Dear Members of the Palo Alto City Council and All Concerned Citizens beyond: The Peninsula Peace and Justice Center–(I’m a long time member)–wants to move to amend the constitution to reverse the holding in the recent, U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens United v The Federal Elections Commission (2010) I am taking the opposite position...
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Here come’s the judge…….The Weekly pulls the endorsement plug on Steven Pogue…………..Who’s next??? (1) What is Sevely’s view on …. issue? I bet she will be non-responsive!!  HAS THE WEEKLY CALLED HER RE HER VIEW or are they –the Weekly not endorsing anyone for this judicial position? *** I am copying Sevely in on this...
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On April 19, 2012 New York federal Judge Kimba Wood dismissed an indictment against 80-year old Julian P. Heicklen for alleged jury tampering in the case against him for handing out materials to members of the public regarding the right of jurors to apply the historic doctrine of jury nullification. Nullification is the right of...
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Attorney Tom Nolan, you’re the man–well sort of!!   What’s the old saying re cross–examination–something like–cross–examination is the greatest engine ever designed to secure the truth!  And–if my courtroom recollections and observations of you over the years–serves me correctly–Tom Nolan–you are one of the best in the business at digging the truth out of even the...
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Angela Corey I support the call for justice for Trayvon Martin and his family. I want the truth of this case to be pursued–in a public courtroom for all of America–and the entire world to see. I am a retired public defender and spent 25 years in the courtroom representing indigent individuals charged with...
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With the national spotlight already intensely focused on the murder of the unarmed African-American youth Trayvon Martin-age19—at the hands of a neighborhood vigilante– by the name of George Zimmerman—another equally troubling murder of an unarmed African–American male–68 year-old Kenneth Chamberlain—a former marine and corrections officer–this time by members of  the White Plains New York  Police Department–has started...
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Supreme court Justices approve Strip-Searches for Any Offense—no matter how minor, i.e. violation of a leash law—without requiring probable cause. The US Supreme Court today –in a 5-4 decision (Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders of County of Burlington) —ripped at the heart of our of 4th Amendment –our right to be free of...
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April 1, 2012 Dear Westchester County District Attorney Janet DiFiore: This is an outrageous case of police brutality and murder of a proud former marine, retired correction’s worker (20 years in law enforcement), and a senior citizen who was simply sleeping in his own house– when his heart alert warning device went off accidentally....
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First and foremost Ray Samuels was my dear friend—his sudden and unexpected passing has saddened me to the core (Ray died on February 17, 2012.) I think what stands-out most for me about Ray Samuels are his humble qualities – his decency as a human being, his lust for life and learning and his...
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From the archives – Publication Date: Friday, April 08, 2005 Police watchdog threatens lawsuit He says mayor chilled his free speech during February meeting by Bill D’Agostino Aram James, a former public defender and a vocal critic of the Palo Alto Police Department, threatened to sue the city this week, alleging Mayor Jim Burch...
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