseverance was a trait he honed on the streets of Washington Heights in upper Manhattan, where he grew up.

He never used his first name, Elias, because, as he was quoted in The New York Times in 1972, “it’s a great Old Testament name, but it was a little refined for the kids I hung out with.”

“No one could call me Elias and live,” he said.

Elias Leo Milonas was born in Manhattan on October 23, 1936, the son of William and Catherine (Skoulikas) Milonas, Greek immigrants. His father, along with his older brother, had laid tracks for the Union Pacific Railroad before moving to New York City, where he opened a small restaurant in Harlem. Leo started working there on weekends at the age of 12. His mother was a housewife and worked part-time in the restaurant.

After graduating from George Washington High School in Washington Heights, he earned a bachelor’s degree from City College in three years in 1957 and a law degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1960.

He grew up in a poor neighborhood and knew the only way to escape was to get a good education. “You were either going to be a doctor or a lawyer,” he told The Times in 1980. “I became a lawyer because it was faster and cheaper.”

The same year he received his law degree, he married Helen Gamanos, a psychotherapist whom he had known since fourth grade. In addition to her, he is survived by their daughters, Alexandra, a psychotherapist, and Olivia, a law professor; and two grandsons.

He was a lawyer when Mayor Lindsay appointed him as a judge in the Criminal Court in 1972. Less than a year later, he was promoted to supervising judge of the Bronx Criminal Court. In quick succession, he became a supervising judge of the Manhattan Criminal Court, an acting judge of the state Supreme Court and then a full justice of the Supreme Court, elected in 1978.

Judge Milonas was appointed to the Appellate Division in Manhattan in 1982. In 1993, Chief Justice Judith S. Kaye appointed him chief administrative judge for the state. In that position he played an important role in improving court facilities and computer systems and tightening the rules of conduct for lawyers. He also created a division of the state Supreme Court that would have jurisdiction over commercial matters.

He returned to the Appellate Division in 1993 and retired as a judge in 1998, returning to private practice at the Manhattan firm of Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman. He quit the company last year.

As president of the New York City Bar Association from 2002 to 2004, Judge Milonas warned of the threat to civil liberties posed by the nation’s efforts to combat terrorism, which, he said, could arrest and arrest anyone without recourse held.

And in 2004, he served on a court-appointed panel that said: An An additional $5.6 billion must be spent each year to provide the city’s schoolchildren with the opportunity for a solid primary education guaranteed to them by the state Constitution.

He often said that the government’s greatest power was to hurt people unjustly. He therefore expressed concern about a possible reduction in the rights of defendants.

As court administrator, he told The Times in 1980, it was his duty to safeguard judicial independence and the rights of defendants. In his moderate response to Mr. Koch about the mayor’s criticism of the judiciary, Judge Milonas wrote in his letter that punishment through incarceration alone would not reduce crime; rather, he said, the root causes of the crime also needed to be addressed.

“It is unfair and counterproductive to condemn the courts for contributing to crime by being too lenient, by criticizing judges who have taken unpopular actions, by attempting to pressure and intimidate the judiciary into a to become a partner in the prosecution function,” he wrote. it undermines the integrity and independence of a legal system that is the ultimate bulwark of free government.”

The post E. Leo Milonas, Lion and defender of the New York Bench, dies at the age of 87 appeared first on USMAIL24.COM.

Why this ordinary park bench has sparked a bitter war between neighbors in an affluent suburb

Albert Elence — Wed, 10 Jan 2024 03:33:19 +0000

By Pranav Harish for Daily Mail Australia

Published: 8:45 PM EST, January 9, 2024 | Updated: 10:31 PM EST, January 9, 2024

A bitter dispute over a bench in an upmarket suburb has forced a council to spend thousands of dollars to remove the bench over fears it would pose a ‘safety risk’.

Ku-ring-gai Council spent $6,000 to remove the bench which was built on a nature strip on Mariana Close near St Ives, on Sydney’s north shore.

Local Andy Bloom campaigned for it to be installed in 2021 so parents could sit and watch their children play; However, the bank caused division in the community.

The seat was placed on a nature strip near two roads, raising concerns about the safety of residents.

Others claimed the seat was built without council approval and enabled ‘anti-social behaviour’.

Some carried out asbestos testing in the area, while Deputy Mayor Christine Kay bizarrely declared that she could not ‘morally’ support the bank’s presence.

Council voted to remove it in December because high removal costs angered Ms Bloom, who called it a waste of “significant resources and taxpayer dollars.”

A council has spent $6000 removing a park bench (pictured) in St Ives, on Sydney’s North Shore, over safety concerns

“The bench was always only intended as a seat for residents and for parents to watch their children,” she says The Daily Telegraph.

Complaints were made to politicians and even Federal MP Paul Fletcher, while police were called to the site after reports of traffic incidents.

The council reviewed community concerns over a six-month period between March and September.

The survey found that a majority were in favor of keeping the bank, with six voting ‘Yes’ to keep it, while two voted ‘No’.

The Council also carried out several traffic and safety assessments, while a private consultant was hired to carry out a risk assessment.

The council approved a majority vote to remove the bench after a fiery two-hour meeting in December.

Five council members, including Mayor Sam Ngai, voted in favor of its removal.

Speaking at the meeting, Ms Kay said residents’ safety must be a priority.

“Morally, I think the bench should be removed,” she said.

“I am uncomfortable with the safety issues that have been brought to the attention of council members.

Deputy Mayor Christine Kay (pictured) said the threat to community safety could not be ignored

Mayor Sam Ngai (pictured) was one of five councilors who voted in favor of removing the bench

“I cannot ignore what has been brought to my attention… all councilors have been made aware of these issues.”

Councilor Martin Smith argued the bank posed no threat to residents.

“There’s no risk,” he said.

“What message are we sending to the community… that’s okay if you shout loud enough… whatever is right or wrong… we will reverse that decision and make sure we get rid of it.”

Resident Betty Hall argued that the location was never a good place to put the bench.

“It should never have gotten to this point because there are huge costs involved and it should not have been installed in the first place,” she said.

“It’s not safe and it’s never been safe.”

Mrs. Bloom spent $3,000 to build the original rainbow bench on the nature strip.

Ku-ring-gai council operations director George Bounassif said Ms Bloom would be fully reimbursed.

During a meeting in March, the council will consider alternative locations for relocating the bank.

Daily Mail Australia has contacted the Ku-ring-gai Council for comment.

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Why this ordinary park bench has sparked a bitter war between neighbors in an affluent suburb

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