Good old Sheriff Joe

Around the nation, I think Sheriff Joe Arpaio is seen as some type of heroic, old-western sheriff. He certainly contributes to that image with regular press releases and appearances on national television. Up close however, it is very clear that Joe is a pompous, self-serving fool who costs his county millions of dollars in law suits and mismanagement. He spends an inordinate amount of time and resources on crimes outside his jurisdiction (immigration) and according to this article, ignores true crime.

http://azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/article_0eb3f590-7461-5a63-a30e-249207931fd8.html

Speaking of that stupid war on drugs

Really, 12 years in prison for selling a little pot? Oh, I see, her sentence was aggravated by her lack of remorse.

http://reason.com/blog/2011/05/19/oklahoma-woman-sells-30-worth

Pretty sure this stinks.

The facts aren't all in yet, but I've been reading between the lines written by law enforcement for a long time. First, the story changed. I get that, things happen quickly and in the hurry to get info to the media, sometimes all the facts aren't correct. But this is a little more than that. It doesn't make sense that the former Marine, Jose Guerena, who served two tours, works a graveyard shift at a mine and is part of a home invasion crew on the side. In my experience, the two are incongruent. Maybe I am just too damn cynical about the stupid war on drugs, but my sense is that the SWAT team screwed this one up.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/tucson-swat-team-defends-shooting-iraq-marine-veteran/story?id=13640112

Good to see mental illness isn't confined to American criminals

Horrible story out of Europe about a poor woman attacked by a "homeless Bulgarian" in the Canary Islands and beheaded.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/british-woman-beheaded-at-supermarket-on-spanish-resort-island-identified/2011/05/14/AFRbVU3G_story.html

Let's just take everyones DNA at birth

I'm not entirely convinced that DNA is the end-all, be-all that it is portrayed to be, nonetheless it is a pretty accurate and helpful tool in criminal justice. But leave it to some politician eager to seem tough on crime to take this tool and start pushing it down an Orwellian slope. I don't think you should have to give up your DNA simply for being charged with a crime, especially a misdemeanor.

http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/a2032d3c8b5340baa2e31ed8b787a7eb/PA--Familial-DNA/

Lockup is reality TV, right?

I'm all for creative defenses at trial, but this one seems a little too creative. A woman on trial for hiring a hit man to take out her old man claimed that it was all a hoax in an attempt to land a reality TV show and that the hubby was in on it the whole time. A six member jury didn't buy it. Note to defense counsel - go ahead and use a juror strike against the police chief's wife, it's probably a good call.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/05/13/florida.hitman/

Unabomber's stuff to be sold at auction

Probably a good idea to raise money for restitution...since, you know, the guy can't work or anything.

http://www.katu.com/news/national/121755554.html