Philadelphia DA Drops Charges Against More Than 20,000 Criminals

That's right, just when I figured it couldn't get much more unbelievable, the "system" surprises and disappoints me again.  In Philadelphia, our neighbor to the east, The District Attorney's Office dropped cased against approximately than 20,000 criminals.  All of the cases had reached "Fugitive Status" which means that the defendants had "skipped out" and not reported to court or to jail when required to.   Every case that was dropped was approved by a Judge.

These aren't  people who failed to pay parking tickets or speeding citations.  These are 20,000 criminals who committed actual CRIMES, including child molestation, aggravated assault, theft, and just about everything else.  One example is Indecent-assault charges against Douglas Gaines, who police said molested a 5-year-old girl in 1989.  Police and anyone else with Google know where Gaines is.  He lives free and presumably happy, in California.  In other examples, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports, they've found scores of people living in other states who are quite happy to hear that their criminal cases no longer exist.

The real injustice here is that no victims have been notified by the courts or by the DA's office that their cases are dismissed.  And the REASON for the cases being dropped: because the system was clogged.  In fact, the Inquirer reports, the dismissal came at the urging or Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Ronald Castille.


Talk about a get out of jail free!  This has to be the stupidest thing I've heard in my tenure in Criminal Justice.  Are we trying to tell criminals that if they hide long enough, they get away with whatever they've done?  If I were a victim of one of these crimes, I'd be at City Hall wanting answers; answers I'm sure I'd never get.

PA Game Commission Officer Murdered, Suspect Arrested

In a sad story from across the state, Conservation Officer David Grove was shot and killed while investigating illegal nighttime hunting near Gettysburg.  Hours after the murder, police arrested Christopher Lynn Johnson near the Pennsylvania / Maryland border.   My condolences tot he Grove Family.  Story here

My Balloon Just Lost Some More Air

The jury in Cop Killer Case didn't do their job.  Read the story here

More Money and Time Wasted on Another Murderer

Mumia Abu Jamal has still not been executed.  He was convicted and sentenced in 1982, but he still lives, breathes and rants, and makes headlines. 

I have to stop writing because I'm sick to my stomach.

Jury Deadlocks; Murderer's Life Spared

In a travesty of justice, a Philadelphia jury failed to vote unanimously in favor of the death penalty for Rasheed Scruggs, the filth that killed Philadelphia Police Officer John Pawlowski.  I can only hope Scruggs' remaining years on earth are miserable ones.  If this guy didn't deserve ther ultimate punishment, I don't know who does. Officer Pawlowski, pictured here, is a true here regardless..

California Will Have to Wait for Legal Reefer

Interesting article here on CNN.com about why Californians voted against legalizing marijuana.

Philadelphia Police Under Fire for Trying to Make City Safer

The Philadelphia Police are being sued by The ACLU, for violating citizens' rights by the implementation and use of their "Stop and Frisk" Policy.  The tactic, designed to reduce the amount of guns and other weapons being carried illegally on city streets, has been used in Philly and in other large American cities, including New York City.  Mayor Nutter promised to implement such a plan when he ran for office.  Commissioner Ramsey did indeed implement the policy when he took the lead of the department.  At issue with the ACLU is whether of not it is a violation of citizens' right to be secure and protected against unreasonable searches.

Obviously our right to not be subject to Unreasonable Search (or Seizure) has some history.  The 4th Amendment to The Constitution gives us this right.  When the amendment, and the rest of the Bill or Rights were ratified, our country was fresh off the heels of independence.  Just a few years before the Bill of Rights, we were British subjects.   British troops (Law Enforcement) commonly searched people private property for evidence.  The soldiers needed no reason, no "probable cause", no justification whatsoever.  They pretty much did what they wanted.  This pissed off Americans, who decided that one of the protections they would provide to the citzens of their new country would be this freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.  (see Amendments one through 10 for a full list of what pissed off our forefathers)

Anyway, the ACLU must have been tired of trying to tear down war memorials, supporting Nazi rallies, fighting to free terrorists  from U.S. prisons, and freeing murderers.  Now they are trying to make city streets more dangerous.  By doing so, somehow, they'd say that they are "protecting us".

The bottom line is this: We live in a violent world.  Although that is unfortunate, it is also reality.  In order for the government to establish some sort of safety, we have to give something back.  I, personally, have nothing (ok very little) to hide.  If I happen to be walking down the street in North Philadelphia (probably won't ever happen) I have no issue with a police officer stopping me and checking me for weapons.  But apparently, city residents, including a buffoon of a state legislator, does take issue with it.   (read article in Phila Inquirer here)

more to come. .