Yearly Archives: 2013

Police fire officer accused of waving gun around during argument

"A Little Rock police officer has been fired after he allegedly displayed a gun at a bar in Fayetteville. Police spokeswoman Sgt. Cassandra Davis released Jeffrey Harris' termination letter on Thursday. The letter dated Wednesday says Harris drew his weapon and waved it at people at a bar in April. The letter says Harris also used profane language and made a 'racially derogatory statement during the incident.' Davis says Harris has 10 days to appeal his termination." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPolice fire officer accused of waving gun around during argument

Tulsa police officer arrested for engaging in prostitution

"A Tulsa police officer has been arrested for engaging in prostitution within 1000 feet of a church and having a gun while committing a felony. From Tulsa police we've been able to determine the investigation into Turner was a lengthy one. And it came to head Thursday when documents show he made contact with an undercover female officer and solicited sex for $40. We even tried talking with residents at the Executive Inn. Most said the story makes them lose faith in police, but they didn't want to go on camera. Turner's second charge involving a firearm is because when he arrested in this room, he was searched and police found a loaded gun on the off duty officer." Continue reading →

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Video gambling ring arrests include councilman, police chief, ex-cops

"Mr. Melocchi's machines could be found in Allegheny, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties, the presentment said. Operating out of a location in an alley behind a Glassport coffee shop, Mr. Melocchi placed the devices in various businesses and allegedly struck deals with the owners to split gambling proceeds. Video gambling machines are illegal if patrons pay to play, use more chance than skill to win, and are paid off. Business owners told the grand jury that they earned between $75 and $1,000 a week from the devices." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingVideo gambling ring arrests include councilman, police chief, ex-cops

North Carolina Court To Decide Whether Firemen Can Perform Traffic Stops

"Gordon Shatley, a Chapel Hill Fire Department lieutenant, was responding to a fire alarm when he stopped his fire engine at the intersection of Estes Drive and Fordham Boulevard at 10:30pm on May 27, 2011. To his left he saw a light-colored Mercedes stopped with a window partially rolled down in pouring rain with only parking lights and the interior dome light on. He found it odd. Shatley called the police and followed the vehicle which began weaving toward oncoming traffic. Shatley had the red flashing lights of the fire truck activated and the siren blasted twice. The Mercedes pulled over." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNorth Carolina Court To Decide Whether Firemen Can Perform Traffic Stops

Journal Explores Incentive For False Results In Lab Tests For DUI

"A recent analysis published in the Criminal Justice Ethics academic journal suggests when technicians perform forensic analysis of blood and other evidence for cases such as drunk driving, the results can be influenced by built-in financial incentives to produce a conviction, arguing that even if false conviction rates are very low, a 3 percent error rate could put 33,000 innocent individuals behind bars every year. The primary problem, according to the paper, is that fourteen states reward crime labs with a bonus for each conviction they generate. North Carolina pays a $600 bounty 'upon conviction' to the law enforcement agency whose lab 'tested for the presence of alcohol.'" Continue reading →

Continue ReadingJournal Explores Incentive For False Results In Lab Tests For DUI

In Terrorism Fight, Government Finds a Surprising Ally: FedEx [2005]

"FedEx has opened the international portion of its databases, including credit-card details, to government officials. It has created a police force recognized by the state of Tennessee that works alongside the Federal Bureau of Investigation. [..] Moreover, the company is setting up a system designed to send reports of suspicious activities directly to the Department of Homeland Security via a special computer link. At rival United Parcel Service Inc., spokesman David Bolger says the company won't disclose information about its customers' shipments unless required to do so by law or regulation. FedEx also has a seat on a regional terrorism task force which has access to sensitive data." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingIn Terrorism Fight, Government Finds a Surprising Ally: FedEx [2005]

6 Ways the U.S. Drug War Intrudes On Your Life, Whether Or Not You Use

"Many Americans who do not use illegal 'drugs' assume exemption from drug war policies. But regardless of how much marijuana you do or don't smoke, the U.S. war on drugs affects nearly everyone. While some prohibition tactics are more obvious than others, the drug war has slyly pushed its way into many corners of American life. Be it at the post office, in the workspace, or behind the counter at Walgreens, the war on drugs has established a nagging presence in the everyday lives of Americans, even those who do not get high illegally. Whether or not you are aware that the drug war is behind these creeping invasions, our drug policy has unequivocally curtailed basic civil rights." Continue reading →

Continue Reading6 Ways the U.S. Drug War Intrudes On Your Life, Whether Or Not You Use

How has this not led to outright revolution yet?

"These days, you could put ‘safety and security’ in front of just about anything and get people to readily comply. After all, who is against ‘safety and security’? Only criminal terrorists, apparently. This is now the easiest way for governments to exact their agendas… whether it’s invading new countries, monitoring all Internet activity worldwide, or bailing out the big banks at taxpayer expense. Apparently the citizenry has become so scared that we collectively lay down and let governments walk all over us. This NSA debacle, which is only getting worse and worse, shows beyond all doubt how brazen and unabashed their tactics will be. And not a single utterance of remorse or reform." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingHow has this not led to outright revolution yet?

Court: School Officials Accountable for Strip-Searching 10-Year-Old Over $20

"A federal court has agreed to hold school officials accountable for stripping a 10-year-old boy down to his underwear in an aggressive strip-search that included rimming the edge of his underwear, allegedly in an attempt to find another student’s missing $20 bill (which was later found on the cafeteria floor). The Rutherford Institute had challenged the school’s attempt to have the lawsuit against it dismissed, insisting that there is no justification for the school’s decision to so egregiously violate the fifth-grader’s Fourth Amendment rights or for the alleged failure to train school employees in how to appropriately deal with such matters." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCourt: School Officials Accountable for Strip-Searching 10-Year-Old Over $20

NSA encryption, Latin American fallout and US/UK attacks on press freedoms

"In Europe this week, President Obama has been making similar claims when asked about NSA spying, repeatedly assuring people that NSA surveillance is overwhelmingly devoted to stopping terrorism threats. One big problem the NSA and US government generally have had since our reporting began is that their defenses offered in response to each individual story are quickly proven to be false by the next story, which just further undermines their credibility around the world. That NSA denial I just excerpted above has already been disproven by several reports, but after Sunday, I think it will prove to be perhaps the NSA's most misleading statement yet." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingNSA encryption, Latin American fallout and US/UK attacks on press freedoms