The Supreme Court hears oral argument on “City and County of San Francisco v. Sheehan,” a case that could have huge implications for the treatment of the disabled and the mentally ill by police. Also, Texas Senator Ted Cruz kicked off his presidential campaign this morning with a speech at Liberty University, becoming the first major GOP candidate to officially declare his bid. Then, Seymour Bernstein is a renowned classical pianist - who, more than 30 years ago during the peak of his career at age 50 , gave up performing to compose and teach - and is the star of actor Ethan Hawke’s first venture into documentary filmmaking.
SCOTUS: Does the ADA apply to arrests and detentions?
The Supreme Court hears oral argument on “City and County of San Francisco v. Sheehan,” a case that could have huge implications for the treatment of the disabled and the mentally ill by police.
The case centers around the 2008 shooting of Teresa Sheehan, a mentally ill woman living in San Francisco, by two police officers. Police were called to the group home where Sheehan was staying to help transport her to a mental health facility. The two officers charged into the room without waiting for backup and shot her at least five times after she lunged at them with a knife.
Sheehan survived and sued the police. The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in February upheld her right to sue. And now the Supreme Court will get to decide.
At issue is whether the Americans with Disability Act requires police officers to provide reasonable accommodations and change their procedures when they are taking an armed and mentally ill person into custody.
Guests:
Claudia Center, Senior Staff Attorney specializing in disability rights for the ACLU. The organization filed an amicus brief on “City and County of San Francisco v. Sheehan”
Lisa Soronen, Executive Director of the State and Local Legal Center, which provides legal support to states and local governments in connection with Supreme Court cases. The organization filed an amicus brief on “City and County of San Francisco v. Sheehan”
Sacramento Democrat wants DNA collection for drug misdemeanors, shoplifting
The California Assembly is considering a bill that would mandate DNA collection for people convicted of certain misdemeanors.
Assembly Bill 390 (Cooper) is a legislative response to the recent, successful passage by ballot initiative of Prop 47, which downgraded six felonies to misdemeanors. Unlike California felony convictions, which mandate that even individuals charged must have their DNA collected, at present the Golden State does not collect DNA samples for misdemeanor charges or convictions.
If AB 390 passes, those convicted of the six recently downgraded misdemeanors would have to submit to DNA collection by the state. The proposal has drawn negative attention, most prominently from the Los Angeles Time Editorial Board. The misdemeanors at question include: shoplifting (where the value of property stolen does not exceed $950), writing a bad check (where the value of the check does not exceed $950), and personal use of most illegal drugs.
Should conviction of these misdemeanors require mandatory DNA collection? How much latitude should state legislators have in shaping recently passed ballot initiatives?
Guests:
Sheriff Adam Christianson, Stanislaus County Sheriff and President, California State Sheriffs' Association
Jessica Farris, Policy and Advocacy Counsel, ACLU of Southern California, American Civil Liberties Union- specializes in criminal justice and privacy.
Forecasting the future of late night TV hosting as second U.K. host takes over ‘The Late Late Show’
CBS’ ‘The Late Late Show’ is sporting its new digs tonight as James Corden officially debuts as the show’s new host.
Corden, an English actor and comedian, replaces Scottish funnyman Craig Ferguson, who hosted the show for 10 years. Corden is best known here in the U.S. for his recent role in the movie ‘Into The Woods,’ and is also a Tony Award-winning actor for his performance in the Broadway play ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’
While ABC, NBC, TBS, and even CBS’ other late night talk show feature American hosts, Corden’s debut tonight makes him the show’s second straight host from the U.K. Yet, it would seem, there is no shortage of American comedians, actors, and entertainers who could host American late night shows. Furthermore, late night talk shows have yet to see a female host full-time, causing many to argue that it’s time for a woman to be given the reigns of one of the primetime shows.
What will the future of late night TV hosting look like? Will Americans be hosting American shows or will we continue to see networks looking to the U.K. and Europe? When will a woman finally be chosen as the host of a late night talk show? Who should it be?
Guests:
Debra Birnbaum, Executive Editor for TV at Variety Magazine. She interviewed Corden as part of her cover story for the March issue of Variety.
Merill Markoe, author and humorist. She co-created Late Night with David Letterman and won 5 Emmy Awards for her work as a writer on the show.
Ted Cruz announces 2016 presidential bid
Texas Senator Ted Cruz kicked off his presidential campaign this morning with a speech at Liberty University, becoming the first major GOP candidate to officially declare his bid.
What does Cruz’s declaration mean for the rest of the GOP field, and for the entire 2016 presidential election landscape? The idea of liberty featured prominently in Cruz’s speech this morning. What does it mean in the context of the 2016 election?
Guests:
Evan Smith, editor-in-chief of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan digital news organization
John Avlon, editor-in-chief of the Daily Beast
The hefty price of updating LA’s pipes
A recently released report from the Department of Water and Power revealed that it could cost as much as $15 billion dollars to fix the city’s aging water infrastructure.
Many of the city’s pipes are nearly a century-old and aren’t reinforced against strong earthquakes like the Sylmar quake in 1971 and the Northridge quake in 1994. Pipe bursts have become a frequent occurrence in the city, at a time when California’s water situation is dire.
With more than 7000 miles of pipe to replace, retrofitting L.A. will be a massive undertaking. A $15 billion-dollar price tag, however, raises a lot of questions from ratepayers about how the city plans to fund the overhaul. Many fear the projects could require significant rate hikes.
Do you foresee rate hikes in the near future? Where does L.A. get the money to make the repairs? Do you think the problem is really as bad as the DWP says it is?
KPCC has obtained the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power report, and you can view it below.
Guests:
David Nahai, consultant and former CEO of the DWP
Jack Humphreville, chairman of the Neighborhood DWP Advocacy Committee Council and columnist with the CityWatch Blog
Renowned pianist Seymour Bernstein and Ethan Hawke wrestle with artists’ identity
Seymour Bernstein is a renowned classical pianist - who, more than 30 years ago during the peak of his career at age 50, gave up performing to compose and teach - and is the star of actor Ethan Hawke’s first venture into documentary filmmaking.
The unlikely duo met at a dinner party in New York and quickly bonded over their experiences with stage fright. After Bernstein helped Hawke deal with his crippling bouts of stage fright, Hawke felt compelled to share Bernstein’s wisdom with the world.
“Seymour: An Introduction” premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last fall and was released in LA over the weekend. The film features interviews from previous and current students who all sing Bernstein’s praises. Beyond music, he teaches his students to find fulfillment in life beyond just music, with life lessons that can be applied to any art.
Guests:
Seymour Bernstein, Classical pianist and central figure in new documentary “Seymour: An Introduction” playing at Laemmle’s Playhouse in Pasadena and The Landmark
Ellen Langer, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University; Artist and Author "On Becoming an Artist: Reinventing Yourself Through Mindful Creativity" and the newly published “The Art of Noticing”