Md. police to implement safeguards against unlawful surveillance

[struggle4progress]

Source: WTOP / AP

... State police superintendent Terrance Sheridan says the type of monitoring that occurred is not currently going on nor will it under governor Martin O'Malley's administration.

"I will not have members of the Maryland state police acting in anyway that can be construed as hampering or hindering those rights," Sheridan said ...

"Law enforcement has no right or authority to infringe upon the constitutional rights of individuals to free speech or free assembly," Sheridan said.

Sheridan said he would implement safeguards, including training and education, to ensure unwarranted surveillance was not conducted ...

Read more: http://www.wtop.com/?nid=25&sid=1447311

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Sheridan: No spying without criminal evidence
By LIAM FARRELL, Staff Writer

... He said no federal funds were used in the operation but did not provide an estimate of how many state dollars were spent. The state Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee is planning hearings on the issue and the federal House Homeland Security Committee is also looking it ...

Mostly uneventful rallies held at the Court of Appeals, the Governor's Mansion and Lawyers Mall were monitored and reports on group activities were sent to the governor's executive protection, the now-defunct Annapolis State Police barrack, city police and county police.

For example, one entry describes a Nov. 26, 2005, anti-death penalty protest near the State House wherein participants followed the directions of the Department of General Services police and left "the scene without incident."

Regardless, the report from the covert trooper requests "that this case remain open." ...

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2008/07_26-09/TOP



Spying vexes police chief
Md. superintendent says intent of action was rational, but it went on too long
By Julie Bykowicz | Sun Reporter
July 26, 2008

... The Maryland State Police superintendent said yesterday that he is "troubled" by methods his agency used to infiltrate and monitor peace activists and anti-death-penalty groups and called the operation an exercise in poor judgment. But one of the police officials in charge of the surveillance called the work "important and straightforward" ...

"There's nothing to hide, to be quite honest with you," said Mark Gabriele, who retired in November 2005 as captain in charge of the homeland security and intelligence division. "I don't feel the state police did anything wrong" ...

"It's very troubling to hear the state police say they've done nothing illegal or improper," <David Rocah, a staff attorney with the ACLU of Maryland> said. "Sheridan's statements demonstrate just the opposite. He says the surveillance began because of fears of disturbances about Vernon Evans. ... He has not disclosed the slightest scintilla of evidence to give any basis for a fear that something would occur. Federal law exists to prevent what he is now saying is OK." ...

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-te.md.spy26jul26,0,3459625.story

[MasonJar]

1. It happened during the tenure of that PUG who allegedly beat a Kennedy.

No doubt a Diebold machine count!!!!! The GOPerism just never lets up.