I often joked about this, but I really never thought this day would happen. On August 16, both New York and Baltimore had 208 murders. Baltimore has added another 8 since then. I’m not certain about NYC. New York City has 7.5 million more residents than Charm City.
I have an opinion piece in today’s Washington Post: I told her to get back in her car several times, which she finally did reluctantly . I approached and asked for her license. She was on her phone saying she wanted a sergeant and another officer and added: “If I’m going to get shot, I…
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When Sandra Bland was asked by Officer Encinia if she, “was done,” she actually was. Officer Encinia could have issued a ticket or a warning and walked away. But he chose not to. That was a mistake. Not legally, mind you. But morally and tactically, it was stupid. “A roadside domestic,” is how my friend…
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A bunch of people are getting shot. Including kids. An arrest was made. But more out of the ordinary is this by Keven Rector in the Sun: Attorneys for six Baltimore police officers charged in the arrest and death of Freddie Gray said in a court filing Thursday that prosecutors either failed to turn over…
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Cops can stop a driver for any violation of any traffic rule. And there are a lot of traffic rules. Whren v. United States (1996) is a good illustration of how much discretion the Supreme Court has given police officers. It doesn’t even matter what the officers’ motive are. (Except for equal protection issues raised…
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Fifteen years ago I published my very first op-ed. Sniff. You never forget your first, even though it was kind of a forgettable op-ed. (I’ve published close to 30 op-eds since then… jeeze.) Atwater was a Texas case, no less, in which a woman (Gail Atwater) was arrested for a seat belt violation. Now a…
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Last month I composed this haiku: don’t be so certain if you say “I know my rights!” you probably don’t That was cute and all, before Sandra Bland died after being arrested in what was so close to being a warning for a minor traffic violation. Three(?) times Sandra Bland asserted her “rights.” Three times…
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Is there any place in the US that so does more bad policing per capita? This Georgia county has a population of 43,000. Why oh why do I even know you exist, Habersham County? Oh, because of this. And this. And this. Well, related to drug raids gone bad, we now have this. A sheriff’s…
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Why was Sandra Bland kept in jail for 3 days after her arrest?
From the Baltimore City Paperby Edward Ericson Jr. A quote from an officer: I can recall Commissioner Batts addressing the officers at headquarters prior to going out on the street. He pretty much patted himself on the back making statements like. “I have been in five riots and I will assure you that this is…
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