This sign in most cases is a paper tiger Newton, MA —The City Council of this city enacted a highly restrictive ordinance over both commercial and recreational drones.   The  most  draconion parts of that law was just declared invalid by a federal judge.    Among other things the council like many state and local governments recklessly went about regulating or restricting most drone activities such as:   1.  Registration requirement for all drones with the city. 2.  Obtain “permission” from public or private property owners before any flights.. 3.  Outlaws beyond line of sight flying.   State and local politicians are either oblivious or antagonistic to the reality that they have zero jurisdiction over the airspace.  This is the mandated responsibility of the FAA .  They pass laws that result in arrests, search warrants and confiscation of property because of their arrogance and or ignorance.  Art...

I have done this cases in many cities with incredible success.  It's my speciality!

Will they be able to jail drone pilot Paul Huebl now?   Phoenix, AZ —Two members of the City Council here are proposing an anti-drone ordinance that will make a criminal out of anyone using a drone within the city. Let me disclose that I own and operate two camera drones like the one above and plan to use them in pursuit if gathering images and video for news.  The proposed law requires that “written permission” be obtained in advance from anyone that might be photographed by a drone.   That would for example include some gardener mowing grass who might be photographed whether he is readily identifiable or not.   They are not talking about just close up pictures but any picture. There is plenty of existing law that protects people’s privacy where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy.   That is inside a home or structure of some type.   That’s why millions of ordinary surveillance cameras are everywhere in America today. ...

Los Angeles, CA —Technology has brought us unmanned, remote controlled aircraft.   These things have been around for decades. Expectedly they have been engineered for surveillance and combat by military contractors. More recently GPS advances and really great and diminutive cameras such as the GoPro has brought us an affordable civilian drone that has been thrilling photographers such as me. The vast majority of the civilian camera drones are weighing in at between one and three pounds and can be safely operated from as much as a mile away.   They can capture stunning images at much lower altitudes than helicopters without the risk of death and destruction.   There are larger and more sophisticated drones that handle the bigger cameras used by the film industry and require very solid piloting skills.   One thing for sure civilian drone operators don’t want their devices endangered or the subject of adverse police scrutiny.   I have two...

Chicago, IL —As the summer approaches predators can be counted upon to roam the streets looking for victims. You must constantly be aware of your surroundings and prepared for the eventuality of an attack. The Chicago Police Department can barely answer their telephones, and respond to those calls at an ever, slower rate. The department in exceptionally undermanned outgunned and demoralized. The Illinois Department of Corrections has been releasing criminals at a record rate due to funding issues. The U.S. Supreme Court has made it clear in McDonald vs. City of Chicago the keeping and bearing of arms is a right of the law abiding. The politicians here have chosen to disarm citizens with laws that are both un-Constitutional and immoral. Forcing citizens to fend for themselves and to remain unarmed in a violent and dangerous city is both bad public policy and incredibly unreasonable. Be sure to have a safe and reliable handgun and the training to use it while outside of your home...

Most Americans believe they understand Reasonable Doubt when it comes to Jury Duty. I will begin challenging that notion by simply asking you to define it. Let me say that lawyers and judges can’t really define it and rely on the writings of others to explain the concept. Let me also begin by saying in a criminal case, pertinent facts like the backgrounds or history of deception of government witnesses is often hidden from a jury. This is especially true where special Victim’s Rights laws were enacted at the behest of over-zealous prosecutors. Too many judges, rule in prejudicial evidence or rule out exculpatory evidence with ease. Juries too often never get to learn about important facts. Any judge can simply put their thumb on the scale of justice with certain rulings. They get away with this because it’s considered judicial discretion. The vast majority of those rulings are made away from the inquiring minds of the jury. Far too often this is Judicial Tyranny. Judges are su...

Chicago, IL —Chicago politician's demands for their favorite enforcement leads to impropriety. An example is arresting people that dare place their own safety above unconstitutional gun prohibitions. Generally most genuine criminals carry all manner of weapons. Passing and publishing prohibitions of any kind never deters criminals. Police arrest people for possessing or selling drugs and find their guns. Various calls related to assaults, threats and other senseless crimes often also lead to gun arrests. Police can’t and don’t run around randomly searching people looking for guns. Law-abiding citizens can carry guns for decades without detection or arrest simply because they never give police probable cause to stop and search them. The Chicago Police Department ’s commanders must show numbers to these politicians so they give the cops awards and perks for hauling in the guns. In my day the tactical teams of plain clothed officers assigned to districts would win eight hours compen...

Melanie Bernas (Left) Angelia Brosso (Right) Phoenix, AZ —In 1992/1993 Melanie Bernas , 17 and Angela Brosso , 22 were savagely sliced up nearly a year apart in the same general vicinity. In November, 1992 the Brosso girl went for a bicycle ride and never returned. Her live-in boyfriend reported her missing to police. Brosso was soon found headless and her torso cut in half in a nearby park at 25th Avenue and Cactus. I saw raw video of the body captured by a TV news photographer and it was indeed hideous. That video was heavily edited before it hit the airwaves. Brosso’s severed head was subsequently located in or next to a canal some two miles away. Brosso’s bicycle has never been recovered and no viable suspect has ever been located. Nearly one year later in September of 1993 the Bernas girl’s severed head was found near the Arizona canal and the Black Canyon freeway. Nearby floating in the canal the rest of her cut up remains were recover...

Chicago, IL —This time it was an off duty cop who was simply cleaning the windshield on his brand new Buick automobile in front of his own house. The officer had just arrived home after his shift protecting Richard M. Daley’s residence. Details are scarce right now but it appears there were multiple assailants and apparently lots of shots fired at the scene. The officer was still in full uniform when he was murdered. This senseless attack happened shortly after 6:00 AM near the intersection of 74th Street and Evans Avenue. Police are still processing the crime scene and trying to determine the motivation and identification of the killers. This was a career Chicago cop facing mandatory retirement August 14th on his 63rd birthday. Chicago’s African-American community is in a non-stop, mid-summer orgy of violence. The underpaid, undermanned, out-gunned and demoralized police department is totally incapable of keeping a lid on the ghetto carnage. Chicago’s corrupt politicians have wast...

Chicago, IL —Today veteran criminal lawyer Ed Genson had a sit down with a client who could unleash the Gates of Hell. Genson has been practicing criminal law for more than 40 years in Cook County. Genson knows the ropes and will do his best work for Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich provided that he ponies up a huge retainer. I know Genson and have been examined and cross-examined by him in several criminal cases while I was a cop. Everyone always underestimated his ability. He and his long time partner Sam Adam are gifted litigators from Hell. Patrick Fitzgerald , the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois can potentially make orphans out of Blagojevich’s children. Fitzgerald has the goods on the Illinois First Lady too. With both parents in prison the family damage is mindboggling. Blagojevich and his wife have no choice but to implicate everyone they can. There is no question that Blagojevich has the goods on every major Democratic Party politician in Chicago...

Dallas, TX—A clever lawyer has shut down camera traffic enforcement in Texas. This valid legal angle can also be used against the companies that provide this service to governments in California, Illinois and Arizona. The companies are unlawfully operating without required private investigation licenses in these states where they are required, The companies gather evidence to use in legal proceedings for compensation. That precisely why I’m required to have such a license for the work I do in those states. Operating without a license is a criminal offense! They can be forced under law to refund all monies collected unlawfully. I hope to see lawyers take up this and remove this tool that extorts money from citizens. Here is a news report from by my old friend Carol Cavazos at CBS 11 News in Dallas.