#How and Where the Analysis for firearm is Performed?

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

Let's review our tasks again.

WEDNESDAY

Speak to the assault victim

Go upstairs and knock on the door #3 to talk to the supposed victim of the hanged man. She what she has to say to you.

TUESDAY

Find the traffic hooligan

A half-insane joyrider has jumped over the canal. See if you can find evidence of his reckless activity in west, on the coast.

First you should find the vehicle the joyrider used in their escapades.

Find the murder weapon

You need to find the firearm that killed the hanged man. Something tells you it will take *some* time. You could start by identifying the bullet, so you'd know the weapon that shot it. After that, keep your eyes open. And be patient.

Perform an advanced analysis, using H/E Coordination.

Again, I think it's very unlikely that we succeed at this check until we have more information.

Send victim's body to processing

Once you're done with it, send the corpse to Processing (lieutenant Kitsuragi will take care of it). Check twice to see whether you're done with all corpse-related tasks -- after you've sent the body away, you can't take it back.

Kim will be gone for the remainder of the day once we do this, so we should leave it until last thing.

Open apartment door for Evrart

Evrart asked you to open the basement door behind the greenhouse in the backyard, to intimidate the occupant. Do what you have to do, Evrart has promised to give you info on the case in return.

You have the key. The door is behind the greenhouse in the yard. A basement door.

I'd forgotten about this.

Ask René about the photo

The photo you found in the nightwatchman's booth—the one with a happy couple. Ask René about it, he looked uncharacteristically happy on the picture.

Close the water lock on Wednesday

If you want to get on the coast, you need to close the water lock. It's been blocked, pending repairs, which should be done by Wednesday morning. (This will open up a new area in Martinaise.)

We can do this now.

Find working class husband

The working class woman you met in front of the bookstore admitted that her husband is missing. Chances are the guy is drinking somewhere with his buddies. Find him and bring him home, if possible.

Talk to Joyce about the pale without Kim

Lieutenant Kitsuragi does not want you to hear about something called the *pale*, probably thinking it will prove traumatic. Return to Joyce once he is not there, and ask her about it. *Or* get him to step away for a second.

We could theoretically do this without passing the Volition check, if we can find another way to get rid of Kim.

The smoker on the balcony

You met a mysterious stranger smoking on the balcony of the apartment building north of Martinaise. He knows something about the murder. Find out where he lives and question him again.

Visit apartment #28 some time after 21:00 to see if anyone's home.

We can do this tonight.

Buy FALN pants from Cuno

Those FALN track pants looked enticing, but you and Cuno were not *close* yet. You need to figure out what's going on with him and then you can get your hands on some performance gear.

We *are* close enough now. We just need enough money.

Find Morell, the cryptozoologist

The ageing cryptozoologist has been out in the reeds for too long, and his wife, Lena, is very worried. Maybe you can find him when you happen to be on the coast?

You told Lena Morell is missing because of the broken waterlock. She is still worried he hasn't come back -- let Morell know if you see him.

MONDAY

Find the armoured gloves

The gloves of the hanged man armour might still be around in the neighbourhood. Try to locate them.

Ask the little girl in the fishing village, down the coast, if she knows something about the armoured gloves.

Replace lost boule

Due to some confusion over the game René and Gaston are playing, you threw one of their pétanque *boules* far in the sea. The shot was excellent, but now you owe them a *boule*... or at least similar-looking metal sphere.

Track down your badge

It's unclear how you should go about finding a tiny piece of plastic in a world as huge as this. Maybe you'll just *stumble* across it, down the line? Miracles happen.

Who put the clothes in the trash?

The victim's clothes were in the trash container out back, neatly folded. Who could have put them there, and why? Only the Whirling staff was supposed to have the key.

Who else has unauthorized access to the Whirling trash? Find this person and you'll know who tampered with the scene.

The victim's tattoos

You have a photo of the hanged man's tattoos. Maybe someone can decipher them, tell you what they mean? You should probably talk to about two people about them for this.

Ask another about tattoo's possible meaning.

The Scab Leader doesn't count for completing this task.

Who made the call reporting the crime?

Someone reported the hanging to the RCM. Maybe if you find out who it was, it may shed new light on the events. You have an idea where to start, but the caller could have been anyone.

Keep searching for the caller -- despite any obvious leads.

Explore the Whirling's secret passages

There are strange doors in the Whirling. No one knows where they lead. Find a way in and see what's hidden there, in the hostel cafeteria's forgotten corners.

Sing karaoke

You need to find a sufficiently tragic tape, then play it on a boombox to memorize the lyrics. Then ask the cafeteria manager to perform. (Preferably in the evening. More people at the bar then.)

Get hold of a sad song on tape.

Find all armour pieces

You want all of the armour pieces. Deck yourself out in full metal battle-hardened glory. NOTE! This might take a while. Like, a *long* while.

[forensicfield]

Forensic Examination of Firearms

The forensic procedure of studying the properties of firearms or bullets left behind at a crime scene is known as forensic firearm examination. Bullets are linked to weapons, and weapons are linked to individuals, according to experts in this field.

The forensic procedure of studying the properties of firearms or bullets left behind at a crime scene is known as forensic firearm examination. Bullets are linked to weapons, and weapons are linked to individuals, according to experts in this field. In an attempt to locate the weapon’s registered owner, obliterated serial numbers can be raised and documented. The most commonly used reagent is…

[shining-red-diamond]

Prologue

Prologue/Ch. 1: My Name is Y/N/Ch. 2: The Paint Shop/Ch. 3: Boram (coming soon)

 Words: 2.5k

Pairing: Kai (feat. Bobby of iKon)

Rating: PG-15

Genre: angst with somewhat happy ending

Warnings: language, blood, violence, character death, and use of firearms

August 15, 2038. 8:29PM

The elevator ascended up the penthouse rapidly but silently. Kai faced the silver, sliding doors while waiting to get off on the floor he was called to. A homicide had happened in one of the wealthier neighborhoods in Seoul, the situation being an android like himself seeming to have gone rogue before slaying his owner. Why this happened, the police weren’t sure; but now with Kai on the way, they could possibly be a step closer to helping the family.

Out of boredom, Kai began performing tricks with his silver coin he had picked up after his first case. He had been programmed to learn a small skill to help him think, and coin tossing became his. He tossed it into the air twice before dancing it between his fingers. Leaping the object between his hands several times as if it were sliding in a PVC pipe, the elevator finally reached the seventieth floor, and Kai caught the coin between his index and middle fingers. As soon as he pocketed the coin, he straightened his tie and prepared himself to enter the penthouse.

The elevator doors then opened.

“Negotiator on site,” a troop reported before turning a corner.

The entrance to the family’s apartment was a dark hallway illuminated by lights shining upon home decorations and two large fish tanks with blue lights. In front of Kai was a rock wall with plants growing from well-groomed soil. Small tables lined the wall, and sitting upon them were both pictures of the family and other decorations. Debris of an ornament was shattered on the floor, indicating something bad had happened.

Kai glanced over at one of the pictures on a small table and picked it up. Pictured was a family of three: a father, mother, and a daughter; and they were all looking at the camera with content smiles. With one blink, his scanners immediately identified the man as thirty-nine year old Lee Minseo, the woman as thirty-seven year old Min Sooyoung, and the child as Lee Gayoon. From the information Kai was given about the family, Minseo was a well-respected businessman in the area, his wife worked as a nurse at one of the hospitals, and their ten-year-old daughter was a straight-A student one of the top elementary schools. To help out with their busy lives, they had bought an android that would clean the house, watch over the daughter, and a multitude of other basic needs.

Putting back the picture frame, he noticed a fish flopping around in one spot on the floor. He scooped it up, identified it as a dwarf gourami, and put it back into one of the fish tank. The creature swam away happily as if nothing had happened at all as Kai watched with a small smile on his face.

“I can’t leave her,” a woman’s voice pleaded. Kai turned to his left as a first responder was guiding a hysteric Sooyoung from the main area.

She spotted Kai, grabbed him by the shoulders and begged with tears in her eyes, “Please, please, you’ve got to save my little girl.” She paused for a second before pulling back and scanning him from head to toe. “Wait. You’re sending an android?”

“Alright, miss,” the responder ordered. “You need to go.”

“No,” Sooyoung protested as she was pulled from the scene. “You can’t do that! Why aren’t you sending a real person?!”

Kai watched as the sobbing woman was dragged to the elevator to safety. Turning back around, he ignored her protests and began his job.

He approached the S.W.A.T. captain, whom was looking over something with a team member, and introduced himself. “My name is Kai. I’m the android sent by CyberLife.”

The captain eyed him up and down before returning to his conversation with the S.W.A.T. soldier.

“It’s firing at everything that moves,” he reported. “It already shot down two of my men. We can easily get it to the edge of the balcony.”

Kai listened carefully to the captain’s plan.

“But if it falls,” the captain continued before turning to the android behind him, “she falls.”

Putting two and two together, Kai realized that this was the first case of an android going deviant. Worse than that, the android in question has taken Gayoon hostage.

“Do you know if it’s been behaving strangely before this?” he asked.

“I haven’t got a clue. Does it matter?”

“I need information to determine the best approach. Has it experienced an emotional shock recently?”

The police captain stood up in a huff and was now face to face with Kai. “Listen, saving that kid is all that matters. So either you take care of this android now, or I will.”

As soon as he was in another area of the room, Kai immediately got to work. He began in the master bedroom room where a safe was open, and a small, silver briefcase designed to hold Minseo’s pistol was abandoned and empty on the floor. He identified the inside as a placeholder to house an MS853 Black Hawk pistol that held seventeen rounds. Next to it, a few .365mm bullets had disappeared from a full box of them. His scanners then began reconstructing the scene, and it revealed that the deviant had stolen Minseo’s firearm.

Kai’s programming urged him to investigate Gayoon’s room. Upon entering her soft pink bedroom, he took advantage of checking her tablet that was resting next to her computer on her desk. The moment he opened it, the first thing to pop up was a video of Gayoon with her arm around the android. He and Gayoon were in a park on a somewhat cloudy day, and both of them were all smiles. The android was dressed in the standard android uniform, and from what Kai could tell Gayoon had on a light blue dress, her jet-black hair pulled back into a low ponytail.

“This is Bobby,” she grinned to the camera as she introduced him. “The coolest android ever! Say hi, Bobby.”

“Hello,” the android, now identified as Bobby, waved.

Kai shut off the tablet and glanced around the room some more. His eyes landed on a set of purple headphones. He kneeled down, picked them up, and held one side to his ear. Red Velvet’s music was playing loudly through them, which brought Kai to the conclusion that the child didn’t hear any possible gunshots.

Walking back into the living room, he found a man lying dead on a shattered, glass coffee table. As soon as he got closer, his scanners began to analyze everything. The body was identified as the now deceased Lee Minseo. He had been shot in the chest three times, his left lung, left kidney, and lower right lung all being pierced. Minseo’s cause of death was internal bleeding from the gunshots. Once the scene was reconstructed, it revealed that Minseo was sitting on the couch and reading something when the android entered from behind him. He turned around, saw the gun in his hands, and was almost instantly gunned down.

Something glimmered in the dim lighting. Kai found that it was a tablet with a few red blood splatters on it. He opened it, and found an order had been placed for a new android.

Things were starting to make sense now as the clues were piecing themselves together.

Two gunshots rang out at a deafening volume, and an officer cursed out of shock.

Kai knew he had to wrap up his investigation quickly, so he deciding to look around the kitchen area. A bronze pot sat on a hot stove, foam seeping from the lid and steam flying up into the air. Dinner was probably cooking when everything began to go down.

A DPD officer was sprawled out onto the floor, Kai concluding that he was the first officer to be shot by Bobby upon analysis. However, the officer had been able to strike the android before receiving a bullet through his heart, the child having been taken hostage and witnessing it all. After watching the scene, Kai was able to locate the officer’s weapon from under the kitchen table. He knew androids weren’t allowed to carry weapons, but he figured if things got out of hand or he needed to prove a point, he would pull it out if it were absolutely necessary.

The TV was now turned on to the news station where it was filming over the penthouse from a helicopter. The turquoise-colored pool glowed brightly, and a few patio lights brightened up the rooftop just enough to shed light on the deviant, who was holding Gayoon captive.

“It’s been just over an hour the little girl was taken hostage at the top of a building here in downtown Gangnam,” the anchor on the TV reported. “Details are still in motion as to what is happening, but the hostage taker could be the family’s android. He may have taken the lives of one family member and a police officer. If confirmed this would be the first case of an android taking human lives. By all sides, the-“

Kai muted the TV. He had the confirmation he needed. Now, he just needed to confide with Bobby.

Slowly, Kai stepped out onto the patio. A gun was immediately fired, Gayoon screamed, and the bullet hit Kai in his arm. Thankfully, it did little to no damage, but his blue blood was splattered onto the patio curtains.

Bobby was standing at the very edge of the rooftop. In his left arm, he held a crying Gayoon, and in his right hand was Minseo’s pistol.

“Stay back!” Bobby ordered with a shot. “Don’t come any closer, or I’ll jump.”

“No, no, please! I’m begging you!” Gayoon begged with tears of fear streaming down her eyes.

Kai glanced around at the surrounding buildings. The S.W.A.T. teams were starting to position themselves on the rooftops in case anything started getting out of hand, and a police helicopter was now hovering over them. If they fired immediately, they would risk killing Gayoon as well.

Gayoon had to be saved at all costs, so Kai immediately began his rescue strategies.

“Hi, Bobby!” he greeted him while having to shout at him over the helicopter’s noise. “My name is Kai.”

“How do you know my name?” Bobby asked.

“I know a lot of things about you. I’ve come to get you out of this.”

The detective android them began slowly approaching the pair, the helicopter flying around while causing a few lounge chairs to fly up and fall.

“I know you’re angry, Bobby,” Kai began the calm approach. “But you need to trust me, and let me help you.”

“I don’t want your help!” Bobby spat. “Nobody can help me. All I want is for all this to stop.” His face darkened again as he stared down at Kai. “Are you armed?”

“I have a gun.”

“Drop it!”-Bobby aimed his weapon at Kai-“No sudden moves, or I shoot.”

Kai pulled the gun out of his pocket and immediately tossed it aside. “There,” he said. “No more gun.”

He then began to walk forward again, this time explaining the whole scenario to Bobby.

“They were going to replace you,” he began, “and you became upset. That’s what happened right?”

“I thought I was part of the family,” Bobby added. “I thought I mattered, but I was just their toy. Something you can throw away when you’re done with.” He gripped Gayoon harder and held the gun to her.

“I know you and Gayoon were very close. You think she betrayed you, but she’s done nothing wrong.”

“SHE LIED TO ME!!!” Bobby screamed. “She’s just like all the other humans.”

“Bobby, no,” Gayoon sobbed.

Kai glanced over at another cop on the ground, but he was slightly moving. Rushing over to him to check him out, he realized he had been shot. He knew he had a job to do, but he figured there was still part of Bobby’s programming that could help the officer. Looking back up at Bobby, he told him, “He’s losing blood. If we don’t get him to a hospital now, he’s going to die.”

“All humans die eventually,” Bobby put his foot down. “What does it matter if this one dies now?”

Kai didn’t answer, but instead began showing Bobby what he’s doing. However, the deviant wasn’t having it. He shot a bullet near the man’s arm.

“Don’t touch him!” he ordered. “Touch him, and I’ll kill you.”

“You can’t kill me,” Kai shot back as he proceeded to stop the man’s bleeding until proper help could arrive. “I’m not alive.”

When he finished, he stood back up and began approaching Bobby again.

“I know this is not your fault,” he reassured. “These emotions you are feeling are just errors in your software.”

“No,” Bobby sobbed. “I never wanted this. I loved them, you know? But I was nothing to them!”

Gayoon began to cry again.

“Just a slave to be ordered around.”

The helicopter hovered a little closer, but Bobby only grew more agitated. “I can’t stand that noise anymore,” he growled. “Tell that helicopter to get out of here.”

Kai did as he wished and motioned for the flying contraption to leave, mentally hoping that this would help Bobby. The helicopter immediately flew away.

“There,” he reassured him. “I’ve done what you wanted.”

Bobby looked around at everything surrounding them and noticed the police and S.W.A.T. team all over the place. His LED was now shining red, the indicator of an android under stress.

“I want everyone to leave,” he ordered. “And I want a car. When I’m outside the city, I’ll let her go.”

Gayoon was staring at Kai with a pleading expression, tears stained down her round cheeks.

“That’s impossible, Bobby,” the android shook his head. “Let the girl go, and I promise you won’t be hurt.”

He knew it was probably a lie, but Kai was determined that Sooyoung would be able to get her ten-year-old back safely in her arms. At this point, Kai was doing he could to keep the situation calm and possibly not have to gun down the deviant.

“I don’t wanna die,” Bobby replied softly.

“You’re not going to die,” Kai promised with the knowledge that it was a lie. “We’re just going to talk. Nothing will happen to you. You have my word.”

Bobby stared down at him for a moment before gently releasing Gayoon from his grasp. The girl immediately rushed over to the pool and lay down by the edge, nervous that things would escalate further.

“Okay,” he sighed as he lowered the gun. “I trust you.”

The two locked eyes for a moment, but before Bobby could walk towards him a shot pierced the silence. Gayoon screamed in shock, and two more shots stuck Bobby causing him to kneel on both knees. His inner workings were now exposed while his blue blood was splattered and spilled like ice cream on a hot day.

He looked up Kai. “You lied to me, Kai,” he said as he began shutting down. “You l-lied to m-me…” Bobby shut down permanently, a somber look frozen on his face.

It was quiet now, the only noises being the two helicopters and Gayoon’s soft sobs as she lay there on the ground. Once the police collected Bobby, took care of the bleeding officer, and reunited Gayoon with her mother Kai left the scene. Kai’s mission was a success.

-

Tagging: @moonlightlino​ @keeper-of-the-uwus​ @yeaimfishboi​ @daybreakx​ @nct-neoculture​

[the-desolated-quill]

It’s Summer And We’re Running Out Of Ice - Watchmen (TV Series) blog

(SPOILER WARNING: The following is an in-depth critical analysis. if you haven’t seen this episode yet, you may want to before reading this review)

I’m not going to lie. I was incredibly sceptical going into this. This isn’t the first TV adaptation of a classic novel to go beyond the source material and try to continue the story, and they nearly always suck (see The Handmaid’s Tale and The Man In The High Castle). There’s a reason why books end where they’re supposed to end. If the author intended to carry the story on, they would have done so. This is why I get angry when the TV industry arrogantly oversteps the mark and try to continue a plot that has already come to a satisfactory conclusion. Doing a sequel to Watchmen, a story that hinges on the ambiguity of its ending, is just utter madness to me, and allowing Damon Lindelof to write that sequel borders on moronic at first glance. This is the man behind the TV series Lost, a show that ran out of steam within the first couple of episodes due to the fact that the plot was complete and total bollocks and the fact that nobody could be bothered to come up with satisfying answers for these ludicrous mysteries and series arcs beforehand. They were just making that shit up as he went along. Now you’re handing Lindelof the keys to one of the most intricate and detailed comic book properties of all time?! Fuck, why don’t you just let JJ Abrams direct the next Star Wars mo- Oh yeah, I forgot, he already did that.

Thankfully, judging by this first episode anyway, HBO’s Watchmen is nowhere near as bad as Lost. It’s certainly far more engaging and coherent. Does that mean I’m looking forward to the rest of this season? Well... I don’t know if I’d go that far. I’m definitely intrigued though.

HBO’s Watchmen is a sequel to the graphic novel (Lindelof called it a remix, but come on. Grow a pair and call it what it is. A sequel). Superheroes are still illegal, Robert Redford is now the President, Rorschach’s death has inspired a white supremacist cult, and it’s raining squid.

Yeah, the raining squid thing feels like the only egregious bit of fanwank in here, to be fair. Maybe they’re going somewhere with this, but I have my doubts. Are we supposed to assume that Ozymandias has been making squid rain for the past thirty odd years in order to keep up the whole alien invasion ruse? Why squid rain? And why is everyone so nonchalant about it? Shouldn’t people be just a bit concerned by this, considering what happened in New York?

Speaking of Ozymandias, we see him riding a horse and writing plays for his butler and maid in some fancy mansion. Quite what the significance of The Watchmaker’s Son is, I don’t know. All I do know is I’m not going to be able to sleep at night without thinking about Jeremy Irons’ thighs from now on, so thanks for that.

Putting my cynicism aside for a moment, I do like what Lindelof is trying to do here. He’s not merely cashing in on the Watchmen brand. There is a genuine effort to do something fresh and different with this material, and I commend that. Watchmen’s central theme has always been about power, but whereas the source material focused mainly on its relation to sex (Comedian’s hedonism, Nite Owl’s impotence, Rorschach’s mummy issues and the sexual objectification of Silk Spectre), the TV series seems to be zeroing in on race as a topic. This I applaud. Expanding on certain areas that the graphic novel only ever really touched upon is a great idea. This doesn’t feel like a repeat of the graphic novel, but rather a clarification of it, exploring areas and themes that Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons may have overlooked. This helps set this series apart from the outset. 

The opening scenes where we see the Tulsa Massacre of 1921 is a pretty harrowing way to start. I’m ashamed to say I had no idea about the Tulsa Massacre prior to this, and we could have a whole other discussion about why schools seem to have been avoiding teaching specific topics like this in favour of the broad strokes of the Jim Crow era, but now is not the time. The fact that it’s depicted here sets the stage for what’s to come. Some have criticised the show for the length of time the opening focuses on Tulsa, claiming that it sensationalises the pain of black people at that time. I personally don’t think it does. It’s not overly graphic or gratuitous, at least in my opinion, but it is a very shocking way to open a series. Some might say even upsetting, but I think it’s important that we saw this because it’s relevant in setting the tone for the episode and indeed the season as a whole, as well as letting the audience know that this show isn’t going to fuck around or shy away from more sensitive topics, and I can respect that. Unlike Zack Snyder’s overly stylised adaptation from 2009, Watchmen the HBO series is grounded very firmly in reality.

Let’s discuss characters. This episode mostly focuses on Angela Abar, also known as Sister Night. Regina King has given some terrific performances in the past and this is no exception. She’s simply phenomenal. The way she switches from light-hearted wife and baker to violent, no nonsense vigilante cop. The shift is noticeable and yet both personas feel like they’re aspects of the same character. It’s exceptionally good. It also helps that the character herself makes for a great protagonist. Having survived the ‘White Night’ four years prior, where the Seventh Kavalry attacked the families of forty Tulsa police officers in response to the government giving special reparations to the victims of racial injustice, Angela has become cynical and battle hardened. She has no sympathy for Kavlary members and is willing to skip due process by beating one of them to a pulp and bundling him in the back of her car. She’s angry and in pain, and yet retains the audience's sympathy. I’m interested to see what happens to her over the course of the season.

I also really liked her friendship with Don Johnson’s character Judd Crawford. Johnson is a charismatic performer and Crawford is a charismatic character. He really dives into the olde western sheriff persona and seems to be having a lot of fun with it. Crawford is the only other character, besides Angela, who stayed on as a police officer after the White Night, and the two characters seem to have a great relationship. They laugh and joke around and there’s clearly a mutual respect between the two. I genuinely like this character, which is what makes his murder at the end so much more heartbreaking. Not to mention all the little details that force us to realise he may not be what he seems. We see him sniff cocaine in private and there’s a photo on his desk featuring the kid from school who aggressively asked Angela why black people deserve reparations. It doesn’t necessarily mean that Crawford himself is racist, but there’s clearly more going on with him that we don’t know about.

The final character of interest at the moment is Tim Blake Nelson’s character Wade Tillman, aka Looking Glass. We don’t know anything about him yet other than he’s a human lie detector, which I find very intriguing and I hope will be explored further as the show goes on. There’s a lot to play around with there, and the moral implications are tantalising. A conviction based not on physical evidence, but rather on the observations of one man. Even Sherlock Holmes has to back his deductions up with evidence, and yet Looking Glass clearly doesn’t need to. That just raises so many ethical questions. What if he has a particular bias towards someone? What about burden of proof? What if forensic evidence contradicts him? If Looking Glass is supposedly that accurate, does that mean the police will side with him regardless? It’s a great premise for a character and I really like Nelson’s performance, giving him a cold and detached personality that contrasts beautifully with Angela’s.

The characters and ideas are solid, however where I feel the show is lacking is with the consistency of its world building. Let’s analyse. This is an alternate history where Nixon used superheroes to extend his term limits, but after the New York attack at the end of the graphic novel, he’s been kicked out in favour of Robert Redford (nice nod to the source material there by the way. lol). As a result, black people got reparations for the racial injustices their ancestors went through and police are now unable to openly carry firearms without special permission from Panda (literally a cop wearing a panda costume). However, after the events of White Night, the government agrees to allow cops to wear masks to protect their identities, hence why quote/unquote ‘superheroes’ like Sister Night and Looking Glass are around despite the existence of the Keene Act. These are, in effect, legal vigilantes. Except already there’s a problem with conflicting messages. I like the idea of masked cops. In the current age of Black Lives Matter and police accountability, it makes sense and could be interesting to explore. However this is hindered by the whole ‘no guns’ stuff. Again, not a bad idea. America’s current gun laws are, to put it mildly, woefully inadequate. What if we went the other way? What if not only was it near impossible to own a gun, cops couldn’t even use a taser without special permission. Both ideas could work... but not at the same time.

Cops being allowed to wear masks creates the effect of empowering them through anonymity, and runs the risk of officers overstepping the mark and normal citizens being unable to hold them to account. But on the other hand, we’ve also got cops whose lives are constantly at risk and who are hindered in their duties by an overprotective nanny state, which effectively depowers them. So... which is it? It can’t be both. I like the scene where Panda reads the law about how the use of firearms can only be permitted in extreme circumstances, and everyone just angrily shouts him down because it tells us how the police feel about this new system. The fact that they’ve made one cop the sole arbiter of these new restrictions and forced him to dress like some ridiculous furry demonstrates the sheer amount of disdain they have towards this policy. But having said that, with the masks on, they have the power and freedom to break into people’s caravans and basically kidnap and assault them without consequence anyway. So what the fuck are they complaining about? It just doesn’t gel together. Either have it that the rules and regulations of the police are the same as our world except that cops can wear masks now, which has led to an increasing problem of police brutality and corruption, or have it that the police are being too heavily restricted and so a few have chosen to turn toward more ‘unorthodox’ methods of crime fighting out of frustration. Pick one and go with it.

Then there’s the Seventh Kavalry. Again, not a bad idea. In fact I love it. A white supremacist cult that’s taken Rorschach’s journal as gospel and have banded together out of a fear of being sidelined in a more liberal world. Very relevant and very interesting. Except... well... there’s not an awful lot to it, is there? In the original graphic novel, there was no clear bad guy. Ozymandias believed he was doing the ultimate good by killing millions of people to save the world, and everyone reluctantly went along with it. It was morally complicated. This, not so much. They’re unambiguously evil. The end. So what? What is there to discuss? It just feels lacking compared to the graphic novel and it runs the risk of creating a conflict that’s too clear cut. Obviously we’re going to end up siding with the cops, regardless of what they do, because the alternative is objectively bad. Hopefully Lindelof is going somewhere with this, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t say I was slightly concerned.

So on the whole, would I say I enjoyed this first episode? Well... I’d say I did, but with reservations. There’s some good characters and ideas that could be interesting to explore and develop, but its execution feels a little shaky in places. Hopefully the episodes to come will offer further clarity.

[that-shamrock-vibe]

Movie Review: Birds of Prey (Spoilers)

Spoiler Warning: I am posting this review a week after the movie airs worldwide, so if you have not yet seen the movie do not read on until you have.

Characters:

Harley Quinn:

This is most definitely Margot Robbie’s signature role. Just like Johnny Depp has Jack Sparrow and Gal Gadot has Wonder Woman, Margot Robbie is Harley Quinn and I am not just saying that because she’s the only cinematic version we have.

I really enjoyed the “Galentine’s” movie angle as this movie was released around the traditionally loved-up holiday and Galentine’s is an anti-approach to it. But showing how Harley bounced back after being dumped by the Joker with the traditional break-up tropes of a bad haircut, partying, drinking and generally hitting self destruct was a lot of fun, particularly from Harley’s perspective.

Also the link with her roller derby hobby at the start of the movie showing how she’s moved on to the end of the movie when she uses her roller derby skills in a positive way was really great, and one of the few things I really like about her comics redesign.

As I said in my non-spoiler review, I thought Margot Robbie’s comedy as Harley Quinn had greatly improved from Suicide Squad to here, whether or not that’s better writers or Robbie’s own performance I don’t know. But Margot Robbie, to be fair to her, is funny when given the right material. Just look at how she delivered Brad Pitt’s acceptance speech at the BAFTAs.

But she had a lot of great one-liners and even character moments where it was just physical acting or face acting that just make me laugh every time I watch the movie, and I so far have seen it three times.

My favourite funny lines from her are “Run piggy run!” when she’s gunning down the GCPD officers with glitter rounds, “Does she have to keep running?!” when trying to chase Cassandra through the evidence room while also battling with the mercenaries looking to claim Sionis’ bounty, and when she is explaining why the main women of the movie need to team-up in the most realistic way possible ending with “...so unless we all want to die extremely painful deaths and let Roman go finger fondling around the kid’s intestinal track...”.

In terms of her silent comedy, I loved when she ran for the truck she used to blow up Ace Chemicals, Margot Robbie is a good drunk actor. The way she ran with her arms out but then momentarily stopped seeing the actual driver before continuing anyway, I’m cracking up now just thinking about it.

Also whenever she came across someone who was after her or she had an idea, the way she would sign or look confused or have her trademark devilish grin was fantastic.

In regards to her character development, I am beyond thrilled that they let Harley be Harleen in this movie.

During Suicide Squad she had one or two moments where she did analyse the team and especially in the extended cut she went through the group.

Here though right from the start with Roman in his club she lays out his psyche in front of him and in turn I believe throughout the movie analyses all the main players with the exception of Zsasz.

It did weigh in to the comedy but the fact she had an analysis for everyone so unique to them; Sionis with his insecurities, Canary being a harlequin of sorts, Montoya being stuck in the past, Huntress and her childhood trauma. It was all superb and exactly what I want from Harley.

Even psychoanalysing herself when explaining herself to Cassandra, how she was a psychologist working at Arkham before falling in love with her patient and helping him escape, then being arrested herself and becoming a member of the Suicide Squad, but escaping before being dumped. Serious and professional Harley is just as important to me as the wacky Harlequin of Chaos.

Also the fact she is still a dangerous character both with her actions and unhinged mind. She is a very calculating individual and that’s again a lot to do with her psychological background.

When she manages to save her skin (literally) with Black Mask by telling him she can get his diamond back from Cassandra Cain, the fact she’s clearly hesitant from just turning her over and simply wants the diamond, you can see the frustration in her when Cassandra originally refuses to hand it over before admitting she ate it.

Speaking of what I want to see from my Harley, her action sequences were so good. Harley is an acrobatic character and while we saw shades of that in Suicide Squad, here not only was she doing kicks and flips, but the way she used that baseball bat and her roller skates was everything for me.

Yes Harley with a mallet and a form of firearm will always be Harley, but this is old-school Harley and it works so well.

While I do think Margot Robbie’s storytelling style could be considered all over the place, in the context of Harley Quinn it is such a good narrative because Harley’s mind is all over the place.

I love me a cute animal sidekick and, while neither animals in this movie are cute (or real), I thought Bruce the Hyena was a great addition despite not really doing anything. If you’ve seen him in the trailers you’ve seen him in the movie.

I am hoping that some day soon they could afford to render two hyenas so we can finally get Bud and Lou on the big screen because Harley with her hyenas is such a great partnership.

Harley with a beaver on the other hand...I am just glad it wasn’t played up and used in cheap inuendos. It is slightly annoying that when her apartment was blown up, she had to save the beaver and even at the end of the movie, once it was revealed that Bruce was safe, the beaver was also there. I just don’t get the fascination with it.

Black Canary:

Jurnee Smolett-Bell, as I said in my non-spoiler review, is the breakout star of this movie for me. I know Black Canary quite well thanks to Injustice 2, the Arrowverse and even some animated properties, but seeing her in a more realistic setting rather than the suited up version was very refreshing.

Even the smaller moments for Dinah worked really well thanks to Smolett-Bell’s acting. For example, when that one guy roufees Harley and tries abducting her, the look on Dinah’s face as she’s deciding whether or not to get involved or not was really great.

Giving Black Canary some good action sequences was also the right thing to do because that’s partly what Canary is known for. Not only did she have some great kicks but it was just her attitude and her bravado about how she engaged in her fight choreography.

Also allowing her to sing, I haven’t talked about the music in this movie because while I do love some of the songs used here it wasn’t a lot to rave about, “Man’s World” may be slightly too on the nose for this movie but Smolett-Bell delivered it very well.

And let’s not forget the other way her voice was used, we have our Canary Cry and I am thrilled...mostly. Having it used once at the end of the movie and that’s it does seem like a bit of a waste, but it does make sense with in the context of this movie.

Black Canary is the only metahuman in this movie and on the team and so if she used her power all the time there would be no need for Huntress or even Harley.

However, the fact she fainted after using it once I found interesting. I am not taking the same approach as some by saying it was stupid because I feel the way Dinah’s story is told in this movie that she may not use it a lot and so she may not be vocally trained or durable enough to sustain.

On that note, the nod to Dinah’s mother, aka the original Black Canary, originally being a vigilante with the same Canary Cry as Dinah I also felt played into Dinah’s character. She knows what her mother was like and the fact she died, so of course she didn’t want that life and so didn’t use her power which is why it’s so overwhelming for her.

I do wish her outfits had been more Black Canary-esk. I would have loved more fishnets and definitely a leather jacket rather than that weird disco suit jacket she had on for a lot of the movie.

However, the gold trousers and matching boots were fabulous.

Black Mask:

Ewan McGregor can do no wrong for me really, there is just such a charm and charisma about the actor that I can’t help but like him in everything he is in.

That being said, I will say I know nothing about Black Mask from the comics other than he is a psychologically damaged crime lord. I do not believe he is this campy but I am sorry it works for the movie.

I did like how the movie played up Black Mask’s insecurities which Harley diagnosed at the start of the movie. When that one woman was laughing and he thought it was at him so decided to humiliate her, then later on when Zsasz revealed that Dinah betrayed him and he just flipped.

I’m not entirely sure if Black Mask is this misogynistic in the comics but it seems to be that every woman in this movie was at his mercy. At the start of the movie he clearly had a begrudging relationship with Harley because of her association with The Joker, however, after it was revealed that she had been dumped it seemed like he wanted her but then it’s revealed he just wants to kill her.

Bottom line, Roman Sionis was definitely a dangerous individual and Ewan McGregor played that brilliantly, but there was also a campy and somewhat sadistically comedic edge to him which gave way to a rather brilliant DC villain.

However, the very fact that his tenure in the DCEU is short-lived given that he was literally blown up at the end of the movie, it is sad that we will never see him going forward.

Also on the subject of his actual mask, I know it’s supposed to be welded to his face or something, I’m kind of glad it wasn’t but do wish we had seen it more throughout the movie. Also I feel it would have popped more with the white suit rather than the black, just saying.

Huntress:

While Mary Elizabeth Winstead was a great choice for Huntress here, I do feel that the movie missed a trick and a way to bring other strong female characters into the movie.

Alright so the movie honours Helena’s origins of being the daughter of a crime boss whose entire family is murdered and so she trains to become an assassin and comes to Gotham seeking vengeance.

However, how great would it have been if, rather than Sicily, if she was trained by either the League of Assassins or even Lady Shiva herself.

I know that this is more of a Cassandra Cain origin, which they still didn’t do, but it would have been a great way to tie-in these characters and also show a bond between Helena and Cassandra being raised by the same woman maybe.

Then also, if Black Canary and Huntress do get their own spin-off, Lady Shiva could come in as an antagonist and it would see Huntress going up against her old mentor.

I do think that Winstead did a good job with what she had, I am hoping that Huntress is meant to be socially awkward because that’s definitely the vibes I got from her.

I appreciated her tracksuit attire because Gotham is meant to be in New Jersey and it’s a very gangster Jersey attire.

I hated her last outfit though right at the end, loved the mask but that actual outfit was hideous.

I do see a future for Huntress going forward which is great, I’m not as disappointed with the character as I thought I would be.

Victor Zsasz:

This was an interesting conundrum of a character for me because, like the other two left on this list, if you don’t read the comics or watch the TV shows with these characters in, you’re not going to know who Victor Zsasz from this movie.

I will say, having seen the actor’s transformation from how he normally looks to his Zsasz look, it is a very impressive change and does fit in with the Suicide Squad level changes made to the characters.

Unfortunately though this is where the impressiveness stops. Yes, Zsasz is an assassin and I did like how they confirmed that he works for various employers, despite the fact it seems that the crime boss who had the Bertinellis killed was in fact working for or with Sionis so was Zsasz just on loan?

But the misogyny of the character was so cringe-worthy and at times unnecessary that it actually makes me side with the fans who put misogyny as this movie’s biggest problem, despite knowing logically that is not strictly true but I do accept it is one of the big problems.

For instance, it is implied that Zsasz only cuts himself to tally the number of women he’s “set free” as opposed to everyone he kills...that is not how Victor Zsasz is supposed to operate. He gives himself a point for every person he kills, that’s what makes him such a terrifying and grotesque adversary.

Okay so I know Anthony Carrigan on Gotham also didn’t go deep into that side of the character, but they didn’t have that Zsasz single out women either.

Also, when he paralysed Harley with that dart and then was effectively playing with her while she was unresponsive...I get she was still aware but even so where I thought that scene was going to go was both unnecessary and only added to why fans were laughing when Harley started repeatedly stabbing Zsasz with that same dart despite him already being dead.

I did like the subtle LGBT representation they tried to showcase with him and Sionis, because even if Sionis wasn’t reciprocating, this was a case of one guy crushing hard on another and feeling he knew what was best and wanting to protect him. That I liked and they played that rather well in my opinion.

But overall, I just didn’t feel that threatened by a supervillain who is essentially the living embodiment of torture porn. I know he cut off people’s faces and had visible scars, but there wasn’t a lot of anything else to make me believe this was the same Victor Zsasz that can easily inspire nightmares just by looking at him.

Cassandra Cain:

I’m just going to put this out there, I don’t know that much about Cassandra Cain. From what I have been told, she was someone who became Batgirl, I know in Young Justice she is in it as Orphan despite I don’t think ever speaking or having her real name revealed, and I know her mother is Lady Shiva.

Which brings me back to a potential storyline going forward for a Black Canary/Huntress TV series to feature Lady Shiva which could also include the return of Cassandra Cain...because I don’t think we need to see her again in the movies.

It is very harsh to judge a child actress, but much like Zsasz honestly if you are unfamiliar with Cassandra Cain as I am you would not really have much takeaway from the character based on this movie.

I also recall there being reports that Margot Robbie stole Cassandra Cain from the upcoming Suicide Squad as a plot point...but now I want to know what the original plan was for Cassandra Cain in The Suicide Squad and if James Gunn would have handled her better.

There just wasn’t a lot of depth to her character. She had a broken arm, potentially from her foster parents, but other than that she was just so angry all the time. She tried being sassy particularly with Harley but it fell flat.

Then in the climactic battle, she is the girl everyone is after to either kill or protect, but in that fun-house scene, as cool as the action was, Cassandra was essentially a hot potato going from character to character and it reminded me a lot of The Jungle Book when Baloo and Bagheera were trying to keep Mowgli away from King Louis and the monkeys.

I don’t really see the point of Harley having an apprentice either, I like the idea that she’s a free agent with no ties. Now that the Birds of Prey are formed she can float between helping them out and doing her own thing or going on another Suicide mission but the point is she rides solo...how are we going to explain where Cassandra is in The Suicide Squad?

Renee Montoya:

I continuously keep calling Rosie Perez’s character Maggie Sawyer because, in my opinion, this is who she is most like, not Renee Montoya.

Renee is young, determined and the woman who can stand alongside Jim Gordon and Harvey Bullock. She comes from the same origin as Harley Quinn which is Batman: The Animated Series. Yet so far the only incarnation to get her right outside of that has been Batman: Bad Blood where she had a minor appearance as Batwoman’s love interest...which is actually supposed to be Maggie Sawyer.

I said how Cassandra was played as angry, Renee was simply one of these rather aggressive soccer mom characters, especially in that final battle.

She had her funny moments and I do understand where the movie was coming from in trying to show how she was hard done by because of her male colleagues always stealing her glory, but this is a character who again led GCPD missions when Gordon and Bullock were detained in the past, yet I am not getting that essence from this character.

Also Renee, like Maggie Sawyer, is an LGBT character, but while her ex-girlfriend was shown here, if it wasn’t for Harley narrating that fact you would not know they had that history.

I don’t understand why she also became a founding member of the Birds of Prey, I get that in the comics she has been a liaison between them and the GCPD, but to actually quit her job and fight alongside Black Canary and Huntress? There is a third member needed in that line-up but Renee Montoya is not it.

DCEU Connections:

I will keep calling this universe the DC Extended Universe because until DC itself makes up its mind I am going to stick to what I know.

So in the wider scope of the DCEU, this movie definitely is a follow-up to Suicide Squad, not only because of Margot Robbie’s Harley and the flashbacks we saw of her diving into the acid vat from Ace Chemicals, but also the cheeky Easter-Egg of Captain Boomerang’s wanted poster at the GCPD.

I don’t understand why Captain Boomerang is wanted by the GCPD particularly when he is supposed to be a Flash rogue but I just loved seeing Jai Courtney getting some love.

Also, when the women are suiting up to fight Black Mask and his army, we see Black Canary equip herself with Harley’s Good Night bat from Suicide Squad but also Renee pick up Harley’s “Daddy’s Little Monster” shirt from said movie which Harley takes back as “sentimental value”. I love little connections like that.

In terms of where this movie could branch out to, again I do see a Black Canary/Huntress series in the future maybe including Cassandra Cain and Renee Montoya as guest characters, but movie-wise aside from Harley returning, I don’t see any of this lot coming back.

Also, despite Arrow severely screwing this over, the Black Canary/Green Arrow relationship I could see happen in a TV series but the way they have developed this version of the character I do not see Dinah needing an Emerald Archer in her life.

Overall I rate the movie a solid 7/10, I know I rated Suicide Squad the same and have said this was a better movie, but with everything that DC is pushing recently like Wonder Woman and Aquaman I expected something at that level rather than Shazam! level. Maybe if we got a Gotham City Sirens movie the mark would be higher.

So that’s my review of Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, what did you guys think? Post your comments and check out more DC Movie Reviews as well as other reviews and posts.

[cksmart-world]

The Completely Unnecessary News Analysis

by Christopher Smart

March 19, 2019

Genocide & the End of Hamburgers

This is perhaps the most shocking news of the week — and that's saying something: We could be looking at the end of America as we know it and it has nothing to do with Netflix. Utah Congressman Rob Bishop has warned that the end of the hamburger — the sandwich that built America — is imminent, thanks to some rabid left-wing crazies who are taking control of the House of Representatives. That's right, he's talking about the Green New Deal. “[T]he ideas behind the New Green Deal are tantamount to genocide,” he said. Rob Bishop is among the oft forgotten and trod-upon lily-white minority that inhabits lands that eastern elites often dismiss. “I'm an ethnic,” Bishop said. “I'm a Westerner.” How the Green New Deal would kill off hamburgers and people inhabiting the West remains a little fuzzy. But the hideous proposal calls for such things as health care for all, access to higher ed, replacing aging roads and bridges and a guaranteed living wage. Word is it would replace beef cattle with windmills and Sage Grouse. Burger King would have to change its name. Sage Grouse King? It's so shocking that Bishop is calling on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to conduct a thorough investigation of the Green New Deal: “With American safety and prosperity on the line, it's the very least the speaker can do,” he declared. Damn straight. Pass the Freedom Fries.

Happy Days — Lawmakers in Recess

For many Utahns this is the best time of year as the annual session of the State Legislature — a gut-churning 45 days — comes crashing to an end. As usual, our righteous legislators took on abortion and pumped up gun rights. They considered a new tax on food to raise much needed revenue as they wondered how to dispose of a $1billion surplus. They performed major surgery on citizen initiatives that legalized medical marijuana and expanded Medicaid and promised a lobotomy next year on a third initiative aimed at ending gerrymandering. The teetotalers compromised on a bill that would have boosted the alcohol content of beer from 3.2 to 4.8 percent: wait for it — 4.0 beer. WTF. Not least, lawmakers manipulated a proposal that would have banned conversion therapy that proponents claim saves gay people from their sinful ways — if it doesn't kill them. The list goes on, but Wilson and the band can't take anymore, fearing nightmares and flashbacks from bad acid trips and past legislative sessions. We'd go into the Machiavellian Inland Port scheme, but why waste time when the sun is out and lawmakers have been driven back under their rocks. So grab your skateboard and beer cooler and head for the park — but don't forget the sunscreen or your medical marijuana.

It's Not Your Fault, Mr. President

Headlines screaming “Lee and Romney Defy President” thunder across the land, shaking the bedrock of the Grand Old Party of Trump. Normally, when a member of Congress doesn't line up behind a president, it's not such a big deal. But that was BT — Before Trump. Republicans in Congress know that going against the BUM (Big Unhinged Monster) could land them with Mia Love — condemned to wander the political wilderness, like Moses without goats. The history-making vote to undo Trump's border Wall emergency was seen by some pundits as the slaves telling Pharaoh to kiss off. Others thought it might finally be their acknowledgement of Trump's parallel universe. Wishful thinking. In a speech on the floor of the Senate, the bard, Mike Lee, explained his vote: He wasn't telling Trump to kiss off, at all, it's just that he had to vote against the law that gave chief executives too much power. “It's not your fault that it's a bad law, Mr. President,” Lee proclaimed. Only time will tell if this bit of CYA will save Lee's bacon. Wrapping yourself in the shroud of the Constitution goes only so far with an agnostic ruler. Perhaps Lee should pray that it rains frogs and the Red Sea parts.

Good Guys With AR-15s

Following the massacre at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern pledged to change gun laws that permit semi-automatic weapons, like the AR-15. What a crazy idea. After mass shootings in the U.S., Republicans have said that reviewing gun laws following such tragedies is not a good idea because important decisions should not be made when people are thinking about other people who have just been shot to death. It clouds the judgement. In 1996, Australia toughened gun laws after a spate of mass shootings: A person must have a license to possess or use a firearm. License holders must demonstrate a "genuine reason" (which does not include self-defense) for obtaining a firearm license. All firearms must be registered by serial number. Strangely enough, the Australian Institute of Criminology found that gun deaths, including suicides, went down sharply. This is something many people in this country are trying to avoid because we don't want to lose our freedom. Last year, there were some 40,000 gun deaths in the U.S. Fortunately, we have the 2nd Amendment or even more people would have been killed. Too bad those poor muslims in New Zealand didn't carry their AR-15s to prayer. Then, the massacre would never have happened. Right.

News flash: Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie (I'm rebuilding the city brick-by-brick) Biskupski will not — repeat, will not — run for reelection. The surprising news comes soon after former state senator and all around bon vivant Jim Dabakis tossed his 10-gallon hat through the window at City Hall, proclaiming he will be the next mayor. Some Salt Lakers love the mercurial Dabakis for poking Republican state legislators in the eye. And although Dabakis would be a lot more fun than Mayor Frownyface, critics fear he may lack even her meager managerial skills. On the other hand, it is the age of Trump and such skills are no longer required. But can he tweet?

OK, that's it for another week here at Smart Bomb, where the staff keeps track of every move Beto O'Rourke makes so that you and the entire Washington press corps don't have to. Wilson, will you and the band take us out with a little something for the wunderkind: So you want to be a rock and roll star, then listen now, to what I say / Just get an electric guitar and take some time and learn how to play / And in a week or two if you make the charts the girls'll tear you apart... The money, the game, the public acclaim — Don't forget what you are, you're a rock 'n' roll star...

[specnaarms-blog]

Airsoft

Airsoft guns are life-dimension replicas of real firearms that fireplace small plastic pellets or BBs, there are three important types according to the type of firing mechanism - spring, gasoline and electric. Perform a search on-line and you'll be bombarded with web sites offering discounts, promotions, low costs and guns galore - so where do you start in your search for the perfect airsoft gun?

When coping with online retailers you want a home page that's simply set out and directs Airsoft replicas you shortly to the type of gun you might be on the lookout for, there must also be a wide selection of weapons to choose from, contact details including a telephone quantity so your query might be dealt with rapidly, and main credit cards accepted - if they have all these requirements then you're midway there.

There are various forms of cheap airsoft guns and a high quality web site may have a wide array so that you can browse through. Electrical guns are standard as they're powered by a rechargeable battery pack making them economical and straightforward to use. Gasoline weapons are another choice and customarily cheaper than the electric model, they're the most popular when it comes to video games and tournaments. Sniper rifles, spring airsoft rifles, and gasoline airsoft weapons are different examples of replicas and you should really analysis in depth and have an idea what you'll be utilizing it for earlier than making any closing selections on which one to buy.

All the time take a look at the testimonials on the web site as this will give you an concept of how the service provider treats their prospects and the extent of satisfaction. A top quality trader will have the ability to provide sound recommendation and relevant info, in case you do not actually know what you want then they may help you determine your wants and level you in the precise route, you must be capable of gauge whether or not they're trustworthy and dependable from comments made by their customers.

All the time evaluate costs when shopping on-line as websites are great at giving discounts, in case you're somewhat bit cheeky and ask you may even get more knocked off the entire worth! Bear in mind you'll additionally need ammunition and in the event you're a complete newbie some protective gear might be required. What assure do they provide and their return coverage can also be a great indication of how trustworthy they're, you may at all times ask round and get some references too - if you're a member of an organised airsoft games club then they should know of any good websites and stores.

If you're just a newbie then it's at all times worth taking the time to be taught every little thing there is to find out about reproduction airsoft guns, fuel weapons, and the many other models available. An established website could have a piece that's geared toward those that don't really know something by giving ideas and advice. Look out for a primary time buyer's guide the place there needs to be a quick description of the different types of guns available. Click on on 'care' and get recommendations on the right way to look after your gun correctly and easy methods to retailer it safely, while security pointers lists the type of protective gear it is best to look into buying and find out how to transport your reproduction gun with out inflicting a riot!

Once you first get your gun one of the simplest ways to learn to use it's to apply taking pictures at a target, ensure you might be away from different individuals by setting up a target within the backyard or travel out to an isolated space to shoot. As soon as you might be proficient and might handle your gun then how about trying into becoming a member of an organized game? These events provde the opportunity of residing out your fantasy as an undercover agent for a number of hours and apply your taking pictures skills, in addition to have quite a lot of fun!

Organized video games are safe and members must comply with set guidelines and pointers to make sure everyone's properly-being. Replica weapons are a good way to bond with your pals and work colleagues, and even your older kids, as long as they're utilized in the appropriate surroundings equivalent to a firing vary or organized recreation discipline and protective gear is worn, then they're nice fun and even give you a fantastic form of train!

low cost airsoft weapons don't price loads to keep up, as long as you deal with them and preserve them cleaned and oiled they should final an extended time. You may have to purchase new bbs, pellets, top up fuel canisters or change the batteries every now and again. There's additionally costs for joining in organized events and games on top.

[firealarmsystems-blog1]

Fire danger assessments near me

Fire threat assessments near me is a vital part of secure firework usage. Right here are very easy actions that must be taken to ensure your safety and security as well as the safety and security of those around you , business fire risk assessment.

1. Examination - This is where an assessment will be done on the performance of the mitigations put into location after executing the previous record's recommendations. The frequency of follow-up inspections/evaluations need to be laid out throughout the preliminary evaluation stage, along with determining appropriate action times for any type of issues

2: Website Assessment

You will certainly require to check the site prior to fireworks can be set up. Check for any type of physical dangers such as low-hanging branches or various other items that can create injury if they were struck by commemorative gunfire. If required, you might wish to note these with flags or cones so individuals can see them and also stay clear of getting pain. After this, see to it there is no combustible material anywhere near the launch area which absolutely nothing is lying around that can catch fire easily because of misfired shots. Additionally, inspect to make certain all firearms are gotten rid of and also not filled; finally, throughout and after shooting, make sure no garbage or debris is scattered.

3: Personal Protection & Safety Equipment

You will certainly require to guarantee that you and also those around you are safeguarded from any possible injury that might take place throughout the fireworks show; this indicates using individual protective equipment such as security goggles, ear security, and gloves. You will certainly likewise need to check what kind of fire extinguisher would be most appropriate for the job as well as ensure it remains in working order prior to use. If there is a chance of obtaining struck by commemorative gunfire, ensure everyone within range is appropriately covered so they do not get harmed by an errant shot.

4: Fuse Handling

Handle all fireworks with care, keeping integrates directed down in any way times, so they do not accidentally ignite. Additionally, see to it all misfired shots are put in a bucket of water to see to it they do not reignite or take off later due to warm or motions that might cause the unexploded shot to spark. If you think that one has actually gone off all of a sudden, leave it alone as well as call the fire department right away for their recommendations.

5: Disposal

If you're done with fireworks permanently after the show, or if you have some leftovers from your last shoot, take them out of state immediately so they can not be utilized by any individual else that does not know about correct handling techniques. If you're still unsure concerning how to take care of a particular sort of firework, ask the initial vendor to reveal you the appropriate means or have a professional take care of it for you. You may even want to call regional authorities such as authorities divisions and tell them what types of ammo you had and also where you took care of them.

With this all stated, organizations require to recognize that a fire threat analysis should function as a certification as well as a device for bettering total work environment safety and security. By acting upon what you have located in the risk analysis process, you will be creating more secure workplace for all workers , fire safety audit.

[ezatluba]

Female veterinarians say gender disparity remains an uphill battle

Colleen Kottke

This is the fourth in a four-part series, “On Call: Vets Under Stress”, that explores the pressures and overwhelming challenges facing those who choose a career in providing care for our animals.

In 2009, the American Veterinary Medical Association reported that female veterinarians outnumbered their male counterparts for the first time. While they make up more than half of the veterinarians in the industry today, a culture of masculinity still exists.

According to a study conducted by Lancaster University Management School and Open University Business School, female practitioners say gender discrimination remains an uphill battle.

“Many of the women we spoke to, especially those in their early career, reported experiences of clients – or even in their own practices – treating them as having limited competence and credibility..." co-author Professor David Knights of Lancaster University said.

Al Martens who has worked in a large animal practice in eastern Wisconsin for 43 years said many women starting out in the field with him faced many challenges.

"Women have really had a tough road. They had to be pioneers, in that they had to prove themselves more than the men," Martens said.

In areas of the state considered agriculturally dense, Martens says its common to have large animal practices staffed with more than one female veterinarian.

"If you get up in the rural areas where there's not a lot of farms, there may be a lot of farmers that haven't experienced a female veterinarian," he said.

Pulling their weight

Meg Mueller was fortunate that after graduating from the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine in 2010, she returned to western Wisconsin where many of her clients already knew her.

But as the "new" vet at Osseo-Augusta Veterinary Clinic, she still had to make the grade out in the field.

"The tough part is you need to prove that you're going to be a good doctor. But you shouldn't have that connotation behind it that you're a 'female' and you have to work that much harder," Mueller says. "Thankfully my co-worker Dr. Linda Giese who has been practicing for over 20 years went through those trenches of gender disparity so that those of us that came after haven't had to fight as hard. But it's still out there."

Today three of the four veterinarians that staff Mueller's mixed animal practice are women.

Mueller says one of the biggest challenges that females face in large animal practices is the issue of working with very strong and powerful patients in - much of the time - nonclinical, less than ideal settings. And client's perception that they 'can't handle the job'.

"It's a very physically demanding job with some risk involved and some of those issues can come to light in those situations," Mueller said. "But sometimes you have to figure out what your strengths are both physical and mentally and be able to take those tasks at hand."

Gender discrimination

Although gender doesn't play a role in how well a veterinarian performs a surgery on a DA (twisted stomach) or diagnoses hypocalcemia, if left unchecked, it can factor how a client interacts or trusts the opinion of the veterinarian.

One female veterinarian told Lancaster University researchers that a client demanded a male veterinarian come out to her farm because the woman was unhappy with the treatment that the female veterinarian had delivered – even though the male vet did the same thing.

Veterinarian Katie Mrdutt says that while farmers in her clinic's territory up in northwest Wisconsin had already been exposed to female veterinarians, she sensed the hesitancy when she arrived on the farm of a new client.

"My favorite part of those experiences was showing how I could use my brain to tackle challenges that maybe the client thought only could be done with brawn," Mrdutt said. "One particular client had a beef cow having difficulty calving. He had been working on her for a few hours before he called me and had not been making any progress."

Within 10 minutes of her arrival the calf was on the ground and alive.

"He was shocked at how quickly I fixed the problem, and probably more so because I was 8 months pregnant at the time," said Mrdutt.

Dual roles

Among the 75 veterinarians interviewed in the Lancaster University study, many felt that women practitioners were automatically presumed to be potential mothers, a perception that could be viewed as problematic for long-term careers.

One female equine veterinary professional told dvm360, a veterinary media organization, that during her interview to get into veterinary school, she was asked how long she planned to practice before starting a family. An older veterinarian intimated to her that it wasn't worth her time to invest her time and money in veterinarian school because she would eventually leave the profession in order to have a family.

Many veterinarians like Mrdutt and Stacey Adams, who is the sole practitioner and owner of her Lake Geneva area practice, have found a way to balance the demands of motherhood and a taxing career. Mrdutt left private practice after three years to join a non-profit that focuses on responsible drug use education among farmers and veterinarians.

Adams, who runs a small beef operation at home and is the mother of two children under 4, including one with special needs, says over the past 12 years she has learned to set boundaries between her personal and work life. This includes reserving after hours and weekend calls for emergencies only.

"If this costs me a potential client, then they probably weren't a client I wanted in the first place," Adams said. "Some clients want to say that I only feel that way because I'm a woman, but I say it is because I value my family and my health."

Surprisingly the clients that have been most judgmental about her boundaries and family needs have been women. She recalls a time when her special needs son then 2, had to be admitted to a hospital 95 miles from their home for a severe respiratory infection.

During this health crisis, Adams received a call from a non-client who had a sick goat. Adams relayed she was unavailable and supplied the woman with two other clinics to call.

"She had the audacity to tell me that she had never had a veterinarian put a child before an animal and that I needed to re-evaluate my career choice if I felt my child was more important than her goat," Adams said. "I told her that any veterinarian can take care of her goat but only I can hold my son and comfort him when he is crying for his momma in the hospital."

Mrdutt says most farmers were welcoming when on more than one occasion she had to bring her child along on calls.

"Usually the farmer had more fun with him and forgot about assisting me," she laughed. "The beauty of working with some clients is that they get to know you and understand the challenges we face, especially balancing the demands of afterhours care."

Afterhours calls to an unfamiliar farm late at night may put a lone female veterinarian in a vulnerable situation. While Mueller has been fortunate to have a good working relationship with her clientele, some of her friends haven't been so lucky.

"I have classmates that have been in some pretty bad situations. No one deserves to go to work and be put in a position like that," Mueller said. "And it's hard because we're out on the road by ourselves, and then there's the call in the middle of the night for that client that you don't really know. That can be daunting."

Bridget Heilsberg, equine veterinarian, owner of Crown 3 Veterinary Services in Whitesboro, Texas, and president of the Women's Veterinary Leadership Development Initiative told dvm360 that safety on farm calls is a regular discussion for the women in a Facebook group she's part of.

Solutions range from traveling with a canine companion to calling friends, coworkers or loved ones before visiting a new client—even to carrying a firearm for protection.

"I personally not only have a firearm but I also have a German shepherd, and I travel with her to my farm calls," Heilsberg says. "I feel like it's an additional concern that women have because we have that concern in our everyday lives. Then it gets amplified when we go out on a farm call visit with someone we don't know."

A ways to go

Mueller says it's important for a veterinarian's colleagues and their clients to respect their need to find a healthy work-life balance.

"I think in the profession it still comes down to a respect factor if a woman chooses to both work and have a family or needs to pull back and not work as much," she said. "I'd like to think that we've come a long way, but we still have a long way to go in addressing those gender disparities across the industry, whether that be pay or the respect factor."

A study from Cornell University researchers that surveyed 2,760 veterinarians discovered a pronounced wage gap between male and female veterinarians, especially among recent graduates and top-earning practitioners.

The study, published in the March 15 issue of the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, found that among the top quarter of earners, men were paid about $100,000 a year more.

While reasons for the wage gap were not identified, researchers noted that factors could include unconscious bias, size and type of practice and societal expectations.

Their analysis showed that type of ownership was instrumental in earnings. Partnerships were believed to be more beneficial for womens' income earning potential than sole proprietorships, while any form of ownership benefits men’s incomes. When it comes to the number of years worked, the study found that men move into higher income brackets at lower levels of experience than women.

Martens says female veterinarians on staff at Waupun Veterinary Service pull their weight the same as their male counterparts. He says that veterinarians - regardless of gender - that display a good attitude, strong work ethic and contribute to the practice are rewarded.

"This culture goes back to the guy that hired me. We try to make everyone a partner to make it economically feasible," he said.

Know your worth

Mrdutt says gender disparity and crushing student debt load, added to the strain on mental health from long hours and demanding clients and compassion fatigue, makes veterinarian medicine a hard profession for women to work in some days.

"I had my mind set on being a veterinarian since I could walk and talk, and I do love a challenge," Mrdutt said. "I'd tell any young woman considering this profession to know their worth. Know what you want and don't want, and that it's ok to take care of you first. Finally, know that you are more than capable."

Adams says she has never let being a woman hold her back in her profession.

"I have always been of the opinion that if you do your job and you do it well, people will respect you for it," she said. "Those who don't are people that you don't want for clients anyway. Those are the people who are going to take advantage of you and will never be happy no matter how much you do for them."

[theseaeaglelives]

ROUND 1

THE SEA EAGLE

MAKING RUGBY LEAGUE LESS SHI(*T

Round 1

Manly Sea Eagles      4

Defeated by

Roosters                   46

It has been suggested by many experts that the past 12 months have been amongst the most challenging in living memory. That said, many experts also suggested that COVID would claim over 100K Aussie lives and that the property market would fall by more than 30%. The Sea Eagle ponders as to what those experts are doing now?

It is however fair to say that unless you are a supporter of the Filthy Wrestlers, love a lock down, enjoy being housebound and take pleasure at being jabbed with sharp needles, 2020 has been a pretty shi(*t time for most. Add to this the demise of President Trump and there is very little prospect in making anything great again any time soon. With that in mind, the Sea Eagle’s mantra in 2021, to steal a line from Auto Expert’s John Cadogan will be to “make things less shi(8t”.

  As is the case each year, for every team in the NRL, Round 1 is welcomed with unbridled yet in most cases false optimism. For Manly fans never a truer word has been uttered.

A sunny afternoon at the SCG with Manly taking on the Roosters could well be a throwback to the halcyon days of the 1970’s and 80’s, with Manly expected to give the latte sipping transit lounge Roosters a real hammering. Unfortunately, the main difference in circa 2021, is that Manly are no longer the powerhouse force that they once were and the Roosters certainly are a force to be reckoned with.

It has been well documented that Manly have an abysmal record in Round 1 in the modern era, having not won an opener in over 8 years. The way Manly started suggested that nothing was to change this year, as the Roosters opened the scoring after only 3 minutes when James Tedesco leapt over a grounded Ruben Garrick. Young Garrick is already starting to exhibit traits of Manly wingers of late (think Horhay Torfua) in that they have inherent weakness under the high ball and struggle to get off the ground when contesting bombs.

Thankfully for Garrick (and Manly), he made amends minutes later when he was the recipient of a deft Kieran Foran offload to even up the scores. Manly welcome back Foran after his well-documented injury and personal struggles at the Eels, Warriors and Dogs. There can be no doubting that they don’t go better when they leave the nest (Jarrod Warea-Hargraves excepted) thus The Sea Eagle will be keenly monitoring Foran’s form to see if they do indeed go better when they return to the nest – only time will tell!

From then on it was all downhill for Manly, with the remainder of the half showing what happens when a top ranked team (i.e. The Roosters) takes on one of the also-rans (i.e. Manly). The Roosters ran roughshod down Manly’s left edge running in 5 tries to take a 26-4 lead at the break.

The second half was no better for Manly. Inept in defence and showing nothing in attack they were at the mercy of the Roosters, who rarely got out of second gear. Hat tricks to Tedesco and Brett Morris saw the Roosters run out 46-4 victors. Only poor goal kicking prevented a further blowout.

Blowout score lines are becoming common place in recent times with Manly regularly conceding 30 and 40 points in a game, a far cry from the golden eras when it was Manly dishing out the pastings. It would appear already that Manly have failed to adapt to the way rugba league is played in 2021 and are rooted (think also he word starting with F) in a style of play that worked at best - 5 years ago. Quite frankly, this Manly performance was an embarrassment, mirrored only by the ill-feted Peter Beattie era at the helm of the NRL (personal opinion).

As for Kieran Foran, he went OK and at least he saw out the game, but he is a shadow of the player he was when steering Manly to premiership glory in 2011. Not surprising, but no-one can out run father time, even when returning to the nest.

Where to now for Manly? Next week it’s the Bunnies at Lottoland, and we can only but hope that Manly are a lot less shi(*7t than they were in Round 1.

With all that said, blame has to be placed at the Manly football management in not recruiting at all well for season 2021 . For some odd reason after hooker Manase Fainu found himself the subject of some fairly serious charges involving assault and having a knife (and thus unable to play), no attempts were made to actually obtain a top shelf number 9 that could actually play in season 2021.

The Manly forward pack also has a sameness about it and the back line does not look much better, and if you take out Tommy Turbo, it looks fair dinkum pedestrian .

If this embarrassing display of form continues, the Sea Eagle will not hesitate to name names of players who deserve to leave the nest and predictably go a lot worse, far worse than the appalling form they are currently displaying.

IZZY FOLAU- IS HE A FIT AND PROPER PERSON TO PLAY RUGBY LEAGUE ?

NRL will struggle to argue Folau isn’t fit and proper for rugby league

 By Darren Kane March 12, 2021 – Brisbane Times

 Readers can feel free to peruse this article for more detail about the analysis of whether Israel Folau can actually be prevented from playing Rugby League by the NRL :

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/sport/nrl/nrl-will-struggle-to-argue-folau-isn-t-fit-and-proper-for-rugby-league-20210311-p579yq.html.

For the Sea Eagle’s part, he must confess to having an internal chuckle when one thinks about the ludicrous concept of an NRL player actually having to be a fit and proper person, in order to play rugby league.

Consider these players who apparently have passed the NRL test of fit and proper person, (and the list is far from exhaustive):

Russell Packer (served gaol time for a particularly ugly assault incident)

Matthew Lodge ( representing the NSW under-20s side when he was given a 3-week suspension after he was televised with the word "CU*&NT" written on his wrist strapping. On 19 October 2015, Lodge was sacked by the Tigers after being arrested in New York City and thereafter entering a guilty plea, to some sort of break enter (and possibly worse) in a young woman’s apartment

Todd Carney (too many misdemeanours to mention until he overstepped the mark with the infamous bubbler incident)

Mitchell Pearce (simulated sex act with canine broadcast on national TV)

Josh Addo Carr (illegal firearms incident and breach of Covid 19 protocols 2020)

Latrell Mitchell (apparent breach of Covid 19 protocols 2020)

Kurt Capewell (https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/we-ve-got-your-back-panthers-teammates-support-capewell-after-porn-shock-20201210-p56md4.html)

Corey Norman & James Segeyaro Street Fight (off season 2020/21)

Sony Bill Williams (walked out on Bulldogs contract to play somewhere else - then welcomed back to the NRL with open arms in 2013 and later years with all forgotten).

Now the Sea Eagle does not cast judgement on any of these players. To take a biblical bent a-la- Izzy Folau, let he without fault cast the first stone. After all, this is Rugby League we are talking about, and on any objective analysis it can only be viewed as a game which takes a particular type of person to play it, and the Sea Eagle would suggest that the NRL is not in the fortunate position of being particularly fussy about who plays. If they were, there may well be no one left to actually play the game.

Which is why it is difficult to understand how the NRL would think, given what Israel Folau has allegedly said and done (something to do with homosexual slurs and other slurs about people involved in adultery, fornication, and drinking etc all of whom are apparently going to go to hell ) - is any basis to come to the conclusion that he is not a fit and proper person to play Rugby League.

If anything, he is absolutely a fit and proper person to be playing rugby League. Particularly given those mentioned above (and others), have already been considered fit and proper persons to play the game.

The Sea Eagle implores the NRL to reconsider its stance in this regard and to see if a place can be found in one of the 16 NRL teams for Izzy to play. Expressing a particularly misguided religious view and opinion (personal opinion), it should be said, in and of itself is hardly a basis for preventing someone from playing Rugby League on the fit and proper person analysis. See above player list for that.

Intelligent foresight and a detailed consideration of the consequences of one’s actions, can hardly be said to be a mandatory requirement for any Rugby League player. Nor should it be.

THE TIGERS – DO THEY GO BETTER WHEN THEY LEAVE THE DEN ?

In Rd 1 the Tigers were towelled by the Raiders 30 to 12. Sure it was a better performance than Manly put in, but it was embarrassment, nonetheless.

Over the coming weeks the Sea Eagle will conduct his own internal analysis as to whether the reverse of the Manly concept (ie they never go any better when they leave the nest ) applies to the Tigers (ie they always go better when they leave the Den).

One troubling feature of this analysis is that Manly regrettably have 3 ex Tiger players in their forward pack (who were clearly out muscled by the Roosters in Rd 1 2021) and so it may well be the case, that the misery of useless form once they leave the Den, can continue regardless. In other words, care should be exercised when taking on an ex Tigers player, because there is no guarantee they will go better, even if they leave the circus that is Tigers Central.

That said, James Tedesco is a clear example of a player who went way better when he left the Den. The analysis will continue and the Sea Eagle will report in due course as to a likely 2021 Tigers team comprised of players who once played for the Tigers but are still playing in 2021 NRL, and whether that team would be better than the current crop.

 Sea Eagle comment for Rd 1- “A map guiding you to your destination is useless if you don’t know where you are.”

 THE SEA EAGLE

[pnwdoodlesreads]

The state Court of Appeals has revived a lawsuit filed by a nurse who was handcuffed and forcibly led out of her Federal Way apartment after a Tacoma police SWAT team bashed in the wrong door during a 2011 drug raid.

The three-judge appellate panel found this week that King County Superior Court Judge James Cayce erred in 2013 when he dismissed Kathleen’s Mancini’s claim of negligence against the city of Tacoma and its police department. The judges also said Cayce should not have excluded testimony from the health-care providers who treated Mancini, now 68, in the aftermath of the Jan. 5, 2011, raid.

The appellate judges remanded Mancini’s case to superior court for trial so she can pursue her claims that police were negligent and that she was the alleged victim of assault and battery, false imprisonment and invasion of privacy.

“Reduced to its essence … police are liable for negligent actions, just like anyone else,” Mancini’s lawyer, Lori Haskell, said of the Court of Appeals opinion.

Haskell said she’s thrilled Mancini will get her day in court. “I think it’s important for a jury to hear the particulars of what happened to her,” she said.

The Tacoma City Attorney’s Office emailed the following response: “The Court of Appeals ruled on a strictly legal issue, not on the facts of the case, and the City of Tacoma is currently evaluating it carefully and determining its next steps. Any comment beyond this would be an inappropriate comment on pending litigation.”

The Court of Appeals ruling cites extensive legal analysis by late state Supreme Court Justice Tom Chambers on the public-duty doctrine, with judges writing that Chambers’ opinion in a 2012 Skagit County lawsuit controlled their decision in Mancini’s case.

The city of Tacoma had argued it was immune from liability for negligence based on the public-duty doctrine — basically, that if a government or its agents, such as police officers, owe a duty to the public in general, then it is not liable for a breach of that duty to an individual.

Cayce agreed and dismissed Mancini’s lawsuit on summary judgment.

The doctrine “was created to ensure governments are not saddled with greater liability than private actors as they conduct the people’s business,” according to the Court of Appeals opinion. But Chambers explained the public-duty doctrine didn’t apply to duties governments had in common with private individuals, the opinion says.

The appellate court ruled Mancini’s negligence claims are grounded in the common-law right to the sanctity of her home:

“This duty, the duty to refrain from invading a private individual’s home, whether intentionally (trespass) or negligently (resulting from the absence of due care) is one of common law origin and applies to all,” the opinion says. “Her neighbors could not invade her home. The same is true of the City’s agents.”

The 38-page opinion reads like a stinging rebuke of the Tacoma police, who immediately knew they were in the wrong apartment but went ahead and searched Mancini’s unit.

Mancini was forced to stand outside barefooted, in her nightgown and handcuffs for at least 30 minutes, after her front door “was blown off its hinges with a battering ram,” according to the unpublished opinion.

Mancini lived in apartment 1B, while the cops’ intended target — a felon with a long history of drug and firearms crimes — lived in apartment 1A in a different building in the same complex, according to the opinion and other court documents filed as part of her 2012 civil case.

In contrast to the way Mancini was treated, the police officers executing the raid later knocked on the suspected drug dealer’s door and then allowed him “to sit on his living room couch” without being placed in handcuffs while they awaited a warrant to search his apartment, according to the opinion.

The opinion notes that Officer Kenneth Smith, who was in charge of the raid, relied on a tip from a confidential informant (CI) who had been in the suspect’s apartment a month earlier “and had seen a sufficient quantity of drugs to indicate” he was selling drugs.

“The CI pointed to Mancini’s unit and identified it as the location where she had seen the drugs,” the opinion says. Smith then obtained a warrant for Mancini’s apartment.

“Smith subsequently admitted that, although he usually would have placed a suspected drug dealer’s apartment under surveillance and performed a ‘controlled buy’ prior to seeking a search warrant, he did not employ those procedures in this instance,” the opinion says.

In a deposition Smith gave in August 2013 as part of the civil suit, he said he didn’t do surveillance or set up a controlled buy at the man’s apartment before the raid because if he had done so, King County prosecutors would have wanted a full packet of information on his informant and more details about the investigation.

Prosecutors in Pierce County did not require the same amount of information, Smith said during his deposition.

The police-incident report Smith wrote after the raid described how police entered Mancini’s apartment after making a “knock and announce.”

“Mancini’s apartment was not searched and she was immediately released,” the incident report says.

The Court of Appeals opinion describes events very differently:

Then 63, Mancini was a nurse who worked the graveyard shift. Around 9:30 a.m., she was awakened by the sound of her door being busted in.

She encountered numerous officers, dressed in SWAT gear with their weapons drawn, in her hallway.

The officers shouted at her to get down and “pushed Mancini, who stands approximately five feet tall, face down onto the floor,” the opinion says.

Placed in handcuffs, Mancini was forcibly led outside, where she stood on the breezeway “wearing only a nightgown for approximately 30 minutes.”

Though the suspected drug dealer lived in Federal Way, which is in King County, Tacoma police organized the raid because it was Smith who received the tip from his confidential informant.

During the search of Mancini’s apartment, officers removed clothing from hangers in the closet, moved a bed, disturbed a number of religious icons belonging to her deceased mother, rifled through kitchen cabinets and searched her fireplace, the opinion says.

According to the police-incident report, a Pierce County judge later signed a warrant for the suspected drug dealer’s apartment, where Smith said officers found a stolen handgun, a sawed-off shotgun, meth, marijuana and marijuana plants.

It does not appear criminal charges were ever filed against the man in connection with the raid by the Tacoma SWAT team, court records show.

[pennsylvaniaprelawland-blog]

Does Being Present At A Crime Scene Allow Police To Search Your Phone?

By John Martin, University of Pittsburgh Class of 2020

November 11, 2020

It is nearly impossible to come across someone that does not have a cell phone, as it has become a seemingly necessary commodity that affects everyday life. Especially with the current pandemic, some people rely on their cell phones to work and keep in touch with people. This trend is no different for suspected criminals, and some of them even use cell phones to engage in a criminal enterprise. As technology continually evolves, criminal procedure issues are constantly emerging in the courts, regarding the way law enforcement should approach cell phone searches. The Supreme Court of the United States has continually dealt with this issue, and as cell phones become more involved with one’s everyday life, they have generally placed more restrictions on law enforcement. For example, Riley v. California(2014) unanimously decided that law enforcement was not allowed to perform a warrantless search of one’s phone incident to arrest[1]. This week, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court heard a case regarding law enforcement’s ability to issue a search warrant for people that are found near the crime scene.

The case comes from an incident that occurred in November of 2014, as Pittsburgh Police officers received a 911 call about gunshots fired at an apartment. When they arrived to the apartment, they knocked and announced their presence, and they smelled a strong odor of marijuana. When someone finally answered the door, they entered the apartment to conduct a protective sweep to ensure that nobody was injured or shot. Upon this sweep, they discovered two bricks of heroin and illegal firearms. The five people at the scene were immediately detained and later arrested [2]. One of the suspects, who claimed he was a guest, had two cell phones on his person. They obtained a search warrant a couple hours later to further investigate the premises. As a result, they found more heroin and cell phones. Over four months later, they filed an additional search warrant for the cell phones found, including the suspect that was a guest.

In the affidavit of probable cause, the officers alleged that there was potential evidence of narcotics trafficking on the cell phones. With the officers’ experience in the field, they have found that narcotics dealers frequently conduct business on their phones. Also, it is common for these sellers to have two cell phones. Given the heroin and the stamp bags found, they had reason to believe the suspects were dealing the controlled substance.The suspect, who was the guest, filed a pretrial motion to suppress this evidence, claiming that law enforcement was violating his Fourth Amendment, the right against unreasonable searches and seizures, as well as Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution. The defendant claimed that merely being a guest at a place, where illegal items were found, does not give police probable cause to suspect he is engaged in criminal activity on his phone. Additionally, they believe that this four-month delay (to search the phones) is due to law enforcement being unable to figure out who the illegal items belonged to. Essentially, the defense believes the warrant was not specific enough, and the probable cause for investigating the cell phone was not present given the circumstances.

In the initial suppression hearing, the defendant, along with the previously stated assertions, argued the negative ramifications of permitting the cellular evidence, claiming the precedent of this case would allow law enforcement to search the phone of every person at a location with an odor of marijuana.Despite their arguments, the suppression court denied in May of 2016, and the case proceeded. The suspect was charged with possession of heroin, possession with intent to deliver heroin, and possession of a small amount of marijuana. However, the trial court declared it a mistrial on circumstances unrelated to the suppression hearing, and the defendant was only charged with possession of heroin and possession with intent to deliver heroin with a sentence of 1-2 years. They appealed the suppression court’s decision by challenging the broadness of the search warrant and the constitutionality of the search.

The Superior Court agreed with the trial court, as the panel affirmed that the evidence is permissible. They reasoned that probable cause is sufficient because facts and circumstances existed combined with the officers’ knowledge of how narcotics dealers use their phones. The close proximity between the defendant and the drugs, along with the firearms, was enough grounds for law enforcement to suspect he may have been involved with the criminal enterprise. The suspect had multiple phones on his person with drug distribution packaging in the immediate area. In regards to the search warrant being too broad, the court believed that the search warrant was specific enough, as it directly stated what the item was, as well as, what law enforcement thought they would find. The officers directly stated their wishes to search the text messages on the phone, believing they would find evidence of narcotics dealing. The search warrant was upheld, and the defendant appealed to the state’s supreme court.

The case landed in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, and the court released its opinion on October 21st, 2020.The justices considered the totality of circumstances to determine the justification of probable cause. Upon this analysis, they rejected the affidavit because it lacked a sufficient link to the contraband. Basically, the proximity between the person’s phone and the drug activity was not enough grounds, so law enforcement would have needed to produce a sufficient connection (between the phone and the drugs) to substantiate probable cause. There needed to be more information in the affidavit, such as the suspect frequently visited the property or something else of that nature. However, the courts found that there was no additional information provided, other than the proximity between the illegal items and the suspect. Now, the case is remanded to be decided with this evidence suppressed[3].

________________________________________________________________

John Martin is graduating in December of 2020 from the University of Pittsburgh with a Bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies with a minor in Administration of Justice. He has plans to attend law school in the future.

________________________________________________________________

[1]- "Riley v. California." Oyez, www.oyez.org/cases/2013/13-132.

[2]- Allen, Bob. “5 Arrested On Drug Charges After Shots Fired In North Side Apartment.” CBS Pittsburgh, CBS Pittsburgh, 23 Nov. 2014, pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2014/11/23/5-arrested-on-drug-charges-in-north-side-apartment/.

[3]- Commonwealth v. Johnson, L.. 25 J-20-2020  (Pa. 2020)

Photo Credit: Intel Free Press

[melissawalker01]

Utah Criminal Code 76-5-102.6

Utah Criminal Code 76-5-102.6: Propelling Substance Or Object At A Correctional Or Peace Officer–Penalties

1. Any prisoner or person detained pursuant to Section 77-7-15 who throws or otherwise propels any substance or object at a peace officer, a correctional officer, or an employee or volunteer, including a health care provider, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor, except as provided under Subsection (2). 2. A violation of Subsection (1) is a third degree felony if: a. the object or substance is: I. blood, urine, or fecal material; an infectious agent as defined in II. Section 26-6-2 or a material that carries an infectious agent; III. vomit or a material that carries vomit;  or IV. the prisoner’s or detained person’s saliva, and the prisoner or detained person knows he or she is infected with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C;  and

b. the object or substance comes into contact with any portion of the officer’s or health care provider’s face, including the eyes or mouth, or comes into contact with any open wound on the officer’s or health care provider’s body. 3. If an offense committed under this section amounts to an offense subject to a greater penalty under another provision of state law than under this section, this section does not prohibit prosecution and sentencing for the more serious offense. Degree Depending on the facts, propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer can be charged as a class A misdemeanor or a 3rd degree felony.

Elements Of The Crime

A defendant commits a class A misdemeanor propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer when they are detained and throw or otherwise propel any substance or object at a peace or correctional officer. A defendant commits a 3rd degree felony propelling a substance or objects at a correctional or peace officer when they are detained and throw or otherwise propel any substance or object at a peace or correctional officer; and the object or substance is: • blood, urine or fecal material; • or the prisoner’s or detained person’s saliva, and the prisoner or detained person knows they are infected with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C; • and the object or substance comes into contact with any portion of the officer’s face, including the eyes or mouth, or comes into contact with any open wound on the officer’s body. Fine • 3rd degree felony: A fine not to exceed $5,000, plus a 90% surcharge. • Class A misdemeanor: A fine not to exceed $2,500, plus a 90% surcharge.

Restitution

The court may order the accused to pay restitution if convicted of this crime.

DNA Specimen Analysis

A defendant convicted of a class A misdemeanor or 3rd degree felony propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer must provide a DNA specimen. Imprisonment • 3rd degree felony: A term of imprisonment not to exceed 5 years. • Class A misdemeanor: A term in jail not to exceed 1 year. Firearms A defendant convicted of a 3 degree felony propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer may not posses, use or have control of a firearm or ammunition for life.

Different Levels Of Assault Charges In Utah

Assault charges range from a Class B misdemeanor to a second-degree felony. Depending on the circumstances of the assault and on its results, a person convicted of assault could spend up to 15 years in prison. Assault is typically considered a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and up to 6 months in jail. However, it can be classified as a Class A misdemeanor if the victim is pregnant or if the act causes substantial bodily injury to the victim. A Class A misdemeanor carries up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines. You can also face multiple counts of assault depending on the situation when you were arrested for the charge. For example, let’s say you got into a bar fight with three different people. You would then face three separate counts of assault. You only got into one fight, but it’s compounded due to the number of people involved. This means you could be facing up to 3 years in prison versus just the original 1 you would have faced with a normal Class A misdemeanor.

Aggravated Assault Charges In Utah

Aggravated assault is any assault that includes the use of a dangerous weapon. According to assault law, a dangerous weapon is any item that can cause death or serious bodily injury. Typically, aggravated assault is a second-degree felony that carries a prison sentence of 1-15 years and up to $10,000 in fines. If you are facing charges of aggravated assault, you could also be facing the additional charge of carrying a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause harm or to display it in a threatening manner. When your charges are compounded, it increases your potential jail time and any additional fines you might have to pay.

Prosecution For Assaulting A Peace Officer

Assault is a criminal offence. Assaulting a peace officer is deemed an ‘aggravated assault’ and is treated more seriously by the courts. • It is a criminal offence to assault a constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a constable in the course of his duty. • It is an offence to resist or willfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his duty. The key element to both offences is whether or not the peace officer was executing his duties at the time of the alleged assault, and therefore acting lawfully at the time the alleged offence occurred. However, it will be important to establish whether or not the individual was acting in self-defense. Peace officer’s ‘duty’ This is not defined by statute; however, the courts will take into account what was necessary for the police to do to protect life and limb, to keep the peace, to prevent crime and to detect crime. Willful obstruction At common law, a peace officer is under a duty to keep the peace and prevent a breach of the peace. Willful obstruction of a peace officer is most likely to occur when the officer is exercising these common law powers. Willful obstruction typically occurs during protests when peace officers are attempting to prevent a breach of the peace, but protesters refuse to stop certain activities and obstruct peace officers performing their duties. The offence has three elements: 1. Obstruction; for instance, making it more difficult for an officer to carry out his duty, or refusing to cooperate with a police officer’s questioning. 2. The obstruction must be ‘willful’ i.e. deliberate or calculated. 3. The police officer must have been acting in the course of his duty. Assaulting A Peace Officer Assaulting a peace officer can happen at any time when a peace officer comes into contact with the public and there is the potential for a peace officer to be assaulted. This can often happen in demonstrations when they turn violent, or can happen when an officer is trying to arrest someone. Where, for example, someone resists arrests and punches the officer, this will be an assault. To prove a charge of assaulting a peace officer, the crown must establish that an assault has taken place. The law states that an assault is committed when a person attacks another person by intentionally or recklessly causing another to apprehend the immediate infliction of unlawful force. Assault may also be a battery (when a person intentionally and recklessly applies unlawful force to another). If a peace officer is assaulted at a time when he was not exercising his lawful duties, the offender may still be charged with common assault which carries a lesser sentence. On conviction of assaulting a peace, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000. On conviction of obstructing a peace officer, the offender can be sentenced to up to 1 month in prison and/or a fine of £1000. How an Attorney Defend an Assault on a Peace Officer Case? These types of assault charges are serious. There are several strategies a lawyer will use in your defense: • Were there any violations of your Charter rights before, during or after the arrest? • Did the peace officer use excessive force? • Were you given proper access to a lawyer after detention? • Was the force, in fact, non-consensual? • Were you aware that you were assaulting a Peace Officer? Prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt several elements to have a guilty verdict returned by a jury. First, the prosecution must prove the assault caused bodily injury to another. Proof of injuries varies from case to case. The assault must have been committed against a peace officer who was performing law enforcement responsibilities at the time of the assault. In addition, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knew, or had reason to know, the victim was a peace officer.

Prosecutors will seek the stiffest penalty allowed by Utah law when litigating an assault of a peace officer case. A conviction on this charge is a third degree felony conviction. Here is how the statute reads in the Utah Penal Code: “A person the actor knows is a public servant while the public servant is lawfully discharging an official duty, or in retaliation or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty as a public servant.” A third degree felony may result in a jail sentence of between 2 and 10 years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Self-Defense

Self-defense is an effective defense to use in criminal law cases that involve the use of violence. However, a defense lawyer must prove a peace officer attacked his or her client first. Another way to argue self-defense is to assert a client felt threatened by a peace officer. Self-defense works only when the force used to repel an attack by a peace officer is proportionate to the force applied by the peace officer.

Constitutional Violations

Assault against a peace officer will trigger strong emotions from other law enforcement officers at the scene of the alleged crime. In reaction to an alleged assault, one or more peace officers might shirk their duty to uphold the constitution. Is Assaulting a Peace Officer a Misdemeanor or Felony It’s important to remember peace officers are honorable people who act with integrity and are serious about their difficult job. The profession is held to a high standard, so assaulting a law enforcement officer will not play over well in court. As mentioned earlier, assaulting a peace officer is classified as fourth-degree assault, which has the potential to be charged as a felony or misdemeanor depending on the facts of your case. According to the Utah law, physically assaulting a police officer without bodily harm is a gross misdemeanor punishable by: • Up to a year in jail; or • A fine of up to $3,000; or • Both incarceration and a fine Assaulting a peace officer is a felony in the following situations: • Physically assaulting an officer and causing bodily harm; or • Intentionally throwing or transferring bodily fluids or feces at or onto an officer. Felony fourth-degree assault is punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $6,000 or both a fine and incarceration. Defending charges for assault against a peace officer is not easy, especially since the offense commonly stems from situations of miscommunication. Defending the crime may come with its challenges, but not all hope is lost. The statute requires that you knew or had reason to believe the alleged victim was a peace officer acting within their line of duty. It may be beneficial to try and prove you did not know the alleged victim was, in fact, a peace officer. For example, the peace officer may have been dressed in plain clothes or was a non-identified school official. Another common defense against charges for fourth-degree assault is self-defense. But keep in mind; Utah states that the type and level of self-defense must be reasonable. You will have to prove you had reason to believe you were in danger and that your response was reasonable for the situation. Additional defenses could include you were defending other people, property or you were misidentified as the assailant. No two cases are alike, and there is no one defense strategy suitable for every case. The best defense you can take is contacting a criminal defense lawyer. They can evaluate the facts of your case and formulate a defense plan in your best interest.

Free Initial Consultation with Lawyer

It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a law question, call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you!

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

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Utah Criminal Code 76-5-102.6

Utah Criminal Code 76-5-102.6: Propelling Substance Or Object At A Correctional Or Peace Officer–Penalties

1. Any prisoner or person detained pursuant to Section 77-7-15 who throws or otherwise propels any substance or object at a peace officer, a correctional officer, or an employee or volunteer, including a health care provider, is guilty of a class A misdemeanor, except as provided under Subsection (2). 2. A violation of Subsection (1) is a third degree felony if: a. the object or substance is: I. blood, urine, or fecal material; an infectious agent as defined in II. Section 26-6-2 or a material that carries an infectious agent; III. vomit or a material that carries vomit;  or IV. the prisoner’s or detained person’s saliva, and the prisoner or detained person knows he or she is infected with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C;  and

b. the object or substance comes into contact with any portion of the officer’s or health care provider’s face, including the eyes or mouth, or comes into contact with any open wound on the officer’s or health care provider’s body. 3. If an offense committed under this section amounts to an offense subject to a greater penalty under another provision of state law than under this section, this section does not prohibit prosecution and sentencing for the more serious offense. Degree Depending on the facts, propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer can be charged as a class A misdemeanor or a 3rd degree felony.

Elements Of The Crime

A defendant commits a class A misdemeanor propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer when they are detained and throw or otherwise propel any substance or object at a peace or correctional officer. A defendant commits a 3rd degree felony propelling a substance or objects at a correctional or peace officer when they are detained and throw or otherwise propel any substance or object at a peace or correctional officer; and the object or substance is: • blood, urine or fecal material; • or the prisoner’s or detained person’s saliva, and the prisoner or detained person knows they are infected with HIV, hepatitis B, or hepatitis C; • and the object or substance comes into contact with any portion of the officer’s face, including the eyes or mouth, or comes into contact with any open wound on the officer’s body. Fine • 3rd degree felony: A fine not to exceed $5,000, plus a 90% surcharge. • Class A misdemeanor: A fine not to exceed $2,500, plus a 90% surcharge.

Restitution

The court may order the accused to pay restitution if convicted of this crime.

DNA Specimen Analysis

A defendant convicted of a class A misdemeanor or 3rd degree felony propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer must provide a DNA specimen. Imprisonment • 3rd degree felony: A term of imprisonment not to exceed 5 years. • Class A misdemeanor: A term in jail not to exceed 1 year. Firearms A defendant convicted of a 3 degree felony propelling a substance or object at a correctional or peace officer may not posses, use or have control of a firearm or ammunition for life.

Different Levels Of Assault Charges In Utah

Assault charges range from a Class B misdemeanor to a second-degree felony. Depending on the circumstances of the assault and on its results, a person convicted of assault could spend up to 15 years in prison. Assault is typically considered a Class B misdemeanor, punishable by up to $1,000 in fines and up to 6 months in jail. However, it can be classified as a Class A misdemeanor if the victim is pregnant or if the act causes substantial bodily injury to the victim. A Class A misdemeanor carries up to one year in jail and $2,500 in fines. You can also face multiple counts of assault depending on the situation when you were arrested for the charge. For example, let’s say you got into a bar fight with three different people. You would then face three separate counts of assault. You only got into one fight, but it’s compounded due to the number of people involved. This means you could be facing up to 3 years in prison versus just the original 1 you would have faced with a normal Class A misdemeanor.

Aggravated Assault Charges In Utah

Aggravated assault is any assault that includes the use of a dangerous weapon. According to assault law, a dangerous weapon is any item that can cause death or serious bodily injury. Typically, aggravated assault is a second-degree felony that carries a prison sentence of 1-15 years and up to $10,000 in fines. If you are facing charges of aggravated assault, you could also be facing the additional charge of carrying a dangerous weapon with the intent to cause harm or to display it in a threatening manner. When your charges are compounded, it increases your potential jail time and any additional fines you might have to pay.

Prosecution For Assaulting A Peace Officer

Assault is a criminal offence. Assaulting a peace officer is deemed an ‘aggravated assault’ and is treated more seriously by the courts. • It is a criminal offence to assault a constable in the execution of his duty, or a person assisting a constable in the course of his duty. • It is an offence to resist or willfully obstruct a constable in the execution of his duty. The key element to both offences is whether or not the peace officer was executing his duties at the time of the alleged assault, and therefore acting lawfully at the time the alleged offence occurred. However, it will be important to establish whether or not the individual was acting in self-defense. Peace officer’s ‘duty’ This is not defined by statute; however, the courts will take into account what was necessary for the police to do to protect life and limb, to keep the peace, to prevent crime and to detect crime. Willful obstruction At common law, a peace officer is under a duty to keep the peace and prevent a breach of the peace. Willful obstruction of a peace officer is most likely to occur when the officer is exercising these common law powers. Willful obstruction typically occurs during protests when peace officers are attempting to prevent a breach of the peace, but protesters refuse to stop certain activities and obstruct peace officers performing their duties. The offence has three elements: 1. Obstruction; for instance, making it more difficult for an officer to carry out his duty, or refusing to cooperate with a police officer’s questioning. 2. The obstruction must be ‘willful’ i.e. deliberate or calculated. 3. The police officer must have been acting in the course of his duty. Assaulting A Peace Officer Assaulting a peace officer can happen at any time when a peace officer comes into contact with the public and there is the potential for a peace officer to be assaulted. This can often happen in demonstrations when they turn violent, or can happen when an officer is trying to arrest someone. Where, for example, someone resists arrests and punches the officer, this will be an assault. To prove a charge of assaulting a peace officer, the crown must establish that an assault has taken place. The law states that an assault is committed when a person attacks another person by intentionally or recklessly causing another to apprehend the immediate infliction of unlawful force. Assault may also be a battery (when a person intentionally and recklessly applies unlawful force to another). If a peace officer is assaulted at a time when he was not exercising his lawful duties, the offender may still be charged with common assault which carries a lesser sentence. On conviction of assaulting a peace, the defendant faces a sentence of up to 6 months’ imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £5,000. On conviction of obstructing a peace officer, the offender can be sentenced to up to 1 month in prison and/or a fine of £1000. How an Attorney Defend an Assault on a Peace Officer Case? These types of assault charges are serious. There are several strategies a lawyer will use in your defense: • Were there any violations of your Charter rights before, during or after the arrest? • Did the peace officer use excessive force? • Were you given proper access to a lawyer after detention? • Was the force, in fact, non-consensual? • Were you aware that you were assaulting a Peace Officer? Prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt several elements to have a guilty verdict returned by a jury. First, the prosecution must prove the assault caused bodily injury to another. Proof of injuries varies from case to case. The assault must have been committed against a peace officer who was performing law enforcement responsibilities at the time of the assault. In addition, prosecutors must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant knew, or had reason to know, the victim was a peace officer.

Prosecutors will seek the stiffest penalty allowed by Utah law when litigating an assault of a peace officer case. A conviction on this charge is a third degree felony conviction. Here is how the statute reads in the Utah Penal Code: “A person the actor knows is a public servant while the public servant is lawfully discharging an official duty, or in retaliation or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty as a public servant.” A third degree felony may result in a jail sentence of between 2 and 10 years and a fine not to exceed $10,000.

Self-Defense

Self-defense is an effective defense to use in criminal law cases that involve the use of violence. However, a defense lawyer must prove a peace officer attacked his or her client first. Another way to argue self-defense is to assert a client felt threatened by a peace officer. Self-defense works only when the force used to repel an attack by a peace officer is proportionate to the force applied by the peace officer.

Constitutional Violations

Assault against a peace officer will trigger strong emotions from other law enforcement officers at the scene of the alleged crime. In reaction to an alleged assault, one or more peace officers might shirk their duty to uphold the constitution. Is Assaulting a Peace Officer a Misdemeanor or Felony It’s important to remember peace officers are honorable people who act with integrity and are serious about their difficult job. The profession is held to a high standard, so assaulting a law enforcement officer will not play over well in court. As mentioned earlier, assaulting a peace officer is classified as fourth-degree assault, which has the potential to be charged as a felony or misdemeanor depending on the facts of your case. According to the Utah law, physically assaulting a police officer without bodily harm is a gross misdemeanor punishable by: • Up to a year in jail; or • A fine of up to $3,000; or • Both incarceration and a fine Assaulting a peace officer is a felony in the following situations: • Physically assaulting an officer and causing bodily harm; or • Intentionally throwing or transferring bodily fluids or feces at or onto an officer. Felony fourth-degree assault is punishable by up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $6,000 or both a fine and incarceration. Defending charges for assault against a peace officer is not easy, especially since the offense commonly stems from situations of miscommunication. Defending the crime may come with its challenges, but not all hope is lost. The statute requires that you knew or had reason to believe the alleged victim was a peace officer acting within their line of duty. It may be beneficial to try and prove you did not know the alleged victim was, in fact, a peace officer. For example, the peace officer may have been dressed in plain clothes or was a non-identified school official. Another common defense against charges for fourth-degree assault is self-defense. But keep in mind; Utah states that the type and level of self-defense must be reasonable. You will have to prove you had reason to believe you were in danger and that your response was reasonable for the situation. Additional defenses could include you were defending other people, property or you were misidentified as the assailant. No two cases are alike, and there is no one defense strategy suitable for every case. The best defense you can take is contacting a criminal defense lawyer. They can evaluate the facts of your case and formulate a defense plan in your best interest.

Free Initial Consultation with Lawyer

It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Legal problems come to everyone. Whether it’s your son who gets in a car wreck, your uncle who loses his job and needs to file for bankruptcy, your sister’s brother who’s getting divorced, or a grandparent that passes away without a will -all of us have legal issues and questions that arise. So when you have a law question, call Ascent Law for your free consultation (801) 676-5506. We want to help you!

Ascent Law LLC 8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite C West Jordan, Utah 84088 United States Telephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Recent Posts

What Does The Woman Get In Divorce?

Utah Code 57-1-1

Emery County Utah

Why Should I Get A Legal Separation?

Corporate Lawyer Woods Cross Utah

What Are Short Sales In Real Estate?

Ascent Law St. George Utah Office

Ascent Law Ogden Utah Office

The post Utah Criminal Code 76-5-102.6 first appeared on Michael Anderson.

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