The two anti-abortion activists responsible for taping and releasing videos inside Planned Parenthood have been charged with 15 felony counts - we debate the ethics and implications of the charges; we discuss what's next for Brexit; most SoCal beaches could be gone by 2100 - what can we do about it?; and more.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May makes Brexit official
British Prime Minister has formally kickstarted the process for England to leave the European Union, less than a year after the country voted to succeed from the bloc.
May has triggered what is known as Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, which begins the formal two-year process of exit negotiations. Trade and immigration are some of the issues that would need to be ironed out.
Guest:
Gary O’Donoghue, Washington correspondent for the BBC; he tweets
A debate on ethics as anti-Planned Parenthood activists charged with felonies
David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt, the two anti-abortion activists responsible for taping and releasing videos inside Planned Parenthood facilities around California have been charged with 15 felony counts.
The charges focused on the violation of privacy by recording confidential information without the health providers’ consent. In this particular case, State General Attorney Xavier Becerra said the pair used fake identities to engage with Planned Parenthood officials and recorded their private conversation. Pro-life activists argue the edited videos demonstrated an intent to sell fetal tissues for scientific research, and Daleiden and Merritt’s actions justified the means in which the footage was obtained. Other legal analysts cites the strict “two-party consent” wiretapping law in California, adding that it’s a crime to record communication without the knowledge of all participating parties.
Host Larry Mantle sits down with David Daleiden, the indicted activist, Steve Cooley, his attorney, and law professor Jane Kirtley, to talk about the legal and ethical dilemma in this case.
Guests:
David Daleiden, project lead and founder at The Center for Medical Progress
Steve Cooley, attorney representing David Daleiden and founder of the Southern California-based law firm Steve Cooley & Associates; he served as Los Angeles County District Attorney from 2000-2012
Jane Kirtley, professor of media ethics and law at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Minnesota
What potential changes to carpool and toll lanes rules could mean for LA drivers
In Los Angeles County, where we spend a lot of time driving, new rules are being considered for carpool and toll lanes.
As reported by the L.A. Times, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s board of directors voted last week to study whether imposing more carpool lane tolls and requiring more passengers for carpool lanes will help ease traffic. Metro will also be looking into tougher enforcement on carpool lane cheaters.
But will these rules hinder people from carpooling? And how much would a new plan really help with traffic? Larry Mantle hears the pros and cons today.
Guests:
Damien Newton, co-editor at Streetsblog California, he has been following the story
Harvey Rosenfield, founder of Consumer Watchdog, a consumer and taxpayer advocacy group in Santa Monica
Weighing public interest vs law enforcement concerns with releasing body camera footage
For about the next month and a half, Los Angeles city law enforcement will be accepting public feedback to a question that has been at the forefront of policing in the last few years: when, if ever, should police release footage from officers’ body-mounted cameras?
The Los Angeles Police Commission will be holding a series of public comment meetings at different LAPD bureaus. You can see the dates and locations of those forums here. The Commission has asked the New York University School of Law’s Policing Project, which has worked with police departments in New York and New Jersey on similar body camera policies, to gather the public input.
LAPD policy currently does not allow for the release video footage of any kind, be it body-mounted, dashcam or otherwise, unless there’s a court order or a public safety risk of some kind. LAPD Chief Charlie Beck has said in the past that he considers body cameras to be an ‘investigative tool’ that’s not meant for the public’s eyes. Supporters echo his concern, saying that public viewing of footage could result in witness testimony being influenced or privacy of victims being violated. Opponents say the release of the footage allows for more transparency and holds police more accountable for their actions, especially in situations like officer-involved shootings.
If you’d like to share your opinion, you can take a survey or upload your comments for the Police Commission here. You can see body camera policies for other L.A. County police departments here.
Guests:
Peter Bibring, senior staff attorney and director of police practices for the ACLU of Southern California
Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, the labor union representing LAPD officers
Unless we do something about it, many SoCal beaches could be gone by 2100
Rising sea level caused by climate change could destroy 31 to 67 percent of Southern California beaches, according to a paper published in the Journal of Geophysical Research.
Right now, the shoreline is artificially maintained with supplementary sand, but if sea level rises anywhere between 3 to 6 feet, the current pace of replenishment might be insufficient. The implications are serious — the sand on our beaches acts as a barrier between coastal residents and storms. And erosion would have serious consequences for the local economy, as beaches bring in $40 million from tourism every year.
Host Larry Mantle checks in with Sean Vitousek, lead author of the study, on the conclusions of the research and what we can do to preserve our local beaches.
Guest:
Sean Vitousek, lead author of the study and professor of engineering at the University of Illinois