Friday, July 29, 2011

11-07-29 Kids for Cash in Pennsylvania and Rampart Scandal in Los Angeles // Los niños por dinero en efectivo en Pennsylvania y escándalo de Rampart en Los Angeles // 小孩在宾夕法尼亚州的现金,并在洛杉矶的壁垒丑闻

 


Kids for Cash resembles more and more the Rampart Scandal by the day...

In Kids for Cash, judges in Luzerne County received millions in bribes and falsely imprisoned thousands of juveniles.  Now only "over 100 victims" are identified?

In the Rampart Scandal (1998-2000), estimates of those who were falsely imprisoned in Los Angeles County were well above 10,000. Eventually only less than 200 were released...

The 2006 Blue Ribbon Review Panel concluded "innocent people remain in prison", and cited the judges objecting to the release of the victims, since it would cause "collapse of the justice system".

Supreme Court Approves Restitution to Luzerne County Victims

The Legal Intelligencer

July 29, 2011
--

Ex-Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr.Photo courtesy of the Citizens' Voice
The state Supreme Court has approved about $65,000 in restitution for the victims of juveniles whose convictions were overturned following the Luzerne County "kids-for-cash" scandal.

The court posted three special master determinations that collectively listed the names of over 100 victims and the amounts each will be compensated from the Special Juvenile Victim Compensation Fund, which was established in 2010 "solely to provide compensation to victims of juvenile crime in a county of the third class."

The documents, signed by Berks County Senior Judge Arthur E. Grim, the special master appointed by the Supreme Court to review former Luzerne County Judge Mark A. Ciavarella Jr.'s cases, show the largest awards to be in the $1,200 to $1,500 range.

According to the documents, the amount to be paid to each victim is equal to what each would have been entitled to had a consent decree or adjudication of delinquency not been vacated in his or her case, minus any compensation that may have already been paid in connection with the alleged crime.

In February, a federal jury in Scranton found Ciavarella guilty of 12 of 39 counts of corruption filed against him, including racketeering, racketeering conspiracy, honest services mail fraud, money laundering conspiracy and a host of tax fraud charges. Ciavarella was cleared of extortion, bribery and honest services wire fraud charges, however.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 11.

In March 2010, the state Supreme Court issued an order approving the final steps to expunge the records of all juveniles who appeared before Ciavarella between 2003 and 2008.

READ MORE:
[1] Kids for Cash
http://www.law.com/jsp/pa/PubArticlePA.jsp?id=1202508999537&src=EMC-Email&et=editorial&bu=The%20Legal%20Intelligencer&pt=TLI%20AM%20Legal%20Alert&cn=TLI_AM20110729&kw=Supreme%20Court%20Approves%20Restitution%20to%20Luzerne%20County%20Victims
[2] 06-07-15 Rampart Reconsidered: LAPD's Blue Ribbon Review Panel Report (2006)
http://www.scribd.com/doc/24902306/

11-07-27 Filming the cops // La filmación de la policía // 拍摄警察


15 Years in Prison For Taping the Cops? How Eavesdropping Laws Are Taking Away Our Best Defense Against Police Brutality

More and more people use their smartphones to record police misconduct. But laws against wiretapping are being used to intimidate and stop them.
July 27, 2011  | 

Over Memorial Day weekend this past May, residents of Miami Beach witnessed a horrific display of police brutality as 12 cops sprayed Raymond Herisse's car with 100 bullets, killing him. The shooting provoked outrage in the surrounding community, not only because of the murder, but because of what the police did afterward.

Officers on the scene confiscated and smashed witnesses' cell phones; later, when they were confronted by the media, the police denied trying to destroy videos of the incident.

But 35-year-old Narces Benoit removed his HTC EVO's SIM card and hid it in his mouth. He later sold the video to CNN, placing the police in the awkward position of explaining why they lied about allegations of cell phone destruction. More importantly, the video showed at least two officers pointing guns at Benoit, demanding that he stop filming.

READ THE FULL STORY:
http://www.alternet.org/story/151806/15_years_in_prison_for_taping_the_cops_how_eavesdropping_laws_are_taking_away_our_best_defense_against_police_brutality?akid=7328.259832.1jFjkb&rd=1&t=3

11-07-28 A rising hunger among children // Un aumento del hambre entre los niños // 一个上升的饥饿儿童中



A rising hunger among children

BMC sees more who are dangerously thin and facing lasting problems

Janell Goode, a single Lowell mother who is now unemployed, has struggled to feed her young sons a healthy diet.(Globe Staff / Wendy Maeda)Janell Goode, a single Lowell mother who is now unemployed, has struggled to feed her young sons a healthy diet.
By Kay Lazar
Globe Staff / July 28, 2011
Doctors at a major Boston hospital report they are seeing more hungry and dangerously thin young children in the emergency room than at any time in more than a decade of surveying families.
READ THE FULL STORY:

11-07-27 Police Beat Fullerton Man to Death // La policía golpeó a hombre Fullerton a la muerte // 警察殴打浮尔顿人死亡






Police Beat Homeless Fullerton Man Kelly Thomas To Death

A video has surfaced that documents Fullerton police beating a homeless man near the Fullerton Bus Depot in early July, reports Gawker. The video above does not show much of the fight, but you can hear a man's screams and people talking about a Taser. The man being beaten also cries out for his father.

READ THE FULL STORY:

Thursday, July 21, 2011

11-07-20 Report alleging fraud in US court records was published by the US Department of Justice // Informe, que denunciaron un fraude en los registros de los tribunales de EE.UU. fue publicada por el Departamento de Justicia de EE.UU. // 美国司法部公布的报告,指称在美国法院的记录欺诈

 
Report, which alleged large-scale fraud in the electronic record systems of the US courts (PACER and CM/ECF), was published over a year ago in the "Open Government" site of the US Department of Justice.  The report was ranked "58th" among ideas on that site.  [1]

Regardless, there is no indication that any corrective actions were undertaken by the US Department of Justice.

Earlier this month, William Windsor of LawlessAmerica.com and Joseph Zernik, PhD, of Human Rights Alert (NGO), have filed a request with US Attorney General Eric Holder to initiate corrective actions in this regard. [2]

The request asked for response within 30 days.

LINKS:
[1] 11-07-21 Evidence of Large-scale Fraud in PACER and CM-ECF - Published by US DOJ OpenDOJ Site a Year Ago s
[2] 11-07-06 Request filed by Windsor and Zernik with US Attorney General Eric Holder for Review of Integrity of Public Access and Case Management Systems of the US Courts

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

11-07-19 Hunger Haunts California Town // Acecha el hambre California Ciudad // 饥饿困扰着加州小镇

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Information Clearing House Newsletter
News You Won't Find On CNN
July 18, 2011
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hunger Haunts California Town:
"When youngsters have just noodles, bread or crackers to eat for dinner, as many here do, they cannot perform well in school," the food bank website says. "This is how many families in poverty must live today, relying on carbohydrate-based food that's filling but very low in nutrition."
http://bit.ly/qX0r6B

11-07-19 Prisoner Hunger Strike Enters Crisis Stage //Huelga de hambre prisionero entra en la etapa de crisis // 囚徒绝食进入危机阶段



Prisoner Hunger Strike Enters Crisis Stage



85557741 Prisoner Hunger Strike Enters Crisis Stage
Since July 1, 2011, some 6,600 mostly California state prisoners have participated in a hunger strike. The strike began at Pelican Bay and has spread to 13 other prison across the state. While most of the prisoners striking have resumed eating, there remains a core group of prisoners who have claimed they are willing to starve to death. According to a New York Times article, dated July 7, 2011, the strikes organizer, Todd Ashker has said, through his lawyer, “We believe our only option of ever trying to make some kind of positive change here is through this peaceful hunger strike” Ashker’s lawyer went on to say, “And there is a core group of us who are committed to taking this all the way to the death if necessary.”
READ THE FULL STORY:
http://dailycensored.com/2011/07/17/prisoner-hunger-strike-enters-crisis-stage-2/


PLEASE SIGN THE PETITION:

http://www.change.org/petitions/support-prisoners-on-hunger-strike-at-pelican-bay-state-prison

Thursday, July 14, 2011

11-07-14 Welcome Netherlands! // Bienvenido Holanda! // 欢迎荷兰!

Last New Visitor

Netherlands 
Visited July 14, 2011

11-07-14 If you could ask Eric Holder... // Si pudieras pedir Eric Holder ... // 如果你能问埃里克霍尔德...

Eric Holder
US Attorney General

1) From: joseph zernik 
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2011 
To: lawsters@googlegroups.com 
Subject: Re: If you could ask AG Holder 4 questions what would they be?

Clarification:
A year or two ago, I read somewhere that survey of historians suggested that Bush II was a strong contender for being considered the worst president in US history.

After the end of Obama's tenure (whether Obama would be a one or two term president remains for corporate interests to decide, following Citizens United), I believe that he and Bush II would be at a tie. 

The fact that two such presidents, from opposing parties, rose to power in succession is an indication of malaise in the United States, in general, and collapse of the US Constitution, in particular.

2) At 08:59 PM 7/13/2011, JZ wrote:

How Holder believes the Obama administration, in general, and the US justice system under Holder's tenure, in particular, would be remembered a hundred years from now...

3) At 08:10 PM 7/13/2011, JN wrote:
If you could ask AG Holder 4 questions what would they be?
Thanks,



JN