A look at the six Baltimore police officers charged in the Gray case

WaPo

Clockwise from top left: Baltimore police officers William G. Porter, Garrett E. Miller, Caesar R. Goodson Jr., Edward M. Nero, Alicia D. White, Brian W. Rice. (Baltimore Police Department)

"The officers — three white, three African American — represent a broad spectrum of experience on Baltimore’s police force. Three of them joined the force three years ago. The driver, who faces the most serious charges, is African American and has been on the force since 1999.

"One officer had his weapons confiscated after a former girlfriend contacted the Carroll County sheriff’s office to say she feared for his safety.

"The officers include one woman, a sergeant, who joined the force in 2010.

"All six officers were taken into custody Friday and released after posting bail that evening, according to online court records. The police officers facing charges are:" . . .

U.S. treaty obligation to defend Marshall Islands ships

 

 The Volokh Conspiracy " On April 28, the government of Iran seized the Maersk  Tigris cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz. The ship and its 24 crew members are still being held captive. The ship was flying the flag of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the United States has a treaty obligation to defend the Marshall Islands the same as the United States. On Tuesday, CBS News reported, via Twitter, that “Pentagon lawyers have determined” that the “US has no obligation to come to the defense of a Marshall Islands-flagged vessel at sea.” Were they correct? Probably not." . . .Full article

" Further reading: Department of the Navy, The Commander’s Handbook of the Law of Naval Operations, sections 3.10, 3.10.1 (July 2007)" . . .

Baltimore police victims of the "rush to judgement"?

Alan Dershowitz laments a 'sad day for justice' in Baltimore police indictments

. . . "I don't believe there is a judge in Baltimore who would toss these charges - at least, not for many months. The officers may have to wait until their case hits the appeals courts before they get any semblance of justice. 

"Meanwhile, several other prominent attorneys have weighed in with similar comments to Dershowitz and Banzhaf. Is anybody listening?

"No one in Baltimore."

Clarke: Freddie Gray Charges ‘Duke Lacrosse Case All Over Again’" Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke (D) declared the charges brought against six police officers in the death of Freddie Gray “George Zimmerman and the Duke Lacrosse case all over again” and said “these cops are political prisoners,” offered up as human sacrifices, thrown like red meat to an angry mob” on Friday’s “Your World with Neil Cavuto” on the Fox News Channel." 

"Clarke said of the charges, “it’s a miscarriage of justice. This neophyte prosecutor stood up there and made a political statement, Neil, and I say that because she’s chanting or voicing some of the chants from this angry mob. . . .

 "I have been to five calls today and three of those five calls for service; I have been challenged to a fight."Via Drudge.

Bombshell…Freddie Gray Had Heroine In His System…Was Arrested for Cause  "According to the officer, Freddie Gray was seen in a hand-to-hand transaction in the most dangerous area of the city.Toxicology reports show Gray had heroine and marijuana in his system."

Editorial: A prosecutor's rush to judgment in Baltimore 

 

. . . "Mosby bypassed a grand jury, declaring unflinchingly that she had found probable cause to file the charges herself. She batted away a call for her to step aside and let a special prosecutor handle the case because her husband is a Baltimore city councilman.


"She owned the decision. She projected a sense of urgency. We pray that her confidence is well founded, that she did not act in haste in the midst of a political and social firestorm." . . .

Legal Insurrection:  Freddie Gray Cops Charges – Justice or Political Theater?
 "Prosecutor so far discloses little evidence in support of charges."
. . .
"A solid foundation for this having been a partisan political, rather than reasoned legal, decision is laid out succinctly by the counsel for the Baltimore City Fraternal Order of Police who noted:

While I have the utmost respect for you and your office, I have very deep concerns about the many conflicts of interest presented by your office conducting an investigation in this case . . . . These conflicts include your personal and professional relationship with Gray family attorney, William Murphy and the lead prosecutor’s connections with members of the local media. . . . Most importantly, it is clear that your husband’s political future will be directly impacted, for better or worse, by the outcome of your investigation. . . . In order to avoid any appearance of impropriety or a violation of the Professional Rules of Professional Responsibility, I ask that you appoint a Special Prosecutor to determine whether or not any charges should be filed.

Freddie Gray’s Knife – Why is Prosecutor Claiming Unlawful Arrest?  . . . "These statements are remarkably insensible coming from someone who has attained the position of state prosecutor."  . . .

Conscience of a Cornell Conservative

 Cornell Daily Sun   ..."Before starting classes at Cornell, I joined my fellow freshman in attending the “Tapestry of Possibilities” theater event on North Campus. Presented by an on campus theatre troupe called Ordinary People, the event consisted of satirizing biases that, it was implied, were pervasive on campus, and needed to be stamped out by attitudes of tolerance and inclusion. I was not quite sure what this had to do with furthering my education and knowledge of government, the major I intended on pursuing. Attendance was mandatory, however, so I decided to try to make something of the experience.

"One of the skits portrayed a student suggesting that her colleague must have been admitted to Cornell solely as a result of affirmative action. During the audience involvement period, I asked whether the University itself was to blame for the fact that a student could even suggest such a thing. After all, this University consciously decides to factor in race when deciding whom to admit. That does not excuse the rude and disrespectful suggestion of the actor in the skit, of course. But isn’t it odd that the University would treat students differently based on race to begin with, then try to use a satirical skit to clean up its own mess?" . . .Full article here. Hat tip to College Insurrection
Julius Kairey is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. He may be reached at jkairey@cornellsun.com. Always Right appears alternate Thursdays this semester. 

 From the Onion: College Encourages Lively Exchange Of Idea

"BOSTON—Saying that such a dialogue was essential to the college’s academic mission, Trescott University president Kevin Abrams confirmed Monday that the school encourages a lively exchange of one idea. “As an institution of higher learning, we recognize that it’s inevitable that certain contentious topics will come up from time to time, and when they do, we want to create an atmosphere where both students and faculty feel comfortable voicing a single homogeneous opinion,” said Abrams, adding that no matter the subject, anyone on campus is always welcome to add their support to the accepted consensus. “Whether it’s a discussion of a national political issue or a concern here on campus, an open forum in which one argument is uniformly reinforced is crucial for maintaining the exceptional learning environment we have cultivated here.” Abrams told reporters that counseling resources were available for any student made uncomfortable by the viewpoint."

You do know what The Onion is all about, don't you?

Steven Crowder: Dear Al Sharpton: You Lying, Race-Baiting, Hobbling Bag Of…

Western Journalism

 

An open letter to Al Sharpton. 
. . .   "See, MLK Jr. fought for equality in a way that’s moved me and I’m sure countless Americans for generations to come. If he were to be re-awoken today, I’m quite sure that he’d be thrilled to see a black president in office, to see that all black Americans share the same legally defensible rights under our Constitution as white Americans. That needed to happen. That was his end game, and it’s so sad that he never lived to see it completely fulfilled as it is today."

 "The good thing is that you, Al Sharpton, have! You live in an age where black Americans can vote, serve, eat, drink, and congregate freely. Heck, they can even become president. A significant portion of our police force is made up of black Americans. The only issue, really, is that you crap all over it. Your teachings rest firmly on the premise that not only has progress been too slow, but that America is more racist than ever.

"Now, I don’t believe that you’re a stupid person. I can’t. I’m pretty sure that would be racist. So I have to attribute the nonsensical nature of your arguments to be rooted in more sinister motives. It only takes a little digging to see that if racism were to die in America… hell, you’d be out of a job. Nobody has more of a financial interest in the continued systemic racism in this country than you, Al Sharpton." . . . 

. . . "… Because that’s what you do. You make money off of the pain of real people. Not only black people, but all people. For that, you are a. . . "  Read on...

Is there anyone else out there beside Mr. Crowder who is up to here with the...um, Reverend Al?

 

Some Hillary links

http://www.thefederalistpapers.org/

 Did Hillary Clinton change her stance on Indian nukes in response to donations?
" The latest potentially damning “Clinton cash” allegation involves a 2008 nuclear agreement between India and the United States. According to Politico, Peter Schweizer says that Hillary Clinton changed her position on the agreement after Indian business and government interests flooded various Clinton enterprises with cash."

HopeN'Change  . . . " Speaking at Columbia University, Mrs. Clinton screeched, "From Ferguson to Staten Island to Baltimore, the patterns have become unmistakable and undeniable!"

"Which is true, if the pattern you're talking about is jumping to false conclusions, blaming the police without knowing the facts, improper and inflammatory comments from the White House and other high officials, allowing violent destruction of property, and - speaking of racism - absolving the rioters and looters of wrongdoing under the assumption that some people (wink-wink nudge-nudge) just don't have the intellect or self-control to be held to traditional standards of morality or responsibility." . . .

http://www.investors.com/editorial-cartoons/michael-ramirez/750429

How Bernie Helps Hillary . . . " Hillary’s Harlem (err Brooklyn) Globetrotters now has its Washington (err Vermont) Generals. The question we have is whether it’s enough competition to up Hillary’s game.' ”

The ‘Big’ Endorsement Hillary Just Got Is One She May Not Want, As Twitter Snark Clearly Shows  . . . "While some may find it more than a little curious that a serious observer and analyst of American politics would write about such a thing, John Heilemann has penned a lengthy piece for Bloomberg Politics in which he explores the reasons why Larry Flynt, the notorious pornographer behind the Hustler publishing organization, is enthusiastically endorsing Hillary Clinton for president.
 . . .
 Heilemann, .. . apparently finds it noteworthy to explain that Flynt is backing the former secretary of state for one main reason: the opportunity for her, as president, to appoint more liberal Supreme Court justices. Heilemann then notes that Flynt’s spirited endorsement of Hillary Clinton, while in line with his lifelong support of Democrats, may not sit well with a number of Mrs. Clinton’s supporters."

 Hillary Clinton announced in New York Wednesday she has decided to change the colors on her presidential campaign logo to rainbow colors to represent the cause of marriage equality. It's a cause so dear to her. Of course Hillary Clinton's idea of marriage equality is that both of you get to be president. Comedian Argus Hamilton

 

Why California’s Drought Was Completely Preventable

Victor Davis Hanson

 After the initial phases of the federal Central Valley Project and state California Water Project were largely finished — and flooding was no longer considered a dire threat in Northern California — environmentalists in the last 40 years canceled most of the major second- and third-stage storage projects. To take a few examples, they stopped the raising of Shasta Dam, the construction of the Peripheral Canal, and gargantuan projects such as the Ah Pah and Dos Rios reservoirs. VDH

 

. . . "What is new is that the state has never had 40 million residents during a drought — well over 10 million more than during the last dry spell in the early 1990s. Much of the growth is due to massive and recent immigration.

"A record one in four current Californians was not born in the United States, according to the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. Whatever one’s view on immigration, it is ironic to encourage millions of newcomers to settle in the state without first making commensurately liberal investments for them in water supplies and infrastructure.

"Sharp rises in population still would not have mattered much had state authorities just followed their forbearers’ advice to continually increase water storage." . . .

Leading Obama supporters offer law enforcement advice

MSNBC's Al Sharpton demands DOJ takeover of police nationwide

 

. . . "Several wondered why the Justice Department hasn't arrested Sharpton for back taxes he owes. One person suggested Sharpton is protected by the administration and will never have to pay his back taxes.

" 'Out of respect, we could have them wear uniforms that honor people of color," one Twitter user suggested. "How about brown shirts?"

"Another person wondered if Sharpton was delivering a message from the White House. "Would this be 'police state' -- like communism? Hmmm."
 The Rev ticked off some of his supporters.


Michael Moore Demands America ‘Disarm The Police’

 "Filmmaker Michael Moore demanded on Twitter Thursday that America’s police officers be disarmed and all African-Americans imprisoned for non-violent crimes be released.
 
"Moore’s demands came in response to the death of Freddie Gray, the 25-year-old man who dies two weeks ago while in police custody in Baltimore.


" 'After a night of relative calm in Baltimore but more than 100 arrests in New York City and violence in Ferguson, Missouri, Moore said prisons are filled with innocent people and compared incarceration to “a modern day slave system.”


“ 'Next demand: Disarm the police,” he wrote. “We have a 1/4 billion 2nd amendment guns in our homes 4 protection. We’ll survive til the right cops [are] hired,” he wrote."
More Moore here.

HopeN'Change
. . . " Now we're being told that these terrorizing miscreants, who were acting with neither cause nor control, are all good kids who are just frustrated because, according to Barack Obama, we haven't nurtured them with enough federal money. And most importantly, they shouldn't be called "thugs" because it might be code for the dreaded n-word. ' . . . 

 

Links on the Baltimore riots and my choice for Mother of the Year

How Riot Supporters Think  "Walter Hudson has already drawn your attention to an article in Salon endorsing urban guerrilla warfare as a viable strategy for “the oppressed.”

"It’s important to take articles like this very seriously. One is tempted to shrug—”well, it’s Salon“—and go on with one’s day. But Salon is not The Socialist Worker. It isn’t even what Ramparts used to be. It reaches a much wider audience, and those who read it and write for it are not solely members of obscure sects like the Revolutionary Communist Party. They are registered Democrats and independents. They are students, teachers, journalists, and the baristas at Starbucks. They’re all around." . . .

 

 Police source: Mayor Blake ordered cops to 'stand down' at height of rioting
. . .  Clearly, Rawlings-Blake did not want to be seen as bringing the hammer down on "protestors."  She went to great pains to try and separate "legitimate" protestors from the "thugs.' " . . .


The Weasel of the Week Award goes to...
 "Yes, once again, It’s time to present this week’s statuette of shame, The Golden Weasel!!

"Every Tuesday, the Council nominates some of the slimiest, most despicable characters in public life for some deed of evil, cowardice or corruption they’ve performed. Then we vote to single out one particular Weasel for special mention, to whom we award the statuette of shame, our special, 100% plastic Golden Weasel. This week’s nominees were all spectacularly disgusting, but the votes are in and we have our winner winner… the envelope please…

 Washington Post reports that Freddie Gray was trying to hurt himself in police van

. . . "Needless to say, the forces that have been criticizing the Baltimore Police do not welcome this report.  They are heavily invested in a narrative of police misconduct.  And they may be correct, though the evidence is not in, and the release of an official investigation has still not happened.  But, should the report be true and verified, you can count on protesters citing a “larger truth.' ”

Sharpton Plays Defense For Dingbat Baltimore Mayor, Shoves Fox Reporter Aside
" Al Sharpton was on hand in Baltimore yesterday to 1) Make sure things get worse there and 2) Protect the mayor from uncomfortable questions."

Video from Noisy Room

"Leland Vittert, who deserves a Pulitzer Prize that he’ll never receive for his work in Baltimore, reported yesterday that one of his sources in the police department informed him that Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, who deserves a tar-and-feather treatment that she’ll never receive, told the police to stand down and not challenge rioters as they were ravaging the city." . . .
Remember Vittert is Fox News and Sharpton is MSNBC. Just sayin'

 LIBERAL CHICK: Tells People to ‘Loot and Steal’ and Endorses Hillary for President

 

Black Mom Changes Leftist Narrative on Violence  . . . The left turns on her.
"The important teaching moment represented by this dramatic incident, a brief moment of sanity in the media, undercut the left-wing effort to somehow blame the police for the riots. As a result, the “progressives” had to go on the attack against the black mother.

"Over at Think Progress, the blog of the pro-Obama Center for American Progress, Graham was attacked as a “misguided” mother who exercised bad judgment in holding her son accountable. Writer Kira Lerner said the issue was alleged police violence, not rioting in the streets by black youth.

"She quoted a woman with a group opposed to “police brutality” as saying that “While she doesn’t condone the looting that was highlighted by the media in Baltimore Monday night, she said she understands where the violent protesters are coming from.' ”. . .

#BaltimoreRiots Teen Thanks Mom, while American U Prof calls her Mammie
 “ 'I understand how much my mother really cares about me. I just got to try to do better.' ”  Video at the link.
 “What caught my eye was his sweatpants,” she told ABC News. “Even though he had on all black, I knew those sweatpants he had on, they had a stripe on the side of it and then his eye contact met mine. And I knew that was my son.”
"Though he was visibly annoyed and tried brushing off his mom in the video that has now gone viral, the 16-year-old recognizes that she was just looking out for him.
“I’m like, ‘Oh man! What is my momma doing down here?'” Michael told ABC News, laughing while thinking back to the moment his mom nabbed him Monday afternoon.
“All my friends know my mother. Every time they see her they’re like, ‘Toya coming.’ Oh, yeah she’s coming. Everybody better get straight,” he said."

The Clintons; masters of chutzpah

 

Chutzpah meaning: 1. shameless audacity; impudence
 Clinton example: when the Clinton's were exposed to be renting out the Lincoln bedroom at the White House to big donors, they claimed to be victims of the corrupt campaign financing needs in politics. Bill said they would campaign against this very custom and set himself up as the champion of campaign reform. This couple had the very nerve to go from being exposed as the most greedy of politicians to the very ones to clean up corruption in politics. And the media and the public bought it!
Bill Clinton is considered to be a master politician, but he is enabled to be that only because of the willingness of Democrat media/voters to cling to the Clintons.  As George Will said, the Clinton's strength is the inability to be embarrassed by anything. And I would add, the Democrat voters' willingness to settle for mediocrity in all areas of our culture and government. The Tunnel Dweller





Hillary Clinton, of all people, calls for restoring trust in public life  "Bill and Hillary Clinton's durability in American public life is built largely upon their complete inability to be embarrassed or shamed by anything.

"Think about all the controversies, everything they've been involved in. Don't think too graphically, but Cattlegate, Travelgate, the Lincoln Bedroom, Monica, Paula et al. Benghazi. Cutting consulate security there. Violating agreements with the White House. Private email server. Deleted emails. Influence peddling. Opaque transparency on fundraising. Uranium deals. No apologies. Just their immensely enriched bank accounts.

 "So, there Clinton was Wednesday 10 days into her final bid to capture the Oval Office, on a Columbia University stage calling for the restoration of trust in American public life." .

Should Hillary Clinton wear a body camera?

 

 Hillary Clinton to Demand Transparency for Public Officials Not Named Hillary Clinton  . . . "But there's another obvious reason why Hillary Clinton's call for police body cameras is... interesting. Later today, Hillary Clinton is going to stand up on national television and insist that the American people are entitled to an extensive record of evidence documenting the decisions of public officials who are charged with making life or death decisions. The hypocrisy here is too obvious to ignore:" . . .
 . .
While on the subject...
Hillary Clinton Blows off Questions from the Press  "If you’re wondering why the Democratic Party’s presumed 2016 nominee has been quiet lately, you’re not alone.
"Hillary Clinton has answered only seven questions from the media since announcing her run for president.
. . .
"Here Are All Seven Media Questions Hillary Clinton Has Answered During Her Campaign" . . .Read more at the link.

Obama to abandon Israel at the UN

This petulant juvenile president gets his revenge for Netanyahu's speech to Congress

Caroline Glick
"In testimony last week before the House committee in charge of State Department funding, US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power acknowledged that the Obama administration intends to abandon the US’s 50 year policy of supporting Israel at the United Nations.

"After going through the tired motions of pledging support for Israel, “when it matters,” Power refused to rule out the possibility that the US would support anti-Israel resolutions in the UN Security Council to limit Israeli sovereignty and control to the lands within the 1949 armistice lines – lines that are indefensible.

"Such a move will be taken, she indicated, in order to midwife the establishment of a terrorist-supporting Palestinian state whose supposedly moderate leadership does not recognize Israel’s right to exist, calls daily for its destruction, and uses the UN to delegitimize the Jewish state.
In other words, the Obama administration intends to pin Israel into indefensible borders while establishing a state committed to its destruction." . . . Full article.

This teacup poodle rides elevators to visit friends

USA Today    "This black teacup poodle named Nala is making everyone smile at a nursing home in Minnesota. She scurries from room to room, even riding the elevator by herself, to see her friends."

The tiny dog is an “angel” in disguise to nursing home residents.

"A tiny teacup poodle named Nala is administering a medicine that everyone at a nursing home in Minnesota loves to get. Nala accompanies Doug Dawson to his work at Lyngblomsten nursing home and while he works, she sprints independently around the hallways of the home seeking out people to comfort.

"Although Nala never trained as a therapy dog, she has a knack for knowing when people are really sick and need her. She even senses when someone is passing on. When she finds someone she wants to see, she jumps on their laps and gives them a cuddle and makes them smile. As the residents describe her, she’s an “angel”."