Loading...
Loading...
Please wait
Norm Murdock and Steve Palmer led off this week, reflecting on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, with a timely reminder about where Americans’ rights derive. As Norm Murdock noted at 02:04:
“A lot of people think the US really began with our Constitution. It did not. The 250th anniversary of the United States is keyed off the Declaration of Independence.”
Steve Palmer emphasized the critical difference between rights that come from government (which can be taken away) and rights that come from the Creator (which government exists only to protect) at 04:16:
“If the government created your rights, then the government can take them away.”
On May 20th, Cubans (especially those in the U.S.) honor their independence from Spain, a moment rooted in U.S. history following the Spanish-American War.
But, as Norm Murdock explained at 01:30, Cuba’s current government does not officially recognize this date—reminding us how history’s meaning can shift with political tides.
A major segment focused on the Mangione assassination case and the disturbing trend of justifying violence for political or moral causes.
Steve Palmer broke down the legal technicalities at 25:17, including why crucial evidence was excluded due to police search procedures—a real-world lesson in the powers and limits of the exclusionary rule:
“If the police conduct an unlawful search or seizure... the penalty for that is that the state cannot use the evidence seized in a case against the suspect.”
They connected these legal questions to broader concerns about political violence, groupthink, and historical amnesia regarding free speech and individual rights.
Norm Murdock spotlighted the Netflix documentary “The Crash” about Ohio’s own Mackenzie Shurilla case:
A 17-year-old who drove into a building at 100mph, killing two friends, was tried as an adult. Was it murder… or a failed suicide?
Steve Palmer cautioned at 45:47 against quick judgments and reminded listeners of the reason juvenile protections exist in law:
“It is an enormous decision to take a kid from juvenile court and move them to adult court and treat them with adult penalties.”
Winners:
Losers:
Moments
00:00 Discussing the origin of rights
06:18 Advancement of human rights
10:55 Discussing radical protest movements
16:01 Free speech concerns in England
24:31 Exceptions to the Fourth Amendment
27:37 Police arrest and wingspan search
34:40 Judicial perspective on search warrants
37:38 Challenges faced by police officers
42:46 Judge sentences woman for deaths
47:59 Parental influences and mistakes
54:49 Discussion on trial strategy
01:00:24 Discussion on Trump's Influence
01:06:04 Building a White House bunker
01:08:21 Acknowledging those who came before
Recorded at the 511 Studios, in the Brewery District in downtown Columbus, OH.
Stephen Palmer is the Managing Partner for the law firm, Palmer Legal Defense. He has specialized almost exclusively in criminal defense for over 26 years. Steve is also a partner in Criminal Defense Consultants, a firm focused wholly on helping criminal defense attorneys design winning strategies for their clients.
Norm Murdock is an automobile racing driver and owner of a high-performance and restoration car parts company. He earned undergraduate degrees in literature and journalism and graduated with a Juris Doctor from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 1985. He worked in the IT industry for two years before launching a career in government relations in Columbus, Ohio. Norm has assisted clients in the Transportation, Education, Healthcare, and Public Infrastructure sectors.
Copyright 2026 Common Sense Ohio