The Uncommonwealth

By Shira Springer, Globe Staff | December 24, 2005

WALTHAM -- Tony Allen is in short-term shutdown. Following doctor's orders, the injured shooting guard did not participate in practice Thursday or yesterday. He spent the sessions wearing a sweat suit while receiving treatment and tossing up shots during breaks in the action. He will not work out individually today or tomorrow as the team enjoys time off until it regroups in Seattle Christmas Day.

The Celtics hope the four-day break will put Allen in position to return to the active roster sooner rather than later. But no one, not even Allen, wants to talk about comeback dates as swelling in his right knee continues to be a problem. There have been far too many false alarms.

It's Been Great Splinkin' With You 

Mayor vows in crackdown to snatch snitchin’ shirts
By Michele McPhee
Friday, December 2, 2005 - Updated: 08:15 AM EST

Mayor Thomas M. Menino is cracking down on the Hub’s hard-core hoodlums and even the taunting “Stop Snitchin’ ” T-shirts they wear — sparking an immediate outcry from civil liberties lawyers.

Joining a contingent of politicians, law enforcement officials and youth outreach workers ordered to an emergency meeting at City Hall yesterday, Menino vowed to combat the soaring crime rate.

Among the steps: Sending city Inspectional Services Division officials to seize T-shirts emblazoned with the “Stop Snitchin’ ” message.

“It’s wrong,” Menino said. “We are going into every retail store that sells the shirts and remove them.”

The Herald reported the shirts were worn by the mother of a reputed gang member earlier this year during his trial for a shooting that killed 10-year-old Trina Persad.

The mayor did not say what legal authority ISD would cite in seizing the shirts from retailers.

John Reinstein, legal director of the Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts, said Menino would violate at least three amendments to the U.S. Constitution by removing the shirts.

“If the mayor doesn’t like the idea of these shirts the answer to speech you disagree with is more speech,” he said. “He can ask people not to sell them. What he can’t do is without any lawful authority go in and take them and not pay for them because he doesn’t like what they say on them.”

Reinstein said doing so violates the Fourth Amendment giving protection from unlawful seizure, the 14th Amendment guaranteeing due process and the First Amendment right to free speech.

“You can’t seize things without a warrant,” he said. “It is not a crime to sell these T-shirts. It may be irresponsible, it may be a lot of things, but what it is not is illegal.”