Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

DOJ Opens Civil Rights Investigation into Charlottesville Violence

This weekend, a white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, turned violent. The march began on Friday night, with protesters carrying torches, Nazi flags, and chanting a Nazi slogan. On Saturday, a lot of counter-protesters arrived at the scene. On Saturday afternoon, a car drove straight into the crowd of counter-protesters, killing one woman and injuring over 30 others. The driver was later identified as 20-year-old Ohio native James Alex Fields Jr. He has been charged with murder. Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Saturday evening.

Alleged driver of car that plowed into Charlottesville crowd was a Nazi sympathizer, former teacher says https://t.co/LWgW6UTy3e

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) August 13, 2017

President Donald Trump finally commented from his New Jersey golf club, saying that he condemns the display of violence “on many sides.” But this very brief and vague comment was heavily criticized for not condemning the brazen white supremacy on display.

The Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the violence and even Attorney General Jeff Sessions made a more emphatic statement than the president. “The violence and deaths in Charlottesville strike at the heart of American law and justice. When such actions arise from racial bigotry and hatred, they betray our core values and cannot be tolerated,” he said.

If ISIS rammed a car into a crowd this would be labeled quickly & logically. Charlottesville – call it what it is, domestic terrorism.

— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) August 13, 2017

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: August 14, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Welcome to RantCrush Top 5, where we take you through today’s top five controversial stories in the world of law and policy. Who’s ranting and raving right now? Check it out below:

Senate Health Care Bill Sparks Protests

After the new Senate health care bill was revealed yesterday, a lot of people took to the streets to protest. Some parked themselves outside of Mitch McConnell’s office and were physically removed–including disabled people in wheelchairs or with respirators. And a lot of people showed up at DCA–one of Washington D.C.’s major airports–to make sure lawmakers saw their signs before leaving town.

Don’t fly away, save the ACA! pic.twitter.com/PsaSqjpVEw

— Generation Progress (@genprogress) June 22, 2017

The new bill will, if it passes, trigger big tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans and slash spending on Medicaid. The bill even drew remarks from President Barack Obama, who has largely remained silent in political debates since leaving office. “The Senate bill, unveiled today, is not a health care bill. It’s a massive transfer of wealth from middle-class and poor families to the richest people in America,” he wrote in a Facebook post. He also said the bill has a “fundamental meanness” and that it will harm anyone who might one day get sick, get old, or start a family.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post RantCrush Top 5: June 23, 2017 appeared first on Law Street.

Actress Amber Heard was barely out of the headlines after a divorce and abuse allegations against Johnny Depp before she ended up back in the spotlight this week. Now, the producers of the film “London Fields” are suing her for conspiring to undermine the movie and breaching her obligations.

The movie was scheduled to premiere at the Toronto Film Festival last year but got stuck in a legal dispute between the producers and the director. And now, more than a year later, Amber Heard is next in line to go to court. The ongoing drama could have been part of the movie itself. In the film, Heard plays a clairvoyant femme fatale who has seen her own murder but doesn’t know who will kill her. Billy Bob Thornton, Jim Sturgess, and Amber’s then-husband Johnny Depp also have parts in the movie.

The real life drama started when the director and the actors spoke out against  the film’s final edit, which according to them was far from the director’s original vision. Director Matthew Cullen was so upset that he sued producer Chris Hanley, who apparently saw the movie going in a different direction. And for some reason, both versions were prepared independently, as the actors were asked to read lines for two different variations. After the original lawsuit, the film’s premiere at the Toronto Festival was canceled. Then the production company sued back, saying that Cullen and the main actors were trying to sabotage and undermine the film.

London Fields producers suing Amber Heard for $10million.. #amberheard #londonfields https://t.co/XomvRWlQkS

— Flickreel (@Flickreel) November 21, 2016

The complaint against Heard, filed on Monday, says that she refused to shoot certain scenes though they were in the script, refused to show up at the film festival, and conspired with Cullen, the director. Hanley is seeking $10 million in compensatory damages. The scenes mentioned in the complaint involve nudity, which according to the production company, Heard had agreed to beforehand. The complaint reads:

While the inherent tension between actors and directors (on the one hand) and producers (on the other) is nothing new in Hollywood, the unauthorized and unlawful acts of Heard, Cullen, and others–most notably, their campaign to damage Plaintiff, the Picture, and the Picture’s investors–are perhaps unprecedented. Indeed, as a result of their misconduct, which continues to this day, the very promising Picture remains in limbo, hijacked and placed under a cloud by Heard, Cullen, and others.

On the other hand, the director has said that the producers hijacked the movie, adding “incendiary imagery evoking 9/11 jumpers edited against pornography” to the final edit.

Emma Von Zeipel

Emma Von Zeipel is a staff writer at Law Street Media. She is originally from one of the islands of Stockholm, Sweden. After working for Democratic Voice of Burma in Thailand, she ended up in New York City. She has a BA in journalism from Stockholm University and is passionate about human rights, good books, horses, and European chocolate. Contact Emma at EVonZeipel@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Amber Heard Sued for $10 Million for Undermining ‘London Fields’ appeared first on Law Street.

After suffering through domestic violence accusations, damning photos and text messages, and a restraining order, Amber Heard has made good on her promise and has given away her $7 million divorce settlement with Johnny Depp to charity.

Amber Heard Is Donating All $7 Million Of Her Johnny Depp Divorce Settlement https://t.co/zosgwOYF7h pic.twitter.com/aMX48OIfWM

— Elite Daily (@EliteDaily) August 19, 2016

Heard announced the decision in a statement to Buzzfeed Thursday, saying the divorce with Depp was never about the money and that she hopes the money goes to people “less able to defend themselves.”

According to Buzzfeed, Heard said the large donation “will be divided equally between the ACLU, with a particular focus to stop violence against women, and the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, where I have worked as a volunteer for the past 10 years alongside organizations like the Art of Elysium.”

Heard filed for divorce in May, and later obtained a temporary restraining order that alleges Depp hit her during a fight in their Los Angeles apartment that same month. Her allegations looked pretty convincing as she walked into an L.A. courtroom with a bruise on her right cheek below the eye.

Depp, who has stayed relatively silent over the course of the divorce proceedings, has yet to release a statement and is probably under orders from his publicist to avoid the media at all costs. Why? Perhaps because its unclear if his career will recover from the domestic violence scandal. Former fans are still trying to figure out if they can forget forgive his domestic violence allegations and justify spending more money to see him in another “Pirates” sequel or freaky Tim Burton gothic comedy.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Amber Heard Donates $7 Million Divorce Settlement to Charity appeared first on Law Street.

Actress Amber Heard has filed for divorce from her husband Johnny Depp, and on Friday a judge granted her a temporary restraining order. Heard claims that Depp has been abusive to her at least three times over the last six months, and presented a photo of her bruised face after an alleged altercation with Depp on May 21.

Amber Heard has filed for a domestic violence restraining order against Johnny Depp. https://t.co/N2K3EJiqcxpic.twitter.com/yTCX4nr68x

— E! News (@enews) May 27, 2016

Heard has said that Depp threw an iPhone in her face, causing the bruise. She also claims that he broke things in their apartment, verbally accosted her, and pulled her hair.

Heard stated:

During the entirety of our relationship, Johnny has been verbally and physically abusive to me. Johnny has had a long-held and widely-acknowledged public and private history of drug and alcohol abuse…He has a short fuse.

…it doesn’t matter if someone cheats, or if someone is alleged to be violent. In California, if you want a divorce, you get a divorce. You don’t have to prove that one side was bad or that somebody did something wrong.

#ImWithAmber – we live in a world where victims are encouraged to speak out but get labelled a liar when they finally do & it needs to stop.

— jess (@jessshawXx) May 27, 2016

I’m in full support of people printing up #ImWithAmber stickers and putting them on Alice in Wonderland posters at theaters

— Ashley Lynch (@ashleylynch) May 27, 2016

the world wonders why women don’t speak out on domestic violence then denigrate a women when she does. #ImWithAmber #WeStandWithAmber

— onnalise (@lovelyforests) May 27, 2016

Because her sexuality (or her friends’!!) should have NOTHING to do with this. #ImWithAmber#WeStandWithAmberpic.twitter.com/IGk1GaofKE

— Isabel #ImwithAmber (@supernovaclexa) May 27, 2016

NO ONE DESERVE THIS #WeAreWithYouAmberHeard#WeStandWithAmberpic.twitter.com/l6gbXmAd50

— luiza (@bellatrirx) May 27, 2016

Anneliese Mahoney

Anneliese Mahoney is Managing Editor at Law Street and a Connecticut transplant to Washington D.C. She has a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a passion for law, politics, and social issues. Contact Anneliese at amahoney@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Judge Grants Amber Heard’s Restraining Order Against Johnny Depp appeared first on Law Street.

Last week’s top stories on Law Street covered racist responses to Harriet Tubman replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill, a judge ruling that Pastafarianism is not a real religion, and the end to Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s puppy-smuggling saga. ICYMI, check out the top stories below.

1. Of Course There are Racist Responses to Harriet Tubman on the $20 Bill

There are some truths I know to be absolute: gas station sushi is a bad idea, Betty White is a national treasure, and the internet is full of racist people. And if you need proof of that third claim, look no further than the internet’s response to the Treasury Department’s announcement that Harriet Tubman will be replacing Andrew Jackson on the $20 bill. Read the full article here.

2. The Flying Spaghetti Monster, a Religious Impasta?

Throw out your colanders and get rid of all of your spaghetti, a Nebraska judge ruled that Pastafarianism is not a real religion. Stephen Cavanaugh, a Nebraska inmate, sued Nebraska prison officials seeking $5 million in 2014, arguing that his religion should be treated like every other religion. He claims that he was mocked and harassed over his belief in the Flying Spaghetti Monster. He also claims that prison staff would not provide accommodations for his religion, as they do with others, by refusing to allow him to meet for worship services, to wear religious clothing and pendants, and to receive communion. Read the full article here.

3. Amber Heard & Johnny Depp Issue Strange Apology For Pet Smuggling

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s Australian puppy-smuggling saga is finally over. Heard plead guilty Monday to knowingly producing a false and misleading document, and received a one-month $1,000 good behavior bond. Luckily for the actress, prosecutors dropped the more serious illegal importation charges, which carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 102,000 Australian dollars (that’s $75,000.) Read the full article here.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post ICYMI: Best of the Week appeared first on Law Street.

Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s Australian puppy-smuggling saga is finally over.

Heard plead guilty Monday to knowingly producing a false and misleading document, and received a one-month $1,000 good behavior bond. Luckily for the actress, prosecutors dropped the more serious illegal importation charges, which carried a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine of 102,000 Australian dollars (that’s $75,000.)

Australian officials’ #WarOnTerrier began back in late April 2015, when Heard flew the couples tiny terriers “Pistol and Boo” into Australia without a permit to visit Depp, who was in the country filming of the next installment of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” The dogs’ secret arrival, however, was in direct violation of the country’s strict Quarantine Act, which is designed to prevent infectious diseases, such as rabies, from spreading.

At the time, Australia’s Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce famously threatened to put the dogs down if they weren’t sent back to the U.S. within a 72-hour window. The combination of Depp and Heard’s celebrity status and the intensity behind the minister’s comments helped propel the unusual illegal immigration story into the national spotlight, as well as offered up plenty of material for online parodies.

But the jokes didn’t stop there.

During the trial, Heard and Depp recorded a video apology that was heard by the court and later released by the Australian government. In the video the couple stated that they were “truly sorry that Pistol and Boo were not declared.” However, the couple’s unusual biosecurity-focused script and overall awkward demeanor didn’t help people take them seriously.

Here’s the full transcript:

Heard: “Australia is a wonderful island with a treasure trove of unique plants, animals and people.”

Depp: “It has to be protected.”

Heard: “Australia is free of many pests and diseases that are commonplace around the world. That is why Australia has to have such strong biosecurity laws.”

Depp: “Australians are just as unique; both warm and direct. When you disrespect Australian law, they will tell your firmly.”

Heard: “I am truly sorry that Pistol and Boo were not declared. Protecting Australia is important.”

Depp: “Declare everything when you enter Australia…thanks.”

Watch the full video below

It didn’t take long before social media began mocking the couples’ sincerity and joking that the pair looked like they were being held hostage. Here are some of the best tweets below.

The Johnny Depp apology feels like a hostage video.

— Ricky Gervais (@rickygervais) April 18, 2016

That Johnny Depp apology video… pic.twitter.com/8dPUZor4QU

— Jason Tin (@jasonthetin) April 18, 2016

I think my favourite bit is right at the start when Depp goes to read Heard’s line but then realises he is a second tier character

— Helen Davidson (@heldavidson) April 18, 2016

Ranking of Johnny Depp’s worst acting performances:

4. The Tourist
3. Pirates 3
2. Apology to Australia video
1. Mordecai

— Mark Di Stefano (@MarkDiStef) April 18, 2016

When Johnny Depp apologises for Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, we’ll know he’s serious about making it up to Australians #waronterrier

— The Shovel (@The_Shovel_) April 18, 2016

The weirdest thing about Johnny Depp’s Australia apology video was that it didn’t also star Helena Bonham Carter.

— Periwinkle Jones (@peachesanscream) April 18, 2016

Ultimately it doesn’t really matter whether the couple’s apology was sincere or not since Heard already succeeded in getting off with barely a slap on the wrist. That being said, the couple’s definitely learned their lesson when it comes to what not to do when flying their pampered pooches by private jet.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Amber Heard & Johnny Depp Issue Strange Apology For Pet Smuggling appeared first on Law Street.

Amber Heard, actress and wife of Johnny Depp, is pleading not guilty to illegal animal importing charges, after being accused by Australian officials of smuggling the couple’s two Yorkshire terriers into the country on a private jet. Heard was charged this week with two counts of illegally importing “Pistol and Boo” into Australia and one count of producing a false document.

Amber Heard pleads not into Brguilty to illegally importing dogs into Australia and begs for… https://t.co/2rCwUgvW2T pic.twitter.com/QBsAYFiiQm

— Eye Witness Reporter (@eyewitnessblog) December 7, 2015

The whole matter came about after the “Friday Night Lights” actress flew to Australia with the tiny terriers in May 2015 to visit Depp, who was in the country filming the next installment in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Heard allegedly falsified her immigration arrival card to conceal the arrival of the two tiny pups, as they traveled to Brisborne by private jet.

By doing so, she bypassed Australia’s strict Quarantine Act, which requires pet owners to apply for a pet permit and quarantine their animals on arrival for at least ten days. The act was designed to prevent infectious diseases, such as rabies, from spreading.

Authorities were tipped off to the dogs’ illegal arrival after photos surfaced of the pampered pooches at an Australian groomer’s shop. Officials gave the couple 72 hours to send Boo and Pistol back to the U.S., threatening that they would euthanize the dogs if they didn’t comply. In the words of Australia’s Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce,” if we start letting movie stars–even though they’ve been [voted] the Sexiest Man Alive twice–to come into our nation, then why don’t we just break the laws for everybody?” Joyce added, ” it’s time that Pistol and Boo buggered off back to the United States.”

Watch Joyce’s full comments below

Joyce’s intensity over the matter quickly became parodied worldwide and social media responded with the ironic hashtag #WarOnTerrier. The dogs were eventually flown back to the U.S. under the guardianship of Heard’s father in order to avoid potential harm from the Australian government.

Even though the matter came off as joke for some, the potential sentence is no laughing matter. According to NBC, Heard could face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $75,000 fine for the importation charges, while the false document charge carries a penalty of a year in prison and a fine of $7,500. Depp, however, was able to avoid charges altogether because the dogs are solely registered under Heard’s name.

Despite the severity of the charges, Depp didn’t shy away from firing back at the Australian minister during an interview at the Venice Film Festival joking, ” I killed my dogs and ate them, under direct orders of some kind of, I don’t know, sweaty, big-gutted man from Australia.”

Heard on the other hand seem to be taking the charges more seriously. In a statement released by her lawyers Heard said,

Whilst I am unable to comment on the specific matters before the court I would like to say that I respect the importance of Australia’s laws. My decision to defend these charges, as will become apparent in the appropriate forum of the court, is not intended to in any way diminish the importance of Australia’s laws. I look forward to attending the hearing of these matters. However as the matters are to be determined by the court, I will not be making any further statements.

Alexis Evans

Alexis Evans is an Assistant Editor at Law Street and a Buckeye State native. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and a minor in Business from Ohio University. Contact Alexis at aevans@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Amber Heard Will Plead Not Guilty to Illegally Bringing Dogs to Australia appeared first on Law Street.

Not even the rich and famous can escape being subpoenaed. And sometimes, a delusional fan is the reason for it.

At the premiere of his latest movie last Thursday, Johnny Depp was served legal documents calling him as a witness in a murder case. But Depp wasn’t a witness to the crime, nor does he know the person who committed it. So what’s the connection?

In 2009, Nancy Lekon  was driving in Los Angeles when she struck and killed a passenger, who was dragged by her car for over a mile. Lekon claimed that she was in such a rush because she was on her way to meet Depp; with whom she claimed to be in a relationship.  But there is no connection between Depp and Lekon besides the woman’s (perhaps) delusional obsession with him.

Lekon’s lawyer has been trying to prove she is not guilty by reason of mental insanity, and wants Depp’s testimony to prove that. If Depp testifies that he was not dating Lekon, it would go to support the claim. The fact Depp was subpoenaed is a bit of an anomaly in itself. A subpoena is a legal document that compels someone to testify in court. If you’re subpoenaed and don’t show up, you could be held in contempt.

In a lot of cases, it makes sense to subpoena someone. If there is a crime with one key witness, or someone with a very specialized field of knowledge, it would make sense to compel them to testify in a trial- without them, important information would not be heard by the jury or judge, and the verdict could be skewed as a result. But in this case, it seems like just about anyone could have surmised that Lekon wasn’t actually dating Depp.

So why was Depp subpoenaed so publicly, five years after the crime? One would assume Mr. Depp’s publicists could have gotten this information to Lekon’s attorney in writing, and have the information be just as effective. It’s possible that despite this subpoena, which Depp probably wasn’t expecting, he won’t take the stand physically. Rather, he could submit a written statement, or testify via a phone call.

This isn’t the first time a celebrity will have testified about someone they don’t know. In November of 2013, Alec Baldwin took the stand to testify against a stalker of his. But the difference between Baldwin and Depp is that Baldwin’s life had been affected by the woman stalking him- as she repeatedly called and messaged him. Depp, on the other hand, has never been in contact with Lekon.

Nonetheless, the tactic is an interesting one from Lekon’s public defender. There will probably be other medical evidence and professional testimony to support the insanity defense, but the ability to utilize a figure as public and well known as Depp himself might really drive home the attorney’s assertion about Lekon. While many people claim insanity defense as a way to escape being held responsible for their actions, a delusion as grandiose as this one could be the icing on the cake to help Lekon escape this murder charge.

And while this is definitely a new (and odd) tactic, it’s possible that Lekon’s attorney is doing it for show. In situations like this, where a party has relevant information but could provide the same information in a written format, they would just go through a deposition. So the fact Depp was served these papers at his movie premiere, about a 5-year-old case, regarding a woman he has never met, seems fishy at best. Knowing the extent of Depp’s resources, it wouldn’t be surprising if his own lawyers find a way for Depp to get out of testifying in person.

[CNN] [TMZ]

—

Molly Hogan (@molly_hogan13)

Featured image courtesy of [Caroline Bonarde Ucci via Wikipedia]

Molly Hogan

Molly Hogan is a student at The George Washington University and formerly an intern at Law Street Media. Contact Molly at staff@LawStreetMedia.com.

The post Weird Celebrity News: Johnny Depp Subpoenaed appeared first on Law Street.