Father of ‘American Taliban’ urges commuted sentence for son News
Father of ‘American Taliban’ urges commuted sentence for son

[JURIST] The father of John Walker Lindh [CNN profile; JURIST news archive], the American caught fighting for the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001, called on President Bush Thursday to grant his son clemency and commute his 20 year sentence in a speech to San Francisco's Commonwealth Club. Lindh, who was 20-years-old when captured in Afghanistan, pleaded guilty in 2002 to supplying services to the Taliban under a plea agreement [PDF text] with prosecutors. Lindh asked for a commuted sentence [JURIST report] in 2004, but then-Attorney General John Ashcroft denied the request [JURIST news archive]. Last month, lawyers for Lindh made a second request [JURIST report] for a commuted prison sentence. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Charles Manson sentenced to death

On April 19, 1971, Charles Manson was sentenced to death for ordering the murders of Sharon Tate and others. The sentence was then commuted to life after the Supreme Court of California overturned the death penalty in 1972. Learn more about the trial of Charles Manson from the University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Law.

The Beatles signed 10-year partnership

On April 19, 1967, John, Paul, George and Ringo - aka "The Beatles" - signed a partnership deed agreeing that the group would continue for a (further) period of ten years. When The Beatles split up prematurely in 1970, Paul applied to have the partnership terminated and a receiver appointed.

Read a legal analysis of Paul McCartney’s 1970 lawsuit against John, George and Ringo.

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