America consists of three branches of government, all working together to guarantee us – even alleged criminals – life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Except, of course, that it doesn’t – not at all. First of all, they aren’t supposed to work together. They are supposed to be in tension, serving to check and balance […]
Five-Year Anniversary of Police Trampling Bay Area Citizens’ Rights, Killing Their Dogs And Burning Their House
Last Friday, Vallejo police fired tear gas into a house that they thought was inhabited by robbery suspects. They were wrong. The suspects weren’t in the house — just two little dogs. By the end of the assault, the house was on fire and one dog was dead. When I read this KGO news report, […]
Good Cops, Bad Cops
They’re not all liars. They don’t all cheat, and they’re not all ill-trained thugs or thieves. Some of them are, though – enough to make any encounter with them frightening even if you haven’t done anything wrong. And even though the majority aren’t corrupt bullies, almost every single one of them will unquestioningly side with […]
The Long Leash of the Law
Police dogs have been commonplace in America for well over 100 years. Just like the police, some of these dogs have performed near-miracles while assisting victims of crime – and these dogs have sometimes been used as tools of oppression, violence, and terror against the citizenry. Not surprisingly, as American policing has developed and changed, […]
Recently in Police Misconduct Category
Recently in Police Misconduct Category Show Your Work September 3, 2013, by Applegate Law Office A lot of people who call to ask about representation after a DUI arrest ask me what I can do for them. It’s a good question for you to ask of a lawyer, and the answer depends on what you […]