Report on NPR about 'dirty money'

This link takes you to an NPR webpage with a series of reports on police abuse and dependency upon seizing 'dirty money'. On June 16, 2008 while driving I heard the following clip on the radio and then I had to hear the rest of the report.
The June 16th broadcast started...
"The law states that authorities can confiscate your money without ever charging you with a crime, as long as they can prove it's tied to illegal activity — but sometimes it happens even when they can't." -- "Cash Seizures by Police Prompt Court Fights", All Things Considered, NPR

Free Mumia Abu-Jamal event in Oakland

So, many reading this don't live near Oakland, but I ran across this event and it made me think about Mumia. So, I decided to post some info. This is just one of many examples of the FBI's COINTEL program in action. Click here for some info about Mumia Abu-Jamal. I came across one website with much information that has a link to a video of a man named Arnold Beverly confessing to the shooting of Faulkner (the cop that Mumia allegedly killed).

Anyway, for more info about Mumia, click here for a wikipedia article. I usually don't rely on wikipedia, but this entry has links to trial transcipts and I thought that was interesting.

One thing I find interesting about this case is that it sounds so much like Assata Shakur's run-in with the cops. I was reading that Mumia was shot in the incident and then charged with the cops murder. This also happened to Assata Shakur. She was shot and that should have been enough proof to show the courts that she couldn't have shot the cop she has been accused of killing. I will post about Assata Shakur another time. her case is very important. her autobiography is a must-read.

Jena 6

Please read about the Jena 6, click here

Legacy of Torture

Torture happens right here in the United States and it has been going on for much too long. there is a great video out right now called "Legacy of Torture: The War Against the Black Liberation Movement". Watch to find out about the San Fransisco 8 and learn about the torture these men had to endure 30 years ago, and find out about what is going on today. The video is 28 minutes long, so of course you have time to watch it.

For more information on how you can help the San Fransisco 8, please click here.

Mostafa Tabatabainejad

This UCLA student was tasered multiple times by UCLA police officers for not showing his ID at the library. A student recorded most of the incident on his cell phone and it is available on youtube.com. Click here to watch.

A few articles:

DemocracyNow article

Daily Bruin (UCLA newspaper) article

Tyesha Miller

She was gunned down by Riverside, California officers in December of 1999. She was in her car, unresponsive (some reports say she was in a diabetic coma) and four officers killed her with 23 bullets.

Democracy Now article

Amadou Diallo

Amadou Diallo was killed by the NYPD in 1999. The cops said they thought he was reaching for a gun, but he was reaching for his wallet!

Democracy Now! article
Picked this article from the many available at www.democracynow.org because it provides an overview of what happened at the beginning of the article.

Sean Bell

Sean Bell and two of his friends, Joseph Guzman and Trent Benefield, were victims of a police shooting the morning of Sean Bell's wedding. The police shoot 50 bullets at the car, none of the men in the car were armed. You can read more details and other's speculations about what went down. Here are a few links to related articles.

Democracy Now! Exclusive (Must read and see)

Newsweek article

Counterpunch.org article

Rev. Al Sharpton & Amadou Diallo's Mother Condemn NYPD Killing of Groom Sean Bell Hours Before His Wedding