JNS BLOG SUPER EXCLUSIVE: Criminal Background Of Kemen Lavatos Taylor II, Third Guy Indicted In Rayjon Gomez Murder, Who Sometimes Shows Up Right Across The Street From Where This Blogger Lives...

Photo of murder victim Rayjon Gomez, from Facebook, used under First Amendment Fair Comment and Criticism, blog post by John Hoff

A teeny weeny article in the Star Tribune announces there has been an indictment of a third suspect in the murder of Rayjon Gomez, age 13.

Kemen Lavatos Taylor II, whose most recent criminal conviction in 2009 showed him to be a resident of Robbinsdale, was named in an indictment in the killing of Gomez. Here is info not available anywhere else about Taylor's criminal background...

Making My Home In North Minneapolis Extra Secure With Video Cameras...

Contributed photos, blog post by John Hoff

Practically since the moment I moved into my house, I have been wanting to get video security cameras but just didn't feel like I had the resources. Recently, I found a way to do it on the cheap with contributed technical expertise and low cost but effective gear obtained from the internet. Really, after the "demolition derby" incident of some months ago, I felt like I couldn't afford NOT to get cameras, pardon my deliberate use of a double negative for creative expression.

You're not familiar with the "demolition derby" incident I'm referencing? I hadn't written about it until now, actually...

Another Sheriff's Department Raid On 2223 Bryant Ave. N.

Photo By John Hoff, Saved From Police Censorship Attempt Under Color Of Law

At about 9:15 a.m. today, more than a dozen members of the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department were observed to raid 2223 Bryant Ave. N., a rental property owned by an absentee landlord who lives in Littleton, Colorado.

Seven or eight officers broke down the front door while dressed in bulletproof vests and Kevlar helmets. A loud explosion was heard immediately upon their entry, presumably a "flash bang" grenade. One of the officers was holding what appeared to be a shield. I observed at least one officer armed with what I was able to identify as a Colt AR-15, the civilian version of the M-16.

As exclusively reported on this blog, 2223 Bryant Ave. N. was previously raided on...

...in December. Click here for more details, and also click here.

Today, officers were not observed to bring out any evidence or arrest any individuals at the property. 

My son Alex, age 12, witnessed the raid from start to completion and thought it was REALLY REALLY COOL.

I would, however, like to note that once again this blogger was the subject of an intimidating demand by an armed police officer to delete photos taken from a vantage point on a public street, click here for previous incident. This time, because the photos were of more value (like the one above) I refused to delete the photos, stood my ground, and offered up the name of the attorney who defends my First Amendment rights: Al Goins.

Out of voluntary consideration of a request by the officers, I am not publishing any photos with clearly identifiable faces or undercover vehicles. The vehicle in the foreground of the photo above did not belong to the officers.

HOWEVER..

Routine violations of the First and Fourth Amendment directed at blogger journalists and/or ordinary citizens appear to be a common practice in Minneapolis by both MPD (in the Fourth Precinct) and now the Hennepin County Sheriff's Department. It would appear that some high-ranking public official needs to sit down and have a long, heart-to-heart talk with MPD and the Sheriff's Department about the right of citizens to photograph police activity from vantage points on public property without being ordered to delete photos.

Part of this discussion might include the finely-tuned distinctions between the United States and (expletive) Communist China.