News Story
Democratic Lawmakers Call for More Study to Determine Fallout of ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com A Congresswoman is calling for the Justice Department to study the racial impact of “Stand Your Ground” laws, the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports. Rep. Marcia Fudge, D-Cleveland, and a group of Democratic lawmakers sent a letter Tuesday to AG Eric Holder to plead for more documentation and study of the laws that…
Congressional Members Want Answers from CBP About Use-of-Force Policies
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com CBP’s decision not to implement key reforms within the department has prompted calls from members of Congress for more explanation, the Arizona Star reports. Twenty two members of Congress wrote a letter to CBP acting Commissioner Thomas Winkowski. “The Border Patrol has not been as forthcoming as possible about how it uses…
Ex-Prosecutor Convertino Fails Again to Get Detroit Reporter to Disclose Sources
By Allan Lengel Deadline Detroit DETROIT –– Ex-federal prosecutor Richard Convertino has once again failed in his bid to get ex-Detroit Free Press reporter David Ashenfelter to disclose his sources. U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland ruled Monday that Ashenfelter, who recently retired from the Free Press, had the right to invoke his Fifth Amendment privileges,…
Ex-FBI Agent Becomes Longest-Held American Hostage Ever After Disappearing in Iran in 2007
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Robert Levinson vanished 2,456 days ago. That makes the retired FBI agent the longest-held American hostage, according to the New York Daily News. Journalist Terry Anderson was held hostage for 2,454 days. He was freed in 1991 by the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, according to the Daily News. Levinson worked at the…
GSA Narrows Down List of Potential Locations for New FBI Headquarters
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com The General Services Administration has narrowed down the list of possible new locations for a new FBI headquarters by adding more geographic requirements, the Washington Post reports. The FBI has become more restrictive about location, saying the new headquarters must be within two miles of a Metrorail station and within two-and-a-half miles…
Ex-Minister Gets Six Months in Prison for Lying to FBI About Hate Crime in Virginia
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com A former minister in Virginia claimed earlier this year that his porch and car were set on fire, and the side of his house painted with a racial slur. The financially struggling minister, Olander D. Cuthrell, 42, said he was the target of a hate crime. Not so. Turns out, he set…
Unruly Group of More Than 100 Migrants Attacks Border Patrol Agents at Mexican Border
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Border Patrol agents came under attack by more than 100 people throwing rocks and bottles, CNN reports. No serious injuries were reported. The unruly group ignored stop orders from a Border Patrol agent and attempted to cross from the San Ysidro Port of Entry in California. Not even fire pellets with pepper…
FBI Reports Slight Drop in Hate Crimes in U.S., With Race Accounting for About Half of Cases
Steve Neavling ticklethewire.com Reported hate crimes dropped slightly in the U.S. last year, and almost half the cases involved race, the Guardian reports. The FBI statistics show reported hate crimes fell from 6,222 in 2011 to 5,796 in 2012. “The numbers show that we as a nation still have a way to go toward alleviating…