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April 14, 2004
More on Charlottesville Racial Profiling
As I mentioned this morning, the police in Charlottesville, VA are asking hundreds of black men for DNA samples, in order to prove they are not the serial rapist that has apparently been around for some years.
On one of the Richmond radio stations, this was under discussion yesterday morning - I was appalled as caller after caller said that if someone is innocent, they should not mind giving a DNA sample. One man even had the gall to say that if he was a black man, he would give the sample.
Doesn't anyone learn about the Bill of Rights in high school anymore?
Let's look at the facts - the police are stumped - stumped they are! Therefore, they are going to ask the entire populace to voluntarily give their DNA up for testing.
This tells me that the police have absolutely no fricking idea who this criminal is.
This tells me that the police are too lazy to investigate these crimes properly.
But what worries me most of all, is that none of the news reports discusses the 4th Amendment*. Freedom from unreasonable search and seizure.
Nowhere have I seen where anyone is advising black man in Charlottesville to just say no.
Where the hell is the ACLU? Isn't this a case they should be actively pursuing?
The Charlottesville ACLU is concerned about the Patriot Act. The actions of the police in this case have nothing to do with the Patriot Act - why can't I find a reference anywhere on the Internet where the ACLU there is working to educate the men of Charlottesville on their Constitutional Right NOT to give their DNA to a police department which is apparently less competent than Inspecter Clouseau.
Why is not the ACLU filing suit against the Charlottesville Police Department for their tactics?
Please, Glen Reynolds, oh ye of legal brains, please comment on this!
Oh, I found more. I checked out the Charlottesville Police Department's web site, and found that they "are proud of our motto "Solving Crime Through Science" in reference to their extensive DNA testing to 'clear' people of crimes.
I would be more impressed if they could solve crimes through investigation rather than testing every guy in town on the off chance they might find a criminal!!!!
* Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Posted by Beth at April 14, 2004 10:22 PM