Afternoon Legal Links ... Famed high-end retailer Saks Fifth Avenue takes a curious legal stance in a discrimination suit ... D.C. prosecutors name star legal team to review scores of wrongful conviction claims ... Georgia lawmaker seeks to lower age to run for office from 25 to 21 What does a big-name organization typically do when its accused in a mullion-dollar lawsuit of discrimination? Usually, vigorously defend itself and set out to prove the accusations false. Although, that hasnt been the case in the lawsuit recently filed by a fired transgender employee named Leyth O. Jamal, who claims she was harassed, then fired, for being a trans woman. Saks could have fought Jamal’s suit by insisting that her claims of harassment are false, or that she was terminated for reasons unrelated to her gender. But instead, Saks has claimed that it has a legal right to discriminate against trans employees based on their trans status: slate.me/1x4LS5j Two lawyers serving as independent consultants will review wrongful conviction claims against the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, the office announced on Monday. The announcement came as federal prosecutors in Washington continued to grapple with fallout from a scandal involving FBI agent Matthew Lowry, who was accused of tampering with drug and firearm evidence. Prosecutors have already dismissed criminal cases that Lowry was involved in against more than two dozen defendants. Defense lawyers have questioned the reliability of the FBI’s policies for handling and safeguarding evidence and suggested the controversy could extend to a broader array of cases.: bit.ly/1u0a7ap Georgia State Senator Josh McKoon is a forward-thinking kind of guy. And he believes that if people legally able to drink, vote and serve in the military, they should be allowed to run for a seat in the state Senate. After being inspired by an 18-year-old elected to West Virginias legislature in November, McKoon now says he plans to introduce legislation this year lowering the minimum age for candidates from 25 to 21. “Twenty-one is the age of majority — we’ve asked them to serve in the military, we’ve asked them to serve on juries…I don’t think there’s any reason to throw up artificial barriers,” McKoon said. “I think this is common sense.” on-ajc/1xUvXeT
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 20:39:26 +0000
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