-Caveat Lector- Dave Hartley http://www.Asheville-Computer.com/dave WHO'S IN JAIL? High court rules states can keep it a secret Houston Chronicle Published: December 15, 1999 By the Editorial board The U.S. Supreme Court ruled last week that states may withold any and all information about the people that police arrest. The ruling ostemsibly allows states to protect the privacy of those who are arrested, but it also gives states the option of letting local police forces behave like a dictatorship's secret police. The case involves a California law that lets news media, private detectives and professors have access to the names and addresses of arrestees, but not companies that sell the information or use it for marketing purposes. That law, which the court upheld, is too restrictive of public information, but Chief Justice William Rehnquist's opinion says states may deny access to any information in their possession and, furthermore, may keep all information about arrests secret from everyone. Texas has a law that restricts information about auto accidents. the law is in limbo pending a state judge's ruling on its constitutionality, but the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling in the California case sadly comes down on the side of restricted information. In it's broadest application, the court's ruling could weaken Americans' crucial rights to equal protection and a fair trial. If the police can arrest people without revealing that fact, the police can, in effect, cause people to disappear without a trace. Houston Chronicle http://www.chron.com/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance�not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
