Lawmakers Demand Sessions Investigate Backpage's 'Criminal Role in Sex Trafficking' in Wake of Misleading Washington Post Article
Post says Backpage hired a contractor that catfished on foreign competitors' sites.
Police
Gutting of Oversight Bill Puts Kibosh on Police Reform in California
Assembly Bill 284 had little chance of passage because it dealt with an actual problem and was getting pushback from some muscular lobbies.
Police Body Camera Appears to Catch Baltimore Officer Planting Drugs for a Search
This is why law enforcement should not have control over whether footage is released.
Curbing Traffic Stops Would Save Lives
So why do cops rely so much on the practice? Enforcing traffic laws is a large share of what they do.
Damning New Report Shows How Oakland Cops Covered Up Their Sexual Exploitation of a Minor
Making matters worse, the report concludes, was "the tone at the top."
Public Access to Police Videos Gets Support in California, New Jersey
Potential wins for transparency
Connecticut to Require Convictions Before Trying to Seize and Keep People's Property
But keep an eye out for a federal loophole.
Proposal: Don't Let Government Agencies Profit from Fines
Colorado Libertarian Steve Kerbel wants to remove an incentive for police to harass citizens.
Connecticut Reaffirms Right to Curse at Supermarket Clerks
"Hate speech" is not a crime, Connecticut Supreme Court reminds overzealous prosecutors.
Facebook Video Shows Minneapolis Police Shooting Family Dogs in Backyard
"He was wagging his tail. My dog wasn't even moving, lunging toward him or anything."
This Massachusetts Lawmaker Wants to Throw Folks in Prison for Having Secret Car Compartments
This is your war on drugs...on drugs.
No Rise in Hate-Crime Rate Since 2004
"Hate crimes" suspected to be motivated by racial bias have dropped, but those perceived to be motivated by gender bias nearly doubled.
Detroit Police Sued Again For Shooting Dogs During a Marijuana Raid
"If you keep asking for a warrant, we are gonna kill those dogs and call child protective services to pick up your kid."
Chicago Police Indictments Show Importance of Making Videos Public
Would anybody have been held accountable for Laquan McDonald's death if we hadn't seen the shooting?
Supporting Laws Banning Hate Speech Means Supporting Police Raids on People's Homes
Germany violently enforces the law by busting into dozens of households to prevent a "climate of fear".
Police Roadblocks Are Rights-Free Zones In Madison County, Mississippi
For generations, poor, black residents of Canton, Mississippi have lived under siege from a heavy-handed sheriff's department.
ACLU Sues D.C. Police Over Inauguration Day Arrests
Four plaintiffs say they were pepper sprayed, handcuffed so tight they lost feeling in their fingers, and subjected to "unjustified manual rectal probing."
Clarence Thomas Attacks Civil Asset Forfeiture, Lower Court Follows His Lead
Asset forfeiture "has led to egregious and well-chronicled abuses."
Pennsylvania's Top Court Says Police Videos Are Public, But Lawmakers Are Already Removing Access
This win for government transparency appears to have an expiration date.
Pennsylvania Assembly Calls For Annual Audits of Everything Cops Seize
Tepid asset forfeiture reforms don't include conviction before they can take your valuables.
Disturbing Video Released of Fatal Police Shooting of Philando Castile
Seven seconds after Castile told a police officer he had a legal gun, he was shot seven times.
Gust of Wind Traps Baby Inside Locked Car. Mom Calls 911 for Help. Mom Gets Ticketed by Police.
The frantic mother called 911 for help and the police gave her a ticket for suspicion of child abuse by neglect.
NYPD Claims It's the Most Transparent Police Department in the World
In case you needed a good laugh today.
Colorado's Tough New Forfeiture Law Provides Real Police Oversight, Transparency
Governor signs bill requiring police to report seizures and making it harder for cops to bypass state rules.
Cops Have Lost Control of Their Sex-Trafficking Panic, and It's Beautiful
Even the police can't control human-trafficking hysteria anymore, and it could backfire for them.
Congress Wants to Let Cops Wiretap Sex Workers, the CDC Study Them, and Homeland Security Screen Them
A batch of frightening new bills take aim at all sorts of civil liberties under the guise of stopping sexual exploitation.
Man Free After Serving 25 Years for Murder Linked to Switched Bullets
The Detroit Crime Lab, shut down in 2008 for negligence, switched test bullets with autopsy bullets in order to convict Desmond Ricks.
SCOTUS Agrees to Hear Significant 4th Amendment Case on Warrantless Cell Phone Location Searches
The Supreme Court will hear arguments in Carpenter v. U.S. next term.
GOP Maps Out New Ways to Throw People in Federal Prison
Senators drafting massive combination bill with "Kate's Law" and "Back the Blue" mandatory minimum sentences that are expensive, unneeded.
'Operation Big Bad John' Used 75 Cops, Six Federal Agencies to Catch 13 Sex Buyers
Naturally, they're portraying it as a success.
House Overwhelmingly Supports Bill Subjecting Teen Sexters to 15 Years in Federal Prison
The bill was requested by the Department of Justice after federal prosecutors bungled a child exploitation case.
Supreme Court Rules 8-0 for Police in Major Fourth Amendment Case
SCOTUS rejects "provocation doctrine," says illegal police search must be viewed separately from subsequent police use of force.
School Cop Tries to Arrest Teenage Girl for Violating the Dress Code
"You either come with me to the control room to change your shirt or we will arrest you."
Alaska Cops Fight for the Right to Sexually Exploit Prostitution Suspects
New laws are under debate, but the practice is more common than you think.
Judge Orders Oakland Cop to Trial; Says He Was 'Like a Pimp' to Exploited Teen
Former Oakland cop Brian Bunton is one of dozens of area police officers who've been implicated in the sexual exploitation of "Celeste Guap."
Austin Police Responded to the Burglary of an Empty Home With a Full-On SWAT Raid
(And they still didn't catch the culprit.)
