Hacker News Reader

Beating people death and then intimidating witnesses into handing over evidence sounds like a police state to me.

So, organized crime (i.e. 'the mob') is evidence of a police state?

If the US were really a police state this either wouldn't be news (it happens all the time), or it wouldn't be allowed to be on the news.

I think there are many little police "fiefdoms" in the US. Bakersfield itself sounds like one.