Chicago’s Salatino’s is a Fun Place for a Tasty Italian Dinner

Chicago, IL—Having a time consuming assignment in this fine old neighborhood is not bad considering many great restaurants in the area. Taylor Street was the location of one of my all time favorites, Genero’s but that great place closed down. I became addicted to Genero’s when I was assigned to the Monroe Street District in my youth

Not to be dismayed I set out in search of some older looking; in the know neighborhood types and found a small group that might give us a recommendation. They told us to go to Salatino’s nearby at 626 S. Racine.

Getting a parking spot was not too difficult and we were seated quickly considering it was a Friday night.

We were greeted by General Manager Jimmy Psyhogios who was a friendly take charge type guy intent on making sure we had an enjoyable experience.

When I think of Italian dining there is an image of red-checkered table clothes and a candle stuck in an empty basket-bottle of Dago Red. Of course there should be the Mario Lanzi, Eddie Fisher and Al Martino music from the 1950’s and a waiter who sounds like he’s not long off the boat.

Those basket bottles have all but disappeared from the planet. The waiters have ben replaced by younger kids who have never even seen Italy except on television. As for the music, I heard none, or if there was any it was drowned out by the chatter of happy diners. But the proof was in the meal.

The decor inside this place included many large black & white period photos (1950’s) of Italian celebrities.

They brought us some of the best hot bread I’ve ever had. That was followed by some wonderful food. The portions were such that everyone gets a second meal at home later.

This night they had an unfortunate glitch with their computer system that confused our order and sent the staff into a minor panic. That did not put a damper on our enjoyment.

Salatino’s opened in December of 2010 by Jimmy Bannos and Scott Harris who also operate a Cajun joint at 111 S. Wabash called, Heaven on Seven. I think these boys got it right.

I highly recommend this place that makes my old hometown proud.

Southwest Pilot Conversation and Massive Over-reaction Fallout

Phoenix, AZ—First let me say that Gays and Grannies need love too. Those that must work also deserve comparable wages as everyone in similar skill levels. They all have worth and rate fair treatment along with genuine respect. Here someone dared suggest that Gay men and older women may be better received in occupations other than that of flight attendants.

Yes a Southwest Airlines pilot got caught on an open air traffic microphone ranting about the “New Breed” of flight attendants working for the airline. He made some unflattering remarks about the Gays and Grannies that have taken over the domain once reserved for young and friendly pretty ladies.

First of all the ousting of the Southwest Airlines eye candy is disheartening for any straight male. The law, corporate attitudes and political correctness have changed in America. Is this for the better? I don’t think so.

We are today a nation or crybabies that can’t accept anyone criticizing their culture, lifestyle, sexual preference, height, and weight or shoe size. Everyone on this earth has something considered undesirable to others and has to live with that liability. That includes ageing White, male pilots.

For anyone to be alarmed about this private conversation between pilots not intended to be heard by anyone is disturbing at least to me.

As for what the pilot misses can anyone really argue that these Southwest ladies weren’t spectacular and enjoyable to have serve them in the days when flying was fun?

I’d love to go back to those days before political correctness went wacky and people were never frisked like criminals before they could board an aircraft.

As for the pilot he simply privately called it the way he saw it. As in that great Jack Nicholson film line, “You can’t handle the truth!”

Surveillance Cameras and Law Enforcement

Chicago, IL—Surveillance cameras will be doubled for Chicago’s public transportation system. That was today’s announcement from city officials as a treatment for the rash of cell phone and IPod robberies.

The wonderful thing about surveillance cameras is not their effectiveness to reduce crime but the political contributions generated by the contractors providing them do great things for re-election campaigns.

Cameras are really not that helpful. There are thousands of images of dangerous criminals that never get identified. Video recordings are worthless in and of themselves.

Most people are unaware that a picture or video in and off itself is hearsay and therefore inadmissible as courtroom evidence without an, eyewitness and or DNA evidence. No jury will never be given the task to determine if the subject in the video is the suspect charged with a crime absent the testimony of a human at the scene.

One by one traffic photo Robocams are being removed from American streets as the cases generated are challenged in higher courts by accused violators. Local judges appointed by politicians will nearly always support the photo extortion schemes created by their political sponsors wanting to fund the fat salaries and pensions of government parasites. The higher courts are more likely to follow the Constitution rather than the desires of the politicians.

The fact is cameras protect no one or for that matter anyone’s property. People with the right to meaningful self-defense or sworn armed cops can at least stop crimes.

Try telling some young dark-skinned criminal wearing a hoodie that the cameras will single him out as the offender and you will hear his cruel laughter as he brazenly unleashes his carnage on some innocent victim.

In Chicago it’s not just the dark skinned hoodie-wearing thugs committing crimes but the politicians inventing reasons to give taxpayer’s hard earned cash to their corrupt contractor pals.

Journalism, Race and Media’s Pimping for the Government

Chicago, IL—With the nasty rash of Black on White crime in the trendy Magnificent Mile area the media has fallen down miserably on their job of reporting news.

If you’re going to responsibly inform readers, listeners and viewers you must give the, who what, where and why or you fail. The recent bold attacks by roving gangs of Africa-American thugs on White residents and tourists have been covered up by the long established mainstream media until local cop bloggers forced the issue with their own reports.

The reasons for the cover up may well be designed to keep officials from sending more aggressive cops into strike force style units to combat this very real urban terrorism. The other issue is inflaming the community into demanding a strong police presence that would offend Chicago’s Liberals. The ignorant population can't take simple steps to avoid victimization unless they are informed.

The city administration on the other hand wants these stories killed so that tourism and the related cold hard cash taxation are not affected.

The last people anyone has concerns about are the victims of this crime wave. Failure to warn the public by both the city and the press is downright criminal. The blood of these victims is on the hands of the media and the city.

The Tribune’s editor seems to think that race is not relevant unless the height, weight, eye and hair color is given to them by police. Then only when they are seeking to identify the offenders. What kind of claptrap is that? Most of the time police are lucky to get more than sex, race and the approximate age from frightened victims.

Hiding the race of criminals serves no rational purpose except to satisfy a ridicules sense of political correctness. If you are going to hide any information from the public don’t bother doing the story at all. That changes the entire concept of a free press and turns the media into government propaganda shills. Gerould W. Kern, editor of the Chicago Tribune needs to know he’s been exposed.

My personal plea to Mr.Kern is to lean how not to be like that fellow in the picture. He wrote news to satisfy his government. He was later hanged for his news slant.

The Casey Anthony Trial by Tabloid Justice

Orlando, FL—To call this case sensational is an understatement. Little Calee Anthony was reported missing by her grandmother in July of 2008.

The fact was the little girl was not missing, but in fact dead. How she got that way is still a mystery. What’s not a mystery is that the child’s mother, Casey Anthony knowingly covered up a tragic accident or worse with a complicated series of lies and peculiar behavior.

Accidental deaths are covered up all the time by those involved especially when they are ignorant and frightened. Nearly every human on the planet tells lies freely simply because they can. It is sad but profoundly true. Thankfully not every liar is not a murderer or the human race would have killed itself off long ago.

The sordid details of this case, has been fueled by delighted gossipmongers and the vast network of true crime buffs. What should be a dignified search for the truth in a courtroom has degenerated into a disgraceful circus.

The jury is charged with determining if Calee died as the result of accident, neglect or murder. The evidence in this case does not definitively answer that question. That is what reasonable doubt is all about. Acquitting Casey Anderson of the charges would be more than the gossipmongers could possibly stand so the verdict is written on the wall already.

Will Casey Anthony get a fair trial? There’s not a chance in Hell.

The jury is not sequestered and there is no chance that the jury was somehow protected from the influence of publication by TV, radio, newspapers or of course the Internet.

Casey will be convicted not because of guilt but that she knowing covered up with the series of lies and the high profile Guilty verdicts handed down by the groupthink of the true crime writers and pundits.

We must rethink the way we allow prosecutors and police to publically comment on cases brought against accused suspects. I have no problems with cameras in courtrooms as long as the images and video are not released to the media until after a verdict is rendered.

The American trial system looks more like ancient Rome’s Coliseum every day. America’s most basic freedom is in serious peril.

Meaningful Security Steps to deal with Chicago’s Flash Mob Violence

Chicago, IL—If you have a business in the now Flash Mob targeted Magnificent Mile insuring safety is vital. There are effective steps you can take to deal with theft and violence.

Armed security is the most effective way to deal with thugs. These criminals are cowards and you can use their fear against them. If you can hire off-duty cops that will use their training and experience to effectively control the situation.

Security cameras are meaningless except to warn you of what’s going on outside your front door or in difficult to monitor areas. Catching the images of thugs for potential later identification and apprehension does not protect anyone.

If you have adequate training including the law and liability of the use of deadly force arm yourself with a heavy caliber handgun for self-defense.

Keep valuable and unprotected merchandise away from the front door that might tempt such criminals.

If you are the subject of a Flash Mob attack immediate and violent resistance is the easiest and only effective way to stop the assault. Cooperating with these criminals will give them total control over you, your customers and staff. Surrendering to multiple thugs will invite more serious events such as rape and even murder. You may not get a second chance to resist.

You have an absolute right to use deadly force including shooting an attacker if, the attacker is armed with a dangerous instrument or if there is more than one assailant. Of course don’t shoot anyone in the back that running away at the sight of your weapon.

If you use deadly force do not make any statements to police under any circumstances other than to tell them you want a lawyer. Save that, “I was in fear of my life” script for a courtroom if someone decides to charge you with a crime.

The existing laws of Illinois and Chicago that ban the possession or carrying of firearms are in fact unconstitutional and will fall soon under their own weight. Don’t let such laws protect anyone wishing to harm you, your customers or your workers.

Black on White Violence may be Good for Chicago

Chicago, IL—White folks on the Gold Coast have been smug for a long time as they supported the “Nanny” government programs and all that Liberal claptrap.

Black violence was nearly always confined to the ghetto. White people are beginning to learn about the violent and bankrupt African-American culture of Chicago the hard way.

The Black Flash Mob crime pattern is targeting Chicago’s White people in incredibly hateful new ways. These thugs easily overwhelm the outgunned, overworked, underpaid and totally demoralized police department and evade arrest by their sheer numbers.

Those ignorant White, Gold Coast Liberals that don’t believe in gun rights or self-defense are getting what they deserve, a very painful education. The cowardly thugs know the law-abiding Gold Coast dwellers would never violate those un-constitutional guns laws and accordingly are soft and easy targets.

They say a Conservative is a liberal that was mugged. There’s a lot of truth in that old saying.

The concealed weapon legislation would have gone a long way to deter the mobs of thugs attacking since sooner or later they could wind up very ventilated.

The police are incapable of ending these attacks. Most businesses on the Gold Coast will close shop and run before they’d hire armed security guards to protect their stores and paying customers.

I guess the White people of the Gold Coast would rather live in fear than support their right to protect themselves and families.

The only way to stop this Black on White crime wave is through serious armed resistance.

I support the carrying of firearms by the law-abiding but that needs to involve professional training. There is a lot to learn in addition to marksmanship and safety. There is the reality of the law and liability of the justifiable use of deadly force.

Many conventioneers don’t like coming to Chicago since their home state concealed weapon permits are not honored here. Chicago is a good place to avoid.

It’s time to demand that Governor Pat Quinn side with the majority of Illinois’ lawmakers and sign concealed weapon legislation perhaps in a special session.

Westwood Village in Los Angeles is a Lively Place

Los Angeles, CA—When I’m in L.A. it’s in Westwood Village this is what I see. It’s primarily the land around UCLA and there are students everywhere out celebrating their youth. Needless to say there are some smashing looking coeds among the ordinary.

Westwood is on the West side next to toney Brentwood.

There are four large movie theaters here that are the scene of Hollywood film premiers. There are many restaurants, stores and places for ice cream and yogurt competing for the student trust fund accounts.

Westwood Memorial Park is here that houses the remains of some many well-known actors, including Marilyn Monroe, Dean Martin, Don Knotts, Burt Lancaster, and Jack Lemon.

The area is well protected by both L.A.P.D. and the UCLA Police Department. Serious crimes here are rare accordingly.

Sit back and enjoy two short videos I shot, one and night and the other in daylight.

Drew Peterson, a Victim of Prosecutorial and Judicial Tyranny

Joliet, IL—We are watching the second anniversary of retired Bolingbrook police sergeant Drew Peterson’s arrest without a trial. An appeal taken forth on a judicial ruling by prosecutors has prevented Peterson from getting his day in court. He’s been held on an unusually high bail of $20 million.

This might not be so egregious had Peterson been held on more than a promise of producing normally inadmissible incriminating hearsay evidence. The hearsay consists of nothing more than versions of conversations provided by people who have financial incentives to see Peterson convicted. Some of the hearsay is nothing more than third-part gossip. This garbage does not belong in an American courtroom.

There is not a single shred of physical evidence that Peterson harmed anyone. The evidence of the cause of death of Peterson’s third wife, Kathleen Savio is by no means settled scientifically. If the cause of death is somehow a homicide there still is no meaningful evidence that sheds light on a possible killer. The facts remain that there was no signs of forced entry to the home and Savio had changed the locks. There is no dispute that Peterson had no key.

Peterson’s forth wife, Stacy Peterson has not returned to her children and is still nowhere to be found. The fact is she was seeing other men and told at least one of them she planned on disappearing as a way to get out of an unhappy marriage. Police, prosecutors, and the gossipmongers can only guess where Stacy Peterson is today. We don’t jail people on guesswork in America except in Joliet, IL.

It’s time to give Peterson a fair trial or send him home. This is not about Peterson it’s about Prosecutorial and Judicial Tyranny. If they can do this to Drew Peterson, they can also do it to you.

Rich Color Has Finally Come to Handgun Grips

Carol Stream, IL—I recently suggested to my friend Raj Singh, President of Eagle Grips that he needs to shake up the gun world with some color. I had no clue what rich materials he’d find or just how fantastic they'd look.

The material is so incredible that photo images can’t seem to capture the true luster and beauty of the gem quality material that must be cut shaped and polished into the finished product.

Of course the traditional materials of rosewood, ebony wood, stagg, elk Mother of Pearl and ivory are still available but there is that special occasion handgun needs something different.

Visit Eagle Grips at www.eaglegrips.com and see the entire line.

American Handgunner Magazine editor Roy Huntington recently gave me his impression of the new material.

More TSA Terror-The Real Danger is Our Own Government Tyranny

Phoenix, AZ—The TSA is at it again. The TSA thugs grope a woman who begs for help from the police. The immediate response from the TSA goons was to obstruct the efforts of the woman’s son to document the event by making a video recording. They make a phony clain that shooting video at the airport is somehow a crime.

There is no law of any kind that prohibits video recording in any of our civilian airports. The TSA’s own regulations for their baggage screeners make that fact abundantly clear. Even the audio gathering in a public area is reasonable because those talking have the choice to simply shut up since they know there is a live video camera. The TSA workers have no expatiation of privacy.

Why must we tolerate this kind of assault on our American freedom and liberty? In the last 235 years so many Americans have given their lives in mortal combat to prevent the formulation of a police state in America.

Don’t be deterred from resisting the TSA. Video record these out-of-control thugs where ever and whenever you can. The TSA needs to be stopped cold. The suspension of the Fourth Amendment against unreasonable searches must end. If not perhaps it’s time for gun smoke to once again fill the skies over this land. Freedom is worth dying to protect.

Watch the latest outrage here:

Is Europe’s Vegetable E-Coli Epidemic A Terrorist Attack?

Berlin, Germany—Kitchen cleanliness in Europe, especially in Germany generally exceeds that of the US.

Scientists found a previously unknown form of the deadly bacteria on vegetables and now people are dying as a result. Panic is setting in as other nations ban vegetables exported from Germany.

The only explanation for this that makes sense is terrorism. I hope that this real possibility is not being overlooked.

Civilized Society Protects Despicable Tyrants, sometimes…

Yuma, AZ—Today six people connected to a nasty divorce are dead. Apparently a divorce that was adjudicated two years ago did not sit well with one man and he methodically killed those who made his life Hell. I have not and won’t investigate the event other than to say someone was really pissed off. Was he justified to kill everyone? In this case is there was only one opinion that counted, that of the man exacting revenge.

There are the mentally disturbed people that are set off by little transgressions. They over-react and sometimes commit mayhem. There are those that feel justified in violently assaulting or killing others for annoyance or envy.

As a private investigator I have been inside the worst divorces, swindles and abuse of citizens by government officials. I have seen more than one life destroyed by wrongful prosecutions and convictions. I’ve found it to be a monument to our civilization that there aren’t more killings of some really deserving people.

I have tracked many murder victims over the last four decades and found that most of them were rotten people that stepped on the backs of others. We always hear about the stranger on stranger crimes where the victims are truly innocent. But the truth is most people placed under the Medical Examiner’s knife contributed to their fate.

Prosecutor like Mike Nifong of the Duke La Crosse players rape case, put innocent young men and their families through utter Hell and financial devastation. Nifong was a deserving candidate for a violent end because of his vicious persecution. In that case Nifong took a fall because he got caught breaking the law. There are many more Nifongs out there that get away with ruining the lives of innocent people.

People, particularly rogue public officials ruthlessly victimize people every day simply because they can. They feel invincible and protected as they do their evil deeds. The reality is that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Corrupt officials endanger the lives of their fellow officials who treat citizens fairly.

The truth is that when good people are victimized the powerful they simply try and make the best of what they’re dealt. That emboldens tyrants to step up their aggression on their fellow human beings. Sometimes these miscreants get what they deserve, but never often enough.

Perhaps civilization has been too protective of tyrants and those who enjoy inflicting misery on their fellow human beings. I have a motto I live by, “If justice happens it’s usually by accident and for all the wrong reasons.”

Chicago’s African-American Youth is on the verge of Total Anarchy

Chicago, IL—They are calling them “Wildings”, the latest fad for idle young Blacks. They use texting and social networks to form large groups to take control of stores, businesses and now beaches. The plan is simple, to rob, beat and molest as many non-Blacks as they can.

Police resources are very slim and the thugs have easy and cheap transportation to the areas they have victimized. Make no mistake these are serious and violent hate crimes. Intended victims are justified in using deadly force to end attacks involving multiple offenders.

White Chicagoans should stay away from the Gold Coast, beaches, or other entertainment spots for the entire summer. The police can’t do much but write reports after the violence.

The news media and city officials are in a conspiracy of silence about this perhaps to avoid the fiscal ramifications a boycott would bring. They laughably shut the two most popular beaches claiming the heat injuries made them too dangerous. Nobody’s buying that propaganda. It was the African-American Wilding that made the beaches dangerous. Now the media has been forced to begin letting the truth escape the embargo.

The only real protection is provided by bad weather. The thugs don’t operate so well in the cold, wind and rain. If the weather’s nice take a trip to Lake Geneva, WI or perhaps, Ottawa, Illinois because these areas are generally safe. Skip the near North discos and such.

If you must work or live near the Gold Cost by all means arm yourself. That’s no different than wearing a seatbelt when you drive. If you have to, shoot and then scoot to a criminal lawyer. Skip calling 911 and a barrage of questions you should never answer. If they catch up to you say only four words, “I want a lawyer.”

The social problems created by Chicago’s reckless politicians that taxed industry and needed jobs out of Chicago and Illinois cannot be cured. Taxpayers will vote with their feet until freedom and liberty is returned or the Socialists build walls to keep them enslaved.

Death Sentence For Century City Goldfinger Killing

Los Angeles, CA—Today a jury decided that James Fayed, 48 should pay for the killing of his wife with his own life.

James Fayed, a shady gold dealer was facing an expensive and difficult divorce with the victim, Pamela Fayed, 44. The FBI was investigating Fayed’s unlicensed business and Pamela Fayed began cooperating with investigators.

James Fayed was convicted of Special Circumstances Murder. The plot involved, his paying $25,000.00 to a trusted employee who conspired with two others to slash and stab Pamela Fayed to death outside of her car on the third floor Century City parking garage after she met with attorneys to settle the divorce.

The defense of James Fayed became hopeless when he was recorded admitting the murder to a jailhouse informant while attempting to contract for the murders of his co-defendants. The recording was played for the jury.

The other three men are still awaiting trial.

The trial judge is not bound by the jury’s recommendation but it would be highly unusual for a judge to not follow the directive at the formal sentencing.

Fayed will now deal with perhaps decades of appeals from a Death Row cell with 711 other men and women waiting for their date with the executioner. The last person executed in California was Thomas Thompson in 1998. Condemned men are kept in three units at the San Quentin prison.

My Memorial Day is Special

I can’t help but to think of the hundreds of thousand of Americans who gave their precious lives so we would have the free nation. Today those who have given this nation zero have eagerly relinquished the hard won freedom in favor of a nanny police state. That is a crying shame.

I was required to answer my country’s military draft and did so paying my price as an American. I can’t help but feel some guilt for being the only member of a 200 man Light Weapons Infantry Company to be sent to Germany. I proudly served as a medical corpsman during the Cold War. It was a lesser sacrifice but two years of my young life seemed like a lot back then.

We must remember our brave veterans by fighting any curbs on our freedoms by enemies of our Bill of Rights. Unfortunately these foes are inside our government and Whitehouse. This fight will take all the courage we can muster.

The Tyrannical Obama Administration Must End Now

Washington, DC—George Bush was a terrible president indeed. The Republican Party in America had lost its way with the RINOs that controlled the leadership. We became a nanny nation mired in debt. Conservative voters were disenfranchised as the Republican Party slated that Leftist, John McCain to run as president. Conservatives boycotted the polls.

Chicago’s Daley/Burke Democratic Corruption Machine pushed a Black, Hyde Park neighborhood “community organizer” turned Senator to head the Democratic ticket. He was a, Saul Alinsky/Karl Marx disciple that seemed by many to offer an alternative to the Bush disaster. Today however, Barack Obama is a clear and present danger to America and enabling its rapidly disappearing freedom.

Obama showed promise, at least to hopeful Liberals of running a transparent government that would get us out of Afghanistan and Iraq. Somehow the Liberals felt he’d get rid of the hated and misnamed Patriot Act, and perhaps make an effort to end the federal death penalty. Not only has Obama dramatically divided this nation as he became a true Liberal’s worst nightmare.

Obama has taken the TSA and turned them into a civilian security force of thugs he’s handed ever increasing power and jurisdiction. The TSA has expanded their liberty poison to trains and now even high school proms. The have no limits today.

Waiting for the next election to end this tyrannical Reich is too dangerous for our freedom. We must remove Obama today. This despot and his un-vetted, unelected and invisible Czars have dictated public policy secretly and governed behind a Whitehouse Iron Curtain. That alone should strike terror into American’s hearts. Despots can only thrive under secret government.

Every dictator behind every holocaust in world history survived to commit mass murder because they were not stopped before their crimes against humanity. We can’t allow Obama to continue.

The sad truth to all of this is on Memorial Day we give thanks to all who gave the greatest sacrifice while fighting the very kind of Police State Obama has been assembling.

The Real Risk of Police Work in Chicago

Chicago, IL—Most people see the danger of police work only involving death or injury in the line of duty. Interrupting armed-robberies, burglaries or entering the scene of a domestic disturbance can be dangerous. There are other risks that can ruin you life.

More cops by far are victimized by life changing lies and injustice than being injured or killed. Cops can’t get a fair trial these days in Cook County should they be accused of a crime. The jury pool is loaded with cop haters and waiving a jury is no bargain when the judges are all beholding to prosecutors for political reasons.

Being a cop requires becoming embroiled in disputes, temper tantrums and real violence, that is, if you do your job.

The late Democratic Congressman Roman Puchinski had a drug-addicted son who was a prolific burglar. No less than six Chicago cops were lied about, fired by the Chicago Police Board and disgraced over a five-year period. Their transgression was to simply arrest the younger Puchinski for his very real crimes.

Police commanders simply considered anyone who’d arrest Puchinski’s son too stupid to be a Chicago cop. Finally the younger Puchinski ran out of clout coupons he could cash in to get out of jail free and went to prison. He died young

African-American criminals playing the race card too often target cops with the help of local community leaders. There is a very real race war going on in Chicago. In Chicago most cops are white and the vast majority of criminals are African-American.

Any cop who risks his life, reputation or freedom to serve and protect will eventually have to hire lawyers, defend against bogus allegations and stand a real chance of being victimized.

The Cook County State’s Attorney ran on a platform of prosecuting cops and the mainstream Chicago media is not known for kindness when it comes to cops. Every accused cop can count on getting smeared by public officials garnering votes with the eager help of the local media.

The moral of this story is for cops to simply avoid conflict. Let those domestic disturbances either cool down or end violently before you get there. Learn how to simply write reports and avoid making arrests at all cost.

Being a cop is not what it used to be. GPS surveillance, thugs with cell phone cameras and a miserable political climate has made the job undesirable. A few parking tickets, perhaps a meaningless contact card or two and some creatively written reports about the unknown offenders that got away will help keep you out of danger.

Why risk anything for an ungrateful community and its despotic politicians?

May 25 is a Tragic Anniversary for Chicago

Warning—there are plenty of graphic details in this story.

Chicago, IL—It was May 25, 1979 at 3:15 in the afternoon. Weather in the Windy City could not be nicer. We were just told to switch to short sleeves in a uniform directive.

I was on a one-man car mail delivery run and in the vicinity of West Touhy Ave near O’Hare Airport. I heard an officer come on my radio with emergency traffic saying that a DC-10 airplane was going down. There was genuine panic in that officer’s voice.

Back then, I did not know a DC10 from Piper Cub, just that it was an airplane. I felt warm air hit my left arm that was out my car window. I saw a mushroom shaped cloud appear nearby. I snapped on my lights and siren and raced about two blocks to the scene.

I did not know it but I was about to arrive at the largest airplane disaster to date in U.S history. The crash of American Airlines, flight #191 happened on takeoff from O’Hare to Los Angeles. A wing engine fell off, due to maintenance shortcut mechanics used to reattach the engine to the wing using a forklift. The plain rotated in the sky and landed upside down on a somewhat small open field located at 400 West Touhy Ave.

As I arrived firemen were spraying foam on a field. They were just across the street and wasted no time getting there. I began looking for the plane or at least a fuselage but could see none. The smoldering ground around me was apparently burned. This was as a result of a flash fire and about every 15 or 20 feet I could see human body trunks. It was nothing less than a war scene. There were smaller body parts such as arms and legs strewn around the area.

Digesting the magnitude of this disaster was surreal. Being one of the very first officers on the scene gave me the closest parking spot. My squad car would be trapped there for days by so many other emergency vehicles.

I looked for survivors and there were none anywhere. Ambulance crews arrived with IV bags in their hands. The look of utter horror was on nearly every face I saw.

The medical responders quickly learned they served no function but for a single Chicago cop.

The Chicago Police K-9 training center was right up against the crash site and the cop was standing nearby as the fully fueled plane came down in a huge ball of fire. He had singed hair and suffered a nasty sunburn-like injury to his face and arms. He appeared traumatized by the experience but thrilled to be alive.

Police and fire units appeared from jurisdictions throughout the area. The crash site was unincorporated Cook County and was the responsibility of the Sheriff’s Police. They could not handle this alone. There were in addition, Chicago, Schiller Park, Forest Preserve, Franklin Park, Rosemont and Illinois state police assisting.

Other than to protect the crash site with plain rope there was little to do (yellow crime scene tape had not yet been invented).

I quickly had to deal with a feisty WMAQ-TV reporter and crew walking on the sparsely protected site. It was veteran reporter Dick Kay and he would not budge from the scene until he saw me reaching for my handcuffs. Kay was first on the scene and wanted to earn another Emmy. Kay retreated but was close enough to report on the action. Kay was somewhat unhappy with me.

From my time of arrival until two hours had passed the police command structure formulated the plan to deal with this massive calamity. They did not teach plane crash 101 in the police academy. I was in for a learning experience. In reality the crash was treated like a massive traffic accident.

There was a junkyard and a trailer park that became part of the scene. I found a man’s left arm sticking out of a broken trailer window. He had an expensive blue pinstriped suit and a French cuff with a gold cufflink and a fine looking watch. It was just the arm with no body attached. The arm belonged to a young professional man for sure.

I could see the tail engine resting on what was the head of a naked woman. She has a great body with little injury other than the appearance of sunburn. I could not guess what happened to all her clothes. Her body could not be removed until some piece of heavy equipment could lift the engine.

Standing out in the field were two metal boxes just yards apart. They had bright diagonal stripes on them and we quickly determined they were the “black boxes” or the flight voice recorder and the flight data recorder.

The plan was formulated to pass out wooden stakes and body bags. Officers were given numbers to mark the stakes and corresponding bags. We were put into teams of three. One to write about what we were bagging, another to photograph the remains and the other for the labor connected with filling the bags. The whole process was, well organized and moved slow but smoothly.

Officials that today I call, tourists arrived. Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Terry Sullivan was there but I don’t have a clue why to this day. A U.S. postal inspector claiming to be looking for mail and the newly elected Chicago Mayor, Jane Byrne with her newly appointed police superintendent, Richard Brzeczek. Someone should have told the Mayor to wear sensible shoes for walking of the debris-laden field. Brzeczek was apparently trying to protect her from seeing me holding a young woman’s severed head with my hand by the hair as she passed by.

The sun had set and soon we were working by flashlights and lighting trucks brought to the scene. I found myself tangled in what seemed to be miles and miles of fine wire. I was in the area where the cockpit and it’s instrument panel had landed. Soon I saw a blue jacket sleeve with horizontal stripes near the cuffs. It was a pilot’s Hart, Schaffner& Marks brand jacket with the name “LUX” printed with a blue ballpoint pen above the inside pocket. It was the jacket of the captain, Walter Lux. His body and two more required some extra effort to remove the wire and instruments from their remains.

Later we had worked our way to the junkyard and located the charred remains of workers that sought refuge under tow trucks. There was one badly burned body trunk inside the bed of a tow truck.

Later I found my regular partner,  that arrived. He couldn't normally deal very well with blood and gore. He handled his duties well in the mess but he was unable to deal with the inappropriate gallows humor some used to better deal with the unthinkable.

We had missed dinner and were starving. There was no way to take the car and get a bite to eat. But a Brown's Fried Chicken catering truck arrived after midnight with 2,000 pieces of crispy fried chicken.

We had been breathing burned jet fuel for hours and could barely taste the food. Of course there were the bad jokes about extra crispy chicken to go with the extra crispy victims.

There were no cell phones in those days and calling our spouses and girlfriends was impossible until Illinois Bell Telephone brought a wired trailer with pay phones to the scene. We made the calls and learned everyone figured out we were working the crash since it was all over the news.

I continued to bag human remains throughout the night. In one case I found a young mother holding her tender aged child tightly. I put both of them in the same bag because it was obvious they belonged together. I just used one stake, bag but used two numbers.

Finally after an exhausting night it was 4:30 AM and they told me to go home. They had arranged for officers to give us taxi service to our homes.

My uniform was destroyed along with my new Corfram duty shoes. The sharp aluminum debris cut through everything.

For the next couple of days I could only smell or taste jet fuel. It had taken over my airway and sinuses.

I had a trip to Phoenix, Arizona on American Airlines, planned in just two days. I took my trip and as we left the runway I looked down at the site and could still see my stranded squad car blocked in by so many other vehicles.

The investigations and litigation went on for decades after that crash. 273 souls were taken on this day 32 years ago.

UPDATE: May 15, 2019  Ive been asked to attend the 40th Anniversary Memorial Service planed for May 25, 2019.  So many fellow first responders have since died.  I think I should not miss this service.

Criminal Defense Investigation, Wading through the Lies is Always Fun.

Chicago, IL--I get a lot of requests as to why the defense needs to do an investigation on behalf of someone charged with a serious crime. After all they tell me, the police have already done this and made reports that get turned over in the legal discovery process.

The problem is police usually get half the real story or even less. They only focus on gathering enough evidence to charge someone with a crime.

Let me say this I have yet to find a case where the government witnesses tell the truth. People lie just because they can. There are little lies and of course total fabrications. When someone’s entire life is threatened with decades behind bars a real effort must be made by the defense to learn the truth.

Complainants accuse people of crime because they really happen but also for some nefarious reasons. The majority of reported criminal allegations are in fact true however the victims and witnesses tend to exaggerate the facts.

Then there are the allegations made for fun, profit or revenge. Those are the sort of cases I thrive with. In high profile cases where there is lots of publicity a significant portion of the population seems to want in on the act. They do so to the point of making things up. The so-called victims can’t wait to tell their friends and acquaintances their exciting adventures with fame. Here is where the stories told really get the extra-dramatic treatment.

With simple interviews of those acquainted with the witnesses and complainants you can break out the truth.

Sometimes there are companion civil cases brought that can potentially payout millions of dollars. The complainants all but spend the money with the anticipated settlement or awards through their braggadocio.

Defense lawyers can count on witnesses and complainants to change their story at every opportunity.

The key to getting the information from the best sources is to ask for it. Of course there are many other ways to legally obtain information that are what I call, tricks of the trade I don’t share.

Witness and complainants that tell the truth have nothing to fear. I enjoy nothing more than exposing liars that try to destroy the lives of others.

Witnesses that have agendas to thwart justice can be counted upon to avoid defense interviews. On the contrary there are those that freely share their memory of whatever happened. You can easily guess which kind of witness seldom gets impeached or embarrassed in a courtroom.

I have been often criticized for my aggressive efforts by prosecutors and their witnesses but I have no apology for my diligence. My clients pay for my best efforts and I have an absolute duty to provide them.

I can’t change the truth or real evidence but I sure have watched complainants plead guilty to charges of perjury, evidence tampering and witness tampering with glee.

Remember L.A.P.D Detective, Mark Fuhrman, the only person to be convicted of a felony crime in the entire O.J. Simpson murder case? Ask him or his lawyer what private investigator found a certain Marine Corps recruiter in Arizona that could remember and truthfully testify about Fuhrman’s unfortunate remarks.

I love to count my trophy heads of famous former complainants and witnesses.