Family Values

Here are three articles lately that have caught my attention for the common thread that they are very likely to effect our children.

Supreme Court upholds gun-control law
The 7-2 decision strips the right of anyone convicted of a domestic violence crimes -- including a misdemeanor -- to own a firearm.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-supreme-court-guns25-2009feb25,0,3038861.story

Jailing Kids for Cash
The two judges pleaded guilty in a stunning case of greed and corruption that is still unfolding. Judges Mark A. Ciavarella Jr. and Michael T. Conahan received $2.6 million in kickbacks while imprisoning children who often had no access to a lawyer.

http://www.truthout.org/021909J

A 15-year old girl is beaten up, allegedly by a Washington State Sheriff's deputy right in a City Hall holding cell. The video of the event is suppressed until now.

It's difficult to believe, but the tape was locked up for three months since her arrest, until a judge ordered it be released to the public. And the girl who was in the video, accused of stealing a car, has never filed a formal complaint against Schene and is not talking with anyone about the incident.

Schene's attorney Ann Bremner says the tape - which has no audio - doesn't tell the whole story and severely impacts the deputy's right to a fair trial. But she admits Schene has also been involved in two shootings, including one fatal, during his eight years on the force. An inquest jury ruled Schene's fatal shooting of a man on Interstate 5 was justified. He's now on paid administrative leave.

The reason the tape actually surfaced is that another sheriff's department detective saw it and reported it to her superiors. The other deputy did not report the incident - and since he was in training, the department says he is not involved in the case.

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/268299#tab=comments&sc=&local=

Better quality of the video here on a Swedish newspaper:

http://www.aftonbladet.se/webbtv/nyheter/utrikes/article4530680.ab