Man Wants to Claim Necessity Defense in Abortion Case: A CBS/AP story reports that Scott Roeder is seeking ways to use the necessity defense for his trial for the murder of abortion provider Dr. George Tiller. Roeder is charged with one count of premeditated murder in Tiller's death and two counts of aggravated assault for allegedly threatening two ushers during the May 31 melee in the foyer of the doctor's Wichita church. Roeder wants to argue at trial that the killing was justified to save the lives of unborn children. The necessity defense has been sought before, yet rarely been successful in abortion cases. District Judge Warren Wilbert will rule later today on whether Roeder can use the necessity defense. Update: the AP reports that the judge has rejected Roeder's request, ruling that the necessity is not viable under Kansas law.
Experts Puzzled Over Low Crime During Recession: Contra Costa Times writer Stacia Glenn and the Associated Press report that experts are wondering why the crime rate has not increased as the national recession leaves more people unemployed. Preliminary figures gathered by the FBI show that for the first six months of 2009, crime has fallen in cities like Fontana and Victorvile. Nationwide, violent crime fell by 4.4 percent and property crimes dropped by 6.1 percent. For decades, the conventional wisdom among progressives is that unemployment is one of the root causes of crime, which led to the belief that the 2009 job losses would cause crime to soar. Interestingly enough, the crime rate has not been this low since the 1960s.
Oakland Police Focus on Guns, Gangs, and Drugs: San Francisco Chronicle writer Chip Johnson reports that the Oakland Police Department has a new focus on what they call the "Big Three"- guns, gangs, and drugs. Chief Anthony Batts wants a chance to be the leader that helps decrease the crime rate in Oakland. Others have attempted this task, like former Mayor Jerry Brown and current Mayor Ron Dellums, but their efforts failed. Batts wants to use technology to aid intelligence gathering, which can lead to better deployment of the city's understaffed police department. Instead of blanket suppression, Chief Batts is targeting specific offenders who cause most crime, a process he knows will not be an easy one. The only thing Batts needs now is the support of local elected officials.
State Budget Problems Halt Development of Sex-Offender Facility: The Associated Press reports that construction of a Connecticut treatment center for sex offenders on parole or probation has been put on hold due to the state's budget problems. Now, sex offenders let out of prison have nowhere to go. Ransome Lee Moody was ordered by a judge to report to the facility, approved by the state legislature last year, as a condition of his probation. Now, he will be monitored with a GPS device and be required to report seven days a week to a program for training in life skills. Moody is considered so dangerous and untreatable that requests to eight other states to place him in one of their residential facilities have been denied. State Rep. Micheal P. Lawlor said, "I realize that tough decisions have to be made but if I was governor, I would put a secure facility up and running for (Moody) and others like him who could potentially be a threat to public safety."
Experts Puzzled Over Low Crime During Recession: Contra Costa Times writer Stacia Glenn and the Associated Press report that experts are wondering why the crime rate has not increased as the national recession leaves more people unemployed. Preliminary figures gathered by the FBI show that for the first six months of 2009, crime has fallen in cities like Fontana and Victorvile. Nationwide, violent crime fell by 4.4 percent and property crimes dropped by 6.1 percent. For decades, the conventional wisdom among progressives is that unemployment is one of the root causes of crime, which led to the belief that the 2009 job losses would cause crime to soar. Interestingly enough, the crime rate has not been this low since the 1960s.
Oakland Police Focus on Guns, Gangs, and Drugs: San Francisco Chronicle writer Chip Johnson reports that the Oakland Police Department has a new focus on what they call the "Big Three"- guns, gangs, and drugs. Chief Anthony Batts wants a chance to be the leader that helps decrease the crime rate in Oakland. Others have attempted this task, like former Mayor Jerry Brown and current Mayor Ron Dellums, but their efforts failed. Batts wants to use technology to aid intelligence gathering, which can lead to better deployment of the city's understaffed police department. Instead of blanket suppression, Chief Batts is targeting specific offenders who cause most crime, a process he knows will not be an easy one. The only thing Batts needs now is the support of local elected officials.
State Budget Problems Halt Development of Sex-Offender Facility: The Associated Press reports that construction of a Connecticut treatment center for sex offenders on parole or probation has been put on hold due to the state's budget problems. Now, sex offenders let out of prison have nowhere to go. Ransome Lee Moody was ordered by a judge to report to the facility, approved by the state legislature last year, as a condition of his probation. Now, he will be monitored with a GPS device and be required to report seven days a week to a program for training in life skills. Moody is considered so dangerous and untreatable that requests to eight other states to place him in one of their residential facilities have been denied. State Rep. Micheal P. Lawlor said, "I realize that tough decisions have to be made but if I was governor, I would put a secure facility up and running for (Moody) and others like him who could potentially be a threat to public safety."
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