King County (WA) Deputy Beats Girl, 15, on Video

A video showing a King County Sheriff‘s deputy pummeling a 15-year-old girl in a holding cell was released Friday over the strenuous objections of the officer’s attorney. The case goes beyond police misconduct, County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg said in a prepared statement. “It’s about criminal misconduct. And that’s why he needs to be prosecuted,” he [...]

Nebraska Court Upholds Firing of Trooper for Klan Link

The Nebraska Supreme Court on Friday upheld the firing of a State Patrol trooper for his ties to the Ku Klux Klan. Justice John Gerrard wrote that Robert Henderson voluntarily associated with an organization that uses violence and terror to oppose the state’s founding principles of equality and tolerance. Henderson, a trooper for 18 years, [...]

Rob Kampia interviewed on Glenn Beck Show 2/25/09

Marine suicide rate up, prompting more prevention training

Reporting from San Diego — Alarmed by a rising suicide rate among their troops, Marine officials announced Friday that all Marines, including those in Iraq and Afghanistan, will receive a two-hour suicide-prevention presentation next month. Commanders have been ordered to record three- to five-minute videos as part of the presentations. The sessions will remind troops [...]

Hersh: Children sodomized at Abu Ghraib, on tape

After Donald Rumsfeld testified on the Hill about Abu Ghraib in May, there was talk of more photos and video in the Pentagon‘s custody more horrific than anything made public so far. “If these are released to the public, obviously it’s going to make matters worse,” Rumsfeld said. Since then, the Washington Post has disclosed [...]

Wikileaks cracks NATO’s Master Narrative for Afghanistan

Wikileaks has cracked the encryption to a key document relating to the war in Afghanistan. The document, titled “NATO in Afghanistan: Master Narrative”, details the “story” NATO representatives are to give to, and to avoid giving to, journalists. The encrypted document, which is dated October 6, and believed to be current, can be found on [...]

US absentee at UN anti-racism confab

The US reportedly decides against participating in a UN-led anti-racism conference in Geneva following hectic Israeli attempts to denounce the event. On Friday, an unnamed US State Department official announced the decision for withdrawal from the conference which the two sides walked out on in 2001, Reuters reported. The 2001 conference held in Durban, South [...]

Not Blackwater, but Xe, as in Xena Warrior Princess

Blackwater has gone to ground–sort of.  In a move to apparently distance itself from its image as reckless cowboys that was etched into the world’s mind from the September 2007 Baghdad Nisoor Square shoots, Blackwater USA is once again rebranding itself.  It has changed its name (and presumably legal structure) to Xe.  (Pronounced, “Z” as [...]

DARPA Budget Information

FY 2009 Budget Estimates (2 MB .pdf) FY 2008 Budget Estimates (3.15 MB .pdf) FY 2007 Budget Estimates (4 MB .pdf) FY 2006/FY 2007 Descriptive Summaries (pdf) FY 2005 Descriptive Summaries (pdf) FY 2004 DARPA Descriptive Summaries (pdf) FY 2003 DARPA Descriptive Summaries (pdf) FY 2002 DARPA Descriptive Summaries (pdf) FY 2001 DARPA Descriptive Summaries [...]

New Army Field Manual on “Electronic Warfare in Operations” (FM 3-36) Released

A new Army Field Manual on “Electronic Warfare in Operations” (pdf) has been issued as part of “an overall effort by the Army to rebuild its internal Electronic Warfare capability.”  It also serves as a useful primer on the subject.  The new Field Manual, FM 3-36, has been approved for unrestricted release.

Focus on Fusion Centers –

The Department of Homeland Security has produced a new “Concept of Operations” (pdf) to define how the Department will support and oversee the network of dozens of “fusion centers” that have been established around the country.  The fusion centers are intended to promote a collaborative approach among federal, state and local authorities to combating terrorism [...]

Update on state sovereignty declarations

New World Liberty has posted the following as states who have passed sovereignty resolutions. [See CIVICS NEWS analysis here.]

Teachers Could Be Charged for Staging Pot Sting

Los Angeles, Calif. — Three administrators at Porter Middle School in Granada Hills were reassigned and could face criminal charges for allegedly using a student to conduct an informal marijuana sting against another student, police and school district officials said Wednesday. According to police, a student told school administrators last Wednesday about another student trying [...]

Marine gets 6 years for fatal DUI wreck

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Sgt. Evan Bunnell doesn’t remember the crash. He does remember getting into his pickup, after drinking about a dozen beers at different bars last summer, Bunnell told a military judge during his Feb. 26 court-martial at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Members of his command told Bunnell later that he hit a car [...]

2 Hood soldiers convicted in murder plot

WACO, Texas — Two Iraq war veterans face up to life in federal prison after being convicted Thursday of plotting to kill the wife of one of the soldiers. Jurors deliberated more than six hours before revealing their verdict to U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr. William Henry Foster, 22, of Washington, and Adam [...]

NSA aims to expand power: Eavesdropping agency looks to take over cybersecurity

The spy shop that brought you the Bush administration’s warrantless wiretapping program wants to expand its power under President Barack Obama, the nation’s top intelligence chief told Congress Wednesday, in a little-noticed intelligence grab. While acknowledging that many distrust the agency for its role in eavesdropping, Obama Director of National Intelligence Admiral Dennis Blair said [...]

Disgraced Senior CIA Official Heads to Prison Still Claiming He’s a Patriot

A judge wrapped up one of the most sordid and sprawling congressional scandals in American history Thursday when he sentenced Kyle “Dusty” Dustin Foggo, formerly the No. 3 official at the CIA, to just over three years in federal prison for defrauding the government. Foggo is one of eight people who have pleaded guilty or [...]

The CIA Family Jewels

Agency Violated Charter for 25 Years, Wiretapped Journalists and Dissidents Full Report Now Available and Full Text Searchable CIA Announces Declassification of 1970s “Skeletons” File, Archive Posts Justice Department Summary from 1975, With White House Memcons on Damage Control National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 222, Edited by Thomas Blanton For more information contact: [...]

Upland student teacher jailed for soliciting student, 14, for sex

A student teacher at an Upland middle school accused of soliciting a 14-year-old girl for sex was sentenced to 270 days in jail Wednesday after pleading no contest to attempted sexual battery. Daniel Harold Sundstrom, 47, often stared at the girl in class, offered her a ride home, and befriended her on MySpace before telling [...]

Justice Department will stop medical marijuana raids, Attorney General says

In a little-noticed remark Wednesday, Obama Attorney General Eric Holder said that the Justice Department will no longer raid medical marijuana dispensaries established under state laws but technically prohibited by the federal government. The decision marks a shift from the Bush Administration, which was more draconian in its approach to hunting those who sought to [...]

Marine charged with setting wildfire

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The Corps has charged an infantryman for allegedly starting an October fire that merged with another blaze and burned more than 4,000 acres at Camp Pendleton, Calif., threatening hundreds of homes both on and off the installation, officials said Wednesday. Lance Cpl. Nason G. Lamb, who enlisted in July 2008, is charged [...]

Feds charge former Marine with Obama threats

RALEIGH, N.C. — Federal prosecutors have charged a former Marine based at Camp Lejeune with threatening President Barack Obama before he took office. A spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Raleigh said Thursday a federal grand jury has returned an indictment against Kody Brittingham, 20. He is charged with making threats against the president-elect. [...]

Sheriff Arpaio ordered to pay more attorney fees in Arizona case

The Arizona Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio to pay additional attorney’s fees in the Tuscon Citizen’s open records case. The appellate court awarded the paper $29,403.65 in fees, which comes on top of the trial court’s award. Arpaio now owes a total of $54,644 in fees. The case stems from [...]

Soldier convicted in gang beating death

BERLIN — A U.S. soldier has been found guilty of participating in gang initiation rituals that caused the beating death of another soldier near a base in Germany. Pvt. Bobby D. Morrissette was also convicted on charges of impeding an investigation, impeding a trial by court-martial and willfully disobeying a superior commissioned officer, the military [...]

Deputy sentenced to five days in assault

A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office deputy convicted of disorderly conduct and assault was sentenced Monday to serve five days in jail and two years of unsupervised probation for punching another person in front of a Lake Havasu City bar last summer. Joseph J. Catalano II, 33, of California, was sentenced in Lake Havasu Consolidated [...]

Colton city employee charged with embezzlement

A payroll technician for the city of Colton has been arrested and charged with one count of embezzlement in connection with an estimated loss of $28,000, according to San Bernardino County Superior Court records filed last week. Carol Anne George, 53, is accused of taking the money between January 2006 and this month.

Court okays taxpayer suit on CA public records access

A state appellate court gave a Northern California couple the go-ahead to pursue a taxpayer lawsuit against several state and local agencies for policies restricting access to public records. The decision potentially could put some teeth in the California Public Records Act. That’s the law that says that public records belong to, well, the public. You [...]

Kirtland airman arrested on first degree murder

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An airman stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque has been arrested in connection with the death of a man who was run over outside a Texas nightclub. Frank Farias, 23, is awaiting extradition to Dallas after he was arrested Friday by Albuquerque police on a warrant that accuses him of [...]

Nellis airman and wife dead after standoff

An airman stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., and his wife were found dead of gunshot wounds Friday morning after a two-and-a-half hour standoff with police. Around 5:30 a.m. Friday, North Las Vegas police responded to reports a man was holding a gun to a woman’s head. Airman 1st Class Jason Klinkenberg responded to [...]

Wright-Patterson airman dead after police standoff

An airman stationed at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, was found dead early Tuesday morning after local police responded to a call of a potential suicide around 8 p.m. Monday, according to local press reports. The airman was identified by local Ohio authorities as Corey Bradley, 30.

International Narcotics Control Board Releases 2008 Report

Report of the International Narcotics Control Board for 2008 The International Narcotics Control Board has released the latest Report on international drug controls. The report begins with an overview of international drug control conventions, including history, achievements, challenges, and recommendations. It then explains the operation of the international drug control system, looking at narcotic drugs, [...]

U.S. Army To Buy $6 Million Of Riot Equipment

The U.S. Army is to invest $6 million in riot equipment, a fact that has furthered fears that troops will be used inside the U.S. in order to quell any civil unrest resulting from the ongoing economic crisis. The U.S. Army Contracting Agency, based at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, has a post on the Federal Business [...]

Ammiano Introduces California Bill to Decriminalize, Tax, Regulate Marijuana

California Assemblyman Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco) today introduced a bill to decriminalize, tax and regulate marijuana. Not medical marijuana — all marijuana. The bill number is AB 390. It does not seem to be available on leginfo yet, but presumably it will be soon. Quintin Mecke, communications director for Ammiano, said the measure would decriminalize [...]

Smith & Wesson Walther PPK/PPKS – IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL NOTICE – February 20, 2009

PRODUCT: Walther PPK and PPK/S pistols DESCRIPTION OF THE HAZARD: Smith & Wesson has identified a condition that may exist in certain PPK and PPK/S pistols which may permit a round to be discharged without the trigger being pulled. When the manual safety is disengaged, Smith & Wesson’s Product Engineering Group has determined that the [...]

Opposing the drug laws they enforce

When he’s working, Epping Police Officer Bradley Jardis is just like any other cop. He’s patrolling the streets to catch people with drugs because that’s what he’s supposed to do. But when he’s off the clock, this 28-year-old officer is speaking publicly about why he believes existing drug policies have failed and why it’s time [...]

New U.S. Interagency Counterinsurgency Guide

U.S. Government Counterinsurgency Guide The State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, in coordination with a number of other Federal Departments and Agencies, has released the U.S. Government Counterinsurgency (COIN) Guide. It is complementary to the Army/Marine Corps COIN Field Manual and provides a basic COIN overview for civilian policy makers. “This Guide, the first of [...]

Atlanta Officers in Botched Raid Face Sentencing

A sentencing hearing is set for three former Atlanta police officers who have pleaded guilty to a federal conspiracy charge in connection with the death of an elderly woman during a botched drug raid. Jason R. Smith, Gregg Junnier and Arthur Tesler are set to appear in federal court at 10 a.m. Monday for sentencing [...]

Eielson airman on trial for attempted murder of wife

FAIRBANKS, Alaska — A 32-year-old Eielson Air Force Base airman is on trial for attempted murder, but the first state trooper to investigate testified he saw no indication that the victim had been choked. Airman Joseph Basom is charged with trying to kill his wife in August at their North Pole home. According to investigators, [...]

GI had offered to plead guilty in fragging case

ALBANY, N.Y. — Documents show the prosecution declined a soldier’s signed offer to plead guilty and go to prison for the 2005 killing of two officers at a base in Iraq. Staff Sgt. Alberto Martinez was honorably discharged last month. He faced a possible death penalty but was acquitted by a military jury in December [...]

US Soldier Gets Life for Iraqi Slayings

A U.S. soldier has been sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole for his role in the execution-style slayings of four Iraqi prisoners. A U.S. military jury on Friday convicted 28-year-old Sergeant Michael Leahy of premeditated murder in the 2007 killings in Baghdad. Authorities say the Iraqi men were handcuffed, blindfolded and [...]

San Bernardino County Official Discloses Gifts Amid Corruption Probe

Jim Erwin, Chief of Staff for San Bernardino County Supervisor Neil Derry now says that he received a $13,000 Rolex and a trip to New York City as compensation for consulting work he performed over a six-month period for Colonies Partners, a developer at one time engaged in a protracted and expensive legal battle with [...]

Ecuador says expelled diplomat was ‘CIA chief’

The US diplomat Ecuador expelled from the country earlier this week was a CIA station chief, President Rafael Correa said on Saturday. “Last week we expelled the US embassy’s (Mark) Sullivan from the country. He was, let’s be clear, the director of the CIA in Ecuador,” Correa told his weekly radio and television show. Sullivan– [...]

Police Assault Woman Who Called for Help; Sue News Station Who Exposes Them

Western Washington University Students Defeat Military Recruiters

On February 12th 2009, WWU students won a significant victory against military recruiters by collecting more than 50 pounds of recruiter materials in trash bags, worth more than $1000. For immediate release: On Thursday February 12 we scored a significant victory for freedom of speech and assembly on campus. The administrators of Western Washington University’s [...]

Tests blamed for blighting children’s lives

Landmark study of primary schools calls for teachers to be freed of targets Children’s lives are being impoverished by the government’s insistence that schools focus on literacy and numeracy at the expense of creative teaching, the biggest review of the primary school curriculum in 40 years finds today.

Former S.F. Supe Silver Resigns From Sheriff’s Department, Cites Desire to Legalize Drugs — ALL Drugs

The old commercial used to show an egg sizzling in a pan and note “This is your brain on drugs — any questions?” We always wondered how they knew we like our brains sunny-side up. But former San Francisco Supervisor has a better question — why are you wasting everyone’s time? Carol Ruth Silver announced [...]

Wisconsin soldier refuses to return to Iraq

MILWAUKEE — A Wisconsin Army Reservist refused to leave Friday to return to his unit in Iraq, saying he’s become disillusioned with the U.S. role there. Spc. Kristoffer Walker of Green Bay said he sent an e-mail to his squad leader, platoon sergeant and company first sergeant in Iraq, stating he won’t return from his [...]

Palm Beach Sheriff Plans To Draw Blood At DUI Checkpoints

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Drunken drivers beware: If you drink and drive, especially during the last weekend of February, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office and other area law enforcement will be out for blood. PBSO deputies plan to set up driving under the influence checkpoints. If they suspect a driver is under the [...]

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA PARTNERS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

The Boy Scouts of America has announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Ready Kids, a family-friendly program designed to increase the level of citizen preparedness nationwide by motivating and helping parents and teachers to educate children about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Ready Kids is a public-awareness campaign [...]

Latvia’s Government Falls

Latvia‘s center-right coalition government collapsed Friday, a victim of the country’s growing economic and political turmoil and the second European government, after Iceland, to disintegrate because of the international financial crisis. The government in Riga, faced with forecasts of a severe drop in the economy this year, was the first in Eastern Europe to succumb to [...]