Senior Counsel, ACLU of Southern California
Senior counsel at the ACLU of Southern California
PROFILE
Melinda Bird
Guest
FROM Melinda Bird
Which Way, L.A.?
ACLU Calls for the Closure of the Men's Central Jail Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has long called the Men’s Central Jail the biggest mental institution in the United States. Today, the American Civil Liberties released a report by psychiatrist Terry Kupers. It paints a picture of nightmarish conditions, where thousands of mentally ill prisoners are abused instead of receiving treatment. The ACLU says it should be shut down .
Which Way, L.A.?
Paris Hilton and Imperfect Justice at County Jails Why are so many other inmates released before their sentences have been served? What’s the state of medical treatment for the seriously ill? Is Baca the only one who’s at fault? What about the state of California and the supervisors themselves? We'll get some surprising answers tonight on WWLA.
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To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Trump plays scolder-in-chief with NATO allies At the opening of NATO’s dramatic new headquarters in Brussels today, President Trump acknowledged that Article 5 — promising that “an attack on one nation is an attack on all” -- has only been invoked one time: in the aftermath of September 11. But the President failed to provide what 27 other Alliance members have been waiting for: a re-commitment by America’s new leader to Article 5. Instead, they got a scolding.
To the Point
Will the Senate write a healthcare bill in secret? While Democrats and Republicans argue White House relations with Russia, another question is being decided behind closed doors: who gets help buying health insurance and who doesn't? We hear how the pros and cons are being shrouded in secrecy.