The Judge in the John Edwards trial heard two hours of argument today on the defense motion for judgment of acquittal and denied the motion.

She ruled there was enough evidence to let the case be decided by the jury. She did express reservations about whether the Government had proved venue in Middle District of North Carolina.

If the defense chooses to present witnesses, it will do so beginning Monday. As I wrote last night, the Government is now seeking a jury instruction on "Sympathy" which leads me to believe it is concerned the defense will present at least one witness whose testimony might evoke sympathy for John Edwards. I can't think of anyone other than Cate Edwards who might fit in that category.

CNN Legal Analyst Mark NeJame steps up his role as investigative journalist in the George Zimmerman case. Last night on Piers Morgan's show, he revealed the above photo of Zimmerman's multi-racial family, including his black great-grandfather and Peruvian grandmother and mother.

He received the photo from the Zimmerman family.(Background here.)

Mark's comments: He may have been skeptical at first but this photo changed his mind. He does not think Zimmerman was motivated by race in what whatever encounter he had with Trayvon Martin on Feb. 26.

This thread is devoted to all things Zimmerman-related.

Right before the Government rested today, it was allowed to play the entire 2008 interview John Edwards gave to 20/20, in which he acknowledged having a brief affair with Rielle Hunter that had ended a long time ago, and in which he said Elizabeth knew all about it. Also in the interview, Edwards said:

"I have never asked anybody to pay a dime of money. Never been told that any money has been paid. Nothing has been done at my request."

Even if all three of those statements were a lie, John Edwards would be not guilty if the funds provided by Baron and Mellon were not "campaign contributions" as defined by the federal campaign finance statutes. [More..]

Your turn. All topics welcome.

The Justice Department today announced the filing of its civil rights lawsuit against Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his department for engaging in racial profiling of Latinos. The New York Times has more, and background is here.

The Justice Department's December, 2011 report finding systemic profiling is here.

The Government will rest its case against John Edwards today. According to the Charlotte Observer, the final three witnesses will be law enforcement officers. According to another account, one of the final witnesses will be Leo H. Hindery, Jr., a Democratic power player and former cable magnate who became the Edwards campaign's senior economic policy advisor in June, 2007. Hindery switched his support to Obama after Edwards dropped out,

What would he testify to? Possibly that Edwards' was interested in being Attorney General if Obama won the election. From Game Change by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin (Saint Elizabeth and the Ego Monster): [More...]

The President surprised me yesterday. Not about what was in his heart. I was confident about that. But in a reelection year, I did not expect the President to say what he said. Yesterday, I commented "I'm not at all sure this was the smart political play. I'm pretty sure I think it isn't. I can not imagine how we can not give him tremendous credit for this." I know I do.

It reminded me also of this:

Yesterday, no laws were passed. But it got better.

President Obama supported gay marriage today.

Obama's fundraiser at George Clooney's home could raise $15 million -- or not.

The event at Clooney's Studio City home is being organized by DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg and is expected to lure guests including Barbra Streisand, Robert Downey Jr. and producer Susan Downey, J.J. Abrams, CAA's Bryan Lourd and ICM's Chris Silbermann.

The Justice Department is going to sue Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his office office for civil rights violations due to the racial profiling of Latinos. [More...]

Update: The Government won't call Rielle Hunter at all. It will rest tomorrow.

The judge in the John Edwards trial read today's list of witnesses in court this morning. There are six, not including speechwriter Wendy Button who resumed testifying this morning. Rielle Hunter was not on the list. The Government has said it expects to wrap up its case tomorrow.

The Government could, of course, call Hunter tomorrow -- even close its case with her . There would be a certain symmetry to that -- opening with Andrew Young and closing with Rielle Hunter.

I think it's too dangerous for the Government. I gave my theories here which I think are still valid. [More...]

The AQAP would-be bomber was a pretend bomber after all -- a CIA informant.

Republican Senator Richard Lugar is out in Indiana, losing in today's primary to his "tea-party" backed challenger, State Treasurer Richard Mourdock. I'm not sorry to see him go.

George Zimmerman waived his right to speedy trial today. The hearing took less than 30 seconds and neither the lawyers nor Zimmerman appeared. The next hearing is set for August 8, and that's for scheduling matters. There's no date set yet for release of discovery.

Who will win The Voice tonight? Even though I didn't care much for the show or contestants this year, I hope it's Juliet Sims.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

I'm off to the jail today. Here's an open thread, all topics welcome.

Former Edwards campaign supporter and contributor Tim Toben was back on the stand today in the John Edwards trial. Most of the media reports I've seen don't mention the close friendship between Toben and Andrew Young.

From the acknowledgement section (page xii)of Andrew Young's book, The Politician:

To Tim Toben, I love you brother. And I love Megan and your family like my own.

Young described Toben as "the one Chapel Hill friend who still spoke to me." (p. 261.) [More...]

The CIA says it thwarted a planned attack on a commerical airliner by al Qaeda Arabian Penisula (AQAP) in Yemen. They say it was more sophisticated than the Underwear Bomber's device.

The FBI is conducting tests on the device. It may have been made by AQAP bomb-maker Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri.

The bomb had not been picked up by the would-be suicide bomber who was to do the attack. A target had not even been selected.

The would-be suicide bomber, based in Yemen, had not yet picked a target or bought a plane ticket when the CIA stepped in and seized the bomb, officials said. It's not immediately clear what happened to the alleged bomber.

Did the suicide bomber get cold feet and go to the authorities? CBS reports:

The would-be suicide bomber was told to buy a ticket on the airliner of his choosing and decide the timing of the attack. It's not immediately clear what happened to the would-be bomber, the AP reported.

Bunny Mellon's lawyer, Alexander Forger, put some serious dents in the Government's case today.

"She liked him as an individual, as a person. It wasn't because he was running for president," he testified. "If he wanted to be president of Duke University, she would have supported that...."One of her basic values is loyalty as a friend," he continued.

[More...]

In what appears to be a first nationally, a malpractice insurance carrier has refused to renew Denver lawyer Ann Toney's policy because she advises medical marijuana businesses.

In its terse notice, the Hanover Insurance Group explained that Toney's practice "does not meet current underwriting guidelines because of the following risk factors: Area of practice involving medical marijuana."