Pioneering a Cure for Virulent Judicial MisconductSeveral months ago, our corporate sponsor introduced to America the concept of Judicial Engineering. The topic is addressed via a wiki, “a website that allows collaborative editing of its content and structure by its users.” The wiki describes Judicial Engineering as a unique form of judicial misconduct in America.
Court Accepts DOJ’s ‘State Secrets’ Claim to Protect Shadowy Neocons: a New LowA truly stunning debasement of the U.S. justice system just occurred through the joint efforts of the Obama Justice Department and a meek and frightened Obama-appointed federal judge, Edgardo Ramos, all in order to protect an extremist neocon front group from scrutiny and accountability. The details are crucial for understanding the magnitude of the abuse here.
Palestine gets ICC membership, opening door to Israel war crimes prosecutionPalestine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs arrives at #ICC, as#RomeStatute enters into force for Palestine pic.twitter.com/rzLTi4qqEd – Int’l Criminal Court (@IntlCrimCourt) April 1, 2015 The April 1 accession to the International Criminal Court is the most substantial step to date in Palestine’s international legal campaign to seek justice for Israel’s operation ‘Protective Edge’ last summer, in which thousands of civilians were killed.
Barrett Brown’s email suspended ‘for using it for the wrong thing’American journalist Barrett Brown, who is serving over five years in prison for his links to the hacktivist collective Anonymous, had his email suspended for a year after he contacted a journalist about potential wrongdoing by the Bureau of Prisons.
Former Guantanamo boss faces French court inquiryGuantanamo prison ex-chief Geoffrey Miller has been summoned by a French court over the use of torture in the detention facility a decade ago, following a lawsuit from two French citizens who were former inmates of the infamous military jail.
Whistleblower says US keeping him from think tank work, as he ‘might comment on prison reform’Whistleblower John Kiriakou, a former CIA veteran recently released from federal prison for disclosing the agency’s torture program, says the federal government recommended he not work for a Washington think tank on account of his goal of prison reform.
US citizens protest Border Patrol checkpoints, refuse questioning, post videos onlineA growing number of Americans is protesting invasive Border Patrol checkpoints deep inside US territory by refusing to answer questions, and posting online their recordings of harassment by officers. More and more YouTube videos document citizens’ resistance to the Border Patrol at checkpoints throughout the 100-mile zone along US borders.
The uncounted: why the US can’t keep track of people killed by policeA year ago, in a bureaucratic shift that went unremarked in the somnolent days before Michael Brown was shot dead in Ferguson, Missouri, the US government admitted a disturbing failure. The top crime-data experts in Washington had determined that they could not properly count how many Americans die each year at the hands of police.
Have the Banks Escaped Criminal Prosecution because They’re Spying Surrogates?I’m preparing to do a series of posts on CISA, the bill passed out of SSCI this week that, unlike most of the previous attempts to use cybersecurity to justify domestic spying, may well succeed (I’ve been using OTI’s redline version which shows how SSCI simply renamed things to be able to claim they’re addressing privacy concerns).
LA to Pay $50K to Detained Photographers and Teach Deputies That Photography is Not a CrimeLos Angeles has agreed to pay a $50,000 settlement to three photographers after they were detained by LA County Sheriffs while taking pictures in public places. As part of the settlement, the city will also teach its sheriff deputies that photography is not a crime.
Wikipedia sues NSA, DoJ over mass surveillanceThe nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation, which runs Wikipedia free online encyclopedia, is preparing a lawsuit against the US National Security Agency and US Department of justice over a mass surveillance program initiated by the government. Wikimedia is heading to court to prove that NSA’s Upstream program gathers foreign intelligence information through capturing communications with “non-US persons,” reports Reuters.
Silent treatment: Florida drivers at DUI checkpoints refuse to talk to cops (VIDEO)Still from Youtube video. Drivers in Florida are often subjected to drunk driving checkpoints, but a lawyer says the stops are unconstitutional and is giving drivers tips to flout the checks. That’s leading to complaints and concern from law enforcement.
Marijuana Grower Shot SWAT Cops Who Kicked Down His Door, Jury Says They Don’t Blame HimRecently, there has been some talk about places that allow you to shoot officers if they are in the wrong when they enter your home.
New Mexico sheriff foils IRS attempt to seize resident’s property – reportReuters / Jonathan Alcorn A sheriff in New Mexico physically stopped US Marshals from enforcing Internal Revenue Service orders at a residential property, later calling on the IRS to halt a public auction of the premises until the tax-owing homeowner’s court appeal is heard. According to BenSwann.com, Eddy County (N.M.)
Journalist Barrett Brown sentenced to 63 months in prison for Anonymous linkA Dallas, Texas court has sentenced journalist Barrett Brown to 63 months behind bars for links to the hacktivist collective Anonymous. In April the independent journalist entered a plea deal agreeing to charges of transmitting threats, acting as an accessory to hacking, and obstructing with the execution of a search warrant.
‘Eco-terrorist’ released from prison, as feds withheld evidenceA man sentenced to 19 years in prison for conspiring to commit ‘environmental terrorism’ has been granted early release from prison, as a judge agreed to a settlement between Eric McDavid’s defense and prosecutors over evidence withheld by authorities.
CBS journalist sues Justice Department for spyingReuters / Carlo Allegri A former CBS journalist is suing the Justice Department, the United States Postal Service and several federal employees for allegedly hacking her computers while she investigated stories critical of the Obama Administration.
Govt abusing Bill of Rights with digital surveillance loopholes, lawyers allegeReuters / Robert Galbraith Government and corporate entities have far too much leeway to hack into webcams in order to conduct surveillance, and laws supposedly designed to protect victims of such an intrusion are inadequate, according to a new report.
Prosecute Torturers and Their BossesSince the day President Obama took office, he has failed to bring to justice anyone responsible for the torture of terrorism suspects – an official government program conceived and carried out in the years after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
CIA medical professionals accused of committing war crimesReuters/Shannon Stapleton Federal investigators in the United States should considering weighing whether or not health workers involved in the interrogation tactics highlighted in the recent CIA torture port should be charged with war crimes, a group said this week.