justice

Here's a neat get-out-of-jail trick. The secret is it doesn't usually work for ordinary crimes by flesh-and-blood people -- for smoking marijuana or selling food stamps for rent money, for example. No, those people we warehouse in taxpayer-funded Corrections Corporation of America for-profit prisons. This trick works best for those who have turned themselves into the unnatural, corporate persons they serve. Creatures of appetite and instinct. Bloodless. Soulless. Like vampires, but without the teen angst.

The former Blackwater Security, a North Carolina company with a history of legal troubles, this week walked away from 17 federal charges by paying fines: $7 million for arms trafficking and other charges on top of $42 million for other violations of the Arms Export Control Act and the International Trafficking in Arms Regulations.

No, no, really (he says, doing his very best, over-the-top, under-the-weather Ricky Gervais). Bear with me for a sec. If those who advocate for corporations to be persons (*cough* *hack* -- the 1%) follow through consistently with their political beliefs (granted, with Gingrich and Romney as standard-bearers, not very likely – but this is my satirical piece, so let me finish) …

 
@ncgovoffice yfrog.com/h265tjij
 

Professor Reich talking about the status of financial reform in America: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS9zDhBO8Ss&feature=player_embedded

Dr. Reich - "Save Our Schools Now"!: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv...

I'll see you on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/mebadgett

Last Sunday afternoon the New Hanover County League of Women Voters sponsored an opportunity for residents to meet and speak with their elected representatives. The New Hanover Government Center is situated in what used to be an indoor shopping mall and tables were set up in the open area for each representative. Representatives from Pender and Brunswick County attended, as did Johnathan Barfield, Chairman of the New Hanover County Commissioners. I'd estimate there were 300+ people attending.

After very brief opening remarks by Barfield and our Congressman Mike McIntyre, people lined up to speak with whomever they wished to speak.

The following are my impressions and observations:

Since Christmas we’ve been talking about the story of Betsie Gallardo, a woman who is dying of cancer in a Florida prison.

When we last met, she was being starved to death, literally, at the direction of the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC), who had decided not only to withhold further treatment for her inoperable cancer, but to withdraw nutritional support as well.

Her adopted mother is fighting to have her discharged from prison so that she can die at home—and the DOC have recommended that she be released.

On December 9th, Florida’s Board of Executive Clemency (“the Board”) chose to ignore the DOC advice.

Since then, thanks to a whole bunch of outside pressure, things have changed, for the better, which we’ll be talking about today.

On January 5th, the Board meets again—and if we do this right, we can bring some closure to this story.

If you were with us on Christmas Day you heard the story of Betsie Gallardo, who, unless something changes quickly, is going to be intentionally starved to death in a Florida prison after being convicted of spitting on a cop.

In fairness, the State did not decide simply to starve her; instead, the Department of Corrections (DOC) first chose to withhold any further treatment for her inoperable cancer…and then they decided to starve her to death.

Her adopted mother is trying to get her released on humanitarian grounds; the DOC recommended in October that she be allowed to go home and die, the Florida Parole Commission refused.

Governor Charlie Crist chairs the Executive Clemency Board, who could also agree to let her go…and so far, they’ve also refused to take action.

Funny thing is, the Governor and his Board have been more than willing to step in when other Floridians requested pardons and commutations, even in situations that seemed a lot less dire.

Today, we’re going to look at that history—and to be honest, as with many things in the Sunshine State, from the outside…it all looks a bit bizarre.

Justice John Paul Stevens just announced his intent to retire this summer.

Let the next fight begin.

Cross-posted at dKos

Last week, I mentioned how a Charlotte cop was caught trying to coach a victim's identifying a suspect in a robbery/carjacking case. He was only caught because the victim was a lawyer, and felt morally obligated as an officer of the court to report the officer's actions--even if it meant that the suspect would likely go free. It brought back bad memories of when I was the victim of false charges back in 2006, in the midst of leaving a bad marriage. If the DA handling the case had the same pangs as that lawyer had had, I wouldn't have had to endure the mental anguish of having to go to court for something I didn't do.