SEC=UGA Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 A group of accused gang members in the small Houston suburb of Bryan, Texas say their civil liberties are being violated after authorities placed several restrictions on their cell phone use, where they can drive their cars and who they can socialize with. "It ain't right what they're doing," said Alfonso Ponce, a 14-year-old who risks arrest if he associates with either of his two brothers, who are admitted members of the Latin Kings street gang. "I ain't no gang member, people just think I am, and so now I can't have no phone, can't be out after 9 p.m. and can't hang out with my friends," Ponce said. The district attorney's office in Brazos County Texas has listed Ponce along with 37 other alleged gang members in a civil injunction aimed at creating a gang-free zone. Local authorities say gang-related crime has gotten so bad that they had to do whatever it took to try and stop it, in this case file a civil injunction targeting a group of young men they believe are responsible. The injunction allows authorities to arrest Ponce or any of his 37 named co-defendants if they are spotted between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in a three-square-mile radius designated as the "Latin Kings Safety Zone." Even Ponce admits that the area is rampant with crime. His house is littered with bullet wounds and there have been drive by shootings "about 20 times," he said. "They shoot at me a lot," he added. Inside the safety zone defendants are barred from using cell phones inside their cars and cannot speak, walk, drive or even bike with people known to be associated with a criminal gang. Using hand signals known as gang signs as well and cursing inside the safety zone is also not allowed. "In response to an escalation in violence in and around Bryan, we started to look for additional proactive measures that would allow us to respond to gang violence in a way that might not just be reactionary but might be able to stop the crimes before they happen," said Brazos County Assistant District Attorney Cory Crenshaw. But those "proactive measures" of the injunction -- essentially giving police the authority to pick up individuals before they've even committed a crime -- are what some are calling a violation of rights and what Ponce says he thinks is unfair. Several other states, such as California and Minnesota, as well as other counties in Texas, have similar gang injunction laws on the books. "Our focus is stopping violent gang crime and in reducing the number of violent assaults," said Crenshaw. "If you can keep these individuals associated with gangs away from each other -- especially in vehicles -- it really does cut down on the chance of shootings." Full Article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big John Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 The injunction allows authorities to arrest Ponce or any of his 37 named co-defendants if they are spotted between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. in a three-square-mile radius designated as the "Latin Kings Safety Zone." A radius is a linear measurement. Did they mean 3 square-mile area? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 (edited) A radius is a linear measurement. Did they mean 3 square-mile area? Good catch... Think they meant three sq. miles... or a three mile radius... But where is the point from which the measure the three miles and is it some arbitrary point or is it someone's house, I mean, seriously, how did thye decide? And what if I'm standing two feet out side of this radius, or, uh, square, may I then congreagte with whomever I desire? ETA: Oh, yeah,and not to be, um, picky or anything, but that really has nothing to do with the topic at hand... God, threads do run off the track quickly here, don't they BP? Edited August 18, 2010 by SEC=UGA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I don't know enough about the limits of civil injunctions to really say... but on its face this does not sound constitutional to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaP'N GRuNGe Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I don't have much sympathy for gangbangers, but yeah I don't think you can do what they are proposing legally either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillyBalata Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 Under Texas state statute, the gang must be proven to be a "public nuisance" in order to be hit with an injunction. According to Crenshaw, a gang can be deemed a public nuisance if the group is linked to five or more crimes in a one-year period that are consistent with gang activity. For individuals to be listed in an injunction, the DA must prove that they have several different factors that qualify them as gang members -- ranging from tattoos, to admissions, to consistently being seen with a gang. The individuals must also have been convicted or suspected of crimes consistent with gang activity. All of the men listed in the injunction were offered the opportunity to respond, either by writing or appearing in court, to argue against their inclusion, according to Crenshaw. Those that did not were given a default judgment by the judge. Crenshaw says he would be willing to meet with Ponce regarding his situation with his brothers but that Ponce never even showed up for his preliminary hearing. "There have been other gang members within this injunction who are related to each other," he said. "And the ones who have come in and sat down with me I've been more than willing to accept terms to continue their family and blood relationships. I'm not trying to interfere with that." "But If they don't show up then they'll just be subject to the restrictions," added Crenshaw. "I understand there are some people out there who think these things may be going too far and don't like what we're doing, but again, we want to have a law-abiding, safe community, and in order to do that if we can have a proactive measure that allows our law enforcement to stop violent gang crimes before they occur, we're willing to do what we have to do to make that successful." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmarc117 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 gangs will rule the new amerika when society breaks down. join one now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimC Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 "It ain't right what they're doing," "I ain't no gang member, people just think I am, and so now I can't have no phone, can't be out after 9 p.m. and can't hang out with my friends," Ponce said. Future welfare recipient here. How many babies you figure this one will crank out? Why don't you stay at home and learn to speak correctly and maybe you'll find a job once you grow up. If you grow up, of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 (edited) I'd oppose this because the more of each other they kill, the better off we all are. There are some casualties in the crossfire but the murder rate in these areas is so high because the gangs are offing each other. The only way to stop gang violence is for the rest of the area residents to assert themselves rather than leave it to the cops, who then get accused of racism. Until the local people get off their duffs and crack down on their own people, this will only get worse. As long as this stuff is contained to their own hellholes, I don't really care how many of them get killed. Edited August 18, 2010 by Ursa Majoris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEC=UGA Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 I'd oppose this because the more of each other they kill, the better off we all are. There are some casualties in the crossfire but the murder rate in these areas is so high because the gangs are offing each other. The only way to stop gang violence is for the rest of the area residents to assert themselves rather than leave it to the cops, who then get accused of racism. Until the local people get off their duffs and crack down on their own people, this will only get worse. As long as this stuff is contained to their own hellholes, I don't really care how many of them get killed. I'm not sure if this was tongue in cheek, but I happen to agree with this sentiment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darin3 Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 gangs will rule the new amerika when society breaks down. join one now. WOLVERINES!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursa Majoris Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I'm not sure if this was tongue in cheek, but I happen to agree with this sentiment... Dead serious. Gang bangers killing each other artificially inflate the murder rate but do everyone a favor in the long run. It always amuses me when a dead gang member shows up that all his family say what a wonderful innocent he was, kind to his mom blah blah. Bah. Sort your own craphole out, just don't export it. There are numerous successful precedents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoJoTheWebToedBoy Posted August 18, 2010 Share Posted August 18, 2010 I don't have much sympathy for gangbangers, but yeah I don't think you can do what they are proposing legally either. If instead, you kill any of them that enters the area, and quitely dispose of the bodies....... Whos going to complain? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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