Civil liberties headlines for October 28, 2008

October 28, 10:59 AMCivil Liberties ExaminerJ.D. Tuccille

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From free speech to gun rights, below are news headlines involving outrages, developments and occasional victories that may be of interest to people who care about personal liberty, all gathered in one place.

Judge cuts award in Taser death
A federal judge has thrown out a jury's award of $5.2 million in punitive damages in the case of a Salinas man who died after police stunned him with Tasers. The ruling leaves intact only $180,000 in compensatory damages for the family of Robert C. Heston, who died Feb. 20, 2005, a day after he was stunned numerous times by Salinas police officers at his father's home.

New York sends AOL 'how-to-wiretap' slides
With his heavy-handed crusade against online child pornography, New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo has already crushed more than a little free speech, all but destroying America's connection to Usenet newsgroups. And now he's eying ISP-level porn-blocking hardware that would run roughshod over the country's wiretapping laws.

Defence of free speech must be absolute: advocate
There's not much that seems to faze Alan Borovoy when it comes to his infallible belief in a person's right to free speech in Canada. Groups that bash gays, women or religious organizations may be repugnant, but democracies must allow them to speak freely, insists Borovoy, the general counsel for the Canadian Civil Liberties Association who will give a speech in Edmonton on Wednesday.

No opting out of Australian plan to censor websites
Australia's level of net censorship will put it in the same league as countries including China, Cuba, Iran and North Korea, and the Government will not let users opt out of the proposed national internet filter when it is introduced.

Coroner says Taser a factor in death
A shock from a police Taser played a role in the death of a Miami University graduate in April, the Hamilton County Coroner's Office ruled. But the Butler County prosecutor says the officer used the device appropriately and will not face criminal charges.

Grand Jury to Investigate Allegations of Police Attack
The Brooklyn district attorney has decided to have a special investigative grand jury examine evidence in the case of a 24-year-old man who has accused the police of beating and sodomizing him with an object in a Brooklyn subway station two weeks ago.

DC Council considers using eminent domain for economic reasons
The D.C. Council is considering a bill that would allow the city to use eminent domain to seize and "redevelop" nearly two dozen properties in southeast Washington.

Eminent domain concerns residents
When the City Council discussed a 12-year extension of eminent domain powers for redevelopment in North Long Beach last month, residents who were afraid they would lose their homes went to the council meeting seeking answers.

Judge Blocks Rules Limiting Sex Offenders on Halloween
A federal judge in Missouri on Monday temporarily blocked parts of a new state law that requires sexual offenders to remain in their homes on Halloween evening and to avoid any contact with children related to the holiday.

Debate over red-light cameras flaring up in Santa Clara County
In Santa Clara County, California, police are speaking out against red-light cameras, partly for fear that they may cause more accidents. A New York Times survey found that rear-end collisions rose nearly 15 percent after traffic cameras were installed in seven cities, with injuries from such crashes up 24 percent.

FL gay marriage amendment vote said to be close
Called the "Florida Marriage Protection Amendment," Amendment 2 on the ballot seeks to constitutionally define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.

American Apparel takes stand on immigration
While immigration is almost a non-issue in the U.S. presidential campaign, American Apparel, the biggest garment manufacturer in the country, is doing its best to keep the debate alive, saying legalizing foreign workers is good for business.

Contact J.D.: civilliberties (at) tuccille.com