natasha is the death penalty policy director for the american civil liberties union of northern california. she previously worked as a deputy public defender in alameda county, and was a staff attorney with the california task force on criminal instructions. she is also working on the effort to abolish the death penalty in california and pursuing the goal of reforming capital sentencing procedure. before we start with the first question, we have a short video. i have been told that this is a video from the former warden of the mississippi prison. >> it is clear that the execution will take place and something happens. they may not come out and say that they did this, but they will tell the victim -- i am sorry. and then they say, i did this. and i leaned down to whisper in his ear, and i thought i could reach them because i wanted to make certain that he is at peace with themselves. i said it is not important for you to confess to this crime and is not important for anyone in this room. the only thing that is important is that you let your god know the truth. and he looked at me and he sai

own children fortunately she is now suing the state of missouri in conjunction with the american civil liberties union in a nine page complaint she claims the law violates her first and fourteenth amendment rights a little more than that but the missouri state teachers association. reserves a teacher's association is also suing the state challenging certain segments of the law in regards to networking because many teachers of course realize that it's two thousand and eleven not one thousand nine hundred one and many of them use the internet are regular basis on a constant basis to more efficiently fulfill their duties as educators randy turner's a communications arts teacher at joplin middle school and blogs at the law and gave her from doing her job successfully oh hundreds of teachers across the state with effectively used facebook and other social networking sites to communicate with students and i am one of those will have to trash years worth of work because all teachers are potential criminals in the view of the author of the bill state senator jane cunningham the teachers i know who communicate

so with the help of one of the branch office the american civil liberties union, he brought suit, challenging on the basis of his constitutional rights, the government's policy of removing and confining him. in the lower courts, he was convicted of violating public law 502 and 503, congress' backing up of executive order 9066. the supreme court agreed to hear his appeal, and the federal government, which didn't want to lose the case because they were scared if any of the japanese americans succeeded in challenging thecourt -- challenging the army, the army would look back, and japanese americans would then -- once the camps were open, all run back to the west coast and there would be rioting and all sorts of problems. so, both to buttress the army's case and prevent problems, the army's leaders, most notably assistant secretary of war john mccloy, engaged in trickery. they withheld evidence. they rewrote other evidence to make the government's case better. i don't have time to go into the details of this in the end, the supreme court decided 6-3, that the government's policy could be split up

. >> reporter: the american civil liberties union, today sent requests to 50 police and sheriffs departments. including at least 9 in the bay area. >> we'd like to understand the total spectrum of what the police is doing to monitor us. everything from monitoring our location through cell phone information, to gps, to public surveillance cameras. >> reporter: the concerns also include police use of car tracking devices and even social network sites. the aclu has questioned the police department. gadgets similar to this one that can recover hidden, or deleted cell phone information. >> some of these technologies are happening so fast. some policies have not been developed yet. >> reporter: for now, they're relying on standard practices to navigate the use of new surveillance technology. >>> google is accusing apple, oracle, and microsoft of teaming up to make google's android phones more expensive. a -- >>> research in motion is hoping new blackberry phones will compete with new iphones. they unveiled five new phones today. two of the new torch models don't have keyboards. >>> a party for the

. >> reporter: the american civil liberties union, today sent requests to 50 police and sheriffs departmentsuding at least 9 in the bay area. >> we'd like to understand the total spectrum of what the police is doing to monitor us. everything from monitoring our location through cell phone information, to gps, to public surveillance cameras. >> reporter: the concerns also include police use of car tracking devices and even social network sites. the aclu has questioned the police department. gadgets similar to this one that can recover hidden, or deleted cell phone information. >> some of these technologies are happening so fast. some policies have not been developed yet. >> reporter: for now, they're relying on standard practices to navigate the use of new surveillance technology. >>> google is accusing apple, oracle, and microsoft of teaming up to make google's android phones more expensive. a -- >>> research in motion is hoping new blackberry phones will compete with new iphones. they unveiled five new phones today. two of the new torch models don't have keyboards. >>> a party for the presi

a florida chapter of the american civil liberties union says the cost of program could skyrocket if the state has to defend it in court. the ucla is still considering a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality. this could account for rick scott's whopping 35%, 35%, approval rating. we've seen this sort of thing before. welfare recipients called dead beats who are suckling from the government teat. remember south carolina's lieutenant governor calling people on government assistance stray animals. and if you feed them, quote, they breed. but actually, there is one way i could support a plan to drug test welfare applicants. it comes from a fellow at the roosevelt institute who writes for one of my favorite economic blogs. he wrote not too long ago, i think i can support this idea, that is testing welfare applicants for drugs, and if and only if, it is also required that people who claim a mortgage interest tax deduction are also required to take a drug test. i mean, after all, we don't want to subsidize people's drug habits. and welfare is welfare is welfare. am i right, homeowners of am

the american civil liberties union is in the process of files suit against the rocky mountain river greenng me is heather wallace, and her attorney. now you say that first the school was okay with the arrangement to have somebody supervise the class while you pumped three times a week for about 20 minutes and did you get a sense that this process was not working out? >> when i approached my director in august, it was a amendable to him, and the three times a week that is just when i needed the class coverage. i was pumping other times during my lunch and after school and planning time. >> and the school has responded. they issued a statement to msnbc saying quote the reason that ms. burgbacher was not invited back to teach at rocky mountain academy of ever greene for the upcoming school year is not as is stated, but it is a personnel issue and it is a pending legal issue, so the rocky mountain academy is not able to comment because of the pending legal situation. when were you informed that you would not be renewed your contract? >> in february, the director said it had nothing to do with

not give up his giv citizenship rights.ight with the help of one of the branches of the american civil liberties union he brought ail suit challenging the basis of t his constitutional rights, theua government's policy of removing remo and confiningvi him.ow in the lower courts he wasconvte convicted of violating public law 502 and 503, congress it packing executive order 9066.his the supreme court agreed to hear the appeal, and the federal government which did not want tr lose the case because they wered scared that if any of thef japanese americans succeeded in challenging the court andleing challenge in the army, the army amth a pad and also japanese-americans, once thehe camps were a point they would run back to the west coast andkt there would be riding and all sorts of problems. b both to buttress the case and ta prevent problems the army'srsos leaders most notably assistant secretary of were engaged in trickery.edn it withheld evidence, rewrote ei other evidence to make thede government's case better.make i don't have time to go into the details of this. in the and the supreme court crt decided

let me introduce you to james stanley, a senior policy analyst at the american civil liberties union, and a constitutional law professor at the american university college of law. we have called the segment telecommunications freedom and public security. i want to read a story out of great britain. the question is could this happen here? from london -- it's called in the wake of revolutions epstein calls for free speech and democracy -- host: let me start with jay stanley. could this happen here? guest: it has. the metro system in san francisco shut off the cell phone and computer wireless system because a group of protesters were planning to stage a protest over police actions. this was "the communicators a big mistake because -- this was a big mistake because in this country, the government is not allowed to suppress speech, even to prevent potential unrest. what they did was not only cut off speech because they did not like what they would be saying, but the cut of speech for all of the other passengers. the united states faces prohibitions on that kind of general blanket ban on sp

the court system saying his son killed himself and his daughter following a bitter custody battle. >> two civil liberties groups backing away from threats to sue bart over the decision to shut down cell phone service. american civil liberties union met while hundreds descended on several bart stations and shut them down. and they were angry and electronic frontier foundation backed away from the suit. the protest shut down four states for several hours. police say it is inconvenience for riders no arrests were made. >> in a speech today the president acknowledged times are tough but said americans are tougher. a statement here and around the country to be sure. people looking for work will tell their stories to members of the bay area congressional delegation. >> and i'm in the church here in oakland. this is featuring congress woman barbara lee and congressman mike honda. it's a schans for americans to tell lawmaker what's they're up against when it comes to jobs. >> we want to lead no store unturned whit comes to strength strengthening the economy. >> gloria hopes the business community is listening. >> we'll turn out to be the best employees. and we're going walk the line to do the best we can to do a good job on the job. >>

quick headlines, the american civil liberties union suing newark, new jersey demanding to know exactlyok founder's $100 million gift to the school system. details about how the money will be spent have not been released yet. and so much for budget cuts. dozens of united nations staffers getting major pay raises months after secretary general said the agency was in a financial crisis. the u.n. says it will cut jobs to help make up some of the extra cash. makes no sense. >> steve: dollars and cents. we all know the economy will play an important part in deciding the 2012 presidential election. and with the national unemployment rate right there at 9.1% currently, the president's bid for a second term is already on shaky ground. but our next guest says voters will have more local focus depending upon what state they're based in. dr. larry sabitow is the director of the university of virginia's center for politics and joins us live from charlottesville, virginia. speaking of shaky ground, you were 30 miles away from the epicenter yesterday. you live in one of thomas jefferson's 180-year-ol

civil liberties. rnal" continues. host: we are back live. let me introduce you to james stanley, a senior policy analyst at the american civil liberties union, and a constitutional law professor at the american university college of law. we have called the segment telecommunications freedom and public security. i want to read a story out of great britain. the question is could this happen here? from london -- it's called in the wake of revolutions epstein calls for free speech and democracy -- host: let me start with jay stanley. could this happen here? guest: it has. the metro system in san francisco ut off the cell phone and computer wireless system because a group of protesters were planning to stage a protest over police actions. this was "the communicators a big mistake because -- this was a big mistake beuse in this country, the government is not allowed to suppress speech, even to prevent potential unrest. what they did was not only cut off speech because they did not ke what they would be saying, but the cut of speech for all of the other passengers. the united states faces prohibitions on that kind of general blanket ban on speech.