New York Times: Court to Weigh Arizona Statute on Immigration

The supreme court will take on anti-immigration laws in the near future, could this cause turbulence to the presidential election coming up? I think so. -Submission by Cesar Flores

WASHINGTON — In the space of a month, the Supreme Courthas thrust itself into the center of American political life, agreeing to hear three major cases that could help determine which party controls the House of Representatives and whether President Obama  wins a second term.

The court announced Monday that it would decide whether Arizona was entitled to impose tough anti-immigration measures over the Obama administration’s objections. The case joined a crowded docket that already included challenges to Mr. Obama’s signature legislative achievement, the 2010 health care overhaul law, and a momentous case on how Texas will conduct its elections. Continue reading

SF Bayview: Real Talk on Three Strikes

YES YOU!!!

Post Submission by Blanca Bosquez —

By Richard Wembe Johnson — For many years, the “three strikes” law has rained havoc and waste over the state of California, plunging its state debt increasingly deeper each and every year, which the taxpayers are paying for without any real justification. In getting the three strikes law passed in the first place, the general public was duped into believing that the law was directed to all those violent repeat offenders – child molesters, murderers, rapists and so on.

Continue reading

NEW YORK TIMES: NYPD OFFICERS HAVE FUN WITH RACIST FACEBOOK GROUP

NYPD officers have fun with racist Facebook group

NYPD officers have fun with racist Facebook groupAttorney Bejamin Moore, from the Brooklyn Defenders Services went that extra mile in his research to find out what kind of Police Officer he was dealing with.-Submission by Gail Noble

New York — If you’re not too keen on the New York Police Department, don’t worry — the feeling is mutual.

Officers within the NYPD allegedly typed racist and revealing comments on a public Facebook page seemingly undetected until a New York attorney uncovered them. Continue reading

San Jose Mercury News: Convicted teens appear before peers for sentencing

Is giving teens the power to convict their peers for the prevention of juvenile recitivism a good idea? You be the judge. -Submission by Cesar Flores

In the painful world of adolescence, often nothing looms larger than what other teens think of you.

Santa Clara County’s fledgling Peer Court hopes to take advantage of that mindset, by placing low-level criminal offenders in front of a jury of their peers.

In the fourth session since its start last month, on Tuesday 12 teen jurors will decide the punishment for a student defendant represented by two teen defenders, facing off against two teen prosecutors. Continue reading

Meadville Tribune: Meadville cop involved in Tasering to retire

Its time for Tasers to the shelved, check out this article about a cop that just filed for retirement. — Submission Blanca Bosquez

A lethal "non-lethal" weapon.

MEADVILLE — The Meadville police officer who fired a Taser that took out a resident’s eye has filed for retirement.

Sgt. Glen Peterson, a 32-year veteran of the Meadville police force, has declined to speak to the media. City officials say that while the Aug. 23 Taser incident did weigh on Peterson, it was not the primary reason he decided to retire. Continue reading