Monthly Archives: September 2013

Court rejects bid by Jehovah’s Witness to refuse blood transfusion

"The 17-year-old, who suffers from an aggressive cancer, lost his case against Sydney Children’s Hospital in March in which he had argued that treating him with blood products or a transfusion would breach his relationship with God. 'There is no doubting (the applicant’s) devotion to his faith, but his life has been cocooned in that faith,' Justice Ian Gzell said at the time. 'The sanctity of life in the end is a more powerful reason for me to make the orders than is respect for the dignity of the individual.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCourt rejects bid by Jehovah’s Witness to refuse blood transfusion

Victim in bra-shakedown case: Officer got off easy

"The case dates back to May 21 when Officer Dustin Fetz asked Zoe Brugger to shake out her bra during a traffic stop. A report released to the media on Wednesday afternoon revealed the results of an FBI investigation that Fertz did not violate Brugger’s civil rights. The report also said Officer Fetz would be retrained. Chief Lisa Womack did decide to suspend Fetz for one day. Earlier this month, the State Attorney called Fetz’s actions 'demeaning' and 'egregious.' Fetz pulled Brugger and her boyfriend over for a broken headlight but at one point believed Brugger may have had drugs so he asked her to 'pull her shirt up, pull her bra out from her breasts, and to shake.' Fetz never found any drugs." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVictim in bra-shakedown case: Officer got off easy

Pittsburgh Residents Being Fined For Parking In Their Own Driveway

"It sounds absurd: tickets and warning letters for parking in your own driveway. But Pittsburgh City Councilman Corey O’Connor says it’s happened on two city streets – one in the West End and one in Squirrel Hill. A pregnant mother of seven who lives across the street is trying to follow the rule, but can’t get out of the driver’s side of her van anymore. She has to crawl out of the passenger’s side when she parks the vehicle between her home and her neighbor’s. O’Connor says the tickets and warning letters are issued by the Bureau of Building Inspection. KDKA was unable to reach anyone from that office Wednesday night. He says one family ended up paying a $2,400 fine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPittsburgh Residents Being Fined For Parking In Their Own Driveway

Police run over and kill man after running from alleged seatbelt violation

"The family of a Florida man killed by a police cruiser during a pursuit released shocking dash cam footage of the incident on Wednesday, described by their attorney as an 'execution in a vegetable garden.' Marlon Brown, 38 and a father of three, died on May 8 under the car driven by DeLand officer James Harris, who was chasing Brown over a seat-belt violation. The rookie policeman was fired May 31. Last week a grand jury decided not to indict Harris. On Wednesday Brown's ex-wife, Krystal Brown, released the video of the fatal crash and stated: 'We feel betrayed by our criminal justice system.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice run over and kill man after running from alleged seatbelt violation

Family of bystander killed during high-speed police chase sues police

"Mr. Collins, 64, was killed when a Toledo police cruiser smashed head-on into his vehicle as he was driving north on I-75. The cruiser, driven by Officer David O’Brien, was chasing Brian Everett Lipp, 48, of Lambertville when Lipp drove the wrong way onto I-75 and Officer O’Brien followed him. Lipp, who was ultimately shot and killed by police later that day, had been pursued for two days by police as a suspect in a home invasion and two robberies. The suit contends that the city and the police department treated Mr. Collins’ death as a mere traffic accident, did not investigate it or present it to a grand jury, and did not contact the family to express regrets or offer assistance of any kind." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFamily of bystander killed during high-speed police chase sues police

The Mindset of a Hero

"A local cop has cruised the parking lot of her place of employment, noted the 'Antique Vehicle' tags – and actually went in to the place to issue a 'friendly warning' (that is, a not-so-thinly-veiled threat) to the supervisor of my wife’s friend that it is a 'ticketable offense' to drive a vehicle with 'Antique' tags to work. Which is true – there is a 'law' to that effect. But it takes a real Inspector Javert type to worry about it. Much less to take action. I’m actually surprised this cop didn’t simply park his taxpayer-extorted free (for him) squad car, engine idling using gas he didn’t pay for, and wait as long as it took for the 'law breaker' to emerge, in order to confiscate some more of other-people’s money." Continue reading →

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Investigators say police charity hired felons to take credit card numbers

"Police Protective Fund raises millions of dollars each year in the name of fallen officers. On Tuesday, four men in charge of the charity’s telemarketing operations were arrested on charges of hiring felons to raise that money. All four are managers who oversee the charity’s phone rooms in the Tampa Bay area and in South Florida. Charity regulators with Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services descended on the boiler-room operations Tuesday afternoon and began running criminal background checks on each employee. Florida law bans charities and professional solicitors from knowingly employing telemarketers who have been convicted of fraud and other financial felonies." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingInvestigators say police charity hired felons to take credit card numbers

Woman sues officers for seizing $31,000 cash from real estate sale

"The suit said Dutton was traveling from Azle to Amarillo to visit a friend when Fry pulled her over for a suspected speeding violation. Fry claimed he smelled marijuana in the vehicle and asked to search it, but Dutton refused. Dutton told the officers that the money they found inside the vehicle, still wrapped in bank wrappings, was the proceeds from a recent real estate transaction. Later, Jolly arrived with a drug dog that alerted on Fry’s vehicle and the officers seized more than $31,000 in cash from the pickup, the suit said. In January, District Attorney Luke Inman’s office refused to accept charges in the case." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingWoman sues officers for seizing $31,000 cash from real estate sale

Kentwood police chief pleads not guilty to stealing burglary proceeds

"Kentwood Police Chief Gregory Newton, arrested earlier this year in an evidence tampering case, pleaded not guilty Thursday in 21st Judicial District Court. Newton, 59, was arrested following a citizen’s complaint that $2,000 was missing from money recovered in a burglary in late 2012, State Police has reported. Newton and another officer drove to Pike County, Miss., to retrieve $11,000 that was confiscated from two juveniles accused of stealing the money, state police said, but only $9,000 was returned to the victim of the burglary. Newton remains free in lieu of $50,000 bail. If convicted, he faces up to five years and a fine of up to $5,000 on each count." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingKentwood police chief pleads not guilty to stealing burglary proceeds

Homeland Security agent arrested after road rage shooting at mall

"Echevarria honked his horn at Juma's car after Juma cut him off near the Town Center mall. In response, Juma shot up his middle finger. Echevarria, driving with his wife and five children, tried to follow Juma's red Toyota but crashed into the back of another car. In the mall parking lot near the Nordstrom store, Echevarria saw Juma's car and parked his black Honda Pilot nose-to-nose with it. The special agent, dressed in civilian clothes, got out of his car, pointed a .40-caliber Sig Sauer handgun at Juma's car, and announced he was a police officer. Echevarria said Juma sped away, bumping him. The agent fired one round at the Toyota, police said, with the bullet lodging in the rear driver's side wheel well." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHomeland Security agent arrested after road rage shooting at mall