Daily Archives: May 14, 2017

Sessions restores tough drug war policies that trigger …

Posted: May 14, 2017 at 6:17 pm

Ordering federal prosecutors on Friday to crack down on drug offenders, Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions made clear he wants the Justice Department to turn the clock back to an earlier, tougher era in the four-decades-long war on drugs.

In a memo, Sessions said federal prosecutors should charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense in drug cases, even when that would trigger mandatory minimum sentencing.

Mandatory sentencing laws for drug users have been controversial for years, and many Republicans as well as Democrats now oppose them as unfair, ineffective and too costly.

The new Justice Department policy cancels the Obama administrations attempts to pull back on harsh sentencing strategies, which had produced a huge growth in prison populations. It restores some language from a 2003 memo written by then-Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft.

Speaking Friday at the Justice Department, Sessions said the crackdown was a key part of President Trumps promise to keep America safe, linking drug trafficking to increased homicide rates in some cities.

We are returning to the enforcement of the law as passed by Congress plain and simple, Sessions said.

Sessions rescinded policy memos signed in 2013 and 2014 by then-Atty. Gen. Eric H. Holder Jr. that instructed prosecutors to reserve the toughest charges for high-level traffickers and violent criminals.

Since then, the number of drug offenders given mandatory minimum sentences has dropped dramatically, contributing to a 14% decline in the total federal prison population, with 188,797 inmates this month.

Holder slammed Sessions policy Friday, calling it ideologically motivated and not supported by facts.The policy announced today is not tough on crime, Holder said. It is dumb on crime.

The new policy threatens to halt a push for bipartisan criminal justice reform that has been led by some of Trumps closest advisors and embraced by key Republicans on Capitol Hill, including House Speaker Paul D. Ryan.

Sen. Rand Paul, (R-Ky.) criticized the new policy Friday, arguing that mandatory minimum sentences disproportionately targeted minorities because of how different drugs are categorized under the law.

The new policy will accentuate that injustice, Paul said in a statement.

Sessions is an outlier in his own party and even among many of his own colleagues in the administration, said Inimai Chettiar, a director at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law in New York. A lot of Republicans support reductions in sentencing.

Indiana, for example, implemented a comprehensive criminal justice reform package when Vice President Mike Pence was governor.

I would say that we need to adopt criminal justice reform nationally. We have got to do a better job recognizing and correcting the errors in the system that do reflect institutional bias in criminal justice, Pence said in a campaign debate last year.

As governor of Texas, Energy Secretary Rick Perry guided his state through a major shift in sentencing away from the kind of harsh penalties that Sessions seeks to restore in federal courts.

In those states and others, alarm at the escalating cost of incarceration helped drive calls for reform.

But Sessions, a former federal prosecutor in Alabama, was never on board with the push.As a U.S. senator from Alabama, he helped kill a proposed sentencing reform bill, warning the legislation could lead to more felons on the streets. He also helped block a 2016 bill that would have eased federal sentencing for marijuana use.

Since joining the Trump administration, Sessions has reversed an Obama administration attempt to phase out federal contracts with private prisons, saying the cells will be needed for the boost in inmate population he sees coming.

Under mandatory sentencing laws, judges have little discretion on how to sentence drug offenders. Prosecutors decisions on charging often determine how long offenders will spend in prison.

For example, if federal prosecutors include the amount of drugs in their written charges, that can trigger a mandatory minimum sentence.

They also can file motions for so-called sentence enhancements, which can effectively double drug sentences for repeat offenders, or put them in jail for life.

Some prosecutors use these tough tools as a hammer in plea negotiations, or to force offenders to cooperate.

In his memo, Sessions said prosecutors must disclose all facts relevant to a sentence, like drug amounts. He also canceled a Holder policy that said prosecutors should not use sentencing enhancement motions to coerce guilty pleas.

Drug trafficking is an inherently violent business, Sessions said. If you want to collect a drug debt, you cant file a lawsuit in court. You collect it by the barrel of a gun.

He said heroin is cheaper, purer and more easily available than ever. Advocates of sentencing reform say that the opioid crisis is evidence that tough policies of the past have failed.

But Sessions said that tougher enforcement could reverse that trend.

One former federal judge from Tennessee said he was forced to sentence a low-level drug dealer to life in prison. The defendant refused to take a plea deal for 20 years in prison and was convicted at trial.

Under no circumstances was this sentence justice, said the former judge, Kevin Sharp, who has become an advocate for sentencing reform. We ruined his life.

In drug cases, Sharp said, the judges role in sentencing is dramatically reduced. I have yet to talk to a judge who says mandatory minimums are a good idea, he said.

joseph.tanfani@latimes.com

Twitter: @jtanfani

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War On Drugs, Rebooted – FITSNews

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MISGUIDED JUSTICE MEMO MOVES AMERICA BACKWARDS

From its inception thiswebsite has been an unwavering opponent of the federal governments failed War on Drugs.

First, its wrong.

Second, it doesnt work.

Third, its hamstringing our economy.

Government efforts to outlaw certain types of recreational drugs have drained taxpayers of more than $1.3 trillion since the administration of Richard Nixon instituted this New Prohibition in the early 1970s. Yet this massive infusion of resources hasfailed to curb either supply or demand.

Nonetheless, another $50-60 billion in public money will be spent this year despite the demonstrable failure of such appropriations to produce the results policymakers have promised.

Vast expenditures on criminalization and repressive measures directed at producers, traffickers and consumers of illegal drugs have clearly failed to effectively curtail supply or consumption, a 2011 report from the Global Commission on Drug Policy noted.

Meanwhile, the War on Drugs has created a new class of violent criminals on the one handwhilecriminalizing behavior that ought to be perfectly legal on the other. Its also snuffed out a potentially lucrative new marketplace at a time when our countrys economy could desperately use additionaljobs and income.

Its time frankly past time our nation adoptedsome common sense in its approach to this issue. In our view, U.S. drug policy should beguided by the following four core principles

1 FREEDOM Americans should have the right to consumewhatever recreational drugs they wish within the privacy of their own homes or businesses or the homes and businesses ofother consenting adults. As long as their enjoyment of this liberty doesnt impose upon the liberties of others (i.e. injurious negligence, child neglect, driving while impaired, etc.), then it should be none of the governments business what substances they consumebehind closed doors.

2. FREE MARKETS Americans should have the right to produce and sellwhatever recreational drugsthey wish within their own homes or under the auspices of a business enterprise. Again, as long as this engagement of the marketplace doesnt impose upon the liberties of others it should be none of the governments business.

3. SMALLGOVERNMENTIn the interest of public health and safety, government should have the right to regulate and tax the recreational drug industry in a fair, consistent and transparent manner using whatever proceeds it derives from the industry toward the funding of core government functions.

4. LOCAL CONTROL Local governments i.e. municipalities and counties should retain the right to limit or even outlaw the public consumption of recreational drugs within their communities. While we dont believe local leaders should be allowed to dictate what citizens grow or consume on private property, it should be up to local leaders to determine the extent to which recreational drug use is permitted in public in their communities.

Unfortunately, these common sense principles are not guiding the decisions of our policymakers. Just this week, U.S. attorney general Jeff Sessions appeared to take a major step in the opposite direction sending a memo to all U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutorsinstructing them tocharge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense those that carry the most substantial guidelines sentence, including mandatory minimum sentences.

Here is Sessions memo

Fullscreen Mode

Sessions claimed this policy shift was not directed toward low-level drug users but rather violent drug traffickers.

Our argument to that? Why preserve a system that keeps violent drug traffickers in business in the first place?

Last month, the Cato Institute in Washington, D.C. released a new report entitled Four Decades and Counting: The Continued Failure of the War on Drugs. Written by analysts Christopher J. Coyne and Abigail R. Hall, this report meticulously documents the extent to which Americas current approach has been disastrous on all fronts and how changes at the state level as well as critical shifts in U.S. federal policies, both domestically and internationally are needed.

Wait internationally?

Yup American taxpayers are subsidizing anti-drug efforts all over the world, efforts that are failing every bit as spectacularly as governments domestic jihad.

The U.S. War on Drugs, like the ill-fated war on alcohol of the early 20th century, is a prime example of disastrous policy, naked self-interest, and repeated ignorance on the part of elected officials and other policymakers, Coyne and Hall concluded. From its inception, the drug war has repeatedly led to waste, fraud, corruption, violence, and death. With many states moving toward legalization or decriminalization of some substances, and other nations moving to legalize drugs altogether, rethinking Americas drug policy is long overdue.

Indeed it is

Supporters of recreational drug use were hopeful that U.S. president Donald Trump would move our country away from the failed policies of the past and to Trumps credit his administration has embraced medical marijuanaas a legitimate treatment option for millions of Americans suffering from a variety of ailments.

Thats a good first step. The legalization of medical cannabis (as we have repeatedly stated) policy debate it is amoral imperative. We have consistently supported it, and we hope lawmakers in our home state of South Carolina will continueadvancing compassionate legislationaimed at legalizing it in the Palmetto State.

Unfortunately, Trumps White House spokesman Sean Spicer has spoken with stunning ignorance about the origins of Americans ongoing opioid epidemic while Sessions DOJ memo strikes us as yet another example of the extent to which some law and order conservatives continue to tragicallymisread this situation.

Cracking down on drug dealers isnt the answer. The answer is upending their apple cart by ending four decades of failed prohibition and providing for a regulated recreational drug marketplace.

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Philippines’ war on drugs: detentions, legal cases surge – Bangkok Post

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Bystanders look on at a crime scene where an alleged drug personality was shot dead by unidentified men in Pasig city, east of Manila, Philippines, 13 May 2017. (EPA photo)

FOCUS: The Philippine government's war on drugs, implemented starting nearly a year ago upon the assumption into power of President Rodrigo Duterte, has not only resulted in the deaths of thousands of defiant suspected drug personalities, but also left jails swelling with more inmates and more legal cases piling up, authorities recently said.

At a recent forum about the condition of Philippine jails and prisons, Paulino Moreno Jr. of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology said more than 142,000 individuals, as of last month, are detained across the country as almost all of them undergo trial for the various cases they are facing. Around 64% of these detainees are charged with violating the illegal drugs law.

The country's 466 jails have an ideal combined capacity of only around 20,400 individuals, and are only manned by no more than 12,000 personnel.

"Our statistics show that that's really the trend -- that most of the cases coming in are because of the law enforcement focus on illegal drugs (under the current) administration," Mr Moreno said as he acknowledged the "war on drugs" as "the major contributor to the congestion."

A previous population data report of Mr Moreno's agency covering until the end of January this year placed the number of detainees at nearly 132,000.

According to the government, more than 57,500 antidrug operations were conducted by authorities from July 1 last year up to May 9 this year, resulting in the arrests of 72,812 individuals and the deaths of 2,949 others who reportedly fought it out with law enforcers.

A separate report of the Philippine National Police noted that of the nearly 9,500 homicide incidents from July 1 last year up to March 31 this year, about one-fifth have been determined to be related to illegal drugs, while more than half are still under investigation. Around 20% of the cases, meanwhile, were found to be not related to illegal drugs.

Mr Duterte, who was sworn into office on June 30 last year, had vowed to be harsh against illegal drugs, criminality and corruption, believing that peace and order will spur economic development across the country. He cites his two-decade leadership in Davao City on Mindanao island that used such a model as his concrete example.

Mr Duterte repeatedly said his administration's war on drugs will not stop until the last drug pusher is removed from the streets and last drug lord is killed. He said law enforcers are mandated to neutralize suspects who fight back and endanger the lives of the former.

The campaign had facilitated also the surrender of nearly 1.27 million drug personalities, of whom, almost 90,000 are peddlers. Authorities estimate there are 4 million Filipinos who are hooked to illegal drugs as users and peddlers.

Percida Acosta, chief of the Public Attorney's Office which provides free legal service to indigent individuals facing charges, disclosed that before Mr Duterte came into power on June 30 last year, her office was handling some 82,000 drug-related cases. But six months later, it "got bloated" to around 303,000 cases.

These drug-related cases, Ms Acosta said, account for more than 50% of all the cases her office is handling. Private law firms, meanwhile, handle much fewer drug-related cases, although these involve bigger personalities like drug lords and traffickers, she said.

"Not all (accused in these drug-related cases) were brought to jail because there is no more place for them there. Some were asked to return to their homes, or were referred to religious groups, non-government organizations and their communities for self-rehabilitation," Ms Acosta said.

With only 1,655 public lawyers across the country who also handle other cases like murder and rape, Ms Acosta said measures are being taken to reduce the case load of her office, including an appeal to the court to allow "small-time" violators of the illegal drugs law to plea bargain for the early disposition of their cases. "These smalltime drug users are just victims of drug traffickers," Ms Acosta said.

Meanwhile, Martin Perfecto, deputy director for reformation at the Bureau of Corrections, said the problem of congestion has existed for a long time, disclosing that the current population of all seven prison facilities across the country stands at over 41,000. The ideal capacity is only for a little over 19,200.

Mr Perfecto said about 30% of the current population consists of convicted drug offenders.

It is not clear, however, if the current campaign against illegal drugs made the congestion problem in prisons worse, especially since the country's Dangerous Drugs Board noted that the conviction rate for illegal drugs cases is very low.

Mr Perfecto hopes the current administration will start implementing the modernization program of the Bureau of Corrections, which is covered by a law passed in 2013, to be able to address the issues of congestion and its personnel, among others.

Just like the Bureau of Corrections, Mr Moreno said the Bureau of Jail Management also needs more facilities to reduce its congestion rate and eventually comply with international standards.

Rodolfo Diamante of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines lamented that despite the existence of the problem of jail congestion for a long time and the constant advocacy of several sectors to address it, it has remained a low priority for various governments.

"The reform of the jail and prison system is not really given attention to. There is no comprehensive reform program. The problem about jail conditions is not about lack of funds. It's the lack of priority, and the lack of implementation of the law," said Mr Diamante.

Jacqueline Ann de Guia of the Commission on Human Rights said the Philippines has "one of the most complex penitentiary systems in the world, considering the number of institutions that take care of our penitentiary system -- the Philippine National Police, the BJMP, local government units, the Bureau of Corrections."

"That explains the differences in policies, approaches, budgetary allocations," Ms de Guia said.

Mr Diamante said a proposal to integrate all jails and prison systems under one government unit is supported by his organization, as well as "alternatives to imprisonment," which also include the granting of executive clemency to longtime and aging prisoners.

"This congestion problem is really big, and is not just of the BJMP and the agencies involved in custodial function. This is a societal problem, and it needs a whole-of-government approach, and including the private sector also, of course," Mr Moreno said.

In light of the worsening congestion in jails amid the current administration's war on drugs, Ms de Guia reiterated to the Commission on Human Rights the fact that the government should have foreseen "many will be arrested."

"So, we should first fix the conditions of our jails. Let's allot budget for the construction of new facilities, like what the BJMP has said, so we won't have problems with congestion. We hope there is also an approach towards rehabilitation," Ms de Guia said.

At a separate forum, Benjamin Reyes of the Dangerous Drugs Board stressed the campaign against illegal drugs is not limited only to law enforcement, but also includes prevention and rehabilitation.

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Government crafts way to ban gambling addicts from casinos, pachinko parlors – The Japan Times

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The government and the ruling parties plan to propose a system that would allow pachinko parlors and other gambling facilities to ban serious gambling addicts, government sources said.

The problem of gambling addiction has drawn attention since Japan legalized casinos last year. The government believes building resorts with casinos and hotels will lure more tourists and lift the nations stagnating regional economies.

The government opened the door to casinos by enacting a law that legalized the use of so-called integrated resorts. The law took effect in December.

The government is now in the process of crafting a bill to dictate how the casinos should operate and hope to submit it to the extraordinary Diet session expected to be convened this fall.

Under the plan, only those who wish to overcome their problem, or their families, would notify nearby gambling facilities to ask that access be restricted.

If the facility operator recognizes the persons addiction, it could ban entry, or ask the person to leave. And if the addiction was determined to be less serious, an operator could limit the number of visits allowed to the facility.

Addition level could also be judged through medical certification, the sources said Saturday.

The government and ruling parties want to have the outline of the system drafted by this summer, but the operators might oppose the move because it would hurt their take.

De facto gambling has been permitted at slot-machine and pachinko parlors for decades. Betting on publicly run horse, bicycle and powerboat races is also allowed.

Pachinko parlors would most likely express strong opposition because they are privately run. A person must be at least 18 to enter a pachinko parlor.

A government survey in March said that 2.7 percent of respondents reported experiencing some form of gambling addiction at some point in their lives. In proportion to the population, that corresponds to roughly 2.8 million people.

When respondents who acknowledged being addicts were asked to name the type of gambling in which they spent the most money, the greatest number named pachinko or hybrid pachinko-slot machines.

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Gambling machines seized at two Asheville convenience stores … – WLOS

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After receiving complaints, Buncombe County Sheriff's Office investigators have seized multiple gaming machines and thousands of dollars from two Asheville-area convenience stores. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)

After receiving complaints, Buncombe County Sheriff's Office investigators have seized multiple gaming machines and thousands of dollars from two Asheville-area convenience stores.

Warrants showed that the Quick Stop at 1430 Merrimon Avenue had machines in the front of the store, where a photo showed several men playing the machines.

The other store was inside a Shell gas station at 2251 Hendersonville Road.

According to warrants, in both cases investigators played the machines, and then cashed winning tickets.

According to details in the warrants, because the clerks in each store delivered cash payouts, the machines were operating illegally in the state, and were seized.

No one from either store would speak to News 13.

Charlie Gentry said he frequently goes to the Quick Stop just north of Beaver Lake.

I go straight to the counter to buy my lottery tickets, said Gentry, who added he has never played, much less noticed, the gaming machines. It doesnt please me at all.

Gentry said he will consider not returning to the store because of the illegal gaming that was allegedly taking place inside.

Kurt Potter said he regularly goes to the station on Hendersonville.

The machines there are operated by a manager of a restaurant inside the station.

Potter said he wonders about North Carolinas laws.

For 20 years Ive been in this area and (the laws) come and go, Potter said. I think they should make a decision and stick to it, because they're wasting time taking care of it and then bringing it back.

Potter was referencing the fact that the machines had been returned to the store, but were not operating.

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UFC 211 odds, gambling guide – MMA Fighting

Posted: at 6:17 pm

Welcome MMA bettors, speculators, and gambling lurkers! Were back at it again for another week of comprehensive gambling analysis from your friends at MMA Fighting.

As always, a disclaimer: This aims to be an exhaustive preview of the fights in context with the odds, and doubles as a breakdown of where you can find betting value. The number after the odds on each fighter is the probability of victory that those odds imply (so Miocic at -145 means he should win 59 percent of the time). If you think he wins more often than the odds say, you should bet it because there's value in the line.

All stats come from FightMetric and all the odds are from Best Fight Odds. Net Value means how much money you would have made if you bet $100 on that fighter in every one of his/her fights that odds could be found for. Doubly as always, I'm trying to provide the most thorough guide I can for those who want to legally bet or who just enjoy following along. If you are a person who chooses to gamble, only do so legally, responsibly, and at your own risk.

Now with all that out of the way, lets go.

Breakdown

In the main event, Stipe Miocic defends his heavyweight title against the last man to beat him, Junior dos Santos. For Miocic, a win solidifies himself as one of the best heavyweights ever and ties him for the most successful heavyweight title defenses at two. For dos Santos, its possibly his last shot at UFC gold and a chance to reclaim the title he lost to Cain Velasquez.

Miocic is the quintessential jack of all trades, master of none. He can box, he can wrestle, and his game is held together by his combination of athleticism, durability, and cardio. More often than not, Miocic prefers to use his boxing. He throws a very high volume and he does so with technical proficiency. His striking is built around sharp footwork and a snapping jab-cross combination. He can apply pressure (leaving discernible openings for his opponent), but hes much better on the counter, slipping and shifting into a pretty check hook and an excellent back-stepping cross-counter.

Aside from boxing, Miocic has had clear success working his wrestling and ground-and-pound. He has good entries into single leg takedowns (particularly off the counter) and clean finishes. His top game is like his stand-up, lots of volume that wins rounds and wears his opponents down. He doesnt look to pass much but he will posture up and land good strikes from inside the guard and he doesnt need much space to do so.

Like many aging fighters (aging in cage-time, not years of life), dos Santos appears to be fading physically, though he has more than made up for this with serious technical and strategic improvements. For most of his career, dos Santos was an athletic power-puncher with sharp boxing and quick hands. He was also impossibly durable and difficult to take down, a combination which led him to the heavyweight title.

The problem for dos Santos was mostly strategic. He never possessed great footwork and was prone to crumble under consistent pressure, like Cain Velasquez put on him in their second and third meetings. Dos Santos has made huge improvements in his movement, and that could pay big dividends for him in Dallas. If his last fight with Rothwell is any indication, todays dos Santos is happy to stay on his bike, moving and countering in combination, or throwing straight shots to the body of his opponent.

There are a ton of variables to this fight. JDSs strategic approach has improved in large part because his durability was greatly diminished by the beatings he took from Velasquez. He also hasnt been all that active lately, whereas Miocic has been busy. Still, dos Santos is a specialist while Miocic is an all-rounder. If Miocic cant take dos Santos down, the fight should favor the former champion. If dos Santos stays moving and forces Miocic to pressure, there will be plenty of openings to hurt the champion. The basic math for the main event is this: Miocic is too hittable and dos Santos is too violent. The pick is dos Santos by KO in the second round, and I like him for a bet at underdog odds.

Breakdown

In the co-main event, Joanna Jedrzejczyk takes on one of the toughest tests, defending her strawweight title against the young bruiser, Jessica Andrade. A win for Jedrzejczyk puts her one away from tying Ronda Rouseys womens record of six straight title defenses, and likely sets her up for a fight with Rose Namajunas later this year. For Andrade, a win would be the culmination of the promise she has shown since dropping down to 115 pounds.

Jedrzejczyk is one of the best strikers in MMA today with a wealth of expertise stemming from her time training kickboxing under Ernesto Hoost. Jedrzejczyk works behind a piston-like jab which sets up the rest of her offense. From that, she attacks the head and body in combination and with volume. The volume is key for Jedrzejczyk. Shes not an enormous one-hitter-quitter type puncher but she has good power and the amount of heavy punches she lands wears opponents down rapidly.

The rest of Jedrzejczyks game compliments this all very well. She has excellent footwork and distance management, allowing her to maintain her preferred punching range. When fighters can work their way inside on her, Jedrzejczyk is a handful on the interior as well with her elbows and knees and shes an elite defensive wrestler and shes good at making fighters pay for failed takedown attempts.

Andrade is an exceptional athlete with a game built to maximize her explosiveness and power. From the opening bell, Andrade pressures opponents and looks to unload Tekken-style hook combinations to the body and head. She has great hand speed, so when she does corner a fighter she can unleash dozens of shots in mere seconds. Shes a powerful puncher but similar to John Lineker Andrades punches arent out-cold KO shots. Theyre thudding shots that overwhelm whoever is eating a dozen of them in rapid succession.

Andrade is also an excellent wrestler. Formerly a powerful 135-pounder, Andrade at strawweight is one of the divisions strongest competitors, and she uses that physicality to bully opponents with explosive wrestling and clinch control, the latter of which she uses to drag opponents to the mat. On top, Andrade is tough to shake and utilizes that same power to land heavy strikes. Shes no slouch in transitions either, as she has an excellent guillotine.

Andrade may be Jedrzejczyks toughest test in the division. Her speed, pressure, power, and stamina pose a host of problems for Jedrzejczyk, who often wins by relying on those very attributes. Still, Jedrzejczyk is a far superior technician and she has gotten increasingly better at playing the matador, a skill shell need to use here.

What puts me over the edge toward the champion, though, is the clinch fighting. Andrade is strong, but shes still small in stature and tends to get lazy in the clinch, whereas Jedrzejczyks frame and slashing elbows should score points and give her another phase of the game to operate in. In the end, Jedrzejczyk just has more areas to succeed in and more depth of skill to make those areas the ones in which the fight is contested. The pick is Jedrzejczyk by narrow decision in the Fight of the Night, but I favor placing a value bet on Andrade since the odds should be close to even.

Breakdown

Demian Maia takes on Jorge Masvidal in a fight that may well determine the next welterweight title challenger. Maia has been on a tear recently, winning six in a row over top competition, and a win should guarantee him a chance at the belt. Likewise, Masvidal has looked sensational since moving up to 170 pounds and a win over Maia would be the biggest of his career and give him an excellent case for a title shot.

Maia is a throwback to a simpler time of MMA, when pure specialists roamed the land. Despite the increasing prevalence of focused striking games as the dominant skill set, Maia succeeds by being the very best grappler in MMA, along with being an incredibly effective wrestler. Maia's game is all about getting a tie up with his opponent, and from there it is a decision tree of options. In the clinch, he has foot sweeps and throws or he can drop levels to attack the legs with chains of singles and doubles. Hes not the cleanest nor the most explosive finisher, but he is dogged in his pursuit of takedowns and, if all else fails, hes not averse to pulling guard and transitioning from that into a roll up single or using an excellent arm drag to sneak around to the back.

Once on the ground, nobody is better than Maia. His game is fundamentally flawless, prioritizing positional dominance over everything. He moves through positions seamlessly, finding his way eventually to mount or back mount where locks in a fight-ending choke.

On the feet, Maia... well, he's there. He knows how to punch and kick but still looks gangly and uncomfortable doing so. His striking mostly exists to disguise his relentless takedown attempts. Predominantly, he uses a jab feint to set up his outside shot. Beyond that, there isn't much to write home about here because everything is just a prelude to the grappling game.

Masvidal is a well-rounded fighter and an exceptional technician. A seasoned veteran who began fighting in boatyards as a teenager against much larger men, Masvidal is a defensive genius on the feet. He has layers of defense that set up a strong counter-punching game, but hes not restricted to that. Masvidal can fight at all ranges and moving in all directions, specifically behind a piercing jab and stinging low kicks. When openings arise, Masvidal has excellent timing and enough power that when he sits down on shots, they can hurt opponents.

While striking is his bread and butter, Masvidal is well-versed everywhere else. He has an offensive wrestling game that's better than average and his timing on single legs is tricky enough to be successful. Masvidal is also a very good grappler remember, he tapped Michael Chiesa, which is nothing to sneeze at and he has above average ground and pound. His biggest weakness is a general lack of volume and a tendency to do just enough to get it done rather than putting a mark on the fight. That kind of complacency has burned him with judges more than once. However, in his most recent outings he appears to be fighting with greater purpose, urgency and frankly speaking a meanness, something that bodes well for his run as an elite welterweight.

As with all Maia fights, this is a classic striker versus grappler affair. In a just world, Maia would tap Masvidal quickly and take his rightful title shot this summer, but we all know MMA is far from just. Even so, Im going to side with Maia here. Masvidal is a much better striker and an excellent defensive wrestler, but Maia is the bigger man, and he has taken down better wrestlers than Masvidal. Realistically, two takedowns is all he needs to win the fight. The pick is Maia by boa constrictor in the second round, but if either guy gets to over +100, theres value in betting that.

Breakdown

Frankie Edgar takes on Yair Rodriguez in a showcase bout between the aging veteran and the new kid on the block. Edgar is a former lightweight champion who has twice come up short against featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo. A win over the young, hotshot prospect Rodriguez likely cements his bid for a third title shot, if Max Holloway unseats Aldo later this year. For Rodriguez, this is his chance to announce himself as one of the truly elite at 145 pounds. With the UFC loving his ascension and his star power in Mexico, a victory here may well earn Rodriguez the next shot at the champion, regardless of who holds the strap.

Edgar is a classic wrestle-boxer and one who has continued to make technical improvements despite being a long-tenured veteran. He has quick footwork which allows him to dart in and out of exchanges on the feet, working head-body combinations and piling up points. This isnt the most threatening offense but its consistent, it wins rounds, and builds momentum for Edgar who gets stronger as the fight progresses.

Edgars constant boxing attack also creates big opportunities for his wrestling. Edgar disguises his entries behind strikes beautifully, and he has a variety of finishes either from a single or double leg position. Once he gets his opponent to the ground, Edgar has ferocious ground-and-pound. This has been an area where he has shown his biggest improvement over the last few years. Edgar is absolutely ruthless on the floor.

Rodriguez is a highly-touted prospect with a creative and brutally violent striking arsenal. He has an array of vicious kicks and functional footwork to maintain a long distance where he can use those weapons the most efficaciously. Hes still developing a boxing game, especially on the interior where he is hittable, but he has excellent speed and power when he does punch. He also switches stances effortlessly which creates a lot of uncertainty in the defense of his opponents.

Despite the gushing about his striking acumen, grappling is probably the strongest part of Rodriguez's game. Hes a sneakily good offensive wrestler and an improving defensive one, aided by his ability to maintain a long range. As a top position grappler, Rodriguez works sharp ground-and-pound and hes good at passing and holding position. From the bottom, hes even more aggressive, constantly moving his hips to find attacks but quick to stand back up if hes not finding a sweep or submission.

Can Edgar work takedowns? Thats the fundamental question here because if he cant hes going to get lit up. Rodriguez is younger, faster, longer, and hell force Edgar to wade through brutal salvos of offense to try and get takedowns and I just dont see it happening. Rodriguez announces himself as the next featherweight contender, stopping Edgar in the third round with something magical and violent and I like him for an underdog bet.

Breakdown

In the pay-per-view opener, Krzysztof Jotko welcomes former two-weight WSOF champion David Branch back to the Octagon in a bout that was bumped up from the undercard after Henry Cejudo vs. Sergio Pettis was cancelled this week. A win here puts either man right in the thick of the middleweight rankings and should earn the winner a bout with one of the many highly-ranked contenders trying to standout in a crowded title hunt.

Jotko is a young, rangy southpaw who throws straight punches and a variety of kicks. He doesn't have a lot of power but he piles up volume and he has fantastic takedown defense to keep things where he wants them. Jotko also has a complete ground game, more than holding his own in prolonged grappling exchanges with BJJ black belt Thales Leites. He has underrated offensive wrestling, good control on top, and excellent submission awareness.

Branch is a well-rounded fighter, who is competent on the feet but does his best work from top position. He uses long jabs with the occasional straight right to maximize his 81-inch reach until he can work his way into the clinch or a shot-takedown. From there he has an excellent combination of control, striking, passing, and submissions to give anyone in the division problems.

This looks to be a pretty straightforward affair: either Branch gets takedowns or Jotkos volume and kicking game outpoints him on the feet. Jotko is eight years younger, steadily improving, and his takedown defense is great. Branch will fail in the wrestling and though he wont get embarrassed on the feet, he will clearly lose the rounds. The pick is Jotko by decision and a prop bet on Jotko by decision at +130 is a good bet or parlaying him with another fighter down the card is fine.

Breakdown

Former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez takes on ninth-ranked Dustin Poirier in his first fight since losing the title to Conor McGregor at UFC 205 last year. A win doesnt exactly return Alvarez to title contention (such was the nature of his demolition), but it is at least a chance to wash the taste from his mouth after his last performance. For Poirier, a win over Alvarez would be the biggest win of his career and earn him another shot at the elite of the division while a loss would likely be the end of any real title aspirations he has.

Alvarez is mostly a veteran wrestle-brawler who has turned into a more refined boxer with his work under Mark Henry. He can operate in both directions on the feet, though hes less comfortable as a pressure fighter, preferring to stick on the outside, cut angles, and counter. He has good natural power and his right hook to the body is a potent weapon, but he also tends to get hit, especially early, and though hes ruggedly tough, you have to wonder if his many years in the game and his propensity for brawling is starting to catch up with him.

Aside from striking, Alvarez also has a strong secondary line of attack through his wrestling game. He doesnt have the most explosive shot or cleanest finishes, but he is dogged in his pursuit of the takedown and his physical strength and endless cardio mean he can grind fights down to a halt if need be. On top, hes got solid control and striking and hes pretty good at getting to the back and securing the rear-naked choke.

Poirier is a well-rounded fighter who has found his stride since moving up to the lightweight division. Despite spending a long time as a featherweight, Poirier is one of the biggest punchers at 155 pounds. At range, has a good jab and thudding left kicks as well as a heater of a left straight. But although hes fine at range, where Poirier thrives is as an inside fighter. Hes an excellent combination boxer in the pocket and he works all levels of the body well. Hes willingness to exchange in close quarters means he gets hit a lot, but its a calculated decision based on him bringing more power to the firefight.

Poirier is also an excellent clinch fighter. He has good knees and trips from that range, and he has a nice uppercut that he hides behind his own head before bringing it up the body to score. Hes a good defensive wrestler and he has solid takedowns of his own as well. Once on top, he is a powerful ground-and-pounder with solid scrambling and control.

This is an extremely tough rebound fight for the former champion. Poirier will carry many of the same physical advantages that McGregor did from Alvarezs last fight and we all saw how that worked out for The Underground King. Alvarez gets hit early and often and was especially susceptible to straight left hands, one of Poiriers best punches. Moreover, Alvarez is easily drawn into brawling exchanges in the pocket and there are few people at lightweight better at that than Poirier. Add in a genuine concern that Alvarezs best days are behind him and everything seems to be coming up Poirier here. Poirier is still hittable so its possible the former champion lands a big shot in the exchanges and knocks him out, but the more likely scenario is that Poirier lands the kill shots and gets his hand raised. The pick is Poirier by first-round KO, but the odds are good here so I would pass.

Chas Skelly (-125/56%) vs. Jason Knight (+105/49%)

Skelly is a grinder by trade but one with an aggressive submission game to compliment his NAIA All-American wrestling pedigree. He also showed dramatically improved striking in his last fight which can be attributed to his work with Henri Hooft. He flashed a decent jab and straight right hand to compliment his natural sense of timing. Knight is affectionately known as Hick Diaz for his aggressive boxing on the feet and his extremely active guard game. Hes a poor defensive wrestler but his rubber guard creates a world of troubles for fighters looking to take him down.

Can Skelly get takedowns? Thats the key question here. Skelly has improved his boxing but Knight is still the more skilled and more active striker and if it stays standing, Knight is gonna chew him up. This is a razor close fight but I think Knight has improved his wrestling enough to have the advantage here. Hopefully there is some grappling because that could be extremely fun to watch but the pick is Knight by unanimous decision in an extremely fun contest and I like him for a bet at underdog odds.

Marco Polo Reyes (+350/22%) vs. James Vick (-420/81%)

Reyes is a power-punching boxer with a penchant for getting into brawls. Hes throws excellent combinations in the pocket and both hands have fight changing power. Hes a bad defensive wrestler but hes active in getting back to his feet when taken down. Vick is enormous for the lightweight division and sports big advantages in reach and height. Hes fights well at range behind kicks and a long jab and hes uses his frame well in the clinch too. He also has an absolutely lethal set of chokes from the front headlock, making wrestling with him a dangerous proposition.

This fight is much closer than the odds suggest. Vicks biggest issue is his defense and his propensity for getting hit by left hooks, a specialty of Reyes. Reyes pressure and power can certainly create problems for Vick. That being said, Vick is durable and Reyes struggled navigating the distance against Jason Novelli in his last fight, the same reach advantage Vick will have. Vick is a more potent offensive threat than Novelli and with the striking being close to a wash otherwise, I favor the man with the inherent physical advantages. The pick is Vick by third round submission but a value bet on Reyes is suggested since these odds are nuts.

Jessica Aguilar (-115/53%) vs. Cortney Casey (-105/51%)

Aguilar is the former number one womens strawweight in the world (back before the UFC implemented the division). Shes a well-rounded fighter with a high-volume boxing game but she excels with her wrestling and top control grappling. Casey is a big, athletic strawweight who has been improving drastically each time out. Shes uses good footwork and a long jab on the feet to maintain distance and shes ferociously strong in the clinch and on the floor.

Caseys biggest issue is her defensive wrestling (which is bad), and Aguilar can certainly test her there, but for JAG to do that, she must navigate a substantial height and reach advantage (four inches of both). Aguilar has also been out for almost two years and is coming off a torn ACL, whereas Casey is younger, a better athlete, and should be able to dominate in the clinch with her size and strength. The pick is Casey by unanimous decision and shes worth a bet if she stays this low.

Chase Sherman (-145/59%) vs. Rashad Coulter (+125/44%)

Shermans a light-on-his-feet heavyweight who likes to box in the pocket and has decent kicks at range. Hes a defensive disaster but hes got a great chin and solid cardio to compensate. Coulter is a well-built, powerful heavyweight with thunder in his punches and vicious knees. Hes coming in on short notice though, and his record has no notable wins.

Shermans head never met a punch it didnt like to get hit by and that spells trouble against a hitter the likes of Coulter. This should look a lot like the Walt Harris, fight where Sherman gets dinged up by the guy with the heavier artillery. The pick is Coulter by KO in the second round, but since he is coming in on short notice and making his UFC debut, I advise caution if you choose to bet him.

Gabriel Benitez (-140/58%) vs. Enrique Barzola (+120/45%)

Benitez is a southpaw striker who prefers to operate at range, setting the distance with chopping inside leg kicks. He has a sharp counter left straight and he works the body well. Barzola is also a striker but a more athletic and diverse one than Benitez. He has an active jab and throws in combination while also mixing in spinning attacks and a potent wrestling game.

This is a tough fight to call. Barzola will consent to fight at Benitezs range for the most part and Benitezs body work and pace should be effective; however, Barzolas jab and combinations attack the many holes in Benitezs defense. Ultimately, I think Barzolas wrestling will be the difference, keeping Benitez guessing and mitigating his superior counter attack. Benitez will win stretches but Barzola will win more of them on his way to taking a razor close decision and as such, I like him for a bet.

Joachim Christensen (+300/25%) vs. Gadzhimurad Antigulov (-360/78%)

Christensen is a big, well-rounded light heavyweight. Hes an active striker who pumps a consistent jab and works in combination on the feet. Hes dreadful defensively but has a good chin, and a BJJ black belt and active clinch give him strong secondary tools. Antigulov is a powerful light heavyweight whos surprisingly light on his feet. A Russian Master of Sport in wrestling, Antigulov can grind in the clinch or snatch a single leg and work opponents over on top with efficacious punching, passing, and submissions.

Christensen is fresh off a win over another short, stocky wrestler in Bojan Mihajlovic but Antigulov is a different animal, being better in almost every facet of the game and eight years Christensens junior. Antigulov needs takedowns to overcome Christensens four-inch height and six-inch reach advantage and I think he can get them. I also favor him to win the pressure battle, as both men operate much better coming forward but Antigulov is more adamant. The pick is Antigulov by decision in a close, back-and-forth affair, but with the odds this wide, a value bet on Christensen is worthwhile.

Conditional Bets

Its been a few weeks since our last go, and Nashville wasnt too kind to us. We went 3-4 on bets for a loss of $54 (calculating based on betting $100 per bet). Hopefully we will rebound this week with a lot of underdogs coming through for us. That being said, I am picking a lot of underdogs this week and a lot of bets in general so this week could feasibly backfire spectacularly. Only time will tell but pay special heed to the Editors Note at the bottom here.

Enjoy the fights everyone, good luck to those who need it, and if you've got any questions, feel free to hit me up on Twitter @JedKMeshew.

(Editor's note: All of this advice is for entertainment purposes only.)

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Mourinho denies gambling with Man Utd’s season – Teamtalk.com

Posted: at 6:17 pm

Date published: Sunday 14th May 2017 7:07

Jose Mourinho has denied taking a gamble by writing off Manchester Uniteds Premier League campaign and said league matches were games his side did not want.

The Europa League has been Jose Mourinhos priority for several weeks now, but the manner of his sides 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, particularly in the first half, will stick in the craw.

Behind after six minutes thanks to Victor Wanyamas powerful header, it would have been worse was it not for David De Gea.

Harry Kane also clipped the crossbar before bringing timely end to his wait for a goal against United, with the fans favourite directing home a free-kick from the ever-impressive Christian Eriksen.

Wayne Rooney pulled one back for the visitors the last goal at White Hart Lane but could not take the gloss of a victorious end to life at the Lane in a game in which United were firmly second best.

I make the the maximum of the teams potential. The players have the motivation to win the last match at home. They played to win and we tried to have balance even with players out of position, Mourinho told Sky Sports.

We gave minutes to people who needed minutes and gave protection to those who needed protecting. After we went 2-0 down we brought more quality and balance to the team and put the players in their correct positions.

We got to 2-1 and we could have made it 2-2, but Im happy and fine with the individual performances. The two goals are two very bad goals conceded, but the team is not used to playing together.

Asked if his hands were tied with so many matches, he added: Yes, today, against Man City, Swansea, Arsenal, Southampton and the final game against Crystal Palace.

And when people say we gambled, we didnt gamble. Nobody can play two big competitions with 15 players and this is what we had. It was compulsory, we didnt gamble and Im happy with the situation.

I rested a few players, there were no injuries and one less match to play because at the moment the Premier League are just matches we do not want to play.

Asked what he thought he needed to mount a two-pronged challenge next season, he dashed off before adding: I do not want to think about that. Im thinking about the final.

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Do Australian Christians support euthanasia? – BioEdge

Posted: at 6:16 pm

A recent episode of Australian television show Q&A sparked debate about the level of Christian support for assisted dying in Australia. Author and journalist Nikki Gemmell, a panelist on the show, claimed that 80% of Australians and up to 70% of Catholics and Anglicans support euthanasia laws.

Audience members were sceptical, and requested that the claim be verified.

According to a Fact-Check published in The Conversation, Gemmells statement is backed up by a number of surveys but not all. Southern Cross University Aged Services Professor Colleen Cartwright wrote that public support can drop significantly depending on the questions asked, how the survey was conducted and who conducted it. Cartwright discussed a variety of polls, some of which suggested that up to 74% of Catholics and 81% of Anglicans supported euthanasia, while others reported that only 28% of Catholics and 25% of Anglicans supported euthanasia.

Support for voluntary euthanasia is generally higher when the question asks about patients with unrelievable suffering who have absolutely no chance of recovering, Cartwright said. Support falls when patients do not have a terminal illness.

In a review of the article, University of Newcastle legal academic Charles Douglas observed that support might be lower if a model of assisted death is specified.

[One] study reported 73% approval for unspecified assistance, 64% support for a doctor administering life-ending medication and 55% support for a doctor prescribing life-ending medication that the patient could take, Douglas said.

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From death row to adoption: Saving animals by car, van, bus and … – Washington Post

Posted: at 6:16 pm

SAN FERNANDO, Calif. May was supposed to be dead by now. The charcoal-and-white pit bull mix had languished for more than two months at a high-kill animal shelter in east Los Angeles County, and though shed passed one temperament test required for adoption, she failed a second. That essentially put her on death row at the facility.

But a small rescue group got to May first and reserved her a spot on a school bus that would take her 840 miles north to Eugene, Ore.; there, another rescue had pledged to find her a home. And so on a sunny Saturday morning, she bounded up the steps of the red bus and quickly settled into a large crate near the back.

She had plenty of company as the wheels rolled along the highway: 105 other dogs and cats collected from crowded shelters in Californiaand destined for the Pacific Northwest, where euthanasia rates are lower and pets are in greater demand. Their four rows of crates were stacked floor to ceiling. These little souls have engulfed me, admitted Phil Broussard, the garrulous trucker driving them up the coast.

His passengers were among the more than 10,000 animals that will be ferried out of the area this year by Rescue Express, one of the dozens of organizations across the nation fueling a dizzying daily reshuffle of dogs and cats by car, van, bus, and private and even chartered plane.

These transports, mostly from high-kill southern regions, are small but growing factors in a long-term decline in euthanasia at U.S. shelters. According to some estimates, animal shelters killed as many as 20 million cats and dogs annually in the 1970s. That had fallen to 2.6 million by 2011 and to 1.5 million today, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The numbers are only approximations, because no central data collection exists and only some states require shelters to report intake and outcome figures. But animal advocates agree that the decrease in euthanasia has been dramatic, driven mostly by successful spay-neuter programs and, more recently, by savvy adoption campaigns, greater efforts to reunite lost pets with owners and the proliferation of advocacy groups both small and large that have swept in to help municipal shelters, often poorly funded and sluggish.

This has been the single biggest success for the animal protection movement, said Hal Herzog, a psychology professor at Western Carolina University who has long studied human-animal relationships. Its been an incredible drop.

[Whats a no-kill animal shelter? The answer is more complicated than it seems.]

Still, hundreds of thousands of animals are euthanized each year, and advocates face challenges to pushing rates lower. For one, pit bull-type dogs often perceived as dangerous and prohibited by landlords disproportionately populate shelters. And feline sterilization continues to lag, one reason cats make up nearly 60 percent of shelter animals killed, according to the ASPCA.

Progress remains geographically lopsided, too. Advocates point to northern cities more concerted spay-neuter campaigns and mention cultural differences in attitudes about sterilizing pets. Climate is another factor: In warmer regions, cats go into heat more often, pets are more likely to be allowed outside, and strays more easily survive all of which lead to more kittens and puppies.

Whatever the reason, shelters and rescue groups say an increasing number of communities in northern parts of the country now take in migrants young and old, small and large. Nearly a third of the 30,000 dogs and cats received by a Portland, Ore., coalition of six shelters in 2016 came from outside the area, including from Hawaii.

For a family thats looking for that solid dog thats good with kids and other animals those are really tough to find, said Anika Moje, manager of the Animal Shelter Alliance of Portland, which had a 95 percent live-release rate in 2016.

This overground pet railroad existed on a small scale for years, then rapidly expanded in the eastern United States after Hurricane Katrina leftthousands of animals homeless in 2005. Transports more recently have mushroomed in the West, despite concerns in some places about what remains a fairly unregulated practice.

[Being labeled a pit bull can doom a shelter dogs chances of adoption]

Yet even those who devote their lives to these efforts concede they will not end euthanasia of healthy animals.

Were the Band-Aid, said Ric Browde, a board member of Wings of Rescue in Southern California. The group flies thousands of animals a year in its private plane and, sometimes, a chartered jet that can cost $20,000 a flight. Its sort of Einsteins definition of insanity, repeating things over and over and expecting a different result. I can take dogs out of a shelter every day, but if it fills back up, have I done anything?

The key is keeping the facilities from filling in the first place, says the ASPCA, which in 2014 pledged $25 million to help do this in the Los Angeles area. One of the public shelters it targeted was Baldwin Park, where May was housed for several weeks; it euthanizes 44 percent of the animals ittakes in. On a recent Wednesday, ASPCA staff there counseled people who came to surrender dogs or cats, pointing them toward discounted veterinary care and sterilization services expenses that often cause individuals to give up their pets.

The following Saturday, volunteer Jana Savage brought May to board the Rescue Express bus. May was a dog the volunteers at Baldwin Park were worried about, said Savage, a writer who has helped there for several years. They all felt the countys temperament test had not given her a fair shake.

Onto the bus went May, along with a miniature pinscher, a yellow puppy and several other small pooches. Broussard had driven the vehicle down the night before from the Rescue Express base in Eugene. The longtime trucker runs many of the organizations weekly transports, which begin in San Fernando and usually end near the Washington-Canada border.

[Does America have enough dogs for all the people who want one?]

The nonprofit has moved more than 8,000 animals since a former accounting software entrepreneur, a millionaire named Mike McCarthy, founded it two years ago. Hed always had a passion for animals and had donated to several related causes, and after watching a California friend transfer dogs north, he decided there was a real need for better-quality transports.

So McCarthy moved to Eugene a midpoint on the West Coast to start his own, one that would be free for the small rescue groups hed seen were often bleeding cash. He opted to retrofit school buses, which he determined were more durable than the vans favored by many transports, could hold more crates and were cheaper to run than planes. Nowadays, that cost is about $20 to $30 per animal, and Rescue Express, with a three-bus fleet, is set to add a route up Interstate 15 through Utah.

McCarthy, 57, wants to take the model nationwide, though he knows it would make only a small dent in a big problem. It makes a difference to the animals that are on the bus, he said. Thats how I look at it.

From San Fernando to the Canada border, the journey takes more than 20 hours and involves a driver swap. Broussard pulled onto the highwayat 8:35 a.m. Riding shotgun was Laura Miller, a Target manager who moonlights as a Rescue Express transport supervisor a job that entails checking all the animals in and out, plus keeping their crates clean and water bowls filled.

The animals, separated from the cab by a metal partition, were quiet save for one yippy dog named Brownie. As he drove, Broussard held forth on the local geography and national politics. Miller kept tabs on the air conditioning in the back and texted with contacts at the next stop.

At a public shelter in Bakersfield, a few dozen more animals were loaded, including a litter of 6-week-old kittens bound for a rescue group outside of Portland. Then it was back to the highway.

At 12:30 p.m., at a truck-stop parking lot in Fresno, a group of volunteers helped put about 50 dogs and cats on board. Two dogs got on in Turlock, then four more in Lathrop. By 3:15 p.m., the bus was carrying 84 dogs and 22 cats. By 7:30 p.m., the snow-capped Mount Shasta signaled that Oregon was not far off. Miller held up her cellphone and took photos of the sunset.

It was raining and chilly when the bus pulled over in Roseburg, Ore., where an adopter was waiting to greet his new puppy. After midnight, Broussard turned into a gas station lot outside Eugene. Some 15 people, standing under hoods and umbrellas, lined up in the dark to retrieve two dozen animals.

The second-to-last was May, who was whisked away to a streetlight, where she promptly relieved herself.

Today, May is hanging out at Northwest Dog Project, the rescue that had agreed to find her a home. Its 22-acre facility usually hosts 10 to 18 dogs at a time in cottages with piped-in music and even skylights. Theres a doggy swimming pool, an agility course, a play yard and hiking trails.

A majority of the dogs we take in come from high-kill shelters in California, where theyve been living in noise and chaos. This is a good place for them to decompress, director Emma Scott explained.

Like all the animals the organization accepts, 2-year-old May will spend a few weeks being evaluated and trained. Scott said she has been extremely friendly and adores people. She already knew how to sit, and now were working on her leash manners. Well do everything we can to make her as adoptable as we can.

Read more:

More people are adopting old dogs really old dogs

One tall building. One dark and stormy night. 395 dead birds.

Bambis revenge? Deer photographed nibbling on human bones, a first.

Interior Dept. launches Doggy Days, becoming first federal agency to welcome pets

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Opioid-fueled homicide charges rise sharply in Outagamie County – Appleton Post Crescent

Posted: at 6:16 pm

Reckless homicide charges, fueled by a dramatic rise in opioid abuse, increased sharply in Outagamie County in 2016, authorities said.(Photo: FotoMaximum, Getty Images/iStockphoto)

APPLETON - Reckless homicide charges spiked in Outagamie County in 2016, and District Attorney Carrie Schneider sees a direct correlation with widespread opioid abuse in Wisconsin.

"I think it is just obviously a statewide epidemic, the heroin and the drug use," Schneider said."It can be someone's second time or their 102nd time, there's just no rhyme or reason when what they take on a given day is enough that causes their death. And it's just been kind of an explosion here."

Outagamie County prosecutors charged one case per year from 2013 to 2015. But in 2016, the number jumped to seven. Two of those cases, one of which was dismissed, pertained to the same person's death.

There have been two cases filed so far in 2017.

The vast majority of the victims from 2013 through this year lived in the Fox Cities, including Appleton, Darboy, Freedom andNew London. All but one were in their 20s or 30s. Their deaths were blamed most often onheroin but the criminal complaints also pointed to other drugs, including fentanyl and methadone.

RELATED:New London man charged in drug overdose death

RELATED:Woman dies of apparent heroin overdose in Menasha

RELATED:Man sentenced on reduced drug charge

Some cases were charged quickly after a death, while others took as long as 2 years.In the cases that took longer to charge, Schneider said, prosecutors were waiting on toxicology reports, test results or other records. The cases came together at roughly the same time.

Outagamie County isn't alone in using what's known as the Len Bias law to charge those who supply drugs that kill an individual with reckless homicide. But prosecutors acknowledge that those cases don't represent the scope of the problem including the number of people who have died from overdoses or who have overdosed and survived.

The challenge in these cases, prosecutors said, is not necessarily proving that someone delivered drugs to another person, but that the drugs caused an overdose death. Sometimes that's just not possible.

Len Bias laws named after the basketball star who died of a cocaine overdose in 1986 were enacted across the country, including Wisconsin.

The laws were not used frequently in the beginning, Marquette University Law School professor Michael OHear told USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin.

"But there has been a real surge in the last decade or so in use of homicide charges for overdose deaths and I think that's pretty clearly related to the opioid epidemic and heroin and fentanyl and other drugs that are easily overused and which do all too often lead to overdose deaths," he said. "And there certainly has been a surge nationally in overdose deaths, and so you're seeing prosecutors trying to respond to that."

The deterrent effect of these charges might be limited, O'Hear said. To be deterred by potentially long sentences, people need to be thinking about the future and believing that there is a significantrisk that they'll get arrested and convicted. It's not the kind of rational cost-benefit analysis typically associated with the drug trade, he said.

"I think that they're really probably more symbolic than anything else," he said of the laws. "They're a way for the criminal justice system to express concern and anger about what's happening with drug overdoses in our community and there may be some benefit to family members of deceased victims if they have a sense that the criminal justice system is taking these cases very seriously and trying to hold responsible parties accountable in a very severe way."

Jon J. Padgham, supervising attorney at the Outagamie County Public Defender's Office, said heroin has had an astounding effect on the criminal justice and social services systems. He likened using herointo playing Russian roulette.

"Most of us simply cannot understand the overwhelming desire/need for the high and how (it) skews all other rational thoughts," he said in an email to USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin."It's great to see the development of multi-dimensional initiatives. The criminal justice system, alone, cannot adequately address heroin."

While prosecutorshope the charges have a deterrent effect, particularly on dealers, they also say people need to be held responsible for the crimes they commit.

In Len Bias cases, as in fatal drunken driving crashes, the consequences dictate the charge, Winnebago County District Attorney Christian Gossett said. Like other prosecutors, he doesn't buy the argument that overdoses are a victimless crime because the person who takes the drugs is engaging in the activity.

"If you're dealing heroin, you're dealing something you know is dangerous, you have to be prepared to deal with the consequences of that, especially now the heroin that we're seeing is being laced with fentanyl, which is even more dangerous," said Winnebago County Assistant District Attorney Tracy Paider, who is part of the Drug/Property Unit within the office."So in my mind, yes, you didn't force the person to inject the drug but if you are going to deal in drugs that are that dangerous, you have be prepared to deal with those consequences."

But the circumstances of an overdose death also come into play in these cases, they said. If two friends are using together and one dies of an overdose, it's a different case than someone who's not an addict and is selling drugs to make a profit.

There are cases in which investigators have gone one or two people up the drug-delivery chain, but getting the "big fish" is a real challenge, Paider said. After a certain pointin that chain, people don't know each other by their real names or real phone numbers. If the higher-level dealer is in Milwaukee or Chicago, they aren't necessarily using real addresses or they're using burner phones.

Outagamie County has had cases where people are partying and someone ends up dying, Schneider said. They've chosen in some of those cases to not file Len Bias charges but instead charge the personwho brought the drugs with delivery, she said. The calculation changes if that individual had past delivery or sales on their record.

"It's kind of our discretion to say, instead of charging them with the Len Bias, we might charge them with the delivery, where we know we can still receive an appropriate sanction," Schneider said. "...So I think we still choose to charge them in a way we think is the best use of our resources and really gets at the root of the problem. They're not the root of the problem. The root of the problem is the higher-level people who are bringing the drugs in or selling the drugs."

Alison Dirr: 920-996-7266 or adirr@gannett.com; on Twitter @AlisonDirr

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Opioid-fueled homicide charges rise sharply in Outagamie County - Appleton Post Crescent

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