Arguing with the local sheriff's office on Facebook over your imminent arrest seems obviously unwise. But, setting aside immediate judgments, maybe having a very public and mostly neutral exchange with police wherein you affirm your innocence is...not the worst thing, actually? Accusations of coerced confessions and police strongarm tactics (as well as actual instances of coerced confessions and strongarm tactics) might be reduced by some transparency in the arrest and interrogation process, one hopes. Even if it makes everyone else uncomfortable. (And really, the comfort level of "bystanders" reading that exchange ("omg awkward") should be so far down on the priority list if you've been accused of a crime.)

Liberty and justice for almost all: "A Mississippi judge ordered an attorney to spend several hours in jail Wednesday after the attorney chose not to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in court. The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal reported that Chancery Judge Talmadge Littlejohn told a court audience to rise and say the pledge. People in the courtroom said Danny Lampley of Oxford stood but did not say the words."

This article by Dahlia Lithwick on Charles Dean Hood-the Texas death row inmate whose trial judge and prosecutor were having a secret affair-is as good as anything she's ever written, which is saying a lot.

David Kaiser and Lovisa Stannow look at a new report on juvenile prison rape. I'm not going to include any of the anecdotes or hard numbers, but be assured, everything about it is absolutely horrific.