Appeals Court Slaps L.A. Over Arrests of Homeless

[NorthernSun]

Los Angeles' policy of arresting homeless people for sitting, lying or sleeping on public sidewalks as "an unavoidable consequence of being human and homeless without shelter" violates the constitutional prohibition against cruel and punishment, a federal appeals court ruled today
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-041406sidewalk_lat,0,1735011.story?coll=la-home-headlines

[acmavm]

1. Oh my goodness, a ruling in favor of the poor and defenseless. What

will people think?

[Vidar]

2. Hope it doesn't go to SCOTUS& Scalia.

[Kutjara]

3. The situation in LA is made far worse...

...by the practice employed by the police and medical services in other Los Angeles-area communities, of dumping homeless people found in their jurisdictions over the border into LA County.

LA's Skid Row is (for better or worse) an attempt to provide basic medical and social services to the people who wind up there. It cost LA a fortune to do this, something which other communities want no part of. So they just take the cheap option and dump their homeless in LA.

One poor guy was just thrown out of an ambulance, still in his hospital gown, still heavily sedated. It was discovered that he'd been picked up in Glendale suffering from confusion and delerium, taken to the hospital and, when they'd finished 'treating' him, he was given to the paramedics to 'lose him in LA.'

While criminalising homelessness is disgusting, the people who dump the homeless in LA are unspeakable.

[Cobalt Violet]

5. That's just horrible.

Are people just becoming meaner? It seems that way to me. Treating poor people like garbage is unspeakable.

[henslee]

8. I bet nearby Downey, does it. Just a gut feeling.

[ninkasi]

4. And we are supposed to sing

"God Bless American" and not be stuck with lightening for our cruel treatment of the poor and sick among us? At times, the policies of my country make me sick. Is this what we've become?

[femmedem]

6. Thanks for posting this good news.

Here in New London, CT, the city council would like to legislate homelessness out of existence by...increasing supportive housing? Nope. By enacting a living wage ordinance? Nope. By passing a policy that would ban year-round emergency shelters from being built in the city? Ding! Ding! Ding! Winner!

Your post gives me a little hope as we scramble to prevent this policy from being passed on Monday.

[NorthernSun]

7. The screw turns slowly

I remember in the 90s when San Diego banned homeless from the park. Shortly afterwords a homeless campfire outside of town burned down many expensive mansions in the hills. I thought California would have learned from that.

[EFerrari]

9. Good luck with your effort!

:hi:

[femmedem]

10. Thanks. I'll post an update after council's vote. n/t