Pawn Play: Scott Walker-Appointed Judge Attempts To Approve Warrantless Searches In Wisconsin

Governor Scott Walker’s newly appointed supreme court justice proved who she represents — and it’s not the people. Justice Rebecca Bradley shocked her colleagues recently after nullifying an appeals court decision upholding an individual’s constitutional rights. Bradley’s decision disintegrates citizen protection against warrantless police searches. Her surprise, tiebreaking intervention both grants police more power, and exemplifies corruption in law and politics.

Charles Matalonis, Free Thought Project reports, was arrested for “manufacturing” marijuana in his home by Kenosha police. After Matalonis’ intoxicated brother was hospitalized, bloodied from a fight, officers reputedly followed a blood trail to Charlie’s home. Police, according to a court document, were “let in” and conducted a “protective sweep” for more injured people. Nothing was found other than what officers took to be marijuana paraphernalia. Police demanded Matalonis open a padlocked door they claimed fans and marijuana smell emanated from. Officers reported traces of blood in parts of the house, including the padlocked door. After threatening to kick it down, officers obtained a key and arrested Charles for the single plant inside.

After the court of appeals ruled the warrantless search unreasonable, Matalonis’ case was taken to the Supreme Court. Justice Annette Ziegler, according to Free Thought Project, felt officers were not investigating a crime but “exercising their ‘community caretaker’ function”. Three others argued that after being inside for “some 20 minutes”, officers had “little reason to suspect someone else was in the bedroom.” Justices argued police switched priorities from injured people to weed, affecting their grounds to search. Had the case remained deadlocked, according to Free Thought Project, the prior ruling would’ve stood.

Here’s where Scott Walker’s pick comes in breaking the tie, uprooting the appeals court, and ending the case with a 4-3 ruling. Bradley was appointed after the death of the more liberal, self-described centrist Justice Patrick Crooks. The kicker is that she, unlike her colleagues, didn’t in any way participate in the cases oral arguments. Instead, Justice Bradley left taped recordings, indulged on her own time, to decide the fate of Wisconsin’s constitutional protections. Bradley skipped five earlier cases since being appointed, but chose to tie-break this case out of the blue. Rebecca Bradley, according to Free Thought Project, is also running for election! Way to set the tempo for an inherently lengthy career in a vital area of government!

To best comprehend the level of corruption Bradley is complicit in, you have to understand who she works for. Governor Scott Walker is no Wisconsinite favorite, he’s a favorite of the billionaire class. Walker has demonstrated a willingness to vastly sabotage his own state decimating unions, augmenting the drug war/prison industrial complex, and draining the budget. Scott does not represent the people of Wisconsin, doing nothing to improve the situation here. That being said, what do you expect from his appointee other than subversion of fundamental principles? Similarly, with Walker facing further corruption inquiries, who’s side is she to take in court?

How many people suffered before a real police reform dialogue was invoked in mainstream media? Now is not the time to dial back the progress made at DOJ’s Milwaukee visit, a city Walker has shamelessly abandoned. Justice Bradley’s “unprecedented”, ill informed, irresponsible 4-3 tiebreaker more involves politics than duty. The police, although accountable in their own right, would only be following the orders of this treasonous administration. If there were ever a time for the federal government to step in and check the unchecked, it’s now.

It would be interesting to see who exactly funds her campaign. Scott wouldn’t survive politically without the intense backing of his billionaire masters, like the Koch Brothers. In a perfect world she’d be discredited, disbarred, and replaced. However, in a perfect world Scott wouldn’t remain in power as he continues to. Personally, this only serves as motivation to get Wolf-Pac’s resolution passed for amendment ensuring free and fair elections.

I remember doing an interview for my documentary, and what a boy I knew proclaimed on camera. “Stop being ignorant and stop standing idly by while a lot of people have to deal with these problems and it will be you some day.” “If we keep allowing them go past this point of illegal searches, where is it going to stop?” The boy was right, and if nothing is done then it won’t.


Source Article from http://www.copblock.org/154246/pawn-play-scott-walker-appointed-judge-attempts-to-approve-warrentless-searches-in-wisconsin/

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