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More Tyranny in America: Judge Rules First Amendment Has No Authority

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Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla

Photo Credit: Chip Somodevilla

America has fallen off the cliff into the abyss of tyranny. The signs are numerous. From unconstitutional laws that directly contradict Second Amendment gun rights to a rogue federal agency that routinely spies on all citizens to Supreme Court judges who create law out of thin air, it has become abundantly clear that none of the liberties that are supposed to be protected by the Constitution are in fact being protected.

The primary purpose of the Constitution is to safeguard the rights of citizens from oppressive government and from the tyranny of majority rule. The fact that in the current Court system, and in Congress, and in the White House these safeguards no longer apply means that the Constitution has been rendered impotent, meaningless, and invalid.

The latest case in point is a California case in which a citizen is being tried in court on charges that state prosecutors say could land him in prison for 13 years. His crime? He engaged in propagating negative messages about the Bank of America.

The Bank of America, it is to be remembered, was one of the large financial institutions that received tax payer funded bailouts in order to stay afloat in 2008-09. According to financial expert and talk radio host Dave Ramsey, Bank of America is one of the most inept and poorly managed banks in the country, along with Morgan Chase, Citigroup, and Goldman Sachs.

As an individual citizen who is endowed with the unalienable right of free speech, California resident Jeff Olson began scrawling anti-megabank messages in water soluble chalk on sidewalks last year in San Diego. For this he was charged with vandalism.

Read more from this story HERE.

Zimmerman Trial: Judge Allows Prosecutors to use Inflammatory “Wannabe Cop” and “Vigilante” to Describe Defendant

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Photo Credit: Gary W. Green/AP

Photo Credit: Gary W. Green/AP

Zimmerman prosecutors can use terms “profiling” and “vigilante”

By David Ovalle. The terms “profiling,” “wannabe cop” and “vigilante” will be permitted in opening statements Monday by prosecutors in the George Zimmerman trial, a judge ruled Friday.

Seminole Circuit Judge Debra S. Nelson, however, warned prosecutors to stay away from the more specific term “racial profiling.”

Defense lawyers had asked that the prosecution be prohibited from using the terms because they were “inflammatory.” But the judge said prosecutors can describe what they believe the evidence will show.

“We don’t intend to say he was solely profiled because of race,” prosecutor John Guy agreed, pointing out people can be profiled because of age or attire.

Nelson made the ruling during a brief court hearing Friday morning in preparation for Monday’s opening statements in the closely watched murder trial. Zimmerman is charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin of Miami Gardens. Read more from this story HERE.

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Zimmerman family reacts to judge’s exclusion of expert audio testimony

By Chuck Ross. Robert Zimmerman, Jr., the brother of George Zimmerman, released an exclusive statement to The Daily Caller Saturday on Judge Debra Nelson’s decision today to exclude testimony from two state expert witnesses, stating that he and the Zimmerman family “respect the court’s ruling and are relieved the confusion that would have ensued by presenting the State’s witnesses will be avoided altogether.”

Judge Nelson issued a written ruling Saturday morning excluding the testimony of Tom Owen and Dr. Alan Reich, which pertained to the identity of a voice heard screaming in the background of the 911 phone call — the same phone call that captured the sound of the gunshot that killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin.

The identity of the person screaming is crucial in determining whether Zimmerman’s claim that he shot Martin in self-defense is true. Read more from this story HERE.

Obama Promised Consequences to Military Sex Assault, Now Won’t Get Any Because of His “Unlawful Command Influence”

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Photo Credit: OLIVIER DOULIERY

Two defendants in military sexual assault cases cannot be punitively discharged, if found guilty, because of “unlawful command influence” derived from comments made by President Barack Obama, a judge ruled in a Hawaii military court this week.

Navy Judge Cmdr. Marcus Fulton ruled during pretrial hearings in two sexual assault cases — U.S. vs. Johnson and U.S. vs. Fuentes — that comments made by Obama as commander in chief would unduly influence any potential sentencing, according to a court documents obtained by Stars and Stripes.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Fulton approved the pretrial defense motions, which used as evidence comments that Obama made about sexual assault at a May 7 news conference.

“The bottom line is: I have no tolerance for this,” Obama said, according to an NBC News story submitted as evidence by defense attorneys in the sexual assault cases.

‘I expect consequences,” Obama added. “So I don’t just want more speeches or awareness programs or training, but ultimately folks look the other way. If we find out somebody’s engaging in this, they’ve got to be held accountable — prosecuted, stripped of their positions, court martialed, fired, dishonorably discharged. Period.”

Read more from this story HERE.

Court Order: Generic Morning-After Pills Must Be On Sale to All Ages in US, Without Restriction

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Photo Credit: AP

Generic versions of emergency contraception can be sold without a prescription or age restrictions while the federal government appeals a judge’s ruling allowing the sales, an appeals court said Wednesday.

The brief order issued by the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan permitted two-pill versions of emergency contraception to immediately be sold without restrictions, but the court refused to allow unrestricted sales of Plan B One-Step until it decides the merits of the government’s appeal. It did not specify why the two-pill versions were being allowed now, though it said the government failed to meet the requirements necessary to block the lower-court decision.

The order was welcomed by the Center for Reproductive Rights, where President Nancy Northup called it a “historic day for women’s health.”

“Finally, after more than a decade of politically motivated delays, women will no longer have to endure intrusive, onerous and medically unnecessary restrictions to get emergency contraception,” she said in a statement.

The center’s litigation director, Julie Rickelman, said the government has two weeks to decide whether to appeal the 2nd Circuit’s decision on the stay to the full appeals court or the Supreme Court. Even if there is no appeal of the stay ruling, it was unclear how soon drugstores would move the two-pill emergency contraception from behind the counter. She said she hoped the pills would be available without restriction within a month.

Read more from this story HERE.

Alaska’s Revolving Door Justice at Work: Convict Charged in Elderly Couple’s Murder, Infant’s Rape

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Photo Credit: AP/ADNIn 2009, Jerry Andrew Active was charged with multiple felony counts surrounding a sexual assault on an eleven year old girl. With the blessing of Judge Vanessa White, a Murkowski appointee, he pled out his case and received three years to serve for attempted felony sexual abuse of a child. Additionally, he was convicted of felony assault on a child as well as criminal trespass.

Judge White also imposed four years of suspended time on the condition of Active’s compliance with all probation terms, including good behavior.

In Alaska, a defendant is only required to serve two-thirds of his sentence as long as he doesn’t get in trouble while incarcerated. After Active was released in 2012, he managed to violate his probation on multiple occasions. The State of Alaska filed petitions to revoke his probation and a new judge, Gregory Miller, required Active to serve 120 days of his suspended sentence in January. When he violated conditions again, Judge Miller required Active to serve an additional 150 days in March.

Because Active received credit for time served, he was out of jail again this month. And here’s what allegedly happened:

A man who has been charged with killing an elderly Alaska couple and raping their 2-year-old great-granddaughter is a registered sex offender convicted of breaking into a home and assaulting an 11-year-old girl four years ago.

Jerry Andrew Active, 24, was convicted in 2010 of assaulting the girl near Dillingham, Alaska, while her family slept.

Authorities say that on Saturday, Active broke into the apartment home of Touch Chea, 71, and his wife Sorn Sreap, 73, and beat the couple to death. He also raped Sreap, police said.

He was still inside the residence when their grandson, his pregnant wife and son arrived. The grandson, Von Seng, fought Active, but the assailant managed to flee. He was arrested nearby only wearing boxer shorts, authorities said.

“He took the old, the innocent,” Seng told the Anchorage Daily News. “Come face me.”

The Daily Mail reported that the injuries sustained were gruesome:

The two-year-old was taken to hospital for a forensic physical examination, and it was discovered that she had also been physically assaulted.

She was taken to a hospital where she underwent surgery for her injuries.

Investigators were affected by the brutality and the ages of the victims, police department spokeswoman Anita Shell said.

‘They said this was the worst thing they had ever seen in their lives, and these are seasoned detectives,’ Shell said.

Judge Rules Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Office Racially Profiles Latinos

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Photo Credit: Ross D. FranklinA federal judge has ruled that the office of America’s self-proclaimed toughest sheriff systematically singled out Latinos in its trademark immigration patrols, marking the first finding by a court that the agency racially profiles people.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Murray Snow in Phoenix backs up years of allegations from Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s critics who say his officers violate the constitutional rights of Latinos in relying on race in their immigration enforcement.

Snow, whose ruling Friday came more than eight months after a seven-day, non-jury trial, also ruled Arpaio’s deputies unreasonably prolonged the detentions of people who were pulled over.

The ruling marks a thorough repudiation of the immigration patrols that made Arpaio a national political figure, and it represents a victory for those who pushed the lawsuit.

“For too long the sheriff has been victimizing the people he’s meant to serve with his discriminatory policy,” said Cecillia D. Wang, director of the ACLU Immigrants’ Right Project. “Today we’re seeing justice for everyone in the county.” Read more from this story HERE.

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Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio to appeal ruling in racial profiling case

By Fox News. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio will appeal a federal judge’s ruling that his agency systematically singled out Latinos in its trademark immigration patrols, marking the first finding by a court that the agency racially profiles people.

Tim Casey, the lead attorney representing America’s self-proclaimed toughest sheriff in the case, said an appeal of the finding that the agency racially profiles people was planned in the next 30 days.

The decision by U.S. District Judge Murray Snow in Phoenix backs up years of allegations from Arpaio’s critics who say his officers violate the constitutional rights of Latinos in relying on race in their immigration enforcement.

Snow, whose ruling came more than eight months after a seven-day, non-jury trial, also ruled Arpaio’s deputies unreasonably prolonged the detentions of people who were pulled over.

The ruling marks a thorough repudiation of the immigration patrols that made Arpaio a national political figure, and it represents a victory for those who pushed the lawsuit. Read more from this story HERE.

Texas Judge Rules for Cheerleaders in Bible Banner Suit

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Photo Credit: APA judge ruled Wednesday that cheerleaders at a Southeast Texas high school can display banners emblazoned with Bible verses at football games.

But the ruling might not have settled the issue of whether the banners are protected free speech, according to an attorney for the cheerleaders’ school district.

State District Judge Steven Thomas determined the Kountze High School cheerleaders’ banners are constitutionally permissible. In the ruling, Thomas determined that no law “prohibits cheerleaders from using religious-themed banners at school sporting events.”

The Kountze school district had initially said the banners could not be displayed after receiving a complaint about them in September from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The foundation argued the banners violated the so-called First Amendment Establishment Clause that bars government — or publicly funded school districts in this case — from establishing or endorsing a religion.

Thomas ruled that the establishment clause does not prohibit the use of such religious-themed banners at school sporting events.

Read more from this story HERE.

Kermit Gosnell Murder Trial Jury Reaches No Verdict Again After Two Days

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Photo Credit: LifeNewsThe jury in the Kermit Gosnell murder trial deliberated for a second day today and ended the day with no verdict. However, member of the jury actively informed themselves of laws that are applicable to the case and asked for information and assistance from the judge.

If sentenced for the convictions, Gosnell could face the death penalty following the convictions by the jury in Common Pleas Court in Philadelphia.

Under Pennsylvania law, all 12 of the jurors must reach a unanimous verdict on any of the murder counts Gosnell faces for him to be convicted on any of them. Each of the elements of a charged crime must be proven to each juror beyond reasonable doubt for that juror to vote to convict on that count and one reluctant juror could lead to a mistrial on any of the first-degree murder charges.

Since prosecutors are pursuing the death penalty in the case, the jury will only be deciding whether Gosnell is guilty related to the charges. If convicted, a second jury will be impaneled to determine sentencing under the penalty phase of the trial. During this phase, the judge has already instructed jurors to only consider guilt or innocence.

Given the number of charges Gosnell faces, and the fact that Gosnell has a co-defendant the jury is considering for conviction as well, the jury make take a longer period of time to arrive at a verdict on each of the 250-plus charges.

Read more from this story HERE.

Must Watch Video: Judge Jeanine Pirro Hammers 'Terrorist Family' that Brought US Boston Bombings

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In this seven minute monologue (worth watching every minute), Fox’s Judge Jeanine Pirro lets the Chechen mother of the alleged Boston Bombers have it.

First, Judge Pirro goes through a collage of interviews with the “mother of jihadists,” showing her ranting about the U.S. and her children.

Pirro then talks about the welfare, protections of the US Constitution, and other benefits showered on the Chechen mom and her children by Americans.

She then concludes that the terrorist family should have its citizenship stripped and be subjected to military tribunals.

The final four minutes of the video is a discussion between Pirro and former CIA agent, Mike Baker.

Tenn. Woman Gets 51 Years in Newborn Twins Deaths

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Photo Credit: EtanSivad[The 26-year old mother, Lindsey Lowe,] gave birth to the twin boys in the bathroom of her parents’ home in an upper-middle-class neighborhood in Hendersonville, about 20 miles northeast of Nashville on the night of Sept. 12, 2011. She told police she smothered them and placed them in a laundry basket so that her parents would not hear their cries. Lowe’s parents found one of the babies two days later and alerted police…

In ordering the maximum sentence on the child abuse charges, [Judge Dee David] Gay said he found Lowe to be untruthful and selfish and called it a tragedy that so many people believe her version of events.

Gay said Lowe’s statement in a letter to the judge claiming she did not know she was pregnant was “not credible,” and he chided her for writing that the babies’ father had date-raped her.

“Just how in the world is that relevant?” he asked. “And is it supposed to devalue the lives of these children?…There are real serious problems in you taking responsibility for what you did.”

Gay quoted Focus on the Family founder James Dobson saying, “Our children are the true wealth of any nation” and added that we cannot become “a child-killing society that views children as burdens rather than blessings.”

Read more from this story HERE.