ORIGINS … AND CONTEXT
By FITSNews || Late last month FITS was the first news outlet in the state to report on a brewing scandal involving the City of Columbia, S.C.’s crime lab.
Our exclusive report has prompted a flood of coverage, most recently an excellent investigative piece by reporter John Monk of The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper.
We can’t stand Monk’s uber-liberal agenda-driven reporting – and he’s made it abundantly clear he can’t stand us.
But despite our “Unfair, Imbalanced” tag line we’re in the business of calling things like we see them … and Monk’s piece delving into the origins of the crime lab scandal is worth reading for several reasons.
Not only does Monk explore the origins of the crime lab scandal, but his report highlights the lunacy of the mandatory minimum sentences associated with America’s failed “War on Drugs.”
Seriously … “a gram here, a gram there” and offenders are looking at lengthy jail time as opposed to probation. The ten-gram mark in particular seems to be the demarcation line for some pretty serious consequences.
Any penalty is ridiculous in our opinion …
America’s “War on Drugs” is a colossal waste of tax dollars – diverting scarce law enforcement, judicial and correctional resources away from more pressing needs. That’s why we continue to call for the immediate decriminalization of marijuana and other drugs, which would render moot scandals like the one currently enveloping the City of Columbia.
22 comments
“A Graham here, a Graham there” is going to end up with us fighting multiple wars on multiple continents.
Graham Cracker.
I love snorting it off the rears of young men.
What’s with Ravenel? His site shows only two ‘meet & greet” events on Main Street in Columbia scheduled for tomorrow (Sep 20) — after that it is a ZERO, a complete blank….
Scheduling conflicts, his “party calendar” is full for the next few weeks. His entire campaign has been nothing but an exercise in narcissistic self aggrandizement and advertising for his “reality” show.
Bwaaah-aaah-aaah..!! Are you saying Ravenel is really NOT A SERIOUS CANDIDATE..?? I feel–used..!!
Maybe it’s going to be a tiring event, and he needs an unspecified amount of time to recover, while he waits for the campaign contributions to flow in.
Please go and take pictures and post here!
What’s with Ravenel? His site shows only two ‘meet & greet” events on Main Street in Columbia scheduled for tomorrow (Sep 20) — after that it is a ZERO, a complete blank….
As we get older it takes us longer to recover from coke and alcohol fueled Saturday nights. Best not to schedule stuff for the next several days……
How does the Richland County Sheriff Department get such good press? I worked there for more than 10 years and the corrupt attitudes and actions of leadership is disgusting.
But they always get such good press. I wonder why.
Maybe because you’re a malcontent and Lott and company are doing a good job (comparatively speaking)? I’m not suggesting that you are but an really offering this as more of a challenge to put up some info on the alleged corrupt action and attitudes.
It’s funny how things in RCSD never come to light… Maybe the press is afraid of him? Best political machine in SC.
Remember the deputy who beat the soldier? Or how about the one who tased a guy in handcuffs? Or…. well, those are just recent history. Lott answers to no-one (except the public), and can fire officers without cause (political appointees). Deputies don’t talk about things because they are AFRAID of consequences for whistleblowing. Just the way it is. Remember Metts? Lots of vocal people thought he was a shining star in SC law enforcement.
Sounds like The Colonel is one of Lott’s command staff….
The deputy who beat the Soldier was fired and the former deputy was charged in the case: http://www.wltx.com/story/news/2014/02/12/1687216/
The deputy in the beating was only fired AFTER the video went public. Prior to that, Leon was calling the cops who arrested the deputy incompetent and telling the media his deputy did the right thing. He NEVER apologized for those statements.
Something about innocent until proven guilty comes to mind here…
Lotts ultimate dream is to be Governor of S.C. so he has terrified all employees into submission. Kinda like “one tiny word that reflects badly on him and your career in law enforcement is over”. What Richland County Sheriff’s Department needs a Forensic Audit from the Feds and a good ass kicking.
Hey, Will… I know you don’t know me, but can you, or maybe T-RAV score some 90+% pure LSD? It’s getting really scarce since they popped those guys in Kansas…
Thanks in advance.
Hey Fits, your commentators were the first to report that mainstream online media organisations in South Carolina have reduced their comment sections for news events and happenings to Facebook only account holders. Not only does this stifle citizen participation in commenting on articles they publish, crony capitalism is in full display by picking companies over others!
“Not crony capitalism!”
Yes, crony capitalism.
Visitors, regular viewers, and all citizens would appreciate more participation in our free society in reporting news stories and events that shine light on crony politicians, crony officer involved shootings, crony legislative hearings, crony police corruption, and crony abuses of our Constitutional Rights in our crony corporatist world. Citizens need to sound off on all the above and then some to make our voices heard daily.
Crony coverage from crony corporate news media outlets examples include one trillion dollar continuing resolutions, prison riots, governor interim sheriff appointments, follow ups on attorney general office press releases, follow ups on SLED investigations, follow ups on corrupt politician criminal proceedings, follow ups on fired corrupt police personnel to name a few.
It must be hard as Fits News grows up and makes new friends to not report on stories that citizens have a vested interest to follow to their conclusions, but please try lest Fits News becomes another crony ass kissing, hide the truth crony news media outlet, all about protecting crony connections and crony affiliations for crony money and crony favors.
Our voices must be heard!
“Capitalism BY ITS NATURE involves cronyism.
Why dont you Right Wing goofs get over it.
A “businessman” will use ANY method he can to make money.Its the nature of the beast.So stop the whining everytime one of these Aholes plays the “crony” card!
This story on police evidence tampering for harsher sentencing is very important for citizens to understand our law and order judicial system is riddled with corruption at every level on both sides of prosecuting criminals and defending oneself from this constitutional stripping, money making, family wrecking process we call justice.
Nearly 50% of all black males are arrested before their 23rd birthday! 40% of all white males are arrested before their 23rd birthday.
Really? R-e-a-l-l-y? Yes, REALLY !
The National Judicial Reporting Program (NJRP) reported in 2006 sampling 300 counties in the US that state courts sentenced an estimated 1,132,290 persons for a felony conviction. That total represents a 37% increase from the number of felony offenders sentenced in 1990 and does not include convictions resulting in no prison time.
America, we have a problem when the USA represents less than 5% of the entire global population and then accounts for housing 25% of the worlds prisoners!
Families are being ripped apart, kids grow up to psychopaths, average state sentencing is close to five fucking years behind bars…for what? FOR WHAT?
Law and Order that’s what!
Damn libruls!
Agreed: the “war on drugs” is a collasal waste of taxpayer resources and perp/victim’s lives.
ALL forbidden drugs were legal in this country until the 1920’s when “progressive” Fascist elites, drunk on their power by making booze illegal, went overboard, banning every drug with any supposed pleasure.
Now the war on drugs industry is a multi-Billion Dollar industry, no matter the costs to the Helots and public at large.
Are there addictive drugs? Duh! But then repeating the same drug intake every hour or so for several days will too often lead to an addiction … Sniff glue every few hours for several days running and it may become addictive, too. (As is known)
The human critter seeks pleasures thus obesity, sugar addictions, tobacco, … Booze, cocaine, …
The passage of laws by the overlords only make the sad situation worse. But this tactic seems to generate too many votes for the “progressives” to ignore.
Darwinian evolution will take care of all of these questions without an assist from the overly protective nanny state. Voting democrat is an addiction, too, obviously.