Since we’re living in a surveillance society — evinced by municipal street-corner video cameras and the federal government’s warrantless wiretapping program — we citizens should at least be able to turn the tables and surveil those who are watching and listening to, and sometimes abusing, us. It’s still a free society, right?
Harvey Silverglate is a Boston-based criminal defense and civil-liberties lawyer, and James F. Tierney is his research assistant and paralegal. Silverglate’s forthcoming book, tentatively titled Three Felonies a Day, deals with prosecutions under vague statutes. Jan Wolfe assisted in the preparation of this piece.
On the Web
The Free-For-All: http://www.thephoenix.com/freeforall
Related:
Naked in the public square, Totalitarian ploy defeated, Five keys for BPD’s new top cop, More
- Naked in the public square
In the finest Puritan tradition, Middlesex District Attorney Gerald Leone is crusading to save Harvard Square from the shock and awe of the nude human form.
- Totalitarian ploy defeated
For performance artist Milan Kohout, freedom of speech has prevailed.
- Five keys for BPD’s new top cop
Edward Davis was always the obvious choice for Mayor Tom Menino’s next police commissioner.
- Springboard
In “ Kicking and Screaming ,” Adam Reilly did not mention the most critical piece of the party-unity puzzle: the fact that our late-September primary is almost last on the national calendar.
- Are we freer than we were 40 years ago?
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
- The 12th Annual Muzzle Awards
With the era of repression and secrecy fostered by George W. Bush and Dick Cheney finally over, this should be the best of times for freedom of expression, open government, and civil liberties. Yet change comes slowly.
- Graffiti wars
Even though he’s headed to prison, SPEK will still be visible in Massachusetts.
- Newspapers censor Bono’s ‘fucking’ gaffe
Why does our ostensibly “free” press insist on acting like prudes or cowards when reporting stories for which it’s vital that readers learn someone said “fuck” rather than an undefined “expletive”?
- BPD stands accused — as Sox-haters?
The city of Boston has paid out more than $15 million in recent years to victims of the police department’s misconduct.
- Moldy justice
A California law prohibits a woman from driving while wearing a house coat.
- Top-cop shopping
It’s been three months since former commissioner Kathleen O’Toole announced she was leaving the Boston Police Department, and only one bit of information has been confirmed: Mayor Thomas Menino isn’t making the mistake of rushing to name her replacement.
- Less

Topics:
News Features
, Police, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts Court System, More
, Police, Boston Police Department, Massachusetts Court System, Commonwealth Hyde, Jeffrey Manzelli, Margaret Marshall, Rodney King, New England School of Law, Less