Sgt. Joseph Chavalia, the Lima SWAT team member who killed Tarika Wilson and wounded her infant son, was not convicted. Not knowing all the facts of the case, that may even be the right decision. I've always felt that the problem with these tragedies is not necessarily with the officers who pull the trigger, but with the very idea that it's a good idea to have cops doing armed … [Read more...] about Tarika Wilson’s Killer Found Not Guilty
What the Heck Does Paris Hilton Have To Do With the Election?
Maybe it's just because I don't pay enough attention to election campaigns, but this is about the stupidest argument I've ever seen. … [Read more...] about What the Heck Does Paris Hilton Have To Do With the Election?
Laptop Search and Seizure Made Easy
Do you realize that despite Fourth Amendment's right to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures, government agents can still stop U.S. citizens and search through all our possessions without a warrant, cause, or even suspicion, but just because they want to? It's true. All you have to do is cross the border. I've never really understood this. I'm under the … [Read more...] about Laptop Search and Seizure Made Easy
Just Stop Terrorizing People
In a comment to my post about the Lima shooting, someone named David writes: Let's see. You're in a situation where you are a potential target. Two pit bulls charge you. You put your weapon down, reach in your pocket, pull out the pepper spray and hope it stops the dogs. If that doesn't work, you pull out your handy taser, ask the dogs to sit while you tase them. Then you go … [Read more...] about Just Stop Terrorizing People
What I Don’t Like About the Supreme Court in One Sentence
From a post by Eugene Volokh on the subject of Texas's inane anti-sex toy laws: Probably no Justice accepts the libertarian constitutionalist notion that a broadranging liberty to do what one pleases so long as it doesn't directly enough hurt others is itself so important that it should be recognized as a constitutional right. That's pretty much a one-sentence summary of … [Read more...] about What I Don’t Like About the Supreme Court in One Sentence