Mumbai, India—I have seen local police weapons during my trips there. The FNFAL battle rifles, Enfield bolt action rifles, Sten guns, revolvers and various 9MM semi-automatic pistols are in the hands of local police on a limited basis.
The average Indian cop carries nothing but a long stick but has arms close at hand in this low crime rate country. I’m not sure about the availability of ammunition for the heavier of these weapons.
The first hand reports of news picture editor, Sebastian D'Souza, from the Mumbai Mirror of how police cowered from two terrorists firing weapons at the Sivaji Terminal railway station suggested that those railroad cops were not trusted with ammunition.
Since when are terrorists more capable, better trained and equipped then any police agency? That seems to be the case in Mumbai. The blame lies directly with the India Parliament and their facilitation of the terrorists.
The Brits came in dominated and disarmed the entire nation during their rule. They created a dangerous mindset that continued long after they left over 60 years ago.
I have seen many shotguns in possession of people associated with money changers and banks. Civilian gun ownership exists but is way over-regulated and virtually outlawed for homeland security or meaningful self-defense.
India was and is a preferential target for terrorists because of their anti-gun rights philosophy. We just saw ten young men enter India’s financial capital with small arms and backpacks place the entire city of 19 million in a state of siege. The little thugs were unstoppable as they mowed down no less than 20 cops.
The Indian Parliament in New Delhi needs to re-think the entire issue of police training and equipment at the state and local level. They also need to bring gun liberty to Indian citizens so they too are a force for homeland security like they are in Switzerland.
This latest attack has sent a horribly clear message to every democracy that over-regulating firearms weakens any country and makes them attractive targets for similar deadly invasions.
Our own American politicians facilitated the carnage of 9/11 when they refused to keep all American pilots armed and trained. They further facilitated the huge property damage by disarming the off duty cops that fly as passengers.
The American mainstream media gave our government a total pass by ignoring the facts that allowed a handful of troublemakers to bring an entire nation to its knees.
INDIA'S MAHATMA GANDHI "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
What can we learn from criminal and terrorist attacks inside America’s Gun Free Zones? We learned that terrorist and dangerous criminals ignore gun prohibitions in places like malls, schools and hospitals.
We need a single Federal law that exempts any armed citizen who enters or remains in a so-called Gun Free Zone to combat anyone engaged in an unlawful deadly attack against others
An example would be a parent who resorted to justifiable use or threatened use of force to stop a dangerous attack on a child at a school. Another would be a person that used a gun to take on a sniper or other armed criminal inside some shopping mall. What purpose would prosecuting anyone but a real criminal serve?
I contend that Gun Free Zones are constitutionally impermissible anyway. But until the high court rules we have to deal with a little reality.
It would take a total miracle to pass something with any amount of common sense in the upcoming Leftist Congress.
Madrid, Spain--Spanish cops are investigating the theft of $125,000.00 worth of jewelry loaned to the drug addicted, convicted thief and actress, Winona Ryder.
Ryder made headlines as she was taken away by an ambulance after a mysterious illness she contracted on the airplane earlier this month. Why does narcotic overdose come to my suspicious mind?
Ryder was loaned a Bulgari bracelet and ring, which she wore to a Marie Claire event. Reportedly there are inconsistencies with Ryder’s explanation of just how the cool jewels went hot.
Why do I think a drug screen test may help get to the bottom of this caper? Ryder’s past indiscretions got her yanked her off that A List and brought a lot of pain to people close to her.
For those who'd rather forget, Ryder got a run through the criminal justice wringer after she was popped for the possession of thousands of dollars worth of purloined clothing as she left Saks Fifth Avenue in Beverly Hills in 2001.
I’m pissed off because I recognized Ryder’s beauty and talent and thought there was no limit in her future. I was hoping to see a comeback for Ryder from Abyss like Robert Downey, Jr. made. Of course Downey is always just one slip up away from Hell like all addicts.
I hope my suspicions are wrong and Ryder has not taken yet another wrong desperate turn.
Los Angeles, CA--We have just seen a disaster unfold in Mumbai, India where gunmen took over the most expensive and popular hotels in town. We don’t know where the death toll will end in this protracted terror event.
In America we have disarmed virtually all of the hotel security people long ago. The very people that know the facilities, guests and trusted employees have to run away and call 911. They are people with marginal security training and zero firearms experience.
Restaurants are the softest targets since security is nearly unheard of. It’s time for every soft target business that hosts crowds of people to rethink their internal security while they have a chance.
American malls are perfect terror targets since they never have armed security and host big crowds especially this time of year. Any small group of committed gunmen could turn a mall like L.A. Beverly Center to a killing field with a few guns and some gasoline. The police would be afraid to enter the malls during a terror event for fear of making matters worse.
The resistance to attack must begin with an armed trained security force stopping the progression of that kind of an attack. These are the golden moments when terrorists may turn and run rather than continue. The odds against success are greatly reduced for terrorists with real resistance.
The second line of defense, are the cops. The police don’t know the layout or anything about the thing the employees and the architectural secrets. The cops have to deal with the threats while blindfolded. They don’t know the bell captain from a suicidal gunman.
All the opportunities to stop these events are in the first moments. Later with no resistance the damage and death toll rises with every tick of the clock.
The only real answer is hiring well trained and experienced armed security people who are licensed for that kind of work.
The communications between police and even the best trained security department is non-existent. Police and security radios are never compatible.
There is a quick fix and that’s for every licensed security company to obtain a special police emergency channel that could be also used by police responding to these special soft target venues.
This kind of reform will never happen unless and until lots of American blood is spilled at these easy terror American targets.
We can expect unarmed minimum wage security people searching patrons at entrances airport style long before the make reforms. Any American business that thinks their customers will submit to the frisking like sheep need to be ready to file bankruptcy.
Of course terrorists would have a difficult time to stop their hysterical laughing as they force their way at gunpoint past the frisking stations.
INDIA'S MAHATMA GANDHI said, "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
Mumbai, India—The toll for deaths and injuries include too many cops and members of the military. Days after the siege ends we will be able to learn the numbers. They suffered while protecting Americans and others from suicide gunmen on a murder and kidnapping orgy.
I always take a little time on my India vacations to talk to those coppers I run into along the way. Most of them speak some English. They are some classy guys for sure. I’ve been fortunate to have never seen them deal with violence but have observed them in action with highway accidents, and some training exercises. India is a peaceful country.
Most of the local cops aren’t all that well regarded like some of the elite military units but the great personal sacrifices in Mumbai speak for themselves. These guys are heroes. For the dead I mourn and for the injured I wish them all a speedy recovery.
As for India, It’s still a great place to visit with so much to see and do. Don’t let this event stop you form from the incredible and beautiful Indian experience.
If you click on the picture below you can order up a slideshow.
Washington, DC—A move that will forever change the United States is on the way. Already rejected it’s coming back and will hit us in the face.
Barack Obama and John McCain will ramrod a total amnesty bill through the Bolshevik controlled Congress. The reason is to bring millions of the freeloading uneducated foreign poor to guarantee popular support of their Marxist agendas.
Americans will be too busy with their Ipods and new low paying, make work government jobs they won’t even notice. Our economy based on printed money backed by nothing will continue for a while.
All of our social programs will soon collapse under the weight and total Communism will be the offered cure. Of course that never worked anywhere else and will fail here too. Somewhere Americans must stand up for their rights and freedom from this kind of slavery. The timing is poor for a resistance and they know it. If Obama can’t get American police and military, yes military to put it down he will invite the UN and their Communist contributors to send in troops.
With any luck Obama and his henchmen won’t have to stand for re-election. Think of the money elections cost anyway?
If any of us don’t like this idea our only choice will be to put some sugar on it before they shove it down our throats.
Mumbai, India—The old City of Bombay is India’s prolific Bollywood. Wealthy Indian movie stars, producers and directors are even more plentiful here than they are in Hollywood. Today’s India is a place of tranquility, prosperity and sheer beauty. Busy Western style shopping malls are everywhere.
I visit India whenever time, weather and money permits me to do so. It’s healing, restful and fun. The people here are kind, gentle and generally treat Americans better than their own. This old Gringo has always gotten star treatment even as I tooled around on a Royal Enfield motorcycle.
Today’s India has made vast strides in the last couple of decades to modernization and showcasing their financial success. The level of education here exceeds what we have in places like Chicago and Los Angeles.
American restaurant chains like TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, Pizza Hut are everywhere. The level of cleanliness in these Indian staffed places, are cleaner than what we’d expect in any large American city.
The medical facilities in India are on a par with our own hospitals. Americans flock here for needed surgery and dental work. The savings are substantial perhaps because of our own medical industry is beset with fraud and paying for all of Mexico’s needs through our lack of immigration enforcement.
What’s been going on in Mumbai during the last 24 hours is a dark and unusual aberration. The only usual so-called hot spot is in the Northeast Punjab area on the Pakistan border where tensions may rise to the level of firing a few shots now and then. Americans are never the targets.
The local city cops are generally laid back. Up to five officers will share a single six-shot American made Ruger revolver with little in the way of reserve ammunition. They are like cops here, committed to keep their cities and visitors safe.
Some police and the military are armed with the venerable FNFAL battle rifle that fires the substantial 3.08 round. We will have to wait and see the present crisis unfold and learn what beef the cowardly terrorists have with American and British tourists. I’m sure the brave Indian police and military members will round up the suspects and things will return to normal.
I offer my condolences to anyone who has been touched by this bizarre siege.
INDIA'S MAHATMA GANDHI said, "Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the act depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest."
Phoenix, AZ—It was 21 years ago in October when I had to do the unthinkable. I had to use deadly force to survive an encounter with a drunk armed with a .45 ACP Colt Gold Cup.
The shooting took place outside in nearly total darkness. I was pistol whipped in the head with the big semi-automatic pistol. I reacted quickly pulling this Smith & Wesson .38 Model 649 Bodyguard. I fired five shots at my attacker critically wounding him and stopping the attack cold. The ammunition I used was Winchester Silvertip hollow-point, plus P.
The stopping power of this little gun was anything but impressive. My assailant remained standing and never dropped his gun in my presence.
The grips were of my own design. I submitted a proto-type to a dear friend in the gun grip business. The Secret Service grip, manufactured by Eagle Grips of Carol Stream, IL was born.
It was an amazing feeling to be able to reach and put my hand on these grips during a terrifying event. My fingers rested in the finger groves and the little gun filled my hand.
Okay I must say such a small gun in hindsight was a crappy idea for self-defense. When the chips are down you want nothing less than a fully loaded, HK/ Benelli .12 gauge convertible M3 Super 90 shotgun.
The fact of the matter was, I was able to flawlessly draw and fire the little Bodyguard with full confidence I could hit the looming attacker and did so with every one of the five shots. I’m alive today as a result.
The grips pictured are nearly impossible to obtain. For one, they are made of Sambar stag and have been banned from export in India except for a verry limited new period. The second reason is that this kind of stag is almost never large enough to make a Secret Service style grip.
Eagle does make the Secret Service grip in Ebonywood, Rosewood and the exquisite Buffalo horn. They are made for virtually every revolver and can be found on the Eagle Grips website.
From the day the Secret Service grips hit the marketplace they have been copied by everyone. I’d avoid getting those rubber knockoff s since the rubber grabs clothing and your concealed revolver will print through your clothing.
Watch that impressive shotgun I talked about in action.
I avoid flying for any reason because of the creation of passenger screening and its evolution into the TSA. The airlines lost $67 billion in 2007 because of people just like me that detest the Fourth Amendment violation and the governments invasion of my privacy. If I can walk, drive or take TSA free general aviation I do so. Why submit to TSA tyranny and being searched like a criminal?
Los Angeles, CA. His name was prominently first on the Century City law firm’s door, Christensen, Glaser, Fink, Jacobs, Weil & Shapiro, LLP. These lawyers are some of the biggest players in town.
You can say the bigger they are, the harder they fall and not be wrong here. A federal jury convicted Terry Christensen of conspiracy and wiretapping in connection with legal work performed on behalf of the ex-wife billionaire Kirk Kerkorian, Lisa Bonder Kerkorian.
Today a federal judge sentenced Terry Christensen, 67 to 36 months in prison and levied a quarter-million dollar fine against him in the Anthony Pellicano Wiretap case
Christensen is very lucky at his age to be free on bail pending the lengthy appeal process. We can expect no stone to remain unturned in efforts to win a reversal and new trial. The odds on winning a criminal case during an appeal are 95 to 5 against success on average.
I see a tragic end to a brilliant career because of a ruthless PI who employed illegal methods. I can’t imagine the heartbreak Christensen, his friends and family are going through right now. Disgrace and disbarment has brought a cloud over Century City and a family getting ready for the holidays.
I somehow don’t feel bad to have never made a case I’d been assigned so important as to place a client at risk for this kind of damage. I’m sure some lawyers would not hire me to work their cases because I would never allow something like what led to today’s event from happening.
Those lawyers and Hollywood high rollers that have escaped their involvement now live in fear that the crooked PI they hired may get tired of prison and testify against them.
I’m happy to say no lawyer client of mine has ever or will ever face jail, disgrace or disbarment on account on something I’ve done. I will only help my clients, and never place them in that kind of danger. I can and do win cases without unlawful methods.
Springfield, IL—After a horrible speed related ISP accident that left two innocent young women dead and Trooper Matt Mitchell seriously injured the ISP revised the chase policy.
Trooper Mitchell’s speed was determined to be 126 MPH when he lost control and collided with another car killing sisters, Jessica Uhl, 18 and Kelli Uhl, 13. The deadly accident occurred just outside of East St. Louis, IL. Mitchell is presently under indictment and awaiting trial for two counts of aggravated reckless driving.
This worst police nightmare has been a major victory for Illinois criminals. Troopers were ordered to no longer to exceed more than 20 MPH above posted limits to chase violators.
I see the future of ISP enforcement limited to rest stop areas where the troopers can enforce minor safety violations they can observe on foot as vehicles enter. Slow moving trucks will also see much more enforcement now.
Criminals will be laughing as the see the red lights in their rear view mirror disappear as they hit the gas pedal. Any argument that police will show up at the doors of these miscreants is wasted for two reasons. Addresses of vehicle registration are never current with respect to criminals and the person driving the car often is not on the vehicle title.
Ticket revenue will take a nosedive and bank robbers will reap a Bonanza as Illinois highways become the escape route of choice for the FBI’s recent forecast of increased bank robberies because of hard economic times.
Most troopers work in one man cars and with the new limits on speed will be much more careful to avoid stopping dangerous looking violators. All calls for officers needing help will be answered by slow moving responders worrying about their job security.
NBC, ABC and CBS are all in trouble without Barack Obama’s hundreds of millions for campaign ads. Their future is dim. American advertisers are stingy with their money and have gone to the Internet with the customer base leaving TV in the dirt. I somehow have little pity for these media giants. They have been poor trustees of the information as they broadcast Liberal propaganda they have disguised as news for decades.
The wonderful mini-series and movies of the week of days gone by were replaced by cheaper reality trash. Perhaps it’s time for their bankruptcies but the new Marxist American government will never let new media companies develop replacement products. The Marxists know they can keep editorial control with bailouts so you can count on that with lots of new public service announcements to set the tone of political correctness under the controlling Bolsheviks.
Evolution and the American way would suggest that new media companies rise from the ashes of losers.
Chicago, IL—This is the first of three regional areas where I had exposure to criminal trials. I have worked in state and federal courts in Illinois, Arizona and California for 40 years. At lot of that time was while working for TV news organization clients. Illinois prohibits cameras. Arizona and California allow for fairly liberal camera coverage. All federal courts are closed to cameras.
Yes, I was a cop, but when I moved on to a second career and opened my private investigation practice I was soon recruited to do freelance investigative TV news producing. Cameras are forbidden in all of Illinois local courts. I wondered why for a long time but now I understand the reality.
It’s not the cameras that create the problems since they are objective and have a perfect memory. All things considered equal what could be fairer than a live video camera? Just what’s the problem then I asked myself?
When cameras are allowed in the courtrooms they come with news reporters. The nature of the news business is to report the most salacious and shocking news of the day. Criminal trials are loaded with witnesses giving testimony and it’s the most outrageous and damning witnesses that provide the best TV. Witnesses with less than explosive testimony are usually ignored.
Witnesses broadcast on TV take on an air of authority and truthfulness just because their testimony was worthy making the air. It’s no different than how politicians like Hitler and Roosevelt used radio to sell the masses on really bad public policy. If people heard it on the radio they always believed it.
I have learned over the decades how nearly every trial has people testifying everyway but truthfully. The more outrageous the witness the more newsworthy he or she becomes. The reporters gathering and broadcasting those sound bites wind up affecting public opinion and that pollutes and influences the jury. If the jury is not watching the news, and they do, their family and friends put their own feelings into the mix.
The sensational sound bites of the trials are replayed and reinforce the position of whoever put the witness on the stand. Nearly always it the prosecution witnesses that are the ones deemed newsworthy.
Next are the failed lawyers who have become news commentators like Nancy Grace. The trial commentators fire up their loyal audience members like lynch mobs. Has anyone ever seen Grace suggest a person of interest or a suspect may be innocent? The venom and hate she and others like her direct at criminal defendants, interfere with fundamental fairness trials are supposed to provide.
Of course news media outlets want more than access to the courts. They want and need pictures and video. As a result a huge number of newsworthy trials get no coverage other than simple reports that trials have begun or ended with any verdicts. Is that really so bad? Remember the public is always invited to sit in the courtrooms during trials. Today my take on this is that when cameras are forbidden in the courts justice wins.
Los Angeles, CA.—Every month thousands of offenders are let out of California’s jails and prisons. For the sex offenders they are fitted with GPS tracking gizmos that allow parole agents to track them if they’re wearing them as they are supposed to do. If the devices are tampered with the agents get and alarm so they know their parolee is on the loose.
It’s a system also used by courts to keep track of certain people accused of but not yet convicted of crimes under bail agreements. The equipment gets better and cheaper every day. When will it become simple enough to use on every American? Like it or not that day is coming along with other technology advances we many not enjoy.
Government will find ways to expand the use of this material to other classifications of people. I’m sure there are those that want government to track every gun owner. Personally I’d like to see these devices used on elected officials and high level bureaucrats before they are used on all of us.
Americans are too ignorant to fight privacy invasions. A trip to any airport or courthouse will show Americans lined up like sheep to forfeit their privacy in the name of, pretend security.
We once had a Fourth Amendment that prevented unreasonable searches absent Probable Cause of wrongdoing. Americans will accept anything politicians call necessary for public safety. Hitler is a fine example of a politician who led a government to monitor the citizens. Imagine Adolph Hitler, Josef Stalin or Barack Obama and the mischief they could get into with the tools of today and tomorrow.
Chicago, IL—The names of the units have changed over the decades. The heavy duty cops sent to combat street gangs are always offered as sacrificial lambs for slaughter. The cops in these units do their jobs and politicians, the African--American reverends and the media come down on them like a lead balloon. The unit members get punished and the units get disbanded. It’s the Chicago police merry-go-round going and coming around again.
Superintendent Jody "J-Fed" Weis has announced how his new 400 officer gang unit will bring peace to Chicago’s streets. It’s that old broken record playing again. It's another phony PR move to fool the public that always seems to work so why bother with something new?
If Chicago wants to end the gang’s constant robbery, extortion, kidnapping and murder they need more than another new gang unit. They need help from law-abiding citizens with the right to protect themselves and their families. Yes folks, that means lawfully keeping and carrying firearms.
The media has to end its practice of putting anyone and everyone on TV before there is even an investigation of a police shooting. They should get and hold those interviews until there is at least a shred of credibility to brutality allegations. The current kind of journalism is incendiary and just invites more grandstanding for those media gadflies that manipulate reporters into giving them more TV face time.
The politicians need to decide if they want peace and prosperity on their streets or gang rule. They have to change their ways.
Today’s cops have been getting smarter and better organized through Internet communication to stay in the bunkers as they de-police. That beats being run through the ringer of police hate, getting humiliated and striped of their stars, powers and guns. Police officers fear their city’s administration much more than armed and dangerous criminals. Cops have families to worry about and taking risks to do their job endangers the very food on their tables.
Being the crime clean-up crew after the fact is much safer than what we used to call aggressive and preventive patrol. A cop can manage to stay busy for his entire shift avoiding all confrontation with criminals. Officers can go to the service calls and write reports that can be sold later as novels. Cops can go out of their way to help seniors crossing streets.
It’s time to hear more radio traffic like this: 1224- to CC: “Hold me down with a senior who seems to be having a little difficulty. I’m going to check his welfare.” CC to 1224: “10-4.” Twenty minutes later… 1224 to CC: “Squad put me back up the poor guy was just a little confused.” CC to 1224: “10-4.”
At the end of the day our good officer at check off roll call turns in a half-dozen contact cards on nobody under 75 years-old.
There has to be a new approach. Repackaged old failures with new faces are an insult to the men and women of the Chicago Police Department that once vowed to put their very lives on the line for public safety.
Here’s a seven step plan!
1. Prosecute any and all people who make false complaints against cops. 2. Bring gun-rights back to Chicago with concealed carry for the law abiding. 3. Create a new plan for media relations to avoid spreading inflammatory misinformation. 4. Provide cops with a proper employment contract and honor it. 5. Return to civil Service testing for promotions of officers. 6. Only strip officers after hearings and sustained violations unless there is probable cause to arrest or indict them. 7. The officers of the department need to keep a sharp appearance to command respect.
Okay those things will never fly with Chicago’s miserable politicians so let’s just give Chicago's taxpayers, oops I mean residents more of the same. Daley and his wrecking crew drove out most of the taxpayers.
On one hot August night a bunch of young would be adventurers raided the living quarters of the Wat Promkunaram temple of Waddell just West of Phoenix.
The temple exists because so many of the Viet Nam Era servicemen at nearby Luke Air Force Base brought home wives from Thailand that were Buddhists and needed a place to worship.
The Temple and attached living quarters became a bloody scene of a seemingly senseless mass murder and robbery. Nine people were found slaughtered including six monks, a nun and two helpers by a temple housekeeper.
I was dispatched there by the news director of the local CBS affiliate to investigate as a field producer. I was with reporter Bart Graves and photographer George Schram.
Graves noticed strange behavior exhibited by two Amerasian older teens. Jerry Hastings and Matthew Miller who were alone but near perhaps 50 onlookers from the area. The lads were trying hard to find out what Sheriff’s investigators were saying. Their own brother Michael Miller was one of the murdered temple helpers.
There were nearly 100 press people, live trucks, satellite trucks and cameras were rolling. Schram somewhat surreptitiously, shot video of the two and I intently watched the tape of two nervous and fidgeting boys whispering to each other inside the live truck.
I took that observation football and ran with it. Later that night I went to the home of those two teens in search of interviews. It was dark as I quietly approached the home of a retired Air Force serviceman and his wife.
I could hear a man’s voice. He was yelling at someone. I could hear, “What were you guys thinking?! Don’t you know they will put you in the gas chamber for that?!” That got my attention and I continued to eavesdrop. I heard the words, “Dad, it just happened!” Soon the voices were lowered and I could no longer hear what they were saying.
I knocked on the door and I told a very angry, Steve Miller that I was hoping to talk to him and perhaps his family members. Miller said, ”We’re all grieving here and have no comment!” He slammed the door in my face.
I suddenly knew who was involved in the killings right then and there. I did not know nearly enough but I Knew more than any other law enforcement investigator.
Sheriff Tom Agnos had no idea the investigation handled by his officers would become a major train wreck. His men went out like wild Indians kidnapping and abusing anyone and everyone except the killers.
Through my own investigation I soon learned that there was reliable information that some monks were believed to be dealing in large amounts of heroin imported from their homeland. The killers were for the most part insiders who expected to find suitcases of cash and drugs. I verified the information from DEA sources, court records and many interviews.
Before it was over taxpayers paid millions for the horrible investigation and many millions more to settle the lawsuits. Four innocent lads from Tucson were arrested and later confessed but were freed after many months of sheer Hell. Eventually Sheriff Agnos put a gun to his head and took his own life. I can’t be sure but the massive mess that brought about his political defeat may have been part of the depression he was suffering.
Eventually the only major break came from Air Force Security police that stopped a couple of boys with the murder weapons in their car. This was no resolution by a long-shot. The weapons languished in storage and went untested for months. Finally firearms examiner Bill Morris determined the guns picked up on the base were the murder weapons.
That took police to their second set of suspects Rolando Caratachea, Alessandro Garcia and Jonathan Doody. Garcia not only confessed to the massacre he offered himself up in an unrelated earlier murder he committed of a legal secretary who went camping alone.
17 year-old, Jonathan Doody was relentlessly sweated by police until he gave them what they wanted to hear. Personally I never believed Doody’s confession. Doody was not “cool” enough to be accepted by the others.
Since the Sheriff's department was so incredibly effective in getting phony confessions in that particular case any confession was nearly meaningless. Doody was convicted at a trial based on the confession and given 281 years beating the death penalty only because of his age.
Famed lawyer, Alan Dershowitz took up the appeal of Doody. Doody or his stepfather had little in the way of funds for a big gun like Dershowitz so I have to assume it was done pro-bono.
When Dershowitz and his lower profile brother and law partner came to town I had lunch with them, temple officials and Doody’s stepfather. I knew Dershowitz had an uphill battle that would take a years or even decades.
The decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals involving Doody’s confession has overturned the murder convictions of Johnathan Doody. He will be freed unless he is retried or the government successfully appeals. Without the confession there’s just no case.
I remain convinced that at least three others involved in this horrible crime escaped justice. I’ve always been satisfied with Garcia’s arrest and guilty plea was just and proper.
As for Jonathan Doody, I have always doubted his part in this since the others involved did not like him. Doody should be freed and somehow salvage the rest of his life. I don’t anticipate prosecutors having success in keeping this product of one of the worst police investigations in American history validated.
Joliet, IL—For the Will County State’s Attorney it was a failure to hand over simple discovery material to the defense. As a result today Judge Richard Schoenstedt dismissed the case against retired Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson.
Refusal to turn over discovery material for either side of a criminal case brings sanctions. For the defense, a failure to disclose would bar witnesses and evidence from being presented. For the prosecution, the extreme sanction of dismissal is rare and only applied in the most egregious of circumstances.
It’s obvious at least to me that the discovery material prosecutors had to turn over is a major embarrassment. The involvement of unreliable and untrustworthy Police informants Len Wawczak and his wife Paula Stark in the mix along with neighbor Sharon Bychowski has created a strange sort of circus. Never ending antics and truckloads of phony information and red herrings by this group got way out-of-control. The taxpayer funds handed over to that bunch would be published everywhere.
In the Peterson saga there is no magic, nor was there ever a weapons violation or murder case. There was only a try anything and everything effort to get Drew Peterson.
Prosecutors blamed their failure to even win an indictment against Peterson on the failure of the law to allow hearsay evidence to be used against Peterson. The likelihood of getting that kind of un-American law through the Illinois legislative process was deemed impossible. Now they have the new law subject to a Constitutional test and it’s not really going to change one basic and persistent problem, no evidence of a crime.
The only thing left for the Illinois State Police and the Will County State’s Attorney is to wait for credible evidence to surface. Until then the harassment of Drew Peterson and his children should end. Dismissal Court Order[1]
St. Johns, AZ—We now know that the two inquisitors of that eight year-old boy Were Apache County Sheriff's Commander, Matrese Avila and St. Johns Police Detective Debbie Neckel.
Did they follow their police training and have concern for the child’s rights? It does seem to show that they took no steps to see that the boy’s rights were protected. Maybe I along with a pile of experts am dead wrong!
It is unheard of to see an eight year old prosecuted as an adult or juvenile for murder. If an investigation reveals that a small child does in fact kill someone that case is cleared. In law enforcement and crime reporting circles it’s “Cleared Exceptionally.” That means, there is nobody to prosecute such as when a suspect is killed before he can be arrested.
The most likely scenario was that the two investigators began the interview with the young witness they soon knew he became their potential suspect but went on with the interview with no concerns about self-incrimination. They continued because of the reality that nobody would file a murder case on him in a million years. What was happening was a simple inquiry to learn what actually happened. I cannot condemn the investigators under those circumstances.
Soon, between the St. Johns Police Chief and the Apache County Attorney’s office a juvenile case was filed for murder anyway. One thing for sure is that so called confession will never see a courtroom. In addition if the case ever went to a juvenile courtroom there would never be a jury so releasing the video has no effect on pre-trial publicity. This case will never survive without evidence and that is already gone
Los Angeles, CA—The LAPD today released a video and composite drawing of the man they believe stabbed Pamela Fayed to death in a Century City parking structure on September 15, 2008. The victim’s husband James Michael Fayed is awaiting trial for his roll of arranging for this killing.
As you can see in the video there is an additional suspect sitting in the car's passenger seat that was rented with James Fayed's credit card.
Here is the information LAPD released this morning: Los Angeles: Detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying an individual depicted in a surveillance video and composite drawing. On July 28, 2008, at 6:30 p.m., Pamela Fayed, a resident of Ventura County, was murdered in a parking structure at 1875 Century Park East. On September 15, 2008, Robbery Homicide Division detectives obtained a warrant and criminal filing for James Fayed for the murder of Pamela Fayed. James Fayed appeared in court on a Federal matter where he was arrested.
The detectives believe that the person depicted on the surveillance tape may be an additional suspect involved in the murder. It is believed the individual may frequent the Cities of Oxnard and Ventura in Ventura County.
Anyone who has information is urged to contact Robbery-Homicide Detectives Salaam Abdul or Louis Zorrilla at 213-485-2135. After hours or on weekends, calls may be directed to a 24-hour, toll-free number at 1-877-LAPD-24-7 or by texting CRIMES (274637) and beginning the message with the letters LAPD. Tipsters may also submit information on the LAPD website www.lapdonline.org. Tipsters may remain anonymous.
Note: The LAPD posted the security camera video that I placed right here from the parking garage and later the LAPD yanked it. I suspect they don't like the fact that we noticed another passenger in the car indicating there are additional suspects.
Chicago, IL—On December 1, 1958 I was a fifth grader at Hyde Park’s St. Thomas Apostle. One of my mother’s boyfriends was buying me a bicycle as an early Christmas present. The old black & white TV was on at the Ace Bicycle Shop on 55th Street. At the time we lived in an apartment on Hyde Park Blvd just East of Dorchester.
The gray haired shop owner was really upset. There had been an inferno at Our Lady Of Angles School. The police and firemen being interviewed were all crying and the pictures were graphic and awful. An army of first responders were all carrying dead children in their arms. Before it was over 92 children and three Catholic nuns were dead. Scores of other were injured.
I think I really learned that I was only a mortal that day. Even kids my age could die. Before then this notion was unthinkable. I think every kid in Chicago got extra hugs that day.
The horrible fire was not unnoticed at St. Thomas. The nuns began working with firemen holding fire drills and steps were taken so this would never happen at my school.
Fire and police officials investigated that fire for years after. Arson was suspected in the beginning and later all but ruled out as the cause.
I don’t think those Chicagoans alive back then would ever forget that terrible day. If there is a good side it’s that extraordinary steps were taken with building codes and such. Perhaps as a result all children are safer today.
I know Chicago still grieves over the day Chicago lost so many angels.
