Support the ACLU – They fight for YOU! kra
When I was learning the basics in law school – ’71 to ’73, never thinking I would become a “whiz bang” trial lawyer and then a fighter for underdogs, I joined the ACLU. At the time, many thought the ACLU was “a bunch of left wing nuts”. But the ACLU really has nothing to do with politics. They are a well organized, well funded, well lead group of attorneys and others who safeguard YOUR rights every day!
Whether you are a “gun nut”, for more gun control, black, white, brown, male, female, healthy or mentally ill, young or old, fat or fit, hated or loved my many, the ACLU champions the precious rights which too many Americans take for granted!
In most countries, you cannot call the president “a dim-witted bumbling baboon” and expect to live or expect not be imprisoned.
In most countries, if you have been seriously harmed by ignorant prejudice, and you have do not have the resources to address it, you are S O L! It is the ACLU which, more than any other organization, protects the rights of everyone every day!
LEARN about the ACLU! = https://www.aclu.org/
https://www.nytimes.com/topic/organization/american-civil-liberties-union
Lovin’ doin’ what I do!
Arizona police release video showing them beating unarmed black man, claiming they ‘wanted him to sit down’
Ken’s Comments:
Just when you thought it was safe to go into your local police station or to dial 911 for police help …
WHEN will police learn to use “”reasonable force” when force is required, and that they cannot beat the hell out of anyone just because he does not sit down when they tell him to!
And listen to this crap from the police union:
Excerpts from the Article: “The Mesa Police Association feels it is grossly inappropriate to release a portion of video with no audio that does not include the full context of the encounter,” a statement from the association said. “Furthermore, we don’t understand why video is being released when an internal investigation has not been completed. It is important to understand that any use of force, when viewed, is difficult to watch and never looks “good.”
You know what I say to them:
Excerpts from the Article:
Police in Mesa, Arizona have released a video showing officers beating an unarmed black man at an apartment complex in what advocates on the man’s behalf say shows a “culture of violence” at the department. The video shows four officers approach a man later identified as 35-year-old Robert Johnson near an elevator at an apartment complex, while Mr Johnson is leaned up against the wall using his phone. Three of these officers then begin hitting Mr Johnson — kicking and punching him in the head and elsewhere — until Mr Johnson appears to lose consciousness.
Mesa Police Chief Ramon Batista told local news that he had placed the four officers on administrative leave, and that his department would reassess their policies towards the use of force. “It is disappointing because this isn’t the way I see the people that I work with and the community that we serve,” Mr Batista said.
Police say that Mr Johnson was at the apartment complex with a friend, who had attempted to enter the apartment of his ex-girlfriend. The girlfriend called police, who then beat Mr Johnson.
The video — which was captured last month — was first discovered by Mr Johnson’s pastor, Andre Miller, who went to the apartment complex after the incident. Police say that the beating was initiated after Mr Johnson refused to comply with an order to sit down, though the video does not have audio to corroborate that claim.
Mr Johnson is originally from Chicago, where he was once employed as a fire fighter, and is currently looking for work in Arizona. The morning after the incident with police, he was set to have a job interview, but missed that opportunity because he had spent the night in jail following the beating.
Mr Miller described Mr Johnson as a “family man” with a child on the way to The Independent, and said that the incident shows a clear instance of excessive force that sent an innocent man to the hospital. Because he is unemployed, he said, Mr Johnson will likely have to pay for medical bills out of his own pocket.
“He did go to the hospital. He’s going to have some continuing treatment because a lot of the physical scars that he had — those will eventually subside, but this has been very traumatic for him mentally, emotionally,” Mr Miller said. “He’s not sleeping, he’s constantly complaining of back pains, neck pains.”
“The Mesa Police Association feels it is grossly inappropriate to release a portion of video with no audio that does not include the full context of the encounter,” a statement from the association said. “Furthermore, we don’t understand why video is being released when an internal investigation has not been completed. It is important to understand that any use of force, when viewed, is difficult to watch and never looks “good.”
//www.yahoo.com/news/arizona-police-release-video-showing-153600850.html
They Let Their 15-Year-Old Son Smoke Pot to Stop His Seizures. Georgia Took Him Away. – Asinine! kra
Ken’s Comments:
You think our criminal justice system is just fine? You think state social workers aren’t out of control. Google the CBS broadcast on this story to see that these are just two “good ole boy” hard working Americans, trying to help their seriously ill son. And what happens? The system hammers them! Can you say “Fucked Up!”
Bad enough that they were arrested. But the dumb ass “child protection” people should be shot! Shot? Well no, probably tortured slowly but allowed to live to tell others in their shoes that they are NOT God!
This is just one of thousands of criminally unjust results of our dysfunctional criminal justice system happening every single week!
READ also and watch the video! True Confessions of a CPS Worker – a MUST SEE!
Excerpts from the the Article:
Suzeanna and Matthew Brill allowed their 15-year-old son, David, to smoke marijuana to treat his seizures. The pharmaceuticals weren’t working. The 15-year-old boy was having several seizures per day, and his parents were concerned his life was in danger.
So Suzeanna and Matthew Brill, of Macon, Ga., decided in February to let their son try smoking marijuana — and his seizures stopped for 71 days, they say.
The Brills’ decision led to the boy, David, being taken away from his parents, who face possible fines and jail time after being charged with reckless conduct for giving him the drug.
David has now been in a group home for 30 days, and his seizures have returned. He is separated from the service dog that sniffed out his seizures, and he is able to communicate with his parents only during short visitations and phone calls.
They maintain they made the right decision for their son’s health, despite their current predicament.
“Even with the ramifications with the law, I don’t care,” said Mr. Brill, his stepfather. “For 71 days he was able to ride a bike, go play, lift weights. We were able to achieve that with David medicated not from Big Pharma, but David medicated with marijuana.”
Ms. Brill said the authorities “want to argue the legality of marijuana instead of taking care of the kid.”
In April, a Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended approval of an epilepsy medication that has an active ingredient, cannabidiol, that’s found in cannabis. The drug treats two rare forms of epilepsy, and, if approved, it would be the first cannabis-derived prescription medicine available in the United States. It does not contain the ingredients that make people high.
But the science is far from settled on whether marijuana, or components of it, can effectively treat seizures, and the parents cautioned that what made sense for them may not for other families. Dr. Igor Grant, director of the Center for Medicinal Cannabis Research at the University of California San Diego, said there is some data to suggest cannabis can have anti-epileptic effects, “but not terribly systematic data.”
He said that the Brills’ experience, as a single anecdote, is not proof that cannabis works as a treatment, but added that it should not be dismissed.
“I don’t mean we should rush out and give marijuana to everyone who has epilepsy,” he said, “but I think that there are probably epilepsies that would benefit from an alternative treatment if they’re not controlled by our usual treatments.”
Ms. Brill said that she had been upfront with David’s doctors about the marijuana use, and that they hadn’t protested. But then she told the boy’s therapist on April 19, and hours later the police were at their door.
The police drug-tested all three of them: Mr. Brill and David tested positive for marijuana, Ms. Brill tested negative. The parents admitted to the police that they had given their child marijuana, and the officers demanded they stop, Ms. Brill said.
“We complied, and within 14 hours of complying we were rushing our son to the hospital,” she said. “And it was one of the most horrific seizures I’ve ever seen.”
David stayed in the hospital for a week before being taken to the group home, Ms. Brill said. The parents were arrested and spent six days in jail, causing Mr. Brill to lose remodeling work, he said. Mr. Brill is now delivering pizzas, and Ms. Brill is taking on extra shifts in a variety of jobs to help raise money for a lawyer. They’ve turned to crowdfunding, but had raised just $1,000 as of Wednesday, with several donations coming after WMAZ, a local TV station, reported on them this past weekend.
They hope the lawyer can help them get David back, a process they believe could take as long as a year.
Despite their legal challenges, they say they did what they needed to as parents.
“Had it not been for me and my husband, my son would probably have been long dead,” Ms. Brill said.
Read the Whole Story!
Mass incarceration: An American problem – Excellent 4 minute Video -kra
This excellent short video will enlighten you about the failures, idiocy, and misconceptions about our prisons:
Massive manhunt for Waffle House shooting suspect
Ken’s Comments:
This is another tragic reminder that the neglect of the mentally ill costs us untold heartache and $444 Billion – yes, $444 Billion! – a year!
They will catch this guy soon; he won’t elude the law for months, like Eric Rudolph, the Olympic Bomber.
Without the intervention of modest James Shaw Jr., many more would have died. GB James Shaw Jr.
Excerpts from the Article:
A massive manhunt is underway for the gunman accused of killing four people early Sunday at a Waffle House near Nashville, Tennessee. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has added 29-year-old Travis Reinking to its “Top 10 Most Wanted” list after he allegedly opened fire at the restaurant in Antioch, southeast of Nashville at 3:19 a.m.
After Reinking fled the scene of the shooting completely naked, police believe he went to his apartment, put on a pair of pants and may have escaped into the woods.
“He’s murdered four times with no apparent reason and no apparent motive. So we’re very concerned,” said Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief Steve Anderson.
Reinking said he wanted to meet with US President Donald Trump and told a Secret Service officer at the northeast entrance that he was a “sovereign citizen” who had a “right to inspect the grounds,” according to a Metropolitan Police Department incident report dated July 7, 2017.
The Waffle House shooting suspect thought Taylor Swift was stalking him and showed other signs of delusion
The carnage stopped only because of the heroics of a customer, James Shaw Jr., who monitored the gunman’s moves from afar and jumped into action when he saw an opportunity.
At a news conference, Shaw denied that he was a hero, saying his actions were “a selfish act” to save himself.
Shaw has started a GoFundMe account to assist victims of the shooting, a GoFundMe spokeswoman told CNN. Within hours, the $15,000 goal had almost been met.
Read the Story and watch the Video
Governor Leads Call-to-Action for Criminal Justice Reforms – Hits the Nail on the Head! kra
Ken’s Comments:
This article was sent by my colleagues at LEAP, where I am on the Speakers Bureau.
Here is another voice of reason in a realm of life so destructive to our country. While there is lots of talk of reforms these days, there is little action. Why? Because for every 1 person arrested, 29 benefit financially. Only a handful of those 29 are actually helping society’ many are just “collecting a paycheck”! Think about it: cops, support staff, judges, prosecutors, prison and probation personnel and all the contractors supplying them with “programs” supplies, etc.! Most of them spend millions of dollars lobbing and bribing lawmakers to oppose much-needed reforms! YOUR tax money being wasted.
Speak out for the kinds of reforms mentioned here by Governor of PA and others! READ Practical Tip – Get Empowered! How YOU Can Create a Powerful, Effective Force for Reform of our Criminal Justice System – http://www.citizensforcriminaljustice.net/practical-tip-how-you-can-create-a-powerful-effective-force-for-reform-of-our-criminal-justice-system/
Excerpts from the Article:
Harrisburg Reporter Matt Heckel has the story. “No one’s level of wealth, no one’s race, their creed, should lead to different conditions in imprisonment,” said Governor Tom Wolf calling on Pennsylvania lawmakers Thursday to pass a package of eight initiative designed to reform the state’s criminal justice system.
“We need to work to make our criminal justice system more fair, more equitable, and more focused on rehabilitation.” the Governor Added. The initiatives include bail and pre-trial reforms… Making sure everyone has a right to a fair trial
“If they don’t present a risk, they shouldn’t be incarcerated pre-trial, simply because they don’t have the fifty dollars to make bail,” noted John Wetzel, Department of Corrections Secretary
The Governor also asking to adopt a standard assessment tool for sentencing. Clean slate legislation to allow those convicted to re-enter society after being released and to make sure even those without money have access to legal help. Right now, Pennsylvania’s the only state that doesn’t provide state funding to a public defender system.
“Everyone deserves adequate legal representation, regardless of their ability to pay,” said Governor Wolf.
And supporters say with previous criminal justice reform bills in 2012 resulting in savings of 400 million dollars through lower prison population. These latest reforms wouldn’t only be good for those who serve time but also for the community as a whole.
“Many times, when individuals can’t post arbitrary bail or are clogging up the criminal justice system, not only is there a human impact, but there’s an impact directly to tax dollars,” added George Hartwick, Dauphin County Commissioner.
And the Governor pointing out that since those previous criminal justice reforms six years ago the state’s prison population has dropped by more than three thousand inmates.
In Her Shoes, Inc. – Dig it! kra
Women helping women. Man, woman, or in between, I am sure YOU could help, so give them a call at 302-585-4978.
Helping women at risk for re-incarceration = helping society = reducing crime.
In Her Shoes, Inc. is a non-profit Program exclusively for Women. Our mission is to facilitate, nurture, and restore hope through community services to women who has experience inform trauma, treatment programs, incarceration, and hardship.
Two-thirds of incarcerated women face re-entry challenges after release from prison: Having even a minor criminal record, such as a misdemeanor or even an arrest without conviction, can create an array of lifelong barriers that stand in the way of successful entry for women.
Jailhouse video shows deputies watching as inmate dies
Ken’s Comments:
Our friend Pam McKinney in Chicago sent me this one. We have seen similar videos from Rikers Island and other prisons. More outrageous treatment of the mentally ill in America’s new “insane asylums”, the prisons. This article reminds me of the many times I saw guards laughing at the anguish of inmates.
Excerpts from the Article:
Jailhouse video reveals California sheriff’s deputies watching and sometimes laughing as a schizophrenic man who had been strapped naked to a chair for 46 hours writhes on the floor of his cell, loses consciousness and eventually dies. The newspaper said it reviewed more than 100 hours of jailhouse surveillance video in all.
San Luis Obispo County Administrative Officer Wade Horton called the footam Mcage “extremely painful to watch.” “What happened to Andrew Holland was a tragedy that impacts our entire community,” Horton told The Tribune in an email. “Although we can’t bring Andrew back, our county has made and continues to make changes in response to this terrible event.”
Last year, the county awarded Holland’s family $5 million for his death, which a medical examiner determined was caused by a pulmonary embolism.
Holland, 36, had schizophrenia since his early 20s and was incarcerated on and off over the years, usually for minor offenses. He was taken into custody in 2015 on charges of battery, resisting an officer and probation violations. He was strapped into the chair after repeatedly hitting himself.
The video posted on The Tribune’s website shows sheriff’s deputies periodically entering his cell to rotate his arms and legs and offer him food and water. Strapped to the chair, he is unable to use a nearby toilet. County policy requires rotating a restrained inmate’s extremities every 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours to prevent blood clots that can lead to a fatal embolism. The newspaper reported that Holland was released from the chair and moved to another cell so human waste that collected under his chair, and is visible in the video, could be cleaned up. Video of him in the other cell shows him lying on a tile floor with just a blanket. At one point, he stands up briefly, appears to be stricken by tremors and lies down again, covering himself with the blanket. Soon after, he appears to have trouble breathing, then loses consciousness.
Several deputies and paramedics enter the cell and attempt to revive him, while one deputy stands smiling and talking to another.
“We had hope that his life would improve, but on January 22nd of this year, our son Andrew died a brutal and tortured death at the hands of the custodial staff at San Luis Obispo County jail,” Holland’s mother, Sharon, told reporters last July. The family, which has said it will use the settlement money to establish a nonprofit to advocate for the rights of mentally ill people in the criminal justice system, declined to comment further this week.
Conor Lamb wins Special election.Dump Trump: He is a disaster for our criminal justice system. kra
I post this because:
- Every patriot has a duty to speak out against this fool we have elected President.
and 2. tRump is a disaster for our criminal justice system.
tRump spent over an hour at that rally in PA, trying to defeat Lamb. Of course, the pompous fool spent 95% of the time talking about himself. Well, a clear message has been sent. What is that message? “You, Mr. President, are an incompetent, pompous fool, incapable of restoring America’s greatness. We do not want a lying, cheating, narcissistic bully as our president!”
The way he fired Tillerson, a man who left a position of power and great income to enter public service!? tRump is such an inconsiderate Bozo; to learn why his “base” are such fools, read: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/how-the-science-of-blue-lies-may-explain-trumps-support/
The Article:
Abolish the “Sex Offender” Registry! Learn the FACTS instead of all the “Sex Offender Hysteria” kra
Before you freak out, realize that we all want to keep kids safe. Our “sex offender hysteria” laws are not doing that. READ articles on this issue to get the facts! The FACTS, not all the BS out there!
This video is a good summary of why we should not “tweak” the registry, but should abolish it!
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