TheNewspaper.com Roundup: May 30, 2012


Each Wednesday, we’ll publish quick summaries of the articles from the last week on TheNewspaper.com. We’re doing this because these articles are often strongly connected to the issues that National Motorists Association members are interested in.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012
US Supreme Court Will Not Review Tasering of Pregnant Motorist
The nation’s highest court decided yesterday it would not re-open the case of a pregnant woman tasered three times by Seattle, Washington police over a minor speeding infraction. The US Supreme Court denied the request of Officers Steven L. Daman, Juan Ornelas and Donald M. Jones who sought to overturn the March 2010 decision of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit that the officers used excessive force on November 23, 2004.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012
France: Political Party Forms to Oppose Photo Radar
Anger at the French government’s extensive use of speed cameras has sparked a movement to eliminate the devices. In legislative elections scheduled to begin June 10 and last through June 17, the group Mouvement Anti-Radar (MAR) hopes to make a difference with eighty candidates on the ballot around the country, though mostly in the south.

Monday, May 28, 2012
Texas Appeals Court Upholds Illegal Traffic Stop
The second highest court in Texas on Wednesday signaled support for police who make up phony reasons to pull over motorists. A sharply divided Court of Criminal Appeals declined to sanction officers for pulling over Alvaro Mazuca because his yellow Mustang had “defective tail lights.” The Mustang’s lights were just fine.

Sunday, May 27, 2012
Australia, France, UAE: Speed Cameras Attacked
Anti-camera activists burned an unmanned Subaru Forrester photo radar van in Tasmania, Australia at 7pm yesterday. The device was issuing tickets on Hobart road near Launceston when it was set on fire, 7 News reported. Officials estimate $25,000 in damage was done.

Thursday, May 24, 2012
State Reports Show Speeding Not a Significant Cause of Accidents
Out of 2.7 million traffic accidents recorded in twenty-five states over the course of a year, only 1.6 percent were caused by drivers who exceeded the posted speed limit. The figures come from an analysis by TheNewspaper of annual reports typically compiled by each state for use in applying for grant money from the National Highway Transportation Agency (NHTSA).

Thursday, May 24, 2012
Missouri: Another Court Rules Red Light Cameras Unconstitutional
A second circuit court judge in St. Louis, Missouri on Monday ruled the use of red light cameras unconstitutional. Judge Theresa Counts Burke acquitted motorist Nicholas Pateri and state Senator Jim Lembke (R-St. Louis) for tickets they received in the mail through a procedure each argued violated their due process rights.

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