Fabricating Felonies: Idaho v. William N. Grigg? Felony, n. One of several grave crimes, such as murder, rape, or burglary, punishable by a more stringent sentence than that given for a misdemeanor. Any of several crimes in early English law that were punishable by forfeiture of land or goods and by possible loss of life […]

The Raid In Rio, Pt. I At least they didn’t call the log cabin in rural Wisconsin a “compound.”That’s most likely because the anticipated standoff didn’t occur. If if had, then the farmhouse in the photo above would have been transformed into an “armed compound,” in keeping with the tacit but strictly enforced rules governing […]

I’d Buy That For A Dollar: Approaching “RoboCop” World “Stay out of trouble!”: Meet the future of law enforcement.Until recently, Juan Rodriguez was a freeway patrolman employed by the City of Chicago. Now he cruises the Chicago Skyway “for private owners,” reports the current issue of Business Week. “In the past, [Rodriguez] had to write […]

“You Can’t Pray A Lie” “Great God in Heaven, save us from the humanitarians who are generous with the lives of other people’s sons. Amen.” Tom Eddlem, “The Non-Interventionist’s Prayer.” Following King George III’s proclamation of February 4, 1780 as a Royal Day of Prayer — with a special emphasis on the American War — […]

In Defense of Lawless Order: Mansfield’s Paean to Fascism “Law consists of two lines above my signature.” — Saddam Hussein”I’m the commander in chief, see, I don’t need to explain, I do not need to explain why I say things. That’s the interesting part about being president. Maybe somebody needs to explain to me why […]

The Default Setting is “Overkill” (UPDATED; see the bottom of the essay) Rush’s Alex Lifeson: Eyewitness to America’s “New Police Professionalism.”Ten score years ago, defeat the kingly foeA wondrous dream came into beingTame the trackless waste, no virgin land left chasteAll shining eyes, but never seeing(Chorus)Beneath the noble birdBetween the proudest wordsBehind the beauty, cracks […]

Because They Can: The Logic of the Torture State “This is your god!” That profane outburst fell from the lips of Pfc. Damien M. Corsetti — aka “Monster,” aka “King of Torture” — as he straddled a helpless Saudi detainee in a Soviet-constructed Afghan prison. Corsetti had just threatened to rape the detainee, and the […]

The Ft. Dix “Conspiracy,” or Why Dana Rohrabacher Should Be Pimp-Slapped (UPDATE, May 10) Friends of yours, Dana? Commandos with the “Kosovo Liberation Army,” taking a break from terrorizing moderate Albanians and putting Christian churches to the torch, strike a pose. It is dangerous and potentially lethal to take at face value anything we’re told […]