The law and the jungle

Omigod, it's the cops! Where'll I hide? I know, the closet:

My sister says everybody in Indianapolis is talking about the bus stop bandits. On Thursday, at least four high school students were victimized at four separate bus stops and robbed of MP3 players and cell phones and probably even their lunch money. Now, two 13-year-old middle school brothers have been attacked at their bus stop. It doesn't even seem to be the same set of attackers -- the dirtbags are copying each other in this lowest-of-the-low crimes:

There's been a lot of chatter on libertarian and libertarian-leaning blogs about the "loss or rights" in this Supreme Court decision:

The didn't escape or even try to, so this seems like a sensible decision:

BLOOMFIELD, Ind. -- An inmate at a southern Indiana jail who was part of a group that found a way to sneak between cell blocks for sex isn't guilty of escape because he never left the jail.

Greene Superior Court Judge Dena Martin's ruling means escape charges against other inmates likely also will be dismissed.

Before any Fort Wayne officials get the bright idea to copy this, they might want to look into the legality of restricting parking on publicly financed streets:

Parking in front of your neighbor's house overnight is now against the law in Richardson.

Gov. Mitch Daniels, looking at a tight budget for the next couple of years, is proposing only two new building projects -- expansion of a couple of correctional faclities in order to add 1,200 beds to the state's prison capacity. This doesn't over too well with some Democrats:

Hoosiers lead the way on family values:

A Portland woman has been sentenced to prison for drug-related convictions, and her 17-year-old son might be joining her in the Indiana Department of Correction.

Patricia J. Martin, 39, recently was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Jay Circuit Court Judge Brian Hutchison after she pleaded guilty to dealing in a controlled substance, a Class B felony that carried a standard 10-year sentence.

[. . .]

Not in the running for Future Leaders of Indiana:

Three "bored" New Castle men face criminal charges over their alleged plan to bomb a homeless man's campsite in a wooded area behind a local church.

Lucien R. McRobbie, 18, has been arrested on marijuana charges. Ordinarily, most of us would never know that. People who rob banks or stab people in bars or commit other felonies usually have their names published in the newspapers and announced on TV as part of their lawbreaking experience. The thousands and thousands of people who commit misdemeanors, which these marijuana charges are, do not. There just isn't enough print space or air time. So why pick on McRobbie?

Ah, family togetherness. Off-duty Muncie police officer Chris Kirby was waiting in Wal-Mart's customer service line with his wife and daughter when he had an encounter with Edward R. Pluhar Jr., 26, of Frankfort, and his father, 61-year-old Edward R. Pluhar Sr. According to police reports, Pluhar Jr. cut in front of officer Kirby, and Kirby told him to wait his turn, but the man refused. Let us consult the Muncie Star Press for the continuation of the story: