Kern County sheriff ‘cannot speculate’ on deputies’ actions

Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said he has now watched a video of the beating incident, but said it remains too early to determine whether the deputies’ actions played a role in the death of David Sal Silva.   Original post on latimes.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Hagel to ask Congress to end commanders’ power to overturn jury verdicts

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said on Monday he would ask Congress to change U.S. military law to eliminate the power of senior commanders to alter courts martial verdicts for major   Original post on reuters.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Arizona woman’s murder conviction, death sentence overturned

A federal judge overturns an Arizona woman’s murder verdict and death sentence after noting a police detective’s history of   Original post on cnn.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Father indicted in death of drunk driver – Houston Chronicle

An Alvin father remained in the Brazoria County Jail Monday, charged with murder in the alleged revenge killing of a drunk driver who plowed into his truck, killing his two young sons last December. David Barajas Sr., 31, a construction worker, is being held in lieu of $450,000 bail in the fatal shooting of 20-year-old Jose Inez Banda minutes after the Dec. 7 crash that claimed the lives of Barajas’ 11- and 12-year-old sons. Tests showed Banda’s blood alcohol was twice the legal limit when his Chevrolet Malibu rear-ended the Barajas’ family’s Ford 250 truck that had run out of gas on an unlit county road near Alvin, investigators said. Several minutes after the crash, 911 operators began receiving phone calls about the accident and recorded a sound of gunfire. During a two-month investigation, authorities located a witness who reported seeing David Barajas walk from the crash scene to his nearby home and return to Banda’s car, after which the witness heard gunshots. Felicia, Banda’s wife, now raising their infant daughter alone, posted several comments just before the murder indictment was announced. The Facebook page earlier had been a battleground, with angry postings by supporters of Banda, who complained of a vigilante killing, and supporters of Barajas, who described the boys’ deaths as murders.   Original post on chron.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Former LA police officer sought in murder of women’s basketball coach – NCAA Division I Mens Basketball

Police say a former Los Angeles officer suspected in the killings of a college basketball coach and her fiance was represented by the coach’s father when he lost his job.   Original post on cbssports.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Woman Is Held in Death of Man Pushed Onto Subway Tracks in Queens

A law enforcement official said a 31-year-old suspect in the death of a man who was crushed on Thursday by an oncoming train in Queens “told the cops it was an act against Muslims.”   Original post on nytimes.com    Comments on reddit.com   

No one reported shot, stabbed or slashed in New York City on Monday, police sources say

No news really is good news — not a single person was reported shot, stabbed or slashed in New York City on Monday, police sources said. The shutout seemingly caught the NYPD by suprise, as officials were almost at a loss to explain it.   Original post on nydailynews.com    Comments on reddit.com   

We are all to blame for the agony of Congo – Simon Tisdall – Comment is free

Simon Tisdall: With all eyes on other troublespots, the world knows little, and seems to care even less, about the cycle of violence in the DRC   Original post on guardian.co.uk    Comments on reddit.com   

Russia told Assad to shoot down Turkish plane, murder captured pilots, ‘leaked Syrian documents’ show

Devastating intelligence papers purport to prove jet was downed on Moscow’s orders, pilots captured alive by intelligence unit and then killed; Damascus had claimed June incident was an accident   Original post on timesofisrael.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Pakistani bounty placed on anti-Islam filmmaker

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) – A Pakistani minister offered $100,000 on Saturday to anyone who kills the maker of an online video which insults Islam, as sporadic protests rumbled on across parts of the   Original post on reuters.com    Comments on reddit.com   

Nothing, however vile, justifies censorship – Nick Cohen – Comment is free – The Observer

Nick Cohen: Even in the hardest of cases such as this anti-Islamic film, the old arguments against censorship remain the best   Original post on guardian.co.uk    Comments on reddit.com   

Iraq police persecute, rape, murder homosexuals.

A BBC investigation has revealed that law enforcement agencies in Iraq are involved in the ongoing systematic persecution of homosexuals. These numbers are difficult to verify, but the United Nations confirmed it is extremely concerned about what it called a deadly anti-gay campaign.   Original post on bbc.co.uk    Comments on reddit.com