Supreme Court Approves Strip-Searches for Anyone, Anytime

supreme court ruling allows sexual degradation of women, youth and transfolk, enables cops to strip-search anyone without cause – even people not charged with any offence, or charged with an offence which does not lead to jail time. this is such a grievous violation of individual rights that it is illegal in some states, and in violation of international human rights treaties. the u.s. is close to becoming the most repressive government in world history...

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled by a 5-to-4 vote that officials may strip-search people arrested for any offense, however minor, before admitting them to jails even if the officials have no reason to suspect the presence of contraband.

Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, joined by the court’s conservative wing, wrote that courts are in no position to second-guess the judgments of correctional officials who must consider not only the possibility of smuggled weapons and drugs, but also public health and information about gang affiliations.

“Every detainee who will be admitted to the general population may be required to undergo a close visual inspection while undressed,” Justice Kennedy wrote, adding that about 13 million people are admitted each year to the nation’s jails.

The procedures endorsed by the majority are forbidden by statute in at least 10 states and are at odds with the policies of federal authorities. According to a supporting brief filed by the American Bar Association, international human rights treaties also ban the procedures.

via Justices Approve Strip-Searches for Any Offense – NYTimes.com.

fifth circuit judges ask obama to clarify his position re: their constitutional duties

A panel of Circuit Court judges, reacting to President Obama’s questioning of federal courts’ authority to strike down some or all of the new health care law, on Tuesday demanded that the government spell out its intentions if a court should do so. In a brief order, the Fifth Circuit Court ordered a Justice Department lawyer to file a letter by midday tomorrow on the issue.

The order refers only to oral comments made at a Tuesday hearing by Circuit Judge Jerry E.  Smith, testing a Justice Department lawyer directly on the comments the President made to reporters at the White House on Monday.  (CBS News, in this news article, has a link to the oral argument audio and a full description of what Judge Smith had said, and the government lawyer’s response.)

from scotusblog

mapuche community under attack for defending themselves against settler violence

Hours after a police officer shot during a search of a Mapuche Indian community in the southern region of Araucania died of his wounds, Chilean officials announced a special committee to address the problem of violence in the area.

Sgt. Hugo Albornoz of the Carabineros – Chile’s militarized national police – died Monday night at the hospital in Temuco, Araucania Gov. Andres Molina said.

The sergeant was shot while providing cover for a search of the Mapuche community of Wente Winkul Mapu, commanders said.

Werken.cl, a Web site associated with Mapuche activists, said residents of Wente Winkul Mapu have been trying to recover Indian land currently held by three forestry companies and land baron Juan de Dios Fuentes.

Monday’s search came two days after at least six hooded men shot at a Carabineros post set up to protect Fuentes’ estate.

The head of the Carabineros, Gustavo Gonzalez, told reporters at the scene of Albornoz’s fatal shooting called the assault an ambush and said that two other officers were wounded.

via Latin American Herald Tribune – Chilean Cop Shot During Search of Indian Community Dies.

of course, when corporations and wealthy landowners steal from and murder indigenous people, the media takes little notice. when the threatened communities fight back, they are terrorists.

according to liberacion total, ten houses were ransacked by the thugs in uniform – which included members of the GOPA – the special operations unit of the police forces. all that was found were a shotgun and a balaclava – enough “evidence” to detain two women who occupied the houses where the offensive hunting weapon and mask were found.

the article goes on to say that the local mapuche community has been fighting to prevent the racist land owner and timber companies from illegally taking mapuche land.

Sargento de carabineros muere tras ser baleado durante allanamiento a comunidad mapuche en La Araucanía

 

chinese leader criticizes central bank

“Frankly, our banks make profits far too easily,” China National Radio quoted Wen as telling local businesses at a roundtable discussion, Reuters reported. “Why? Because a small number of major banks occupy a monopoly position, meaning one can only go to them for loans and capital.”

 Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China said on Tuesday that the nation’s biggest state-run banks have too much power and ought to be broken up because they earn far too much money.

Prime Minister Wen Jiabao of China during a recent news conference in Beijing.

The remarks, delivered during a national radio address while the prime minister was traveling in southern China, were unusually bold and appeared to be a direct challenge to others in the nation’s Communist Party leadership to speed up reforms of the nation’s financial system.