A whole lot of Democrats seem to have forgotten -- or, hypocritically to their protests against Trump's "Muslim ban", not care -- that under Democratic Presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg's administration, the New York Police Department sent undercover informants into Muslim communities, and engaged in video surveillance and recorded license plate numbers of mosque attendees, for no reason other than these these folks were Muslims.
You might think that if police stole your stuff, you'd have some legal recourse.
But the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled otherwise.
Via Forbes:
While exercising a search warrant in 2013, Fresno police raided and seized $50,000 from Micah Jessop and Brittan Ashjian, two businessmen suspected of illegal gambling (neither was ever criminally charged). Worse, the two claimed that police actually grabbed $151,000 in cash and $125,000 in rare coins, and “stole the difference” above what was reported on the inventory sheet. Critically, the $225,000 that was allegedly stolen wasn’t included on the inventory report for seized property or booked into evidence.
Arguing that the alleged stealing violated their constitutional rights, Jessop and Ashjian sued...
Baltimore activist James MacArthur is live-tweeting and webcasting his standoff with SWAT team over . He says he's being silenced for whistleblowing, and is broadcasting his phone conservation with police at his blog:
http://www.baltimorespectator.com/
https://twitter.com/BaltoSpectator
I don't know this guy from a hole in the ground; he may be a nutcase or he may be genuine. But its important to witness BCPD's actions. And it seems clear that the cops have escalated a simple warrant for failure to appear into a situation with potential for great violence. As an institution, the BCPD is not trustworthy.
If nothing else, listening to this is an amazing insight into a how a crisis situation goes.
About two miles from my house -- not quite my backyard but close enough to keep life out here in the 'burbs interesting. Baltimore County Md. Police - Police Involved Shooting in Precinct 1/Wilkens
In fear for his safety, the officer fired his duty weapon at least once. The suspect fled the area in the stolen vehicle. Responding officers located the vehicle in the upper level parking lot of Catonsville High School. The driver was found laying on the ground outside the car with a single gunshot wound to the upper body.