recent Houston pd no knock raid UPDATED

[Hawkmoon]

Agreed.  It seems that knock and announce warrants aren't much better as they seem to wait less than a minute then knock the door down. 

More like about 15 seconds. Even a minute is totally unreasonable when you're "knocking and announcing" at oh-dark-thirty. My bedroom is on the second floor, and the windows open to the rear, not toward the front. And I'm a heavy sleeper. It would take a LOT of pounding on the front door to wake me up. And then I'd have to fumble for the light, then fumble for me bedroom slippers, then make my way down the hall and down the stairs (which I cannot navigate rapidly). Basically, anything under about fifteen minutes is unreasonable.

[230RN]

Sir WIlliam Pitt in Parliament, about 1793, on the right to be free of searches and siezures:

“The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the force of the Crown.  It may be frail—its roof may shake—the wind may blow through it—the storm may enter—the rain may enter—but the King of England cannot enter: all his forces dare not cross the threshold of that ruined tenement.”

[WLJ]

Sir WIlliam Pitt in Parliament, about 1793, on the right to be free of searches and siezures:

“The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the force of the Crown.  It may be frail—its roof may shake—the wind may blow through it—the storm may enter—the rain may enter—but the King of England cannot enter: all his forces dare not cross the threshold of that ruined tenement.”

Until they post a meme

[RocketMan]

Until they post a meme

Or use the wrong pronouns.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Or use the wrong pronouns.

Or fail to pay for their TV License

[Perd Hapley]

Sir WIlliam Pitt in Parliament, about 1793, on the right to be free of searches and siezures:

“The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the force of the Crown.  It may be frail—its roof may shake—the wind may blow through it—the storm may enter—the rain may enter—but the King of England cannot enter: all his forces dare not cross the threshold of that ruined tenement.”

A minor niggle - was Pitt ever knighted?

[WLJ]

A minor niggle - was Pitt ever knighted?

Unless I'm overlooking it I can find no reference of Pitt the Younger ever being referred to as Sir William Pitt

did find this in wiki though

The king had in 1791 offered him a Knighthood of the Garter, but he suggested the honour go to his elder brother, the second Earl of Chatham

[Perd Hapley]

The pastor of my church has a hilarious habit of knighting Francis Scott Key, of all people. 

[230RN]

I understood there was some question about the "Sir."

[zxcvbob]

Guilty.  https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/gerald-goines-harding-street-trial-verdict-19791557.php

Hasn't been sentenced yet, plus I'm sure it'll be appealed.  The Chronicle says the maximum sentence is life; actually i think the max in Texas is death since two people were killed (and their dog), but the prosecutors might have left that off the table because it could have reduced their chance of a conviction.  Getting a conviction against a crooked cop is damn near impossible anyway.

[WLJ]

The pastor of my church has a hilarious habit of knighting Francis Scott Key, of all people. 

Sir Francis Scott Key?

[230RN]

...

[Hawkmoon]

Guilty.  https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/gerald-goines-harding-street-trial-verdict-19791557.php

Hasn't been sentenced yet, plus I'm sure it'll be appealed.  The Chronicle says the maximum sentence is life; actually i think the max in Texas is death since two people were killed (and their dog), but the prosecutors might not have left that off the table because it could have reduced their chance of a conviction.  Getting a conviction against a crooked cop is damn near impossible anyway.

Hmmm ...

The defense conceded that while Goines lied about the use of a confidential informant in the Harding Street raid, they asserted a murder charge was not merited.

Let's see, Counselors -- two people are dead as a direct result of your client's unlawful actions. If murder isn't merited, what charge do you think should be applied?

[MechAg94]

Hmmm ...

Let's see, Counselors -- two people are dead as a direct result of your client's unlawful actions. If murder isn't merited, what charge do you think should be applied?

I believe it is the law that accessories to a crime can be charged with murder if someone is killed.  Like the driver for a robbery.