You’re in trouble or, if you prefer, urine trouble.

In this—the 75th episode of Black and White and Thin Blue Lines—Serge and Clarke discuss the public nuisance offense of urinating in public in the context of two cases: one in Mississippi and one in Texas, You decide if race was a motivating factor for what happened. Also, “you’re in” and “urine” aren’t the only…

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Judges Gone Wild

The recent controversy and criticism of Justice Clarence Thomas was the subject of enough off-air debate by Serge and Clarke that they turned it into an episode. What are some of the public mistakes (or worse) by Judges, and what should we as citizens do about it. 

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Training Maryland Police Officers in the 21st Century

Join Serge and Clarke for a discussion with our special guest, Michael (“Mike”) Johnson, who shares his smart, committed, and motivated view of training men and women to be law enforcement officers in this day and age. This is a must listen episode. Mike has unique ideas that ought to become the national standard for…

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LA County Deputy Sheriffs Apparently Never Got the Memo

On June 24, 2023, two LA County Deputy Sheriffs arrested two persons in Lancaster, CA under confusing circumstances. The first arrest was of a man that the deputies told was being detained for investigation. He was arrested — but the deputies conducted no investigation from detention to arrest. The second arrest was of a woman…

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The Metamorphosis of Yusef Salaam

This story begins with a 1989 rape in Central Park, involves a New York real estate tycoon who threw gas on a fire, and evolves into a remarkable and inspiring story of citizenship. Serge and Clarke discuss the life (at least so far) of Yusef Salaam. This episode is a short listen about a modern…

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South Baltimore Brooklyn Day Block Party Nets Thirty Casualties

On July 2, 2023, two to 12 gunslingers shot 30 people, including 14 children, at a single holiday block party in Baltimore. No police officers were assigned to the event where 700 to 1000 people had gathered. But at the same time, many extra police officers were assigned to traditionally white areas of Baltimore festivity.…

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A Fatal Stabbing on the J Train

A fatal stabbing on the J train is the subject of this week’s podcast. Five weeks after Daniel Perry fatally choked Jordan Neely on the New York subway system, 20-year-old Jordan Williams is charged with manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the fatal stabbing of Devictor Ouedraogo. Serge and Clarke discuss the differences,…

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Debra Saltz on an Idea Whose Time May Have Arrived!

Debra Saltz is one of Maryland’s best attorneys. She clerked for the late, great Joseph Murphy, she worked as a public defender in Baltimore County, and she served as a prosecutor in Howard County for four years. Debra has also been in private practice for many years, especially concentrating in criminal defense. Debra is a…

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Descending Into Lawlessness and the Defense of Necessity

In Queens, New York, a man shoots and kills a robber. The shooter’s conduct is determined to be self-defense, but he is charged with firearms violations. In Charlotte, North Carolina, a bus driver shoots back at a passenger shooting at him! The bus driver is not charged with a crime, but is fired by the…

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The Unintended Consequence of Maryland’s New Gun Laws

In 2022, the United States Supreme Court ruled that the “proper cause” gun permit  requirements of New York prevent law-abiding citizens from free exercise of their second amendment rights to keep and bear arms in public for ordinary self-defense. This decision effectively negated Maryland law. In its very next session, the Maryland General Assembly passed…

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“Characteristics of an Armed Person”

On May 11th, 2023, Baltimore Police Detective Cedric Elleby shot a fleeing suspect holding a semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine in his right hand. The young man had not fired the weapon at the time he was shot. He was not pointing the pistol at Detective Elleby or anyone else. He was running away…

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Stand Your Ground Doesn’t Legalize Illegal Deadly Force

In rural New York, a 65-year old man fired two shots from his porch killing a young woman in a car who was lost and turned around in his driveway. In Missouri, an 84-year old man fired two shots from his front door injuring a teenager who rang his bell, mistakenly at the wrong address…

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Seven Calif Highway Patrolmen Charged in Death of Edward Bronstein

Two months before the death of George Floyd, seven California Highway Patrolmen—including a Sergeant and one nurse—held a handcuffed behind his back, Edward Bronstein, face down to take blood in a DUI case pursuant to a search warrant. Bronstein screamed that he couldn’t breathe. The incident was videotaped. Bronstein died during the incident allegedly due…

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Qualifications to be the Police Chief

Serge and Clarke “reimagine” the qualifications to be a police chief in 2023. We tell you what cops say they want; want the IACP says it wants; and what the DOJ says it wants in a police chief. But, Serge lists his list of qualifications and Clarke lists his. We guarantee you that some of…

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