Library confrontation points up privacy dilemma

AP - Children's librarian Judith Flint was getting ready for the monthly book discussion group for 8- and 9-year-olds on "Love That Dog" when police showed up.  Her courageous stand needs to be cheered by all who cherish our basic rights.  The police, however, were eventually able to gain access to the library's computers.  Which still leaves the questions about what information did they gather and what did they do with it.  We must demand transparency of our government officials.  There must be procedures in place which allow overseers to monitor what our police do with the information they are gathering on us.

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Teen records interrogation - Detective may land in jail

A teen suspect's snap decision to secretly record his interrogation with an MP3 player has resulted in a perjury case against a veteran detective and a plea deal for the teen.

Unaware of the recording, Detective Christopher Perino insisted under oath at a trial in April that suspect Erik Crespo wasn't questioned about a shooting in the Bronx.

But the defense confronted the detective with a transcript it said proved he had spent more than an hour unsuccessfully trying to persuade Crespo to confess.

Perino was arraigned today on 12 counts of first-degree perjury and freed on bail.

It is getting easier to watch the watchers. We must insist on as much openness and transparency in government as possible. Police interrogation rooms should always been equipped with audio and video recording equipment, just like many police cars are these days.