News Roundup

Illinois: Sheriff, family face charges in murder-for-hire plot http://thesouthern.com/news/local/article_a627cb2e-f823-11de-8367-001cc4c002e0.html

Imprisoned Gallatin County Sheriff Raymond Martin, his wife and adult son are facing charges of solicitation of murder for hire.

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Arizona: An advocate for immigrant and civil rights has started using text messages to warn residents about crime sweeps by a high-profile Arizona sheriff.  http://newsmax.com/SciTech/US-Ariz-Crime-Sweeps/2010/01/04/id/345252 

An advocate for immigrant and civil rights has started using text messages to warn residents about crime sweeps by a high-profile Arizona sheriff.
Lydia Guzman, director of the nonprofit immigrant advocacy group Respect/Respeto, is the trunk of a sophisticated texting tree designed to alert thousands of people within minutes to the details of the sweeps, which critics contend are an excuse to round up illegal immigrants.
Guzman said the messages are part of an effort to protect Latinos and others from becoming victims of racial profiling by sheriff's deputies. Deputies have been accused of stopping Hispanics, including citizens and legal immigrants, for minor traffic violations to check their immigration status.
"Everyone is responsible for sending it out to their own networks, and that is how it spreads like wildfire," Guzman said of the text messages.
Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has repeatedly said his deputies do not engage in racial profiling, and he publicizes the details of his crime sweeps ahead of time. He said he suspects the real goal of the text messages is to help illegal immigrants avoid arrest.

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Pennsylvania: The Philadelphia police officer implicated in the shooting of a 21-year-old during a block party in Port Richmond the weekend before Thanksgiving is being suspended and will likely lose his job. http://www.kyw1060.com/Phila--Cop-to-Lose-Job-Over-Fatal-Shooting/6033124

Boston: Police investigate report of officer posting photo of dead body on Facebook http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20100105police_investigate_report_of_officer_posting_photo_of_dead_body_on_facebook/srvc=home&position=recent

Florida: A Tampa police officer shot and wounded a man after he tried to pass counterfeit cash, according to a TPD statement. http://www.abcactionnews.com/content/news/local/story/Fleeing-suspect-shot-by-Tampa-officer/YMLw6rsnlEul4ysnJasUew.cspx

 Texas: Is the Collin County District Attorney building his own SWAT Team? http://www.pegasusnews.com/news/2010/jan/04/collin-county-district-attorney-building-his-own-s/