Lawrence Taylor posts an excerpt from a story about a man who was convicted of DUI for a drunken ride on a pocket bike—a small bike that sits less than a foot off the ground. It doesn't sound like operating a pocket bike under the influcence constitutes much of a risk to innocent bystanders, but I don't really know enough to have a firm opinion. What struck me, however, … [Read more...] about A Judge Who Hasn’t Met My Mother
War On Drugs
Sending Children a Dangerous Message
One of the most annoying responses to proposals to relax the drug war is the assertion that doing so would send the wrong message to the children. Even allowing sick people to smoke marijuana has been criticized this way. Pete Guither at Drug WarRant is asking what message are we sending by continuing the senseless war on drugs. Here are a few of my favorite responses of his … [Read more...] about Sending Children a Dangerous Message
The War On Sick People Continues
Just spotted this example of screwed-up priorities over at The Agitator: Federal drug agents fanned out across San Diego on Monday, clamping down on medical marijuana dispensaries that had been doling out marijuana to sick and dying patients. I realize that even though medical marijuana is legal in the state of California, it's still illegal under federal law. But don't all … [Read more...] about The War On Sick People Continues
First-Time Drug Sale + Gun = 55 Years
Stephen Littau has a good article on the insanely huge sentence received by Weldon Angelos, whose first-time bust for selling marijuana earned him a stunning 55-year mandatory sentence because he had a gun on him. He didn't shoot anybody. He didn't even brandish the gun. He just had it with him. … [Read more...] about First-Time Drug Sale + Gun = 55 Years
DUI Eye Test a Fraud?
According to DUIblogger Lawrence Taylor, the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test is essentially a fraud. This is the follow-the-pen eye test that cops use to test drivers for impairment, and it's one of only three tests approved by the Department of Transportation. Taylor quotes a recent study: This summary critique demonstrates that it is scientifically meretricious and … [Read more...] about DUI Eye Test a Fraud?