Originally Posted by Odelay
In wider terms, people in the U.S. better get used to more power in the hands of the police, prosecutors, and sentencing judges. People on the right whine about not getting their 5th Justice to overturn Roe v Wade. But what many liberals are blind to is that they already have their 5th justice (Kennedy) in terms of criminal law.
Just today, the Supreme Court handed down two right-leaning decisions on crime.
* Ruled that a man wrongly convicted and sent to prison for 24 years cannot sue the former Los Angeles district attorney and his chief deputy for violating his civil rights. The court said unanimously that decisions of supervising prosecutors, like the actions of prosecutors at trial, are shielded from civil lawsuits.
* Ruled that police officers have leeway to frisk a passenger in a car stopped for a traffic violation even if nothing indicates the passenger has committed a crime or is about to do so
The 2nd would seem to have more immediate effects on the street if you're stopped by a cop. However, the 1st will probably have more significant impact on your civil rights. If cops, prosecutors and DA's are given free reign to charge you and try you for anything under the sun, without any fear of monetary losses due to negligence and malfeasance, you'll see even more "tough guy" justice out there on the streets.