Happy Saint Paddy’s Day To You All!

Cornelius O’Mooney and Crimefile wish all our readers a great day anyway!

There was no place like Chicago to celebrate this wonderful holiday! Well at one time it was a “take it anyway” holiday in that everything would shut down early in the day. I mean everything! The parade would begin at my old residence, Marina City and cross the river Southbound on State Street. The green beer was everywhere. The wonderful corned Beef and cabbage was worth waiting all year to enjoy. The best part for me was that ALL the women let their hair down along with their unmentionables and a good time was had by all!

Then came those “other” mayors. State Street was shut down for a huge ridiculously expensive failed mall project built by those contractors who know how to fund Democratic political campaigns. A decade later the mall was again turned back into a ridiculously expensive street by, you guessed it, those contractors who know how to fund Democratic political campaigns.

The parade was moved to some Saturday by the pagans who hate our Saint Patrick and Chicago will never been the same.

A question… Why did they call police prisoner wagons, Paddy Wagons?

Here's a video for you!

Okay, Crimefile Was Absolutely Right!

Just like this clock, Crimefile is right twice every day. In January cops everywhere were worried about the spread of the ACLU, Catch A Cop On Camera program. If you’ve not read that story, read it now!

In Richmond, VA they were livin’ large and doin’ it hard all on tape! Are we clairvoyant or what? Are these videotapes going to Sundance I wonder? I want distribution rights please…

This is the way to make stand-up!

This is the way to make stand-up!

For my friends who don’t work in TV news a stand-up is that portion of a news reporter’s story where he or she gets some face time. You really want to make your stand-up memorable when ever you can within the bounds of decency and decorum.

This lad was reporting in Afganistan. He wins the Prize for being a reporter/photographer with more balls than brains. Okay, this report was spectacular, informative and gut wrenching.

I’m glad he survived; he’s earned a place in broadcast television and Internet vloging.

View the video HERE!

Macho Talk May Return To Haunt You Officer!

Most cops have been with a small group friends, perhaps had a beer or two and suggested clever ways to help with population control. You may have made some silly remarks about dispatching criminals like mad dogs and such to a girlfriend. Of course most copper’s relationships with women were not made in heaven and far too many of us have left a few scorned women along the way. (For some reason this only seems to happen with male LEO’s)

Then one day you are in a life-threatening situation, shots are fired and the facts become a swearing contest in some courtroom. That after some prosecutor yields to relentless demands that you be charged with a crime. You find yourself fighting for your life again, this time in a defendant's chair. You may find yourself outnumbered in court because the jerk you shot has a dozen family members or “BOYZ FROM THE HOOD” that will lie under oath and say they saw you murder that suspect.

Your lawyer will soon hand you witness lists filed by the prosecutor with names you’d expect to see. Just maybe you’ll see some names on that list you’ll wish never heard those macho comments you made in jest. Should you hear those words repeated to a jury their verdict may not be a good one.

Deputy Ivory Webb Shooting Report Released To The Media…

There’s an article in the L.A. Times this morning that provides details from the San Bernardino County sheriff's report of the January 29 shooting of a vacationing Air Force Security policeman by Deputy Ivory J. Webb Jr. Statements attributed to Webb are in direct conflict with what the video seems to show.

I don’t think anyone involved in a violent chase and shooting is capable of accurately describing such a traumatic event immediately afterwards.

Every American except cops have a right not to make statements involving the circumstances of a police investigation under the Fifth Amendment protection against forced self-incrimination. Cops have a special requirement to cooperate in such investigations or lose their jobs. It would have been a lot better for Webb if he were allowed to get nights sleep and consult with an attorney and have him present during such cooperation or not cooperate at all like any other citizen.

This case is going to hinge on intent and Deputy Webb’s state of mind. The event is now going to be second-guessed by a criminal court jury and again by a civil court jury.

Anyone with information on this case should contact Webb's defense attorney:
Michael David Schwartz, Esquire
Silver Hadden & Silver
1428 2nd St
Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone Number (310) 393-1486
Fax Number (310) 395-5801

Running from the cops is not always a good idea.

No I don’t know the story connected with the video below. This obviously did not happen in the USA. This young man thought he could do what I’m sure he’s seen others do in the movies. Don’t believe a man can fly like superman. Fleeing from police is a really bad idea sometimes.

The cell on the right looks like a better place to be than what this mope chose.

Enjoy the video!

Can You Say No Chance In Hell?

Robert F. Kennedy's convicted assassin, Sirhan Sirhan, comes up for parole again this week. He’s been in a cage since 1968.

Can you imagine a parole happening in a state where the Governor is married into the Kennedy family? Even if Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is taken out of the chain because of the obvious conflict our assassin won’t be making traveling plans any time this century.

If the Liberal Robert F. Kennedy was contacted wherever he is he’d surely agree to let Sirhan Sirhan out of the jug.

Gun vs. Knife

So you think because you carry and know how to use a gun that you will be able to protect yourself from a knife or cutting instrument attack with ease?

For those people that think guns are more dangerous than knives, think again. More than 60% of all people shot with firearms even multiple times survive the attack. Cutting and stabbing victims don’t do nearly as well. Bullet wounds self-seal because of the elastic nature of human tissue. Knife cuts lay open and bleed profusely as the veins and arteries are opened wide.

Then there are those laughably ignorant people (too many are politicians) who want cops or civilians confronted by knife wielding criminals to either shoot the knife out of someone’s hand or just shoot to wound. You’re about to see that such an effort will get you killed.

Watch this video and you will see the knife can easily beat a gun in any contest.

Bring back the CPD policewoman uniform please!

The late Ann Leybourne Biebel, seen here was a fine example of an officer that did great work in both uniforms. I admit I had a difficult time adjusting to this petite and feminine woman’s change to wearing pants, and replacing her cute little beret with the O.W. Wilson, checkerboard hat.

There was a time when men were men and women were women. That’s all changed now and I was sorry to see that concept go away. Women were belatedly integrated with men for regular police work. I have no problem with this other than for too many women a loss of their femininity. Women have proven themselves up to the task for the most part.

Not all female officers are in patrol. Many work desk duties, or are involved with academy training. These gals don’t need to cross-dress as men to perform their duties like what’s required in patrol.

I say it’s time to bring back those policewomen uniforms for those ladies who are assigned to wear uniforms outside of patrol.

Roseanne Fitzgerald, Cindy Kane, Sue Luther and Marie Murphy are some of the ladies pictured here.

16 Blocks—The Official Crimefile Movie Review…

I’m blessed to have a wonderful voice coach. She’s the world-class soprano and Emmy Award winning, Sue Ann Pinner. Sue Ann enjoys cop themed films and told me that 16 Blocks is a must see film. I wisely took Sue Ann’s advice.

I’m not sure how it happens but I never saw a Bruce Willis film I didn’t like. Willis nearly always plays the unlikely hero of a heavy action film with an improbable script that he somehow makes believable. Willis predictably didn’t disappoint me. The film also stars two fine actors, Mos Def, and David Morse. I have to confess as a SAG actor, I’d die and go to heaven for a part in any Willis film. (Hey Bruce! Did you hear that!)

Willis plays aging and alcoholic cop who gets assigned the task of escorting a motor-mouth witness (Def) from a jail cell to a Grand Jury. The witness turns out to be involved in a nasty corruption case and nearly everyone wants him (the witness) dead. It’s a long 16 blocks to the courthouse. I give 16 Blocks 16 thumbs up!

See the trailer…

Cops moonlighting as private eyes…

There’s been some recent controversy about cops working as private investigators. All because a couple of cops were giving criminal history and motor vehicle information to a disgraced former Hollywood private investigator, and convicted felon, Anthony Pellicano.

I argue that most of the National Crime Information Center’s records should be made public and placed on the Internet for all to see. Certainly the records involving the criminal conviction and stolen property databases can be opened. The truth here is politicians and bureaucrats that make the NCIC policy and I have never agreed on much of anything. They’ve managed to maintain a secret government just like the old Soviet Union’s KGB. It’s an expensive pain in the butt but we private eyes can still get subpoenas to get the NCIC protected information.

The silly “Maxwell Smart” NCIC policy opens the door to corruption as some clerks, data processors and law enforcement personnel have turned the policy into a cottage industry. Modern safeguards have ended most of the abuses.

Most private eyes view having cops in the business is unfair competition. The PI’s that complain the most have no law enforcement training or experience and are generally lousy investigators. I disagree with that because I view experience and training of cops as a real asset. It’s wrong to assume that cops will abuse their NCIC peeking privileges if they work for as a PI.

These days, there are solid safeguards in place to discover record snooping by cops in material that’s not germane to their ongoing law enforcement work. If in doubt simply ask the two “Pellicano” cops facing being fired, losing pension rights, disgrace and prison.

The only conflict I see is moonlighting cops doing criminal defense work. Bodyguard, civil case investigations and insurance fraud matters should be wide open for off duty officers.

The LAPD is now reviewing their off-duty police employment rules. I expect, as usual they will do the wrong thing.

“Fatal Vision” Prosecution And Conviction Never Made Sense…

A new trial is on the horizon for Dr. Jeffrey McDonald. I never believed for a moment that the physician, Army Green Beret, husband and father, Jeffrey McDonald killed his wife and two daughters back in 1970. Dr. McDonald did everything right in his life to achieve his wonderful success as an Army surgeon. Murder just does not fit into that picture.

The suggestion that Dr. McDonald strayed from his marriage as all too many young men do, caused him to murder his 26 year-old wife and daughters, ages six and two is beyond weak.

There never was a motive presented that made sense. The case was re-opened years later after Army investigators suspended it for lack of evidence or a tangible suspect. The catalyst for re-opening the case was McDonald's now deceased father-in-law. He went from supporting McDonald to condemning him to every politician, reporter or bureaucrat that he could get to listen.

There is now word of new DNA evidence that gives doubt of McDonald's guilt. You'd never guess from the slanted story ABC put on today's wires. That article talks about a hair from McDonald found in Colette MacDonald's hand. My God! McDonald lived there and his hair would be found everywhere! That's totally meaningless. What's not meaningless is the testing of another hair, under the fingernail of Jeffrey MacDonald's youngest daughter, showed that it came from an unidentified person, someone who did not live in the household.

The resources of the Army to investigate that case in 1970 were primitive at best. When the FBI came along whatever evidence they did have was made unreliable by the Army CID. This became a whodunit where a jury got to guess their way to a conviction.

Prosecutors have ridiculed the idea that Macdonald is innocent. Prosecutors also know that the destruction of a young, handsome rising star physician's life by injustice would cause a civil jury to give McDonald a tremendous cash payout. This in light of brand new allegations made by a deputy U.S. Marshall of witness tampering by a prosecutor during McDonald's trial.

I wish the best for McDonald who has grown old in prison and watched his skills as a physician flushed down the toilet. His life is even more tragic than that of Dr. Sam Shepard who was wrongfully convicted a little more than a decade earlier. McDonald has suffered even more than Shepard.

There is reasonable doubt and that must be the standard to acquit this man

Here is an information web page put out by the McDonald defense. You can argue that it’s self-serving but what choice does he have but to get the information out to the public?

Humane Self-Defense For Women Who Live Alone…

I came across this video that demonstrates a humane method of self-defense for women. This technique came to Crimefile from a progressive thinking Salt Lake City, Utah Company. I especially recommend this method for women who live in cities with out-of-control crime like Washington, DC. New York, Chicago, Detroit, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Sit back and learn from this short video…

Scroll down a bit and press the play button I know the screen is black…

A fun video game for my readers…

I’m not a fan of video games but I really like this one despite the fact it promotes those vile handgun magazines that hold more than ten rounds. Enjoy!

http://www.sizor.com/flash/binladen.htm

They Call This A TV News Investigation?

A friend e-mailed me this TV news story and I thought it deserved some attention on my blog. This came from Miami-Fort Lauderdale’s CBS4. It’s a typical “sweeps story” designed to boost their February ratings. I’ve seen this same story done in other TV markets and it always seems to yield the same results.

The deal is they send in some junior producer with the sneaky-cam into a police station and have him ask for a form to make a beef against a cop. Most departments simply ask what happened and forward the preliminary information to internal affairs. For these stories the producers act squirrelly and I’m sure the officers notice suspicious bulges in the producer’s clothing from the hidden camera equipment.

The truth is people with real complaints against officers are seldom afraid to complain and answer any and all questions put to them. This behavior by the producer would not seem right to any experienced officer for someone with a complaint.

The asking for a form is truly bogus since each and every department will initiate an internal investigation on the simplest of written letters. It’s the practice of nearly every police department in America for the officers to collect the information and write all reports instead of the citizens.

This story was a cheap way to hype their investigative prowess and get more viewers. I find that the story is inflammatory and misleading.

Ferrari Enzos, Guns and Do It Yourself Law Enforcement Agencies!

That probe of the Swede ex-convict, Stefan Eriksson the owner of that million-dollar Ferrari Enzo destroyed in that now infamous Malibu crash keeps going and going.

If you want to be a cop and can’t seem to get hired, simply start your own police department!

The L.A. Times has an article about the “law enforcement agency” connected to Eriksson. It’s a good read.

Update 3/9/06 Patt Morrison suggests it may have been more about looting federal funds...

Politicians, Schemes and Concealed Weapons Laws

Why haven’t the Liberal politicians figured out that only the law-abiding folks want the right to get a permit to carry a firearm for self-defense?

Criminals have never cared about gun laws and enjoy the freedom from random police searches because of the Fourth Amendment. Most folks don’t know that felons are not required to register their guns because of rights under the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. These same criminals don’t care about laws against robbery, rape or murder either.

Unfortunately, punitive laws eliminating the right to possess or carry firearms cause people to look for a back door to regain the rights politicians took away. In California the wealthy can make generous campaign contributions to Sheriff’s re-election campaigns or simply bribe various public officials for the right to carry a firearm for self-defense. Does this sound corrupt? It’s not under California law!

In Illinois, there are no permits to issue so the wealthy visit their local Sheriff or Coroner and simply get deputized again via that simple but legal form of corruption. In Illinois that also provides full police powers to anyone given a deputy’s star.

Other people desperate for a way to lawfully protect themselves and families opt for more creative ways such as forming animal control and law enforcement agencies. They do that just to get around unreasonable laws and regain the right to keep and bear arms. Again the granting of unnecessary police powers is involved.

Nearly the entire nation has adopted simple laws that allow the law-abiding to carry a concealed firearm for self-defense. Forty states have the "shall issue" permit systems and two other states; Vermont and Alaska allow carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.

It’s common knowledge that CCW permit holders have universally demonstrated good behavior. Many politicians warned us of the shootouts at every traffic accident between permit holders that never happened. Too many politicians simply hate guns and gun rights and legislate them away whenever they can.

California Concealed Weapon Permit applications are off the charts when it comes to privacy invasion and nonsense. The 20 page CCW applications are longer than what’s required of applicants seeking employment as a police officer!

Then there is that ugly issue of racism in California’s corrupt CCW permit selling program. The minority citizens are last to be issued permits.

Drive by shooting Video found in L.A. suspect’s possession…

The following video is making it rounds in the Internet. Is it a real crime or a scene from a film? So far nobody has connected this to a real crime. It looks and sounds very real to me but I’ll save my judgment until I know more…

Deputy In Videotaped Shooting To Face Felony Charges.

That January videotaped shooting of an Iraq war vet by a San Bernardino deputy Sheriff, Ivory J. Webb IV, 45 will become task for a jury to decide. Today the San Bernardino San Bernardino County District Attorney, Michael A. Ramos said today that Webb would be charged with Attempted Voluntary Manslaughter.

The videotaped shooting sparked a firestorm of controversy because Iraq war vet, Senior Airman Elio Carrion, 21 was shot three times by Webb. The grainy video seemed to show the unarmed Carrion complying with orders get up by the deputy who then fired the shots.

The confrontation happened after Carrion was a passenger in a Corvette involved in a high-speed police chase. Carrion, who is recovering from his wounds has not been implicated for any crime.

I look for this case to turn into a courtroom battle of the experts. Issues of the physical effects of a police pursuit on the officer and how the confusion during such a conflict may have negated evil intent are sure to be a large part of the defense.

There can be no doubt that police trainers everywhere will examine this case. Video cameras are everywhere quick to provide that instant replay to exonerate or implicate the players of such events.

A Rare Ending To An Armored Truck Hold-Up!

I’ve heard a lot of armored car stick-up stories and most all of them have ugly endings. Yesterday morning this crew in Long Beach, CA followed their training and foiled a deadly heist involving several offenders with shoulder weapons. No guards or bystanders were injured, no money was taken and one offender was sent to life support.

Read the story and watch the video.