Yesterday Channel 9 News and the Associated Press reported a SWAT team planted a mail package containing 32 pounds of marijuana at the doorstep of Mayor Cheye Calvo. Right after the Mayor of Berwyn Heights, MD, returned home and brought the package inside, the police rammed open the door, and shot dead Calvo’s two black Labrador retrievers, Payton, aged 7, and Chase, aged 4.
Chase was shot from behind while running away from the officers in a vain escape attempt to another room.
Mayor Calvo was upstairs changing from his working clothes when he was alerted by the screams of his mother-in-law. He rushed downstairs clad only in underwear and socks to encounter the scene of dogs getting shot and his terrorized mother-in-law forced to the floor.
Then, surrounded by his dogs’ carcasses and pools of blood, Calvo in his underwear and his mother-in-law were chained up (or cuffed, same-same) for several hours. While their belongings were ransacked in the search for more drugs (not found), they were interrogated. No other incriminating evidence was found, and neither Calvo nor his mother-in-law were arrested.Police later reported that the package had not yet been opened. The package was addressed to the Mayor’s wife, who was not home at the time of the raid.
Calvo stated, "They thought we were drug dealers, and we were treated as such. I don't think they really ever considered that we weren't."
The sheriff’s office stated that Calvo and his family remain "persons of interest." The video, lack of evidence from the search, and Calvo’s background make the likelihood of him being a drug dealer a fairly outlandish claim.
While listening as Mayor Calvo describes the events, I would have been even more upset than he. The actions of the police were unconstitutional, clearly violating the Fourth Amendment.
"The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized."
Sergeant Mario "Bozo" Ellis, claimed the invading officers "apparently felt threatened" by the dogs. "We're not in the habit of going to homes and shooting peoples' dogs," Ellis said. "If we were, there would be a lot more dead dogs around the county." True enough, but delete the word ‘dogs’ from this statement, and we might as well be in Nazi Germany.
People may have a varied range of emotions concerning the dogs and drug crimes, but we can all agree that these dogs were the property of Mr. Calvo and his wife, and the pot inside the home was really not their property, it was planted by the police. Calvo remarks his busted door, the bullet holes, and general mess from the officers’ search and dog’s blood could all be cleaned up, but the dogs, Calvo’s property, were destroyed forever.If someone tries to invade your home in the same 'apparently threatening’ manner – whether it’s a thief, murderer or even the government, like these officers ‘of the law’ – I remind you, Reader, that to defend yourself, family, and property with lethal force, otherwise known as the Right to Bear Arms, is an intrinsic part of your individual freedom, and the government is forbidden to infringe on your freedom via the Constitution of the United States of America. Many forget that the Second Amendment, as fellow columnist Kenn Jacobine writes here, really protects ALL of your freedom and liberties, especially from ‘our’ government.
Anyways, I wish I was making this stuff up, my sources are below. And sure, some of you may be thinking, this is truly horrible, but this will not happen to me. Right? No, I beg to differ. I will just refer to my earlier article on Hope Steffey of Ohio and the more infamous Jose Padilla, and let you, Reader, judge for yourself.
Author's Note: I was originally alerted by this video at Liberty Maven. The Washington Post reports here. The Associated Press reports here.
A last note. Do not expect to hear about this from the presidential candidates, McBama, either. Both are not interested in having the populace read and insist on the Constitution since this document does not sanction their warmongering and their military empire – I challenge you to dissent on my writings below.
UPDATE added 8/8/08 - All of the above is correct, but here are two links at Liberty Maven and the Associated Press on more details. The story keeps getting more and more ridiculous.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere." – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Martin Niemoller’s message - ex-Nazi Supporter, Pastor, WWI U-boat Commander, and Nazi concentration camp Survivor. (Niemoller originally supported Hitler’s nationalistic policies, but turned against the Nazis when they came after his Church.)
"A System Designed to Protect Individual Liberty Will Have No Punishments for any Groups or any Privileges.For instance Blacks make up 14% of those have used drugs. Yet 36% of those arrested [for drugs] are Blacks.And it ends up that 63% of those who finally end up in prison [for drugs] are Black!This has to Change!... We need to Repeal the Whole War on Drugs, it isn't Working!"- Dr. Ron Paul, the Champion of the Constitution
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
As always, unlike the NFL, the author grants full permission to allow any accounts of, rebroadcasts, retransmissions, repostings in part or full of this article to your blog or anywhere else in order to promote the Restoration of our Republic. Veritas numquam perit. Veritas odit moras. Veritas vincit. Truth never perishes. Truth hates delay. Truth conquers.
_______________________________________________________
Other Articles from the Author [Reach the Author Here!]
The Money Matrix - Prelude (PART 1/15)
Published: August 1, 2008
Prelude and Source List to a Series on Global Monetary Policy of Control and Explaining Big Government's Finances
A Salute to Malalai Joya - Afghanistan's Tom Paine
Published: August 8, 2008
Malalai Joya, a brave lady and banned legislator from Afghanistan, fights for justice, human rights, and democracy. She battles both the Warlords in power, the Taliban... and the American Government, which is probably why you have never heard of her.
Iraq Smolders as American War Deaths in Afghanistan Reach All-Time Records
Published: August 2, 2008
With Iraq "Pacified" for McBama's Election, American Troops are dying off at record rates in America's "oh, that Other War" in Afghanistan
Jesse Ventura Joins Ron Paul's Campaign for Liberty!
Book Synopsis: The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder by Vincent Bugliosi
The George W Bush Impeachment Hearing's Media Blackout
Ron Paul Reports - The "Mother of All Bailouts" Bill
Utter Chaos in Afghanistan and Pakistan as Barack Obama Sanctions Preemptive War
BREAKING NEWS!! The Democrats have joined the NeoCons! War with Iran it is!
The 3 Trillion Dollar Government: Hyperinflation in America? (Part 1/2)
Calling All Wheelbarrows: Hyperinflation in America? (Part 2/2)
Bob Barr, What is the Cost of Money? Because Ron Paul and I think you Don't Know (PART 4/6)
Billionaires for the Ron Paul Revolution (PART 6/6)
A Critique of Iraq War Music Videos
This Article is Illegal (or Christine Smith, You GO GIRL! Bob Barr's a Loser)
AMERICA, Fight Your Apathy! You CAN Save Our Soldiers and Iraqis from the Sickness of War! Laughter at The Onion is the Best Medicine!
WARGATE: Rumsfeld Calls for "Another Attack" of Terror to Bolster Support for Bush
Preemptive War and Freedom Video Clips
My Father's Vietnam is My Iraq - Disturbing Parallels
Iran Declares War on the Dollar = More War for America
First They Came for Those Who Didn't Pay Their Taxes...
We the People versus the Might of the US Government
©2008 Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution, all rights reserved. You must have written permission from the author in order to republish this work.
Published: Friday, August 1, 2008
Last modified: Saturday, October 25, 2008
The views expressed in this article are those of Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution only and do not represent the views of Nolan Chart, LLC or its affiliates. Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution is solely responsible for the contents of this article and is not an employee or otherwise affiliated with Nolan Chart, LLC in his/her role as a columnist.
| More Articles By Jake Towne, the Champion of the Constitution |
Reader Comments:
Posted By: geo
Date: 2008-08-02 16:24:23
Clearly some peoples can't handle the power invested into them, I think it takes a blood thirsty, half of a man to shot a running terrorize dog in the back, drug or not, they wear armor for crying out loud. And I hope he or they read this!
Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-08-02 16:32:32
geo - thanks for the comment, lots of hits on this article but no responses. what is a little disturbing to think about is that this happened to a mid- or upper-class white American living in suburbia that was a mayor - how many more times has a similar story happened to the poor? how many people, not dogs, have been shot?
Posted By: John Armstrong
Date: 2008-08-03 22:25:28
Your writing is getting ever more crisp and concise. You are a freedom writer. It's a damned shame the "media" who should be screaming about this kind of violation of individual rights just ignores it.
Here's a question to ponder. How do the cops have readily available marijuana they can just put on people's doorsteps? Shouldn't this either be in an evidence room or destroyed?
Posted By: Mike Stahl
Date: 2008-08-09 02:01:49
Jake,
This near crosses the boundary into actual journalism, I'm glad to see you dropped the sleazy tactics, now the question is, will you make the transition into true inquiry, as is so evidently requisite,or will you venture toward the tabloid? And will you give us a real name?
Mike Stahl
Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-08-09 03:08:27
Dear Mike Stahl -
What do you mean by true inquiry? Calling up the Calvos and asking them how scary it was? Little difficult for me, I live on the opposite side of the planet.
Sleazy and tabloid, nothing I write here is on purpose sleazy or tabloidish - at least not on purpose. I just seek truth. I think you are referring to the Barr series I wrote, you can go back to those 6 articles and read my responses to you. I did alter my stance after reviewing all the feedback. Sorry I was unable to reply faster as I was traveling in some locales with no internet, food, etc and didnt have time to reply in June. I think I made it up to you with the speed of this reply.
My name's Jake and its not a nickname. Really. We can discuss over email if you want, link is in the article.
Want sleazy? Google BOGNONBR. That's sleazy!
Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-08-09 03:10:37
and Mike Stahl - one other thing, great hearing from you! From one of your replies earlier, I thought I had lost you as a reader for all future articles for sure! Please take a look at my Money Matrix series and another 'news' article on Malalai Joya if you like! In Liberty, Jake
Posted By: Jake, the champion of the constitution
Date: 2008-08-11 03:17:59
To the Reader -
Thanks for reading and spreading, the story made it to CNN morning news. (Only 9 days after it happened)
Still no word from the "presidential" candidates as far as I can tell
Jake
http://rawstory.com/rawreplay/?p=1645
Posted By: PaulR
Date: 2008-12-29 19:59:42
Why am I not surprised here? If you live in the Washington, DC region you too-often hear about Prince George's County's "finest" and their sterling reputation. While it's been said that the Prince George's County police are biased (there have been reports of some incidents against black people) that is not true. There's an old joke around about Prince George's County MD police: "They aren't biased; they hate everyone equally."