Parole Nixed For Leslie Van Houten Again

The California Board of Parole has denied convicted Manson Family Killer for the sixteenth time. Van Houten has been in prison for nearly four decades after being convicted of killing Leno and Rosemary LaBianca during a horrific home invasion at their Los Feliz Home in 1969.

According to corrections spokesman Tip Kindell, the board determined that Van Houten still presents a risk to public safety.

The board heard from three perennial witnesses, two relatives of the victims and a prosecutor opposing Van Houten’s parole. For the first time at a parole hearing, Van Houten and her attorney refused to talk about the macabre details of the crime with board members. L.A lawyer, Christy Webb did most of the talking on Van Houten’s behalf.

The Board members recognized Van Houten’s exceptional progress. Instead of making her wait another two years for the next hearing the board ordered another review in 12 months with the admonishment that this does not mean she will in fact be paroled then.

The Manson Family members and Robert Kennedy’s assassin, Sirhan Sirhan are among inmates having served the longest time in a California prison. Gregory Powell is another senior inmate who's been in custody since 1963 for the kidnapping of L.A. police detectives Ian Campbell and Karl Hettinger. Powell and Jimmy Lee Smith executed Detective Campbell while Hettinger was able to escape with his life. Powell was already an established career criminal when he murdered Campbell.

Here's what KNBC-TV had to say...

Paris Hilton, from Runway Walk to Perp Walk

Dateline Hollywood --- Rich girl, model and sometime porn star, Paris Hilton normally walks really well on the runway. Last night however she did not walk so well during a session of Simon Sez she was performing for a Hollywood Division copper’s field sobriety test. Soon the officer had Hilton doing the “perp walk” in front of police booking camera. That photo when released will be the magazine cover shot Hilton won’t like. The good news for Hilton is there is no such thing as bad publicity. Of course you can always check out the video at TMZ.com.

Illinois Governor Prison Fellowship Club

I don’t know how Chicago’s Mayors never get sent to Club Fed. I’ve been hearing juicy rumors for four years that Richard M. Daley may get a vacation there soon but who knows for sure.

As for the Governors of Illinois, I’ve seen three get sentenced to the club.

Otto Kerner, who had a brilliant military career, served on important Presidential Commissions, was elected Governor, and resigned to accept a seat as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals. Kerner fell from Judgeship for corruption as Governor right into a prison cell. Kerner died a defeated man in 1976. I met Kerner’s beautiful daughter and her brother just after the old man died. These fine kids suffered tremendously as a result of Judge Kerner’s crimes.

Dan Walker, a political gadfly, and lawyer worked for Chicago’s Montgomery Wards. Walker won the Governor’s office as a Maverick, Left Wing Democrat after he walked the entire state in an unusual campaign. Walker after leaving office got caught with his hands in the cookie jar. He was indicted on a Bank Fraud and Perjury beef. Soon, Walker did the “perp walk” to the Federal Courthouse and then walked into his prison cell.

Now Governor George Ryan has joined this club with a six and one half year stretch he may be unable to survive at age 70.

For George Ryan he was sparred from being taken into custody and hauled away. Often in federal matters the judges order the hapless jailbird to report on his own like a kid going off to college. Here the judge is weighing bail pending appeal. If Ryan gets that deal he can litigate and evade prison for more years than he has left on this earth. Don’t we all hope we can get that kind of break should we betray the public trust.

How many other states can claim three Governors imprisoned within three decades?

When I think of Illinois politicians I think of the former Secretary of State Paul Powell. When he died in Springfield’s St. Nicholas Hotel they found millions of dollars stuffed in shoe boxes in a closet.

Update: the fellowship has a new member! Welcome Governor Rod Blagojevich! See the 76 page complaint here.

Gina Gallo Chicago Cop Author

Gina Gallo worked the really tough assignments in Chicago for 16 years but due to serious injuries in the line of duty she was forced into an early retirement. With a Master’s Degree Gallo was better educated than most cops and was by no means a wilting violet. Gallo could kick ass and take names with the best of them but what would you expect from a second-generation cop? During her police career Gallo, a single mom raised two fine boys who have since grown up and made their mom proud though their military service.

Incidentally, Gallo is a six-foot tall Amazon warrior and adrenalin junkie who has graduated to the ranks of accomplished writers. Gallo’s books hit the street a while back and are available through her website, but now at least one her books is in development for a film. I strongly suspect that great things will be flowing from Gallo’s red-hot computer for many years to come. Gallo has opened those Hollywood doors with a sledgehammer just like if they were at the entrance of some Chicago crack house.

Look for Gallo’s personal appearance on The News Hour with Jim Leher on PBS in the evening September 11, 2006. The show will be exploring the impact of the 9/11 attack on America five years later.

Here's where you can see this in your viewing area.

My Tribute To Steve Irwin

I videotaped a beautiful and majestic stingray while in Maui. I know that Steve Irwin loved all these critters and would never feel contempt for one that injured or killed him.

The incredible energy and enthusiasm displayed by Irwin made him a larger than life legend. Steve was a world-class showman, conservationist and teacher. Millions of children and adults have been touched by Steve Irwin’s wonderful but short life. It will be impossible to fill this icon’s shoes.

I thought Steve would like Christopher Cross', Sailing for this relaxing video.

I’m Not Fond Of George Bush

Which one you ask? They are clones of each other, Texas Liberals that think they’re conservative. Neither Bush was forthright with their promises to voters and led us into more massive government spending.

The freefall immigration agenda of George W. Bush amounts to nothing short of treason. The threat to our economy and way of life from illegal immigration is far more severe than what’s going on in those rogue Arab nations.

I was never supportive of the war in Iraq but support every last one of our soldiers. When you make war you don’t come in and try to separate the good guys from the bad. You bomb until there is only scorched earth. The Bush policy in Iraq stinks and is killing our soldiers.

The Democrats have gone so far to the land of Karl Marx that they won’t settle until we are all slaves with their tax plans. The Democrats have nothing to offer America except poverty and pain unless you’re a government contractor.

In short we are now stuck with the most worthless bunch of whack jobs, crooks and Marxists that we’ve ever had.

There is nobody I trust to run the Whitehouse currently in Government. We need to find a candidate from outside the American political scene who is loyal to the concept of the U.S. Constitution.

L.A. District Attorney Steve Cooley Is Wasting Our Money

Tomorrow at the L.A. Superior Court, Dept 108, jury selection is expected to begin in the trial of 89 year old Russell Weller for the July 16, 2003 horrific accident that killed 10 and injured 60 people at the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market. Weller's trial is not expected to begin with opening statements until after September 11, 2006

This is a case of an elderly driver suffering from the ageing process and a colossal tragedy. Weller has an otherwise unblemished record in spite of living longer then most Americans.

The trial will prove be a battle of high rent experts paid to testify about the ageing process and it’s effect on drivers.

Steve Cooley’s office is contending Weller’s mishap was no accident but the result of a violent crime without possessing any real evidence of intent.

The defense led by Mark Overland will argue that this was the case of a decent elderly man who simply thought he had his foot on the break pedal instead of the accelerator. The harder Weller pushed the faster his buick traveled. This is an all to common event for older drivers.

Can’t common sense enter somewhere in this mix to give an old man the benefit of the doubt?

I can’t help but believe this really a case of bad government using an old man’s infirmity to cover-up its own negligence by not erecting proper barriers to protect pedestrians at the Farmer’s Market.

Mr. Cooley, have a heart and quit your goofy attempt to give Mr. Weller the kind of stress that may well kill him at his age. Prosecuting Weller will not bring the dead back to life nor cure the injured.

Let's hope for a jury with more sense than Steve Cooley.

This is an early morning report on the jury selection with accident scene video from KNBC-TV.

Steve Irwin Dead tonight.

Steve Irwin, 44 was the director of the Australia Zoo in Queensland, Australia, and host of Animal Planet's series The Crocodile Hunter. He was a consummate adventurer who was every bit a great entertainer. Steve died the way he lived playing among God's creatures. A stingray somehow managed to penetrate Irwin’s heart with his stinger tail.

Irwin died with his boots on. I wish his pretty wife Terri Irwin a giant hug from all of us. We all lost someone special.

The James Bond In Me…

When I take one of my trips to India I can’t help but think of that James Bond Movie, Octapussy filmed there. The fantasy of the beautiful women, gadgets, and guns can cause an overactive imagination to run wild. Bond always gets the girl and never flies coach in a commercial aircraft. Oh well. Here from the sound track is the lovely Rita Coolidge singing that great song from Octapussy.

Is The American Al-Qaeda Convert A CIA Or Mossad Operative?

Back when young Adam Gadahn was first spotted on the media radar I conducted an extensive background investigation on the lad. I found his assault case against a leader of the Muslim Mosque in Gardenia, CA. He lived both in L.A. and his father's goat farm in rural Orange County. After September 11, 2001, Gadahn quickly gathered his Muslim credentials and moved to Pakistan and is now with the leadership of that terror group.

The most unusual thing about this fellow was his Jewish heritage. He changed from his father’s name, Pearlman to Gadahn. Adam Pearlman is not an Arab name by any stretch. After investigating his family I became convinced he was a plant. I just don’t see Al-Qaeda folks being so tolerant as to knowingly allow a Jew into their midst.

Despite the FBI officially requesting information they curiously have not listed Gadahn/Pearlman as wanted even after his videotaped propaganda statements were broadcast around the world.

I can only think of one possible reason Al-Qaeda has been so ineffective. Our government knows just what they are doing these days. Bombing Al-Qaeda leadership locations may well kill or injure the best spy the West has right now.

When Adam Pearlman Gadhan returns to the United States he’s going to have one Hell of a book to write.

Another View The War On Drugs (video)

Penn and Teller make a convincing argument for ending the Drug War.

Video Of A Rough Night For The LAPD And Chief Bratton

I found this graphic ABC News video that tells the story of the shooting of two cops from the Southeast Division in 2003. This is one more reason for my cop brothers to review their training and spend more time on the range.

Is Warren Jeffs Becoming A Martyr?

I’m no fan of polygamist churches but accept their right to exist under our First Amendment. I think they are far less troubling than too many Islamic religious sects that exist within the USA.

Warren Jeffs was put on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list because he, as a religious leader arranged marriages where teenaged girls were wedded to older men. Many folks view these marriages as cases of child molestation.

This age issue is a pure cultural thing. One could rightly suggest that God and nature decides when sex begins with the simple development of our bodies and organs rather than age. Some of our states have really young ages of consent or marriage reflecting that local culture. As I say this, I would not want my own teenaged daughter (if I had one) anywhere near some man.

I noticed one thing about Warren Jeff’s detractors. The most vocal ones are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). Jeffs and his church left the conventional Mormon Church because of religious differences involving polygamy.

The LDS church rejected polygamy long ago even though they promoted that lifestyle in the beginning of their teachings. The LDS Mormons seem to have a special contempt for Jeffs as a genuine threat to the conventional Mormon Church. I can’t help but believe that this whole Warren Jeffs mess is born out of religious persecution.

One thing for sure, this case and the battles in or out of court are far from over. The vast majority of these girls are devoted followers of Jeffs’ polygamist group, and they embrace their marriages and religious choice for their entire lives.

I don’t belong to or believe in Jeffs’ church, but except their right to exist and worship any way they please. I can’t help but ask, what is going on here? Is this a righteous law enforcement investigation and prosecution or a witch-hunt?

Punishment For Mary Lacy?

Okay, I told you so! Read my story of August 17th and look at the time of day I posted my predictions. This arrest of John Mark Karr was indeed an exercise in wasting time and tax money. I called this Mary Lacy’s Waterloo suggesting this might end her political career.

Over the decades I’ve had my battles with prosecutors. As a cop I would bemoan a refusal to prosecute a case as laziness or corruption. As a criminal defense investigator I nearly came to blows with prosecutors more than once over what I considered a political or malicious prosecution. Prosecutors are always in the hot seat because, right or wrong somebody is always mad at them.

There are also rogue and despicable prosecutors like Kenneth Jack Peasley of Tucson, Arizona. Peasley was disbarred for knowingly putting perjured testimony before a jury on a death penalty case. Peasley should have been prosecuted and imprisoned in addition to being disbarred.

Mary Lacy jumped the gun in her zeal to deal with a pedophile that confessed to killing Jonbenet Ramsey. On the 17th Lacy told the world she had not yet investigated her case but that there were exigent circumstances that caused her to drag Karr to Boulder. I can’t help but believe that she believed that Karr had victimized children in other U.S. jurisdictions and somebody would want to prosecute Karr if the Ramsey case was not solved.

Lacy had probable cause to instigate the arrest however minimal it was. As long as there is no evidence that the arrest was made to get Lacy, a politician her place in the spotlight, I will support her decision to haul the very creepy John Mark Karr before a judge.

It may be no small benefit that Karr is now known to millions of American parents and children alike. I don’t think many people will be entrusting Karr with their children.

Where are the DVDs?

There are so many TV shows that vanished from television. Fans were abandoned as TV executives made their fickle decisions to take away our shows. This show was pure eye candy that was always good for a gag. IT’S A LIVING, had a really special lady in the cast who stood out and that was the adorable little Cassie who was played by the incomparable Ann Jillian.

It’s time to print those DVDs!

What A Jewel I Have For My Audience Today!

I have had some real thrills in my life. One was playing a Muleteer in the play, Man of La Mancha in Scottsdale, Arizona and another was meeting and making a friend the playwright responsible for that Broadway hit, Dale Wasserman. About five years ago I introduced Dale to a fabulous version of the title song. Sung not by a man, but by a beautiful and amazing woman, Linda Eder. Dale is a little jaded in his old age and has heard a few billion people sing that song before. This time Dale really lit up because he never heard that song sung with so much energy before. Here is Linda Eder she will blow you away!

What’s next for John Mark Karr?

I predicted the results that has freed former Jonbenet Ramsey murder suspect, John Mark Karr. That twisted nut case was released from charges since extradition on misdemeanor cases never happens. If Karr stays out of California he will face no further punishment.

If as first reported Karr broke the law in Thailand he will never be extradited and escape any and all punishment there. In many jurisdictions Karr will not even be required to register as a sex offender for his misdemeanor convictions.

You ask if this is the end of the story now? Hardly, additional grief and aggravation is in store for our pedophile.

I fully expect greed to take over as parents start coaching their children into repressed memory nonsense as a way to go after school districts anywhere Karr has been employed. Cops will do their investigations, arrest and extradite Karr and start the circus all over again.

If this somehow all blows over, perhaps the very creepy, John Mark Karr will have a handsome book contract.

Parole Hearing For Manson Girl In September

Leslie Van Houten now aged 57 was a murdering member of the Manson Family. As a teen, she left a life of wealth and privilege to join a cult of drug freaks. They were the Manson family that left a trail of horror never seen before or since in the Los Angeles area.

The incredible grip that Manson had of total mind control over his “family” has never been satisfactorily explained to me. These women would do absolutely anything Manson desired. There were heavy drugs in the mix that spawned this murdering machine.

Van Houten helped kill Leno and Rosemary LaBianca. She was a part of the cult that also killed pregnant actress Sharon Tate and four others in hopes of starting a revolution of which they would be the only survivors. Van Houten was never known or accused to be personally involved with the Tate killings.

Van Houten was once Prom Queen material that had gone terribly wrong. Originally she was sentenced to death for her despicable acts, but that was commuted to Life with parole in 1972. She’s been a model prisoner, repentant and up for parole 15 times before. Van Houten's next trip before the parole board is set for September 7, 2006 at the women's prison in Corona, California.

While in prison, aside for renouncing Manson long ago, Van Houten has earned a Bachelor's and Master's degree. She works as a clerk in a chaplain's office and has not been the subject of a disciplinary report since 1976, for possession of marijuana (inside prison).

Van Houten later went through alcohol and drug rehab, group therapy and psychotherapy in prison. She has helped lead drug and alcohol programs for other women, including a relapse prevention program for long-time members of a mutual support group which shares experience, strength, and hope. She chairs two Friday nights per month.

Can we ever forgive the mad acts of some drug-crazed kid from nearly 40 years ago? Can she ever be redeemed and reclaimed as a human being that deserves freedom again?

Van Houten won a re-trial in the courts in 1978 and was freed on bail for a six month period of time. She never ran or garnered police attention during that period.

Call me soft or whatever you want. I say let the woman out. It’s time for her to make a contribution to our world.

Parole hearing information:
09/07/06 -VAN HOUTEN,LESLIE CDC #W13378 1:30 PM at 16756 Chino-Corona Road, Corona, CA 92878. (909) 597-1771

I found this interesting video containing prison interviews of the Manson Family by Diane Sawyer.

Update! Van Houten denied Parole!

New Policing Technique Coming To Your Department!

We all want to find the right way to do police work. Perhaps this is the answer in the new perfected police procedures coming soon to police departments everywhere!

Air Travel Torture

Are there Snakes on your plane? There really are snakes and they’re employed in airline security! These snakes are smart enough to stay off the planes and avoid the crap they force on the public.

Officials at the TSA have lost their minds. Luggage nightmares, excessive pawing and the officious attitudes by the overwhelmed and under trained TSA workers are the current standard. Add long lines and the insane confiscation of deodorant and mouthwash all creating a very objectionable and smelly experience.

Of course this is pale by comparison to the silliness that the clowns running the Airports in the UK have dreamed up. The latest threats have sent UK air travel into the Land of Oz.

There was a minor tire inflation problem on a full, Virgin Atlantic flight from Gatwick U.K. to Havana, Cuba. Passengers were held captive in their seats for seven straight hours as the plane simply sat on the tarmac. Police were finally sent in to quell the hostile passengers they feared would riot.

The economic fallout from this kind of abuse is destroying the tourism and hospitality industries. There is only so much torture people will be willing to accept. The idea of taking a vacation trip that begins in an airport will not be on my agenda, perhaps ever again. If I can’t walk, drive or boat to my destination, I will avoid it and the airport related torture.

This video is an attempt at humor but I see this as a sign of things to come.


Read about that Virgin Atlantic here.