Land Of The Flea

Supreme Court refuses to take up challenge against New York public gun law

"The Supreme Court declined on Monday to discuss a challenge to a New York state law requiring prospective gun owners to demonstrate they need to defend themselves before getting a concealed-carry license for a handgun. The New York Times reported that the court’s decision effectively backs a ruling by the federal Court of Appeals for New York upholding the law. New York state attorney general Eric Schneiderman filed a brief to the high court arguing that the New York law, similar to measures in at least seven other states, operated in accordance with the Second Amendment." Continue reading →

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JFK passenger detained by TSA after talking about ‘bomb’ sandwich

"Airport officials detained a traveler who mentioned an explosive device at JFK — only to discover he was actually talking about food referred to as The Bomb, TSA sources said. Jason Michael Cruz, 29, was on an escalator in Terminal 7 Thursday when a TSA officer overheard him tell a friend he 'had the wrong kind of bomb' just after 1 p.m. Officials ushered Cruz and his friend, Matthew Okumoto, to a holding area, where they learned the pair was talking about a sandwich called The Bomb, airport officials said. TSA officers held the pair until airport cops arrived, causing Cruz to miss his Los Angeles-bound flight." Continue reading →

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Arizona House Panel Says Cops Can Destroy Marijuana, Even If Patients Had Right To It

"An Arizona House panel voted on Tuesday to let police destroy marijuana they have seized, even if it was seized from legal medical marijuana patients who had a right to possess it. The panel ignored the pleas of Arizona's former top federal prosecutor, who told members of the Judiciary Committee that SB 1441 -- supposedly meant to 'tighten up' the state's medical marijuana law -- is an improer end-run around the Arizona Medical Marijuana Act, approved by voters in 2010, reports Howard Fischer at Capitol Media Services." Continue reading →

Continue ReadingArizona House Panel Says Cops Can Destroy Marijuana, Even If Patients Had Right To It

Feds force Oregon to surrender medical marijuana patient records

"Federal agents have forced the Oregon Public Health Division to turn over an untold number of patients’ medical marijuana records. Department of Justice Special Agent Michael Gutensohn applied for a warrant to seize the records that was executed in November as part of an investigation into medical marijuana growers who were suspected of selling goods illegally. 'I have probable cause to believe that records from the Oregon Medical Marijuana Program will contain evidence and instrumentalities of marijuana manufacturing and trafficking and conspiracy to commit marijuana manufacturing and trafficking offenses,' he wrote." Continue reading →

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Florida Police use Driver License Faceprints to Investigate Public At Large

"In Florida, the police are using facial biometrics gathered and stored by the DMV for Real ID with facial recognition technology to identify and investigate individuals in public, at will. Presumption of innocence? Probable cause? Not necessary when everyone is a suspect. We are just at the edge of an onslaught of similar stories that whether revealed or not are rooted in Real ID. You and I have the dubious honor of being located in the slice of our generation that is going to gain a deep understanding of the value of our privacy. We will learn because we are the ones who once, having the luxury of relative obscurity, are watching it slip away." Continue reading →

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San Diego County plans to forcibly medicate residents under Laura’s Law

"San Diego County in California is considering implementing Laura's Law, which would give the state's second most populous county - home to over three million people - the uncontested right to force psychiatric medication upon its residents. Funds for the forced inpatient or outpatient psychiatric incarceration, known as 'assisted outpatient treatment' are to be provided by taxpayers. Other bills under consideration would extend Laura's Law to schoolchildren, at the discretion of school administrators. Laura's Law is heavily supported by law enforcement, the press, the American Psychiatric Association and host of 'consumer and family advocate groups.'" Continue reading →

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Secrets Police Don’t Want You To Know

"Angry at the malicious and callous demeanor of those that supposedly worked for the greater good of the People Eddie began to carefully research and document the relationships between the various statutes and the legislative enactments that created them, especially the 'ad valorem' property tax, and eventually the federal income tax. He has since spent the past eleven years researching the various Texas Codes such as the Transportation Code. Much to the dismay of many municipalities, police officers, and prosecutors he has thrown a very large monkey wrench into the gears of their money machine, using their own laws!" Continue reading →

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Homeland Security agents indicted for falsifying records in corruption investigation

"Two Department of Homeland Security employees have been indicted in a scheme to falsify investigative documents to disguise a lack of progress on cases in their South Texas office. The Justice Department announced Wednesday that 49-year-old Eugenio Pedraza was indicted Tuesday on charges of falsifying records, obstructing justice and conspiracy. Pedraza is a former head of DHS's Office of the Inspector General in McAllen. Agent Marco Rodriguez also was charged. The IG's office investigates wrongdoing in the DHS, including U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection." Continue reading →

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Girl, But Not Boys Who Shared, Gets Kicked Out of School For Sexting

"A 16-year-old student says she was forced to withdraw from her prestigious Catholic prep school after texting a topless photo to two of the school's star athletes, who shared it with the entire lacrosse team but received no punishment. Instead of using the incident as a teachable moment for both male and female students about trust and social media, the administration sent a clear message: girls are ungodly creatures who tempt boys into sin." Continue reading →

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Can Police Read Text Messages Without A Warrant?

"In this case, police seized a cell phone during a drug investigation and monitored incoming messages. Officers responded to several texts, setting up meetings that resulted in two arrests, without first getting a warrant. Prosecutors have argued that no warrant was required because there should be no expectation of privacy in text messages, as anyone can pick up someone else’s phone and read what’s stored there. But in two related amicus briefs filed Monday, EFF argues that searching the phone for the texts without a warrant clearly violates the Constitution." Continue reading →

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