Author: The Freedom Watch Staff

This author has written 11091 articles

Texas lawman sentenced to 1 year prison for protecting drug smugglers

"A Houston-based federal judge Monday ordered a former Starr County lawman to spend a year in prison after he admitted to taking money from drug traffickers in exchange for police information. Ramirez was arrested on March 12. He pleaded guilty a month after to a violation of the Hobbs Act, which deals with public servants taking bribes. According to court records, from January 2006 to September 2008, Ramirez accepted about $30,000 from drug traffickers in exchange for the location of Texas Department of Public Safety troopers. Before his arrest, Ramirez was in charge of the jail division for the Starr County Sheriff’s Office." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingTexas lawman sentenced to 1 year prison for protecting drug smugglers

Officer indicted for illegal drug prescriptions, fake disability claims

"Authorities say Driscoll, who was in his police uniform, went to a CVS Pharmacy in Burlington on July 10, seeking to obtain Percocet pills. Burlington police were notified and an investigation was launched. Officials allege Driscoll had presented five fraudulent prescriptions to CVS pharmacy between May and July of 2013, and that he received more than 260 Percocet tablets through these false prescriptions. Officials said they also learned Driscoll passed false prescriptions for pain medication at an Osco Pharmacy in a Burlington supermarket. In all but one instance, Driscoll is accused of dropping off and picked up medications while in his police uniform." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOfficer indicted for illegal drug prescriptions, fake disability claims

Delcambre officer accused of altering pain med prescriptions

"A Delcambre police officer has been arrested after being accused of altering his pain medication prescriptions. Police Chief James Broussard asked Louisiana State Police to investigate, and state police detectives discovered Raleigh Cheramie, 38, altered his prescriptions seven times between March 2013 and August 2013, according to Trooper Stephen Hammons. 'He would alter them so he could receive more than the prescribed number of pills,' he said." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingDelcambre officer accused of altering pain med prescriptions

Poor Training Of Narcotics Officers Contributes To Culture Of Ignorance

"Examples of training courses advertised by the CNOA include inflammatory titles such as 'The Eradication of Medical Marijuana Dispensaries in Los Angeles' or 'Initial Contacts with Persons Claiming Protections Under California’s Medical Marijuana Laws and Statues.' Through the author’s own words, his article shows the institutional bias of the CNOA as an entity, and the author as an individual. It is this language that points to the perception that the narcotics officers are more interested in deliberately undermining the intent of the Compassionate Use Act by lumping all use as criminal in nature. This leads to subverting the law instead of fairly enforcing it." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingPoor Training Of Narcotics Officers Contributes To Culture Of Ignorance

CDC: Painkillers Kill Four Times More than Cocaine and Heroin Combined

"A powerful report spanning 10 years from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has revealed that painkillers are actually responsible for a whopping four times as many deaths as both heroin and cocaine combined. While the previous report documented in 2011 found that 12 million were actually on prescription painkillers purely for the high it gives, the new CDC papers found that there was a massive 415% rise in the overall rate of fatal painkiller overdoses from 1999 to 2010. We’re talking about a higher fatality rate than those who are dosing up on heroin and cocaine." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingCDC: Painkillers Kill Four Times More than Cocaine and Heroin Combined

Man killed by half-ton of marijuana

"A man carrying 500 kilos of pot in his car lost his life when the illegal merchandise in the back of the vehicle slammed into him during an auto accident. The victim was traveling from the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul to Sao Paulo this past Saturday when he refused to stop at a Federal Highway Patrol roadblock. A chase ensued over a three mile stretch of road, which ended with a fatal crash against a tree after the man lost control of his car. The impact resulted in the man being crushed against the steering wheel by the bricks of marijuana he was transporting." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMan killed by half-ton of marijuana

Reports: Speeding Not A Cause Of Child Accidents

"In 72 percent of the accidents, investigators believed the child's failure to look properly was at least in part to blame. Another 31 percent involved reckless behavior on the part of the child, including playing in the road in 11 percent of incidents. On the part of the driver, 8 percent failed to look properly, and another 8 percent could not see the child because of a parked car or other obstruction. In 3 percent of cases the driver was reckless, and in less than 1 percent of cases was 'traveling too fast for conditions' (which is not necessarily exceeding the posted speed limit). All together, in 71 percent of the incidents, the driver was not found to be at fault." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingReports: Speeding Not A Cause Of Child Accidents

French Study Investigates Danger Of Speed Limit Fixation

"In jurisdictions with automated speed enforcement, cruise control can save drivers from receiving a nasty surprise in the mail. A study released July 30 from the Vinci Autoroutes Foundation concluded that this reliance on cruise control can actually make driving more dangerous. These findings are consistent with those of the late Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign, who calculated that each time a driver looked down to check his speedometer in a 200 yard speed camera zone -- each glance takes about 1.1 seconds -- he loses 13 percent of the time available to observe the road for hazards. The UK Department for Transport lists driver inattention as the cause of 25% of accidents." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingFrench Study Investigates Danger Of Speed Limit Fixation

Ohio Supreme Court Takes Up Photo Enforcement Kangaroo Courts

"Toledo, Columbus and Dayton have joined Redflex Traffic Systems of Australia in petitioning the justices to overturn a Court of Appeals decision from June that found Toledo's administrative review process unconstitutional. The ruling has city officials worried about the potential for losing millions if the court decides Toledo deprived vehicle owners of their due process rights by usurping jurisdiction in setting up administrative panels that offer the accused less of a chance to win their appeal. Redflex in its court briefs claims a loss in the case could cost cities $100 million. Optotraffic, a competing camera vendor, predicted 'copy-cat lawsuits' would be filed in every jurisdiction." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingOhio Supreme Court Takes Up Photo Enforcement Kangaroo Courts

Maryland: Court Upholds Traffic Stop Over Third Brake Light

"Police in Maryland can stop and interrogate a driver if he is driving a car with a burned out third brake light. The Court of Special Appeals ruled earlier this month that allowing the car to continue with only two functional brake lights would pose a safety hazard to the public. The detective said he smelled marijuana and ordered both of its occupants out of the car. As he started looking inside the car, he spotted a handgun that belonged to Smith. Maryland does not allow citizens to carry a firearm except in rare circumstances. Smith appealed the firearms possession conviction, arguing the initial stop was invalid because state law only requires a vehicle to have two functioning brake lights." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingMaryland: Court Upholds Traffic Stop Over Third Brake Light