Archive for the ‘Police Misconduct’ Category

U.S. Government silences 84,000 websites

Sunday, February 20th, 2011

In it ever increasing fervor to reign with supreme authority over all the communications of Americans, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently closed down, under a secret court order, 84,000 websites using the all-powerful justification of protecting children.

Basically, among a hand full of other sites seized by ICE was mooo.com which is used to resolve the domain names of the 84,000 other websites.  Until the matter was rectified, visitors to sites that use mooo.com were greeted with the following banner:

“Advertisement, distribution, transportation, receipt, and possession of child pornography constitute federal crimes that carry penalties for first time offenders of up to 30 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution.”

Nice work, ICE.  You slandered thousands of people in the worst possible way and then have the nerve to brag about the great job you’ve done.

Anyone who thinks the United States is in some way different from any other country that wields absolute control over the internet is in for a surprise.    The fact that the U.S. uses secrecy to shield itself from the public eye is ominous.  There is, in fact, no way to know what the shuttered sites contain and the owners of those sites are not about to risk their legal defense by publicly refuting the government’s claims.

The mere mention of protecting children cuts the average IQ of the American public in half.  Just like the 9/11 attacks had people stampeding to give up their Fourth Amendment rights, the mention of child porn has them stampeding to hand over their First Amendment protections.

The fact that this story barely gained any exposure in the mainstream media is a pretty powerful indication that the press can no longer be counted on to hold government accountable.  In fact, if anything, the mainstream press is more a partner of the government than a watchdog over it.

Cops caught fraternizing with the enemy

Thursday, February 10th, 2011

Several cops in Raleigh, NC are the subject of an internal affairs investigation for their involvement with a representative of the world’s oldest profession.

Internal affairs investigators used GPS tracking devices and hidden cameras to uncover the activity, which involved sex with a prostitute who frequents Bragg Street in downtown Raleigh, the sources said.

Speaking on the condition that they not be identified, the sources said the Raleigh Police Department’s Internal Affairs Unit raided the Southeast District Substation on Crosslink Road over the weekend and that several officers there were told to turn in their guns, badges and patrol cars.

Of course, the law that governs everyone else also applies to cops, right?  Oops.  I guess not:

Wake County District Attorney Colon Willoughby said his office is aware of the investigation and that criminal charges did not seem likely. He declined to say why or to discuss the matter further.

Well, these are probably just a bunch of young rookies who made a mistake, right?  Oops.  I guess not:

One of the names tied to the investigation, sources said, is Raleigh police Sgt. Rick Armstrong, who is the president of the Raleigh Police Protective Association, a professional association that represents the interests of police officers.

Armstrong, who also is a member of the state Law Enforcement Training and Standards Commission, said Tuesday that he could not speak about the matter, on the advice of the Raleigh Police Department’s Internal Affairs Bureau.

Well, surely some honest cops came forward and management acted quickly to put an immediate end to the activity just as they would if the culprits were ordinary citizens, right?  Oops.  I guess not:

In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Police Chief Harry Dolan did not address the specific allegations but acknowledged a “comprehensive” internal investigation into “improper conduct” stemming from a police officer’s complaint in late 2009.

Well, at a very minimum, an outraged city government must be demanding that the officers be publicly identified as is the case for anyone else caught with a prostitute and charged under the relevant criminal statutes making clear to the public that police are not above the laws they hold everyone else accountable to, right?  Oops.  I guess not:

Mayor Pro-Tem Mary-Ann Baldwin, who chairs the city’s Law and Public Safety Committee, said such incidents “reflect poorly” on the police department but that police officers generally do an excellent job.

“Anytime you have something like this you want a quick resolution and I would imagine our residents who would be impacted by this expect that,” she said.

So, after secretly studying the matter for over a year, now that it’s public they are suddenly in favor for a “quick resolution”.  My guess is that, had it not been for the unidentified “sources”, the city would have been quite content if this story never saw the light of day.

So what happens now, Chief Dolan?

“When all the available facts are present, appropriate decisions will be made concerning any personnel action that should be taken pursuant to departmental policy in response to administrative violations.”

Ohhhhhh!  I see.  When ordinary people go to a hooker to get laid, it’s a crime against the public morals where they get their picture in the paper, pay big money for a lawyer, end up being fined and probably spend some time in jail, and (in some states) get their car seized.  But when a cop does it, it’s an “administrative violation”.

Can we say “cover up”?  Can we say “blue wall of silence”?

Cops in Cairo threaten CNN camera operator

Saturday, January 29th, 2011

Apparently there is no freedom to record events in Egypt during the current unrest as reporters face police harassment, intimidation, and violence.

CNN senior international correspondent Ben Wedeman, along with photojournalist Mary Rogers, recounted how Egyptian police came up to them and, after a struggle, took the camera from Rogers and broke its viewfinder. Wederman tried to convince the officers to return the camera, telling them it would help show that Egypt believes in freedom of the press, but they refused – and threatened to beat him.

Video recording is a threat to government and law enforcement officials  everywhere because it limits their power to fabricate a version of events that favors those officials.

Of course, that could never happen here…

More on Profanity crime in freedom loving PA

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

As I blogged about a few days ago, police in Pennsylvania have a habit of arresting people for using language in public that the state disapproves of.

The ACLU of PA filed a lawsuit against the state for what is apparently a very common activity on the part of cops who have issued 750 citations for profanity over a one year period.

From nationalpost.com:

“Police should be focused on protecting public safety, not enforcing manners,” said Marieke Tuthill, a legal fellow with the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “It may not be polite to swear at someone, but it’s certainly not a crime.”

Hereis what I find most disturbing:

The ACLU said that it has successfully defended about a dozen profanity-users, including one woman who was issued a citation after she was caught swearing — at her clogged toilet.

Government continues to violate people’s free speech rights ‘because they can‘.  From the state’s perspective, there really is no down side.  So, the case gets thrown out.  So what?

What the court needs to do is impose a penalty against the actual people involved in this harassment.   If a cop had to put up with the same inconvenience and hassle that he is imposing on those he’s citing for a non-crime, it would stop in a hurry.  Unfortunately, cops are mostly immune from any penalty for harassment of citizens.

U.S. Prosecutor crusades to falsely crucify a man for child porn

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

Carlos Alfredo Simon-Timmerman was arrested for possession of child pornography.  The only problem was that it wasn’t child pornography and any cop or prosecutor with a double-digit IQ should have known that.  Unfortunately, anti-sex crusaders have never been known for their intellectual prowess.

The child porn that Simon-Timmerman had in his possession was a video called “Little Lupe the Innocent; Don’t Be Fooled By Her Baby Face.” The movie stared noted film actress Lupe Fuentes.

Despite the fact that it would have been a simple matter to verify the age of the porn star, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Yois Hernandez-Vega proceeded to prosecute Simon-Timmerman based solely on the fact that the star looks under age.  Yep, that’s correct.   Prosecutor Hernandez-Vega apparently thinks that a guess based on nothing more than appearance trumps the actual fact of her age.

Reading through the story, it’s patently clear that the prosecutor was not the slightest bit interested in justice or the innocence of her target.  She was totally vested in a conviction despite any facts and enthusiastically embarked on a crusade to destroy the life of Carlos Alfredo Simon-Timmerman using her powers as an agent of the government.

Rather than issuing a subpoena to verify the age of Ms. Lupes, AUSA Jenifer Yois Hernandez-Vega demanded that the adult porn actress personally appear in court.  Ms. Lupes had to fly from Venezula to testify in Puerto Rico.

After hearing testimony and examining her passport, the trial court ordered the prosecutor to dismiss the charges.

Anyone with even a hint of humility would have questioned whether they exceeded their authority and backed off in order to avoid embarrassing themselves and their office, but federal prosecutor Hernandez-Vega persisted far beyond the limits of credibility to the point of malicious harassment, if not an outright assault disguised as due process.

And the ending is the saddest part of the:

Although the innocent man spent two months in jail before being able to make bail, Jenifer Yois Hernandez-Vega will not even be given a reprimand.  She’ll continue in her unethical ways, and there’s nothing anyone will do to stop her.

As long as the public blindly encourages an aggressive steamroller approach to law enforcement, where career building completely overshadows even the pretense of justice, this kind of behavior on the part of prosecutors will continue.  The American public has gone from erring on the side of innocence to wholesale incarceration and “letting god sort them out”.

Welcome to the Sex Hysteria Hall of Shame, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenifer Yois Hernandez-Vega.

Massage parlor fishing expedition in Indianapolis

Wednesday, April 14th, 2010

Cops in Indianapolis raided thirteen massage parlors looking for evidence of prostitution.  They made prostitution arrests at less than half the businesses.  In a typical ploy to get around those pesky Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches, the cops simply tagged along with license, fire, and health code inspectors that have easy access to businesses without requiring a warrant.

From fox59.com:

One business owner is fighting back, reopening his shop after consulting with an attorney. He said his therapists all have state licenses and don’t need certification from the city. He claims the raid damaged his business.

“We have customers that were very embarrassed and probably won’t come back. This is probably one of the few legitimate asian massage places in this town and we went through quite a lot of effort to make it that way,” said Kenneth Carter, owner of the Asian Health Center Therapy Massage.

Massage parlors are commonly perceived to be a front for prostitution and the public is unlikely to have much sympathy for any businesses that is painted as part of the illegal sex trade.  As a result, law enforcement faces no public outcry when they use sleazy schemes to harass them.

Blanket harassment of massage parlors by cops is no different than targeting people simply because they are black.  Law enforcement investigations should be based on solid evidence that a crime has taken place before they invade someone’s private property.  The Constitutional rules don’t change because the business is a massage parlor, strip club, or store that sells sex toys.  Police and prosecutors have the power to inflict huge legal expenses on businesses regardless of whether the charges stand up in court.  Raiding a business without legitimate cause is abuse of that power.

Macon, GA wants massage parlors licensed

Monday, April 5th, 2010

From 13wmaz.com:

Two Macon City Council members say that want something done about illegal activity at local spas and massage parlors.

Council members Erick Erickson and Larry Schlesinger are introducing an ordinance that would allow the city to regulate massage parlors and require all who provide massages to have state licenses.

Licensing is usually just a way for incumbent businesses to keep out competition.

Just last week, Macon police arrested two people during a sting operation, accused of offering sex to undercover officers for money.

Ah, yes.  The trusty old ‘sting’ operation.  The strategy of first resort for consensual ‘crimes” because otherwise it would be almost impossible to know whether anyone is actually doing anything wrong.  Vice laws are really nothing more than a jobs program for cops.

Also last week, a former worker at Tokyo Spa said an undercover Macon police officer received oral sex and then arrested her for prostitution.

Nice guy.  I would guess his side of the story differs from hers, but lying and a code of silence is an fundamental part of a cop’s job, so I would trust her before him.

He says the criminal activity that now takes place at some massage parlors put the city in a negative light.

As if  locking people up for engaging in consensual activity in private puts the city in a positive light….

Man kills himself after cat sitters find his ‘porn’

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

From the New Hampshire Union Leader :

A mother and daughter taking care of a neighbor’s pet ended up finding disturbing images in a man’s apartment instead of the cat toy they were looking for, according to court reports.

Disturbing images?  Disturbing to a mother and her 5-year-old daughter?  That could mean anything from Playboy to snuff pictures.

After an investigation by Littleton police, Richard Swift, 71, of 507 Colonial Court was charged with five felony counts of possession of child pornography.

[...]

The five complaints on file at Littleton District Court graphically describe images of a girl who appears to be younger than 16.

Richard Swift, 71, was out on $10,000 personal recognizance under the conditions that he not have contact with children younger than 17 or go within 50 yards of any school or day care center, or use the Internet to view, download or transmit child pornography. He is now reported dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

A follow up story reports the following:

“These pictures ranged in nature of young girls posing in clothed in provocative ways from a Web site …,” Officer Chris Cote wrote in court papers. “I would estimate these girls to be in the range of 6 to 11 years old.”

There were other images of girls over the age of 18, as well, investigators reported.

Police seized the photographs, as well as two computers, video tapes and “some type of nudist brochure,” which depicted nude children.

Nice work, cops.  None of the above describes illegal material and, just for the record, you can buy nudist style photography books that show nude children in many mainstream bookstores including amazon.com.  How can that be, you ask?  Because the word nude is not interchangeable with the word porn and anyone who doesn’t have the intellectual horsepower to distinguish between between the two shouldn’t be employed in the justice system.

For the record, the possession of child porn is not evidence that someone has ever abused a child.  That fact is usually overlooked by the public in their haste to grab their pitchfork and noose and join the rest of the torch wielding mob, drooling at the prospect of stringing someone up (quick, before any facts emerge that might diminish their justification).  If you think  my characterization of the public is too harsh, you only need to read these comments to see how wiling people are to condemn a fellow citizen to death on a mere accusation.

I’d be willing to bet the “child porn” they confiscated will never see the light of day because if it doesn’t actually constitute the legal definition of child porn, they could be sued for false arrest.  The justice system is exceptionally adept at covering up its misconduct.

Cop on trial for sexually asaulting prostitute

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

The jury will hear closing arguments today in the trial of a San Diego cop charged with sexually assaulting a prostitute.

According to 10news.com:

Thomas John Sadler, 49, is charged with sexual battery by restraint, assault and battery by a peace officer and false imprisonment by violence.

[...]

Sadler testified Tuesday that picking up a prostitute while on duty was one of the “biggest mistakes of my life,” but he denied sexually assaulting her.

Yeah, it probably wasn’t her best day either.

Because prostitution is illegal, prostitutes are at the mercy of cops who can threaten them with arrest or promise to let them go in exchange for “favors”.

In his opening statement, [prosecutor] Dort alleged that Sadler has a history of assaulting women in the same way he allegedly assaulted the prostitute. Sadler could face time in state prison if convicted.