On Tuesday, Syria’s access to the Internet was cut off. The most likely culprit, security researchers said, was the Syrian government. … Read More
Environmental group: Thousands of pesticides dodge regulation
Thousands of pesticides are allowed onto the US market without rigorous safety testing, putting people, animals and crop pollinators like bees at risk, a US environmental group said Wednesday. The Natural Resources Defense Council said the culprit is a congressional loophole dating back to 1978,…
Covered at Reason 24/7: False Imprisonment Costs Baltimore $150K
The police of the fine city of Baltimore are
hard at work — costing the taxpayers a fortune. It seems they
locked up a man based on the assumption that he’d helped knock over
a Chinese restaurant. They assumed his guilt because they’d been
told that “Mookie” was the second culprit (they already had a guy
in custody), and “Mookie” must be Darren Brown. But he
wasn’t. Which they admitted only after Brown had been locked up for
seven months. That was three months after the first suspect’s
mother had identified her nephew as the real “Mookie.”
From
Baltimore Brew:
An innocent man imprisoned for seven months by Baltimore police
on the basis of his reputed nickname will be awarded $150,000 to
settle his lawsuit.
The Board of Estimates is set to pay the sum tomorrow to Darren
Brown, who charged four police officers with acting “with
deliberate and/or reckless disregard for the truth” while
conducting an investigation of an August 2008 shooting at a Chinese
carry-out on Harford Rd.
The case was settled after U.S. District Court Judge Richard D.
Bennett denied a motion by the four defendants to dismiss the suit.
The cash settlement will terminate the case, with the proviso that
the plaintiff and his lawyers not publicly discuss the lawsuit.
The Brown case is the latest of scores of settlements since 2008
– costing taxpayers an average of $3.5 million a year – paid to
citizens who have accused police of misconduct. Included in these
fees are as much as $700,000 a year that the city spends for
outside counsel defending officers from lawsuits.
Follow this story and more at Reason 24/7.
If you have a story that would be of interest to Reason’s
readers please let us know by emailing the 24/7 crew at
24_7@reason.com, or tweet us stories at ;@reason247. … Read More
Six shot, four killed in Upstate New York: Suspect still at large
Police say a gunman opened fire Wednesday near a car wash inHerkimer County, New York, halfway between Syracuse and Albany. Twopeople were shot dead on the scene, and two others were fatallywounded nearby on South Washington Street in Mohawk, State Policepress liaison Jack Keller tells the Little Falls Times.According to the authorities, six people were shot in all, withfour succumbing to their wounds as of 11:18 a.m. Wednesday morning.Police were still searching for their suspect as of 11:45, but thelatest reports courtesy of a local newspaper suggest theauthorities may have narrowed in on a possible culprit.The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports that Swat teams and a policehelicopter have surrounded a jewelry store in downtown Herkimer,NY, but it is still not yet clear if the suspect is inside. Thepaper adds that Mohawk officials believe the suspect may be onfoot, and other reports cite the possibility that he was picked upby a taxi.Ilion, NY resident Jason Ackler, 39, tells the Utica OD that hethinks the suspect is “trying toprove a point.” Ackler’s friend was among the six shotWednesday morning, and his condition is unknown. He says, however,that he thinks the suspect began the shooting spree with clearintention as to what he wanted to accomplish.“It definitely seems like heknew what he was doing,” adds Ackler.Speaking to the Associated Press, the Herkimer Village Policewould only say that there was a shooting and a manhunt, and wouldnot offer any further official comment. Area schools includingHerkimer County Community College have been placed on lockdown,however.Police also believe the suspect may have been responsible for anapartment building fire that was reported to authorities in Mohawk,NY at around 9:45 a.m. The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports that thefire was extinguished by around 11 a.m., and law enforcementauthorities were able to remove “about half a dozen long guns” fromthe residence. The Utica OD says preliminary reports suggest thesuspect responsible for the four deaths resided in that unit.The suspect has been described in early reports as a 50- to60-year-old white male last seen wearing a flannel shirt. … Read More
Six shot, four killed in Upstate New York
Police believe 64-year-old Kurt Myers of Mohawk, NY opened fireWednesday near a car wash in Herkimer County, New York, halfwaybetween Syracuse and Albany. Two people were shot dead on thescene, and two others were fatally wounded nearby at a localbarbershop, State Police press liaison Jack Keller told the LittleFalls Times.Authorities say six people were shot in all, with foursuccumbing to their wounds as of 11:18 a.m. Wednesday morning.Police were still searching for their suspect into the afternoon,but the latest reports courtesy of a local newspaper suggest theauthorities may have narrowed in on a possible culprit. Harry Montgomery, 68, and Michael Rancier, 57, were killed atthe barbershop, police said, while Thomas Stefka, who was describedas “in his 60s” by local press, and Michael Renshaw, who was”in his 40s,” were killed at the car wash.Local officials warn that Myers should be considered “armedand extremely dangerous,” though he is not suspected to havetaken any hostages.As officials were preparing for a press conference at around1:30 Wednesday afternoon, eight shots were reportedly fired in thearea where police had been searching for Myers earlier in the day.Police are now investigating that incident as well.The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports that SWAT teams and a policehelicopter had surrounded a jewelry store in downtown Herkimer, NY,but could not confirm whether Myers was inside. The paper addedthat Mohawk officials believed at that time that the suspect mayhave been on foot, with other reports citing the possibility thathe had been picked up by a taxi.Ilion, NY resident Jason Ackler, 39, tells the Utica OD that hethinks the suspect is “trying toprove a point.” Ackler’s friend was among the six shotWednesday morning, and his condition is unknown. He says, however,that he thinks the suspect began the shooting spree with clearintention as to what he wanted to accomplish.“It definitely seems like heknew what he was doing,” adds Ackler.Speaking to the Associated Press, the Herkimer Village Policewould only say that there was a shooting and a manhunt, and wouldnot offer any further official comment. Area schools includingHerkimer County Community College were placed on lockdown followingthe incident.Police also believe the suspect may have been responsible for anapartment building fire that was reported to authorities in Mohawk,NY at around 9:45 a.m. The Utica Observer-Dispatch reports that thefire was extinguished by around 11 a.m., and law enforcementauthorities were able to remove “about half a dozen long guns” fromthe residence. The Utica OD says preliminary reports suggest thesuspect responsible for the four deaths resided in that unit.The suspect has been described in early reports as a 50- to60-year-old white male last seen wearing a flannel shirt. … Read More
Hundreds violently protest rape of seven-year old girl in India (VIDEO)
The rally took place outside the Delhi hospital where the victimwas admitted.Around 500 people gathered to protest the rape, which occurred onthe campus of the girl’s government-run school on Thursday, NDTVreported. Demonstrators alleged that police were not activelypursuing the case or arresting the suspected culprit.Many of the protesters threw stones at vehicles and broke policebarricades. At least three government-run buses, police vans, andprivate vehicles were damaged in the incident.As the demonstration spread, the gates of the hospital were closed.Large numbers of police were deployed to the area.Despite allegations from angry protesters, North Delhi MunicipalCorporation (NDMC) promises it is doing all it can to find thesuspect.”We are looking into the matter and gathering more details. Theinformation is sketchy at this point but if someone from the schoolis found guilty, we will take immediate action,” MahendraNagpal, Leader of the House in NDMC, told PTI news agency.The victim was taken to Sanjay Gandhi Hospital soon after thecrime was reported, where a medical examination confirmed that shehad been raped. The girl was later discharged.The seven-year-old could not identify the suspect. Two maleteachers and a school guard have been questioned, according tolocal officers.But the local government’s efforts aren’t good enough for thosewho demand a long-term solution to India’s growing rapeproblem.National Commission for Women Chairperson Mamta Sharma saysincidents like these are on the rise, and insists that lawmakersmust implement strict punishment for offenders.”This is a case of rape of a seven-year-old girl. I believethat tough action should be initiated…I will send the matter forenquiry in two to three days,” Sharma said.The protests came as India’s parliament held a debate over therape and murder of three young sisters in the state of Maharashtralast month. No one has yet been arrested, prompting opposition MPsto criticize the slow investigation.A wave of nationwide protests was sparked by the brutal rape ofa 23-year-old girl in December, who was attacked in a public bus insouth Delhi. Government statistics indicate that a woman is raped every 20minutes in India, although the country’s conviction of rapists isone of the lowest in the world. … Read More
