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9/9/25 Ruling 6-3, with the liberal Justices in the minority, the Supreme Court stayed a District Judge's order
that enjoined agents from stopping persons they reasonably suspect are illegally present in the U.S. In a concurring opinion,
Chief Justice Kavanaugh mentioned the large presence of illegal immigrants in the L.A. area and the many factors that agents
consider when deciding whom to stop and what action to take. Justice Kavanaugh predicted that the Government would have "a fair
chance of success" when it tries this case on the facts.
Opinion
Related posts
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9/8/25
"An uptick in the willingness of criminals within the community to assault officers head-on." That's how LAPD Chief
Jim McDonnell explained why officers had opened fire on three recent, consecutive days. His overseers on the Police Commission
were troubled that cops sometimes shot at mentally troubled persons, and those armed only with knives. But in the Chief's view,
officers are facing circumstances that leave no option but to shoot, to protect themselves and others.
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“Absolutely not.” That's what the owner of a market in D.C.'s murder-besotted Ward 8 told the reporter who asked if he felt
safe. He recently called police when a group of teens tried to rob the store after "casing" it all day. But he told the
dispatcher that he didn't see a weapon, so no officers came. And although the Fed's presence has supposedly tamped things down,
"that's not over here. It’s getting worse. The city says crime is down but I don’t see it.”
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Seven Haverhill, MA
police officers are off the street after a ruling by the medical examiner that the man whom they swarmed in July died
by homicide. Francis Gigliotti was encountered as he walked into traffic while in the midst of a "mental health crisis." He had
consumed alcohol and cocaine, and his forcible restraint, face down on the ground, supposedly proved more than what his heart
could take.
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ICE agents raided a vast manufacturing site near Savannah, Ga., arresting a reported 475 workers, mostly Korean
nationals, who had allegedly snuck into the U.S., or misused or overstayed their visas. According to DHS, the raid was the
culmination of a months-long investigation into illegal hiring practices by Hyundai and partner firms, who were employing the
workers to build a plant that will produce batteries for electric vehicles.
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In February the U.S. officially designated Tren de
Aragua, MS-13 and six other Central American and Mexican criminal gangs as "Foreign Terrorist Organizations." That ostensibly
places the groups at risk of a military strike. And a few days ago a vessel allegedly operated by Tren de Aragua was sunk by a U.S. warplane. According
to President Trump, “the strike occurred while the terrorists were at sea in International waters transporting illegal
narcotics, heading to the United States.”
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9/5/25
“One of the most preventable mass tragedies in American history.” That's what relatives of the eighteen persons who were
shot dead in 2023 at two Lewiston, ME businesses claim in their lawsuit against the U.S. After all, the perpetrator, Army
Reservist Robert Card, was known to be "paranoid, delusional, violent" and had spent two weeks in a mental ward. But the Army
failed to inform police. So Card, who had served as a firearms instructor at West Point, got to keep his guns.
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"Task Force Alpha" is what DOJ calls its effort to combat the "human smuggling and trafficking networks that undermine U.S.
national security and public safety." Along those lines, it just announced charges against twelve persons who helped
"thousands" of Cuban residents enter the U.S. by filing fraudulent visa applications that claimed they were European citizens.
In another recent case DOJ
charged four persons with smuggling in children from Mexico by using false documents to prove that they were the kids'
parents. The kids were allegedly given candy "laced with THC" to keep them quiet.
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After serving 27 years for first-degree murder, Bryan Hooper, Sr. is a free man. A judge dismissed the case
after the key witness against Mr. Hooper said that her testimony had been false. And that she, in fact, was the one who
murdered a 77-year old Minneapolis woman and stuffed her body into a box. The admitted killer is currently imprisoned in
Georgia for an unrelated assault.
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9/4/25 “We should all be in favor of increased safety for our citizens and lower crime.” That's House
Majority Leader Steve Scalise's (R-LA.) reaction to President Trump's announcement that troops will be sent to New Orleans,
as well. While city council members derided the plan - crime is reportedly down - the State A.G. called out the city for not
accepting the help it needs. According to data released by the Major Cities Police Chiefs Assoc., New Orleans had the
worst murder rate of 70 member cities in 2022. Its 2024 murder count places it third worst, behind St. Louis and Memphis.
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In April,
Pocatello (ID) police responded to a call about a drunk person threatening others with a knife. When officers arrived
Victor Perez, 17, approached them from the other side of a chain-link fence. He was wielding a knife. Four officers quickly
opened fire, fatally wounding Perez. He turned out to be "autistic" and "nonverbal." According to the Idaho A.G., the officers
were "vulnerable to a knife attack" and did not have a duty to retreat, making their prosecution "untenable." Perez's family
is suing.
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While there
is some evidence that officers with college "are less likely to use force and perform better on the job," staffing
shortages and a lack of applicants have led law enforcement agencies throughout the U.S. to drop college requirements for new
hires. Most recently, that list has grown to include NYPD and Dallas PD. And NYPD reports that its move led to a surge of
applicants. Surprisingly, it's been reported that even the vaunted FBI plans to join the trend.
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Gun laws are catching a second wind. Reversing a Federal District Court decision, a Denver-based three-judge appellate panel
upheld the Federal law that prohibits the possession of unregistered machineguns. And in Illinois, another Federal appellate
panel reversed a Federal District Court decision that found the state's ban against carrying guns on public transit to be
unconstitutional. Both appellate panels ruled that the laws they upheld - one, Federal, the other State - were consistent with
the "historical tradition" test imposed by the Supreme Court's Bruen opinion.
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9/3/25 Rejecting
the "military mindset" that drives his cops, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel wants to instill a service
model. To that end he's sending a batch of senior officers to U of Penn to pursue a "Master of Applied Criminology and Police
Leadership" degree. Sponsored by a foundation grant, the program is intended to enhance the ability of senior officers to use
data and to think critically, thus make decisions that benefit both cops and the public they serve.
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9/2/25 In Bronzeville,
a South-side Chicago neighborhood, seven pedestrians, ages 28-32, were wounded late Saturday evening when the occupant of a
passing car opened fire. Early Monday morning, another shooting in Bronzevlle wounded five persons, ages 17-36, the youth critically. And in-between, in the Humboldt Park area on
the city's West side, three women and a man, ages 26-39, were wounded in a Sunday morning drive-by. No arrests as yet in any of
these shootings. Bronzeville and Humboldt Park both suffer from significant poverty.
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A police pole camera recorded the savage January 2023 beating of Tyre Nichols by five members of A Memphis P.D.
crime suppression team. Nichols didn't survive the encounter. Federal charges were levied against each officer. Two pled
guilty to State and Federal charges. Three were acquitted of State charges but found guilty of Federal violations at trial.
That conviction, though, was just thrown out because the judge was allegedly biased against the accused. So another Federal
trial looms. Polecam video
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Police in
Torrance, Calif. have long been under the Federal eye for "racially-hostile" practices. Torrance seldom hired minority
applicants, and its officers allegedly mistreated minority citizens with impunity. In 2020 years of racist "online chatter"
by Torrance cops came to light, and the State A.G.'s office stepped in. Its investigation just led to a wide-ranging consent
agreement. Torrance P.D. has agreed to revamp its internal management practices and submit to oversight by an external body.
An independent monitor will also keep an eye on things.
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U.S. Park Police who are part of the
Federal surge into D.C. are pursuing motorists for reasons that don't meet policies set for for D.C. police. Local officers
can only chase persons who are acting dangerously or may have committed a violent crime. Park Police also had restrictive rules,
but these have been purposely set aside. So they're pursuing everyone who fails to stop, regardless of the violation. Six of ten
recent chases ended in crashes. One car hit a tree; another struck multiple vehicles at high speed. One vehicle flipped.
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8/29/25 D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser praised the effects of an ongoing surge of Federal agents onto the streets of D.C.
Comparing the same twenty-day periods, there were five homicides this year, three fewer than in 2024. Robberies were more than
halved and carjackings dropped from 31 to "just four." D.C. police chief Pamela Smith also spoke highly of the Federal-local
partnership. But the Mayor said that she wasn't praising the National Guard or "masked" members of ICE. And several Council
members have bitterly objected to the Federal presence altogether.
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Facial recognition technology
is blamed for the mistaken arrest earlier this year of a man who was drastically different in size and build from an alleged
flasher. But the innocent stranger had a like hairstyle, beard and mustache, and was recently arrested for an assault. A facial
recognition program identified his mugshot after comparing it to surveillance video, and the victim picked his photo from a
lineup. No other investigation was done. Trevis Williams spent two days in a New York City jail before cellphone data proved he
had been elsewhere.
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8/28/25
“I don’t want to do it to spread a message. I do it to please myself. I do it because I am sick.” These words appeared on one
of several YouTube videos recently posted by Robin Westman, the 23-year old who opened fire at Minneapolis' Annunciation Church and
grade school, killing two boys and wounding 17 others. Westman's videos depict "a shooting target with an image of Jesus," along
with guns bearing racist messages, “psycho killer,” and “suck on this!”. Westman wrote that he was fascinated by Sandy Hook killer
Adam Lanza and Pittsburgh synagogue killer Robert Bowers. Related posts
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D.C. abolished the death penalty
forty-four years ago. But it can still be imposed should Federal laws be applied and jurors agree. President Trump is now pressing
to have each D.C. murder Federally prosecuted and to seek the death penalty in every case. He's also announced his intent to have
Congress extend Federal control over law enforcement in the capital city beyond the 30-day period normally authorized by law.
He agreed that D.C. is indeed "a beautiful place.” But he added that with crime, "nothing looks beautiful." And he forecast that
crime "will be the big subject of the next election."
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8/27/25 “We are getting some violent people off the streets — but in the long run, at what cost?” That's how a ranking D.C.
police officer feels about the presence of armed troops. While some visitors to the capital think the military can make things
safer, many long-time residents are upset at the intrusion. One described it as an "occupation". Mixed feelings were also expressed to reporters by
residents of D.C.'s most violence-stricken areas. While one called the military intervention "a blessing," some fear that it will
imperil the progress that was being made establishing trust with the police.
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Joining an
ongoing inquiry by DOJ, a House panel is now examining whether D.C. police leaders ordered officers to downgrade reported
crimes to make the capital seem safer. D.C.'s post-2023 "historic" drop in violent crime is also being challenged by the police
union. Earlier this year allegations that D.C. police commander Michael Pulliam inappropriately altered crime data led to his
suspension. But the police chief has reportedly said that Pulliam's scheme is the only that's been uncovered. Related posts
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8/26/25 Pre-trial release without bail? In 2023 Illinois eliminated bail, leaving it to a judge to decide whether releasing
an accused pre-trial unreasonably endangered others. Several other States and many localities have greatly reduced its use. Reform
advocates insist that cashless release doesn't affect crime rates. Not so, says President Trump. He just signed an Executive Order that
directs the AG to identify jurisdictions that have eliminated bail "for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order,
including offenses involving violent, sexual, or indecent acts, or burglary, looting, or vandalism." His threat: to strip them
of Federal funding.
Bail special topic
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8/25/25 “I think Chicago will be our next...and then we’ll help with New York.” President Trump's notice that he
intends to send troops to clean up the Windy City's "mess," just like he did in D.C., rattled more than a few cages. Chicago Mayor
Brandon Johnson warned it would do nothing but "inflame tensions." Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker called it "an authoritarian power
grab." U.S. Senator Dick Durbin characterized it as "political theater." But whether a performance is truly in the offing is
hard to say.
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Maryland Gov. Wess Moore is decidedly "Blue." And he just invited "blissfully ignorant" President Trump, who hinted he might
send in the troops to Baltimore, to walk the city's streets with him. Criminal violence declined 8 percent between 2023-24 in the
city, and homicides were nearly a quarter fewer. Trump, alleges Moore, is "spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in
Maryland." Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker attributes Trump's rhetoric to racism. "Not one white mayor has been designated."
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8/22/25 In July
three LAPD officers with Hispanic surnames encountered Jeremy Flores, 26, sitting in a van holding what 911 callers said
was "a possible assault rifle." Flores was uncooperative and supposedly raised the object. Officers opened fire, fatally
wounding him. His weapon was an airsoft rifle, which fires plastic pellets. Flores recently served a jail term for violating
probation and was reportedly trying to better himself. His family despairs, and community members are voicing outrage.
Related post
Deviating from the Administration's reportedly pro-gun stance, DOJ has petitioned the Supreme Court to overrule
a decision by the Fifth Circuit (Texas) Court of Appeals that the Federal law which prohibits gun possession by drug users
violates the Second Amendment. In this case, a dual citizen of the United States and Pakistan, and chronic pot smoker, had been
charged with unlawfully owning a pistol. Ali Danial Hemani is also supposedly associated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
Petition
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8/21/25 Baltimore is reeling,
from good news. It's suffered fewer homicides during the past seven months than in any comparable period in 50 years.
If the pace continues, its 2025 homicide rate would come in at 25/100K pop., "last seen in 1978." Baltimore credits much of the
drop to "Safe Streets." Violence-intervention workers seek out and connect with individuals and groups who are at risk of gun
violence to offer them the critical things they lack, including housing, drug and mental health treatment and job training.
Related post
A recent poll of D.C. residents
reveals little support for the President's decision to take charge of policing. Thirty-one percent of residents feel crime is an
"extremely" or "very serious" problem. That proportion was 65% in 2024 and 50% last May. In May, 26 percent of residents reported
feeling "very safe" in their neighborhoods. That's now 39 percent. But the proportion of those who consider crime to be D.C.'s
main problem did go up a notch, from 21 percent in May to 22 percent now. Responses to how crime could be reduced were topped by
increasing economic opportunity in poor neighborhoods (77 percent). Stricter gun laws got 70 percent, and more cops got 63 percent.
Related post
8/20/25 Bryan Kohberger, a Washington State criminology doctoral student, was recently sentenced to life in prison for
fatally stabbing four U of Idaho students in 2022. Kohberger has refused to explain his motives. But fellow PhD candidates had
repeatedly voiced complaints to faculty about Kohberger's hostile, sexist attitude, and several professors had recommended that
he be kicked out of the program. Kohberger reportedly liked talking about "sexual burglary," and some considered him "a possible
future rapist."
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As the
battle over control of D.C. police continues, the US Attorney is investigating allegations that crime has been purposely
undercounted to make the capital city look better. Indeed, a police commander was relieved of duty in May for ordering that reports of violent crime
in his area (the Third) be classifed in a lesser category. Gregg Pemberton, the FOP union leader, has also disparaged the reported
year-to-year 28% drop in violent crime as "preposterous."
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