Tom Goldman said:
They were also carrying audio equipment and wireless phone handsets (cellphones?) that police described as "simulated weapons of mass destruction." Despite the protester's methods and carrying of these "weapons," the appeals court says that the police were unjustified in the arrest by a vote of two-to-one.
Err, no THIS is a weapon of mass destruction:
Maybe the cops would have had the judges rule in their favour if they hadn't used such ridiculous hyperbole as comparing a microphone to a thermonuclear bomb.
I hope each of them get the $50'000, not because that is how much they have been damaged but just to punish this police force enough that they shape up their act. I mean seriously, have these cops lost ALL sense of discretion to lock people up for 48 hours at the first sign of "causing a ruckus".
Order them off the premises, escort them off the premises, put them in handcuffs and say if you don't quit scaring the people at the mall you're going to jail... THEN if they are still causing trouble take em to jail and CHARGE them. Don't just hold them for 48 hours, where is the judicial oversight in that!?!??
American cops are overpaid and under-trained. On average they earn more than a family doctor, get a HUGE pension yet the standards in US law enforcement are so terribly low, I mean half the time the defence or prosecution lawyer earns less than the arresting officer! But lawyers have the Bar Association, fuck up and you get kicked out (a la Jack Thompson) but cops stick together like they are family to protect poor practice, it's ridiculous.
America doesn't need soldiers, they need a far higher standard of policing that means spending more money on training and less on the latest weapons.