Sunday, April 07, 2024

Is the Walking Tall, Buford Pusser Legend a Hoax?

McNary County, Tennessee—Hollywood made four films about the heroic Tennessee sheriff, Buford Pusser.  A museum was built in his memory.  He shot and killed at least one woman who allegedly tried to murder him in connection with his investigations of gambling, moonshine, drugs and prostitution.


Buford’s wife, Pauline was apparently shot to death in August 1967. Buford also suffered a gunshot wound.  Buford claimed that he was ambushed while responding to a call.  He said that he brought his wife along in his patrol car as he responded.  I think most cops, like me would frown at the idea of bringing your wife or girlfriend on a call for police service.


Let me make it clear that I was never involved in any investigation of Sheriff Pusser’s various events. 


I met their daughter, Dwana when she was 25.  She was selling quite handsome and expensive Colt Python revolvers that commemorated her father and his Walking Tall legend.  Dwana told me she thought I looked just like the man who played her daddy in Walking Tall part two. That was the late actor, Brian Dennehy. 


The initial Pusser ambush investigation apparently was pretty slipshod since they did not even conduct an autopsy of Pauline‘s remains.  No suspects were ever located nor any arrests made.  


The Tennessee Bureau of investigation has very recently reopened this case, exhumed, Pauline Pusser’s body some six decades later.  Only now, are the forensic pathologists and toxicologist looking at those remains.  


Buford and Pauline‘s neighbor Diane Vance told others what happened just before the alleged ambush.  Allegedly, DianeVance heard the Pussers having a violent fight complete with a gunshot.  Diane said she was so frightened she hid under a bed.  She claimed to see Buford carry Pauline to his patrol car putting her into it.


Supposedly, Buford changed his story at least twice to a friendly audience of investigating cops that accepted Buford’s claims.  


My suspicion, if Diane Vance’s supposed story was true, this may have been a failed murder/suicide.  It looks like Buford changed his mind after he shot himself and was still conscious.  Or Buford may have been incapable of shooting himself a second time due to his initial gunshot wound.  


Today the involved car or Pauline’s and Buford’s clothing cannot be examined, and today’s autopsy may be hampered by severe decomposition of Pauline’s remains.  We can’t now guess where Buford’s service revolver is today.  He could have easily replaced it.  It’s also difficult to guess just yet if any spent bullets remain in the exhumed body.  .357 magnum bullets often exit human bodies and are often never recovered. 


The Walking Tall legend turned out to be quite a money machine and perhaps that is why we never heard denials from Dwana.  Fortune and fame along perhaps with a terrible memory may well have triggered a reason why Dwana later used a gun to kill herself.  When I met Dwana, in Phoenix, Arizona at a NRA annual gun show, I found her to be a delightful young lady with an incredibly pronounced hillbilly accent.


Buford’s Pusser was killed in a one car accident August of 1974.  He was in his Chevrolet Corvette traveling at high speed on the highway.. Apparently he lost control of his vehicle for reasons that never made sense.  His daughter Dwana’ told me that they spent a lot of money on private investigators and accident re-constructionists trying to learn if the crash was related to a criminal attack.   No such evidenced surfaced.  


I don’t know that the current investigation will change anything at all .  But you must wonder what will happen should this reopened investigation implicate Buford Pusser in his wife’s murder.  Was this all a colossal hoax?

Wednesday, April 03, 2024

How I met Jimmy Hoffa


Chicago, IL—It was late in 1967.  I was just nineteen years-old.  I lied about my age and was hired by the Cook County Sheriffs Police when the background investigator failed do the math for my birth year.  After training, I was assigned to the prisoner, transportation and fugitive warrants division.  Captain James “Packy” Walsh was the boss.  


For some reason on that day, I had no partner and was the odd man out.  I was sitting in the squad room wondering what I’m going to do that day. It was a general policy that prisoners were simply not transported by a single officer.  


Sergeant Conway approached me and said that they need me to transport a prisoner as a courtesy to the United States Marshall’s Office.  They had nobody available to transport a prisoner from the federal tier of the Cook county Jail to the Dirksen Federal building for a court appearance.  The Metropolitan Federal Correctional facility had not yet been built.  


I brought my Ford econoline prisoner van to the receiving room of the old County Jail.  There I left my weapon with a jail guard for safe keeping and entered the secure area.  My prisoner was sitting in a bull pen cell with other prisoners, they gave me a mittimus document and had me sign a receipt for the prisoner.  I was also given a wrapped baloney sandwich for my prisoner.  


The prisoner was none other than Teamsters President, Jimmy Hoffa!  They brought him out to me, and as was the custom and requirement then I handcuffed him with his hands in front.  We did not use leg irons.  I walked Hoffa outside and I retrieved my weapon.  I walked Hoffa to my van opened the door and locked him inside.  in those days, there were no seatbelts and he sat on a bench at the front of the van.  


Hoffa was a gentleman in every respect.  He was in a jovial mood and we talked as I drove him to the Dirksen Federal Building.   Hoffa was concerned about the time and was hoping we’d arrive before noon.  


When I arrived at the federal building, I drove down the ramp to the lock up area and I was greeted by a deputy federal Marshall .  I handed him the mittimus paper and I opened the door to let Hoffa out of the van.  Hoffa and deputy Marshall greeted each other with warm platitudes.  They knew each other from previous court appearances.  I handed him the mittimus and I took the handcuffs off Hoffa.


I learned that Hoffa had ordered a catered lunch for all the Deputy Marshalls!  I was invited to stay for lunch.  I picked a delightful tunafish sandwich from the assortment and ate with the Marshalls and Hoffa.  Afterwards, I left returning to my squad room with quite a memory.  


It was several months later when I was drafted into the army, Captain Walsh found out I was not 21 years old as required by the law .  Normally, they could’ve gotten me out of the draft, but since I was under age they had no choice, but to reduce me to a civilian working in the civil process division until I reported to the Army.  


After two years in the army upon discharge, in June of 1970 I was immediately returned to the sworn position.  They put me back in my old unit working with the same guys that were there when I left.  


Later, I joined the Chicago Police Department. 

Friday, March 22, 2024

Joe Biden’s Gun Gestapo must be held accountable for their crimes!

Bryan Malinowski ran the Clinton Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas.  He had no criminal history whatsoever.  He was a collector of firearms. He bought and sold firearms at gun shows.  Possessing and dealing in firearms is constitutionally protected activity.  


In June 2022 the United States Supreme Court ruled in the Bruen decision,  that gun laws passed such as the 1968 Gun Control Act that among other things, required gun dealers to be licensed were declared unconstitutional.  


To be valid all gun laws must align with the text, history and tradition of the second amendment when it was ratified in 1791.  Gun Dealers weren’t required to be licensed in 1791 and background checks were simply not required back then.  Accordingly, buying and selling guns today is an absolute right provided you’re not knowingly selling a gun to some criminal planning a crime.  


The Biden administration and its gun gestapo organization has push-backed dramatically and violently on the Bruen decision ignoring it while intentionally violating people’s civil rights with their lawless war on liberty and Supreme Court’s directive.  


Earlier this week, the BATFE acting under color of law, conducted a pre-dawn, deadly raid on Bryan Malinowski’s home.  The startled man resisted the attack and was shot in the head and he later died.  


The only crimes here include conspiracy, armed, burglary, and first-degree murder committed by the involved federal officials.    Those involved in this criminal conspiracy include various United States attorneys, the federal judge issuing the warrant and the BATFE gun Gestapo agents.  They wantonly and maliciously took an innocent life in their zeal to enforce an unenforceable law. 


My question is how many more innocent people must  die or be violently victimized for simply engaging in constitutionally protected activity? 






Saturday, March 09, 2024

The Illusion of Public Safety in Today’s America.

Los Angeles, CA— Police are underfunded and overrated when it comes to their mission of protecting the public.  The intimidation and micromanagement of our police by politicians has done nothing positive. Our police have been castrated and turned into scarecrows by worthless politicians.  If police actually do their duty, they will often wind up fired or in prison.  


Those who know the truth and watched the George Floyd Justice Scam and convictions of decent cops by political propagandists are outraged.  George Floyd was nothing less than a violent, prolific and despicable criminal.  He clearly was a serious danger to anyone around him, and especially police.  


Today, you cannot expect police, especially in larger cities, run by Democrats to actually use even minimal force in order to protect citizens under attack.  If police slow their response time, that improves the likelihood that offenders have fled the scene.  If the offenders are already gone, then for sure, there’s far less likelihood that the cops will be facing unfair discipline for simply doing their jobs.  


Cops have families to feed and mortgages to pay.  It’s one thing to ask them to risk their lives, and another thing to ask them to risk their not being able to feed their children because they’re suspended without pay.  


As a result these new policies, more citizens are being victimized, injured or killed.  Fortunately every year the actual murder rate is combatted not due to less crime, but much more effective emergency medicine. The vast majority of people shot or stabbed survive today because of superior paramedics, their advanced equipment and training. 


Having been a cop, I know that responding to these serious, in-progress crime calls in time to prevent death and destruction is nearly impossible.  We get there just in time to clean up the bloody mess and write our reports.  


The real first responders to any serious crime or accident are the people at the scene and that’s you! 


Police and fire units in all reality are simply the secondary responders.  If you’re at the scene, you can’t simply throw up your hands and say this is not my job.  If you wait for the cops and paramedics your spouse and or children to may die before your eyes.  You’ll regret that for the rest of you life!  Unfortunately for the most part that is exactly what happens during violent events. 


We have created a dependent culture that has abandoned all sense of self-reliance.  Think about that for a moment.  Think what could’ve happened if everybody jumped up and fought the hijackers on the airplanes that were hijacked on 9/11.  Don’t give me any bullshit about the so-called “heroic“ actions of some young men that tried to stop the plane crash of flight 73 in Pennsylvania.  They took far too much time contemplating and taking votes on their moves as the hijackers breached the cockpit. Too little, too late. 


The public has no choice but to understand that if they want safety for themselves and their loved ones they are going to have to use self-help. That means they all need training in firearms, the laws and liability of the justifiable use of deadly force.  That also means that they need solid training in emergency first aid involving gruesome injuries.  Along with firearms and ammunition.  They must also maintain a sufficient, unexpired trauma first aid kits.  


Every American family must understand their responsibility to train for these types of events.  Every family needs firearms, trauma, kits and fire extinguishers.  We are all safer in our homes than walking the streets in our daily lives..  Your handgun belongs on your person, not locked in some dresser drawer waiting for the next burglar.   The sad truth is that humans are nothing more than sheep trusting in their unreliable government, to take care of their own responsibilities, to protect self, and loved ones.  


Thursday, February 22, 2024

All Party Consent Laws to Record Conversations Only Protects Extortionists!


Phoenix, AZ—The Arizona Legislature is considering a bill to make recording conversations telephonic or otherwise without the consent of all parties a felony crime.  

One thing for sure is that there are no legitimate harmed victims of these types of recordings. However, these types of recordings have often saved people from wrongful criminal conviction, civil judgments and destroyed careers. 

 

Several states have adopted this kind of a law which only protects criminals.  How so you ask?  It is quite simple. A crooked politician or bureaucrat or their co-conspirator/s tells a person with a problem that they can be helped, but of course they first must make the appropriate “contribution”.  Of course common street criminals simply say, pay or die!

 

If you must first obtain permission to record a conversation from law enforcement it’s often much too late to obtain a repeat of the extortion demands.  

 

Actually, “One Party Consent” recordings exposed several members of the Arizona legislature in the 1989 “AZ-Scam” scandal. Politicians shamefully demanded money to help an undercover operative establish legalized gambling in Arizona. The recordings made were laughable, humiliating and downright disgusting.  Most importantly the guilty ones were adequately exposed and punished.

 

The intent of this current legislation is to prevent any outlawed recordings to be used in a court of law. This is EXACTLY WHERE THESE KINDS OF RECORDINGS BELONG. They are proof of what was said and what happened. 


So far, efforts to use artificial intelligence or in any way doctor such recordings are easily thwarted by sound technology experts.  When you have actual recordings in court, swearing contests end as solid evidence emerges. Why must our triers of fact be forced to guess who is telling the truth? 

 

I absolutely challenge anyone who supports this kind of legislation to provide even a single anecdotal example of how someone was improperly damaged by such a recording.  

 

As a lobbyist for the Arizona association of licensed private investigators during this AZ-Scam period, I too found myself shaken down by a convicted Arizona House member.  Bobby Raymond told me that, “If your private investigators want my help, you better start treating me like I’m alive like all the other smarter lobbying groups.  You’ve not sent me a single dime.”  We had no money to give Representative Raymond, so that was out of the question. 

 

As for myself and my colleagues, both in the private investigation business and TV news investigative I-teams have redundantly exposed extortion via one party consent recordings. 

 

I have gotten people out of jail, saved professional careers and have exposed perjury using such recordings in Arizona. 

 

Don’t let Arizona politicians pass the Extortionist Protection Act, House Bill 2038.  

 

 

 

 

Friday, February 02, 2024

Christina Pascucci’s California Senate Campaign is on Life Support.


Los Angeles, CA— Former TV news reporter and anchor, Christina Pascucci made a bold primary election run to fill the Senate seat of Dianne Feinstein.  She walked away from an anchoring job with the local LA Fox affiliate giving short notice in order to run for the Senate.


Her campaign centered around her previous reporting on the very problems plaguing California.  Of course, as a reporter she was precluded from suggesting solutions but was required to simply report the facts.  For the most part, Pascucci’s campaign didn’t offer any real solutions, only suggesting she would somehow do things differently as a centrist Democrat.  


She took a mean spirited blow from the Secretary of State that refused to publish her occupation on the ballot.  Although she is well known in Los Angeles, people outside the local News viewing area are unfamiliar with her name.  


The sad news is Pascucci was unable to garner beyond a single digit percentage in recent polls.   The Left Wing, Russiagate instigator, Adam Schiff seems to be the current front runner.  


Let me say that Pascucci carries no political corruption baggage and unlike the other two, has displayed a squeaky clean image.   I had really hoped that she would’ve offered some real solutions to the Democrat created crime and current humanitarian crisis.


I don’t know what’s ahead for Pascucci.  I expect her leaving her anchoring job with such short notice will make it difficult for her to return to TV news.  Pascucci is about to become a mother and that will keep her busy for a while.


Pascucci has much more to offer this world and I’m sure whatever she decides to do will bring success.  I sincerely hope she will not disappear into mediocrity.  

Thursday, January 18, 2024

Sex sells, just ask Michael Lacy founder of The New Times.

Phoenix, Arizona – – The prosecution began nearly six years ago and has still never ended.  The fall from Grace, was beyond epic for two self-made multimillionaire editors, Michael Lacy and the late, James Larkin.


The pair were founders of The Phoenix New Times and it’s 17 sister publication around the country.  The publications were legendary for their long form print articles that exposed political, police or government corruption and made lots of journalistic waves.  


The Press awards the pair collected were indeed in the thousands. Of course, they made enemies along the way like the late Senator, John McCain, and his wife, Cindy, who was a convicted of stealing narcotics from her non-profit organization to feed her addiction. 


The New Times ran story after story, exposing serious corruption within the Phoenix Police Department, Maricopa County Sheriff, Maricopa County Attorney and the Arizona Department of Public Safety.  


On the back page of their publication were the ads.  The World Wide Web soon hosted those ads that were somewhat sexually suggestive in character, but were carefully crafted to avoid the elements of prostitution crimes. 


Technology and the internet came along and changed everything.  The world’s oldest profession is practiced by people of all ages, sexes and perversions.When it comes to the sex trade, unfortunately the pimps, madams and sex traffickers invite themselves into the profits.   There are victims in that children are no small part of the sex trade.  Adults make their own decisions on what they are willing to do to pay their rent and put food on their tables. 


The First Amendment to our constitution, generally protects publishers and writers.  However, there are a load of ambiguous, vague and complicated legal decisions that limit the constitutional protections.  


New Times, founders, Michael Lacey, and James Larkin, followed the success of, Craig’s List to get on the profits by letting anyone and everyone post their ads on Back Page. 


The conventional wisdom seemed to provide a path to publish the carefully crafted ads avoiding any direct message that sex could be purchased with cash.  That to most people would indicate running the ads seemed legal. If there was to be a crime, it would occur later between the customer and the advertiser after they met.  Seems simple enough, right? 


In the end it all depends upon the appointed Moral Authorities, and their personal, religious and what their government raw powers dictate.


Does any prosecution also involve the government officials that were exposed by Lacy and Larkins publications? Personally, I can’t see a stronger motive to destroy the powerful New Times publications. The entire prosecution reeks of revenge for the accused pair’s exposing corruption.


In April 2018, a swarm of federal agents, raided the homes and offices of both Lacey and Larkin.  An indictment followed, charging them with at least 100 offenses related to the suggestion that Back Page was nothing more than a sex trafficking tool and cash cow.


Lacy and Larkin faced hundreds of years in prison.  They were released on $1 million bail each and forced to wear ankle monitors.  


They were eventually tried, but jurors were unable reach a verdict.  So the government geared up to try them again. James Larkin eventually folded into the disease of depression, and shot himself to death.  Michael Lacy chose to continue the fight. He was only convicted in the second trial of a single count involving supposed money laundering. Left hanging were 98 counts where the second jury could not reach a verdict.


The single count conviction carries with it a 20-year prison sentence.  Since Lacey is now 75 years-old It is unlikely he may ever see freedom again. Lacey has not yet been sentenced, nor have the post trial motions been adjudicated.  The question of retrial on the 98 counts is still an option, being weighed by prosecutors. 


This prosecution cost taxpayer many millions of dollars and the defense costs were also record setting.  In the nearly six years that have past, the Michael Lacey of today can only be a shell of the man he once was. 


My thoughts are that it is time to end this mess without further punishment or wasted funds.  Back Page is long out of business.  The reality is that the involved sex workers have found other sources of advertising and are still selling their bodies doing business as usual.  The world’s oldest profession continues on non-stop despite the best efforts of the, Moral Authorities. 


Mysteriously gone today, are any meaningful investigative press  reports of government crime, or corruption.  I guess the news organizations have learned a lot from Lacy and Larkin.