Posts on ‘March 10th, 2009’

The family of a New Jersey man who died hours after having his wisdom teeth removed has won more than $11 million in damages. A jury determined that oral surgeon George Flugrad committed medical malpractice when he failed to get clearance from Francis Keller’s doctor to operate. Keller told Flugrad he had a heriditary condition that caused his immune system to react to any trauma to his face or hands by swelling. Keller’s throat, face and hands swelled up and his airway closed following surgery.

Joseph Kristan Jr. has been a juvenile prosecutor in Connecticut for 30 years — but on Jan. 15 he didn’t show up for work and didn’t return home. Reported missing to state police later that day, Kristan has not been seen in Connecticut since. Family members have, however, heard from him. He has sent letters with return addresses in Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee — but efforts to contact him at those addresses have been unsuccessful. Investigators have not stated a motive for Kristan’s disappearance.

A federal judge has bodyslammed former World Wrestling Entertainment wrestlers by dismissing a lawsuit that claimed the wrestlers had been denied certain economic benefits because they were misclassified as independent contractors. Former WWE performers Scott “Raven” Levy, Christopher “Kanyon” Kluscartis and “Above Average” Michael Sanders claimed they should have been treated as employees because the WWE controls their salaries, performance locations, costumes, training regimen and the storylines they follow.

President Barack Obama on Monday ordered a review of George W. Bush’s guidelines for implementing legislation passed by Congress. In a memo to senior government officials, Obama said they must check with Attorney General Eric Holder before relying on any of Bush’s signing statements for guidance. Bush often issued a statement when signing a bill into law. Critics say the statements at times showed government officials how to circumvent the law if Bush disagreed with it on constitutional grounds.

Several victims of Bernard Madoff’s alleged multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme want to speak in court on Thursday when Madoff is expected to enter a guilty plea. In a letter to New York federal Judge Denny Chin, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marc Litt and Lisa A. Baroni said they were forwarding 25 e-mails concerning requests to speak at Thursday’s hearing.

Lawyers for three men accused of crimes related to the 2006 murder of lawyer Robert Wone are demanding more information about a three-count indictment that the attorneys say is vague and factually deficient. Victor Zaborsky, Dylan Ward and Arent Fox partner Joseph Price are charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice and evidence tampering related to the fatal stabbing of Wone, general counsel for Radio Free Asia.