This building looks familiar

Patrick Sullivan – a 69-year-old retired Sheriff from Arapahoe County, Colorado – has been sentenced to 30 days in the very gaol that bears his name, after he pleaded guilty to trading drugs for sex with male prostitutes.
The Guardian newspaper reports that Mr Sullivan – who retired in 2002 after an impressive career that saw the county gaol named after him – was arrested in a sting operation last November, following a claim from police informants that the sheriff offered them methamphetamine for sex.
The court was told by Sullivan’s lawyer that the ‘by-the-book’ sheriff had struggled with his sexuality for years. Aaron Kennard, the National Sheriff’s Association executive director, called the case ‘disheartening and devastating’, given Mr Sullivan’s reputation.
And, in the final indignation for Sullivan, county authorities are reported to have removed his name from the prison building.

Eurovision contestants unite to give ‘nul points’ to Azerbaijan

Just when you think there are enough mediocre musicians around as it is, former Eurovision winners and contestants have agreed to unite and demand that authorities in Eurovision 2012 host country Azerbaijan respect freedom of expression.
The group is helping Amnesty International launch a massive Twitter and Facebook campaign to raise awareness of the problem, as this year’s contest is to be held in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. 
Among those hoping the Azerbaijan authorities are more receptive than a puppet on a string, is Amnesty International campaigner Max Tucker, who said: ‘The Eurovision Song Contest celebrates free expression, and the organisers claim to champion media freedom.
Yet Azerbaijan has one of the worst environments for media expression in Europe. Ordinary Azeris struggle to speak freely and have been living in an atmosphere of fear for the past 20 years.’

Any excuse to use Facebook

A Montgomery County Common Pleas Court judge has allowed a man who claimed to have been sucker-punched by a soccer opponent to snoop on his alleged attacker’s Facebook page, according to Law Technology News.
Judge William Carpenter ruled in a Pennsylvania court that the plaintiff should be allowed to find information to bolster his lawsuit.
The report asserts that it is traditionally the defendant who attempts to use Facebook information to discredit a claimant’s credibility, but the case – Gallagher v Urbanovich – reflects a new direction for the use of Facebook in court.
Francis Clark – the lawyer representing Mr Gallagher – said: ‘It’s another source for statements by the defendant. That’s the correct determination. It’s just like asking who you’ve spoken to about the case. That’s a legitimate question and you’re entitled to know it.’

A kidney for an iPhone

A surgeon, a hospital broker, a hospital contractor and those who look for donors online are among the five people charged with illegal organ trading after a Chinese teenager sold a kidney to buy high-tech Apple devices.
According to The Independent newspaper, the 17-year-old – known only as Wang – is understood to have received $3,000 for his kidney, money that he used to buy an iPhone and an iPad.
According to the state-run Xinhua news agency, the group received around $35,000 for the transplant, which took place in April 2011.

Winds of change for court jester

A Guildford Crown Court Judge added 20 hours to a burglar’s community sentence after the miscreant broke wind loudly during his judgement, reports The Daily Telegraph.
Christopher Cook, from Reigate, England, was having a gas as he and his friends in the court chuckled their way through Judge Peter Moss’ sentencing.
Unfortunately for Mr Cook, the judge was not amused by the antics. ‘I was going to sentence you to 100 hours’ unpaid work,’ said Judge Moss, ‘but I’m going to give you an additional 20 hours because of your attitude.’

‘Sick’ juror jailed for 56 days

A care home worker from Blackpool, England, has been jailed for 56 days after skipping jury service to go on holiday to Malta.
Janet Chapman, 52, called court officials to claim she had back pain and would be unable to attend court. In a message left with a jury bailiff, she said: ‘I won’t be attending court for a period of up to two weeks. I have got to return to the doctors next Tuesday, I have got sciatica. Thank you. Bye.’
After Ms Chapman failed to appear for the final week of a four-week robbery trail at Preston Crown Court, the presiding judge said that her ‘phone call was a ‘misleading’ and ‘deliberate’ deception.

The missing ink

Many people get tattoos that they later regret, but not many will be arrested because of them. But in a master-class of how to be a bad liar, Dylan Contreras identified himself as Emiliano Velesco when approached by officers in Twin Falls, Idaho, despite having his real name tattooed on his arm.
After running his fake name through the police database and finding no results, it didn’t take long for the officers to see through the lie and find his real details, according to The Huffington Post. They were probably not surprised to learn that Mr Contreras was wanted for providing false information.