This is a law we need, alright.

609.735 CONCEALING IDENTITY.

A person whose identity is concealed by the person in a public place by means of a robe, mask, or other disguise, unless based on religious beliefs, or incidental to amusement, entertainment, protection from weather, or medical treatment, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Meaningless Law of the Day

So tell, folks-who-think-they-can-legislate-behavior-successfully, how do you intend to enforce this? It's not possible. You just passed a law strictly because it feels good.

Sex offenders: No Internet
Predatory offenders won't be able to My Space, FaceBook or Twitter

Associated Press

The highest-risk sex offenders will face limits on their Internet access under a bill the Minnesota Legislature voted unanimously to send to Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

Starting in August 2010, pedatory offenders put on intensive supervised release won't be able to access, create or maintain a personal Web page or social networking account if it permits contact with anyone under 18. The restrictions apply to chat rooms, instant messaging and popular sites like MySpace and Facebook.

The Truth About Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer

The Truth About Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer

Publish at Scribd or explore others: Illustrations & Maps criminal trial

Quote of the Day

Death Penalty Lawyers

Murder is no time to be shopping around for a deal or someone with no experience in the death penalty (even if you are not facing the death penalty). Find one and mortgage your home. Murder is a six-figure world.

-Brian Tannebaum

Don't forget, killing someone in self defense is legally murder, with an affirmative defense.

US Code

For those curious, or having too much time on their hands, here is some light reading, every Federal law in the U.S.

What a waste...

...of perfectly good legislator effort.

Carbon-monoxide alarms now mandatory in all homes

The goal is to reduce deaths -- there were 92 in Minnesota from 2002 to 2006 -- from the colorless, tasteless, odorless gas.

92 deaths over 5 years. That's an average of 18.4 out of 5 million!

That's an annual fatality rate of 0.000368%. What the hell is the point of legislating something like that?

Dammit! I want my government back!

Teenagers?

Two Red Wing teenagers arrested for impersonating cops
Impersonating a cop is a good way to get shot. If you are pulled over, and you aren't positive it is a cop, keep driving and call 911. The real cops really don't mind.

Interesting bit:

Deputies tracked the vehicle down and pulled it over in Welch Township. They arrested an 18-year-old man from New Brighton and an 18-year-old Lakeland man.

Eighteen is the legal definition of adult in the US. Why does the headline refer to them as teenagers?

Interesting Laws

609.34 FORNICATION.
When any man and single woman have sexual intercourse with each other, each is guilty of fornication, which is a misdemeanor.
History: 1967 c 507 s 11; 1971 c 23 s 43

609.36 ADULTERY.
Subdivision 1. Acts constituting. When a married woman has sexual intercourse with a man other than her husband, whether married or not, both are guilty of adultery and may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
Subd. 2. Limitations. No prosecution shall be commenced under this section except on complaint of the husband or the wife, except when such husband or wife is insane, nor after one year from the commission of the offense.
Subd. 3. Defense. It is a defense to violation of this section if the marital status of the woman was not known to the defendant at the time of the act of adultery.
History: 1963 c 753 art 1 s 609.36; 1984 c 628 art 3 s 11

609.293 SODOMY.
Subdivision 1. Definition. "Sodomy" means carnally knowing any person by the anus or by or with the mouth.
Subd. 2.[Repealed, 1977 c 130 s 10]
Subd. 3.[Repealed, 1977 c 130 s 10]
Subd. 4.[Repealed, 1977 c 130 s 10]
Subd. 5. Consensual acts. Whoever, in cases not coming within the provisions of sections 609.342 or 609.344, voluntarily engages in or submits to an act of sodomy with another may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000, or both.
History: 1967 c 507 s 4; 1977 c 130 s 4; 1984 c 628 art 3 s 11

609.294 BESTIALITY.
Whoever carnally knows a dead body or an animal or bird is guilty of bestiality, which is a misdemeanor. If knowingly done in the presence of another the person may be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than one year or to payment of a fine of not more than $3,000 or both.
History: 1967 c 507 s 5; 1971 c 23 s 42; 1984 c 628 art 3 s 11; 1986 c 444