Justin Leto’s weekly appearance on Nationally Syndicated radio talk show, America Now with Andy Dean

My weekly Wednesday appearance with nationally syndicated conservative radio talk show host Andy Dean from August 10, 2012.

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Andy and I discussed the following topics:

1.  Execution of mentally handicapped Texas man–In the case of Atkins v Virginia, The United States Supreme Court decided that people that are mentally handicapped cannot be executed because it is cruel and unusual punishment.  However, the Court left the decision of what is considered “mentally handicapped” to the States.  Texas has been notorious for executing people with IQs which indicate they are mentally handicapped.  Andy and I debate whether Texas applies the law fairly or whether they make it virtually impossible to avoid execution despite clear mental handicap.

2.   The recent Super PAC ad released by Priorities USA, a pro-Obama Super PAC, linking Mitt Romney to the death of a fired worker’s wife–In the case of Citizens United v. Federal Trade Commission, The United States Supreme Court decided that corporation could make unlimited political donations to campaign Political Action Committees, otherwise known as Super PACs.  This decision has caused some of the dirtiest campaigning this nation has even seen because there is no limit to the amount of money that can be spent smearing the other side.  Andy and I debate the recent Obama Super PAC ad which improperly asserts that a woman died of cancer because of Mitt Romney’s decisions at Bain Capital.  The Super PAC is wrong for releasing this ad, but the real problem we face as a country is the unending cash which allows this type of campaigning.  Limiting campaign contributions would put an end to all of this.

3.  Prisoner sues Federal Bureau of Prisons for disallowing his jigsaw puzzles, claiming the decision violated his right to freedom of expression–A federal prisoner claimed that he should be permitted to put together jigsaw puzzles because the puzzles, when constructed, were a constitutionally protected form of expression.  The federal courts rejected this ridiculous, but creative, argument stating that even if the jigsaw puzzle was expression when it was completed, there was no right under the First Amendment to put together jigsaw puzzles.  Yes, this case actually does exist.  Andy and I discuss it.

4.  The Obama Admisnitration told police to stand down on Occupy Wall Street protesters–In recent emails, there is evidence that the Obama Administration told police to stand down and allow Occupy Wall Street protesters to break curfew laws.  Andy and I discuss it.  Here is a link to an article about the story.  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2185502/Revealed-Obama-administration-told-police-stand-Occupy-protesters-Portland.html

5.  Nancy Kerrigan’s brother has asked to go back to prison rather than serve a difficult and expensive probation sentence–Andy and I discuss whether the Courts can deny a convicts request to serve out his time in prison rather than abide by draconian probation terms.  The answer…the Courts, and not the convict, decide how sentences are served.  Here is a link to the article.  http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/nancy-kerrigan-brother-convicted-2010-death-father-back-jail-serve-rest-sentence-article-1.1131371