JURIST - Paper Chase: Evening legal news brief - US Marines face charges in Iraqi prisoner's death

Leading the legal news this evening, AP reports: "Three Marine reservists appeared in military court Monday to face charges stemming from the death of an Iraqi prisoner who prosecutors said was punched, karate-kicked and dragged by the throat while in their custody." AP has more.

In other legal news...

Connecticut govenor impeachment panel gets unanimous OK
Reuters reports: "Connecticut lawmakers voted unanimously on Monday to set up a panel to investigate whether to launch an impeachment probe of embattled Gov. John Rowland after he accepted gifts and free work from state contractors and lied about it."
Domestic partner registry opens in Ohio
AP reports: "Balloons decorated City Hall as unmarried couples, gay and straight, lined up Monday to be among the first to sign up for the city's domestic partner registry, the first in the nation created by voters."
Federal government bans cattle blood in feed
AP reports: "The government is outlawing the use of cattle blood in livestock feed and cow brains and other parts in dietary supplements, part of broader restrictions in wake of the nation's first known case of mad cow disease."
Judge says US can't deport banker to Russia yet
Reuters reports: "A federal judge on Monday ruled that a former Russian banker, who has ties to a jailed Russian oil magnate, should not be deported until he exhausts his legal effort to seek asylum in the United States."
Cigarette maker loses high court appeal
AP reports: "R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. lost a Supreme Court appeal Monday that challenged a judgment awarded to the widow of a teacher who died of cancer."
Tribe appeals federal court ruling on raid of tax-free smoke shop
AP reports: "An American Indian tribe on Monday appealed a federal court decision that said Rhode Island rightly shut down its tax-free tobacco store after a violent raid."
Report says WorldCom could be sued for back taxes
The New York Times reports: "WorldCom is vulnerable to being sued for hundreds of millions of dollars in back taxes by the states in which it has operated since the late 1990's, according to the final report filed today by the court-appointed examiner in WorldCom's bankruptcy proceedings."
Attorneys opposes cameras at Nichols trial
AP reports: "Defense attorneys objected Monday to allowing cameras in or near the courtroom where Oklahoma City bombing conspirator Terry Nichols will be tried on 161 counts of first-degree murder."

In international legal news...

Iran reformists consider quitting, election boycott
Reuters reports: "Iranian reformist politicians on Monday considered mass resignations or boycotting next month's parliamentary elections after a hard-line body vetoed their attempt to overturn bans on thousands of election hopefuls."
French President Chirac faces opposition over scarf ban
AP reports: "French President Jacques Chirac is facing growing political opposition to his proposal to ban the Muslim head scarf in public schools."
Portugal awaits abortion ruling
AFP reports: "Portuguese lawyers representing women accused of illegally undergoing abortions have made their final arguments and await a verdict."
EU keeps hope alive for constitutinal deal
AFP reports: "The European Union could yet strike a deal on a first-ever constitution by June, the bloc's Irish presidency said in an upbeat assessment of the first talks since an EU summit collapsed last month."
Germany offers to release prisoners for news on Israeli airman
CBC reports: "Germany said on Monday it would release three prisoners in return for information about Ron Arad, an Israeli air force navigator shot down over Lebanon in 1986."
Court firm on Israel barrier case
BBC reports: "The International Court of Justice has rejected a call by Israel to move a 30 January deadline for written arguments on the security barrier case."
Brussels set to rule against Microsoft
FT.com reports: "The European Commission has reached a preliminary decision that Microsoft broke European competition law and abused its dominant position in the personal computer market."

Every day, JURIST's editors at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law review thousands of developing stories from the wire services, newspapers and broadcast media in the US and abroad, selecting the latest legal news worth thinking about. That's all for now. Check back after 10 AM ET tomorrow for the AM legal news brief on JURIST's Paper Chase.