Here’s a report with some numbers on the problem of untreated mental illness and police response. Bottom line, according to these numbers: About two percent of Americans have untreated severe mental illness. Those two percent of people account for 10 percent of police responses, 20 percent of those behind bars, and 25 percent of fatal police encounters. I was going…
Year: 2015
Page Croyder is mad as hell
She’s the former prosecutor who has taken to writingabout her former office and its overreaching prosecution of the six Baltimore cops who in the neighborhood when Freddie Gray died in police custody. Here’s her latest: I said in my first blogon Freddie Gray, days after Mosby sensationally announced her charges, that she was setting up the false expectation that a…
Snitching for Dollars
This is what the War on Drugs looks like. Just another day. From the Chicago Sun-Times: One of Chicago’s most notorious informants — who provided drug tips to the police while secretly killing and robbing people and doing drug deals — was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for his information with the approval of police supervisors who have since…
Next up…
Porter’s trial ended on Dec 16 with a hung jury. The next trial, Caesar Goodson the wagon driver, is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2016. Goodson is charged with second-degree depraved-heart murder, manslaughter, second-degree assault, two counts of vehicular manslaughter and misconduct in office. Three officers, Porter, Sgt. Alicia White and Lt. Brian Rice face involuntary manslaughter, second-degree assault and misconduct…
“What led to a mistrial”
Luke Broadwater and Ian Duncan summarize the issues in The Sun.
Hung Jury in Porter trial
Hung on all four counts. That is not what I expected. I expected acquittal on the major charges, and perhaps a hung jury on the minor charge of “misconduct.” But no conviction is still a big setback to the prosecution. What does this mean? Since I’m no legal expert, best to turn to those who understand these issues. Here’s Richard…
Maryland Pattern Jury Instructions
The jury, which is currently in deliberation, will be given this (or something very similar to this) to help them decide if Officer Porter is guilty of these charges: involuntary manslaughter, reckless endangerment, misconduct, and second degree manslaughter. (thanks to a reader.]
Why the stops matter
These stops are confusing and the numbering system is never consistent, but they still matter. Here are some maps from WBAL: The summary from WBAL: Prosecutors contend Porter is criminally negligent for Gray’s death, because he didn’t call a medic when Gray requested one, and he didn’t buckle Gray into a seat belt at the police van’s fourth stop [labeled…
“When is failing to act a crime?”
Ian Duncan of the Sun explores the issue: David Harris … said American criminal laws are usually of the “thou shalt not” variety, rather than “thou shalt.” “We’re pretty stingy in this country and this culture with obligating people to do stuff,” Harris said. … Legal experts also said it’s difficult to find criminal cases against police officers accused of…
ShotSpotter
Anybody know if ShotSpotter is good? From an NYPD press release: This is one of more than 30 firearms that have been recovered since the inception of the ShotSpotter program, back in March of this year. Three guns a month doesn’t seem like so many. But then to get 30 guns off the streets, back in the old stop-and-frisk would…