Curmudgeonly & Skeptical

      A lawyer in Portland, Ore. insists his African-American client, Ryshawn Bynum, was justified in beating his two-year-old son to death because centuries ago slaveholders beat their African-American slaves... and African-Americans now suffer from "multi-generational trauma."

The theory is based on work by Portland State University assistant professor Joy DeGruy-Leary, who says some African Americans today wouldn't be so violent or aggressive if slaves had been treated for the trauma of seeing relatives whipped, raped and killed.

But, according to The Oregonian, a judge has said that until science can back it up, the lawyer's argument is unacceptable for a court of law [and thus ruined any chance of being affirmed to the federal bench by senate democrats - Ed.]. Brit Hume