Recent Articles

Officer Chong Kim, Lt. Ron Bayne, and Scottsdale Police Internal Affairs: An Unholy Trinity?

Vladimir Gagic
March 20, 2012 17:10

I just received the internal affairs file from Scottsdale Police for former officer Chong Kim. See "Scottsdale pays woman $315K in police strip-search incident":  Scottsdale has agreed to pay a woman $315,000 as compensation for being wrongfully strip-searched last year inside her apartment...

Dharun Ravi Convicted for Hazing Tyler Clementi: A Masquerade of Justice

Vladimir Gagic
March 18, 2012 18:46

The Thought Police are watching us. Big Brother is tracking our every move. And if we believe the wrong thing, the Political Correctness Police will put us in prison. No, this is not 1984, Stalin's USSR, or even the dogmatic right wing of the Republican Party. This is the modern day neoliberal...

It's Time for Ofelia Madrid and EJ Montini to go

Vladimir Gagic
March 11, 2012 18:11

The Arizona Republic has failed us miserably. It is the largest and most prestigious news organization in Arizona, and if it had minimally competent journalists and commentators working for it, at least one man would still be alive. That man is John Loxas.  After Scottsdale Police killed Jason...

Jason Prostrollo Police Reports Finally Released

Vladimir Gagic
February 17, 2012 17:52

The police reports from the shooting of Sgt. Jason Prostrollo are available at prostrollo reports.pdf  A couple things I noticed:  1) No one was saying it was too windy to use a taser. The wind only became an issue after Scottsdale Police Internal Affairs started spoon feeding that...

John Loxas Murdered by Scottsdale Police, From 'Protect and Serve' to 'Get Some'

Vladimir Gagic
February 16, 2012 17:50

"Don't be misled, dangerous people walk the streets of Scottsdale", says the Scottsdale Fraternal Order of Police. I completely agree, they carry badges and shoot to kill. The Scottsdale Police Department is on the warpath against its own citizens, and the latest victim of the Scottsdale war...

Sgt. Manuel Loggins Jr., Another Unarmed Marine Shot and Killed by Police

Vladimir Gagic
February 13, 2012 15:57

Another day, another Marine killed by police. First, Tucson SWAT killed Jose Guerena (please read the excellent story called "Jose Guerena Killed: Arizona Cops Shoot Former Marine In Botched Pot Raid" by Radley Balko):  One of those homes belonged to 26-year-old Jose Guerena and his wife,...

Did Jim Nolan, President of Scottsdale Police Union, Do the Right Thing by Embarrassing Sen John McCain?

Vladimir Gagic
February 13, 2012 00:48

Solidarity is under siege. Austerity has laid waste to the vestiges of labor rights.  That sad fact is no where else more true than in Arizona. As Braham Resnick writes ("Sweeping bills attack public employee unions"): Arizona's Republican Legislature could virtually wipe out public employee...

Why Won't Scottsdale Police Release Sgt. Prostrollo Police Reports? The Death of a Young Marine

Vladimir Gagic
February 08, 2012 15:57

Something is rotten in Scottsdale. Despite a state law that requires Scottsdale Police to release reports from the Jason Prostrollo shooting, Scottsdale PD refuses to release them:  Mr. Gagic, Our intention is to release what we can publicly per ARS 39-121. We are currently reviewing the...

Staci Lynn Barbosa and Jonathan Vandergriff Accused of Raping, Murdering One Month Old Son

Vladimir Gagic
February 06, 2012 16:02

Staci Lynn Barbosa and Jonathan Edward Vandergriff are accused of raping and murdering their one month old son in 2010. While the Mohave County Attorney's Office planned on seeking the death penalty against Mr. Vandergriff, they have now backed off that tactic. As James King of the Phoenix New...

Tyson Langley Enters Plea in Court

Vladimir Gagic
February 02, 2012 19:53

Tyson Langley, the 15 year old accused smoke shop murderer, entered his plea at his arraignment today. See my interview with Kimberly Chang of ABC 15 in the video above and read the story "Accused smoke shop shooter to enter plea in court, lawyer discusses case":  Vladimir...