#they detained an innocent US veteran for HOURS

[jewishbarbies]

recent events have me thinking back to a couple months ago when I got into it with my parents over immigration and said “if your family was in danger and you had no other option but to cross into another country illegally in search of help, you would.” that’s it. that’s all I said. both my parents were visibly pissed off and they floundered for an excuse before just replying “that’s not the same thing”, and I did clarify that they meant not the same as a mexican citizen coming into america for the same reason. they think it’s different because they’re white and american. I’ve watched both parents commit crimes in moments of necessity for the safety and health of their family members with my own eyes. it’s not different at all.

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, part 7

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Back to the second game we go for The Return of the Great Departed Soul! (Part one, this is another two-parter case)

Episode 2-3: The Return of the Great Departed Soul

So now, chronologically, six months have passed since The Unspeakable Story. Susato returned to Japan at the end of the first game and hasn't returned yet. Ryu was reprimanded for all the perjury and the questionable McGilded defense, so he had his right to stand in court revoked for now and instead had to focus on studying English law some more. He's done so quite patiently and now he feels he's ready to return. He just needs to get Stronghart's permission first. Meanwhile, the Great Exhibition is happening in Hyde Park, pulling in visitors and scientists from all over the world. Exciting! (S)Holmes hands Ryu a newspaper with an article on the exhibition, talking about how the brighter things shine, the darker the shadows cast behind them. By now, Ryu is fluent enough in (S)Holmes speak to know this means he should flip over the newspaper. There, we find an article of an entirely different sort.

So not only was Van Zieks apparently attacked, Ryu shows horror and concern at the notion. No hard feelings from our wholesome boy! (S)Holmes explains that London's finest criminals often find ways to get acquittals from trials through bribery, threats, sham witnesses... We saw this in McGilded, of course, so we know all too well how dangerous that can get. But since the Reaper and his curse are immune to such tactics, when a ringleader or fellow ends up being 'taken' by the curse, retaliation can occur. So it's established that this isn't the first time Van Zieks has been attacked by a group of thugs. Fortunately, Van Zieks is an “accomplished combatant” who doesn't take these attacks lying down. Unfortunately, the thugs were carrying guns this time. Uhoh.

This warms my heart, it really does. Van Zieks has been a terrible scumbag, but Ryu doesn't think he's gotten his comeuppance at all. He's genuinely concerned for this man and intends to find out more about his condition. So since he was planning to meet with Stronghart and ask for attorney permission anyway, it's the perfect opportunity to also ask about Van Zieks! Iris decides to tag along because she wants to visit the Great Exhibition. Let's shove the newspaper in Stronghart's face as soon as the game allows it.

The phrasing of “number one prosecutor” is interesting, but then... We never learn of any other (living) veteran prosecutors in this country, so of course Van Zieks would be number one. Stronghart says there's no need for concern; Van Zieks would not be so easily dispatched. Street ruffians are no match for him, since he's a very capable fighter. Seems like that sword he carries around isn't just for show after all. As for why he was attacked this time... Well, a month ago Van Zieks prosecuted a leader of a criminal organization. Nice to know he didn't just return to retirement and instead got back to work like a normal person without cherrypicking his cases based on what Ryu's doing. The defendant was acquitted, no doubt thanks to large sums of money being shifted around behind the scenes, but he still met a dramatic end just yesterday during an accident at the Great Exhibition. The man in question was Odie Asman, and the one now being detained on suspicion of murder without a defense attorney is Professor Albert Harebrayne. Albert's case has just been assigned to Ryu, so we're sure to find out more about Asman as we go. As as final touch, Ryu asks Stronghart why he continues to use Van Zieks as a prosecutor. Since the criminals are becoming fearful of the curse and attacking him, it's dangerous to Van Zieks himself. Stronghart explains that he has two reasons: Firstly, Van Zieks is the best prosecutor in the capital, bar none. And secondly, any deaths that have occurred outside the courtrooms after his trials have nothing to do with him. (S)Holmes alluded to the same thing, saying that Van Zieks had a rock-hard alibi for each and every mysterious death.

“So he will continue to prosecute on behalf of the Crown. ...Unless he wishes otherwise, of course.” With that, Stronghart admits he needs to get going since he's already 11 hours late to his next appointment (fsdkjfls). Ryu asks where he might be able to find Van Zieks and is told to head to his office. So even after being told that Van Zieks is just fine, Ryu is still concerned and wants to discuss the matter with the man himself. Let's gooo! Naturally, the first thing out of Van Zieks's mouth when he catches Ryu and Iris in his office is to wonder what the heck they're doing here.

So there's several things of interest in the office, with the game automatically addressing the biggest one: Van Zieks has an apprentice now! It's a mysterious, rigid dude wearing a hood and a mask who is absolutely not familiar to us, nope. We don't know him. Gosh, what a mystery. Van Zieks doesn't seem to know who he is either, instead just referring to him as his apprentice and nothing more.

Ryu sees this as an opening to ask about the attack on the Reaper that was in the newspaper. Van Zieks admits that he too is very interested in the true identity of the Reaper. “Assuming, that is, such a fabled fiend genuinely inhabits our great courtrooms.” The conversation halts for a moment so we can examine the office and this is the best opportunity for humanizing traits we've gotten so far, so LET'S DO IT! The enormous portrait in the back is the first thing to peek at.

Iris says whoever painted it exaggerated the subject's handsomeness, which in turn is reminiscent of Napoleon ordering the painter to make him look more attractive. That's super vain and not an attractive quality in a person at all. I laughed the whole way through that bit of dialogue and Van Zieks, who was in earshot the entire time, gets his feathers ruffled.

When Ryu asks who it is then, Van Zieks doesn't reply. BACKSTORY ALERT! Examining the chalices and bottles on the left leads to Van Zieks explaining the hallowed bottles are filled with the finest grapes from the finest vineyards he visits (so it is grape juice!!!) and he personally oversees the chalices being made by the finest crystal craftsmen in the world. Right, so not only is he filthy stinkin' rich, he's a perfectionist. Iris points out that Van Zieks throws the chalices and bottles around like they're worthless, to which Van Zieks says:

“Before you open your mouth next time, you should consider the poor artisans whose work you defile.”

As it turns out, passive aggression is contagious now. Ryu replies with a “So it's my fault? Silly me! How could I ever have thought otherwise?” and honestly I love that he's got enough guts to say this out loud. Our boy is growing a spine. Examining the wine casks has Ryu and Iris theorize about how there might be dead bodies in there, which once again ruffles Van Zieks's feathers.

Snrk. Examining the big diorama in the middle of the room has Ryu and Iris wonder whether Van Zieks can't go to the Exhibition in person and this is his way of dealing with that, which has Van Zieks snap that it's obviously an investigative aid.  He even has pets of sorts in his office, in the form of a couple of bats hanging from the curtains. Alright, so the game's definitely humanizing this poor man now. No matter how many crazy stories Iris and Ryu come up with about him, there's usually a very innocent explanation to debunk the eerie myths. Something particularly interesting happens when Ryu shows Van Zieks his defense attorney armband. Van Zieks asks what the reason is for showing it to a British prosecutor, to which Ryu admits that he doesn't quite know. Van Zieks is silent for a bit, then says that he understands. “There's merit in reminding yourself of who helped you become what you are today.”

As he says it, he reaches for his prosecutor's badge and if you're aware of the backstory, you'll know he's thinking of Klint. More importantly, this conversation puts Ryu and Van Zieks on the same level. Ryu is always thinking of Kazuma, who 'helped him become who he is today' and the armband signifies this, along with the sword. Similarly, Van Zieks lost someone very close to him and he's walking the path of prosecutor in his brother's memory. Ryu thanks Van Zieks for understanding and it's very significant that Van Zieks understands in the first place. Remember, in the first game he was under the impression that a Japanese person could never understand a British person and vice versa.

Showing Van Zieks the newspaper article has him looking a bit embarrassed, pointing out that a reporter must've been nearby and he'd been careless to let himself get photographed. Either way, all the thugs responsible have already been apprehended. The investigation into Odie Asman's activities meant that their arrests were already imminent anyway, and some hoped to kill Van Zieks before that happened. Much like McGilded, Asman used his wealth to buy his way towards an acquittal in court, but “he got his comeuppance in the end.” Which is strange, right? Very suspicious. Van Zieks asks whether Ryu believes he has some sort of divine ability to make an accident like that happen. Ryu admits that would be far-fetched, and thinks to himself that even if Van Zieks were the Reaper, he'd have to be innocent of this particular death. We also learn that Van Zieks is familiar with Professor Harebrayne, the suspect in the Asman incident. When told that Ryu will be taking on the defense, Van Zieks is shocked.

Van Zieks goes on to explain that he knows Albert quite well. They were at university together. While he's lived in Germany for quite a few years, Albert is actually from a respectable British family. And despite Albert being in the science faculty and Van Zieks in law, they got along quite well. Now he's in pretty hot water for that Asman accident.

Hm. I don't quite know what to make of this reaction. I think what's going on here isn't that Van Zieks is rattled because Albert is being defended by a Japanese person, but because he's being defended by a rookie attorney who was just disbarred for six months for accidentally encouraging perjury, false witness and crime scene tampering in a court of law. Yes, Ryu has won his trials every single time, but it came at a price. Aside from this, there's one other thing Van Zieks knows about Ryu: he'll pursue the truth, no matter what. This means that if Albert indeed didn't succeed at inventing teleportation, it'll be revealed in court because exposing shams is Ryu's whole deal.

We learn that Van Zieks will be the one to prosecute Albert tomorrow, which is curious to say the least. Ryu wants to know why he'd do something like that, with Iris pointing out that so long as the Reaper is the prosecutor, Albert is doomed. Van Zieks replies that he's a Crown prosecutor and a mortal like any other; he's no demigod. In other words, he doesn't believe the curse to be a real curse. Iris points out that everyone who's been prosecuted by Van Zieks has died (which is already objectively wrong), to which Van Zieks replies that he usually prosecutes the vilest wretches of society.

… Harsh. Ryu points out that Soseki wasn't a vile wretch though, with Iris chiming in that Gina's also turned her life around and she's working very hard now. Van Zieks admits that things have changed ever since meeting Ryu- which of course has to do with Van Zieks's need to face Ryu in court even in mediocre trials rather than pursue his usual corrupted targets- but the point is that if any of those vile wretches died in mysterious circumstances, it was “at the hand of their own kind”, not Van Zieks's. So basically, he believes that they were killed because they were dubious people engaged with dubious activities, not because of the Reaper's curse. Not only that, but ever since the rumors of the Reaper began, the number of serious crimes in London has decreased significantly. Even the most hardened criminals can be made fearful of their lives. Therefore, if his pseudonym of the Reaper can serve a useful purpose, he'll “adopt it gladly and with honour”. Ryu repeats that which he already told Stronghart; that it's putting Van Zieks in danger.

He really is a prosecutor on the edge with nothing to lose, huh. So what Van Zieks is basically saying is that he doesn't care if he dies, so long as he spends the rest of his life serving the 'useful purpose' of carrying the Reaper moniker to intimidate the vilest of society. But is that really all there is to it? (Spoilers: It's not)

There's a bit more talk about the mysterious apprentice here, with Van Zieks explaining the man was placed in his care under Stronghart's orders. He's wearing a mask on Stronghart's orders and also doesn't speak to anyone from outside the office on Stronghart's orders. HM. Van Zieks claims that Stronghart isn't one for “meaningless follies”, therefore he must have a good reason. This implies that Van Zieks believes in Stronghart's judgment almost blindly. To round up the conversation, Van Zieks asks about “that Nipponese man. The one arrested twice in succession six months ago. With the stoop. And the moustache. And the jitters.” Looks super offensive at first glance, but I gotta admit, after six months I wouldn't remember Soseki's name either. Better to describe him than to guess the name and get it wrong. Still though, just because it's not super offensive doesn't mean it's not offensive. Just saying “the one you defended six months ago” would've done the trick. Either way, Ryu says he's doing just fine and a letter from him arrived by post just the other day.

So this is interesting. Earlier, Van Zieks claimed in his own words that he doesn't believe in the curse and those who died had it coming to them, but he's still inquiring after Soseki. Perhaps not so much because he's worried about Soseki himself, but because he's curious whether this man has successfully escaped the curse so far. He would know that for a fact about Gina, but the only way to verify Soseki's status is to ask Ryu about it.

Time to leave this glass cage of exposition and meet the defendant in person! Albert spouts a whole lot of dialogue about how his machine is treated differently depending on whether the case is treated as an accident or as murder. If it's murder, it can be examined up close and that's what Albert doesn't want. It has to be treated as an accident so that it'll be protected from prying eyes through The Special Dispensation for Scientific Equipment Act (wow that's a mouthful). Of course, that's not entirely what we're interested in. Let's ask about his friendship with Van Zieks! Ryu asks what he was like back in his university days and the answer surprises him.

HAH, wonderfully written exchange, this one. Albert goes to describe him as “the little darling of the Van Zieks family, with all its great aristocratic origins”. So Van Zieks has some very noble blood in him. We could've already guessed this from his title of Lord, but apparently it's a bit more serious. I could derail here with wild theories about his family originating from the Netherlands and having migrated to the UK around the time the first king of the Netherlands, Willem I van Oranje Nassau, rose to power in 1813. Willem changed the way nobility works to some degree in the country and not all noble families would've agreed with his way of doing things. But anyway, point is, Van Zieks is a big shot. Albert says that it was kind of a shock to him when he came back to Britain and discovered 'what Van Zieks had become'. He heard that there was 'a very big event' that completely changed Van Zieks after his graduation, but doesn't know what it was because he was already in Germany at the time. So here we have some more traces of that backstory and we have enough pieces to start sticking some things together. We know Van Zieks was once betrayed by a friend and we now know he was a very modest, pleasant gentleman when he was young. Whatever happened must've been very harsh indeed to turn him into such a sour lemon. Either way, Albert doesn't seem to know yet that Van Zieks will be the prosecutor and Ryu doesn't have the heart to tell him.

So let's investigate the crime scene! Here, it's confirmed that Gina Lestrade is indeed just fine and now in training to become a detective with Gregson. Cute! So eventually we get to talk to Gregson about Van Zieks and how he's acquainted with Albert. Gregson is overdramatically shocked to find out that the two of them are old buddies.

Remember when Van Zieks took a five year hiatus and nobody had to mysteriously die from the Reaper's curse? Those were the days, eh Gregson? Now he's even prosecuting his own friends willy-nilly. Gregson states he has no idea what goes on in Van Zieks's head  (a sentiment we've heard before in 1-4) and goes on to bring up the newspaper article about Van Zieks being attacked. When told that our good old pal the Reaper is just fine, Gregson utters a very uncomfortable “glad to hear it” which honestly had me wondering whether he'd preferred Van Zieks to die.

Up until a certain someone gets killed and stuffed into a suitcase, I'd reckon. Gregson says that Van Zieks is a top class prosecutor, but not even he can always push the right verdict through. “Sometimes justice can't win.” Gregson explains that naturally, Scotland Yard suspected Van Zieks at first and assumed he was taking matters into his own hands. There was a very thorough investigation and the outcome was that Van Zieks was in no way related to the mysterious deaths. So that's three people now who all insist Van Zieks couldn't possibly have committed the murders. Gregson says he's willing to stake his reputation on it, even. Of course, Gregson would know for sure, wouldn't he? But the narrative is telling us over and over that Van Zieks himself isn't the Reaper, with even Van Zieks himself implying he'd like to know just who the Reaper is. There's a conspiracy happening that Van Zieks is the centerpiece of, with the narrative really pushing the mystery aspect of it. The writers want us to care about the truth of the Reaper for sure.

OOOH that's meta! Ryu, being nosy and overly invested in Van Zieks's life, asks Gregson whether he knows about the 'incident' which changed Van Zieks after graduation.

Okay he clearly knows. Even a first time player can tell from this single reaction that Gregson's lying. The mystery thickens! At the end of the conversation, when Gregson's gone off, Iris recommends asking (S)Holmes about it instead. Safe bet, since (S)Holmes continuously knows more than he's letting on. To the house of wax we go! When asked about it, it's clear that he does know something (and is described as suddenly clamming up), but before he can explain there's a distraction in the form of Madam Tusspells and we have to sit through a mostly-unrelated Joint Reasoning segment. It leads into a conversation about a mass murderer known as the Professor. Ten years ago, there was a series of murders which rocked the capital right around the time Van Zieks graduated from university. Five people were killed before the man was caught and executed. This fifth victim was Klint van Zieks, Barok's older brother.

I really, really dislike this phrasing because Van Zieks was already studying law to begin with. He'd just graduated as a prosecutor; his brother's death had nothing to do with him pursuing that path. Anyway...

OOOH that's meta! So remember way back in the first essay when I said the backstory is optional? Well, here it is. The Great Ace Attorney is going all in for it. It's being tied to the ongoing plot, just as pretty much all the main prosecutor backstories are. Edgeworth's backstory is tied to Von Karma being the final boss, Godot's backstory is tied to the Fey lineage, Klavier's backstory (I say this lightly) is tied to Phoenix's disgrace... Now Van Zieks's story is tied to the serial killer who ruined so many lives a decade ago. And technically, we already have all the puzzle pieces we need for the next twist; we know Van Zieks was betrayed by a Japanese person who was his friend. So really, we can now say with absolutely certainty that the man arrested and executed back then was a Japanese buddy of Van Zieks.

The investigation segment is pretty much over, but the game has one more scene for us. This is something Ryunosuke won't witness, but the scriptwriters deemed it so important that we're ignoring Ryu to focus solely on the two characters involved. And cutting away from our main character is something that usually doesn't happen in Ace Attorney. Even when characters like Phoenix or Ryu are out of commission for whatever reason, a new 'main character' takes over for a second and we see everything from their point of view. I can think of only one other scene viewed without Ryu there, which happened in 1-5 just before Susato had to leave London. So what we have here is a very private moment between Van Zieks and Albert.

AWWW... The scenes in the office were great and all, but this right here is perhaps the most humanizing exchange we'll ever see with Barok. The reason for that, I think, is precisely because Ryu isn't there. He's alone with an old friend now, which means he can let his guard down more than he usually would. Even so, it's worth noting here that he doesn't look directly at Albert. He stands with his back to him the entire time and I'm certain this is intentional, because they could just as easily have rotated him into that sideways view that's often used in dialogue and courtroom scenes. He made his way down to the gaol to speak with his friend after ten long years, but is reluctant to look right at him. The conversation itself feels rather distant as well. Albert is delighted to see Van Zieks, but the sentiment isn't returned vocally. Van Zieks points out that they're meeting again “in prison of all places” and that the court will decide Albert's fate tomorrow. When Van Zieks raises a warning, Albert says he already knows his friend will be prosecuting and doesn't appear bothered at all at first. He does try to raise a question in the form of “Are you really...?”, but ultimately drops it and says that he knows Van Zieks has his best interests at heart. Van Zieks says he wouldn't entrust the trial of his friend to anyone else, and Albert thanks him for that. So my first guess upon taking in that dialogue is that Albert wonders for a brief moment whether Van Zieks really is the Reaper/really is cursed, only to shake it off because he considers the man his friend. Van Zieks seems to know it's risky to prosecute Albert, but deems it more important to handle the case himself than to let someone else do it. This, as we learn later, has to do with the Special Dispensation for Scientific Equipment Act and the protection of Albert's scientific secrets.

Next day, we're at the Old Bailey! In the defendant lobby, Ryu is once again told by Albert that the true goal to aim for in this trial is to protect his scientific hypothesis. So hypothetically speaking, the ideal outcome here would be to prove the death was accidental and that the kinesis was a success at the same time. (S)Holmes and Iris don't believe Albert's theory to be sound though, instead saying it couldn't possibly be done. In the courtroom, Ryu faces off against Van Zieks once more for the first time in six months! The judge is quick to point out that Odie Asman is a name familiar to him; a man who was prosecuted only a month ago by Van Zieks. When he asks whether this death is the work of the Reaper, Van Zieks instead describes it as “divine retribution”, but also “a direct result of the actions of the accused, Professor Albert Harebrayne”. The prosecution asserts that the instantaneous kinesis demonstration was a success. He himself can't say for certain whether it's a sound theory, but it's being investigated by the British government since it was deemed to have potential and the prosecution's case aligns with the notion that there was indeed instantaneous- You know what? Let's just call it teleportation. That's easier to type.

Unfortunately, Van Zieks doesn't want to follow the accident angle. Instead, he outright accuses his old friend of murdering Asman using the totally-functional-teleportation-machine-which-totally-worked to be the sole benefactor of a scientific grant. Harsh. Very harsh. I don't entirely understand why he didn't pursue the accident angle instead, but then, I don't quite know enough about law. My guess is that as the prosecution, he's not allowed to. Scotland Yard found enough evidence at the scene to substantiate a murder plot, especially that damning screwdriver that Ryu so graciously handed to Gregson, so that's what the prosecution has to go with, maybe? It's up to the defense attorney to debunk that down to an accident, then, so in essence Van Zieks is counting on Ryu to 'defeat him' and prove the murder aspect wrong. It would align with the conversation Albert had with Van Zieks in prison, where he said that 'it was a terrible accident and the young Eastern man acting as his defence assured him that he can prove it'.

So speaking of that screwdriver, Albert tries to discredit it himself by saying that if he had stabbed Asman on the stage, there would've been a whole lot of blood. Van Zieks pours himself a glass of wine and 'congratulates' his friend on a good rebuttal.

“Here's to you, Albert!”

Albert laughs it off sheepishly, saying he's nothing compared to “Barok” (awww, first name basis), but a chalice is immediately flung. Van Zieks says Albert neglected to mention one crucial possibility, which is that the lack of blood is explained by the notion that the screwdriver remained in the victim's chest to plug the wound. Therefore, since the demonstration was totally a success, the screwdriver was teleported along with the victim. Ryu thinks to himself that he had no idea the victim had been stabbed and wonders whether Van Zieks kept that information to himself to keep the upper hand on purpose. This whole thing jars me a little, because the screwdriver is brought up relatively early in the trial during the very first cross-examination. Is not mentioning it during the opening statement and waiting for Gregson to bring it up three minutes later really the same as 'keeping it to himself to gain the upper hand'?

Either way, Ryu counters, saying that the screwdriver was found at the stage and therefore didn't teleport at all, with Gregson serving as an official witness to this location. It's pretty clear from the next dialogue that Gregson never told Van Zieks where that screwdriver was found.

“That you contravened the Special Dispensation for Scientific Equipment Act?”

Gregson is immediately up in arms, but it's fine. There was no investigation needed to find a screwdriver lying in plain sight. So now Ryu decides to tighten the screws. He claims that if the prosecution can't explain the inconsistency (the screwdriver being found on the stage but no blood being there so clearly it must've plugged the wound), the testimony is unreliable. Van Zieks doesn't reply and Ryu thinks to himself that he looks stumped, but uh...

He just looks annoyed to me. The person to object next is not Van Zieks, it's Albert. He says that metal can't be teleported with the machine, so it only makes sense the screwdriver stayed behind and there's no inconsistency at all. Van Zieks suggests: “Clearly we should hear the accused's explanation. … Or should I say, this brilliant scientist's explanation?” And I think here in these two sentences we have the crux of the issue. Albert wants to be treated as a legitimate scientist above all else. Even if that means he's branded a murderer, so long as his hypothesis is protected and the confidentiality stands, it makes no difference to him. This was likely discussed with Van Zieks the night before as well. Albert is apparently willing to die for the sake of his scientific principles and... Well. I'm sure Van Zieks can understand. He's willing to die for the sake of serving the Reaper purpose. In a way, this means the defendant and the prosecution are in cahoots together, which is another first in Ace Attorney history. The two of them are fighting to keep the hypothesis of teleportation intact and if Ryu manages to prove that it was an accidental death, then great! Unfortunately, the second that screwdriver was discovered, the chances of that became slim to none. It was murder, plain and simple. On a sidenote, I found this little gem:

I'm counting this as humanization, because the underlying sentiment here is that despite his haughty better-than-thou attitude, Van Zieks is still friends with someone so very scatterbrained, his name is forgotten sometimes. Even Ryu is taken aback by the purity of the friendship.

Heh heh... Time to cause some more havoc by informing the court that Asman's metal-rimmed glasses were still on his face and since Albert already said metal can't be teleported, his hypothesis is a load of tosh. The jurors go up in arms about it, saying the machine should be stripped down and examined. The game gives Ryu the option to either raise an objection or 'wait and see', but this is another one of those fake choices. Waiting and seeing just leads to a bit more dialogue between the jurors before Ryu steps in of his own accord. He says Albert would have no reason to build such an elaborate fake machine and put on a public display for murder, but Van Zieks counters with the very good reason: Money. The jurors are even more outraged, calling him a fake scientist who's only in it for the guineas, and Albert begs them to believe that his science is built upon a sound hypothesis. Van Zieks comes in to 'save the day' (sort of).

“The fact remains that the victim was transported instantly to the Crystal Tower. Which means that the experiment... was a success.”

And I gotta say, this next bit is just very enjoyable to me. The way it's written is so great.

HEH HEH.... Van Zieks has some more witnesses to summon who saw the incident from some 'very special seats', but let's end the essay here for now and pick it back up next time!

[pghpoliceproblem]

A list of known examples of police brutality and corruption in the Pittsburgh, PA area:

August 2019: Off duty cop drives drunk and hits a bicyclist, then drives away.

January 2020: Verona (suburb in Allegheny Country) police officer exchanged pornographic images with a 16 year old boy.

August 2017: Pittsburgh police officer aims a loaded gun at someone in a fit of “road rage”. Two years later he got his job back, plus back pay.

September 2019: A police officer in Washington County (southwest of Pittsburgh) sexually assaults a woman in a police vehicle while on duty. He lured her with promises of advice on becoming a cop and helping her loved one with addiction.

January 2010: Three undercover cops in an unmarked car brutally beat a black teenage boy for no reason besides “looking suspicious”. He was walking home from school.

September 2016: A Pittsburgh police officer brutally beats up a drunk person at a high school football game. The officer had used more force than necessary 56 times in the previous year.

June 2018: An East Pittsburgh police officer shoots unarmed black 17 year old Antwon Rose in the back three times. He is later acquitted.

November 2013: Pittsburgh police wrongfully arrest and detain a black teacher for 12 hours because he said “wow” after almost being hit by their car.

November 2012: Pittsburgh police officer leaps into 19 year old Leon Ford’s car despite Leon being innocent and complying. Police shoot Ford in the spine, permanently paralyzing him. Ford was arrested and spent months in the hospital handcuffed to the bed while recovering. None of the officers involved were convicted and they kept their jobs on the force.

February 2012: Pittsburgh Police officer Adam Skweres is charged with sexually extorting multiple women and attempting to rape at least one other woman.

2012: Pittsburgh police use excessive force on a 16 year old boy who was smashing Halloween pumpkins. As of February 2020, the police force has refused to pay the settlement which was awarded to the victim in 2017.

August 2016: Pittsburgh Police use excessive force and allow their K-9 unit to bite an innocent bystander who did not match the description of the crim they were investigating.

August 2002: The ACLU slams Pittsburgh Police and the city for deliberately delaying misconduct complaints, including the public strip search of an infant.

August 2017: Pittsburgh police are shes for terrorizing students at Woodland Hills Highschool, knocking out their teeth and tasering them while already having them pinned to the floor.

June 2018: Pittsburgh police use a stun gun on a 12 year old black child and handcuff him. This occurs on the same night that Antwon Rose is killed by police.

July 2019: Pittsburgh police initially decline to arrest a white man who assaults and forcefully detains a 13 year old black child.

2014-2017: A Mount Pleasant (suburb east of Pittsburgh) police officer is charged for raping multiple women.

2011: A Connelsville (suburb of Pittsburgh) police officer is charged for multiple instances of rape, including corruption of a minor.

2004: Cranberry Township (suburb north of Pittsburgh) police accuse a pregnant teenage rape victim of fabricating her assault and arrest her for false reporting. The attacker is later caught and confesses to the crime.

February 2020: Elizabeth borough (right outside of Pittsburgh) police officer forges another officer’s psychological exam which had expired.

December 2019: Pittsburgh police officer pulls a 15 year old black girl’s hair while restraining her on a school bus, jolting her head backward

October 2009: Pittsburgh police call on the FBI to arrest a man who simply alerted folks on twitter to a dispersal order during the 2009 G20 protests.

2016: Activists speak out because Port Authority Police are basically a shadow government that has full arrest powers and jurisdiction from city proper all the way out to Westmoreland and Butler counties. They have a high arrest rate compared to all surrounding police forces. They have no available annual reports or audits despite arresting thousands of people per year, while also killing and brutalizing folks. All investigations are done internally.

Fall 2018: Undercover Pittsburgh Police drunkenly start a huge bar fight. One officer sprays pepper spray indiscriminately around the entire bar. They were never charged and simply moved to different positions on the force.

June 2020: Pittsburgh police arrest two women who legally filmed them brutalizing peaceful protesters. Police claim the women threw water bottles at them despite no evidence proving this.

2010-2015: 57% of police use of force incidents were on black people. Only 1/4 of Pittsburgh’s population is black.

2015: The Pittsburgh Police force was sued for purposely denying black applicants jobs.

June 2020: Pittsburgh Police use excessive force and chemical weapons on hundred of peaceful protesters. The police and mayor lie about use of tear gas despite video evidence.

2019: It is discovered that The Pittsburgh VA Police utilized a law meant to discipline corrupt executives to harass and fire low-level employees, many of which were disabled veterans.

2010: Green Tree (suburb of Pittsburgh) Police Chief hires sex workers, has sex with them, then immediately arrests them.

1995: Pittsburgh area police pinned a handcuffed man to the ground, applying pressure to his head and neck, which asphyxiated him to death. This was a full 25 years before the similar death of George Floyd.

2013: Former Pittsburgh chief of police found guilty of diverting more than $70,000 into unauthorized personal accounts.

December 2002: Police in a Pittsburgh suburb shot and killed a 12 year old black boy in the back. No real explanation for the incident was released.

November 2019: Elizabeth Borough (suburb of Pittsburgh) Police Chief steals heroin from the evidence room. He only gets probation.

2011: Seven guards from the State Correctional Institution Pittsburgh are arrested for rape, assault, intimidation and more. One guard is indicted on 92 counts.

2018: Allegheny County Jail violates at least three standards of the Prison Rape Elimination Act.

August 2015: Allegheny County Jail gets audited after a high rate of inmate deaths, including refusing medication to an inmate with a seizure disorder. Despite many violations, the jail is never penalized.

May 2020: Pittsburgh Police officers are overpaid $250,000 by accident. Police Union Leader claims to be unaware and hasnt paid it back.

January 2014: Pittsburgh SWAT team enters wrong apartment, traumatizing young children and costing taxpayers $80,000 in settlement fees.

September 2007: Pittsburgh Police Union Boss refuses to implement process to address officers accused of domestic violence. Calls it “cop-bashing” even though three accused cops got promotions.

September 2013: Off duty Pittsburgh police officer shoots and kills his own friend in a drunken argument.

2008: Pittsburgh police officer drives drunk and pistol whips an innocent person, his gun going off and shooting the victim. He is also accused of pressuring his wife to file a false report against her ex husband.

January 2011: Northern Regional Police (north suburbs of Pittsburgh) unreasonably detain a legal citizen, threaten to deport her. Costing taxpayers $175k in settlement costs.

November 2016: Pittsburgh police union votes “no confidence” in police chief because he supported black lives matter and wanted to address racism in the police force.

April 2010: A jail guard at Allegheny County Jail brutally beat an inmate. Jail leaders protected the abuser but fired employees who attempted to speak out.

2019: An article about truly horrific conditions at Allegheny County Jail is released.

2012: Pittsburgh Police officer demoted and transferred because she took out a PFA on her abusive husband who was a fellow officer.

[mhsn033]

Did UK Special Forces execute unarmed civilians?

Image copyright Reuters

At the pause of the war in Afghanistan in 2011, two senior officers from Particular Forces met in a bar in Dorset to bear a secret conversation. They feared about a of the UK’s most highly-trained troops had adopted a “deliberate protection” of illegally killing unarmed males. Evidence is now emerging that means they bear been upright.

The 2 senior officers bear been thousands of miles from the mud and hazard of Helmand province in Afghanistan.

One had recently returned from the war where his troops reported their understanding that a protection of execution-vogue killings used to be being implemented by Particular Forces.

The plenty of had been at headquarters, reading stories from the frontline with growing yelp. They showed a interesting upward push within the series of “enemies killed in action” (EKIA) by UK Particular Forces.

Image caption This briefing present is believed to bear been written by considered one of basically the most senior officers in UK Particular Forces

Particular Forces are the UK’s elite specialist troops, encompassing both the SAS (Particular Air Carrier) and the SBS (Particular Boat Carrier).

After the conversation, a briefing present believed to bear been written by considered one of basically the most senior members of UK Particular Forces used to be passed up the chain of present.

The message contained particular warnings for the highest ranges of Particular Forces and concluded that these “pertaining to” allegations advantage “deeper investigation” to “at worst case set a pause to felony behaviour”.

The documents bear been released to solicitors Leigh Day, as piece of an ongoing case on the Excessive Courtroom, which will rule on whether allegations of unlawful killing by UK Particular Forces bear been investigated successfully.

The man bringing the case is Saifullah Ghareb Yar. He says that four members of his household bear been assassinated within the early hours of 16 February 2011.

It follows a BBC Panorama programme final 365 days, which reported on the deaths. The programme worked with the Sunday Times Perception team to expose proof of a sample of unlawful killings by UK Particular Forces.

The government maintains that the four members of Saifullah’s household bear been killed in self defence.

But now correspondence within the newly-released documents presentations that some had grave issues about the UK Particular Forces mission.

Precise hours after the elite troops had returned to substandard, plenty of British troopers bear been exchanging emails describing the occasions of that evening because the “most contemporary bloodbath”.

‘Shaking with wretchedness’

At 01: 00 in Nawa, rural Helmand, on 16 February 2011, Saifullah’s household bear been asleep of their dwelling.

They woke all loyal now to the sound of helicopter rotors, followed by shouting by megaphones. Saifullah used to be nonetheless a teen however he used to be about to search out himself within the course of a Particular Forces “demolish or protect” mission.

Image caption Saifullah’s uncle, Mohammed Bang, used to be basically the most attention-grabbing person to be detained for the length of the raid on the household dwelling

These “evening raids” bear been a frequent tactic on the time. They bear been steadily implemented in partnership with Afghan forces under camouflage of darkness. Their aim used to be to try senior members of the Taliban.

“My entire physique used to be shaking as a result of of the wretchedness. Each person used to be frightened. The total ladies folks and early life bear been crying and screaming,” Saifullah suggested BBC Panorama.

He described how his hands bear been tied and he used to be set in a preserving dwelling with the ladies folks and early life. He had no longer been there for lengthy when he heard gunfire.

After the troops had left, the bodies of his two brothers bear been came upon within the fields surrounding their dwelling. His cousin had been shot ineffective in a neighbouring building.

Going encourage into his dwelling, Saifullah came upon his father, lying face down on the ground.

“His head, the forehead dwelling, used to be shot with many bullets, and his leg used to be fully damaged by the bullets,” he talked about.

Closing 365 days, Panorama uncovered how the intelligence that known the targets for these raids used to be in general unhappy.

Philip Alston, the veteran UN Particular Rapporteur on executions, suggested the programme: “I genuinely haven’t any query that total many of the allegations [of innocent people being killed] are justified, and that we are capable of pause that a colossal series of civilians bear been killed in evening raids, fully unjustifiably.”

Saifullah believes his household bear been wrongly targeted and then executed in cool blood.

In Nawa district, there used to be an outcry after the killings. The Governor of Helmand believed the victims bear been harmless civilians.

Image caption Used intelligence officer Frank Ledwidge suggested Panorama final 365 days the evening raids bear been a “perpetual motion machine of killing and taking pictures”

British militia emails from the aftermath of the raid got by Panorama counsel that eyewitnesses from the Afghan militia supported Saifullah’s model of occasions.

A commanding officer from the Afghan forces is quoted as having talked about that no-one used to be firing on the British however the four kin bear been shot anyway and that “he sees this as affirmation that innocents bear been killed”.

The Afghan commander suggests that “two males bear been shot attempting to dash away, and that the plenty of two males bear been “assassinated” no longer off beam after they’d already been detained and searched”.

The correspondence presentations that these occasions sent shockwaves by the British militia from Helmand to London.

Emails define issues over Afghan forces refusing to accompany the British on evening raids as a result of they did not imagine the killings bear been justified. This used to be no longer the main time that the Afghan forces had made this criticism.

One senior Particular Forces officer comments that this extra or much less falling out “puts at possibility the [redacted] transition draw and extra importantly the potentialities of tolerating UK influence” in Afghanistan.

“Aside from for alienating our Afghan allies, the myth of murderous British forces performed upright into the hands of the insurgents,” talked about Frank Ledwidge, a veteran militia intelligence officer who served as a justice adviser in Helmand.

“The actions of some Particular Forces actively undermined the general counterinsurgency mission, which used to be much sufficient already,” he talked about.

‘You would possibly likely maybe maybe not have it up’

Amongst the documents released to the court is an intensive summary marked “secret”.

It involves an extract of the labeled operational summary (OPSUM), which supplies the legitimate yarn of what the strike team did at Saifullah’s dwelling.

The UK Particular Forces reported that after on the initiating securing the compound they went encourage in to race attempting the rooms with considered one of many Afghan males they’d detained.

Whereas there, it says he all loyal now reached for a grenade slack a curtain.

“He poses a straight away menace to existence and is engaged with aimed photographs. The assault team members protect camouflage. The grenade malfunctions and does no longer detonate,” the OPSUM says.

That man used to be Saifullah’s father.

After the shooting, the OPSUM stories that one other Afghan used to be moved into the neighbouring compound to lend a hand with the quest of the buildings. They affirm he used to be also shot after picking up a weapon.

Image caption Night time operations bear been frequent for the length of the war in Afghanistan

That man used to be Saifullah’s cousin.

Every of Saifullah’s brothers are reported to bear dash away after they spotted the unit arriving. One hid in a bush with a grenade and used to be shot and killed when the explosive used to be spotted, says the OPSUM.

The plenty of used to be reported to be hiding a short distance away with a machine gun. When he emerged from a hiding set of abode under a blanket with the weapon, he too used to be shot.

This legitimate yarn of the killings used to be met with suspicion by some within the British militia.

Image caption This e-mail refers to a “B”, which is a militia term for an adult male and an “A”, which refers to the building they targeted. “AK” refers to an AK-47, which is a form of machine gun

An inner e-mail requests a duplicate of the OPSUM inner hours of the killings and asks: “Is that this about [redacted] most contemporary bloodbath!”

The answer involves a summary of the no longer going occasions within the legitimate yarn and concludes by asserting: “You would possibly likely maybe maybe not MAKE IT UP!”

It looks as if the troopers reading these stories had issues that they bear been being falsified the utilize of reach-the same camouflage stories.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence talked about “Right here isn’t any longer fresh proof, and this historical case has already been independently investigated by the Royal Protection power Police as piece of Operation Northmoor. It has also been enviornment to four opinions performed by an Fair Evaluation Crew.

“These documents bear been considered as piece of the honest investigations, which concluded there used to be insufficient proof to refer the case for prosecution.

“The Carrier Police and the Carrier Prosecuting Authority clearly remain start to brooding about allegations also can honest nonetheless fresh proof, intelligence or knowledge reach to light.”

‘Perverting the direction of justice’

The suspicious sample of the same incidents resulting within the killing of Afghan males for the length of Particular Forces evening raids caught the opinion of loads of folks encourage at UK Particular Forces headquarters in England.

The court documents display a overview used to be ordered.

A Particular Forces Fundamental examined all of the legitimate stories of killings by the elite troops between December 2010 and April 2011.

He wrote to plenty of senior officers to jabber the series of killings led him to pause “we are getting some issues immoral, upright now”.

His yarn highlighted 10 incidents in which the similarity of the accounts in legitimate forms raised his suspicions.

All eager the shooting of males who bear been detained earlier than they without note grabbed a weapon for the length of a search of the buildings.

The Fundamental also came upon as a minimal five separate incidents where extra folks bear been killed than there bear been weapons recovered. Meaning both the weapons went lacking or the folks that bear been killed weren’t armed.

In one case, 9 folks had been killed and easiest three weapons had been recovered.

The newly-released proof looks to be to improve revelations in final 365 days’s Panorama and Sunday Times investigation.

Panorama reported that a colossal scale Royal Protection power Police (RMP) investigation called Operation Northmoor had linked dozens of suspicious killings on evening raids. Amongst them bear been the deaths of Saifullah’s kin.

Image copyright Family of Fazel Mohammed

Image caption These bullet holes bear been left slack after four young folks bear been shot ineffective in a evening raid in Helmand in 2012

When the RMP interviewed the Particular Forces troops who took piece within the raid of 16 February 2011, all of them claimed they’ll also honest no longer be conscious the specifics of the mission that evening.

Operation Northmoor used to be investigating whether legitimate operation stories had been falsified. In one case, the RMP had even brought costs in opposition to members of the UK Particular Forces for abolish, falsifying a yarn and perverting the direction of justice.

But the costs bear been dropped and the federal government closed down Operation Northmoor without prosecuting a single case. Insiders talked about it used to be closed too soon for them to total their investigation.

“It looks to be to be considered one of many outlandish traits of British Particular Forces that they’re genuinely responsible to no-one,” talked about Frank Ledwidge.

“Accountability must discover to all people and particularly to the senior commanders and politicians who bear allowed, condoned or unnoticed these alleged crimes and created the atmosphere for them to happen”.

You too can search Panorama, Struggle Crimes Scandal Exposed on BBC iPlayer

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[purplecowboycycle-blog]

Lima (Part 1)

Alistair was on the night shift when they brought her into the precinct.  The media had called her Supergirl after the comic book character but Alistair had read the old comics from before the Fall and knew that the character was a heroine, a good person.  The real one was more akin to Kali, the Hindu goddess of death and destruction.

Even surrounded by near on twenty heavily armed guardsmen and collared with a power inhibitor, the girl had an expression of nonchalance on her face.  She observed her surroundings with a casual indifference, as if she were simply a bored guest on a tour.  It was only when her eyes met with Alistair’s that she gave a wicked smile.  He quickly broke eye contact, looking back to his computer to avoid looking at that evil gaze.

“Wonder how they did it, huh?”  A voice came from beside him.

Alistair looked up to Geoff Branaghan, a veteran of thirty years.  His greying hair was cut military standard short, accentuated by large muttonchops that made him look like a Civil War veteran transported to the current day.  He wore a light brown shirt and held a mug of coffee in his hand as he leant against the divider between Alistair’s desk and Marian Staplewood’s.

Geoff was looking at Alistair, and he realised with a start that Geoff was expecting a response.

“Did what?”  Alistair asked.

Geoff pointed with the mug to the direction the girl had been escorted.  “Caught Supergirl.  I read that she was seen lifting the CN Tower in Ontario once.”

“Huh.”

Geoff continued, unaware of Alistair’s interruption.  “So, I figure she either got caught unawares, they were really lucky or one of the others helped them.”

“Why would they do that?”  Alistair asked, more wondering aloud than actually asking Geoff.

Geoff shrugged.  “Dunno.  Maybe she got too big for her britches, bit off more than she could chew.  It’s not unheard of amongst these supers.  I heard something like that happened in France, some guy called, uh, Major Steel or something controlled the entire region around Paris.  He had an argument with another one called Obelisk over territory or something.  Next thing you know, Major Steel is in the middle of a big public statement, right?  He’s talking to his subjects like he’s the King of France, which I guess he kinda is.  Anyway, next thing you know, a giant spike comes out of the ground and sticks through him, kills him instantly.”

Geoff settled back, a lazy smile on his face as if he had just provided some ingenious insight to Alistair.

Alistair refrained from responding, only smiling and nodding back to the man.  Of course he had heard about what they called the Paris Incident.  Paris, August 18th 2015.  The super called Fer Majeur had an argument with the super called Obélisque over him encroaching onto her territory in nearby Versailles.  During an address to a crowd of his subjects, a large granite obelisk impales Fer Majeur in the midst of his speech, killing him instantly.  It had been the first public display of super-on-super combat in the world, quickly showing everyone that they weren’t any different to anyone else without powers.

Geoff had continued, his attention still more on his words than whether Alistair was actually listening.  “So, the way I see it, Supergirl might have had an argument with another super.  Maybe that guy in New York.  What’s his name?”

“Devastator,”  Alistair answered absentmindedly.

“That’s it.  Devastator.  Anyway, Supergirl might have had an argument with him, probably over her not putting out or something.  Kinda weird, though, what with the way she dresses.”

Alistair glanced at Geoff, raising his eyebrow at the statement.  Geoff noticed it and raised his hands, putting on an expression of innocence.

“Hey, I’m just saying.  Dress like that, especially when you’re flying around where everyone can see underneath you, well it sends a message, doesn’t it?”

“I wouldn’t know.”  Alistair said.

Just like that, his appetite for the conversation vanished and he excused himself to the toilet.  Geoff took it with good natured humour, patting Alistair on the back and saying,  “You’re one of the good ones Alistair.  Don’t forget that.”

When Alistair returned from the toilet, the thought of the girl had slipped from his mind, replaced by the question of what to have to eat when he got home.

——

The next time that he saw her was when he was assigned to the case by Commissioner Phillips.

“Why me?”  Alistair asked, genuinely confused.

The Commissioner was a tough man, raised in the midst of the Uprising in the sixties and seventies, becoming a cop during the Fall and managing to climb through the ranks rather quickly due to his bulldog-like determination and natural charisma.  He had stagnated, though, once reaching his current position.  Alistair suspected, though, that the Commissioner didn’t really mind being stuck at the precinct, however.  He seemed to think of himself as a father figure for his subordinates, though one wouldn’t know it by looking at his gruff and hardened exterior.

“Because.  You’re one of the better officers here, Alistair.  You know the law and stick to it, unlike some.  You have a nose for justice and the truth.  Hell, you’re the best analyst this side of Chicago and you’re well read in the field of supers and their crimes.”

Alistair opened his mouth to protest, but the Commissioner silenced him with a hand.

“Don’t try to deny it.  I can see it in your eyes, even if I didn’t have access to your little forays into the archives.  You’re fascinated by them, aren’t you?  Men and women given god-like power who always seem to turn into the worst versions of themselves.  It’s a riddle to you, isn’t it?”

Alistair hung his head, unable to deny the accusation.

“That’s not a bad thing,”  the Commissioner said, his tone slightly warmer than it had been,  “It’s what we need in the world, really.  More understanding of the other side.”

“Yes sir.”

“Good.  Now, your assignment is to interview the prisoner, find out exactly why she decided to do the things she did.  She’ll have the collar on at all times and you’ll have a squad of guardsmen stationed outside incase she tries anything funny.  Just remember Alistair.  Whatever she looks like, she isn’t.  She looks like the type of girl you’d meet at the club, shoot the shit with for a few hours before taking her back to your place and having the best fuck of your life?  She isn’t that.  She’s a weapon of mass destruction, a natural disaster that we managed to subdue by the narrowest of margins.”

“If you don’t mind me asking, sir, how exactly was she captured?”

The Commissioner tapped the ashes from his cigarette into the glass ashtray on his desk as he considered the question.  After taking another drag from the cigarette, he looked Alistair dead in the eye and said,  “That’s a need to know basis.  You understand, of course, that the law binds me as much as it binds all of us.  I legally can’t tell you, even though I would like nothing more than to recount the blow-by-blow account of how exactly we took that bitch down.”

Alistair nodded.  “Of course sir.  I’ll get started on the case right away, then.”

The Commissioner nodded and waved him off.

Alistair made his way out of the office and to the holding cells.  He was buzzed in and made his way to cell A24, where the girl was being held.  The cell in question was surrounded by about a dozen heavily armoured and armed guardsmen, each observing Alistair with indifference as he passed.

Pushing a buzzer next to the cell, Alistair heard the buzz that signalled the command centre had unlocked the door.  He pushed it open and stepped inside the cell.

She looked younger than he had imagined.  Perhaps around his own age.  The orange jumpsuit she wore was baggy and concealed her form.  Her dark hair was cut to shoulder length and her dark eyes studied him as he entered the room.  She was wan, looking like the daughter of Dracula under the bright white light of the cell.

“Am I being detained?”  she asked, the hint of a smile gracing her face.  Her voice held a slight accent, and he imagined that it was from some part of Canada.

“Yes.”  Alistair answered in complete seriousness.  He’d never really understood sarcasm and today was no different.

Taking the seat opposite her, he pulled out some papers from his briefcase and set them in front of him, reading over them briefly to reacquaint himself with the basic facts of the prisoner.

“Miss Eleanor Bouchard.  Twenty seven years of age, born in Montreal, Canada.  Believed to have developed powers in the summer of 2013.  Observed powers include superhuman strength, superhuman durability and flight.  Nicknamed Supergirl by the media.”

“I prefer Eris,”  Eleanor said.

The Greek goddess of strife, Alistair recalled.  Fitting, really.  He coughed, then tried to get back to his train of thought.

“Right.  So, uh.  The first question I have is why do you choose to do what you do?  Cause destruction, terror and mayhem on such a scale?”

Eleanor shrugged.  “I don’t know.  Maybe I was just tired of everyone telling me what to do.  Then I got my powers and could change my life.  And everyone else’s.”

“Okay.  Second question, how did you receive your powers?  Most of the information on the subject is sadly lacking.”

Eleanor tilted her head, an expression of delight on her face.  “You guys really don’t know?  I would have thought someone might have figured it out at some point by now.”

“No, no one has.  It might have something to do with the lack of cooperation by supers with any sort of law enforcement agency worldwide.”

“Wow.  I’m honestly stunned.  Everyone has a camera on their mobile phone and access to the internet and there’s never been any time when the moment one of us got our powers caught on camera?  Wow.”

She shook her head, then said,  “The answer to your little question, doc, is that when one of us is in a situation of extreme panic and fear, we have a little moment where the world suddenly makes sense.  We see the bigger picture.  Then we get our powers.”

“That doesn’t make any sense.  Are you speaking literally or metaphorically?”

“What do you think?”

“I think you’re being very obstinate and deliberately trying to obfuscate official proceedings.”

“Those are big words, Mister Thesaurus.  You read it for fun?”

Alistair frowned, which made Eleanor only smile wider.  She was enjoying this, he realised.  Deciding to change tack, he started again.

“Do you feel any remorse for the damage you’ve caused and the fatalities that have resulted?”

“Nope.  Not even a little bit.”

“Right.  Have you ever been analysed by a psychiatrist, either before or after gaining powers?”

“Well, I did have one when I was a troubled teenager.  But she was too distracted in our sessions to properly analyse me.”

“How so?”

Eleanor shrugged and adopted and expression of innocence.  “I guess it’s hard to think when you have someone eating you out.”

Alistair looked down at the pages he’d brought, a flush suddenly starting to spread across his cheeks at the implication.  He coughed, trying to forget the image that had flashed into his mind.  He reread several of the notes.

“So, doc,”  Eleanor said, interrupting his thoughts,  "You seem to know everything about me and I don’t know anything about you.  Let’s fix that, shall we?”

“No.  That would be unprofessional.  I’m going to ask one more question now and I’d appreciate it if you were to answer both truthfully and without attempting to cause any confusion.”

Eleanor nodded, a playful smile dancing across her face.  “Sure, doc.  Anything for you."

“How were you caught?”

“You’d better wine and dine me before trying to ask such personal questions, doc.”

Alistair sighed in frustration.  He replaced his papers inside the briefcase and stood.

“I’ll be back tomorrow.”  He said simply, before making his way to the door and pressing the buzzer to be let out.

“And I’ll be right here, waiting.”  Eleanor said.

[scfop3]

New Post has been published on https://scfop3.org/police-interaction-with-homeless-persons/

Police Interaction with Homeless Persons

Police Interaction with Homeless Persons: An Update on Recent Developments

Introduction

Begging, Solicitation, and the First Amendment

Camping Out and Living in Vehicles

Property and Pets

Feeding the Homeless

Use of Force

Liability for Crimes by the Homeless?

Resources and References

  Introduction

Ten years ago, in the fall of 2008, this journal published two articles focusing on some significant case law on police interaction with homeless persons. See Police Interaction with Homeless Persons – Part I – Sleeping and Possessions, 2008 (7) AELE Mo. L.J. 101 and Police Interaction with Homeless Persons – Part II – Panhandling and Use of Force, 2008 (9) AELE Mo. L.J. 101. In the intervening decade, there have been a number of significant lawsuits asserting various claims on behalf of homeless persons.

In a number of such cases, various courts have sometimes taken an expansive view of the rights of such persons, entertaining some claims that may earlier have been dismissed out of hand. This brief article attempts to update the earlier two articles. Clearly, the social, economic, and law enforcement issues arising from homelessness continue to be challenging and unresolved. At the conclusion of this article, there is a listing of some useful and relevant resources and references.

Begging, Solicitation, and the First Amendment

While courts have generally upheld law enforcement efforts to curtail “aggressive” panhandling/begging, there have been a number of instances in which a uniform ban on all such solicitation has been viewed as potentially running afoul of the First Amendment.

An example of this is Speet v. Schuette, #12-2213, 726 F.3d 867 (6th Cir.2013), finding that a Michigan state anti-begging statute under which two homeless adults were arrested violated the First Amendment. The statute was facially invalid since begging was a form of solicitation protected by the First Amendment and the law prohibited a substantial amount of solicitation by beggars but allowed other solicitation based on its content.

One arrestee had been holding signs saying “Cold and Hungry, God Bless” and “Need Job, God Bless.” The second arrestee, a veteran who needed money for bus fare, asked another person on the street whether they could “spare a little change.” While there was a substantial state interest in preventing duress and fraud, the law was not narrowly tailored to serve those interests, the court concluded.

Similarly, in Reynolds v. Middleton, #13-2389, 779 F.3d 222 (4th Cir. 2015 ), a homeless man who supports himself by soliciting donations filed a federal lawsuit challenging a county ordinance prohibiting solicitations on county roadways. A federal appeals court found that the county had the burden of showing the constitutionality of the ordinance, which the plaintiff showed limited his ability to collect donations because he was forced to move to locations where it was more difficult for drivers to give him money.

The court further ruled that the county failed to show that the ordinance was content neutral and was a narrowly tailored time, place, and manner restriction on free speech, or that it left open ample alternative channels of communication. While the county showed that the ordinance materially advanced its interest in roadway safety, it failed to show that it had tried to improve safety by prosecuting those roadway solicitors who actually obstructed traffic or had thought about barring solicitations only at certain locations where it could not be done safely.

On the other hand, in Thayer v. City of Worcester, #13-2355, 755 F.3d 60 (1st Cir. 2014), a federal appeals court ruled that a trial court properly denied a preliminary injunction to prevent enforcement of most provisions of an ordinance aimed at

aggressive panhandlers, other solicitors, and demonstrators seeking the attention of motorists (other than a ban on nighttime solicitation). The ordinance was challenged by homeless people who solicited donations from city sidewalks and a person who displayed political signs near traffic during election campaigns.

The restrictions in the ordinance were not aimed at the content of speech, the court found, and did not appear to violate the First Amendment. And as homelessness and wealth were not suspect classifications for equal protection purposes, the ordinance would only have to survive rational basis scrutiny.

In The Contributor v. City of Brentwood, #12-6598, 726 F.3d 861 (6th Cir. 2013), First Amendment claims by homeless persons resulted in a modification of an ordinance restricting solicitation. The case was filed by a street newspaper devoted to educating people about homelessness, which used homeless people as street vendors. It challenged an ordinance that two of its vendors were cited for violating that barred using any part of the city street, alley, sidewalk, or public right of way to sell any goods or materials.

The city altered the ordinance so that it did not bar the sale or distribution of publications or handbills. Under the revised ordinance, those activities were prohibited, however, on any portion of the street. The revised ordinance also barred handing such materials to an occupant of a motor vehicle on the street or taking action reasonably intended to cause a vehicle occupant to hand anything to the person selling or distributing the materials. The federal appeals court upheld a determination that the ordinance, as revised, did not violate the First Amendment and left open adequate available alternative channels of communication.

  Camping Out and Living in Vehicles

 Where to sleep is a constant issue for homeless persons. A good number of prior cases upheld restrictions on camping out overnight on public property or sleeping on city sidewalks, as illustrated by Foley v. Kiely, #09-1250, 602 F.3d 28 (1st Cir.

2010). In this case, a homeless man claimed that he was unlawfully detained and arrested by two Massachusetts state troopers and a state police officer for trespassing in a public park after it closed at night. Upholding summary judgment for the defendants, a federal appeals court found that it was reasonable for them to suspect, at 10:30 p.m., that the plaintiff was in a restricted area and therefore trespassing, based on signs designating the closing time of the park.

Additionally, the area was known by the defendants to be one in which crimes had been reported, and the plaintiff’s attempts to avoid contact with the officers, combined with his inability or unwillingness to provide his Social Security number, gave the officers reasonable grounds to investigate his past criminal history. This reasonable suspicion justified his one-hour detention for a warrant check, and the Florida state warrant found was sufficient to give them probable cause for his arrest.

The case of Allen v. City of Sacramento, #C071710, 234 Cal.App.4th 41, 183 Cal.Rptr.3d 654, 2015 Cal. App. Lexis 116, however, involved the consented use of private property. The owner of this private property agreed to let 22 homeless persons and two persons providing services to them camp on his lot, located in a light industrial area of the city. Police then informed all concerned that the camping was in violation of a city ordinance that required a permit for extended camping on public or private property. Police removed camping gear from the site and issued two citations for an ordinance violation.

When the campers brought in more gear and continued their activities, they were arrested. An agreed judgment was entered against the plaintiffs’ challenge to the ordinance as unconstitutional, in order to facilitate an appeal. The federal appeals court found that the plaintiffs had stated a triable claim for declaratory relief challenging the ordinance as applied on the basis of equal protection. The plaintiffs forfeited, however, their claims for arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement, violation of substantive due process, and impermissible vagueness.

Some homeless persons have attempted to live in a vehicle. In Desertrain v. City of Los Angeles, #11-56957, 754 F.3d 1147 (9th Cir. 2014), a federal appeals court found that an ordinance prohibiting the use of a vehicle as living quarters was void for vagueness in violation of due process since it offered no guidance as to what conduct was prohibited and failed to clearly divide criminal and innocent conduct. As written, it could be broad enough to apply to any driver who transported personal belongings or ate in his vehicle, but it apparently was only applied to homeless persons, opening the door to arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement. Summary judgment for the defendants was reversed and further proceedings were ordered.

Property and Pets

To the extent that homeless persons manage to acquire any possessions, retaining and safeguarding them is a difficult proposition. In Lavan v. City of Los Angeles,

#11-56253, 693 F.3d 1022 (9th Cir. 2012), homeless persons sued a city, claiming that it violated their rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments by routinely seizing their unabandoned personal property temporarily left on public sidewalks and immediately destroying it. A federal appeals court upheld a preliminary injunction against these practices granted by the trial court.

The injunction required that unabandoned personal property seized could not be destroyed without giving the owners a prior meaningful notice and opportunity to be heard. The homeless persons’ property was protected from unlawful seizure by the Fourth Amendment and could not be destroyed without complying with due process requirements.

What about animals, including pets? In Recchia v. Los Angeles Dept. of Animal Services, #13-57002, 889 F.3d 553 (9th Cir. 2018), a homeless man was living on the streets of Los Angeles, and caring for 20 birds when animal control officers showed up at his tent to investigate complaints about the animals. Officers found 18 pigeons, a crow, and a seagull in boxes and cages in his home on a sidewalk, all in various states of health. The city decided to seize all of the animals, giving the man 10 days to request a hearing to regain custody.

But before that deadline was up, a city veterinarian euthanized all the pigeons, claiming they could’ve been carrying pathogens without ever testing their blood. The man sued the city, and his case was dismissed by a trial court. But a federal appeals court revived some his claims, saying his constitutional rights might’ve been violated.

It upheld a grant of summary judgment on the Fourteenth Amendment due process claim against the officers and dismissal of the state law claims, but vacated the trial court’s grant of summary judgment on the Fourth Amendment claim challenging the seizure of the birds because there were genuine issues of material fact as to whether plaintiff’s healthy-looking birds posed any meaningful risk to the other birds or humans at the time they were seized.

It further instructed the trial court to consider whether the officers were entitled to qualified immunity because any constitutional violation was not clearly established at the time it was committed.

  Feeding the Homeless

A number of municipalities have taken actions designed to limit the public feeding of homeless persons on public property by charitable groups. In First Vagabonds Church of God v. City of Orlando, #08-16788, 638 F.3d 756 (11th Cir. 2011), a federal appeals court upheld the constitutionality of a municipal ordinance that limits the number of feedings of large groups that any person or organization can sponsor in parks within a two-mile radius of City Hall.

The court rejected the argument of an organization calling itself “Food Not Bombs” that it had a First Amendment right to feed large groups of homeless people in any park as often as it likes. The court found that the ordinance was a reasonable time, place, and manner regulation, assuming, for purposes of argument, without deciding, that such feedings were expressive activity.

  Use of Force

The use of force, deadly and otherwise, by the police against homeless persons has led to a number of lawsuits. In Tchayou v. City of Los Angeles, #CV16-06073, (May 10, 2018, U.S. Dist Court, C.D. Calif.), the city of Los Angeles, California on May 10, 2018, reached a $1.9 million settlement with the plaintiff family in a federal lawsuit brought over the police shooting and killing of a homeless man. The shooting took place in 2015 and was viewed online by many in a YouTube video.

A jury in the federal lawsuit, just before the settlement, found that two officers were liable for the death of the 43-year-old decedent, Charley “Africa” Keunang. The jury found that the shooting officer used excessive force and that his supervising sergeant was also liable for failing to intervene. A third officer present was found not liable. The decedent was shot as he “scuffled” with the officers as they responded to a report of an attempted robbery outside of a rescue mission. The county district attorney’s office declined to charge the three officers, and in a 2016 report stated that they were justified in using lethal force because the homeless man had nearly gotten hold of an officer’s holstered gun as they fought. The decedent reportedly had a history of violent, erratic behavior, and had served time in prison for bank robbery.

See also Williams v. DeKalb County, #07-14367, 327 Fed. Appx. 156,2009 U.S. App. Lexis 9839 (Unpub. 11th Cir.), in which a homeless arrestee claimed that he was picked up by an officer for loitering, and then taken to a wooden area where the officer beat and stabbed him. A federal appeals court ruled that a claim by the arrestee that the county was liable for his injuries because it has an unwritten policy that homeless people should be relocated to other counties should have survived summary judgment because evidence was presented of five officers who allegedly knew of the policy.

Additionally, there was expert testimony that such a policy made violations of the rights of homeless persons foreseeable. A claim against the county for negligent hiring of the officer was rejected because the only violent act in the officer’s record was the shooting of a home invader. The appeals court also rejected a claim against the county for inadequate training or supervision.

There was evidence that revealed that the county investigated reports concerning the officer’s handling of arrests, provided the officer with counseling and retraining, and subjected him to discipline, which did not show “deliberate indifference” to a known problem.

    Liability for Crimes by the Homeless?

What about potential liability for crimes committed by homeless persons? Ordinarily, under federal civil rights law, there is no liability on the part of police or other governmental actors for failure to prevent private violence by third parties.

Rare exceptions may be found where there is a “state created danger,” when arguably the government’s actions enhanced the danger to the injured party, or in which a “special relationship” was created imposing a duty to project, such as when explicit promises of assistance are made in a manner that is relied on and which may encourage those who receive such promises of assistance to stop seeking other assistance.

In Doe v City of New York, 2008-09461, 67 A.D.3d 8542009 N.Y. App. Div. Lexis 8419 (2nd Dept.), a woman sued a transit authority and railroad, seeking damages for an attack she suffered on their property when she was attacked by a group of homeless men living there. The basis of her complaint was the failure of the defendants to remove the homeless encampment from the property, and the alleged failure to consider safety problems that could arise from their “homeless outreach” program.

Rejecting liability, an intermediate New York appellate court found that the defendants made a discretionary governmental policy decision in enacting a “social outreach” program rather than using force to oust the homeless group from the premises. As a result, there could be no liability under state law for the allegedly resulting attack.

See also Alava v. City of New York, #3807, 103339/04, 54 A.D.3d 565, 2008 N.Y. App. Div. Lexis 6546 (A.D. 1st Dept.), in which an employee working for a private company providing data entry services for a city department of homeless services was allegedly assaulted by a person she was registering for services as a prospective client of a homeless shelter.

She sued the city, but an intermediate New York appeals court ruled that the city was entitled to summary judgment because it had not assumed any special duty to protect the employee, nor had the plaintiff shown that she had reasonably relied on any direct promise to provide her with such protection. While security officers who were usually outside the intake office were not present on the day of the incident, there was no evidence that they were ever in the intake office with the employee.

  Resources

The following are some useful resources related to the subject of this article.

City of San Diego Homeless Outreach

City of Wichita Homeless Outreach

Fort Lauderdale Police Department Policy on Homeless Persons.

HOMELESS OUTREACH TEAM: ANOTHER WAY TO FIGHT CRIME Houston Police Department, Houston, Texas

Homeless Persons. AELE Civil Case

Homelessness: Litigation and Policy: Civil Rights Claims, University of Missouri School of Law. (online bibliography).

Los Angeles Police Department Homeless Outreach and Proactive Engagement Team Special Study.

Opposing the Criminalization of Homelessness; Building a Human Rights Network (Listing of Law Review articles and other publications).

Police Department Homeless Outreach Programs.

    Relevant Monthly Law Journal Articles

Police Interaction with Homeless Persons – Part I – Sleeping and Possessions, 2008 (7) AELE Mo. L.J.

Police Interaction with Homeless Persons – Part II – Panhandling and Use of Force, 2008 (9) AELE Mo. L.J. 101

  References: (Chronological)

A Cruel and Unusual Way to Regulate the Homeless: Extending the Status Crimes Doctrine to Anti-Homeless Ordinance, by Hannah Kieschnick, Stanford Law Review, Vol 70 Issue 5, page 1569 (May 2018). (Abstract, with downloadable .pdf of full text).

New policing division focuses on homelessness, neighborhood issues, by Gary Warth, San Diego Union Tribune (March 13, 2018).

Almost No Choice. Homelessness and the Law, Harvard University Civil Rights Civil Liberties Law Review (Dec. 4, 2017).

Law Enforcement is a Critical Component of the Coordinated Effort to End Homelessness, Community Policing Dispatch (December 2015).

A Homeless Bill of Rights (Revolution) by Sara Rankin, Seattle School of Law Digital Commons Faculty Scholarship 45 Seton Hall Law Review 383 (2015).

Police role with homeless population: enforcers or helpers? by Marielle Segarra, WHYY (March 19, 2015)

        Readers may download, store, print, copy or share this article, but it may not be republished for commercial purposes. Other web sites are welcome to link to this article.

  The purpose of this publication is to provide short articles to acquaint the reader with selected case law on a Articles are typically six to ten pages long. Because of the brevity, the discussion cannot cover every aspect of a subject.

The law sometimes differs between federal circuits, between states, and sometimes between appellate districts in the same state. AELE Law Journal articles should not be considered as “legal ” Lawyers often disagree as to the meaning of a case or its application to a set of facts.

[mikemortgage]

From executive suite to jail: what one CEO learned in prison

One moment you’re the globetrotting head of a corporation with an army of subordinates to execute your every order, the next you’re behind bars and required to file requests for items as banal as toilet paper.

While jailing executives, particularly those of global companies, is an almost unheard of occurrence in Germany, that’s just what happened to Audi Chief Executive Officer Rupert Stadler last month. One of the few other corporate leaders to suffer a similar fate was Thomas Middelhoff, and he has some words of advice to adapt to the circumstances.

“You need humility, otherwise you’ll crack,” said Middelhoff, who led media company Bertelsmann AG and retailer Arcandor AG. “It’s a process: the first reaction is inner revolt. Then there’s a combat phase, then the breakdown. Only after that, you start becoming yourself again.”

Middelhoff went from CEO with a rock-star allure and jet-set lifestyle to a convict who served a total of two years for misappropriating 500,000 euros’ worth of corporate funds for helicopter and private-jet trips, charges that he denied. It was a startling decline for one of the country’s best-known managers, who rode the corporate rocket to the very top, including private jets, yachts moored in Saint Tropez and regular board meetings in New York.

Audi CEO arrested, throwing Volkswagen into leadership crisis

Former Valiant, Philidor executives found guilty of kickback scheme

South Korea court sentences Samsung heir to five years' prison

His life took a dramatic turn in 2014, when he was whisked straight out of court and transferred into a sparse prison cell the day he was convicted. He was detained even though he planned to appeal, as the judges suspected he would flee. He spent five months in preliminary detention and “when the door shut for the first time, it was a feeling as if the air had been drawn from my lungs,” he said. “My head was spinning.”

For managers used to guiding other people, being under seamless scrutiny is hard to comprehend, Middelhoff said. For each item he needed, Middelhoff had to file a written request; cellphones and computers weren’t permitted at all. Meetings with lawyers meant body searches before and after each encounter, family visits were restricted to twice a month — and only for three people, a tough situation for Middelhoff, who has five children.

“When my wife came to see me for the first time, I wept,” Middelhoff said. He’s since documented his experience in prison in a book he began working on in jail, where he starting the day at 5 a.m. reading the bible, followed by a workout regime that included 100 pushups. Middelhoff spent his preliminary detention segregated from other prisoners to protect him from possible attacks. After five months, he was released on bail. When his appeal was rejected, he served the rest of his sentence working outside prison walls at a charity.

Not much is known of Stadler’s daily routine behind bars, near the Bavarian city of Augsburg, where he was taken after his arrest in the early hours of June 18. Prisoners can ask to wear their own clothing and have access to TV and the prison library. They can request a separate cell, though most prefer to stay with other inmates to avoid isolation. Germany’s Bild Zeitung posted stock photos of a cell, complete with the daily menu, a sparse fare of potato salad and meatballs, or schnitzel with pasta.

Stadler’s attorney Thilo Pfordte didn’t immediately return a call seeking comment.

A Volkswagen veteran who ascended to the top of Audi in an almost three-decade career, Stadler held onto his job in the last three years even as accusations of his company’s involvement in the diesel-rigging scandal grew. A week before his arrest, his private home was raided, but the company stood by him, saying he should be presumed innocent until proven otherwise.

While Stadler hasn’t been charged, he was detained because of suspicions of evidence tampering. He is suspected of fraud and falsifying public documents in connection with the three-year diesel cheating scandal that’s rocked Volkswagen since 2015, and prosecutors continued to question the executive.

Stadler’s arrest came as “a huge shock,” VW CEO Herbert Diess told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper. While he’s presumed innocent, he’d be barred from returning to the company should the allegations turn out to be true, Diess said.

Pre-trial detention typically comes with tough conditions, and prosecutors often leverage media coverage of celebrities in jail to increase pressure to cooperate, a practice that’s also on display in Stadler’s case, Middelhoff said.

“The real scandal is that none of his colleagues are speaking up for Stadler, and that’s why I wanted to do it,” said Middelhoff. “I wish him a lot of strength, and the confidence that he will survive this without damage to his soul.”

from Financial Post https://ift.tt/2N7nW1w via IFTTT Blogger Mortgage Tumblr Mortgage Evernote Mortgage Wordpress Mortgage href="https://www.diigo.com/user/gelsi11">Diigo Mortgage

[democratsunited-blog]

Democrats Visit Border Detainment Facilities, Vow to End Separations of Children From Parents

https://uniteddemocrats.net/?p=4065

Democrats Visit Border Detainment Facilities, Vow to End Separations of Children From Parents

Several Democratic lawmakers visited facilities along the Texas-Mexico border where children are being held without their parents Monday and blasted President Donald Trump for a “zero tolerance” policy allowing it to happen.

“The United States is a better nation than this, should be a better nation than this,” said San Antonio Democratic Congressman Joaquin Castro.

He said Democrats are working to end the separation of families.

“Over the last few weeks, especially, members of Congress have been asked the question what are you doing to stop this? Some of us have filed legislation. Others are supporting legislation to stop it,” Castro added.

President Donald Trump said Democrats have the power to end this while defending the policy and calling for immigration reform.

It is the Democrats fault for being weak and ineffective with Boarder Security and Crime. Tell them to start thinking about the people devastated by Crime coming from illegal immigration. Change the laws!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018

CHANGE THE LAWS!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018

Children are being used by some of the worst criminals on earth as a means to enter our country. Has anyone been looking at the Crime taking place south of the border. It is historic, with some countries the most dangerous places in the world. Not going to happen in the U.S.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 18, 2018

We asked Dallas Democratic Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson about the president saying the Democrats are to blame.

“I am not surprised. He blames somebody else for everything,” she said. “I think we could do a better job if we had the ability to be listened to in terms of coming together.”

The U.S. House is hoping to vote this week on two immigration bills. One has billions of dollars for the border wall the president wants as well as a path to citizenship for dreamers brought here as children.

“The short solution is Democrats and Republicans working together. We could fix this in 24 hours,” said U.S. Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).

We reached out to Texas lawmakers about the policy and what they think should be done. U.S. Rep. Marc Veasey (D-TX 33rd District), put the blame squarely on the president.

“It is an atrocity that families are being torn apart at our borders and in my state of Texas. Make no mistake, this is happening because of a ‘zero tolerance’ policy initiated by President Trump and Attorney General Sessions. They have attempted to spin this policy into a political battle, but it’s not. It’s their desperate attempt to demoralize communities who are seeking a fresh start from violence and danger in their home countries. This is an abhorrent policy, and I will continue working to put an end to family separation, and ensure this does not become our new normal. We need real longlasting immigration reform and protection for our DREAMers and active duty service members and veterans who have fought for our country. Trump will not win by demoralizing these communities and abolishing their patriotism. America’s diversity and ability to be a sanctuary from violence is what makes our country great. I will be working around the clock in Congress to find a bipartisan solution for these men, women and children.”

And we also heard from a spokesperson from Congressman Pete Sessions’ office on this issue, which said the following:

“Congressman Sessions obviously does not want actual families to be separated. The Democrat talking points on this issue ignore important facts: Many of these children are NOT with their parents, instead they are being trafficked by drug cartels and human smugglers who are trying to gain access to our country; Rescuing these children from human traffickers is the most humane thing we can do; and it is documented that many of the girls who are turned over to these human traffickers never even reach the United States instead, they are forced into sex slavery to serve the drug cartels. It is shameful the Democrats continue to stand for broken policies that allow the lives of these children to be destroyed by the drug cartels, human traffickers, and the sex slave trade. Congressman Sessions is working closely with the Department of Homeland Security to better understand the nature of this recent wave of illegal immigration and learn how we can best care for these innocent children.”

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) said late Monday afternoon he planned to introduce emergency legislation that would keep immigrant families together while guaranteeing expedited hearings with immigration judges within 72 hours who would either grant asylum or initiate the deportation process to complete within 14 days.

U.S. Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX 6th District), of Ennis, said this is a sad situation but some parents use children as insurance in order to stay.

“They bring their children with them, sort of as insurance. They claim political persecution, which entitles them to a hearing before a federal magistrate. They bring their children knowing they can only be held for 20 days. If they have not had their hearing by then, they can be released into the country basically on their own recognizance,” said Barton.

Monday afternoon, Bishop Edward J. Burns with the Catholic Diocese of Dallas released the following statement on migrant children being separated from their families.

At a recent event with civic and religious leaders in the city, Mayor Mike Rawlings referred to Dallas as a city with a soul. I believe that the members of this community, whether believers or non-believers, and all people of goodwill throughout the country, are heartbroken at the news of immigrant children being separated from their families after an arduous journey to what their families believed would be a start to a better life. In light of these recent events taking place along our southern border, I have asked the members of the Catholic community to join me in prayer for these families and for their swift reunion with family members, especially the young ones who need the presence and love of their mothers and fathers. This past weekend I convened an urgent meeting of our diocesan immigration task force in order to determine what we can do to assist in this situation. We are in the early stages of learning how we can help. Knowing that we are ‘one nation under God’, I have no doubt that our Heavenly Father hears the cries of these children. Recognizing that we are all made in His image, we are prompted to respond to this situation with love, compassion, and mercy. It is my prayer that our legislators and lawmakers will do the same – and do so quickly – in order to alleviate the unjust pain and suffering occurring at our borders.

An official with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services told NBC News Monday the department has 11,785 minors in its care, 2,000 of whom the Associated Press said have been separated from their families.

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[chinad]

timed killing as sanctum precaution.



Sep 6, 2017

dreamt of bring my son traveling to my hometown. in suburb of our current town, passing a hotel we met many witches and wizards. some ambushed us. some cursed us. some stealed us. some transfered our appearance. in first attack, my son lost his outdoor baggage in a blink. second attack turned my son a disabled kid with damaged arms, lost his 2 mobiles I prepared 2 years ago. my son later told me he hide them in a place intact. we were heading to a bus stop where we will travel to Tianjin, north China where I graduated and broke my heart for a girl collegian. in Tianjin we will switch a bus then reach its railway station and head to our hometown in central China. in homeless and changing fake idol, we held each other firm against misleading exerted by those dark power. sometimes I want blamed my son according his performance but I later gave up, for they were forged and fake. some witch attempted to trade or threat, and attacked after our refusal. its a frightening dream. my neck turns more stiff and painful after nap. last night I ate too much, esp snack from street vendor near dorm gate and got sore water in throat midnight after woke up abrupt. I so gave up breakfast in canteen, and just napped. there were so many hatred in area of QRRS that I really felt. for example, the day before yesterday, a pile of dog shit or feces laid exactly front entrance of the dorm gate which using fence to narrow route. I after dinner and routine dusk jog started and in a blink stepped onto it through the limited gate. the night a middle size rain cleanse the dirty road. then in last dusk another small plastic bag in which likely bloods and dirts held laid there, pits the road block. a stubborn freak in his 60 or 70 constantly challenges me on my way jogging in dusk. twice the sin copied and according my changed route around the QRRS square just to facing me and deface my innocence. God grants my killing over the rubbish, the enemies of zhone Royal China. its a sunny noon now. I sunburn after lunch in the dorm minigarden, till nearby Senior middle school students came canteen for lunch. its very brilliant during recent clouds and rains. God dad, you guide me so far I didn't make any change around me. you tells me my security intact so far for future more widespread slaughter. yes dad God, I remember and trying remember the betray and profanation of my Royal China. grant me lighter heart for enjoying my daily bread and social times. bring me my Japanese Crown Queen, Asoh Yukiko, for better future of felling PRC, failing Chinese on mainland. guarantee our spiritual uprising on Christian way. thx dad God.

Sep 5, 2017

dreamt with a Russian scholar visited Bill Gates' futuristic house. Bill at first introduce his encyclopedia. then his wife treated us dinner. his daughter also appeared. while lingering I studied my subjects. yesterday I in my life first time received dental health care: teeth cleaning. it's a small local clinic, which charged me ￥80, dearer than most web q/a. but the girl likely a deputy doctor worked diligently and careful. the second half operative did by another woman likely a doctor and a bit harsher. uncomfortable in the procedure ignorable but time spent endures matters. I spent near 1 hour, even when I left I felt relived. its my 1st step adopting western lifestyle in grace and managed. last Sunday afternoon I arranged woz monthly cinema. I waited him from his music class half hour in Qiqihar supermarket. the nearby guard of the market even doubting my task while I using my mobile to read there but no communication in air. after my son gloriously appeared, I presented him ice drink, movie "Dunkirk", and hotpot before taxied home. its wonderfully planned and executed in a pack. but the night I slept so deep that next morning I felt clueless and unclear when I visited my son for shower in public spa. his computer locked him out after too many logon failure due to the problematic mouse. so I spent another half day to reinstall windows. his mom, the small bitch, tentatively brought him out and lingered somewhere lately after 7pm when I left the house after settle all issues fixed. I wanted to report to my son my achievement and confidential but unable. my son also forgot bringing his mobile in usual hurry with his domineer mom. returned to dorm, I doubt if I carried frustration and tasteless after my son under expectation so many times putting me in despicable. but I decided to care my son full heart. so I buzzed him online and introduce my finished work and blamed him for dispensable mobile, which blocked my access instant and let me felt inferior to his mom hijacking him with superficial educational purposed activities. PRC government like a cheap teacher monopolies education and all time pretending orthodox draining otherwise creative initiatives. God dad, break through the fake idol, free my Chinese society from lifeless stagnant. bring me my Royal China, and my Crown Queen Asoh Yukiko from Japan, for humanizing social flesh and architecture. grant me sustaining my adorable domains with meaningful future world mapping.

Sep 1, 2017

first dreamt a veteran politician intended to make me a mayor. I then follows a group municipal bureaucracy to a mine field in city hall. we each hunted for diamond, golds, etc. then dreamt I was an entrepreneur. our product is astronomical components. then dreamt a group tourists visiting my elder brother's house. they likely helped my brother for his celebration of event with their colorful performance show. after they all left marching I left to blog in dream but delayed and unable settle. my youngest elder sister and my 3nd nephew accompanied me at home. when the guests came back, we and friends of my elder brother grouped into 2 delegations to compete with dart or shooting. my son attracted many audiences with his adorable when the party went hot. its a sunny morning while I napped most of mornings in the week. last night is strange: I recklessly tried to protect the dorm canteen after noticed likely mafia threatened and extracted custody fee. recently in at least 3 occasions I saw hooligans lingering in dorm canteen, superficially peacefully occupied seats with fewer orders but just wasted time unusually late. that's threat of troubles. last dusk I brought the canteen another water melon from street vendor and let canteen workers prepared some for me to eat. there were only another guy in the dorm there for dinner, and a 3 middle aged men group there detaining with few orders. I felt glad with my melon and soon left. in my room I reviewed the scenario and perceived the canteen operating family's under bully. so I re-visit there and saw only their kid and their father left accompanied the lingering pests. I loudly talked with the old father and angers left me left abrupt. in half hour I visited the canteen 3rd time. the 3 hooligans left in dark dusk with heavy bags each. I urged the father if they had problem they should contact QRRS authority but he shown skepticism. in the night I review my situation with rotten PRC society under shadow of world largest mafia, CCP, dogs tyranny. God, sooner or later your faith holder will be attested against sins and swan song of warlord, world communism esp inflated PRC. instil us with strength of faithful. shift us from dangers of brutal accusation. bring me sooner my Royal China, and Asoh Yukiko, my Crown Queen from Japan, to enhance my life span. bring me stable investment reward for constant growth in business. thx dad, for the peace and hope.

Aug 25, 2017

napped since morning and dropped lunch. dreamt in earlier era with my elder brother vivid and his pals trading & discussing startup a company. I with my son interested in accounting and attempted to work for them in its early phrase and brought some innovative ideas. then dreamt in marching army. when the army at rest during raining, we tried to cross some units seeking for shower. in a jammed barrack girl and boy Scouts trade their items. I offered a sd card to trade, likely with my son's companion, at least 5 or more items from different traders gathered in front for exchange, including cards and other gadgets. most of the pals so friendly that we glad there for a drifting living. I woke up at noon when sunny outside. last night my son told me his Junior school life started with army training camp as prewarm. that explained why the night before yesterday he slept before 8 pm when I buzzed in. on his face some appear some hard thorns, as on his arm, that aroused my notice during our video chat online. he might frustrated. I also soon to search web for what it is. God, dad, we trust your mercy. then I regretted my unease would cause my son's overreaction with burden. I watched some embarrassing human bodies videos on youtube, and fragile of healthy body taught me lessons. I long time afraid of virus and that worsened when I napped. I unease with my pillow, one of them cheap quality and some dirty spots appeared even disgusting blackened. I felt my neck itching but I know mostly it's fake response. dad God, in siege of zhone's enemies, we naturally alert upon poisons, insanities and profanations. God, last dusk I saw separating us from common wealth of Zhong society attempts, threaten me of baseless includes my current comparable stable life with economic income. God dad, my ancestor left me resourceful and basic supportive standard allowing my innovative upgrade to breakthrough stagnant smothers Chinese society in hundred decades in failing sanity. that's my mission in this era. grant us freedom of starvation, brutal labor, motionless, and shoulder me on resilient of Zhong in relations. dad God, promise me the value of my workload.

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[be21zh]



Sep 6, 2017

dreamt of bring my son traveling to my hometown. in suburb of our current town, passing a hotel we met many witches and wizards. some ambushed us. some cursed us. some stealed us. some transfered our appearance. in first attack, my son lost his outdoor baggage in a blink. second attack turned my son a disabled kid with damaged arms, lost his 2 mobiles I prepared 2 years ago. my son later told me he hide them in a place intact. we were heading to a bus stop where we will travel to Tianjin, north China where I graduated and broke my heart for a girl collegian. in Tianjin we will switch a bus then reach its railway station and head to our hometown in central China. in homeless and changing fake idol, we held each other firm against misleading exerted by those dark power. sometimes I want blamed my son according his performance but I later gave up, for they were forged and fake. some witch attempted to trade or threat, and attacked after our refusal. its a frightening dream. my neck turns more stiff and painful after nap. last night I ate too much, esp snack from street vendor near dorm gate and got sore water in throat midnight after woke up abrupt. I so gave up breakfast in canteen, and just napped. there were so many hatred in area of QRRS that I really felt. for example, the day before yesterday, a pile of dog shit or feces laid exactly front entrance of the dorm gate which using fence to narrow route. I after dinner and routine dusk jog started and in a blink stepped onto it through the limited gate. the night a middle size rain cleanse the dirty road. then in last dusk another small plastic bag in which likely bloods and dirts held laid there, pits the road block. a stubborn freak in his 60 or 70 constantly challenges me on my way jogging in dusk. twice the sin copied and according my changed route around the QRRS square just to facing me and deface my innocence. God grants my killing over the rubbish, the enemies of zhone Royal China. its a sunny noon now. I sunburn after lunch in the dorm minigarden, till nearby Senior middle school students came canteen for lunch. its very brilliant during recent clouds and rains. God dad, you guide me so far I didn't make any change around me. you tells me my security intact so far for future more widespread slaughter. yes dad God, I remember and trying remember the betray and profanation of my Royal China. grant me lighter heart for enjoying my daily bread and social times. bring me my Japanese Crown Queen, Asoh Yukiko, for better future of felling PRC, failing Chinese on mainland. guarantee our spiritual uprising on Christian way. thx dad God.

Sep 5, 2017

dreamt with a Russian scholar visited Bill Gates' futuristic house. Bill at first introduce his encyclopedia. then his wife treated us dinner. his daughter also appeared. while lingering I studied my subjects. yesterday I in my life first time received dental health care: teeth cleaning. it's a small local clinic, which charged me ￥80, dearer than most web q/a. but the girl likely a deputy doctor worked diligently and careful. the second half operative did by another woman likely a doctor and a bit harsher. uncomfortable in the procedure ignorable but time spent endures matters. I spent near 1 hour, even when I left I felt relived. its my 1st step adopting western lifestyle in grace and managed. last Sunday afternoon I arranged woz monthly cinema. I waited him from his music class half hour in Qiqihar supermarket. the nearby guard of the market even doubting my task while I using my mobile to read there but no communication in air. after my son gloriously appeared, I presented him ice drink, movie "Dunkirk", and hotpot before taxied home. its wonderfully planned and executed in a pack. but the night I slept so deep that next morning I felt clueless and unclear when I visited my son for shower in public spa. his computer locked him out after too many logon failure due to the problematic mouse. so I spent another half day to reinstall windows. his mom, the small bitch, tentatively brought him out and lingered somewhere lately after 7pm when I left the house after settle all issues fixed. I wanted to report to my son my achievement and confidential but unable. my son also forgot bringing his mobile in usual hurry with his domineer mom. returned to dorm, I doubt if I carried frustration and tasteless after my son under expectation so many times putting me in despicable. but I decided to care my son full heart. so I buzzed him online and introduce my finished work and blamed him for dispensable mobile, which blocked my access instant and let me felt inferior to his mom hijacking him with superficial educational purposed activities. PRC government like a cheap teacher monopolies education and all time pretending orthodox draining otherwise creative initiatives. God dad, break through the fake idol, free my Chinese society from lifeless stagnant. bring me my Royal China, and my Crown Queen Asoh Yukiko from Japan, for humanizing social flesh and architecture. grant me sustaining my adorable domains with meaningful future world mapping.

Sep 1, 2017

first dreamt a veteran politician intended to make me a mayor. I then follows a group municipal bureaucracy to a mine field in city hall. we each hunted for diamond, golds, etc. then dreamt I was an entrepreneur. our product is astronomical components. then dreamt a group tourists visiting my elder brother's house. they likely helped my brother for his celebration of event with their colorful performance show. after they all left marching I left to blog in dream but delayed and unable settle. my youngest elder sister and my 3nd nephew accompanied me at home. when the guests came back, we and friends of my elder brother grouped into 2 delegations to compete with dart or shooting. my son attracted many audiences with his adorable when the party went hot. its a sunny morning while I napped most of mornings in the week. last night is strange: I recklessly tried to protect the dorm canteen after noticed likely mafia threatened and extracted custody fee. recently in at least 3 occasions I saw hooligans lingering in dorm canteen, superficially peacefully occupied seats with fewer orders but just wasted time unusually late. that's threat of troubles. last dusk I brought the canteen another water melon from street vendor and let canteen workers prepared some for me to eat. there were only another guy in the dorm there for dinner, and a 3 middle aged men group there detaining with few orders. I felt glad with my melon and soon left. in my room I reviewed the scenario and perceived the canteen operating family's under bully. so I re-visit there and saw only their kid and their father left accompanied the lingering pests. I loudly talked with the old father and angers left me left abrupt. in half hour I visited the canteen 3rd time. the 3 hooligans left in dark dusk with heavy bags each. I urged the father if they had problem they should contact QRRS authority but he shown skepticism. in the night I review my situation with rotten PRC society under shadow of world largest mafia, CCP, dogs tyranny. God, sooner or later your faith holder will be attested against sins and swan song of warlord, world communism esp inflated PRC. instil us with strength of faithful. shift us from dangers of brutal accusation. bring me sooner my Royal China, and Asoh Yukiko, my Crown Queen from Japan, to enhance my life span. bring me stable investment reward for constant growth in business. thx dad, for the peace and hope.

Aug 25, 2017

napped since morning and dropped lunch. dreamt in earlier era with my elder brother vivid and his pals trading & discussing startup a company. I with my son interested in accounting and attempted to work for them in its early phrase and brought some innovative ideas. then dreamt in marching army. when the army at rest during raining, we tried to cross some units seeking for shower. in a jammed barrack girl and boy Scouts trade their items. I offered a sd card to trade, likely with my son's companion, at least 5 or more items from different traders gathered in front for exchange, including cards and other gadgets. most of the pals so friendly that we glad there for a drifting living. I woke up at noon when sunny outside. last night my son told me his Junior school life started with army training camp as prewarm. that explained why the night before yesterday he slept before 8 pm when I buzzed in. on his face some appear some hard thorns, as on his arm, that aroused my notice during our video chat online. he might frustrated. I also soon to search web for what it is. God, dad, we trust your mercy. then I regretted my unease would cause my son's overreaction with burden. I watched some embarrassing human bodies videos on youtube, and fragile of healthy body taught me lessons. I long time afraid of virus and that worsened when I napped. I unease with my pillow, one of them cheap quality and some dirty spots appeared even disgusting blackened. I felt my neck itching but I know mostly it's fake response. dad God, in siege of zhone's enemies, we naturally alert upon poisons, insanities and profanations. God, last dusk I saw separating us from common wealth of Zhong society attempts, threaten me of baseless includes my current comparable stable life with economic income. God dad, my ancestor left me resourceful and basic supportive standard allowing my innovative upgrade to breakthrough stagnant smothers Chinese society in hundred decades in failing sanity. that's my mission in this era. grant us freedom of starvation, brutal labor, motionless, and shoulder me on resilient of Zhong in relations. dad God, promise me the value of my workload.