Lots of interesting reading on this beautiful Sunday. The Sun-Sentinel has a couple of interesting stories on snitching:
"Sheila is for Sheila is for Sheila," said Bill Colon, who served two terms as a Sunrise commissioner in the 1980s. "A lot of people will believe that she betrayed their trust."Marvin Langendorf, a Sunrise resident and City Hall gadfly, applauded her courage."There's too much graft going on and no one ever does anything about it," Langendorf said. "People say they can't trust her. But if you don't do anything wrong, you don't have anything to worry about."Those who are not involved in politics likely admire Alu for having the courage to take on an undercover role without training, said Lance deHaven-Smith, a political science professor at Florida State University."If you told your average citizen, 'Other politicians don't trust her,' that would be an endorsement," he said.Call her a snitch or a rat, and Alu has this retort: "I wear that badge with honor."
"Unlike any gangs I've seen before, they stick together," said the gang detective.On June 26, 2008, detectives in "Operation Deep Six" moved in to take down Top 6. Backed by a grand jury indictment that alleged 91 crimes, SWAT teams from three police agencies raided six homes simultaneously.Detectives tracked down the Top 6 leaders, arresting all 12 within a few weeks.Faced with racketeering charges that could put them in prison for up to 30 years, Top 6's leaders cracked.Jessee Thomas and Ernst Exavier were convicted but got reduced sentences for agreeing to testify against their cohorts. Top 6's leader, Futo Charles, also has agreed to cooperate."I know for me to work it down, I have to be 100% truthful about your questions and about my answers or the deal is off," Charles wrote to prosecutors. "I'm willing to do just that."After at least 20 murders, hundreds of shootings and scores of robberies, burglaries and attacks, Top 6 effectively has been silenced. Palm Beach County is safer today because of it, said police officials and prosecutors."We have seen a real drop in crime," said William Shepherd, Florida's statewide prosecutor. "Which is lives. It's not just numbers on the page."
Under fire for its handling of the criminal case against former Sen. Ted Stevens, the Justice Department last week outlined a plan to ensure prosecutors play by the rules when dealing with evidence. But some criminal defense lawyers and judges say the reforms don't go far enough.
ReplyDeleteOn Oct. 13, Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer traveled to Seattle to address of panel of lawyers and judges who are considering a change to the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure that would place more stringent requirements on prosecutors to disclose case information to defense lawyers.
Breuer pitched what he called a "comprehensive approach" to reform -- a plan that includes mandatory annual discovery training for all prosecutors and the creation of a new position at Main Justice that will focus on discovery issues. Breuer also said the Justice Department would agree to put existing case law and federal statutes involving information sharing into one rule in the criminal procedure books -- making the rule a one-stop shop for disclosure obligations.
But Breuer said the department would fight any effort to require prosecutors to turn over all favorable information to the defense.
There is just something not right about:
ReplyDelete1) a state prosecutor working as a city commissioner
2) a state prosecutor, working as a city commissioner, working as an undercover agent for the FBI for four years
it's not just about serving too many masters, it's that these masters, in particular, require a certain kind of rigid allegiance that seems to be mutually exclusive.
It just doesn't seem right somehow. Did she vote a certain way as a commissioner because she felt it best served her constituancy or becasue it helped further her role or protect her role as an undercover agent? If she saw state laws being violated, did she keep quiet because it would have blown the FBI case or hurt the city financially?
"But Breuer said the department would fight any effort to require prosecutors to turn over all favorable information to the defense."
ReplyDeleteNo other way to say it than...What the Fuck?
Due process is a funny thing...it is viewed quite narrowly when you don't need it to save your own ass.
Sen. Al Franken proposed an amendment to the 2010 Defense Appropriations bill that would have required U.s. defense contractors to allow their employees access to U.S. courts in cases of rape or sexual assault.
ReplyDeleteObama's Department of Defense opposes the proposed amendment," reads a message sent from the administration to the Senate on October 6, the day the amendment passed by a 68-30 vote.
""But Breuer said the department would fight any effort to require prosecutors to turn over all favorable information to the defense."
ReplyDeleteNo other way to say it than...What the Fuck?
Due process is a funny thing...it is viewed quite narrowly when you don't need it to save your own ass."
Exactly. WTF x 10! So in the eyes of a judge, what exactly constitutes a brady violation these days? Perhaps getting in my time machine, going back in time and sodomizing an under age Marsha Brady?