Kentucky sheriff's office gets torture device

Now there's another torture device that the corrections boosters can wield against you.

In Kenton County, Kentucky (the county just west of here) the sheriff's department has buyed 5 Stun-Cuffs to use when transporting inmates. A Stun-Cuff is a remote-controlled device that emits a 3-second electric shock.

Call it what you want - but I call it torture. And I have no faith whatsoever in the Stun-Cuffs being used sparingly. How could it be? Its stated purpose is to replace leg irons - but who's ever heard of being shocked by leg irons?

The corrections system sure isn't used sparingly. There's so many laws now to put people in jail for "crimes" that weren't even illegal 15 years ago. The pseudoephedrine law is a perfect example. And what about the epidemic of people being jailed solely for their political views - like the protesters in St. Paul this week? There's a whole system in place to criminalize almost everyone.

Far Rightists will accuse this blog of coddling criminals by opposing the Stun-Cuffs. But that is a lie.

Something tells me it won't be very long before the county is sued over the Stun-Cuffs.

The Stun-Cuffs were purchased using drug asset forfeiture proceeds. Mind you, the failed drug war is so out of control these days that the forfeiture laws don't even require a conviction before police seize property (especially costly items like cars or computers). There have been recent documented cases of innocent Americans having their belongings seized during a bogus criminal accusation.

In effect - with America today being a command state - the Stun-Cuff purchase is a case of innocents being robbed to pay for their own possible torture.

(Source: http://www.kypost.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=41de69ef-b4b1-407a-9b89-e4f366b805ea)