Society's ChildS


Handcuffs

Lawsuits piling up over fired rogue Utah highway patrol trooper


An increasing number of lawsuits are being filed over fired Utah Highway Patrol trooper Lisa Steed. People who claim they have been wrongly convicted are trying to clear their names.

Steed's case is raising questions about what the innocent can do to protect their rights when stopped by police, even on a minor traffic violation.

Chad Ray was one of Lisa Steed's DUI convictions. On March 8, 2010, he had picked up his drunk brother and was headed home when Steed stopped him.

"I passed the walking tests," Ray said.

Though Ray said he wasn't drunk and passed all subsequent tests, he was arrested. And his drunk brother? Left along the side of the freeway.

"I said, 'Are you really going to leave my brother on the freeway like that?' She said, 'It ain't my problem,' " he said.

Ray ultimately chose to fight his conviction when he saw news of Steed's troubles. His lawsuit is one of three so far involving Steed that prosecutors are not contesting. Attorney Mike Studebaker has filed on 21 other cases like Ray's, and he's looking into more than 90 others.

"We will file as many post-conviction cases as need to be filed," Studebaker said.

Studebaker explained the basic game plan for these post-conviction lawsuits, known as "petitions for post-conviction relief," is to argue that due to the misconduct that has been revealed about Steed, the convictions should be vacated.

Studebaker said details of Steed's record should have been disclosed to defense lawyers.

Che Guevara

25,000 Belgians stage rally in Brussels, protesting government's austerity measures

Belgian protesters
© Press TVBelgian protesters march in Brussels on June 6, 2013.
More than 25,000 Belgians have staged a rally in Brussels, protesting against the government's austerity measures while demanding equal status for workers and employees.

The march on Thursday was organized by the Socialist and Christian Democratic unions, which estimated the number of protestors at 35,000.
"Austerity is not the solution, it is the problem. We must change course. [There] should be more and better jobs," Secretary of the Christian Democratic Union Claude Rollin said.
The protesters also expressed opposition to a proposal presented by Prime Minister Elio di Rupo's government to freeze wages for public sector workers for two years.

Eye 1

Man tasered while attempting to save infant son from a house fire


A father was tazed by San Antonio police while trying to save his infant boy from a house fire.

The incident occurred at around 2:30 a.m. Sunday during a house fire in the 100 block of Morningview Drive.

Investigators said the parents of the eight-month-old boy had dropped off their children at their grandparents' house. Somehow, a fire got started inside the home shortly thereafter.

The grandparents managed to grab one boy and rush to safety. That's when they realized one boy was still trapped inside.

Emergency crews and the children's parents arrived on the scene at around that time.

The boy's father tried several times to enter the burning home, but police held him back and ended up tazing him. SAPD said it was for his own safety.

The infant died from injuries sustained during the blaze.

Arson is under investigation. Police said the stories just don't add up.

No criminal charges have been filed.

The family is now looking for a new place to stay.

Eye 1

Minnesota cheerleader accused of sex trafficking, prostitution of 16-year-old teammate

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© Hennepin County Jail/APMontia Marie Parker, 18, a suburban Minneapolis high school cheerleader, is accused of prostituting a younger student by creating an online ad and taking her to see potential customers, pocketing $60 in one case. She faces felony charges of sex trafficking and promoting prostitution.
A high school cheerleader has been arrested for allegedly pimping out a fellow member of her Minnesota pom-pom squad.

Montia Parker, 18, of Maple Grove, Minn., is due in Hennepin County District Court to face felony charges of sex trafficking and promoting prostitution on June 12.

Parker, a senior at Hopkins High School in Minnetonka, Minn., allegedly contacted a fellow cheerleader after she overheard her talking with girls on the team about trying to make money, the complaint stated.

Through text messages, Parker allegedly asked her sophomore teammate if she would be willing to have sex for money. The victim told Parker that she'd be willing to give men oral sex for money, according to the complaint.

Parker allegedly advised the teen to take photos of herself that were "not too nasty but kinda cute" and to send them to her. Parker told the girl to wear "different outfits" and "show a little skin," the complaint stated.

Using the photos the victim sent her, Parker created an ad for the 16-year-old on Backpage.com, according to the complaint.

Heart - Black

Heartless: City of Abbotsford, British Columbia, spreads manure over gathering place for homeless people

'War on the homeless' treats homeless like 'animals,' local advocate says


The City of Abbotsford has apologized for spreading chicken manure over a popular gathering place for the homeless in an apparent bid to drive them out of the city.

"I am deeply sorry for our actions," city manager George Murray wrote in an email obtained by CBC News.

"As city manager, I take this situation very seriously and retain full responsibility for the manner in which we dealt with this incident."

The practice of using chicken manure to drive away the homeless came to light after local advocate James W. Breckenridge wrote a column titled "This Stinks" in the Abbotsford Today community newspaper.

No Entry

Native American High school graduate told she must pay $1000 to receive high school diploma because she wore eagle feather on her graduation cap

The school has, as noted in contract, has fined Chelsey $1,000. The fine must be paid to receive her diploma and transcript.

Chelsey Ramer is a member of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Despite being warned, Chelsey wore an eagle feather on her graduation cap. The school issued a warning and asked all seniors to sign a contract about commencement. Chelsey did not sign the contract.

The school has, as noted in contract, has fined Chelsey $1,000. The fine must be paid to receive her diploma and transcript.

Chelsey feels she has been discriminated against.

Is wearing an eagle feather in graduation covered in the American Indian Religious Freedom Act?

Is the fine justified?


Comment: Of course the fine is not justified. What happened to liberty is America?

The school in question is the Escambia Academy High School in Atmore, Alabama.


Pistol

Police officers across U.S. ignoring existing gun control laws in protest of pending legislation

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Police are sworn to uphold the law, but some police officers are allowing their political beliefs to trump their job responsibilities. As many as 200 police officers across the country are actively ignoring existing gun control laws in order to protest pending gun control legislation.

Police Chief Mark Kessler of Gilberton Borough, Penn., and hundreds of fellow pro-gun police officers gathered at the Constitutional Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association to talk about hot-button issues affecting modern police officers.

One of the biggest topics was how police officers were rebelling against federal and state gun control laws. Kessler boasted that he and city officials worked together on his so-called Second Amendment Protection Resolution, which "nullified every single gun-control law in the nation" for his small 800-person town.

Ambulance

Building collapses in downtown Philadelphia

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A building in downtown Philadelphia has collapsed and authorities fear that multiple people may be trapped beneath the rubble.

As many as 10 people may currently burried beneath the collapsed structure according to Lloyd Ayers, Philadelphia Fire Commissioner and a frantic search is underway. The collapse happened around 10:30 am while construction crews were working in the building.

"There are firemen, police, construction guys digging out because I believe people are down there. It's crazy right now," said Corey Vey who works nearby.

At least a dozen people have been rescued already, according to eyewitnesses.

Handcuffs

Police: New York mom ran $3 million pot-growing operation

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© New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike ForceHydrophonic marijuana and growing equipment seized from inside a Queens warehouse allegedly operated by Andrea Sanderlin, a Scarsdale, N.Y., mother of two.
Woman, an equestrian, allegedly ran operation as 'Fantastic Enterprises' in a warehouse.

A mother of two has been charged with growing nearly 3,000 marijuana plants worth $3 million in Queens, officials said.

Andrea Sanderlin, 45, who is active in the equestrian community, is accused of conspiring to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute 1,000 or more marijuana plants.

She has pleaded not guilty to the charges and is being held in the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn without bail.

Law enforcement personnel from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, New York Police Department and other agencies identified Sanderlin as operating at least one marijuana grow house in the area, officials said.

Dollars

Town to ticket parents for children's bullying

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Monona, Wisconsin, parents whose children are repeat offenders in cases of bullying can now be ticketed by police and fined in court, according to a decision made by the Monona City Council on May 20. The mandate was created in an effort to reduce the epidemic of physical and emotional abuse faced by young Americans.

Monona Police Chief Wally Ostrenga said no specific event led to the council's decision - the policy is preventative rather than corrective.

According to Ostrenga, parents who make an effort to improve their children's behavior will not be ticketed. The council hopes those who would not originally comply with the policy will under threat of a $114 fine.