An Iranian court has sentenced rapper Toomaj Salehi to death after finding him guilty of "corruption on Earth." Salehi has been arrested multiple times for his songs about the government's corruption and stifling of dissent.
Brickbat: Sign, Sign, Everywhere a Sign
In England, a judge has ruled that London's Metropolitan Police cannot bar Niyak Ghorbani from attending pro-Palestinian protests. Ghorbani, an Iranian dissident, has become famous for attending such protests while carrying a sign that reads "Hamas is terrorist." He has been arrested by Met police three times at those protests. At his last arrest, he did not have the sign, but he was arrested for refusing to stand where a police officer told him. After that arrest, the police gave him a piece of paper saying that one of his bail conditions was "not to attend any protest relating to Israel or Palestine in the City of Westminster." The judge said that condition was not "necessary or proportionate."
Brickbat: Close Enough for the Feds
Federal agents arrested Penny McCarthy at gunpoint outside her home in Phoenix. They insisted that she was Carole Anne Rozak, a fugitive wanted on a 1999 warrant for probation violation in Oklahoma. At first, the U.S. Marshals Service said McCarthy's fingerprints matched Rozak's, but they later admitted the prints did not match, and a judge dropped all charges against McCarthy. A Phoenix TV station reports that the Marshals Service blamed a glitch for the initial fingerprint misidentification. In later court filings the service said that Rozak had stolen McCarthy's maiden name, blaming the mix-up on that. But McCarthy said they have refused to provide her with any information that links Rozak to her identity. "I no longer trust the people who govern me," she said.
Brickbat: Baby, You Can't Drive Your Car
German Transport Minister Volker Wissing has warned lawmakers he will ban driving on weekends if they cannot agree to a planned amendment to the nation's Climate Protection Act. Wissing said that is the only way to meet the emissions goals called for in the law. Negotiations over the amendment have stalled over whether the government should look at overall carbon dioxide emissions and allow the government to decide what actions to take if they don't meet targets for two years in a row or whether it should set individual standards for each sector of the economy. Julia Verlinden of the Green Party said that rather than ban weekend driving if an agreement can't be reached, Wissing could reduce the speed limit.
Brickbat: Bus Stopped
Littleton, Colorado, police have arrested Kiarra Jones on charges of third-degree assault for crimes against an at-risk juvenile. Video captured Jones, a paraprofessional with Littleton Public Schools,
Brickbat: Stop the Music
A Belarusian court has sentenced the members of dissident rock band Nizkiz to two years of prison labor after finding them guilty of "organizing and plotting actions grossly violating public order." After President Alexander Lukashenko won a sixth term in the country's disputed 2020 election, mass protests broke out. Nizkiz released the song "Rules," which became a protest anthem, and filmed the song's music video at the site of one of those demonstrations. The government also placed the band on its official registry of extremists, effectively banning its music and making its fans targets for prosecution.
Brickbat: Who's Counting?
An estimated 171,000 Californians are homeless, making up about 30 percent of all homeless people in the U.S. The state spent $24 billion in fiscal years 2018–2023 on 30 different programs for the homeless. But a state auditor's report found the agency responsible for coordinating the effort to reduce homelessness stopped tracking the programs' spending and their impact in 2021. The audit also looked at spending on the homeless in San Diego and San Jose and found officials in those cities also failed to adequately track spending, as well.
Brickbat: 'Openly Jewish'
London's Metropolitan Police Service has apologized for threatening to arrest a Jewish man at a pro-Palestinian protest. Video showed police officers telling Gideon Falter that his "quite openly Jewish" appearance risked provoking the protesters and threatening to arrest him for "causing a breach of the peace" if he didn't leave the area. After the video was released, the Met first apologized for the officer's language but said counter-protesters needed to be aware "that their presence is provocative." It later deleted that statement from social media and apologized again: "In an effort to make a point about the policing of protest we caused further offence," it wrote in a statement. "This was never our intention. We have removed that statement and we apologise. Being Jewish is not a provocation. Jewish Londoners must be able to feel safe in this city."
Brickbat: Keeping Drugs Off the Street
Tressa Beltran, former police chief of Hartford, Michigan, has been charged with multiple felonies, including delivery of narcotics, larceny, extortion, using a computer to commit a crime, embezzlement over $50 by a public official, and three counts of drug possession. Beltran reportedly admitted stealing from the drug disposal box at the police department. Now a new lawsuit against Beltran and the city claims she coerced Hai Quoc Le Jr. into providing her with pain medication he was prescribed for a torn ACL. Le is on parole, and according to his lawsuit, Beltran threatened to make his life "a living hell" if he didn't provide her with drugs, by reporting him to his parole officer and charging him criminally. Le says Beltran was often in her uniform and on duty when she met with him.
Brickbat: You Hate To See It
Police Scotland received thousands of complaints under the nation's new hate crimes law just in the first few days after it took effect. Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf told The Telegraph that "a tiny percentage" of the numerous complaints are "turning into actual investigations," but control room staff is running up overtime weeding through them. Yousaf, who backed the law, said that even if complaints start to dwindle in the future, it will take "weeks or months" and cost "hundreds of thousands of pounds" to work through the backlog.
Brickbat: Freeze Frame
In England, Swansea Crown Court Judge Geraint Walters wanted to know why prosecutors dropped charges against photographer Dimitris Legakis on the eve of the trial. Legakis had been arrested for taking photos near a crime scene and charged with assaulting an emergency worker, obstructing or resisting a police officer, and using threatening or abusive words or behavior. A prosecutor said charges were dropped because the officer's original statement differed from a later one. But Walters said that after reading the record, he believed that Legakis was arrested because a police officer "took offence" to him taking photos. He said he believed prosecutors knew early on that "there was no evidential basis" to charge Legakis.
Brickbat: Timely Manner
An internal investigation by the Connecticut State Police found that four troopers entered hundreds of fake tickets into agency records systems in 2018 in an effort to make their productivity look better. Investigators found the officers' actions may have been felony crimes, but they did not alert prosecutors to the results of their investigation. Chief State's Attorney Patrick Griffin said he only found out about the scheme in late 2022, years after the investigation, when a local newspaper began asking about it. Griffin opened a criminal investigation at that time, but he said recently that the troopers will not face charges because the statute of limitations has run out. Two of the troopers retired without punishment and are each collecting nearly $70,000 in annual pensions; the other two received brief suspensions—one for 10 days and the other for two days—before being transferred to new units.
Brickbat: At a Medium Pace
The Chechen government has banned all music it deems too fast. Or too slow. Minister of Culture Musa Dadayev said that from now on, all music in Chechnya must have a tempo ranging from 80 to 116 beats per minute. This includes vocal performances and music that backs dance performances. Dadayev says this requirement conforms to "Chechen mentality and musical rhythm" and will bring "to the people and to the future of our children the cultural heritage of the Chechen people."
Brickbat: There for the Taking
An officer with London's Metropolitan Police, whose name has not been released, was placed on restricted duties after being accused of taking money from a dead bicyclist's wallet. Claudio Gaetani suffered a heart attack while riding his bike. Officers who responded to the call took his passport and wallet but allowed his friends to keep his bicycle and his backpack. When one of his friends later went to collect the wallet, she claimed money was missing from it. The case has been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service after surveillance footage allegedly showed an officer counting money.
Brickbat: Too Sweet? Too Harsh.
In Nigeria, Chioma Okoli faces up to three years in prison and a fine of 7 million naira (around $5,600 U.S.) after
Brickbat: Missed It by That Much
In May 2023, the St. Louis County SWAT team used a battering ram to knock down the door to Brittany Shamily's home in Ferguson, Missouri. Cops detained her and her family while
Brickbat: Information Is Dangerous
Police Scotland says it will no longer investigate minor crimes, but it refuses to say exactly what constitutes a minor crime. In response to a freedom of information request by a local newspaper, the police force said releasing that information would give a "tactical advantage" to criminals. Officials said the move is aimed at freeing up resources to investigate major crimes. Don't worry: Police officials say they will continue to investigate all reported hate crime incidents even if they don't meet the charging threshold.
Brickbats: May 2024
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world.
Michael Cassidy was charged with criminal mischief after destroying a Baphomet altar erected by the Satanic Temple of Iowa in the state capitol in 2023. Since Cassidy "destroyed the property because of the victim's religion," they tacked on a hate crime enhancement, increasing the charge from a misdemeanor to a felony, punishable by up to five years in prison and up to $10,245 in fines.
For three years, the Bond family requested permission to remove two trees on their property that they thought looked dangerous. But the Portland, Oregon, Urban Forestry Commission denied their requests, saying it would "significantly affect neighborhood character." Then during a storm, one of those trees fell onto the Bonds' home, forcing them out. A city arborist advised the family that they will have to apply for a permit to remove the remains of the tree and pay to have a tree planted to replace it. They were also advised to remove the second tree from their property and apply for a retroactive permit, but if that permit is denied, they could be fined for removing the tree.
Christina Lea Gilchrist is a Canadian sex worker who offers a 25 percent discount to customers in the military. Although her sex work is legal, the military claims that her ads—which depict Gilchrist in uniform—are illegal. As a result, she says Canadian military police threatened to press charges against her and warned soldiers not to use her services.
Former Miami-Dade School Board Vice Chair Lubby Navarro faces charges of fraud and grand theft. Prosecutors say she used her school system credit cards to make $100,000 in illegal purchases, including two fake pregnancy bellies that she used to try to convince her ex-boyfriend she was pregnant with his child.
Video showed reporter David Menzies approaching Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland with a microphone and walking alongside her on a public sidewalk, asking questions about government policy. Menzies seemingly bumped into a police officer who stepped into his path; that officer then shoved Menzies against a wall and told him he was under arrest for assault. Ontario police later dropped the charges, saying "no credible security threat existed."
A jury convicted former House of Representatives of Puerto Rico member María Milagros "Tata" Charbonier of conspiracy, bribery, and money laundering, among other charges. While in office, Charbonier increased her assistant's biweekly pay from $800 to between $2,100 and $2,900. But the assistant kicked back between $1,000 and $1,500 of each paycheck to Charbonier, her husband, and their son.
Atlanta developer Jeff Raw had a water meter installed on a vacant lot he owned. Over the next five months, he received bills totaling nearly $30,000. A city inspector verified there were no water lines or leaks on the site and the utility sent Raw an email admitting there was a leak in its part of the system, but officials still insisted he pay those bills.
Before taking her oath of Canadian citizenship, Maria Kartasheva learned she had been tried in absentia in Russia, her home country, and found guilty of "public dissemination of deliberately false information" for social media posts she made while living in Canada opposing the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Canada has a similar law, and those charged with an offense that would be a crime in Canada may be denied citizenship. After several media outlets picked up her story, the government agreed to let Kartasheva become a citizen after all.
Brickbat: Guilty Until Proven Innocent
As part of his retirement from the U.S. Army, Sgt. Major Eriq Brown was screened for disability benefits. That's when a psychologist asked him if a pending criminal charge was causing him emotional issues. Brown was confused:
Brickbat: Fighting Fire
Sherri Chance's son called 911 when he noticed flames shooting out of the clothes dryer at their home in DeKalb County, Georgia. He expected a quick response since there was a fire station just two miles away, but he was put on hold—for 41 minutes. Family members and neighbors tried to battle the growing blaze themselves in the meantime. Finally, a passing FedEx driver saw the house on fire, drove to the fire station, and alerted firefighters who went to the house and put out the fire. Chance said her representatives on the county commission told her the 911 center is experiencing staffing shortages.
Brickbat: Paint It Black
Victor Silva Sr. says he used to paint over graffiti on the fence of his home in Oakland, California. But the 102-year-old adds that since he has been
Brickbat: Walking the Dog(s)
In England, the Hastings Borough Council has enacted new rules banning one person from walking more than six dogs at a time. Those who violate the ordinance face a fine of up to £1,000 ($1,256 U.S.). The rules also ban dogs from a number of public places.
Brickbat: Don't Forget Your Lines
Training materials for Scottish police say that actors performing a play could run afoul of the nation's new hate speech law, which bans communication that could stir up hatred of protected groups. Supporters of the law had claimed it would only apply to producers, directors, and others involved behind the scenes with a play, not the actors. Those found guilty of violating the law face up to seven years in prison.
Brickbat: Chop Shop
In India, Ishwar Deen spent more than two months and 250,000 rupees ($2,998) modifying his car to look like a helicopter, welding a propeller to the top and a boom with a propeller to the back. The first day he took the car on the road, police seized it for illegal modifications. Deen was also fined 2,000 rupees ($24).
Brickbat: Lending a Helping Hand
A four-star U.S. army general has been suspended and is now under investigation after Military.com reported he made concerted efforts to ensure a
Brickbat: Science Doesn't Lie, but Scientists Do
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) says it has found that former CBI forensic scientist Yvonne "Missy" Woods manipulated data in the DNA testing process or posted incomplete test results in hundreds of cases. The CBI says it has found 652 cases affected by Woods' work between 2008 and 2023, when she was placed on administrative leave and then retired. It is currently reviewing her cases from 1994 to 2008. The CBI says it has not found any evidence that Woods falsified data, but it says she cut corners and did not follow standard protocols, leaving the reliability of her work in question, and deleted or altered data to conceal her actions.
Brickbat: There's Something Fishy Going On
In London, England, the Greenwich council has ordered an award-winning fish and chips shop to remove a patriotic mural. The mural outside the Golden Chippy features an anthropomorphic fish holding a Union Jack flag and reaching into a bag of french fries (chips, as the Brits call them) and a slogan saying "A Great British Meal." Owner Chris Kanizi said the mural has given a boost to business, with tourists coming to snap a selfie in front of the mural and grab a bite to eat. That seems to be the problem, as the council calls it an "unauthorised advert."
Brickbat: Unsafe at Home
Mayor Earl Johnson of Andalusia, Alabama, has apologized to Twyla Stallworth after an officer entered her home and arrested her for not showing her identification. Under Alabama law, police officers can only demand ID from someone who is in a public place and has committed a crime or whom they suspect is going to commit a crime. Stallworth had called to file a noise complaint against a neighbor. No police officer ever came, so she set off her car alarm to annoy the neighbor, who then called to report her; at that point, an officer was dispatched to the scene. Stallworth was not charged for setting off the car alarm, but she was charged with obstruction, resisting arrest, and attempting to elude. Johnson said all charges will be dropped.
Brickbat: We'll Get to You in a Moment
After suffering a heart attack, Ken Jones spent 20 hours sitting in "a hard plastic chair" in
Brickbats: April 2024
News of politicians, police, and bureaucrats behaving badly from around the world.
Kentucky's Louisville Metro Police released cellphone videos that show two officers throwing slushies on pedestrians from inside unmarked police vehicles. Officers Bryan Wilson and Curt Flynn pleaded guilty in 2022 in federal court to violating the rights of citizens through arbitrary use of force while on duty. Flynn was sentenced to three months in prison, while Wilson received 30 months in prison, with each sentence to be followed by three years of probation.
J.D. Bales, a former middle school soccer coach at Texas' Bridgeport High School, was charged with felony theft after police say he ran up more than $5,000 in charges on a school district credit card at a Houston strip club. Bridgeport Police Chief Steve Stanford told reporters that Bales initially tried to report the charges as fraud.
A judge in British Columbia ordered former political candidate David Hilderman to stop referring to himself as an engineer. Hilderman, who has an university degree in engineering and works in the electronics and computer industry, used the word to describe himself in campaign materials. "Engineer" is a protected title in Canada, and the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia filed a complaint against Hilderman because he does not have an engineering license.
In Massachusetts, Great Barrington Police Department Police Chief Paul Storti apologized after an officer searched an eighth-grade classroom for a copy of the book Gender Queer after classroom hours. The book contains sexually explicit images. The officer warned an English teacher that "you can't present that kind of material to people under 18" and asked if other books at the school contained similar images.
A deputy U.S. marshal traveling to London to extradite a prisoner was charged by British authorities with being drunk and disruptive on the flight. A woman on the plane accused the marshal of touching her inappropriately, but the police said "no further action" will be taken on that allegation.
New York lawmakers introduced a bill that would require any restaurants located in state highway rest areas to be open seven days a week. While the law would apply to all such restaurants, backers are open about the fact it is aimed at Chick-fil-A, the fast-food chain famously not open on Sundays. The bill would not apply to restaurants operating under current contracts with the state but would apply to any future contracts.
Officials charged New York Police Department Officer Andy Urrutia with grand larceny, criminal possession of stolen property, petit larceny, official misconduct, unlawful possession of personal ID information, attempted petit larceny, and attempted identity theft. Urrutia allegedly took a photo of a debit card belonging to a woman who had been arrested and sent the photo to friends with the message "Lunch on me, guys." One of them tried to use the card at a Starbucks that day.
Police in Senatobia, Mississippi, arrested 10-year-old Quantavious Eason for public urination and took him to jail. Officers saw the boy urinating next to his mother's car while she was inside a lawyer's office with a "no public restroom" sign. The police chief called the arrest an "error in judgment" and claimed one of the officers involved would be disciplined and another no longer worked for the department, but a juvenile court judge sentenced Eason to three months of probation and required him to write an essay about Kobe Bryant.
Brickbat: When the Moon Hits Your Eye
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has approved clean air rules for
Brickbat: Cold Injustice
According to his death certificate, Anthony Don Mitchell died as a result of hypothermia as well as "sepsis resulting from infections injuries obtained during incarceration and medical neglect." Mitchell was held for 14 days in the Walker County, Alabama, jail after he fired a gun towards officers who had come to his home for a welfare check. Mitchell had become delusional, and a cousin called 911 because he thought Mitchell needed psychiatric help. According to a lawsuit filed by his mother, Mitchell was held in a cell known as "the freezer" because staff were able to blow cold air into it. According to notes from the doctor who treated Mitchell when he was finally taken to the emergency room, he arrived with a rectal temperature of 72 degrees Fahrenheit. The doctor's notes said he found it difficult to understand how someone being incarcerated could have such a low temperature.
Brickbat: Misogyny on Main
German police raided homes across the nation and interrogated 45 people suspected of posting misogynistic content online on what the police called a "combating misogyny on the internet" day of action. "Today's day of action makes it clear: We consciously go into the spaces of hate, identify acts and perpetrators, take them out of anonymity and bring them to accountability," said Holger Muench, the head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office. The names of the suspects will now be sent to local prosecutors to decide if charges will be filed.
Brickbat: You Blew It
Officials in Fowlerville, Michigan, have agreed to pay $320,000 to settle a lawsuit brought by Ryohei Akima, who was
Brickbat: Persistence Is Key
Home invasions by criminals seeking to steal automobiles rose 400 percent last year, according to the
Brickbat: Pint-Sized Prison
A girl in the United Kingdom's Wetherby Young Offender Institution twice had her clothes removed while being restrained by an
Brickbat: Perks of the Job
Former California State Controller's Office employee Miguel Espinosa has pleaded guilty to three counts of grand theft. Espinosa stole
Brickbat: Swift Justice
King County Prosecuting Attorney Leesa Manion said she won't file felony charges against Officer Kevin Dave of the Seattle Police Department, who fatally struck Jaahnavi Kandula with his patrol car in January 2023. "Our legal analysis reveals that the PAO (Prosecuting Attorney's Office) lacks sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Kevin Dave was impaired by drugs or alcohol, driving in a reckless manner, or driving with disregard for the safety of others," Manion said in a statement. Dave reached speeds of up to 74 mph while responding to an overdose call, but he used his siren only at intersections instead of running it continuously. He struck Kandula in a crosswalk in an area where the speed limit is 25 mph, applying his brakes less than a second before hitting her. Dave's case has been referred to the city attorney's office which will consider a misdemeanor charge of operating a motor vehicle in a negligent manner.
Brickbat: Pre-Crime and Punishment
Canadian Justice Minister Arif Virani, who is also the nation's attorney general, says it is very important that the government have the power to punish someone it believes might commit a hate crime even if that person
Brickbat: Texas Tag Trouble
North Richland Hills, Texas, residents Dale and Anne Smith received bills totaling $1,065 for unpaid tolls from the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). The bills were for 11 different vehicles, none of which are owned by the Smiths. When they tried to clear the matter up, the NTTA told the Smiths it was up to them to prove they didn't own the cars. The Smiths even got the police involved. The cops found all of the license plate numbers on the bills sent to the Smiths were from temporary tags connected to an Arlington car dealership. But that wasn't enough for the NTTA. Finally, when a local newspaper began digging around on the story, the NTTA told the Smiths it was voiding their debt because it had discovered the vehicles belonged to someone else.
Brickbat: Dog Gone
When Melissa Evans' dog Spotty got away, she feared she might never see him again. But she got a call from Oklahoma City Animal Welfare saying they had picked up the dog and she could get him back if she got him neutered; she agreed. But when she went to pick up Spotty, staff told her the dog had been mistakenly euthanized. "There were two dogs in this particular kennel that had come in together," said Animal Welfare Superintendent Jon Gary. "Very similar-looking dogs. Same coloring, same sex, same breed type." The other dog was scheduled to be euthanized instead of Spotty. "We went into the kennel and mistakenly pulled the wrong dog out," Gary said. "And the wrong dog was euthanized."
Brickbat: Free Ride
The Scottish Ambulance Service fired Christopher Gallacher, a duty manager at West Centre in Glasgow, after finding he had an on-
Brickbat: You Can Tell Us
California state Sen. Anthony Portantino, (D–Burbank) has introduced a bill that would require gun owners to annually register their firearms with the state. The registration information would be available to law enforcement agencies. "SB 1160 will give the state better data and help us understand how many firearms are in private hands and who owns them," said Portantino.
Brickbat: Taking the Piss
A man says he was threatened with arrest after his dog urinated on a public street in Bournemouth, England. Steve Schuurman said an "aggressive" female Dorset police officer shouted at him to "clear your fucking dog piss." Schuurman said he would have cleaned up if his dog had defecated but wasn't sure what the officer wanted him to do with urine. He said when he complained, a Bournemouth council community safety patrol officer threatened to have him arrested if he did not move on. The Dorset police department said it is looking into the incident. A Bournemouth Council spokesperson said its "community safety officers were only involved in this incident in an effort to de-escalate the situation and seek a resolution for the gentleman involved."
Brickbat: Pop the Top
Following public ridicule and the defection of co-sponsors, a Tennessee legislator has withdrawn a bill that would have banned convenience stores and supermarkets from selling refrigerated beer. State Rep. Ron Gant (R–Rossville) said he did not want "to infringe on law-abiding citizens or be unfair to businesses." Gant originally proposed the measure as a way to reduce drunk driving.
Brickbat: Watch What You Say
In Canada, Charlie Angus, a New Democratic Party member of Parliament, has introduced a bill that would make it illegal "to promote a fossil fuel, a fossil fuel-related brand element or the production of a fossil fuel." Regular citizens who violate the act would face a fine of up to $500,000 ($369,622 U.S.), while oil company executives would face up to two years in jail or a fine of $1,000,000 ($739,245 U.S.). The bill defines promotion as "a representation about a product or service by any means" that is "likely to influence and shape attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about the product or service." It specifically bars people from saying that some types of fossil fuels are less harmful than others and could even punish anyone who claims that the oil and gas sector benefits the economy.
Brickbat: Passing the Buck
The New York City government is refusing to reimburse Adam and Elizabeth Rizer for the loss of their car, which was totaled during a police chase. An officer was pursuing a suspected stolen vehicle when the officer's vehicle, with its lights flashing, T-boned a Hertz rental car in an intersection. That car then collided with the Rizers' Jeep, which was parked outside their apartment. The entire incident, including the collision, was caught on video. Police reports note that the police vehicle struck the Rizers' vehicle, but the city comptroller's office insists the vehicle that was T-boned actually struck their car and referred the couple to Hertz for possible compensation.
Brickbat: This One Is Just Right
Italian aviation officials blocked a British Airways flight from leaving Milan for London after a surprise inspection found some of the seat cushions were too thick and too wide. Seat cushions on exit rows over the wings are supposed to be smaller to create more room in case of an evacuation. The air crew called out serial numbers for the correct seats and had passengers see if any of the cushions on their seats matched those numbers. They were able to locate enough cushions to swap out for those over the exit rows, and the flight departed after a delay of an hour.
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