Calculating prison terms and release dates may more easily lead to errors in numbers, but when it comes to who has the honor of being California's longest-incarcerated woman, that distinction does indeed belong to Susan Atkins, the former Manson family member who is currently asking for a compassionate release from her life sentence. In an email to LAist from Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Spokeswoman Terry Thornton, it seems it comes down to a mere......

It's been 130 years since the Supreme Court has heard direct arguments about the method of execution -- back then, it was the firing squad. Today, it'll be on a Kentucky case; Kentucky, like California and 35 other states, uses lethal injection. In December 2006, a California judge found that, the LA Times reports, There was "more than adequate" evidence that the state was violating the U.S. Constitution after hearing testimony that lethal injection......

So, you know how MTA is considering ridding our freeways of carpool lanes? One outraged blogger blames Bush because, "local officials in the MTA are being forced to take a more free-enterprise approach to freeway management in order to qualify for federal transportation dollars." In a move designed to empower local Iraqi municipalities, the US Army is planning on concentrating its forces in Baghdad as the army continues to draw down its forces after......

The WORST NEWS IMAGINABLE: you know that shiny new Fender Strat Rock Band controller? It's probably going to break. I KNOW. Harmonix is finally responding to the issue, but we hear it's fairly easy to fix at home. More fallout from striking writers: the Democratic party has cancelled next month's candidate debate due to a contract dispute between CBS and its many creative staffers. The Airbus A380, the world's largest passenger aircraft, is at......

California's prisons are pretty bad. There's overcrowding, prison gang violence, and a few too many guys like White Power Bill. Fortunately, most people will never have to experience these horrid places... But as anyone starlet can tell you, not even fame can keep you away from the slammer. So if you have to go, and you're not a violent felon, you may be able to go to the cushy pay to stay jails, where......

Photo by blueiron9 via Flickr. I'm thankful that my mom always confuses Thanksgiving with Columbus Day, and then makes lasagne instead of turkey and pumpkin pie, and then says: "Puritans. Columbus. They're both genocidal land-thieves. Now shut-up and eat your lasagne or I'll tell all your progressive friends that you came over for Thanksgiving dinner." I'm also thankful for my Mommy Dearest DVD.......

There are 14,000 firefighters our there right now helping protecting us. 3,000 of them are prison inmates who began working the front lines yesterday.A spokesman for the corrections department says it's close to the most the state has ever used. The inmates go through a four-week training program. They must be physically fit, have no history of violent crime and have between four months to three years remaining on their sentences. They're paid $1......

#18 Handcuffed man in the back of a police car dies after being tasered by cops - Palm Beach Post #19 The director of the Central Florida Police Benevolent Association, a law enforcement union that represents sheriffs, police, corrections, probation and public employees, is accused of molesting two girls when they were 8 and 12 - AP #20 Quasi hog-tie of an autistic teen by Miami police leads to coma and then death -......

This is California's execution chamber. Our taxes pay for it, so in some sense it's our responsibility. But right now there's not a darn thing we can do to prevent Stan Tookie Williams from walking in there at 12:01am next Tuesday to die. It's not like people aren't trying to stop the execution. The NAACP is flying around the state urging clemency, attracting the attention of the press. (There are also those calling for......

The salacious story of frat-boy hazing that resulted in the death of Matthew Carrington run by the LA Times on March 29 was too good to be true. After printing some corrections in late March, today the Times' California section includes an editors note with detailed corrections and notice of the firing of reporter Eric Slater. But close examination shows the Times may have been working out fears of their own Jayson Blair, rather......

Last week, we told you about the upcoming Tim Burton Garage Sale. This week, Tim Burton is livid. While the yard sale is happening, Mr. Burton has nothing to do with it. While Burton won't name names, The Wow Report is claiming it is just Lisa Marie trying to make a quick buck. Sorry for the confusion. There may indeed be cool Tim Burton gear at the sale but he's not happy it is......

Schwarzenegger's administration of the prisons has been stung by allegations from a federal judge who claims it's "business as usual" at the Department of Corrections. Yesterday, this judge warned Sacramento that he may select a "reciever" to oversee the entire state corrections system, in the place of the Governor. No such step has ever been taken by the federal government against a state over the issue of prisons. U.S. District Judge Thelton E. Henderson says......

Governor Schwarzenegger has built a solid reputation on a foundation of bipartisanship and a tough attitude towards the budget. This week, however, some cracks have begun to appear. The LA Times reported yesterday that Arnold's agreement with the powerful prison guard lobby included tons of concessions and minimal cutbacks. While the Governor managed to delay some pay raises, he delivered a costly new benefits package and more institutional power for the union in return. Early......