FEBRUARY 26, 2011
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: What inmates are hiding in jail, CA's marijuana laws (and the impact on our legal system), our local soft terrorism targets, a subpoena......
Some really interesting stories this past week. Our job allows us to go behind the scenes, understand what law enforcement deals with in jails or during investigations.
***During this week’s jail sweep at Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center, some of us were able to see the inmate contraband deputies recovered in an unprecedented “simultaneous shakedown” that happened throughout the entire facility. I also looked at the growing gang activity in our jails.
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=124225
I've known about jail lockdowns.
I’ve been inside Folsom State Prison among inmates (who were walking to and from the canteen) when alarms went off, and everyone was required to hit the ground immediately until inspections were cleared.
A while ago. I learned from the Folsom Prison, how inmates would create shanks from broken plastic spoons and toothbrushes (with the heads broken off); inmates would sharpen them into weapons.
I've known about why oranges are a no-no (because they can be used to make alcohol).
I didn’t realize that inmates would cheek medication (that they were required to take) and sell it to others or use it as a form of currency. I didn’t realize that inmates could create rope from plastic trash bags that they would braid together.
It’s a sad thing to see. It’s a difficult life—for inmates. And, it’s a challenging and sometimes dangerous job for law enforcement.
It’s a bit unnerving to learn that there are 30 inmate assaults a month—on average—in Sacramento’s main jail. Last year, 17 of those assaults involved hand-made weapons.
*** I talked to an attorney and then a McGeorge Law professor this week about our new state marijuana laws .
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=124682
It’s really interesting to know that in 2009, 78,000 people were arrested in California on marijuana charges. 80% of them were misdemeanors. But, misdemeanors don’t necessarily mean jail time. And, according to the Sacramento County Sheriff’s department, less than 1% of the people in Sacramento County jails are actually there on marijuana related charges. While these new CA marijuana laws don't actually reduce jail overcrowding, they do cut down on court time, fees, and processing. The attorney I spoke to says if you're caught with an ounce of marijuana, that's an infraction now---a lot like paying for a jaywalking ticket; and, it doesn't go on your record like a misdemeanor.
*** This week, I sat down with a terrorism expert after a Saudi student was arrested in Lubbock, Texas on terrorism charges. We talked about our own local "soft targets."
http://www.news10.net/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=124850
It was a fascinating conversation with him (retired veteran law enforcement ) and also his wife (also veteran law enforcement). The expert teaches police and sheriff’s deputies and emergency crews how to handle critical incidents. He was there during the Unabomber investigation. He (and his wife) were there during the Good Guys incident in South Sacramento in 1991. On a side note, his wife responded when a disgruntled gunman entered KCRA3 and made demands---back in 19?? . Fortunately that incident ended peacefully. His wife is also a retired gang detective that specialized in Asian Gangs—Hmong and Vietnamese. That truly is impressive because most gang detectives I have talked to and interviewed are men . This woman is tough mentally and physically.
And, in the middle of all this, I was subpoenaed for a story I worked on. Honestly, I don’t know how many other reporters have been subpoenaed. Some of them have talked about how they “almost “got subpoenaed, or how an investigator wants to see their notes or the raw footage taken from an interview with a suspect or victim. It’s another thing when the deputy or guy taps on your car window, says your name, and hands you the papers to appear in court. As reporters, we all know about the California Shield Law. It’ll be interesting to see how this all pans out.
Read more…
