Tu Culpa — The Attorney General Points the Finger of Fault at the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Most Catholics, and many lawyers, know the meaning of the Latin phrase, “mea culpa.” The phrase is literally translated as “through my fault.” It is the foundation of a traditional prayer sometimes recited during the Penitential Act of the Roman Catholic Mass: mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. Recently, Maryland’s Attorney General issued a…

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Would you like to pose for a picture with Danilo Cavalcante? Get in line.

The “picture of the week” was a group shot of heavily armed law enforcement officers surrounding the bleeding, captured and pathetic Danilo (or “Danelo”) Cavalcante in Chester County, Pennsylvania. Taking and posting the “trophy” photograph violated the rules of many of the law enforcement agencies that participated in the escapee’s capture. But lawmen breaking the…

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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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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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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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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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Fatal Police Encounters – 2022

In the first episode of 2023, Serge and Clarke discuss an alarming statistic: 2022 had more people killed by law enforcement than at any time since police deadly force has been tracked. Also, there was an increase in the number of police officers who were shot in the line of duty.

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