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Jail expert witness Richard Lichten gives an inside view on the causes of jail and prison riots:

Of course over crowding adds to the problem. It adds to the stress the inmates feel. It means fewer inmates can get the proper health care they need, and there are fewer opportunities for the inmates to attend school, etc. You get the picture. Over crowding places heavy burdens on the staff as well. It is a serious matter. But there is so much more going on in a riot.

This is what I can tell you about jail and prison riots based on my training, knowledge, and experience. Please know that I do not differentiate between jail and prison. It is not necessary that I do so.

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Law enforcement expert witness Richard Lichten gives an inside view on the causes of jail and prison riots:

For some time now, the news media has inundated the public with stories of prison under funding, poor prison health care, and the possibility of California releasing thousands of prison inmates to ease overcrowding. Additionally, two major prison riots were reported. One riot was in California and one in Kentucky. Numerous prisoners were injured and millions of dollars in damage was done during both riots. The news reported that prison overcrowding was to blame in each case.

During my 30 years in law enforcement I have led emergency response teams to quell over 100 large inmate disturbances (what many would call riots) in several very large, violent jails. I have taught other supervisors and line personnel how to handle such riots, and I have lectured on this topic in other states. And even though I have retired, I am still involved with jail and prison issues by working with the Dr. Prison (www.drprison.org) organization. Dr. Prison counsels individuals who are going to be incarcerated for the first time how to survive by learning the rules of jail or prison.

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Michael Dean and Lucinda Stone, owners of Function Media, claim Google products infringe their ‘025 and ‘059 patents. The patents involve taking raw data and automatically formatting customized advertisements to be published on Web sites. Function Media is seeking $600 million in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, which is 12 percent of royalties from Googles’ AdSense for Content program. Function Media claims that it is their technology Google is using to create and publish customized advertisement on sites.

Software development expert witness Mark Lanning testified that he did not believe Google is guilty of infringement while Ms. Stone said she discovered similarities in Function Media and Google’s programs while using Google’s AdSense to publish ads on her own Web site in 2004. According to Google’s AdSense for content Web site, the free program allows Web site publishers to display relevant Google ads on their content pages and earn money from valid clicks or impressions. Google reportedly generated more $5 billion in revenue from the program.

For more, see marshallnewsmessenger.com.

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On his website, aviation training expert witness John Ogle, MD, MPH, FACEP, provides links to the Code of Federal Regulations – Part 61 regarding certification of pilots and instructors. Sections include:

# § 61.3 Requirement for certificates, ratings, and authorizations.

# § 61.4 Qualification and approval of flight simulators and flight training devices.

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On his website, aviation safety expert witness John Ogle, MD, MPH, FACEP, answers frequently asked questions about being an aviation medical examiner:

What is an Aviation Medical Examiner and how does one become designated?

Under the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (as amended), the FAA Administrator is authorized to delegate to qualified private physicians the conduct of medical examinations and the issuance of medical certificates to qualified applicants. Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs) are private physicians, trained and authorized by the FAA to perform airman medical examinations, and to issue medical certificates. New AMEs are designated based upon the local demand for aeromedcial certification services.

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Information technology expert witness Mark Lanning testified Monday for Google in the case of Function Media versus Google. Michael Dean and Lucinda Stone, owners of Function Media, claim the Google products infringe their ‘025 and ‘059 patents. The patents involve taking raw data and automatically formatting customized advertisements to be published on Web sites.

During his testimony in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Lanning said he did not believe Google is guilty of infringement for a few reasons:

Google does not permit advertisers to input information to create an electronic advertisement customized to selected “Internet media venue’s presentation rules.” Presentation rules refer to the color, layout and content of a site.

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On his website, aviation expert witness John Ogle, MD, MPH, FACEP, lists FAA medical questions regarding a pilot applicant’s medical history and information on how the FAA considers any problems with respect to flight safety. Here are 1-12.

Medical History 1. Frequent or severe headaches (More…)

2. Dizziness or fainting spells (More…)

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Bear Stearns former lawyer Raymond Aronson is to testify as a securities expert witness against Bear Stearns. The bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods is suing Bear over allegedly overpriced bonds Bear hedge funds sold nearly three years ago. Keefe hired Aronson, who is currently with Sutter Securities Group, Inc., to testify as an expert witness on legal and industry practices related to prime brokerage and clearing transactions in the pending arbitration case. Aronson worked 29 years for Bears Stearns until 2004.

For more, see www.businessinsider.com.

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The obvious signs of Neil Beagley’s failing health gave his parents ample warning that the teenager needed immediate medical treatment, a doctor testified Friday. Pediatric urology expert witness Dr. Edward Guillery, who specializes in childhood kidney disease, said that a record of the boy’s food consumption clearly signaled his decline. “The fact that there was (a record) is what really caught my attention,” Guillery said. Food journals “usually reflect a significant concern that something is wrong.”

The boy’s parents, Jeffrey and Marci Beagley, are charged with criminally negligent homicide for failing to provide medical care for Neil, who died in June 2008. The family belong to Followers of Christ, an Oregon City church that generally relies on faith-healing rather than doctors and medicine.

For more, see oregonlive.com.

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Providence, RI, Senior U.S. District Judge Ronald R. Lagueux on Wednesday gave his oral judgment in favor of Dunkin’ Donuts defendants and adverse to Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee Irwin Barkan. Dismissing the jury on the seventh day of trial, he also granted Dunkin defendants’ oral motion to preclude the testimony of Barkan’s franchise valuation expert witness, Frank Torchio. Barkan has been fighting in court against the franchisor for five years after losing his six stores and his store development agreements to open new franchises. He claimed that Dunkin’ intentionally blocked his efforts to refinance his stores through CIT, even though Dunkin’ had agreed to the financial restructuring of his company.

Barkan asserts that Dunkin’s interference of the refinancing process forced him into bankruptcy with his stores, and that it was an intentional act by Dunkin’ to eliminate him from the system.The expert witness was to give evidence that Barkan would have made $13 million if he had received the refinancing and continued to open his additional stores. In recent years, Dunkin’ Brands has been accused of hardball tactics in terminating smaller franchisees, under the guise that they have breached their contracts. Franchise operators have alleged that they then sell the stores to large multi-unit operators of Dunkin’s choosing.

For more, see bluemaumau.org.