FBI Casts Wary Eye on Growth of 'Sovereign Citizens' Movement

USA Today reports on "a troubling re-emergence of an anti-government movement" that hearkens back to 1995, when Timothy McVeigh—angered by the government's botched 1993 raid of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas—detonated a truck bomb outside the Oklahoma City federal building, killing 168 people. In the past three years, there has been growing concern over activities of so-called "sovereign citizens," who "claim to exist beyond the realm of government authority," according to a January FBI bulletin to state and local law enforcement officials warning of the potential for violence.

The sovereign movement, estimated by the Southern Poverty Law Center to number 100,000 ardent followers and about 200,000 sympathizers across the country, is rooted in an ideology that rejects government authority at its most basic levels, from its power to tax to the enforcement of criminal laws, including common traffic regulations. Although the FBI does not track sovereigns by number, the bureau does not dispute the law center's estimates, which have swelled dramatically a national anti-government network of related "patriot" and "militia'' groups. Since 2008, the number of groups surged from 149 to 1,274 in 2011, the law center reported this month. The rapid growth, according to the law center, has been fueled by a collision of factors, from the troubles related to the struggling economy and foreclosure crisis to the election of President Obama, the nation's first black president, to the government's aid to Wall Street banks and automakers.

Are Homeowners at Risk if Watch Captain at Fault in Martin Shooting?

Homeowners could be at risk financially in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin, reports the Orlando Sentinel. The shooting happened Feb. 26 at the Retreat at Twin Lakes development in Sanford, Fla. George Zimmerman, who shot Martin, was the point man for the subdivision's Neighborhood Watch. If he is charged with and convicted of killing Trayvon, the community's homeowner association and property-management company will likely be sued by the victim's family regarding the way the watch program was established and operated, said Donna Berger, a lawyer who specializes in homeowner-association law.

"They may wind up getting sued and getting hit with hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees and damages," said Berger. "Who will pay is every member of the association, and they will have to make special assessments.().It's a cautionary tale for other associations." Located about six miles west of downtown Sanford, the 6-year-old Retreat at Twin Lakes contains about 200 two-story town homes.

Police Footage Shows No Obvious Wounds to Trayvon Martin's Shooter

Police station surveillance video from the night Trayvon Martin was shot dead in Sanford, Fla., shows no blood or bruises on George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch captain who says he shot Martin after he was punched in the nose, knocked down and had his head slammed into the ground, reports ABC News. The video gives the first public images of Zimmerman since the shooting last month. His face and head are cleanly shaven.

The initial police report noted that Zimmerman was bleeding from the back of the head and nose, and after medical attention it was decided that he was in good enough condition to travel to the police station for questioning. His lawyer later insisted that Zimmerman's nose had been broken in his fight with 17-year-old Martin. In the video an officer is seen pausing to look at the back of Zimmerman's head, but no abrasions or blood can be seen in the video and he did not check into the emergency room following the police questioning.

Miami Herald Says Sanford Police Wanted to Charge FL Teen's Shooter

Despite public claims that there was not probable cause to make a criminal case in the Trayvon Martin killing, early in the investigation the Sanford, Fla., Police Department requested an arrest warrant from the Seminole County State Attorney’s office, the special prosecutor in the case told the Miami Herald. A Sanford police incident report shows the case was categorized as “homicide/negligent manslaughter.” The state attorney’s office held off pending further review.

The Miami Gardens high school junior was killed Feb. 26 by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch volunteer. The 28-year-old insurance underwriter and college student was never charged, triggering a nationwide crusade on the dead teen’s behalf. Asked to confirm that the police recommended a manslaughter charge, special prosecutor Angela Corey said: “I don’t know about that, but as far as the process I can tell you that the police went to the state attorney with a capias request, meaning: ‘We’re through with our investigation and here it is for you.’ The state attorney impaneled a grand jury, but before anything else could be done, the governor stepped in and asked us to pick it up in mid-stream.”

Some Minnesotans Expunge Speeding Tickets by Opening Wallet Wider

A growing percentage of drivers busted for speeding in Minnesota  are finding ways to keep those violations off their driving records, often by paying extra, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune. They are taking advantage of little-known court deals in which they pay a sometimes-hefty fee and keep their records clean as long as they don't get caught disobeying traffic laws too quickly again. In some cities, drivers can end up paying more than double the price of the ticket.

"It's a loophole," said Jeff Hochstein, a 43-year-old self-described habitual speeder, who said he has sought and received the deal several times throughout his driving career in an attempt to keep his insurance rates lower. "There's ways to buy your way out of it." Last year, nearly 16,200 speeders kept a ticket off their driving records, court data show. That's 8 percent of all speeding tickets, up from 6 percent in 2004. Besides added revenue, the deals help keep court calendars from getting clogged with traffic cases, some prosecutors say. But the deals, allowed in some cities but not others, raise questions of fairness and governmental policy. "To me, that's bribery," said Sharon Gehrman-Driscoll, director of Minnesotans for Safe Driving.

Tampa Bay Times Debunks Claim of 'Stand Your Ground' Crime Drop

The Tampa Bay Times is debunking a claim by an author of Florida's "stand your ground" legislation that the law is responsible for a "dramatic" drop in violent crime. Rep. Dennis Rep. Dennis Baxley, R-Ocala, defended the law in an interview last week with MSNBC's Tamron Hall. Hall asked Baxley about crime statistics that show justifiable homicides are up in Florida, but Baxley said that's one statistic. "What we've learned is, if we empower people to stop bad things from happening, they will," Baxley said. "And in fact, that statistic is coupled with another statistic. That is the fact that we've had a dramatic drop in violent crime since this law has been in effect."

The Times looked into crime statistics and news reports. It said, "We found that violent crime has dropped significantly in Florida since 2005. (The law went into effect Oct. 1, 2005.) We calculated the drop in violent crime rates, to account for population growth. In 2006 and 2007, violent crime rates were up just slightly up compared with 2005. In 2008, the violent crime rate began declining. By 2011, the violent crime rate had dropped 14 percent since 2005. But that's not the whole story. We also looked at crime rates for the five years before the 'stand your ground' law started, and we found violent crime was declining during those years as well. Between 2000 and 2005, violent crime dropped 12 percent."

At DC Panel, Dems Press for Probe of Guns, 'Stand Your Ground' Laws

Congress should investigate gun laws, the lack of regulations on local neighborhood watch groups and the social status of black men and boys, a group of House Democrats said Tuesday at a forum spurred by the shooting last month of Florida teenager Trayvon Martin, reports USA Today. Martin's parents attended the Capitol Hill panel, which also debated racial profiling, hate crimes and "Stand Your Ground" self-defense laws.

The panel was convened by Michigan Rep. John Conyers, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee. George Zimmerman, 28, the neighborhood watch volunteer who shot Martin, has not been charged with a crime. The case underscored the lack of clear standards on how to investigate incidents involving claims of self-defense, said Rep. Corrine Brown, a Florida Democrat who represents Sanford, where the shooting occurred. Brown said of the controversy, "I don't know whether it's incompetent, it's a coverup or if it's all of the above." Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., said, "Trayvon Martin was murdered in Sanford, Fla. No arrests have been made, and, in my opinion, an arrest should be made, and I will not rest until an arrest is made."

NY High Court Rules That Judges May Not Require Cash Bail

Responding to concerns that low-income defendants have trouble making bail, New
York State's highest court ruled that state judges may not require that
defendants post bail in cash, the New York Times reports

Three Indicted In Massachusetts Probation Hiring Scandal

Former Massachusetts Probation Commissioner John J. O'Brien and two of his top
former assistants have been charged in a federal indictment with "racketeering
conspiracy" for their role in setting up and running a sham hiring process that
systematically funneled jobs to politically connected candidates, the Boston
Globe reports.

Racial Divide Over Stop-and-Frisk Debate in NY Legislature

New York State black and Latino lawmakers, fed up over the frequency with which
New York City police officers are stopping and frisking minority men, are
battling what they say is a racial divide as they push legislation to rein in
the practice, the New York Times reports. Many who object to the practice say
that they have themselves been stopped by the police for reasons they believe
were related to race.

Senator Kevin Parker of Brooklyn recalled several occasions when, as a high
school student walking home, he was stopped by the police, patted down, told to
empty his pockets, produce identification, and divulge his destination. Many
white legislators have remained silent on the issue, or have supported the
police, revealing a racial gap over attitudes toward the practice. "There is an
ethnic divide on who's being stopped and frisked, and there is an ethnic divide
on who's fighting against the policy," said State Senator Eric Adams, a retired
police captain from Brooklyn.

Death Penalty Repeal Question: What About Those Already on Death Row?

Connecticut legislators are again debating whether to repeal the state’s death penalty, as they have for the past seven years, reports Stateline.org. Opponents say the punishment is too costly, too arbitrary, and racially biased; supporters insist it deters crime. With memories of a brutal 2007 home invasion murder in Cheshire, Ct., still fresh in the minds of many in the state, lawmakers are reluctant to pass any bill that would effectively commute the sentences of the Cheshire killers.

Deciding what to do with current death row inmates is an issue that will confront a growing number of states as they consider repealing their death penalties. Of the four states that have made this move in the last five years, New Mexico was the only one to leave inmates subject to execution after prospective repeal was enacted. Connecticut lawmakers are looking to New Mexico for a precedent on how to proceed with executions after a state has repealed its death penalty.

S.F. Mayor Suspends Sheriff Over Domestic Violence Incident

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is suspending Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi from his post, the first step toward removing him from office permanently for official...

Phoenix Police Mishandled Hundreds of Cases Involving Kids: Audit

Poor case management and improperly conducted interviews are too common in a Phoenix Police Department unit that investigates crimes against children including abuse and sexual assault, says an internal audit reported by the Arizona Republic. Investigators re-examined 969 cases assigned to the Family Investigations Bureau during a one-year period. It determined that case-management policies were not followed in more than 400 of the cases.

Detectives did not properly document or follow up on interviews with victims, suspects, and witnesses in 279 cases, including some in which investigators relied on state Child Protective Services employees to conduct the interviews. Evidence was not properly handled in 98. In those, detectives failed to  collect, process or follow up on evidence adequately, including information collected in medical exams. Acting Phoenix Police Chief Joe Yahner said dealing with the problems "has been and continues to be the Number 1 issue of the Phoenix Police Department."

Denver's White Shakes Up Internal Affairs to Boost Public Confidence

"Synthetic Pot"--It's Not Pot, Effects Called Unpredictable, Dangerous

“Synthetic pot,” sold in corner stores as herbal incense or potpourri, is becoming a dangerous scourge in the city, says the New York Daily News.  Dozens of people looking for a quick high are winding up in emergency rooms with alarming symptoms ranging from hallucinations and seizures to panic attacks and violent behavior. The problem is growing so fast that a major medical journal issued a warning last week about about the substance, often referred to as K2 or Spice.

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is pushing for a nationwide ban that would make it illegal to hawk the condom-sized packets, which sell for $15 to $75 at stores and online. “People have the mind-set that this is ‘just pot ,’ but it’s not,” said Dr. Lewis Nelson, a medical toxicologist at New York University Langone and Bellevue hospitals and director of training at the city’s poison control center. “Synthetic marijuana is really a misnomer. It’s really quite different, and the effects are much more unpredictable. “It’s dangerous, and there is no quality control in what you are getting.” The Daily News found it for sale in smoke shops and delis from the Village to the Rockaways.