Billy Slagle has been on death row since his murder conviction in 1988. He was 18 at the time of the crime. His execution date was set for Tuesday. This morning, he was found hanged in his cell. He was in solitary confinement.

Cuyahoga County prosecutors joined Slagle's family in asking for a reprieve, urging [Gov. John]Kasich to commute his sentence to life in prison without parole -- a sentence the prosecutor's office said had not been available at the time.

Gov. Kasich denied the request on July 24.

A federal jury in Virginia has rejected the Government's request for the death penalty in the case of the three remaining Somali pirates charged with killing Americans on their sailboat 40 miles off the coast of Somalia.

Under federal law, a sentence to death must be unanimous. In this case, one juror held out for life on one defendant, while two jurors felt life was appropriate for the other two.

Originally, there were 19 pirates on board when the shootings occurred. [More...]

3 weeks to college football!

Open Thread.

I've got a long drive this afternoon to a jail in the mountains. Here's an open thread, all topics (except Zimmerman) welcome.

Yesterday, the U.S. announced it would close its Embassies in the Middle East and North Africa. Today it issued a global travel alert to U.S. citizens, particularly in the Middle East and Africa.

“The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula,” read the bulletin, by the State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs. “Current information suggests that Al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August.”

Travelers are urged to register their plans with the State Department. [More...]

At BloggingHeads TV, Glenn Loury and Ann Althouse discuss whether George Zimmerman's shooting of Trayvon Martin was the right case for to pick as emblematic of racial profiling and race relations. I've been reading Ann's view of the case for months at her blog, so her view is not surprising to me. (While our politics are different, we have similar views of the evidence and legal aspects of the case.)

But I think some people, particularly those who view themselves as liberal, will be surprised by Loury's view. (The clip above is a one minute capsule of his position.)

In addition to agreeing this wasn't the right case to use to highlight problems with racial profiling and racial injustice, he questions whether Zimmerman should have been charged at all and says he would welcome an investigation into whether the prosecution was politically motivated. [More...]

I've complained a few times over the past months about the incomplete court docket in the Dzhokhar Tsarnaev case, suggesting that mainstream media should object. It's one thing to keep the contents of a motion or order sealed, it's another to keep secret the fact that a motion or order was filed. In May, there were 22 missing docket entries. The docket today shows more missing docket entries(and shows nothing has been filed since July 15.)

At last: A challenge from MA media:

GateHouse Media Inc., the parent company of several Massachusetts-based community newspapers — including The Herald News, the Patriot Ledger and the MetroWest Daily News — on Wednesday submitted a letter to federal district court objecting that the public docket maintained in the criminal case against Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev is missing entries.

I quoted the MA rules and posted a graphic showing the missing entries in May, along with a graphic of how it's typically done in cases in other districts -- including terrorism cases, here [More...].

I've got a busy day at work. Here's an open thread, all topics (except Zimmerman) welcome.

Update: New report on Guantanamo finds cost is $2.7 million per prisoner per year.

Russia has given asylum to Edward Snowden for a year. He has left the Moscow airport. He is with a member of the Wikileaks legal team.

Why only a year? Maybe Russia is hoping that in a year's time, the U.S. will reconsider its refusal to hand over Victor Bout and Konstantin Yaroshenko in exchange for Snowden.

Via the Guardian: Edward Snowden's latest contribution to letting the world know what the U.S. Government doesn't want you to know: XKeyscore.

Analysts can also use XKeyscore and other NSA systems to obtain ongoing "real-time" interception of an individual's internet activity.

....One top-secret document describes how the program "searches within bodies of emails, webpages and documents", including the "To, From, CC, BCC lines" and the 'Contact Us' pages on websites".

Here's the video of George Zimmerman's traffic stop in Texas. [Added: Longer version here. Sounds to me like he describes Zimmerman as a "black male, last name Zimmerman" at 2:47 in.)

Why wouldn't he have a gun with him? He's the target of death threats. Those who object should examine why he feels the need to be armed. If lawyers who view their duty to be "social engineers" as greater than their duty to be lawyers, and as a "higher calling" than being an attorney, the media and a public all to ready to declare guilt, hadn't created an atmosphere of hatred for Zimmerman, his life would not be at risk. To suggest he shouldn't be able to protect himself by possessing a lawfully acquired firearm is preposterous.

George Zimmerman shot and killed someone who attacked him. He committed no crime. He has a valid concealed weapons permit. If the media and public didn't continue to perpetuate the false myth that he is a racist and a "murderer", there might be no death threats and no reason for him to be armed at all times. In other words, you reap what you sow. [More...]

Last week the Nevada Board of Parole held a hearing on O.J. Simpson's request for parole. You can watch the hearing here.

The parole board has granted his request, but since on some counts, the sentences were consecutive, he could have to serve up to four more years.

OJ's motion for a new trial based on ineffective assistance of counsel is still pending.

Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has authorized the declassification and public release of these documents:

• Cover Letter and 2009 Report on the National Security Agency’s Bulk Collection Program for USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
• Cover Letters and 2011 Report on the National Security Agency’s Bulk Collection Program for USA PATRIOT Act Reauthorization
• Primary Order for Business Records Collection Under Section 215 of the USA PATRIOT Act

Here's a NY Times article on today's hearing and the declassified documents.

Time for an open thread, all topics welcome.

The Denver Post has an article today about Colorado's "Make My Day" law that allows homeowners to use deadly force against an intruder in their home.

Introduced in 1985 as the Homeowner Protection Act, "make my day" gives Colorado residents the right to shoot and kill an intruder if they believe the person intends to commit a crime and use physical force, "no matter how slight." That extraordinary right stops at the door. Front porches and backyards don't count.

In other words, to shoot and kill an intruder in the home, a homeowner need only reasonably believe a trespassing person might use any measure of physical force on any occupant of the home. The law is explained here.

Outside the home:

... in Colorado, as in Florida, fists can be deemed deadly weapons that justify gun use outside the home.

[More...]