Radley Balko bids farewell to Kern County California D.A. Ed Jagels: You'd be hard pressed to find a law enforcement official anywhere in the country who better embodies the worst excesses of America's sharp turn toward law-and-order crime policy over last 30 years. From expanding the death penalty to eroding the rights of the accused to jacking up prison populations to … [Read more...] about Fuck Ed Jagels
Profitable DUI Punishment in South Carolina
South Carolina criminal defense lawyer Bobby Frederick has an excellent example today of the scourge of profitable punishment: Law enforcement agencies receive grants based on the number of DUI arrests they make - if the number of arrests goes down, they are in danger of losing that money. Law enforcement officers are given awards for the number of DUI arrests they make … [Read more...] about Profitable DUI Punishment in South Carolina
God of Tetris
Meet the God of Tetris, master of blocks. If you've played Tetris, his last words will haunt you. … [Read more...] about God of Tetris
The Warlord of Maricopa
At some point, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio decided that the rules no longer applied to him. He and his deputies had all the guns, so why couldn't they do whatever they want? If those guys in Somalia and Afganistan could become warlords, why couldn't he do it right here in America? I think it must have started years ago, back when I first heard about Apaio. He was billing … [Read more...] about The Warlord of Maricopa
Immigration Control As Cultural Critic?
Yet another reason to get rid if the INS: When Jordan Peimer booked an Argentine band that fuses Jewish Klezmer music with tango, he thought he had the perfect act to headline his "Fiesta Hanukkah" concert. ... That was before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services weighed in with some cultural commentary of its own. The band couldn't travel to the U.S., the agency … [Read more...] about Immigration Control As Cultural Critic?