Transcripts For WHYY PBS NewsHour 20141201 : comparemela.com

Ive had kids cry in front of me, like, i just. Can you just tell me, ms. Hull. I just. I want to do a good job. And i said, i know you want to do a good job, and im going to help you do that, but you have to find your own answers now. Woodruff those are some of the stories were covering on tonights pbs newshour. Major funding for the pbs newshour has been provided by moving our economy for 160 years. Bnsf, the engine that connects us. Lincoln financial committed to helping you take charge of your life and become youre own chief life officer. And the william and flora hewlett foundation, helping people build immeasurably better lives. And with the ongoing support of these institutions and. This program was made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting. And by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. Thank you. Woodruff u. S. Troops and veterans may now be targets for Islamic State attacks inside the United States. The warning comes in a bulletin from the f. B. I. And the department of homeland security. The bulletin says the militants are spotting and assessing likeminded individuals who are willing and capable of conducting attacks. The warning urges troops and veterans to erase identifying information from social media accounts. Iraqi Prime Minister Haidar Al Abadi announced moves today to bolster his military against Islamic State forces. He announced hes retiring two dozen security officials. He also attacked military corruption after news that iraq has been paying thousands of troops who exist only on paper. translated if there were inspection teams, they would have discovered this long ago. I feel sad that weve paid salaries for mock soldiers at a time when we dont have enough money. We have soldiers fighting and being killed, while there are mock soldiers receiving salaries. This demands more than simple auditing. Woodruff also today, the United Nations reported more than 1,200 iraqis died in violence last month. Thats down slightly from october. And afghanistans new president is overhauling his military and Security Forces in a bid to turn back the taliban. The Associated Press reports ashraf ghani will fire civilian and military heads in the most volatile provinces of his country. The pentagon and state department played down reports today of creating a possible buffer zone along turkeys border with syria to protect Syrian Refugees. Officials said talks are continuing. Meanwhile, the World Food Program suspended food vouchers to some 1. 7 million Syrian Refugees. The u. N. Agency said many donors have failed to come through with money. In nigeria, officials blamed the islamist Boko Haram Group for attacks that killed at least seven people. A double bombing hit a market in the capital of borno state. And a police base in the yobe state capital was attacked with explosions and gunfire. More than 170 people have been killed in the last week. The government of hong kong showed signs today of cracking down after two months of pro democracy protests. Riot police moved aggressively against demonstrators in the most violent confrontation yet. We have a report from john sparks of independent television news, whos watching the situation from bangkok. Protest leaders said the time had come to escalate their struggle, as they surrounded government headquarters in the middle of hong kong. But as the sun rose, the police took their positions, and with batons in hand, decided to charge. shouting weeks of relative calm were shattered today as pro democracy protesters were driven through a public park and back towards the main protest site in the heart of hong kong. One observer said it was like the running of the bulls. These are the most violent clashes since demonstrators occupied parts of the city two months ago. The police made 40 arrests and dozens of people injured with activists accusing police of brutality. The protest movement now giving ground, its call for open elections has been rejected and a request for talks with the government ignored. Today a senior official told them to pack up and go home. The police, after repeated warnings, have to take resolute actions. They have no choice because it is their duty to restore law and order. Last night, protest leaders call for peaceful disobedience at the main government building, but what they got was chaos, as both sides trade ad blows as well as territory. Woodruff the protesters are demanding free elections in 2017, but the cheese government has refused. Chinese government has refused. The russian ruble hit a new all time low today, dropping another five percent of its value. The currencys been battered by declining oil prices and economic sanctions over the conflict in ukraine. The ruble is down a total of more than 40 this year. Back in this country, congress returned from its thanksgiving break with a full slate for its final two weeks. That includes the need to Fund Government operations past december 11th. And president obamas requests for money to fight ebola and the Islamic State group. Entertainer bill cosby stepped down today as a trustee of temple university. He said its in the schools best interest. Cosby is facing a wave of allegations that hes drugged and sexually assaulted women over the years. And a congressional staffer resigned after criticizing the president s teenage daughters on facebook. Elizabeth lauten worked for a republican congressman from tennessee. Last week, she wrote that sasha and malia obama should have shown more interest in the ceremonial pardon of a thanksgiving turkey and should dress better. Lauten apologized today. Well, retailers are hoping this cyber monday will jump start holiday shopping. Weekend sales were down from a year ago, due partly to sales starting earlier this fall. And on wall street, the Dow Jones Industrial average lost 51 points to close below 17,777; the nasdaq slumped 64 points to close at 4,727; and the s p 500 fell 14, to finish at 2,053. Woodruff still to come on the newshour, promoting Community Policing that builds, rather than breaks trust. The Supreme Court tests the limits of free speech online. Philadelphia Public Schools innovate to comabt budget cuts. How the Penn State Community grappled with the aftermath of Jerry Sanduskys conviction. And, the fight to contain ebola, from a leading researcher just back from the frontline. Woodruff when writing and social media and facebook, what is defined as a threat and what is protected as free speech, the question at the center of a case before the Supreme Court today. Jeffrey brown has the story and warning, the case contains graphic language. Brown in 2010, Anthony Elonis began writing facebook posttest about his exwife, angry rants. She filed a restraining order. Elonis was charged with threatening to injury another person and sent to four years in prison. The Supreme Court have to understand whether the rants are protected under the First Amendment. Marcia, give us more background. Mr. Elonis was having difficulties after he separated from his wife and children. He was unable to do his job at an Amusement Park outside of allentown, pennsylvania. He was sent home from work several times but employers because he was crying at his desk and accused of Sexual Harassment by at least one coworker ultimately, he was fired by his job, and he did a post involving his coworkers at the Amusement Park that was not a very good one but he wasnt charged under that. It was the postings that hemade involving violent statements against his wife, against Law Enforcement officials in particular, an f. B. I. Agent who visited his home after the phish began monitoring his posts and also against Elementary Schools threatening possibly to go in and have a major mass shooting. Brown lets look at one post he sent to his wife. Theres one way to love you, but a thousand ways to kill you. Im not going to rest till your body is a mess, soaked in blood and dying from all the little cuts. Now, strong stuff, clearly. The argument from his lawyer today was what . That this is protected somehow . Right, he made the same argument he did at trial and on appeal before the case got to the Supreme Court, and that is, under the federal law that he was charged under, this law hawklawmakes it a crime to trant interstate or foreign commerce any communication that expresses a threat to inflict bodily harm on another person. Brown in this case, over the internet. Exactly, the internet is interstate commerce. His lawyer argued today as they did previously that this law requires a subjective intent to threaten, and that he did not have that. That these posts were really cathartic for him, that he was trying to work through his anger and, also, after he was separated from his wife, he took an interest in rap lyrics, and he did have on some of these posts, he had taken the name of a rap artist. Brown there was a suggestion it was sort of a performance in some way. Exactly, some of the posts were in lyrical form and his rap name was tone dougie. Brown row do the justices take this argument . Well, some of the justices were critical of the argument. Justice ginsburg asks right away, with subjective intent, how does the prosecution get into his mind . How do they prove subjective intent . And mr. Elonis lawyer said, well, you look at the circumstances, you look at the posts. This is something that juries do in criminal cases. Other justices like Justice Scalia felt this speech had no First Amendment value. The Supreme Court has held that the First Amendment does not protect true threats. As Justice Kennedy said at one point, the court did not do the language or the law any real benefit by using the phrase true threat. Brown one of the most interesting aspects of this is its said to be the first time the just i justices are taking up the question of limiting speech in social media. Is that a big element to that . Its actually not a major element, but it came out in the questioning of the justices, particularly on the governments argument. The governments argument is that this law has no specific intent requirement. Its silent. So it has a general intent, and the way that is interpreted is, if a jury finds that a reasonable person looking at mr. Elonis statements perceives them as threats, then the government gets a conviction. That led to questions from some of the justices about, well, who is the reasonable person . What about teenagers who post some pretty awful things on the internet these days . Is the reasonable person a reasonable teenager . You know, athand a lot of people and it resonates with a lot of people, their feeling. I have a graphic from the pew center, a poll, that shows 40 of people experiencing some variety of harassment. People are online more. Language is used a little differently. Yes. Brown and now were seeing it come up into law. Yes. And chief justice roberts, during the argument, he quoted rap lyrics that really were from eminem brown that probably doesnt happen every day. Not at all. To the governments lawyer and basically said, well, you know, what is this . Whats a jury supposed to do with Something Like this . And the government employer said, look, clearly thats entertainment. That was done in a concert setting. And the chief justice came back at him and said, well, what about an aspiring rap artist, the first time he posts . So the court was also looking for some kind of middle ground here. Justice kagan said, you know, youre basically saying that there is the lowest standard of proof for the government, but doesnt the First Amendment require something more here . But the government says there is no First Amendment value to criminal threats. Brown a very interesting case in the digital world. Marcia coyle. Thanks so much. My pleasure, jeff. Woodruff the fallout from ferguson took center stage at the white house today with president obama calling for some 260 Million Dollars in federal response funds. It includes buying 50,000 body cameras that Record Police actions. Ferguson officer Darren Wilson was not wearing a camera when he shot and killed michael brown. Hes now resigned after a grand jury voted not to charge him. Today, the president held back toback meetings with civil rights and community leaders, and with police officials. He said its vital to restore trust. When any part of the American Family does not feel like it is being treated fairly, thats a problem for all of us. Its not just a problem for some. Its not just a problem for a particular community or a particular demographic. It means that we are not as strong a country as we can be. Woodruff the president is also calling for a task force on 21st century policing, and outside the white house, some of the meeting attendees gave more details. The meetings came as protests continued, including five st. Louis rams players who made a hands up, dont shoot gesture before their game sunday. For some perspective on Police Practices and training in the aftermath of the ferguson case we turn to malik aziz, hes National Chairman of National Black Police Association, and a former commander in the Dallas Police force. And, raymond kelly, former Police Commissioner of new york city, and now president of Risk Management services at cushman wakefield. A commercial real estate firm. We welcome you both to the program. Raymond kelly, to you first, what are your thoughts, before i ask you about Police Practices in general, about what the president was saying today, the need for more Community Policing, that they are going to put money forward for 50,000 body cameras, they want to put restrictions on militarystyle equipment. How does all this come across the you . I generally support the president s position. I would only say about body cameras, i think they should be tested a little more. I think we should have pilot programs. 50,000 is a big number. Its clear cameras are meant to have Police Officers hesitate. If they hesitate from doing things they shouldnt be doing, thats a good thing. If they hesitate from doing things they should be, that obviously is not good. So i think we need more examination in the area of body cameras, but i support that the testing going forward. As far as the demilitarization of the police, i think thats a good idea. I think its an idea whose time has come and gone. This is as a result of a goodfaith effort on the part of congress to help the fight against crime in the 90s. It was well intended, but i think the optics of seeing heavy military equipment on the streets of america is just not something that america will any longer accept. So i would like to see that reduced perhaps not eliminated and the president s proposal is to do just that. Woodruff malik aziz, what are your thoughts, particularly about cameras which need more testing. I applaud the president s remarks. I wish the National Black Police Association would have been at the table to discuss the views since we have been discussing the issues since 1972, pressing community issues, and we were absent today or not inviewtd. So i think he would have invited us in the future if he wanted task for about action. But i believe what the former commissioner just said, i believe the cameras have been tested well enough across the nation and i do echo his sentiments on more testing. I think we need more body cameras. We need more incar cameras. We also need to be more accountable and transparent in those areas. I think the better departments, the most promising departments who outfit their police with cameras have been able to find a few that see more benefits in it, the hesitation that the Police Commissioner smoke spoke, maybe having the Police Officer doing things that saved lives out of a quick response. We need more technology, but it has to be account b, resources have to be deployed responsibly. Woodruff ray kelly, i want ask both of you, how adequate do you believe the training is today that most Police Officer receive when it comes to the use of deadly force . Well, i think it is reasonably adequate. Obviously, you know, its not totally consistent across the country, but in big Police Departments i think its pretty well done. Technology is used. We have what we call firearms training, similarities, where they show pretty realistic scenarios and officers have to make decisions as to whether or not draw their weapon, to fire, and those things are pretty well done. You can really drill down and get very specific situations. So i think the training is