The ACLU applauds the swift decision by the District Attorney's office to halt implementation of the 18th Street gang injunction. The injunction, based on false affidavits by members of the now-infamous Rampart CRASH unit, could not possibly have withstood a court challenge in light of recent evidence of perjury and corruption in the unit.

The D.A.'s actions do not go far enough. Allegations of police abuse in enforcing gang injunctions are not limited to 18th Street. According to former LAPD officer Rafael Perez, a member of the Rampart CRASH unit recently arrested on charges of theft of cocaine from police evidence lockers, the culture of these units encouraged abuse of power. All affidavits underlying gang injunctions city-wide must be carefully reviewed. Until that review is complete, enforcement efforts should stop.

Gang injunctions offer "quick fix" solutions to the tough, entrenched problem of illegal gang activity. Instead of addressing the underlying problems that make gang involvement attractive -- lack of jobs and educational opportunities in poor and minority neighborhoods - injunctions invite abuse by allowing police to harass and arrest primarily minority youth even when no criminal activity takes place.

As a parting shot against women's health and despite public objections, including the opposition of more than 75,000 ACLU members, the Bush Administration pushed through the Health Care Denial Rule, which undermines the ability of American women to obtain basic reproductive health care, including birth control and information about abortion.

The good news: President Obama has issued a proposal to rescind Bush's Health Care Denial Rule.

The Department of Health and Human Services set a 30-day public comment period on a proposal to rescind this dangerous rule, and we need your help to ensure HHS does the right thing. Please submit your comments by using the letter below. Comments are due by Thursday, April 9th.

Let's mobilize and speak collectively. Your voice does make a difference.

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"The uncovering of a pattern of deception, perjury and evidence planting by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department is shocking, but sadly not surprising. In the same manner in which the videotaped beating of Rodney King shed light on police brutality, this investigation is certain to illuminate a terrible, but not so secret fact; that the LAPD cannot be trusted to investigate itself.

"Los Angeles must return to the findings of the Christopher Commission. The need for effective training and accountability are now surpassed only by the urgency to once and for all end the code of silence. We call on Mayor Riordan and the City Council to establish an independent prosecutor, not only to prosecute those whose actions have tarnished the reputation of the LAPD, but to investigate all future police shootings. The trampling of justice we are witnessing today must never again be allowed to occur."