Racial hate group activity on increase in region

Fueled by anger over the economy, immigration and the election of President Barack Obama, white supremacists have been increasing in number in the Inland region and throughout California during the past year, local and national experts say.
The Southern Poverty Law Center, which tracks hate activity, reports 84 known hate [...]

Justices Rule Lab Analysts Must Testify on Results

WASHINGTON — Crime laboratory reports may not be used against criminal defendants at trial unless the analysts responsible for creating them give testimony and subject themselves to cross-examination, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday in a 5-to-4 decision.
The ruling was an extension of a 2004 decision that breathed new life into [...]

Tension grows over Riverside police review panel

That was the hope when Riverside created a civilian panel to watch over its police department nearly 10 years ago.
But critics contend that “meddling” by city officials has compromised the Community Police Review Commission’s independence and could erode public confidence in its watchdog role.
Tensions reached a high in recent months when [...]

Ending the Drug War Would End the Violence

The news media are rife with stories about Mexican drug cartels operating throughout the United States and drug-related violence threatening U.S. cities near the border. Americans are becoming reluctant to cross into Mexican towns for fear of getting caught in the crossfire.
Do we need another reason to end the [...]

Inland police adjust to vehicle search limits set by Supreme Court

Inland police agencies may have to revamp some policies in the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that limited officers’ ability to search the vehicle of someone they have arrested who poses no threat.
Some Inland officials say there will be little impact on the ability of police to do [...]

Lab ordered to turn over list of cases handled by analyst under investigation

A Riverside County judge ordered a forensics laboratory on Wednesday to disclose a list of more than 3,700 Riverside County criminal cases that were handled by a lab analyst whose work is the subject of a multistate investigation.
In an Indio courtroom, Judge Jorge C. Hernandez ordered Riverside-based Bio-Tox Laboratories to [...]

San Bernardino County Scandal Spills Into Riverside County

The San Bernardino County’s District Attorney’s investigation into public corruption has led to three resignations and arrests.
Republican party political operative Adam Aleman was the first to be arrested following his resignation as an Assistant Assessor to then San Bernardino County Assessor Bill Postmus.
After Aleman’s arrest and his cooperation with investigators, [...]

Lawsuit filed over refusal to issue medical marijuana card

[ San Bernardino County has so whored itself to the military- and prison-industrial complexes that the will of its people is of no concern to its government. ]
SAN BERNARDINO – About 20 people from all points of San Bernardino County met in front of a San Bernardino courthouse Monday [...]

Public defender study: Riverside County juries siding with defendants

The Riverside County public defender’s office says its own study of trial outcomes in 2006 and 2007 shows jurors are deciding more often in favor of defendants, and attribute it to prosecutors overcharging criminal cases.
A ranking district attorney official says the numbers are being manipulated, and the [...]