JURIST - Paper Chase: PM legal news brief - US Supreme Court takes immigrant detention case

Leading this afternoon's legal news, AP reports: "The Supreme Court said Friday it will decide whether authorities can imprison indefinitely hundreds of Cuban immigrant criminals and other illegal foreigners with no country to accept them." AP has more. The Court's grant of certiorari is online here.

In other legal news this afternoon...

Michael Jackson pleads not guilty
AP reports: "With a sea of cameras and fans outside the courthouse, Michael Jackson pleaded innocent Friday to child-molestation charges that could send him to prison — and was scolded by the judge for being 21 minutes late for his first court appearance."
Lawmakers say Halliburton probe deepens
Reuters reports: "U.S. lawmakers said on Friday the Pentagon's inspector general had told them it was investigating possible criminal violations in connection with oil service company Halliburton's fuel imports to Iraq."
President Bush installs Pickering on appeals court
AP reports: "President Bush installed Charles Pickering on a federal appeals court Friday, bypassing Democrats who had stalled his nomination for more than two years, sources said."
US investigating reports of Iraq detainee abuse
Reuters reports: "The U.S. military said Friday it was investigating reports of detainees being abused at one of its detention centers in Iraq, but gave no details of the allegations."
Nebraska court rules for Guatemalan mother
AP reports: "The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday ordered a new custody hearing for a Mayan Indian woman from Guatemala who lost her two young children after her deportation on immigration charges."
Media groups oppose order closing Martha Stewart jury selection
AP reports: "Lawyers for media organizations covering the Martha Stewart trial urged a federal judge on Friday to reverse her order barring the media from watching jury selection."
Pennsylvania frees death-row inmate exonerated by DNA
AP reports: "An inmate who spent two decades on death row before DNA evidence exonerated him walked out of prison a free man Friday, saying he just wanted to get home and be with his family."
American soldiers seek congressional probe of discharge
Reuters reports: "Three U.S. soldiers who were discharged this month for punching and kicking Iraqi prisoners of war said on Friday they would appeal the decision and want Congress to investigate the incident."
Michigan State Police find no evidence of wrongdoing by Detroit mayor
AP reports: "State police on Friday said they found no evidence to support a widely discredited accusation that the city's mayor covered up an alleged assault during a wild party at his official residence."

In international legal news this afternoon...

Taiwan's leader waters down referendum
AP reports: "Pressured by the United States, Taiwan's leader on Friday significantly watered down the language of a March 20 referendum on how the island should deal with the threat of hundreds of Chinese missiles."
US may agree to some changes in Iraq plan
Reuters reports: "The United States, facing objections from Iraq's most powerful Muslim cleric, said on Friday it may agree to some changes to its plans for handing over power to Iraqis by July 1 without holding elections first."
France seeks UN forces in Ivory Coast
AP reports: "France introduced a resolution calling for a 6,240-strong U.N. peacekeeping force in war-divided Ivory Coast, but the United States on Friday expressed reservations about the size and said it wants to examine the justification for the deployment."

That's all for new. Check back this weekend for the next legal news brief on JURIST's Paper Chase.