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from the dividends-of-cooperating-with-cops dept.
TechDirt reports:
Previously, [TechDirt reported how] police officers pretty much razed a residence to the ground searching for a shoplifting suspect.
In another case, law enforcement spent nineteen hours engaged in a tense standoff with an empty residence before deciding to send in a battering ram.
Now, they're reporting another "standoff" with a lawsuit [PDF] following.
On August 11, 2014, after registering her child for first grade, Ms. West returned to her home to find multiple City of Caldwell police officers in her yard searching for a Fabian Salinas. Wanting to cooperate, and uncertain whether Salinas was in her house, Ms. West gave the police a key to her house and gave them permission to use it to enter her house to arrest him. During a ten hour long standoff, police repeatedly exceeded the authority Ms. West had given them, breaking windows, crashing through ceilings, and riddling the home with holes from shooting canisters of tear gas destroying most of Ms. West and her children's personal belongings. The only occupant of the house was Ms. West's dog. Ms. West's home remained uninhabitable for two months.
[...] So, when given a key and consent from the occupant, officers instead chose to grab an armored vehicle and go through several windows and the attic.
[...] This happened back in 2014 but there's been no coverage of the Caldwell cops' 10-hour, one-dog standoff until now. Thomas Johnson of Fault Lines suggests that might have something to do with the local paper of record.
If you're wondering why it took a couple of years for this event to make news outside of Idaho, it's because the local paper apparently only checks court records or their exclusive police source, resulting in some very incomplete reporting. Why bother getting out there and talking to the homeowner or neighbors when you can sit on your chunk?
[...] From all appearances, the suspect was never in the home during the 10-hour standoff.
[...] The police did give her a three-week stay in a hotel. Too bad it took more than two months for her to be able to return to her residence. This raid on a house containing nothing more than a dog is the natural side effect of police militarization, which encourages law enforcement to escalate in questionable situations, rather than use more measured tactics to ensure occupants aren't deprived of a place to live simply because a suspect might be hiding somewhere behind closed doors.
Previously: 19-Hour "Standoff" Ends With Cops Destroying an Empty House
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Saturday August 20 2016, @07:53PM
A judge with an agenda can "interpret" legal precedent to his own liking. A judge who recognizes that the US is a republic, and not a democracy, can easily convince himself that he is serving some "greater good" by approving the state's agenda. In this case, smart cops aren't needed or wanted, because he would intimidate the average elected moron.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 20 2016, @09:48PM
A republic is a democracy you fucking moron. Claiming a republic isn't a democracy is like saying a square isn't a rectangle.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 20 2016, @10:38PM
"Democracy" means "majority rules".
Seen the latest polls?
Well over half the populace disapproves of both Hillary and Trump--yet we'll likely end up with one of those as president.
...and it's unlikely either will get over half the vote (no Ranked Voting).
...then there was the time that an election was sent to (a Republican-dominated) SCOTUS--instead of actually COUNTING THE VOTES--clearly in violation of the Constitution.
This doesn't sound like "Democracy" to me.
"Rigged system" is more like it.
.
In ancient Athens, they had an actual Democracy.
Everybody[1][2] got a vote.
When they had lesser things to decide, they would form a randomly-selected "jury" which typically had around 200 jurors (no voir dire).
[1] ...if you ignore the no-women and no-slaves thing.
[2] ...and unlike the USA where folks who have "done their time" are still excluded from sufferage.
...then there are the folks who have names (Washington, Lopez) that look like they might vote for the Donkey Party and have had their names expunged from voting rolls by "public servants" (Republicans; Hillary's people).
Again: "Rigged system".
.
...then there's the "Money is speech and corporations are people" thing.
.
...and "republic' means "representative government".
Ever hear of "gerrymandering"?
"Representative", my ass.
-- OriginalOwner_ [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Sunday August 21 2016, @04:45AM
Reading comprehension. "judge with an agenda" "interpret legal precedent" "greater good" But, that's alright, you can stick to your own interpretations, your own ideals, and fail to understand that not everyone sees things like you do.
And, everyone includes judges.