Slog - Comments on Winning the War on Drugs http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7 This just in. A jury convicted an Atlanta police officer Tuesday of lying to investigators after a botched drug raid in which a 92-year-old woman was killed, but cleared him of two more serious charges. After deliberating for parts of four days, the jury convicted Arthur Tesler of making false statements. He was acquitted of charges that he violated his oath of a public officer and false imprisonment under color of legal process. Tesler, who is on leave from the police force, faces up to five years in prison. Plainclothes narcotics officers used a special "no-knock" warrant to raid Kathryn... Copyright 2008 Tue, 20 May 2008 17:20:20 -0800 Wed, 21 May 2008 16:23:36 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by amazonmidwife Anyone remember the pole contraption used by Whoopi Goldberg's character to prevent this kind of forced entry in "Burglar"?

]]> amazonmidwife http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028727 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028727 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 17:45:30 -0800 Comment by Will in Seattle I'm investing in Bear Trap companies ....

]]> Will in Seattle http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028731 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028731 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 17:49:21 -0800 Comment by El Seven I can't believe a 92 year old was spry enough to pull and fire a gun that fast.

]]> El Seven http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028739 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028739 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 18:00:00 -0800 Comment by Greg I am surprised these kinds of raids don't routinely get overturned on fourth amendment grounds, but I'm not a lawyer.

]]> Greg http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028741 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028741 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 18:03:28 -0800 Comment by Tiktok The victim in this case wasn't, oh, black by chance, was she?

[a few minutes Googling]

I am Jack's Complete Lack Of Surprise.

Get a few middle-class white women shot under these circumstances and the constitutionality of the no-knock may come under some scrutiny. Until then, it's the War On Drugs, ya know? The biggest threat after Terrorism? Right.


]]> Tiktok http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028768 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028768 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 18:54:13 -0800 Comment by ellarosa sadly, i think tiktok is right on target with that observation. crimes against african americans go largely un or under-reported, and thus the public outrage which fuels legislative or legal changes is missing.

]]> ellarosa http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028776 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028776 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 19:31:59 -0800 Comment by RainMan I seem to remember a similar incident happening in Boston about 10-15 years ago. An elderly man suffered a heart attack when police barged in on his apartment looking for drug dealers who, as it turned out, lived in the place next door. And now that @5 and @6 mention it, I think the man was African-American. The whole war on drugs is a perfect example of the cure being worse than the disease.

]]> RainMan http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028852 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028852 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 22:27:41 -0800 Comment by MK I was in Atlanta when this happened a few years ago. The poor woman lived alone and had a gun in her house to stop any local thugs that tried to break in. When the police kicked in her door without a) warning or b) announcing themselves, she rightly assumed the worst. She did everything right in this situation. Which is, of course, why these types of warrants shouldn't be issued, least of all to the WRONG ADDRESS.

]]> MK http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028854 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028854 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 22:27:47 -0800 Comment by Unwelcomed @8

The frightening thing about this story is that, as I understand it, the address wasn't wrong. The police coerced an informant to give up an address of a dealer and that's the address the informant gave.

During the trial it came out that the drug task forces in Atlanta were under quota pressures and if they didn't perform at least x number of busts a month they could face disciplinary action. So they were encouraged to use some questionable and downright illegal means to get warrants.

They busted into the house they meant to bust into, and to cover their own asses when they figured out how badly they fucked up, they handcuffed that woman as she bled to death so they could plant some drugs while an officer stood outside and acted as a lookout.

This is a shining example of a color of law abuse and it's surprising that they're all facing such light sentences for it... and yes, it should also be an example of why the current approach to this "war on drugs" needs to be rethought.

It truly is a frightening story.

]]> Unwelcomed http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028871 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028871 Drugs Tue, 20 May 2008 23:30:10 -0800 Comment by Mike in MO How long until “no knock” raids go on trial?

Uh, I'd say about 1000 years.

Also, @ 5: I thought the biggest threat was Fagness, then terr-rism, then blacks. Opps, I mean drugs.

]]> Mike in MO http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028900 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1028900 Drugs Wed, 21 May 2008 05:25:15 -0800 Comment by CP If Osama B.L. is very clever, he's going to start sending gay terrorists who sell drugs. And kidnap little blonde, blue eyed white girls.

]]> CP http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1029429 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/05/winning_the_war_on_drugs_7#c1029429 Drugs Wed, 21 May 2008 16:23:36 -0800