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From LA Times

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At least seven redhaired students were victims of 'ginger' attacks, authorities say

At least four redhaired girls and three boys are believed to have been victims of the so-called ginger attacks at a Calabasas middle school that authorities say were inspired by a Facebook message, a Los Angeles County sheriff's investigation has revealed.

The seven victims were targeted in a series of assaults at or near A.E. Wright Middle School that began early Friday after the perpetrators acted on a Facebook message that informed them it was "Kick a Ginger Day," authorities said. Ginger is a label given to people with red hair, freckles and fair skin.

Detectives have identified eight boys at the school as formal subjects of the investigation, said Steve Whitmore, a sheriff's spokesman. No arrests have been made.

The investigation began after a 12-year-old redheaded boy was assaulted by his classmates at the school, authorities said. His cuts and bruises were treated by a school nurse, who reported the incident to the principal.

"This was the most serious of the assaults," Whitmore said. "The other incidents tended to be pushing, shoving and intimation. More of an aggressive bullying."

The assailants were seventh- and eighth-graders at the school, authorities said. Sources familiar with the probe said that some action will probably be taken against at least four of the perpetrators.

Many of the new victims came forward amid the publicity surrounding the bizarre attacks, authorities said. Detectives are investigating the incidents as possible assaults with a deadly weapon.

Investigators say they believe the attacks were inspired by the television show "South Park." A satirical 2005 episode focused on prejudice against "gingers" after one of the characters claimed that people with red hair, light skin and freckles have no souls and suffer from a disease called "Gingervitis."

School officials have pledged to take disciplinary action against any of the students who participated in the attacks.

Bail for Roman Polanski met with surprise from some legal experts

Roman Polanski is expected to spend the holidays under electronic monitoring at his posh Alpine chalet after a Swiss court agreed to a $4.5-million bail request by the famed director.

Legal experts said the bail is likely to lengthen what is expected to be a fierce battle over whether Polanski should be extradited to Los Angeles to face sentencing for unlawful intercourse with a 13-year-old girl more than three decades ago.

The decision also raises other questions, given that Polanski fled from the U.S. just before his sentencing in 1978. Swiss justice officials have repeatedly denied his bail requests, saying he's a flight risk.

Under the terms of the bail, Polanski would be restricted to a chalet he owns in Gstaad, a ski resort in the foothills of Mt. Blanc. The town has long been known as a celebrity hangout, with David Niven, Richard Burton and Roger Moore among its frequent visitors in the past.

Dmitry Gorin, a former prosecutor who has represented people overseas facing charges in Los Angeles, said he was surprised the court would grant bail given Polanski's record of fleeing justice.

Others agreed.

“It is very rare to get bail in an extradition case and especially in cases where the person's fled,” said Laurie Levenson, a former federal prosecutor and Loyola law professor. “This is a little like giving bail to O.J. [Simpson] after the Bronco chase.”

Levenson said she believes the bail could prolong the extradition process, because Polanski would have less of an incentive to resolve the issue if he is out of jail.

“This will dramatically slow down the extradition process,” she said. "A Swiss chalet is a lot nicer than a jail here.”

Details about why the court decided to grant bail remain unclear. The Ministry of Justice had argued that Polanski should remain behind bars until extradition is resolved. Switzerland's justice minister told the Swiss national TV that it was not going to appeal the court ruling.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/bail-for-roman-polanski-met-with-surprise-from-some-legal-experts.html#more

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Charred human remains found; Hemet police seek link to missing teens

One of the teens, Jose Campos, lived at the home on the 1400 block of Bluejay Way, police said.

Lt. Dean Evans told reporters outside the house this morning that detectives have not identified the remains and are not sure whether they belong to any of the three teens. Evans said DNA testing is needed and could take several weeks to complete.

The other teens are Felicia Sharpe and Adrian Rios. All three are 17 years old.

According to the Press-Enterprise , the teens were last seen earlier this month at Campos' home, where they were watching a football game. Families posted fliers around the neighborhood, and police searched the home in the last week, according to the paper.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/

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Neighbor smelled smoke from Hemet home where human remains were discovered

Neighbors on Bluejay Way, a quiet housing tract near Harmony Elementary School in Hemet, expressed shock today as news filtered in about the charred remains found at a house on the street .

Robert Rotsolk said he smelled what seemed like a bonfire coming from his neighbor's backyard two Sundays ago about 6:30 p.m. and reported it to the police.

"It smelled like pallets burning on the beach," he said.

Hemet police came on Tuesday and found the first set of remains in the backyard. They are investigating whether the remains belong to any of three 17-year-olds who disappeared without a trace a week ago. Two of the teens were seen at the home earlier.

One of the teens, Jose Campos, lived at the single-story gray house. The two others, Felicia Sharpe and Adrian Rios, also are from Hemet. Police said the remains are not those of Sharpe.

Police said at a news conference today that Sharpe has been located and she is being questioned by investigators, and that they have found additional human bones in the shallow grave in the backyard.

Alex Franco and his two sons watched investigators sift through the garage of the home. Boxes were stacked on the pavement as forensics teams combed the place for more evidence.

"I have seen police and undercover officers going in there for the last few days," Franco said. "It's very strange. I can't believe this has happened in this neighborhood. "

Laura Carmona, 17, has known Rios since sixth grade. She said she meets with his family every night at 7 to pray the rosary in the hopes that the charred body parts aren't his.

"He was a typical teenager who sometimes got into trouble," she said. "He was best friends with my cousin and was always at my house. I hope for his mom's sake it's not him, but we have been hearing rumors that it is him."

Police are expected to release more information at a 2 p.m. news conference.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/11/neighbors-shocked-by-finding-of-human-remains-in-back-yard.html#more

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EDITORIAL

A rising tide of hunger

As more Americans experience 'food insecurity,' the best way to celebrate Thanksgiving might be to give a hand to a local food bank or soup kitchen.

November 26, 2009

Hunger is probably the last thing on most minds during the festival of gluttony that is Thanksgiving. Those who can afford to do so are heartily encouraged to throw away their diet manuals, tuck in and collapse into a turkey-induced coma. Unfortunately, though, the number of those who can't is rising at an alarming pace.

A yearly survey by the Department of Agriculture finds that the recession has dramatically worsened hunger in the United States. "Food insecurity" is at its highest level since the survey was started in 1995, with big increases across the board. Among the most troubling statistics: The number of households characterized as having "very low food security" -- meaning normal eating patterns were disrupted and food intake was reduced because of a lack of money -- jumped from 4.7 million in 2007 to 6.7 million in 2008, and the number of children in this situation rose from 700,000 to almost 1.1 million.

Childhood hunger is an especially heart-rending scourge that President Obama, during his 2008 campaign, vowed to eradicate by 2015. He has yet to put forward a proposal for meeting that ambitious goal, but you can't really fault the government for not addressing the hunger problem. Because federal spending on food and nutrition programs rises with demand, expenditures in 2008 saw their biggest annual jump in 16 years -- an 11% increase, to $60.7 billion. Moreover, the stimulus package approved last winter raised the average food stamp benefit per person by 17%, to $133 a month. Yet the USDA survey shows that government programs aren't slowing a rising tide of hunger.

High food prices might be partially to blame, but the biggest culprit is clearly unemployment, which stands at a whopping 10.2% and is expected to keep climbing into 2010. "The best thing we can say about the labor market is that it may be getting worse more slowly," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said last week. His less-than-stellar assessment of the recovery implies that inflation should remain low, but that won't put food on the table in jobless households.

It isn't just demand for government food assistance that's on the rise; charitable food banks and soup kitchens across the country are also seeing a big jump in traffic. According to the USDA survey, 4.8 million households -- which included 4.5 million children -- got emergency food from such services at least once in 2008, a 22% increase from the previous year. That's putting a serious financial strain on the food networks. If you're thankful for having a full belly this Thanksgiving weekend, the best way to show it would be to give them a hand.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/editorials/la-ed-hunger26-2009nov26,0,2422814,print.story

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From the Washington Times

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9/11 families split on civilian court trials

by Ben Conery

Nearly two weeks after the Obama administration announced its intention to prosecute professed Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammed and his fellow defendants in civilian court, family members of the terrorist attack's victims remain sharply divided on the issue.

On Dec. 5, a group including Sept. 11 victims and family members plans to hold a rally protesting the administration's decision. The rally is being joined by a "tea party" movement affiliate, a sign that the conservative protest network is expanding its scope of issues.

The rally is scheduled in Foley Square, the Lower Manhattan site of the federal courthouse chosen to hold the trials of the purported Sept. 11 conspirators.

The 9/11 Never Forget Coalition, the group organizing the rally, said an online petition to stop the trials has already garnered 120,000 signers, and a letter signed by 300 Sept. 11 families protesting the decision has been sent to President Obama and other top administration officials.

"This trial will be lawyer-assisted jihad in the courtroom," Debra Burlingame, whose brother was a pilot killed in the attacks, said during a news conference Tuesday. "When we grant a confessed war criminal access to due process so that he can use it to rally his fellow terrorists to kill more of our citizens and to target our military, that's jihad."

A group called Tea Party 365, whose co-founder organized the first tea party protest in New York, said it also plans to participate in the rally. Kellen Giuda also sits on the board of directors of Tea Party Patriots.

But Ms. Burlingame's opinion is not shared by all Sept. 11 families.

With the terrorist attack claiming nearly 3,000 victims, it would be impossible to reach a consensus among all the families involved, said Monica Gabrielle, whose husband was killed in the attack. Ms. Gabrielle and other family members have been outspoken in their support for the administration's decision.

"I don't understand what the frenzy is. We've done it before, and we've done it successfully," she said of prosecuting terrorism suspects in federal courts.

Despite their differing opinions, Ms. Gabrielle said she supports the rights of Ms. Burlingame and others to protest the administration's decision.

"What I have a problem with is the fear they are basing it on," Ms. Gabrielle told The Washington Times on Wednesday. "You've got to speak from a voice of reason."

Ms. Burlingame and other opponents of the trial say bringing terrorism suspects to New York City is ill-advised and dangerous. They worry the trials will be costly, could make New York City susceptible to an attack and give Mohammed and his four fellow defendants a forum to spout jihadist rhetoric.

It's a concern shared by many Republican members of Congress. And various recent polls, including from Fox News and CNN, show more Americans would prefer Mohammed be tried in a military tribunal than in a civilian court.

But in an appearance on Capitol Hill last week, U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. remained resolute. Mr. Holder, who made the decision to hold prosecutions in federal court, said the move is in line with American legal values, and he is certain Mohammed and the others will be convicted.

"I have every confidence the world will see him for the coward he is," Mr. Holder told the Senate Judiciary Committee. "I'm not scared of what [Mohammed] will have to say at trial - and no one else needs to be, either."

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/26/911-families-split-on-civilian-court-trials//print/

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Life for children

by Cal Thomas

The U.S. Supreme Court this month heard arguments in a case that could decide whether a child who commits a crime should be sentenced, in some circumstances, to life without parole.

There can be no question that some minors who murder are unfit to be released from prison for fear they might kill again. But what about crimes that don't involve homicide? Should a 13-year-old be sentenced to life without the possibility of parole? Such a case is now before the court.

Perhaps if we focused more on redemption, rather than detention, the results would be different.

A study by Florida State University's Public Interest Law Center estimates that nationwide there are 111 inmates in seven states serving life-without-parole sentences for non-homicide crimes they committed as juveniles. The overwhelming majority, 77, are housed in Florida prisons. Not many, unless you're one of the 111.

Over the years we've managed to get the punishment part right, but what about the redemption part? Prisoners have few advocates and often feel abandoned and without hope. Clearly there must be a better way when the number of incarcerated grows every year, along with the cost of warehousing them in places that serve as hot houses of despair and training academies for hardened criminals. Many inmates will be paroled and commit more crimes.

I solicited success stories from people who work with teen offenders. One response came from Scott Larson, who serves on the board of Reclaiming Youth International and is president of Straight Ahead Ministries (www.straight-ahead.org) in Worcester, Mass. Mr. Larson writes, "My wife and I took up to seven youth at a time between 1990 and 2000, and 10 of those youth were locked up for manslaughter charges. Eight of those went to college; none were re-arrested. One is a lawyer and serving as the assistant deputy commissioner of Youth Services in New Jersey, two are counselors at a group home, one is a sales manager of a building company and the other five are working various jobs and doing well. ..."

Mr. Larson says under current law, these youth "would all be doing life sentences (10 to 20 years) in adult prisons, though in each case they were present, but not necessarily the shooter in gang clashes." He says his group also works with members of the Bloods and Crips gangs in Lynn, Mass., "and have seen them reconcile and work for good in their community. Gang violence this past year is down 57 percent in this city, which is the third most violent in Massachusetts."

In September, ABC News' "Primetime" program did a story on the Missouri Juvenile Justice System and an innovative approach that state is taking that has lowered the recidivism rate to 10 percent, the lowest in the country.

Young offenders are not locked behind bars. The state uses a highly relational approach, including hugs from staff and peer groups who express care and concern for them. In addition to appearing effective, the Missouri model is efficient, costing about half the national average, according to Mr. Larson.

A University of Texas study found more than half the states permit children under age 12 to be treated as adults for criminal justice purposes. According to the study, "in 22 states plus the District of Columbia, children as young as 7 can be prosecuted and tried in adult court, where they would be subjected to harsh adult sanctions, including long prison terms, mandatory sentences, and placement in adult prison." Surely this is cruel and unusual punishment for all but the most violent and psychotic killers.

One size fits all sentencing doesn't and it shouldn't. Isn't it better to attempt to reclaim children headed in the wrong direction than to doom them to life in prison without parole? I think it is. Let's hope the Supreme Court thinks so, too.

Cal Thomas is a nationally syndicated columnist.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/nov/26/life-for-children//print/

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From the White House

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United We Serve: Feed a Neighbor

As we get ready to celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends, let us also pause and acknowledge that many of our neighbors are struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table. The President and the First Lady are calling on all of us to come together to solve hunger in our communities.

In this spirit, the Corporation for National and Community Service in coordination with the White House and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching the United We Serve: Feed a Neighbor initiative. The new initiative raises awareness of hunger issues and equips Americans with the resources to mobilize against the hunger crisis.

Here's what you can do to get started fighting hunger today:

• Find an opportunity to serve by using the keyword "hunger" in our "Find a Volunteer Opportunity" search engine on Serve.gov
  
  
• Create your own service project using our anti-hunger toolkit
  
  
• Raise awareness and learn more about ending hunger in America
  

Nicola Goren is the Acting CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service

http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2009/11/25/united-we-serve-feed-a-neighbor

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From the Department of Justice

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WASHINGTON – Isaac White, formerly an officer with the Memphis Police Department, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Memphis, Tenn., to using excessive force and causing bodily injury. White faces up to 10 years in prison for the civil rights violation.

White, 29, admitted in court that on Nov. 1, 2008, he struck a handcuffed arrestee twice in the head, violating the victim's right to be free from excessive force.  White further admitted that he caused his victim substantial pain and bruising.

"It is simply unacceptable for a police officer to beat up a handcuffed arrestee," said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "A badge is a sacred trust, not a license to bully."

"The United States Attorney's Office remains committed to protecting the public from violations of constitutional rights by law enforcement officers who abuse their authority and the public's trust," said Lawrence J. Laurenzi, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Tennessee.

"When a law enforcement officer violates the civil rights of another, he brings shame on the badge and all law enforcement officers," said Special Agent in Charge My Harrison of the FBI Memphis Field Office. "The FBI makes it a priority to bring a law enforcement officer who violates the constitution and the trust of the people to justice."

"Police officers must not betray the trust of our citizens. We take an oath to protect, serve and uphold the laws of the state of Tennessee. When we violate that oath we will be held accountable," said Memphis Police Director Larry A. Godwin. "As police director, it is my priority to see that this department will not tolerate criminal acts by its officers, and we will seek prosecution of any and all officers who choose to do so."

The Civil Rights Division is committed to the vigorous enforcement of every federal criminal civil rights statute, including those laws that prohibit the willful use of excessive force or other acts of misconduct by law enforcement officials. 

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Memphis Police Department Sergeant Matt Whittington and Officer Paul Sherman.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Steve Parker from the U.S. Attorney's Office in Memphis and Trial Attorney Jonathan Skrmetti from the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.

http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/2009/November/09-crt-1281.html

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