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Charges dismissed against cop who killed 7 year-old girl while she slept


Counter Current News
Sun, 30 Nov 2014 20:13 UTC
Image
© Unknown
Aiyana Stanley Jones was 7 years old when she was shot and killed in 2010
In all of the melee resulting from the shooting of Michael Brown by Officer Darren Wilson, the media has overlooked a number of other very important shootings of unarmed civilians by police officers. One of the most egregious offenses is that of Officer Joseph Weekley's fatal shooting of 7-year-old Aiyana Stanley-Jones. Officer Weekley recently saw manslaughter charge dropped against him, for shooting the 7-year-old while she slept.

The Detroit police officer had been on trial for involuntary manslaughter for shooting and killing the young girl during a 2010 police raid. But early in October, Wayne County Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Gray Hathaway granted a motion which Weekley's attorney had filed, arguing for the dismissal of the felony charge he faced in the young girl's death. The trial was brought to an end while the Michigan Court of Appeals reviewed an emergency appeal of the ruling.

Presiding Judge Michael Talbot issued the order to deny the appeal and allow the judge's dismal to stand.

Comment: In the USA, you can shoot and kill a sleeping child and get away with it, as long as you're a police officer and on duty. No matter what the cops do, the system protects them, again and again.

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Cheese

Food stamp recipients in U.S. exceed 46,000,000 for 38 months straight

Ali Meyer
CNSNews
Tue, 13 Jan 2015 09:24 UTC
The number of beneficiaries on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) - AKA food stamps--has topped 46,000,000 for 38th straight month, according to data released by the Department of Agriculture (USDA).

In October 2014, the latest month reported, there were 46,674,364 Americans on food stamps. Food stamp recipients have exceeded 46 million since September 2011.
Image
The 46,674,364 on food stamps in October was an increase of 214,434 from the 46,459,930 on food stamps in September.

As of July, the national population was 318,857,056, the Census Bureau estimates. Thus, the 46,674,364 on food stamps equaled 14.6 percent of the population.

The number of households on food stamps increased from 22,749,951 in September to 22,867,248 in October, an increase of 117,297.

As of September, according to the Census Bureau, there were 115,831,000 households in the country. Thus, the 22,867,248 households on food stamps in October equaled 19.7 percent of the nation's households.

The 46,674,364 people on food stamps in the United States also exceeded the total populations of Columbia (46,245,297), Kenya (46,245,297), Ukraine (44,291,413) and Argentina (43,024,374).

They were slightly fewer than the population of Spain (47,737,941).

Households on food stamps got an average benefit of $261.44 during the month, and total benefits for the month cost taxpayers $5,978,320,593.

Comment: US: One million of the poorest to lose food assistance next year

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Megaphone

Breaking the Set: Islam and free speech? Or racism and intolerance?


RT
Tue, 13 Jan 2015 18:40 UTC
Abby Martin
On this episode of Breaking the Set, Abby Martin, discusses the lack of media coverage of the massacre of as many as 2,000 people in the town of Baga by Boko Haram militants. Abby then goes over the most outrageous responses to the Charlie Hebdo attack in Paris and why the clash of civilizations mentality when it comes to these type of acts is so misleading. Abby then speaks with Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author, Chris Hedges, about the roots of the attacks in France and the relationship between global events and the rise of radicalization.

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Stormtrooper

Two Albuquerque police officers charged with murder in killing of homeless camper, James Boyd


Al Jazeera
Mon, 12 Jan 2015 23:14 UTC
Image
© KRQE
Two Albuquerque police officers were charged with murder Monday in the March killing of a homeless camper, a shooting that generated sometimes violent protests around the southwestern city and brought new scrutiny to the police department amid a federal investigation.

The shooting occurred during a year when police tactics came under intense scrutiny around the U.S., fueled by the fatal shooting of an unarmed 18-year-old in Ferguson, Missouri, and the chokehold death of another unarmed man in New York City. Grand juries declined to charge officers in those cases, leading to protests.

Albuquerque police said SWAT team member Dominique Perez and former detective Keith Sandy fatally shot 38-year-old James Boyd after a four-hour standoff in the foothills of the Sandia Mountains. Video from an officer's helmet camera showed Boyd, who authorities say was mentally ill, appearing to surrender when officers opened fire.

Accused of illegally camping, Boyd was armed with two small knives, the Albuquerque Journal reported.

"Unlike Ferguson and unlike in New York City, we're going to know. The public is going to have that information," said District Attorney Kari Brandenburg. She said she decided to bring murder charges and avoid a grand jury to heighten transparency.


Comment: We'll see how transparent the proceedings are.


Grand jury proceedings are closed to the public.

The shooting prompted protests critical of the Albuquerque police department, which the federal government found has used excessive force against civilians. The city is now subject to federal monitoring.

Comment: It's pretty obvious from the video that James was murdered. Did the DA all of a sudden acquire a conscience? It's interesting that over 9 months later, the DA decides to file charges against these psychopaths. It may be an attempt to release the pressure valve on public anger, and the recent protests that have brought a lot of attention to police brutality and our growing police state.

Listen to a recent SOTT Blog Talk Radio show where the editors discuss the excessive brutality and militarization of the police force.

See also:
Homeless man shot to death by police while "illegally camping" in the foothills of New Mexico

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V

Citizens of Stockton, CA engage in a new crowd-funded, direct action against police brutality


filmingcops.com
Sun, 11 Jan 2015 00:00 UTC
Image
© filmingcops.com
Citizens in Stockton, California have taken a new approach to activism.

Rather than sticking to the traditional form of protest in which signs are held and slogans are chanted, these citizens have taken direct action and offered a grassroots, crowd-funded incentive structure to end police brutality in their community.

They have offered a $2,500 reward to anybody who submits information leading to the arrest or termination of cops who brutalize or kill people.

They were able to let people know about the offer by printing all the details on flyers and spreading them throughout their community.

The flyer specifically names 15 cops as a start, and includes pictures of at least 10 cops who have been involved in either the brutalization or killing of Americans.

The words "Know Your Killer Cops" are printed on the flyers, along with instructions to film any police brutality and a location where the footage can be submitted.

"Stockton police have been getting away with terrorizing our citizens for far too long," the flyer says.

"It is time to take back our streets."
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Phoenix

Washington D.C.: L'Enfant plaza metro station fire leaves one woman dead and dozens hospitalized

Matthew Stabley, Jackie Bensen,
NBC Washington
Mon, 12 Jan 2015 20:01 UTC
L'enfant Plaza Metro
© unknown
L'Enfant Plaza Metro
One woman is dead and dozens of other people were hospitalized, two in critical condition, after the upper level of the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station in southeast D.C. filled with smoke Monday afternoon.

One Virginia-bound Yellow Line train was in the tunnel just south of the station when the smoke was reported about 3:20 p.m., according to Metro.

"There was a woman who was in distress on that train, and I'm sorry to say she's passed away," Metro General Manager and Chief Executive Officer Richard Sarles said.

The Metropolitan Police Department will take the lead in the death investigation, Sarles said.
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Eye 1

More of the nanny police state- town governments across the US ban sledding

John Vibes
Informationliberation
Sat, 10 Jan 2015 18:03 UTC

Local politicians in cities and towns across America have implemented laws that will ban children from sledding.

Town officials in Dubuque, Iowa for example, have banned sledding in 48 of its 50 parks because they fear that children will get hurt and that their parents could sue the city.

"We have all kinds of parks that have hills on them. We can't manage the risk at all of those places," Marie Ware, Dubuque's leisure services manager told reporters.

"Everybody likes sledding, OK? Everyone wants to promote outdoor activities, and we want people to be active. But everyone knows sledding is a risky activity, we want to manage that risk," she added.


Comment: Yeah, more like manage the risk to their pocketbook.


Comment: The PTB and their 'Authoritarian Followers' might as well tell parents to keep their kids at home at all times. While laying around, the kids can have the choice of either watching what's on television OR playing with their new XBOX game. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner must be heavily processed and loaded with gluten and sugar. Let's keep them doped up on programming and obese from foods. Hell, they're easier to control that way, right? We don't want generations of children growing up that can think (or sled) for themselves.

Also covered by SOTT:
  • Mom harassed by CPS over seemingly harmless incident
  • Ohio father arrested because 8-year-old son explored neighborhood
  • Oh, the horror? More like hysteria! 5-year-old slapped with sexual misconduct after dropping pants in playground

      Read More...
Lemon

Greek farmers lose $46.7 million due to Russian food ban


Sputnik
Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:00 UTC
greek exports
Exports of Greek fruit and vegetables to Russia in the period from January-October 2014 dropped by 31.1 percent in volume compared with the same period in 2013. As a result, Greek farmers have lost $46.7 million due to the food ban introduced by Russia in August 2014.

Greek farmers have lost $46.7 million in fruit and vegetable exports due to the food ban introduced by Russia in August 2014, a report published by Athens News Agency said.

"We have lost significant volumes of exports to Russia - 34,167 tonnes [37,662 tons] or 39.45 million euro [$46.7 million]," the Incofruit-Hellas association of Greek enterprises exporting fruit, vegetables and juices said in a report published Sunday.

Comment: Greece has been suffering thanks to crippling austerity measures and things are deteriorating to the point that there appears to be a run on Greek banks. Clearly, the West's ill-conceived scheme to sink the Russian economy via sanctions is having deleterious effects on EU nations, however that does not seem to have caused EU rulers to re-think the wisdom of their actions as they seem intent on shooting themselves in the foot at every turn to pacify Washington.

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Umbrella

American manufacturing renaissance a complete myth


Sputnik
Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:00 UTC
american manufacturing
The recovery in manufacturing has only been temporary rather than structural, and generally unaffected by the shale gas revolution.

The idea that the United States is going through a "manufacturing renaissance," although optimistically touted in the media and by experts, does not reflect reality, write the authors of a new report from a reputable Washington, D.C. think-tank, the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF).

The authors of the report claim that the highly publicized media narrative of a rebirth in America's manufacturing sector is based on misleading interpretations of data that in fact paint a much bleaker picture of a temporary recovery within the context of the economic cycle, rather than structural growth.

Comment: There are countries where governments are working to promote policies that actually strengthen the structural foundations of the country and improve the well-being of its populace. Russia comes to mind, immediately. Unfortunately, the ruling elites in the USA prefer to massage numbers in order to manipulate the masses into believing that things are better than they seem. An elite focused on war and destruction throughout the globe has little concern for the ultimate well-being of its own people, despite the propaganda.

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Sheeple

The moral hysteria and blindness of Je suis charlie

Brian Klug
Mondoweiss
Sun, 11 Jan 2015 00:00 UTC
Image
© Unknown
With pens and signs in hand, millions of Parisians stand up for the right to spread lies and hateful cartoons about 1 billion of the planet's people. It has been noted by many around the world of the protesters' striking resemblance to sheep.

I read this on a blog yesterday; it is a version of a claim that has been made over and over again in the last couple of days, lionising Charlie Hebdo: "In its cartoons, Charlie Hebdo did not discriminate. The magazine lampooned all and sundry in its cartoons: racists, bigots, right-wing politicians, the uber-rich, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and more." And what does 'more' include? More to the point: what does it not include? Did they, for example, lampoon journalists who, in the name of freedom of expression, mock Muslims and Jews regardless of the consequences? Did they, in other words, ever satirize themselves? Apparently Charlie Hebdo has announced it will produce a million copies of its next issue. Will this issue ridicule the scenes of mourning and solemn demonstrations on the grand boulevards of Paris, poking fun at people who raised pens skyward and lit candles in the dark? And why not? Nothing is sacred. Wouldn't this be just the kind of outrageous act, defying convention and challenging popular ideas of decency, that puts freedom of expression to the test?
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