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The Donald and Moscow Mitch
The 2020 Electoral College Vote Had Better Not Be Close
In the 21st century, it is not supposed to be lawful to shoot a fleeing felon unless it’s a violent felony and, even in retreat, the felon is reasonably thought to be “armed and dangerous.” At common law, it was much simpler. Since the punishment for a felony — any felony — was death, killing the felon just cut out the middleman.
A felon was an “outlaw.” Literally, outside the law. The law would no longer protect his property or his life. I guess it was we mushy-headed liberals who discovered that the power to kill contains the power to imprison and the power to imprison contains the power to place under surveillance.
In our time and my jurisdiction, a reported felony creates a file with the police. If a suspect is arrested, a file is created with the sheriff, who runs the jail, and the magistrate who accepts the accusation, as well as with the District Attorney. If an indictment is returned, the District Clerk creates a file. A conviction means the probation office must open a file to do a presentence investigation and potentially the department of corrections will create a file that will eventually spawn a parole file.
If children are involved, if official corruption is involved — any number of ifs — can result in another file in another agency documenting one…
