Free Republic

A Harvard Law School graduate is suing the New York Board of Law Examiners, blaming her failures to pass the bar exam on the board's refusal to grant accommodations for her disability. Tamara Wyche eventually passed the bar in 2015, but claims that her legal career had already been damaged by the two prior failures. Wyche, 29, suffers from debilitating panic attacks and requested that the board allow her to take the exam in a separate room from other test-takers, provide extra time and stop-clock breaks to decrease the stress level, according to the suit filed in Brooklyn Federal Court.

Thirty years ago Wednesday, shots rang out in front of Sparks Steak House in Midtown, leaving then-Gambino crime boss Paul Castellano dead in the gutter, and signaling the rise to power of John Gotti who would soon become the most famous gangster in America. It was also a development, according to mob experts, that ultimately speeded up the demise of the five mob families in New York City. "It was one of the most singular acts that altered the existence of the New York Mafia," said Phil Scala the retired head of the FBI squad that investigated the Gambino family....

Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver was taken into custody Thursday in Manhattan on corruption charges, The Daily News has learned. The impending arrest of Silver, who has been one of the most powerful men in Albany for more than two decades, was first reported overnight by The New York Times. While it’s unclear exactly what charges Silver could be facing, The Times reported the rap is linked to payments the powerful Manhattan Democrat received from New York City lawfrim Goldberg & Iryami that he did not disclose publicly, as required by law.

Dennis Delucia faces 46 months when sentenced on an extortion conviction, and his lesbian daughter Donna has submitted a letter to Brooklyn federal judge Kiyo Matsumoto in an attempt to humanize the reputed Colombo capo who was supportive of her coming out process as reported by John Marzulli for the Daily News: "My dad accepted me, embraced me and has supported me. His love and acceptance helped me through the rough times and growing pains." Donna now lives in Kentucky with her partner and their 9-year-old boy, and she would like a light sentence for her gangster dad because "I...