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The R.I. Medical Society, the ACLU of Rhode Island, and Protect Families First issued the following statements today in response to the General Assembly’s failure to pass legislation that would continue to provide Good Samaritan protection to individuals calling 911 in overdose emergencies:

As communities nationwide grapple with the best ways to promote transparency and accountability in law enforcement agencies, the implementation of body cameras has become a major part of the discussion.

In a 15-page report released today, the ACLU of Rhode Island said that a review of the latest statistics on police department traffic stops in the state shows an increase in searches of racial minorities even as white drivers are more likely to be found with contraband when searches are conducted. The statistics cover January through March 2005, the second quarter of a year-long study mandated by state law. That collection of data follows up a similar, comprehensive study of traffic stop data for 2001-2002.

We opposed this bill, noting that the complete abandonment of any statute of limitations hobbles the due process rights of ciriminal defendants.

Though we appreciated the intentions behind this legislation, which would have eliminated the statute of limitations for filing civil suits alleging sexual abuse, we opposed the bill.