The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana has launched a Know Your Rights campaign in response to a recent U.S. Fifth Circuit decision that it says dramatically weakens the Fourth Amendment ban on unreasonable search and seizure. Last week in U.S. v. Gould, the New Orleans-based Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that police no longer need a search or arrest warrant to conduct a brief search of a home or business. Joe Cook, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, said the Fifth Circuit went against its own precedent in U.S. v. Wilson (2001) by holding that, if officers are allowed to enter a home for any reason, they may conduct a "protective sweep." A "protective sweep" means officers can look throughout a house in places where a person might be hiding in ambush, Cook said. During that sweep, any evidence of criminal activity in plain sight may be seized and used as a basis for arrest and the filing of criminal charges. [continues 299 words]
Iberia Parish jail inmates with histories of drug problems will be better prepared to avoid relapses when they are released, thanks to a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. District Judge Gerard Wattigny has received $299,192 to establish a drug court program specially designed for jailed inmates who have six months left on their sentences. The "Re-entry Section," as it is known, is comprised of offenders who have histories of substance abuse and are deemed likely to return to drugs upon their release from prison. "We have our regular outpatient drug court for when they get out of jail, but sometimes they have trouble with the transition," Wattigny said. "We're trying to get them a head-start before they actually get out." [continues 378 words]
About 50 suspects wanted on drug charges received an early wake-up call Thursday morning from a multi-parish task force led by the Iberia Parish Sheriff's Office. In a coordinated, early-morning sweep, the Iberia and St. Mary sheriff's offices served warrants on more than 50 people for drug-related charges, said Iberia Parish Sheriff Sid Hebert. About 60 officers hit the streets at 5 a.m. to serve 105 warrants in Iberia, St. Mary Vermilion, and other parishes, the majority of which were for drug distribution. "We expect about a 50 percent catch rate," Hebert said. "And we also expect to get a better location for some of the people who have moved on us since the warrant was issued." [continues 377 words]
In the recent article about the difficulty of catching most drug dealers, Stafford Sheriff Charles Jett hit the nail right on the head when he said, "Every time we come up with something, they come up with a new tactic," ["Wrong number leads to arrest," June 8]. The message is clear: Prohibition equals government support for the dealers' huge profit margins, so there is a tremendous incentive for people to find a way to distribute these high-demand products. They will do whatever it takes to circumvent police tactics because the financial motivation is so great. Law enforcement knows this all too well. They will not stop until they have the capability to keep any and all private citizens under 24-hour surveillance, as they continue to claim imminent victory in the unwinnable drug war. Jeff Moore, Staunton [end]
The views of United States drug czar John Walters and Attorney General John Ashcroft are not shared by most Americans -- nor by the leaders of other more enlightened countries. These officials are living in a fantasy world of their own creation, as evidenced by their belief that the U.S. government is currently winning the war on drugs. Jeff Moore, Staunton, Virginia [end]
It is a shame that the judge decided to cave in to the idiots over at the ACLU and let all of the drug-taking freaks that attended the rave last fall to get off scott-free. Each and every one of the people at that rave knew there were drugs there, drugs have been found at every rave that police have raided. Racine does not want drugged-up losers in our city thrashing around and being amazed by glow sticks and sucking on pacifiers. [continues 201 words]
ITS not surprising to hear someone from the Women's Christian Temperance Union advocating government regulation of what are and should be personal choices (Don't go soft on cannabis, Letters Extra, 10/12). However, like many whose livelihoods or social positions depend on prohibition, Ms Martin seems a bit confused over the role of government in a free society. Altogether too many people assume that the government is condoning any behaviour not associated with draconian prison sentences and that governments have the fundamental right to control the private and personal choices of adult citizens. [continues 120 words]
Re Pot smokers become zombies. I was amazed by letter writer Erika Kubassek's claim that "those who use marijuana, much alcohol or harder drugs open their soul to evil influences - and later become out-of-control zombies of no benefit to anyone." How is it that no one has noticed the 150 million or more "zombies" worldwide that her claim would imply? Of course, her position is completely and thoroughly discredited by the very Senate report that she seeks to criticize. [continues 64 words]
I read with much amusement about El Paso police officer Christine O'Kane and the problems she encountered with the straightforward abbreviation of her name as "C. O'Kane." I especially enjoyed the ridiculous suggestion by police spokesman Al Velarde that "when you put it together, it spells 'cocaine.'" (Remind me never to ask Mr. Velarde for proofreading assistance.) The drug war itself is supported by myriad misconceptions and rampant ignorance about drugs among cops, judges, prosecutors, and politicians. And those misconceptions would be even more absurd and hilarious than the one reported, if not for the immense human suffering caused at the hands of these alleged "public servants." Jeff Moore Staunton [end]
