Police

Gathering a City Jury

Baltimore City tries to increase jury attendance. Currently only 27 percent of those summonsed actually show up. In one more rural counties in Maryland, the show-up rate 99%. Because, you know, it’s a duty and you’re not supposed to have a choice. From the Sun: Technically, the law allows for a fine of up to $1,000 and 60 days in…

Continue Reading

Police

The Gray Lady Shines

Nobody said it was perfect, but New York Times is a damn good newspaper. (I hear the conservatives’ wincing response already. But, dear reader, how can you complain about the Timesif you don’t read the Times? Stop believing whatever AM blowhards say.) First the Timeshas a nice intereactive mapabout the scene of the Trayvon killing. Second, there’s a great fair…

Continue Reading

Police

Seven die in California shooting

The BBC reports. And my response is once again to re-post a cartoon: But relax! Your paranoid political fantasies notwithstanding, no one’s going to take your guns away! … Barring some seismic realignment in this country, the gun control debate is all but settled–and your side won. The occasional horrific civilian massacre is just the price the rest of us…

Continue Reading

Police

Spread those cheeks

The Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of strip searches for minor offenses. This isn’t a big surprise. The Court has always granted a lot of discretion to jails and prisons to run their own affairs, with regard to safety, broadly defined: Maintaining safety and order at detention centers requires the expertise of correctional officials, who must have substantial discretion to…

Continue Reading

Police

Couldn’t have said it better myself…

…on the attempts to justify the actions of Zimmerman because on Martin’s appearanceand social media posts. So I’ll just quote Ta-Nehisi Coates. First there is the interesting case of The Daily Caller, one of the organizations leading the charge to defame Martin. Coates says: The Daily Caller is published by Tucker Carlson. Tucker Carlson is a man who once informed…

Continue Reading

Police

The more things change… March 31, 1830

Failure to Obey, old school. The Commissioners direct, that in future the Inspectors on Duty shall not take into custody any person brought in by a Police Constable on the vague charge of “obstructingthe Constable in the execution of his duty.” If such a charge is to be made, it must be accompanied by a specification of particulars. Source: Metropolitan…

Continue Reading

Police

Out in LA

Interesting caseout in Pasadena: Oscar Carrillo was arrested on suspicion of involuntary manslaughter after he told a 911 dispatcher that 19-year-old Kendrec McDade, whom police fatally shot, was armed.

Police

The “Excutive” Inn

From Facebook, I learn that the Eastern’s favorite (read: only) hotel is official off-limits to Air Force personnel. [Actually, as I write that, I realize there isanother hotel on the western tip of the Eastern… and it’s OK, last I heard.] Still from Facebook: Sector 3 Eastern District at the top of the list. The Executive Inn on Pulaski Hwy.…

Continue Reading

Police

Don’t say you were not warned

In Indiana, you can now “stand your ground” against police. It would be ironic if this marked the end of police busting down people’s doors to find some drugs. Then the NRA might actually be defending liberty. But I suspect it’s just going to escalate matters. Yes, at least in Indiana, you can kill a cop… but only as long…

Continue Reading