In England, London's Metropolitan Police is setting up its first permanent facial recognition cameras in Croydon, a suburb in South London, starting this summer to help fight crime. These cameras will be placed on buildings and lamp posts along North End and London Road. Privacy rights groups oppose the move. But the Labour Party government hopes to expand the use of facial recognition and is seeking bids to supply police departments with the cameras.
Officers Jorge Acosta, Benjamin Harris, and Kyle Sue from the Phoenix Police Department were suspended for 24 hours without pay, and two of them were also required to take de-escalation training, after violently arresting Tyron McAlpin. The officers were responding to a call that a white man allegedly assaulted a convenience store employee and was still inside the store. McAlpin—who is black, deaf, and has cerebral palsy—was outside the store. The incident, caught on body camera video, showed the officers punching and tasing McAlpin almost immediately after arriving. The district attorney dropped all charges against McAlpin, including assault and resisting arrest, citing lack of evidence.
According to a report by local news outlet Crosstown LA, the city of Los Angeles lost about $66 million in parking enforcement in the last fiscal year. The city handed out 2 million parking tickets and collected $110 million in fines in the fiscal year ending in June 2024, while it spent $88 million on direct parking enforcement expenses such as salaries and equipment. But pensions and other expenses brought the total cost of parking enforcement to more than $176 million.
Avery Richard Smith, a former corrections officer in Berkeley County, South Carolina, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison—the maximum—after pleading guilty to four counts of first-degree assault and battery, five counts of third-degree assault and battery, and two counts of misconduct in office. His victims included at least nine inmates under his supervision and at least one subordinate.
California's decision to expand Medi-Cal, its Medicaid program, to cover undocumented migrants has led to significantly higher costs than expected. The program's price tag has soared to $9.5 billion this year—way over the $6.4 billion estimate from just last year—with $8.4 billion coming from state taxpayers. Meanwhile, in Illinois, Gov. J.B. Pritzker has proposed cutting $330 million from a similar healthcare expansion for the undocumented after a state audit showed costs ballooned to $1.6 billion since 2020, far exceeding the initial $220 million forecast. Both states are grappling with budget shortfalls, and while California's costs are driven by higher enrollment and expenses like pharmacy costs, Illinois faces issues with inaccurate projections and improper enrollment, with services for some groups exceeding initial projections by as much as 280 percent.
Ricardo Garcia, a former deputy with Arizona's Pima County Sheriff's Department, was sentenced to one year in jail and three years of probation after being found guilty of two counts of attempted sexual assault and two counts of sexual abuse for trying to sexually assault a fellow deputy who was also his subordinate. The case was controversial because Sheriff Chris Nanos, who was close to Garcia, kept the investigation within the department, making some people question if he was protecting his friend. The Arizona Attorney General's office found no crimes in how Nanos handled it but noted the sheriff's team might have broken some internal rules.
Marvin Peavy, a homeowner in Walton County, Florida, won a lawsuit against the county after officials tried to fine him for hanging giant political banners on his house along Scenic Highway 30A. Peavy first put up signs in 2020 to support Donald Trump's first presidential reelection campaign, but the county said they violated property maintenance rules and started charging him $50 a day, totaling over $63,000 in fines. Peavy fought back, saying his right to free speech under the First Amendment allowed it, and after years of legal battles, a judge agreed, ruling that the county was infringing on his free speech. The judge also ordered the county to pay Peavy $42,000 to cover his legal fees.
New York's Northville Central School District has fired high school basketball coach Jim Zullo after video showed him yanking his star player's ponytail. The incident happened after the Northville girls' team lost the Class D state championship game. Hailey Monroe, Northville's all-time leading scorer, had already fouled out and was crying when Zullo grabbed her hair and yelled at her before a teammate stepped between them. Zullo, an 81-year-old Hall of Fame coach, claimed Monroe had cursed at him earlier.
Former Los Angeles County Sheriff's Deputy Joseph Benza III faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to one count of deprivation of rights under color of law for beating a man who gave him the finger. Benza abandoned a domestic disturbance call when he saw Emmett Brock flip him off while driving by. He followed Brock for nearly two miles without ever attempting to stop him. When Brock stopped, Benza threw him to the ground and repeatedly punched him. Brock was charged with three felonies and, as a result, he lost his job as a teacher; the charges were later dropped when video of the encounter was made public. Several sergeants directed Benza not to include the real reason he stopped Brock in his incident report.
When Courtney Teague called Atlanta 311, a number for nonemergency city services, she did not know the person answering the call was working from home and livestreaming the call. She later got a call from a woman in Chicago who'd been watching the livestream and heard all of the personal information Teague provided to the city employee. A city spokesman said that the employee was removed from answering calls and no longer works for the city.
Natalie Walton got a ticket in the mail at her parents' home in Kent, England. The ticket assessed a 75 pound fine ($94) for littering after an officer saw her drop a cigarette in nearby Swanscombe. But Walton says she doesn't smoke, has never visited Swanscombe, and hasn't lived in Kent for three years. She appealed the ticket, producing bank records of the shopping she did that day in Staffordshire, over 150 miles away. On further review, officials said the woman who dropped the cigarette didn't look like Walton after all.
Kevin O'Rourke, a 64-year-old Canadian man, was sentenced to life in prison in the United Arab Emirates for possession of cannabis products. Authorities detained O'Rourke in Dubai International Airport after finding 118 grams of cannabis, CBD, and CBD oil. His wife says he suffers from Addison's disease and the products are prescribed by a doctor for controlling his pain.
(Illustration: Peter Bagge)
St. Louis residents say the city billed them for home repairs that they did not agree to and that, in many cases, don't appear to have been performed. One owner said he was billed for repairs to the second floor of a single-story commercial property he bought, plus a new roof that wasn't completely nailed down. The repairs are part of a federally funded effort to stabilize and rehabilitate privately owned buildings.
(Illustration: Peter Bagge)
Emergency dispatchers in parts of England were told to ask some people requesting ambulance service to come to the hospital on their own. An internal memo from the West Midlands Ambulance Service directed dispatchers to ask callers with severe abdominal pain, who have fallen, or who are vomiting to bring themselves to the emergency room; during periods of high demand, they should also ask those who may be having a stroke or heart attack, or those with major burns, to get to the hospital on their own.
(Illustration: Peter Bagge)
BeTreylin Elder, a teacher at Georgia's DeRenne Middle School, resigned after being caught on video tossing an 11-year-old student across the classroom. The boy reportedly confronted Elder after the teacher made sexual remarks about the student's mother.
Sacramento County officials have agreed to pay $755,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by Salvador Garcia Jr., who was severely injured by a sheriff's office canine in September 2022. Garcia was riding his bike when Deputy Dylan Black stopped him, suspecting him of breaking his ex-girlfriend's window earlier that day. According to the lawsuit, Black ordered the dog to attack Garcia, and the dog bit his arm so badly that it tore muscles and tendons, requiring multiple surgeries and leaving permanent damage. The lawsuit says Garcia wasn't resisting when the deputy set the dog on him and that deputies allowed the dog to continue biting Garcia as they handcuffed him.
The Oregon Court of Appeals ruled that Measure 114, a gun control law approved by voters in November 2022, does not violate the state constitution, overturning a lower court's decision that had blocked it. This law aims to reduce gun violence by requiring permits to buy guns and banning magazines holding more than 10 rounds. The appeals court said it fits with Oregon's history of reasonable gun rules. Plaintiffs vowed to appeal the decision to the Oregon Supreme Court. In a separate federal case, a judge also upheld the law, saying it does not violate the Second Amendment. The plaintiffs in that case also plan to appeal.
Atlanta, Georgia resident Elisabeth Porter received a water bill for $20,545.27, even though she'd been telling the city's Department of Watershed Management (DWM) about a leak outside her home for months. The city did not respond to her complaints until a local TV station got involved. At that point, the DWM found and repaired a leak in the meter box and said it would review her bill for adjustments. But muddy water has since resumed flowing from the lines, which the DWM said it would return to fix.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been deleting her text messages, including those from Jan. 7-8, 2025, when she was flying back from a trip to Ghana while wildfires burned in Los Angeles. City policy says records should be kept for at least two years. And state law considers texts about government business as public records that must be saved. But a lawyer for the city says the rules don't apply to text messages, and Bass' phone is set to automatically delete them.
Tennessee Rep. John Crawford (R–Bristol) has introduced a bill that would require law enforcement to collect DNA samples from anyone arrested for a felony. Under the proposed law, the state must dispose of those samples if the defendant is acquitted or the charges are dropped as long as that person has no other charges pending. Crawford argues the law will make it easier to catch dangerous criminals and help solve cold cases.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has suggested adding a 20 percent service charge to restaurant bills to help struggling eateries cover rising costs like wages and rent, after more than 200 Colorado restaurants closed last year. The idea was to let restaurants keep the extra cash instead of raising prices, though Johnston admitted the service charge would be taxed. But critics, including restaurant owners and groups such as the Colorado Restaurant Association, say the end effect would still be increased costs to diners, which could drive customers away, hurt businesses even more, and confuse people about tipping.
During the Palisades fires earlier this year, private firefighting companies were credited with saving several structures. But some state lawmakers want to make it more difficult for them to do that in the future. The idea comes from California Assemblymembers Isaac Bryan (D–Culver City) and Tina McKinnor (D–Inglewood) and is supported by the California Professional Firefighters union, which says private crews aren't trained or equipped as well as public firefighters and shouldn't use public water. Businessman Rick Caruso used private firefighters to protect his shopping center while nearby areas burned, but his team says they didn't tap into city water.
California Assemblyman Rick Chavez Zbur (D–Los Angeles) has introduced a bill that would change the state's self-defense laws to require people outside their homes to try escaping safely before using deadly force, even if they're in danger. The bill also says people can't use lethal force just to protect property or homes and limits self-defense claims if someone starts a fight or uses too much force. Critics say the bill is an attack on people's right to protect themselves. Zbur says it's about deterring vigilantes.
The Massachusetts Office of the Inspector General says the city of Everett wrongly paid Mayor Carlo DeMaria $180,000 in bonuses between 2016 and 2021, claiming DeMaria and his team twisted a city rule to get the money and then kept it secret from the public and city council. The rule was meant to give the mayor $10,000 after each term, but a word change before it passed in 2016 instead gave mayors $10,000 for each term. The change allowed DeMaria—then in his fourth term—to pocket $40,000 every year instead of $10,000 every four years. After the council found out in 2022 and cut the payments to $1,700, the inspector general demanded the money back, saying no other elected official gets such huge bonuses. DeMaria's team calls the report unfair and defends his honesty.
The Colorado House of Representatives has passed a bill to raise the minimum age to buy ammunition to 21 from 18. It now moves to the state Senate, which is expected to pass it. Gov. Jared Polis is expected to sign the bill into law. The bill would require stores to stock ammunition so customers cannot access it without the help of employees. The Colorado State Shooting Association says it will challenge the bill in court if it becomes law.
Rajesh Motibhai Patel, a physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia, has been sentenced to two years in prison followed by 15 years probation after being convicted of violating a patient's constitutional right to bodily integrity while acting under color of law and of abusive sexual contact. Prosecutors said that during a routine medical exam, Patel touched a patient's breasts and genitals without her consent and for no medical reason. Patel will be barred from practicing medicine while he is on probation.
Former New Orleans Police Department Sergeant Todd Morrell was sentenced to five years of probation after pleading guilty to six counts of wire fraud. Morrell admitted to a scheme where he got paid for hours he didn't work by submitting fake time sheets to both the police department and an off-duty job at the local fairgrounds. Sometimes, he billed both places for the same time, and in one case, he was even racing cars while claiming to be on duty. Morrell must also pay more than $5,000 in fines and penalties.
India's Supreme Court has barred YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia from leaving the country and ordered him to surrender his passport following a crass joke he made on his show. Allahbadia asked a guest whether he would rather watch his parents have sex every day for the rest of his life or join in once and stop it forever. That sparked a large public backlash. Allahbadia apologized and removed the entire show from his channel. But the government is now reportedly looking at new regulations on social media.
James Caban, the twin brother of then-New York City Police Commissioner Edward Caban, impersonated his brother to trick police into going easy on nightclubs and bars that paid protection money, according to a federal complaint. James Caban reportedly used his brother's name at the 34th Precinct in Washington Heights to stop raids on businesses breaking the law. The complaint alleges the precinct commander, Inspector Aneudy Castillo, let officers think he was his brother and made sure these businesses avoided police action.
The Los Angeles Timesreports that the office of Mayor Karen Bass has been editing Q&A sessions from news conference videos posted to her Facebook page. Specifically, they have been cutting out parts where reporters press her about her handling of wildfires earlier this year. The newspaper asked Bass' office why the videos are being edited. It got no response.
A grand jury in Cullman County, Alabama, has indicted Hanceville Police Chief Jason Marlin for failure to report ethics violations and tampering with evidence. It also indicted three of the department's officers on multiple charges including computer tampering, using office for personal gain, tampering with evidence, and solicitation to commit a controlled substance crime. A fourth officer and his wife were charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance and conspiracy to unlawfully distribute a controlled substance. In a report, the grand jury recommended the department be immediately disbanded, calling it "more of a criminal organization than a law enforcement agency."
Giuseppe Mandara, formerly an officer with the New Jersey Department of Corrections, has been sentenced to three years in state prison after pleading guilty to third-degree aggravated assault against a resident at the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center's Special Treatment Unit. Mandara and his victim got into a dispute, and the man walked away. Mandara then left his post to pursue and attack the man, even as another officer tried to stop him. Under the terms of the plea deal, Mandara will be barred from future government employment.
Hinds County, Mississippi, Chancery Court Judge Crystal Wise Martin ordered the Clarksdale Press Register to remove an editorial criticizing city council members for holding a meeting on possible new taxes on alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco without sending it a public notice. Martin issued a temporary restraining order against the newspaper without holding a hearing. Mayor Chuck Espy contended the editorial was potentially libelous because it implies council members broke the law, which he contends they did not do. Officials also said it could hurt their efforts to win approval for the taxes from state lawmakers. But the Mississippi Press Association and other media groups said the judge's order violates the First Amendment.
In England, two police officers face a professional incompetence tribunal for waiting outside a woman's house while her partner killed her. They could hear the assault but were waiting for their supervisor to tell them it was okay to go inside. The day before the murder, the officers went to the house for a domestic abuse report and arrested Olobunmi Abodunde for assault, but he was let out on bail that night. The next day, the same officers came back to meet the woman and take her statement. While standing outside, they heard noises inside the house. They spent 35 minutes talking to their supervisor about whether they could go in. By the time they finally entered, the woman was already dead. Abodunde got a life sentence for the murder in May 2024. One of the officers and the supervisor are under investigation for incompetence. The other officer, who was serving in a probationary capacity, has left the force.
The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that a vehicle's interior counts as a "public place" when it's driven on a public road. In May 2022, a Ramsey County sheriff's deputy stopped Kyaw Be Bee on suspicion of theft of a catalytic converter. When the deputy searched the car, he found a BB gun under the front seat and arrested Bee for carrying a gun in public without a permit. A district judge tossed out the charges, saying it wasn't clear the interior of a vehicle was a public place. The Supreme Court ruling supports the charge and sends the case back to district court.
Video from England shows West Midlands police telling Isabel Vaughan-Spruce she had to leave a public area where she was standing alone and praying silently. He accused her of violating a buffer zone within 150 meters of an abortion facility. Under English law, "intimidation," "harassment," or "influencing a person's decision to access" an abortion facility is illegal within such a buffer zone. The Crown Prosecution Service has ruled that silent prayer does "not necessarily" violate buffer zone laws unless it is accompanied by "overt" actions. But the officer said that because Vaughan-Spence is known to be pro-life her "mere presence" could constitute "harassment, alarm and distress."
In England, former West Mercia Police Constable Mark Cranfield has been sentenced to eight months in jail after being convicted on two counts of misconduct in public office and one count of accessing computer records without authorization. Cranfield reportedly saved intimate videos and nude photos that had been submitted as evidence in a revenge porn case, kept them on his phone, and forwarded the images to at least one person. Prosecutors also said he repeatedly contacted the victim in the case, discussing his sex life.
Nakedra Shannon, a former United States Postal Service employee in Charlotte, North Carolina, was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit financial institution fraud and to theft of government property. Prosecutors said Shannon and two accomplices stole $24 million in checks from the mail between April and July 2023 and sold the checks to others.
Two nurses with Australia's New South Wales Ministry of Health have been removed from their jobs pending an investigation of a video, apparently shot in a hospital, in which they said they would refuse to treat and perhaps kill Israeli patients. "I won't treat them, I won't treat them. I'll kill them," said Sarah Abu Lebdeh. Rashad Nadir added, "You have no idea how many [Israelis] came to this hospital and I sent them to jaheem [hell]." Nadir later told local media his remarks were a joke.
Police in Bangalore, India arrested Ed Sheeran for busking without a permit. The four-time Grammy winner insists he did have permission. It wasn't just us randomly turning up," he said. Police said someone called to complain shortly after he started playing
Joivian Tjuana Hayes, a U.S. Postal Service supervisor in Costa Mesa, California, has pleaded guilty to theft of mail matter by a Postal Service employee and unlawful transfer, possession, and use of means of identification. Hayes reportedly stole between $300,000 and $324,000 in checks, gold, money orders, and collectible coins and currency, including a $10 Confederate States of America bill. She faces up to 20 years in prison.
In England, Greater Manchester Police Detective Sgt. Richard Mills was sentenced to 18 months in prison and placed on the sex offender registry for 10 years after being convicted of sexually assaulting another officer and a civilian employee of the department while on duty. In both cases, Mills grabbed a woman's hand and put it on his crotch. One victim said that as he did so, he told her what kind of sex he liked and that he wasn't "getting it" from his wife.
Thomas Smith, a former U.S. Capitol Police officer, was sentenced to 21 months in prison after pleading guilty to deprivation of rights under color of law. In June 2020, while patrolling the homes of members of Congress, Smith pursued two motorcycles at a high speed without running his lights. Prosecutors said Smith swerved his patrol car into one of the motorcycles, knocking the driver into the air and onto the asphalt. He then left the injured driver unconscious on the ground, did not file an incident report, and falsified police records to cover up his actions.
Former Santa Cruz County, Arizona, Treasurer Elizabeth Gutfahr stole more than $38 million in county funds between 2012 and 2024. She used the money to buy at least 20 cars, renovate ranches she owns, and pay other personal expenses for herself and her family. After pleading guilty to embezzlement and other charges, she faces up to 35 years in prison and must pay over $13 million in restitution and federal taxes.
(Illustration: Peter Bagge)
Kristian White, a former Australian police officer, faces up to 25 years in prison after a jury found him guilty of manslaughter. Clare Nowland, a 95-year-old woman with dementia, lived in a New South Wales nursing home, where staff called police because she had a knife. Officers tried for about three minutes to get her to drop the knife before White, saying "bugger it," used his Taser on her. Nowland fell and struck her head, dying days later from an inoperable brain bleed.
(Illustration: Peter Bagge)
Andrew Talbot, a former officer with the Greater Manchester Police, stole 4 kilograms (8.8 pounds) of cocaine from the evidence room, valued at 400,000 pounds ($494,440), then used the police database to find drug dealers who could sell it. He was discovered when he accidentally dropped a bag of cocaine outside his daughter's school. A Liverpool court convicted and sentenced him to 19 years in prison.
Nigel Carter collected 500 bicycles to send to Sudan, for people who need access to cheap transportation. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency blocked the shipment after an inspector deemed the bikes unfit for use because some needed repairs. Carter said the bikes had only minor damage and that the Sudanese charity was aware of their condition.
Tennessee prosecutors charged former McNairy County Sheriff's Deputy Connor Brackin with seven counts of aggravated animal cruelty and eight counts of reckless endangerment. While reportedly responding to an animal welfare call, Brackin went to a couple's home while they were at dinner and shot and killed seven of their eight dogs. According to the affidavit, Brackin fired his service weapon into campers where some of the dogs were being contained.
(Illustration: Peter Bagge)
In England, Lincolnshire Police Superintendent Fran Harrod said officers won't arrest drivers who don't pay for gasoline because they might not be "having a great day." She advised gas station owners to instead pursue civil action against the thieves, which would get them their money back "within a matter of weeks." Harrod was responding to a gas station owner who said she had 50 drive-off thefts in six months.
When Tennessee students on Brandy Smith's school bus were being too loud, she reportedly slammed the brakes, causing some to hit their heads. At least three students were taken to the hospital and diagnosed with minor concussions. A grand jury indicted her for reckless driving, four counts of child abuse, and nine counts of reckless endangerment.
A Missouri judge sentenced former De Soto Police Officer James Daly to two years of probation for assaulting a handcuffed suspect who was being booked into the local jail. A jury found Daly guilty of three misdemeanor assault charges. Daly reportedly grabbed the suspect by the hair and throat, pushed him onto a bench, and held him there by his neck for "a period of time."
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has called on the state legislature to seal certain eviction records. Shapiro didn't provide many details on his proposal. But he did indicate that tenants who win eviction proceedings should have their records sealed, which could potentially affect hundreds of thousands of people.
Citing sources close to the discussion, The Washington Postreports that the United Kingdom's Labour government is demanding that Apple give it access to all iCloud data uploaded by anyone, anywhere in the world. It made this demand under a 2016 law requiring technology companies to assist the government in compiling evidence in criminal and other cases. Under that same law, it is illegal for companies to reveal even that the government is trying to compel them to cooperate.
An employee at the City-County Building in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, was recently injured when a toilet tank shattered. Local TV station WGAL reports city buildings are plagued with maintenance issues, such as nonfunctioning boilers and elevators, broken urinals, and moldy water fountains. "I notice every crooked shutter and every dripping faucet," said Councilman Anthony Coghill, who is a contractor. "I'm afraid to do an in-depth look at all of our facilities because I'm afraid of what I will find."
An Illinois judge has found Dolton Mayor Tiffany Henyard guilty of indirect criminal contempt of court for not signing a liquor license in a timely manner. Tiffany Kamara bought a commercial building with plans to subdivide it and turn it into a bar and restaurant, meeting space, and liquor store. Henyard supported the idea at first but later began to obstruct the business. Kamara bought the building from Kamal Woods. According to Kamara's lawsuit, Woods "is the significant other of Defendant Henyard and is believed to have substantial influence over her decisions and actions."
In Texas, the Port Arthur Police Department and Child Protective Services are both investigating a TikTok video showing a man use a child to clean snow off his car. The man can be seen laughing and smiling as he wipes the child—reportedly three months old and heavily bundled up—across his windshield and hood. After the video was posted, officials conducted a welfare check and found the child was unharmed. But Police Chief Tim Duriso still plans to pursue child endangerment charges and called it "a sad situation."
Mississippi state Sen. Bradford Blackmon (D–Attala)* has introduced a bill that would make it "unlawful for a person to discharge genetic material without the intent to fertilize an embryo." He calls it the "Contraception Begins at Erection Act." It would impose fines on violators, including $10,000 for a third time offense. "All across the country, especially here in Mississippi, the vast majority of bills relating to contraception and/or abortion focus on the woman's role when men are fifty percent of the equation," Blackmon said in a statement. "This bill highlights that fact and brings the man's role into the conversation. People can get up in arms and call it absurd but I can't say that bothers me."
*CORRECTION: This article has been updated to reflect Blackmon's district location.
When Hamon Brown posted a photo to Facebook of a Houston police cruiser doing donuts in a snow-covered parking lot, the Houston Police Officers' Union noted that Brown's windshield was sporting a crack covered in tape. "Tag local auto glass repair companies. We're looking for someone who can help Hamon Brown get his broken windshield repaired," the union posted. Brown thought the exchange was all in good fun, but he said things soon went "off the rails a little bit." Three days later, the union posted a video it had found of him "ghost riding," hopping out of a moving car and climbing onto the windshield. "Remember Hamon Brown?" the union asked. "The hater that went on the news to run his mouth about police cars in the snow (in a parking lot)? #DontBeAHater #ComingDine #GotEeem."
Police in Montreal are asking residents not to post photos of porch pirates captured by their doorbell cameras to social media. They say even thieves caught in the act deserve the presumption of innocence. They ask that the public, instead, turn the photos over to police. One local resident said she tried that before posting the images of the person who stole a ceramic dog from her porch to the Internet. "They have his license plate. They have him on camera taking the dog, putting it in his car," Ania Szpakowski told CTV. "I still don't have it back."
Former Shreveport Police Officer Christopher McConnell has been given a three-year suspended prison sentence followed by two years of probation after being convicted of malfeasance in office. When McConnell pulled a woman over for a license plate light not working, he got out of his vehicle with his weapon drawn and shouted, "License, registration, shut your mouth." He pulled the woman from her vehicle and tried to handcuff her. Two other officers arrived to help him, and when the woman allegedly pulled away from them, another officer used a Taser on her. McConnell later struck her in the face even as she was compliant.
The British government may soon change a law that led to the wrongful convictions of hundreds of postmasters for financial crimes. Over more than 15 years, Britain's state-owned Post Office prosecuted and convicted more than 700 postmasters, with 230 serving time in prison, when internal software reported missing money. British law says evidence generated by a computer is automatically assumed to be correct, and it is the defendant's burden to prove it wrong. Postmasters complained all along that the software generated false information, but postal authorities dismissed the complaints. When the government did finally look into the issue, it found the system was prone to errors, reporting shortfalls in accounts when there actually were none.
