Fairfax County Police Accidental Killing Sparks New State Law. Now the state is doing the job your local elected officials should be doing but won’t.


IN ONE FELL swoop of outrageous overkill, plainclothes police officers and county liquor agents in Fairfax County "infiltrated" -- sneaked into, invaded, crashed, take your pick -- a private home in Vienna the other night, trampling on privacy and who knows what other rights in a low-grade imitation of "The Untouchables." Whatever else they thought they were doing in the name of law enforcement, these bashbusters succeeded in killing any good name they might have enjoyed as reasonable keepers of the peace. Though precise details of the evening are in sharp dispute at this point, the tactics used by these authorities, the manner in which they treated people who sought their help and cooperation before holding a high school graduation party, are as reckless as they are inexcusable.