Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
NBC News – by Jonathan Dienst and Jeff Black
A federal appeals court on Thursday put the brakes on a judge’s ruling that ordered New York City’s police department to reform its controversial stop-and-frisk policy — and even assigned the case to a different judge.
The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals — postponing the lower court’s ruling pending an appeal — agreed with New York City’s bid to delay any reforms to the policy, which U.S. Judge Shira Scheindlin’s ruled in August unconstitutionally violated the rights of minorities.
The appeals court said that Scheindlin compromised the appearance of impartiality by encouraging the plaintiffs to file a class action lawsuit over the stop-and-frisk tactic and by giving media interviews in which she answered critics of her ruling, the court said.
“Upon review of the record in these cases, we conclude that the District Judge ran afoul of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, Canon 2 (“A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities.”),” the appeals court wrote.
Scheindlin of Manhattan federal court had ruled on Aug. 12 that NYPD’s “stop and frisk” tactic amounted to “indirect racial profiling” and as implemented violates the constitutional rights of blacks and Hispanics. She cited the Fourth Amendment protection against unreasonable search and the 14th Amendment guarantee of equal protection under the law.
At the time, the Scheindlin appointed an outside lawyer to oversee changes to the program and ordered a test in which officers would wear cameras in one precinct in each of New York’s five boroughs to record their encounters with civilians.
In response, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg vowed to challenge the judge’s ruling, which he called dangerous, to the Supreme Court if necessary. He said that the city’s police officers were following crime regardless of where it occurred.
But Scheindlin noted that the overwhelming majority of stops in New York — 88 percent — result in no arrests or tickets.
Four men had sued the city, saying that they were unfairly targeted by police.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/31/.UnLMlB9n5Ok.aolmail
“Upon review of the record in these cases, we conclude that the District Judge ran afoul of the Code of Conduct for United States Judges, Canon 2 (“A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all activities.”),” the appeals court wrote.”
Impropriety meaning anything that doesn’t favor the NWO agenda.
“In response, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg vowed to challenge the judge’s ruling, which he called dangerous, to the Supreme Court if necessary.”
I almost wish he’d stay the mayor of N.Y. It would give him that much less time to stick his big so-called ‘jew’ nose where it has no business being. (sorry, Angel)
No offense taken. LOL
These cops get off on “Stop and Frisk” policy. They might as well call it what it is: the “Touchy Feely” policy. They can’t wait until anal and vaginal exams become routine policy. F’n perverts.