Faculty in the News
USC Law professors are frequently sought by the media to serve as legal experts. This section highlights news citations in which faculty are quoted.
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Fall 05 - Spring 06
September 26, 2008
New York Times
re: Rob Saltzman
An article featured the wedding of Associate Dean Rob Saltzman, which took place Sept. 20 in Beverly Hills, Calif. Saltzman is an associate dean of the Gould School and serves on the Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners, the story noted.
September 25, 2008
The Arizona Republic
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about John McCain’s call to postpone tomorrow’s presidential debate. It is in keeping with his image as the candidate who tosses away the traditional playbook “in furtherance of things that he believes to be larger than politics,” Crayton said. “If the thing doesn’t work, if the effort to get something accomplished this weekend is not successful, it does tarnish his ability to claim he can get bipartisan support to solve problems,” Crayton added. “But the upside is that people in the middle in this country, who aren’t clearly Democrats or Republicans in their voting patterns, probably more than not view the financial crisis as an American problem. ... If McCain can move the Congress closer to a solution, it can work out to his benefit.”
September 25, 2008
The New York Times
re: Jean Rosenbluth
Prof. Jean Rosenbluth was quoted about O.J. Simpson’s trial in Las Vegas. Prosecutors built a full-scale model of the room where authorities say Simpson took part in an armed robbery and kidnapping. There are other ways to give the jury a sense of the crime scene, Rosenbluth said. “I probably would have relied on the best photographs I could find,” she said. Sometimes prosecutors create virtual tours using computer graphics, she noted. “There are all sorts of cases where the jury doesn’t go to the scene of the crime.” Rosenbluth, a former federal prosecutor, was also quoted in an earlier Times story on the trial.
September 25, 2008
The Press-Enterprise
Prof. Rebecca Lonergan was quoted about the sometimes competing jurisdictions of federal courts and military courts. A law that granted civilian federal courts jurisdiction over military personnel was passed by Congress in 2000 and has been used in drug cases and other on-base offenses, the story noted. “It’s likely we’re going to see more inter-relationship between military court and federal court,” Lonergan said.
September 24, 2008
The Weekly Standard
re: USC Gould School of Law
A book review on the history of the conservative legal movement stated that in the early 1970s, several “up-and-coming law schools,” including the USC Gould School, invested heavily in young law-and-economics scholars.
September 24, 2008
Lawrence Journal -World & News
re: Susan Estrich
A story covered a public discussion featuring Prof. Susan Estrich. “[R]enowned legal scholar Susan Estrich kept a crowd of several hundred in stitches,” the article stated. Estrich was the first female editor of the Harvard Law Review, a former Supreme Court clerk, Michael Dukakis’ campaign manager and a Fox News commentator, the story noted. Estrich said that race could be a determining factor in the election. “I would say it’s big. The only question is ‘how big?’” she said.
September 23, 2008
The Los Angeles Times
An obituary remembered Prof. Charles Whitebread, a popular law professor “whose wit and incisive observations on the U.S. Supreme Court and how to survive law school helped him develop a national following.” “He was a life force,” said Robert Rasmussen, dean of the Gould School of Law. “So many alums say their USC law experience was shaped and furthered by Charlie Whitebread. He had a true passion for teaching, scholarship, his students and justice,” Rasmussen added. “He might have been the most popular law lecturer in the country,” said Prof. George Lefcoe. The Law School is planning a memorial, and donations may be made to the school’s Charles H. Whitebread Memorial Scholarship.
September 22, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about Todd Palin, husband of Sarah Palin. Todd Palin has been referred to as the “First Dude” by Fox News host Greta Van Susteren, Estrich noted. “First Dude sounds like the kind of guy many girls in this country aimed to marry, and some of them actually did, and even those who didn’t … think well of him anyway,” Estrich wrote. “He’s a regular guy in a posse of anything but. Of course, I should officially report, Greta isn’t quite so sure. She’s waiting to find out if he can bowl.”
September 19, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her Blue Streak column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about how the economic problems could benefit Barack Obamas candidacy. If he wins, he should thank Lehman Brothers and AIG for lighting the way, Estrich wrote. Their misery could be his salvation. Such is the reality of national politics.
September 19, 2008
Daily Journal
An obituary remembered Prof. Charles Whitebread. Whitebread’s colorful lecture style drew throngs of students to his classes and held the attention of many more nationally through bar review courses, the story stated. “His reach, among law students, went well past USC,” said Prof. George Lefcoe. “You’ve never seen a tribute like this to a law teacher,” he added, referring to the many that have sprung up on the Internet. “If life was a game of ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,’ Charlie was my lifeline,” one former student said. There will be a champagne tribute and memorial at USC in November to celebrate Whitebread’s career, and a scholarship fund will be established at USC Law in his honor.
September 18, 2008
Kansas City Star
re: Susan Estrich
A story reported that Prof. Susan Estrich will speak at Kansas University on the topic of “The 2008 Election: What’s at Stake?” Estrich is a Fox News commentator and professor of law and science, the story noted.
September 18, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about how John McCain has turned himself into a formidable opponent of Barack Obama. “McCain made a high-risk [VP] choice that, at least at this juncture, many Democrats misread and completely mishandled, and many Republicans and many women have applauded. Time will tell, but I’m betting that the harder liberals try to sink Palin, the more likely McCain is to win.”
September 18, 2008
The Columbus Dispatch
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about controversy in Ohio, where Republican leaders are accusing Democratic leaders of accusing Republican leaders of racism. The issue is so volatile that although Democrats might be trying to confront what they see as a problem, it can actually turn off some voters, Crayton said. "It's a bit of a minefield," he noted.
September 17, 2008
Tallahassee Democrat
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about how Sarah Palin is appealing to women voters. “There is something happening with women voters in America, maybe not among the most elite women who blog on liberal Web sites, but among women of almost every political stripe who may decide the election this fall,” Estrich wrote. “They identify with Sarah Palin and are recoiling at the cheap shots that Democrats, who have no reason to be so desperate but are acting as if they do, are lobbing in her direction.”
September 15, 2008
The Los Angeles Times
re: Michael Shapiro
Prof. Michael Shapiro was quoted about California’s Proposition 4, which is on the November ballot. The initiative is a variation of previous propositions about parental notification for abortions. “[A]ny time legislators propose a law that has to do with abortion, they are generally trying to dress up an anti-abortion law,” Shapiro said. Most of the clauses in the proposition, which would amend the state’s constitution, “create more obstacles for women, and are part of a plan to maximize the monkey-wrench effect on abortion,” he added.
September 13, 2008
The Los Angeles Times
re: Jack Lerner
Prof. Jack Lerner was quoted about frozen yogurt retailer Pinkberry suing competitors for alleged theft of its name, logo or other elements of the brand’s intellectual property. “It’s a new company, and its unique marks are a big part of its business,” Lerner said. “The question is whether these other stores’ names and the ways the stores are designed create confusion. If they do, these newcomers are going to have a problem.”
September 13, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich School wrote about how the average person relates to presidential candidates. “The question is not which candidate is most like us, but, to paraphrase a line that became trite only because it was so right, which one ‘feels our pain,’” Estrich wrote. “It is not about their lives, ultimately, but about ours.”
September 10, 2008
The Hartford Courant
re: John Matsusaka
Research by Prof. John Matsusaka of USC’s Initiative and Referendum Institute was cited in an op-ed about empowering state voters through referendums. In his recent book “For the Many or the Few,” Matsusaka examined more than a century of tax and spending data from all 50 states and 4,700 cities, the story reported. He found some intriguing differences between states that allow citizen-initiated referendums and those that don’t, the article stated. For example, states with the initiative mechanism had significantly lower taxes and spending. From 1960 to 1990, per capita spending was about $83 lower in an initiative state than in a non-initiative state ‹ representing a $332 savings for the average family of four. Matsusaka also found that 70 percent to 80 percent of voters are glad to have initiatives and referendums in their state.
September 9, 2008
The Orange County Register
re: Jean Rosenbluth
Prof. Jean Rosenbluth was quoted about the stock option scandal involving the leaders of Broadcom. Under a plea deal reached in June, which still must be approved by a judge, one of the defendants will pay $12.25 million and serve five years’ probation to put the criminal case behind him. “It’s unusual that someone pleads guilty before they’re even indicted,” Rosenbluth said. “These guys who have a lot of money, their trial strategy is often to paper the government to death,” she added. “You try to put the government on the defense so they don’t have an opportunity, with their meager resources, to build an affirmative case.”
September 9, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about sexism and Sarah Palin. “If you say to a group of women, you should support Mary or Jane, or Hillary or Sarah, because she is a woman, the majority will be offended,” Estrich wrote. “We women like to believe that we make our decisions on the merits, on the basis of policy and experience, not anatomy. But if that woman candidate should come under what is plainly sexist attack, if her opponent or the media treat her in the sort of patronizing way that every girl and woman in America is more familiar with than we should be (as Hillary’s Senate opponent did in 2000 and as many in the media did in 2008), women rally,” Estrich wrote. “Sarah Palin may be no Hillary Clinton, but if she faces the same sort of sexism that Hillary did, she may yet capture many of her supporters.”
September 8, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: Niels Frenzen
Prof. Niels Frenzen was quoted about a diplomatic tussle involving a Belarusian teen staying with a Southern California family. The girl, who came to the U.S. as part of a humanitarian program for victims of the Chernobyl disaster, has opted to stay in the U.S., in violation of the programs’ terms. The host family’s decision to help the teen stay in the U.S. may be an improper action under international law, Frenzen said. “There’s nothing black and white about this case ‹ it’s all gray,” he added. “There’s a competing set of concerns. Under the American legal system, the girl has a right to consult with a lawyer and explore avenues available to her under immigration law. On the other hand, the fact that a foreign visitor has a less-than-ideal family life doesn’t give them any rights to remain in the U.S.”
September 8, 2008
CBS Radio
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was interviewed on San Francisco affiliate KCBS-AM about John McCain and his military career. “War heroes are one of the icons in American society, and it’s often a gold standard in politics to have had military service. It gives a window into John McCain’s character a fortitude, a sense of diligence, and a sense of hope that you have to be very serious about to survive.”
September 8, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: Jean Rosenbluth
Prof. Jean Rosenbluth of was quoted about the new O.J. Simpson trial. “The whole thing is kind of sad and tawdry,” Rosenbluth said. “This guy was in some ways an American hero ‹ superstar athlete, on commercials, handsome, an All-American guy. During the first trial, we found out that was a facade. And since, the tawdriness has continued. ... He’s been on this downward spiral from hero to villain.”
September 7, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich was quoted about the Republican National Convention. “Ten days ago, I would have told you that the Republican Convention would be a four-day negative ad against Barack Obama, four days of Œtwo memoirs, but no bills,’ four days of Œvoting present instead of leading,’ four days of William Ayers and Reverend Wright, of ringing red phones and the contrast between ambition and experience,” Estrich wrote. “It wasn’t. It was four days of Sarah Palin, interrupted only briefly by a hurricane and John McCain.”
September 5, 2008
National Public Radio
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was interviewed on “News & Notes” about Sarah Palin’s vice presidential nomination acceptance speech. “I have to say, in terms of policy, that I disagree with her,” Estrich said. “But I also have to say that Š I think she’s been treated extremely unfairly and has been through the meat grinder in the last four days,” Estrich added. “And I think the fact that she stood up there with pride and grit and dignity was in fact moving. Whether it will swing voters, I don’t know.”
September 5, 2008
Newsweek
re: Jean Rosenbluth
Prof. Jean Rosenbluth was quoted about O.J.Simpson returning to trial in Las Vegas this week. The case is complicated because of his history, the story noted. "With O.J., you have this added undercurrent," Rosenbluth explained. "A lot of people think this guy got away with something heinous and horrible in the '90s, and they think he should only get one get-out-of-jail-free card."
September 5, 2008
L.A. Weekly
re: Jack Lerner
Prof. Jack Lerner was quoted about a copyright infringement lawsuit filed against hip-hop musician Lil Wayne. The case is unusual because Wayne is accused of infringing the copyright of the song “Once,” even though his version wasn’t formally sold but was instead made available for free download, the story reported. “This is the first case where a song that hasn’t been sold is the subject in a copyright-law case,” Lerner said. “The big question is, how far can copyright holders go to stifle or silence someone who sampled a song and isn’t selling it, even if they are using it in performances?”
September 4, 2008
The Press-Enterprise
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about John McCain’s military experience. His campaign will look to capitalize on his military background between now and November, Crayton said. The Republican's years as a prisoner of war and his refusal to be released before other inmates are well known to voters, he added.
September 4, 2008
The Wall Street Journal
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was quoted about how Sarah Palin is holding up among women voters. "I have been hearing from women, especially women who didn't go to Harvard or Yale Law School, saying, 'Hold on, this is a woman we can actually relate to,'" Estrich said. "The very fact that she could go from the PTA to the vice presidency is the story they connect to -- without regard to her position on abortion,” she added.
September 4, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about Sarah Palin being criticized for running for vice president with a young family. “No one would be asking these questions if she were a man,” Estrich wrote. “If she thinks she can do it, if her husband and children support the decision, as they seem to, who are we to say otherwise? She deserves what every father running for office automatically gets: a chance to be judged fairly, based on experience and ideology, qualifications and competence, not our second-hand judgments of her most private decisions.”
September 4, 2008
Asian News International (India)
re: Susan Estrich
A story featured a column by Prof. Susan Estrich about Sarah Palin. "If John McCain thinks that simply picking another person with similar anatomy is going to win their votes, he's about to learn a very important lesson in gender politics," Estrich wrote in a Fox News column, according to the story.
September 3, 2008
Hispanic Business
re: USC Gould School of Law
The USC Gould School was ranked No. 6 in Hispanic Business’ 2008 list of Top Law Schools. “USC Law School has reflected the diversity of California since its inception more than 100 years ago,” the story stated. “USC Law is also proud to be identified as having the most diverse student body among the country’s elite law schools. Š Thanks in large part to the active participation of minority alumni and student groups, all USC law students benefit from a learning environment that values diversity, emphasizes self-expression and self-examination, and encourages the perspectives, ideas and experiences of all students.”
September 3, 2008
Contra Costa Times
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about Barack Obama’s Democratic nomination acceptance speech. Obama’s nomination represents a shift in racial politics, Crayton said. Instead of fracturing as in the past, different Democratic minority groups built coalitions to help Obama overtake the entrenched favorite, Hillary Clinton, to become the presidential nominee, the story stated. “It was a once-in-a-generation moment,” Crayton said. Crayton attended the convention to research superdelegates, the article noted. Crayton was also quoted in The Press-Enterprise about the convention.
September 3, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote that it is important to look beyond speech performances at the conventions. Estrich wrote: “Hillary gave a great speech. Bill gave a great speech. Barack gave a really great speech. That’s what everyone is saying, and who am I to disagree? Of course, I’ve never been to a convention, Republican or Democratic, where everybody didn’t say on Thursday night that it was a really great speech. Truth is, I can barely remember most of them.”
August 29, 2008
La Opinion
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about Barack Obama. The whole world knows that Obama gives good speeches, Crayton said.But undecided voters and opponents are not convinced by the substance of his candidacy, Crayton added. Independents hope that he will deliver a clear vision of what his government would look like, Crayton said.
August 29, 2008
National Public Radio
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was interviewed on “News & Notes” about the art of political speeches. “The real definition of a great speech is not just one that entertains us or impresses us but one that actually gets votes, and I don’t know the answer to that question yet,” Estrich said. Estrich recalled the time in 1980 when Edward Kennedy was on the verge of making a great speech and his speechwriter, Bob Shrum, insisted that not too many people get involved in the writing process. “If too many people get a hold of this speech, it’s going to lose its magic,” Estrich explained.
August 29, 2008
Forward
re: David Cruz
Prof. David Cruz was quoted about opponents to gay marriage. One argument such people use is that synagogues and churches could be sued for refusing to rent out their spaces for same-sex weddings. Such arguments aren’t based on fact, Cruz said. “This is incredibly hyperbolic and a straw man they’re attempting to set up,” he said. “When it comes to core religious ceremonies, there is just no basis in reality for a worry that if you don’t pass Proposition 8, churches or other religious institutions will have to perform ceremonies that violate their faith.”
August 29, 2008
Ventura County Star
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about the immigration issue and the presidential campaign. “There’s political risk for anyone who tries to tackle it,” Crayton said. “But the rewards are quite great if they can manage a comprehensive reform package that satisfies both sides of the issue.”
August 20, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: Rob Saltzman
Rob Saltzman was cited in a story about changes the Police Commission made to the way the Los Angeles Police Department handles accusations of racial profiling against officers. Saltzman has been vocal on the issue, the story noted, and is enthusiastic about the department's plan to allow officers and accusers to meet and discuss the incident.
August 7, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: USC Gould School of Law
Jonathan Shapiro, an adjunct professor, wrote a book review of “Can You Ever Forgive Me? Memoirs of a Literary Forger” by Lee Israel. Israel recounts a period of two years in which she forged letters by famous writers and successfully sold them. The book “is an entertaining read that showcases Israel’s many gifts as a writer, as well as her tragic defects as a human being,” Shapiro wrote. “Caveat emptor: It is the work of a self-confessed liar,” he added. “Israel’s plea for forgiveness is disingenuous. She considers herself quite a good forger, despite having been caught, and blames others for her plight,” he added. Shapiro is a former federal prosecutor and a co-executive producer on the NBC drama “Life,” the story noted.
August 7, 2008
The Wall Street Journal
re: USC Gould School of Law
A story featured a new report by the Initiative and Referendum Institute at USC. Voters in 30 states will decide on 112 ballot propositions in November, with social issues surpassing tax and spending issues as the dominant measures, according to the report. The report stated that while Barack Obama is favored to win California in the presidential race, if the state’s anti-gay marriage initiative forces the candidates to spend time discussing their gay marriage positions, the ramifications could affect outcomes in other states.
August 5, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about John McCain’s ad comparing Barack Obama to Paris Hilton and Britney Spears. “There’s no honor in the latest McCain ad,” Estrich wrote. “It has nothing to do with issues, legitimate differences, or the strengths or weaknesses of the candidates. It’s nothing more than a cheap shot at guilt by association or, worse yet, non-association, playing to people’s ignorance instead of their intelligence.”
August 1, 2008
Daily Journal
re: Jack Lerner
Prof. Jack Lerner was quoted about the copyright litigation involving rival doll manufacturers MGA Entertainment and Mattel. Lawyers for MGA Entertainment have asked a judge to declare a mistrial after one of the jurors referred to the company's president, who was born in Iran, using an ethnic slur. The July 17 verdict in the case favored Mattel, the story noted. "It's really unfortunate when you find out that something like this, that has been argued so thoroughly by each side in the fact-finding process, might be wasted now," Lerner said. "It's sad for the judicial system in the sense that you had a verdict everybody thought was appropriate, and now it might have been compromised by racial animus."
August 1, 2008
Politico
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was cited in a story about how past presidential campaigns have played out in August. In August 1988, the suggestion that candidate Michael Dukakis may have seen a psychiatrist changed the people’s perceptions of him, the article reported. “‘Dukakis Not Crazy – Film at 11,’ dryly intoned campaign manager Susan Estrich at the time,” the story stated.
August 1, 2008
ABC News
re: Alexander Capron
Prof. Alexander Capron was interviewed on "Good Morning America" about an unusual bone marrow transplant story. When a couple's teenage daughter with leukemia couldn't find a donor, her parents decided to have another child so that the baby's marrow could be used. The case raised ethical concerns, the story noted. "When you have a little child who's going to be a donor of an organ like bone marrow, you have a sense that the child is being created for that purpose and really doesn't participate in that choice," Capron said.
August 1, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about the news media struggling with how to cover John Edwards’ alleged affair. “What’s news?” Estrich wrote. “That is a question that the mainstream media, as it is called, has been struggling with since the National Enquirer first broke the story of the men’s room standoff at the Beverly Hilton, as the former senator tried to leave the hotel unobserved (no such luck) at 2:30 in the morning.”
July 30, 2008
North County Times
Prof. Charles Whitebread was quoted about efforts to convict a police officer for shooting a woman and child in conjunction with a road-rage incident. “All of this will turn on who believes what about the facts,” Whitebread said. If there is no reasonable belief that the woman’s actions represented a deadly threat, there can be no viable claim of self-defense, Whitebread explained. What matters is whether a reasonable person would have drawn the conclusion that a deadly threat existed, he added.
July 30, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about receiving angry letters from Obama supporters regarding her earlier column warning him against arrogance. “Spare me the true believers,” Estrich wrote. “I don’t mean the people who support Barack Obama for president. I support Barack Obama for president. I mean the people who worship him to the point that anyone who says anything raising questions about the inevitability of his rise to sainthood, much less the perfection of him and his wife and his campaign, is deserving of damnation.”
July 30, 2008
The Press-Enterprise
re: David Cruz
Prof. David Cruz was quoted about whether clergy members who refuse to host same-sex weddings can be sued under California law. Religious institutions might be required to allow their meeting rooms or halls to be used for same-sex weddings if the religious groups already rent their facilities to the public, Cruz said. However, there has never been a court ruling on the matter, so the law is unclear, he added. Cruz is an expert on sexual-orientation law and president of the International Lesbian and Gay Law Association, the story noted.
July 29, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was guest co-host for an episode of “Hannity and Colmes.”
July 29, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about the future of journalism in the face of the declining newspaper industry. One concern is that the decline will have a negative effect on journalistic standards, Estrich wrote. "It has always been the job of newspaper reporters and editors to live by a set of rules that ensure that when you read a 'news story,' as opposed to an opinion column, you can assume that a substantial effort has been made to document the facts, to tell a story rather than opine about it, to ask the tough questions and fairly report the answers," she wrote.
July 26, 2008
Los Angeles Times
Prof. Rebecca Lonergan was quoted about a trial involving a “medical marijuana” store. “Any time you have a hot political or public policy issue like this, there is the risk that members of the jury will decide based on their politics, not the evidence in the case,” Lonergan said.
July 25, 2008
Contra Costa Times
re: USC Gould School of Law
A story noted that student Daniel Senter has been awarded a summer grant to pursue public interest legal work from the student-run USC Public Interest Law Foundation. Senter, who expects to graduate from the Gould School in 2010, is working at the Federal Communications Commission, the story noted.
July 25, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about Barack Obama and his recent trip abroad. “In the prayer he left at the Western Wall, Senator Obama asked the Lord to protect him from pride and despair,” Estrich wrote. “Maybe he should have added something about protecting his campaign from the related danger of arrogance. It might be the biggest threat to Obama’s success.”
July 24, 2008
KFWB-Radio
re: Matthew Spitzer
Prof. Matthew Spitzer was interviewed about the XM Satellite Radio Holdings and Sirius Satellite Radio merger. He discussed whether the merger creates a monopoly and the impact on listeners. “Monopolies are never good for consumers,” Spitzer said.
July 23, 2008
The Baton Rouge Advocate
re: USC Gould School of Law
USC Gould School student Vallery Lomas has been awarded a grant from the Gould School’s Public Interest Law Foundation to pursue public interest legal work this summer, a story reported. The grantor is a student-run nonprofit organization that promotes social justice law practice, awarding about two dozen of the competitive grants to supplement the incomes of first- and second-year students who choose to spend their summers working in the public interest rather than at a regular law firm, the story reported.
July 23, 2008
The Press-Enterprise
re: Elyn Saks
Prof. Elyn Saks was quoted about defendants who plead not guilty by reason of insanity. In most cases, people found insane spend a longer time in the hospital than they would have in prison, Saks said. Only 1 percent of cases include a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, she added.
July 23, 2008
The Hartford Courant
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about children of divorcing celebrities caught in custody battles. “King Solomon had it right: The true test of a loving parent is not how tightly you hold on to your child, but whether you are willing to let go or get less for their sake,” Estrich wrote.
July 23, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote that media love for Barack Obama doesn’t necessarily translate into victory. “Right now, Obama is bigger than any rock star. Right now, every reporter wants to be close to him, on his good side, at the front of the bus, or at least the front of the line for an interview,” Estrich wrote. “Maybe the media will remain as firmly in Obama’s camp as they seem to be right now, fighting for seats on the plane, celebrating his every move. But if so, he will really be a first. And it won’t necessarily help him win.”
July 22, 2008
United Press International
re: Thomas Lyon
A study by Prof. Thomas Lyon and colleagues from the University of Toronto was featured. Lyon and the researchers found that defendants in child abuse cases are more likely to be convicted if their attorneys use complex language to question victims. However, the same was not true of questioning by prosecutors, according to the study. “The jury has no reason to think that the prosecutor is trying to stump the child,” Lyon explained. A story on the study also ran in Reuters.
July 22, 2008
McClatchy Newspapers
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about Barack Obama’s foreign tour. “Things seem to be going as planned, and he could be helping himself,” Crayton said. “But we have to wait and see; we don’t know the public reaction yet,” he added.
July 22, 2008
Investor's Business Daily
re: John Matsusaka
Prof. John Matsusaka of USC’s Initiative and Referendum Institute was cited in an editorial on California’s budget problems. In a recent op-ed, Matsusaka questioned whether a 40 percent increase in state spending since 2004 has translated into benefits for average Californians. “Why does it seem like the quality and quantity of government is not all that different from 2004?” Matsusaka wrote. “How many of us feel like we are getting 40% more public services, 40% better schools, roads, parks and so on?”
July 21, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about Tony Snow, the former White House press secretary who passed away recently. “I am sitting on a plane flying to my friend Tony Snow’s wake,” Estrich wrote. “He was 53. He had a wife he loved, three children he adored. In a business that is full of snakes and sleazebags, of cheaters and charlatans, he was a sweetheart, a decent and honorable man who loved his family, his country and his work.”
July 20, 2008
Politiken [Denmark]
A story cited Prof. Charles Whitebread, who recently told The New York Times that he thought it would be unusual for a judge to reopen the 1978 statutory rape case involving director Roman Polanski.
July 20, 2008
KFI-AM
re: John Matsusaka
Prof. John Matsusaka of USC’s Initiative and Referendum Institute was interviewed about an oped on California’s state spending that ran in the Los Angeles Times. Matsusaka questioned whether a 40 percent increase in state spending since 2004 has translated into benefits for average Californians.
July 19, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about Barack Obama’s overseas trip. “There is no reason to believe that Obama is at any greater risk in leaving the country than he is every day on the campaign trail,” Estrich wrote, after describing security measures taken for the trip. “In fact, he may well be safer. Political risk is another matter. Conservatives have been outspoken about what they see as the unfair media attention that Obama’s trip abroad is attracting.”
July 18, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: John Matsusaka
Prof. John Matsusaka of USC’s Initiative and Referendum Institute wrote an op-ed about California’s state spending. “California state government spent $145 billion last fiscal year, $41 billion more than four years ago when Gov. Gray Davis got recalled by voters,” Matsusaka wrote. “So why does it seem like the quality and quantity of government is not all that different from 2004?” he added. “Voters are criticized for wanting more services yet being unwilling to pay higher taxes… But if spending can go up 40 percent and most of us can’t discern any difference, can we blame voters for being hesitant to put even more tax money in the hands of the state?”
July 18, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was quoted about Barack Obama’s trip to Europe and the Middle East. “What you’re about to see is enormous publicity,” Estrich said. “He’s got three anchors coming with him. He’s got the glitterati of the press corps.” The trip will give Obama a platform to fend off John McCain’s foreign policy attacks, she added.
July 16, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about current presidential polls. “The polls make me nervous. Not desperate, not hopeless, not resigned, but nervous. Barack Obama should be ahead right now. Way ahead,” Estrich wrote. “To say Republicans have fallen on hard times doesn’t begin to describe it. George Bush’s approval ratings are down to the immediate family; even die-hard Republicans are wringing their hands… So how can Newsweek have the race at a dead heat?”
July 16, 2008
The New York Times
Prof. Charles Whitebread was quoted in a story about a new film on director Roman Polanski. In the documentary, a former deputy district attorney claims to have coached the judge in the high-profile 1978 court case in which Polanski was found guilty of statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl. Polanski fled the U.S. prior to sentencing, and has not returned since. Some commentators said that the D.A.’s contacts with the judge appeared to violate California law and legal ethics, which could lead to a motion to dismiss the case. However, it would be unusual for a judge to reopen the case, Whitebread said. “That’s not to say that it wouldn’t be justified, or couldn’t happen,” he added.
July 15, 2008
Daily Journal
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton wrote an op-ed reflecting upon the presidential race so far. Three lessons from the primary season can be drawn: Never make your move too soon, the states’ voting order matters, and expect the unexpected. As for the general election, Crayton predicted a close match-up. “How close? Consider this not-impossible scenario for November: Suppose that only three states switch from their preferred party in 2004 (New Hampshire, Colorado, New Mexico). America would witness the first electoral tie in modern presidential history. In that event, we will learn about an arcane U.S. Constitutional provision governing presidential elections… If you thought Bush v. Gore was controversial, stay tuned!”
July 14, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: USC Gould School of Law
A story noted that that Sandra Davis Lawrence, who spent 24 years in prison for murdering her lover’s wife, is being represented for free by USC Law professors and students as part of the USC Gould School’s Post-Conviction Justice Project. Lawrence has also addressed law students in the project, the article reported.
July 12, 2008
Daily Pilot
re: USC Gould School of Law
A story noted that Carrie Hempel of the USC Gould School is among 18 founding faculty members of UC Irvine’s new law school.
July 12, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about the passing of former White House press secretary Tony Snow. “[F]or me, what defined him was not what was in his head but what was in his heart,” Estrich wrote. “He was a mensch. A good man died today.”
July 12, 2008
The Washington Post
re: Jennifer Urban
Prof. Jennifer Urban was quoted about technology and privacy issues. The latest iPhone underscores how technology is tracking more and more information, including a user’s geographical location, the story stated. “There’s a disconnect between our expectations of when we will be observed and who will be observing us and how that information will be used and what the technology is allowing companies to do,” Urban said. She was also quoted in a United Press International story.
July 9, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama’s first joint fundraisers. “It is a whole lot easier to convince Clinton supporters to give to Obama than it is to convince Obama supporters to give to Hillary,” Estrich wrote. “But in the long run, Obama needs to help Hillary at least as much as she needs to help him.”
July 8, 2008
Businessweek
re: Jennifer Urban
Prof. Jennifer Urban was quoted about Google being ordered to turn over YouTube viewer habits as part of Viacom’s copyright infringement lawsuit against the company. While the Digital Millennium Copyright Act limits Web site operator liability, its scope has not yet been fully defined in case law, the story noted. “The law is still developing in this area and that is probably going to happen for a while,” Urban said. While Viacom hasn¹t stated an intention of using the information to sue individuals for copyright infringement, privacy advocates fear that the case sets a precedent for others to do so, Urban said in an interview on National Public Radio’s “Day to Day.” “If this becomes a precedent, then other litigants may not refrain in the way that Viacom said they will,” she explained. Urban is director of the USC Intellectual Property and Technology Law Clinic, the article noted.
July 8, 2008
Press-Telegram
re: Jean Rosenbluth
Prof. Jean Rosenbluth was quoted about a man charged with murder for killing one of two trespassers. Even though the man shot intruders on his property, prosecutors can file murder chargers if they can demonstrate that the defendant wasn’t in immediate danger and didn’t need to shoot to kill, Rosenbluth said. “There is no doubt whatsoever that they did not have a right to be in his yard,” she noted. “That doesn’t give you the right, under any circumstances, to kill them. It gives you the right, under very limited circumstances, to defend yourself.”
July 8, 2008
The Wenatchee World
re: Susan Estrich
In a column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about the recurrence of cancer. “Just when you think you’ve found a way to live with it, made your peace with it, adjusted to the new normal – awful though it might be – it comes roaring back,” she wrote. “It’s not a fight, at least not a fair one.”
July 8, 2008
Press-Telegram
re: USC Gould School of Law
A story stated that the USC Gould School is one of the top 20 law schools in the nation.
July 6, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about ways in which Barack Obama is “pushing the envelope” in his campaign strategy. For example, Obama is planning to give his nomination acceptance speech in a football stadium to a crowd of some 70,000 people, the column noted. “And while it certainly occurred to me to move Dukakis’ convention speech outside the hall in 1988, and I even suggested it to the Gore people in 2000, there are all kinds of reasons to think that Barack Obama may in fact be the first Democratic candidate since John Kennedy in 1960 who can pull off a speech to a football-size crowd,” Estrich wrote.
July 5, 2008
The Washington Post
re: Kareem Crayton
Prof. Kareem Crayton was quoted about California’s gubernatorial race. Though it is still more than two years off, the race as it is shaping up forces Democrats to decide whether they’re ready to gamble on a splashy contender over a party stalwart, Crayton said. “That’s going to be the hard choice that Democrats have to make,” he added. “Do you go with the new fresh face or do you take the standby, tried and true?” This Associated Press story was carried widely.
July 4, 2008
The Washington Post
re: Jennifer Urban
Prof. Jennifer Urban was quoted in numerous stories about Google being ordered to turn over YouTube viewer habits as part of the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Viacom. The order has alarmed privacy advocates, the story stated. Even if Viacom does not use the information to sue users for uploading copyrighted material, a future litigant may not keep the information private, Urban said. What videos people view and what books they read have long been considered sensitive information, and are “intensely personal pieces of information we expect people to be able to keep private,” she said. In a Los Angeles Times story, Urban said even if only the IP addresses change hands, "it may be that the database is not kept as secure as it is here, or it's turned over and a party decides to leak the information." If that happens, Urban said, "then the user's expectation that their information stays on a Google server will be completely undermined."
July 4, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
Prof. Susan Estrich was interviewed about Barack Obama’s gradual shift to the center on Iraq. The story questioned whether the apparent shift would trigger backlash from the anti-war left. “Here’s the reality of the situation,” Estrich said. “If you’re against the war there are two candidates in this race: One talking about getting the troops home, whether it’s in three months or 18 months or whatever it is; and the other talking about a hundred-year war. I think the good news for Obama is that if he is indeed moving to the center, his base in the anti-war left is certainly secure.” Estrich was the campaign manager for Michael Dukakis’ 1988 presidential campaign. “She has suffered the wounds and knows the joys of high-stakes party politics that can only be experienced when you operate at its epicenter,” the story stated.
July 2, 2008
Fox News
re: Susan Estrich
In her “Blue Streak” column, Prof. Susan Estrich wrote about changing attitudes towards coal. “When I first started in politics, coal enjoyed bipartisan protection from political criticism,” Estrich wrote. “Democrats were unwilling to criticize coal because they wanted and needed the votes of the people who worked in the mines; Republicans were mum because they enjoyed the support of the people who owned and ran them,” she added. “But the protection coal enjoyed politically did not protect the public against its harmful impact. It did not protect miners from dying of black lung, or pregnant women from registering high levels of mercury. Speak no evil doesn't make the evil go away.”
July 2, 2008
Agence France-Presse
re: Michael Shapiro
Prof. Michael Shapiro was quoted about the incidence of neglect by hospital staff. Cases of neglect happen more often than people think, Shapiro said.
July 1, 2008
Los Angeles Times
re: Michael Shapiro
Prof. Michael Shapiro was quoted about a videotape showing staff at King-Harbor hospital ignoring a dying patient. “Many times, people... think, ‘If I keel over, I’m in a hospital, people will take care of me,’” Shapiro said. But that’s not necessarily true, he noted. Such incidents happen more often than people think, he added. “I think it reflects deficiencies in the human character,” he added. Shapiro is a bioethics expert, the story noted.
