tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87053395155811740142024-03-05T03:39:31.997-08:00ShakurHasDiedAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.comBlogger499125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-82349339298913694992013-08-22T23:04:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.619-07:00Texas-based Crime Writer Pens 2nd Novel<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNuouFQlPggauBPx5UwO5RMUSrtAysneVwvnCIrszEDg7QE2vyeroTTprYpRrcKDEaB3D6uyOtviElQHyoFYANoahBMA8acCVJd1A2Tx4q1Jr7ocZxbRCMePLgdwVFMEJRBs7amoANGBo/s1600/StevenLong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNuouFQlPggauBPx5UwO5RMUSrtAysneVwvnCIrszEDg7QE2vyeroTTprYpRrcKDEaB3D6uyOtviElQHyoFYANoahBMA8acCVJd1A2Tx4q1Jr7ocZxbRCMePLgdwVFMEJRBs7amoANGBo/s200/StevenLong.jpg" width="153" /></span></a><br /><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Steven Long, a Texas-based true-crime author, longtime journalist, and fearless <a href="http://horsebackmagazine.com/hb/">animal activist</a> has covered some of the most important criminal cases of the last two decades.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b>Now, he's taken his talent for narrative writing to the pages of fiction with the <i>The Sauceda Trilogy</i>. Best known for his true-crime bestsellers <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Control-Martins-Crime-Library-ebook/dp/B003JH8LQQ/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-1&qid=1377236910">Out of Control</a></i>, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Every-Womans-Nightmare-Fairytale-ebook/dp/B001NRZDSI/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=1-3&qid=1377236979">Every Woman's Nightmare</a></i>, and <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Death-Without-Dignity-ebook/dp/B00BRWV7XO/ref=pd_sim_b_1">Death Without Dignity</a></i>, which won a 1987 Gavel Award from the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_Bar_of_Texas" title="State Bar of Texas"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">State Bar of Texas</span></a>, he majestically spins fact-based fiction.<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> 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table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b>Below is an excerpt from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sauceda-The-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00EA97K8C/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377232090&sr=1-5"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Sauceda</span></a>,</i>the second of three books in Long's trilogy. It is the tale of three generations of the wealthy Patchcock family in a narrative certain to leave readers asking for more. You're in for a treat:</b></span><!--EndFragment--> </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Cambria; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: "MS 明朝"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nsZQN1jWzVkNrffpXebzMzTomggT2msfvtZDPcFRi_8RY9xSR1e3vDZUlbKw1sYXgPFTsmdywN5-kpeZ4MGUt_8y5C8wtM5mGsq75xjWPwSB7UCYhikvsst4Lap2XIPrfrqyf3Yk4zPs/s1600/Sauceda+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6nsZQN1jWzVkNrffpXebzMzTomggT2msfvtZDPcFRi_8RY9xSR1e3vDZUlbKw1sYXgPFTsmdywN5-kpeZ4MGUt_8y5C8wtM5mGsq75xjWPwSB7UCYhikvsst4Lap2XIPrfrqyf3Yk4zPs/s320/Sauceda+Cover.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><b>Excerpt from Chapter Six</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-style: italic;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Monsignor Juan Antonio Francis Xavier Villarreal was also disturbed by the drunkenness, cursing, and even fistfights that had broken out in Bean’s tiny courthouse and barroom. His wagon was as handsomely equipped as Patchcock’s, perhaps even more so. The floor of the Conestoga was covered by a Persian rug. Silver candlestick held tall tapers next to the kneeler by his bed. A Pullman chair reclined next to a table for reading the <i>Holy Scriptures</i>prior to saying the divine office as was his priestly duty at certain hours of the day. On the table next to his well thumbed Roman Breviary sat a copy of Mark Twain’s <i>The Prince and the Pauper</i>, a novel released by the popular American author the year before, but which had only now reached his rectory. Villarreal felt no guilt at reading the American humorist. He believed all priests must have a heart filled with laughs and songs as well as Psalms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The monsignor wondered if the Baptist preacher who had joined the trip read Twain, or was he as dour as he had found so many of the sect? The man seemed pleasant enough to be sure, yet he appeared to be rough hewn and unlettered. Perhaps he didn’t read at all. The priest looked across the wagon floor at the chamber pot making sure it was empty for the night. It was. He had no intention adding to its contents so shortly after dusk and decided to put on his greatcoat and pee behind the wagon. He drew the strings open at the back and eased his great girth down onto the snow-covered sand. The bite of cold was refreshing to him as he climbed down the steps. As Villarreal stood wetting a wagon wheel he looked toward the river and saw lantern light and wondered who could be foolish enough to leave the comfort of camp to sit in the snow while the flakes continued to fall – even if there was the raucous sound of inebriates breaking the quiet of a cold winter night.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The moon was full over Langtry as Villarreal shook off the final drop of urine and tucked his manhood back into the front flap of his winter underwear expertly buttoning as he did so. He looked away from the man and at the lighted windows of Bean’s courtroom and bar then turned back to the man sitting by the river with a glowing lantern. He then looked at Patchcock’s wagon, the candle and lantern glow from inside creating the unmistakable silhouette on the white canvass of two figures in the rhythm of making love. The priest looked away, but then looked back, stealing a furtive glance at the act forbidden to him. It was something he had never witnessed, and believed he would never have the opportunity to see. The temptation was powerful as he felt himself becoming aroused and cursed his weakness as he ran toward the river to get away from the mortal sin he was without absolute doubt committing. It was a sin that could banish him to hell and he needed the rush of cold air on his face to rid himself of the cursed sight he had just witnessed.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Halfway to the river he bent down and scooped up snow, brushing it on his face to chill himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hail Mary, full of grace,” he recited, “Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus, Holy Mary, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Loathing his frailties, Villarreal cursed himself. Returning to the Holy Mother’s loving bosom had always saved him from lust and it did so again as the fever left him as soon as it had come. He looked toward the river, again watching the figure with the lantern. The man raised both arms in the air as if giving praise, and then he heard the faint singing of a Protestant hymn vaguely familiar to him in the crisp clear early night air.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me,” the preacher intoned toward the night sky.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Villarreal turned his back to the man, now knowing it was the Baptist preacher.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">How different they are, he thought as he took the first step back toward the camp. 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</style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The song became a scream as Villarreal whirled to see a giant figure tower above the man, and then lift him from the ground into the air. The creature’s bare white canine teeth sparkled with their whiteness in the moonlight as the wifwolf then went for the man’s neck, instantly cutting off all sound, and then came away dripping with blood falling white upon the snow. Terrified, yet mesmerized, the priest stood motionless, then backed toward the camp as the giant beast again raised the flailing man toward his lips this time ripping away the throat and then holding the hair and flinging the body until it was separated from the head. The creature held the head in triumph as Villarreal watched horrified remembering the revulsion he had felt the first time he saw Caravaggio’s Medusa in the Uffizi in Florence.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now instead of a Baptist preacher singing, the priest heard the howl of a wolf pierce the night sky as he bolted toward the wagon of Patchcock and Margot, then even in his fright thought better of the idea and burst through the doors of the judge’s bar.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Holy Mother of God,” the priest shouted. “The Baptist is dead from a monster that has beheaded him. Holy Mother of God. Come with me, I must pray over him.”</span></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sauceda<i> is available now from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sauceda-The-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00EA97K8C/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1377236719&sr=1-5">Amazon</a>.</i></span></div><br /><o:p></o:p>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-39350555772224174742013-08-02T01:29:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.632-07:00Writer Karen Scioscia Discusses Her Book 'Kidnapped by the Cartel'<div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWo8cJ7115ysjdjXBXZ8_WNnOc2AEvDWPBJBW4BvaGtaKAeFRR7TZJ-8POZ6pAhT70X6BlVIeump_UFGEaFuwR5pRv2-XTj5TL9H92CqacR2kZf0uS4IIMv-ShBjw2i6W9ZcXAODkSA9C/s1600/735780_10200153208061185_1923631105_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYWo8cJ7115ysjdjXBXZ8_WNnOc2AEvDWPBJBW4BvaGtaKAeFRR7TZJ-8POZ6pAhT70X6BlVIeump_UFGEaFuwR5pRv2-XTj5TL9H92CqacR2kZf0uS4IIMv-ShBjw2i6W9ZcXAODkSA9C/s200/735780_10200153208061185_1923631105_o.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>In our ongoing series of WCI interviews, we're talking today with Karen Scioscia, novelist, columnist </i><i>and freelance writer. Her debut novel, </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kidnapped-Cartel-Novel-Inspired-Story/dp/1938690443/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1375280737&sr=1-1">Kidnapped by the Cartel: A Novel Inspired by a True Story</a>, <i>was released earlier this year. She also has a passion for acting and is a card-carrying member of the <a href="http://www.sagaftra.org/">Screen Actors Guild</a>.</i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Women In Crime Ink:</b> <i>Welcome, Karen. First of all, when did you begin writing, and what inspired you?</i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Karen D. Scioscia:</b> My father was a college professor who taught English and speech until he was 83 years old. He also wrote and directed many plays. My maternal grandmother wrote a weekly column in a newspaper in Florida until her death at age 96. Writing is in my genes.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b><i> How often do you write? And how do you manage to fit in writing amidst all your other commitments?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> I write whenever I can. The best times for me creatively are first thing in the morning and later in the evening. The mid-day hours are filled with so many of my other endeavors. I am also out conducting interviews during the day for my newspaper column. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b><i> In what genre do you most enjoy writing?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> True stories, or “based on” true stories, are my favorite. My novel, <i>Kidnapped by the Cartel</i>, released this year, was inspired by a true story.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b><i> You wrote the book</i><i> after a family member was kidnapped and missing for 11 days. How difficult was that on your family and, eventually, for you to do research write about it?</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> The goal was to find her and get her back. It was a harrowing experience for everyone. I was involved in the search for several days. My heart went out, after this experience, to everyone who's ever had a family member abducted. Family members encouraged me to write about this.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I found out that this was not an isolated incident. In my research, the things I was hearing were even more harrowing than what we had gone through. So, I created a character, Amanda, in my book. It's a compilation of all the different things I learned and the research I did.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b> <i>What else draws you to that genre?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> I find people so interesting and everyone’s life is some kind of story. Some folks are just more fascinating -- good or evil -- to read about than others.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b> What are your current projects?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> I am currently writing two articles for the November edition of <i><a href="http://www.mobcandymag.com/">Mob Candy Magazine</a></i>. It's a special issue focusing on women involved with the Mafia. My stories are on Mob girlfriend and courier, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Hill">Virginia Hill</a>, and Marion "Kiki" Roberts, a dancer who got herself tangled up with the wrong people.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm also in the beginning stages of an exciting novel about terrorism and the container shipping industry. The research part is fun and challenging. I also write a weekly column for the <i><a href="http://www.charlotteobserver.com/">Charlotte Observer</a></i> and I'm a contributor to Yahoo.com. I'm working on budgeting my time!</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b> <i>What has been the reaction to your book from readers?</i></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> I’ve had a very favorable response. The book was on Amazon’s “Hot List of New Books” the first week it came out. Readers have said things like, “I couldn’t help but feel the pain and horror the parents felt when searching for their daughter,” “great attention to detail,” and “I highly recommend this book.”</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b> <i>What are two of your favorite books, and why?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> Tough question to answer since I have so many books I like a lot, but I’d have to say Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell is one of my all-time favorites. So interesting and thought provoking, it was difficult for me to put down. I like almost anything by the late, great Nora Ephron. She had the ability to make you laugh and think at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>WCI:</b><i> What are your writing plans for the future?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>KS:</b> I enjoy writing books, so I’ll be working on another one. I intend to keep up my newspaper column, plus Yahoo.com, and I’m thinking of taking a screenwriting class.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>You can learn more about Karen </i><i>Scioscia </i><i>on her website by <a href="http://www.karenscioscia.com/">clicking here</a>. 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<!--StartFragment--> <!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-50434550539930557562013-07-01T12:35:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.643-07:00What Exactly is George Zimmerman Guilty of?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4Fr53X0tmo3e6pheNWZ97sRdAiH596kMiu92cSB9SBfgbrjpvxzlJQ822CXVX5x0Kg0EPsyHQ3_pZO5k2pXKZpa8icak03f6OUU-TvEi9J6a1jbqwvAUJg9aD0HN-ewdm5qM6WMbkUrO/s259/Geoge+zimmerman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib4Fr53X0tmo3e6pheNWZ97sRdAiH596kMiu92cSB9SBfgbrjpvxzlJQ822CXVX5x0Kg0EPsyHQ3_pZO5k2pXKZpa8icak03f6OUU-TvEi9J6a1jbqwvAUJg9aD0HN-ewdm5qM6WMbkUrO/s259/Geoge+zimmerman.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Pat Brown</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The trial of George Zimmerman is about half-way though and the six woman jury is gong to have to decide what George is guilty of and <i>if</i> what he is guilty of deserves any time in prison. It is an odd case in that there is no disputing the man on trial killed someone, but there are two questions which make the final verdict a tough one; did George shoot Trayvon Martin in self-defense and how responsible was George for instigating the incident in question?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Both of these questions revolve around the definition of self-defense and one's right to resort to lethal force. Basically it comes down to this: you have the right to defend yourself from injury if you are being attacked (the key words here are "being attacked" and not that your opponent is fighting back after you attacked him nor are the two of you brawling with equal participation) and you have the right to resort to lethal force if you are in immediate danger of extreme injury or death (and you can't shoot someone because you start losing a fight; you must have conceded and your opponent must be continuing to beat you up). I think anyone listens to this <a href="http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page_songInfo.cfm?bandID=676362&songID=11548279&showPlayer=true">911 call</a> would easily conclude that George Zimmerman was screaming in terror and felt he was about to be killed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Let me pause for a minute and discuss whether that is Trayvon or George screaming "Help me!" in the 911 call. Even if we ignore George's <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/07/01/3479949/prosecutors-play-george-zimmermans.html">statement</a> about how Trayvon punched him in the nose, knocked him down to the pavement, mounted him and started doing an MMA "ground and pound," the scenario one hears in the background of the 911 call has someone repeatedly screaming for help which would be the guy who is losing the fight. George Zimmerman clearly was not winning the battle since Trayvon had no injuries other than the bullet wound. A person who is punching the daylights out of someone or smashing their head into the pavement is not going to be screaming "Help me!" at the same time. Only someone needing a referee to stop the fight is going to be screaming for someone to save him and that someone would be George Zimmerman.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, George passes the first test of rightful self-defense; he really was on the receiving end of a brutal assault and he thought he was going to die. It is interesting to note that one hears a bunch of screams in the tape so it is clear that George didn't get punched once and then blow away his opponent. This meant Trayvon had ample time to stop beating up George. George's screams also show that Trayvon knew George was terrified and he was not fighting back and, therefore, continuing to attack George is nothing but straight-up assault.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">However, one thing that has always troubled me; George Zimmerman's cop-wanna-be attitude and some of his behaviors while in jail and in court. George has issues and one of them is taking on the role of a cop, an armed cop, while patrolling the neighborhood. Clearly, the dude can't fight for shit and following tougher, younger, possibly violent men when you are a wuss and come off like a wuss can only invite trouble. The Guardian Angels patrol neighborhoods, too, but these are usually tough young men and women who don't carry firearms. When they approach someone they think might be dangerous, they do it with the full realization they are putting their life on the line and may have to protect themselves with their fists. If a fight ensues, likely both will walk away, albeit with some damage. And, if you aren't going to carry a gun, you better go out on a group patrol or be a pretty big, tough dude.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">George Zimmerman, on the other hand, brought a gun because he felt unsafe, probably because he knew he would lose if he ended up in a fight with anyone. Since George obviously hasn't spent much time in a gym, he quickly did end up on not being able to defend himself with his fists after Trayvon hit him, leaving his only resort to pull his weapon and shoot. Of course, Trayvon clearly went on far too long fighting a man who was no match for him and you do take your chances that the man down is going to pull out the only weapon that will work for him...in this case... a gun. George says that he only pulled the gun when he realized Trevon was going for it, which actually gives George even more right to pull the weapon and fire. Considering how long the screaming went on, I would have to give George credit for holding off for as long as he did (assuming the reason wasn't that he simply couldn't get to the gun).</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, I conclude that George Zimmerman legally shot Trayvon Martin at the moment he pulled the trigger, but, I still feel like he deserves some penalty for instigating the confrontation, only because anyone carrying a weapon (except the police) should avoid trouble. George, carrying a gun on patrol bothers me because Trayvon might not have retaliated for having his presence be questioned if it had been a police officer. Doing so while armed and without a badge raises the level of risk for both parties. However, manslaughter does not really work in this case and the sentence would likely be way too high. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It is a difficult case for six untrained jurors to decide (and most of you folks know I dislike the jury system). I don't know if I could fault them for going any direction with their verdict because there the beginning of the exact confrontation is unknown although evidence seems to indicate Trayvon circled around and then sucker punched Zimmerman which would mean at that point Trayvon was the aggressor and the attacker. I wish them the best in trying to come up with a satisfactory conclusion and I hope the public will not burst out in anger regardless of which way these jurors go. Sometimes the law cannot so clearly address a complicated scenario in which both parties deserves some of the blame for the outcome, although Trayvon Martin actually is responsible for the criminal action.</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-23070637306382518912013-05-24T08:04:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.650-07:00'Soul Destruction' Author Draws Inspiration From A London Call Girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicbP3R5RVwA7s4j3QAlVZuIShvA7LD4S_STplTIl1DwSq3OtdibvPOVsAXNuhKSdmtJTQa1VUvsDZYTMpeRKZtnGsUeEgxD3JrFqTXJ-ydrb3EvA4P-0RtT8ip_BguBh9tWriBoIBl5iv/s1600/Ruth+Jacobs+B&W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiicbP3R5RVwA7s4j3QAlVZuIShvA7LD4S_STplTIl1DwSq3OtdibvPOVsAXNuhKSdmtJTQa1VUvsDZYTMpeRKZtnGsUeEgxD3JrFqTXJ-ydrb3EvA4P-0RtT8ip_BguBh9tWriBoIBl5iv/s200/Ruth+Jacobs+B&W.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><i>In our ongoing series of WCI interviews, we're talking today with Ruth Jacobs, a novelist who lives near London, about her life as a writer. Jacobs studied prostitution in the late 1990s. She draws on her research and the women she has interviewed for inspiration. </i><i>In addition to her fiction writing, Jacobs is involved in nonfiction for charity and human rights campaigning in the areas of anti-sexual exploitation and anti-human trafficking.</i><br /> <b><br /></b><b>Women in Crime Ink: </b><i>Welcome, Ruth. Tell us about</i><i> your writing background. When did you begin writing, and what inspired you?</i><br /><i><br /></i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBfHfOSC_ne72UNslGSEzO0NY_K3XHp4iCemgFFHvDnVAj9RnI5MuLnugEwMGCNd8Cm3Y5Mg62qDCHFwZ-7vpnmO9FeojRs_sBltbIzDRV-eRT92bnJ9sbj_yH2x3HaaM2sWY4iVl3shC/s1600/Soul+Destruction+Unforgivable+High+Res+Border.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBfHfOSC_ne72UNslGSEzO0NY_K3XHp4iCemgFFHvDnVAj9RnI5MuLnugEwMGCNd8Cm3Y5Mg62qDCHFwZ-7vpnmO9FeojRs_sBltbIzDRV-eRT92bnJ9sbj_yH2x3HaaM2sWY4iVl3shC/s200/Soul+Destruction+Unforgivable+High+Res+Border.png" width="125" /></a></div><b>Ruth Jacobs: </b>My grandmother was a writer and I’m sure that’s what made me want to write. I wrote poetry as a young teenager then started writing a book at sixteen. I wrote on and off over the years, but it wasn’t until 2010 when I started the first <i>Soul Destruction</i> book that I actually went on to complete my first novel. That was <i>Soul Destruction: Unforgivable</i>, which was published earlier this year. Last year, I published <i>In Her Own Words... Interview with a London Call Girl</i>, which is the transcript of a video interview I undertook with a woman working as a call girl in London for my research on prostitution in the late 1990s. The woman interviewed was a very dear friend, and as she is no longer alive, all the royalties from that publication are donated to Beyond the Streets, a charity working to end sexual exploitation.<br /><br /><b>WCI: </b><i>How often do you write? And how do you manage to fit in writing among other commitments?</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuBfHfOSC_ne72UNslGSEzO0NY_K3XHp4iCemgFFHvDnVAj9RnI5MuLnugEwMGCNd8Cm3Y5Mg62qDCHFwZ-7vpnmO9FeojRs_sBltbIzDRV-eRT92bnJ9sbj_yH2x3HaaM2sWY4iVl3shC/s1600/Soul+Destruction+Unforgivable+High+Res+Border.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div><i><br /></i><b>RJ:</b> For my fiction writing, I don’t have a fixed time currently, but that’s about to change as I get back into writing the second book in the <i>Soul Destruction</i> series. When I was working on the first book, I had a schedule of writing every evening. It was difficult with two children and a job, but I found the time by keeping the television switched off. I was also completely hooked on my characters and their world, and I couldn’t stay away for long because when I wasn’t writing about them, I was obsessing about them and the story.<br /><br /><i><b>WCI:</b> In which genre do you most enjoy writing?</i><br /><br /><b>RJ:</b> Crime fiction.<br /><br /><b>WCI:</b> <i>What draws you to write in that genre?</i><br /><br /><b>RJ:</b> It’s the genre I most enjoy reading and having been on a death wish from my teens to mid-twenties, my past can be useful sometimes.<br /><br /><b>WCI:</b> <i>What is your current project(s)?</i><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CqCvoYkiV270VVjotSB-Dn4LW7fBIqFiRlhgRcMctZJbIMZ2lz0q4TzhBWRLnjxfqjNdNBKTzsX-FbT_XpoUrG4lfk2SyNICUx8gVeghL4HpkeOTHr5giz6FsIr6r7RA2Jtrgo-TfHbS/s1600/Me+and+Harry+Dunn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9CqCvoYkiV270VVjotSB-Dn4LW7fBIqFiRlhgRcMctZJbIMZ2lz0q4TzhBWRLnjxfqjNdNBKTzsX-FbT_XpoUrG4lfk2SyNICUx8gVeghL4HpkeOTHr5giz6FsIr6r7RA2Jtrgo-TfHbS/s320/Me+and+Harry+Dunn.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: 'bookman old style', 'new york', times, serif; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><i>With author Harry Dunn</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b>RJ:</b> My novel, <i>Soul Destruction: Unforgivable</i>, was published earlier this year by Caffeine Nights. The story follows Shelley Hansard, a heroin addicted and crack psychotic London call girl who gets the opportunity to take revenge on a client who raped her and her friends.<br /><br /><b>WCI:</b> <i>What has the reaction been to your book from readers?</i><br /><br /><b>RJ:</b> The feedback has been great with many readers telling me they were unable to put the book down. Other comments have included the book being real and graphic, having a fast-paced plot, unexpected twists, that the story is told in a compassionate way, and that it takes the false glamour out of prostitution.<br /><br /><b>WCI:</b> <i>What are two of your favorite books, and why?</i><br /><br /><b>RJ:</b> Irvine Welsh’s <i>Trainspotting</i> is one, but after countless failed overdoses and with posttraumatic stress disorder, my memory is so terrible that I can’t recall precisely why. I would have enjoyed the Scottish dialect because all my family come from Scotland, and I would have also enjoyed the story as that was my world at the time - heroin addiction. For a second book, I’m compelled to say <i>London Fields</i> by Martin Amis who I was obsessed with reading many years ago. Again, with my poor memory, I cannot remember why (<i>Trainspotting</i> was at an advantage as I’ve watched the film countless times over the years), but because of my poor memory and because after so long I remember the name of a character, Nicola Six, that book must have impacted me. I must reread it soon.<br /><br /><b>WCI:</b> <i>What are your writing plans for the future?</i><br /><br /><b>RJ:</b> I’m about to pick back up writing the second book in the <i>Soul Destruction</i> series. It has a title but in case it changes, I’m not sharing it yet. From my experience writing the first book and being led away from my original plot by the characters, I know that could happen in this book too and, if it does, then the title might need to be changed. <br /><br />I’m involved in non-fiction for charity and human rights campaigning, currently pushing for the <a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/2013/03/04/cry-for-the-merseyside-model-crimes-against-sex-workers-must-be-treated-as-hate-crimes-uk-wide">Merseyside model</a> to be made UK wide. This will mean all crimes against people in prostitution will be treated as hate crimes. Where it has been running in Merseyside since 2006, reporting and conviction rates have increased hugely. I’ve written a couple of articles about the Merseyside model for feminist websites including Ms Blog, and I’m currently running a series of interviews on <a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/cry-for-the-merseyside-model-interviews">my own website</a>.<br /><br />I have an article to write for an anthology on prostitution so I will be making a start on that project in the summer. A short piece of non-fiction I wrote is being published soon in <i>The Survivor Anthology</i>. And a short story I wrote called <i>Life</i> will be published as an e-book by Caffeine Nights in the next week or two. <br /><br /><b>WCI: </b><i>Is there anything else we should know?</i><br /><i><br /></i><b>RJ:</b> Although I write fiction, my work is very real. It’s important to me when writing about prostitution that it isn’t glamorized as it so often is in other books, films and on television. I want to show it for what it is - a dangerous and traumatic way to earn money. Most women in prostitution have been abused as children. Most women in prostitution have suffered rape multiple times. And most women in prostitution meet the criteria for posttraumatic stress disorder. I share many similarities in this, and I hope that enables me to keep my characters real, and my stories true to life. That’s very important to me.<br /><br /><b>WCI:</b> <i>Where can readers learn more about you and your writing?</i><br /><br /><b>RJ</b>: On the <a href="http://www.soul-destruction.com/"><i>Soul Destruction</i> website</a> and on my <a href="http://www.ruthjacobs.co.uk/">author website</a>.<br /><br /><i>Ruth Jacobs' series of novels, titled </i>Soul Destruction<i>, expose the dark world and the harsh reality of life as a call girl. Her debut novel, </i>Soul Destruction: Unforgivable<i>, was released in April 2013 by Caffeine Nights. It is a free download on Amazon today, April 24th, through Monday, April 27th. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Destruction-Unforgivable-ebook/dp/B00CKBWWKS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1369405346&sr=1-1&keywords=soul+destruction+jacobs">Click here to download.</a></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-64397136821457678112013-05-16T21:29:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.657-07:00Juan Martinez: A Prosecutor's Success<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jZ8MmjxC_vIY6OJTN5pEFZMx6r0H8JGk870CnQ4CMwNwWAZ-i0NKnBScDe8zKfbkX2m5zojnLPTy8oLpfXYkxVNVlh6BXfaCLxy34MRby8tYylYpWBku-obZd6Q9pZiNh4EDahyb_xo/s1600/juan-martinez-prosecuting-attorney.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8jZ8MmjxC_vIY6OJTN5pEFZMx6r0H8JGk870CnQ4CMwNwWAZ-i0NKnBScDe8zKfbkX2m5zojnLPTy8oLpfXYkxVNVlh6BXfaCLxy34MRby8tYylYpWBku-obZd6Q9pZiNh4EDahyb_xo/s200/juan-martinez-prosecuting-attorney.jpg" width="189" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Women In Crime Ink</span></i></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As the jury determines in the next few days whether convicted killer Jodi Arias should serve life in prison or get the death penalty, we thought we'd take a look back at this sensational case and voice our opinions on what went right.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If you've followed the case, you know that after a four-month trial, 32-year-old Arias was convicted of killing ex-boyfriend <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jodi_Arias">Travis Alexander</a> in his Phoenix townhouse. It was a particularly grizzly murder, with Arias stabbing Alexander 29 times, most of which were in the back, slitting his throat, and shooting him once in the head. Alexander, 30, didn't stand a chance.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">While the final phase of the trial -- the sentencing -- winds down, this seems like the perfect time to take a look back and ask this question:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">During the trial, what did Deputy District Attorney Juan Martinez do best to win a guilty verdict?</span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Here's what some of our WCI bloggers had to say:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Donna Pendergast</b>: The facts in the Jodi Arias case speak for themselves. In terms of a prosecution case, it doesn't get much better than this. Her story of self defense was negated by the physical evidence, her false statements and her manipulative testimony, which came across as very calculated.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Jurors are not stupid and they don't like to be played like they are. Although we have seen a few high-profile cases in the news where the verdict seemingly was inconsistent with the evidence, in most circumstances jurors try to do the right thing. They saw right through Jodi Arias and delivered a verdict consistent with the overwhelming evidence. As a prosecutor, I think that <a href="http://www.azfamily.com/news/Will-Juan-Martinezs-notoriety-following-Arias-trial-affect-future-juries-207022201.html">Juan Martinez</a> overdid the histrionics, but I can't quarrel with success.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Gina Simmons:</b> Jurors had a chance to witness Jodi Arias lie frequently and with incredible detail over a long period of time. Psychopaths can create detailed pictures with their lies. These self-serving pictures can appear so convincing that jurors might find it hard to believe that they were completely created from imagination. Jurors got a close-up view of a pathological liar. Psychologically, this close-up view might make it difficult for some jurors to give her the death penalty. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Robin Sax:</b> If this case shows anything at all it's that the public (even post-OJ) has an insatiable appetite for a good crime story. This had it all: Sex, lies, photos, and a frighteningly smart narcissistic defendant. While Juan Martinez was certainly passionate, he did not make the same mistakes many high-profile prosecutors have made in the past, and that is he didn't drink his own Kool Aid. He spent the time proving each element, painting a picture, and presenting a strong case. Of course, Jodi helped with unbelievable lies, horrific evidence and narcissism that spoke volumes.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Katherine Scardino:</b> As a defense attorney, I agree that this was a dream case for the prosecution. I would have handled her defense in a much more realistic manner. First of all, she would never have spent a minute on the stand much less 19 days. Bad lawyering for her. But seems like Guilty verdict is the right one.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Cathy Scott:</b> The interesting thing in this case was how Martinez brought the pieces of the puzzle together for the jury in his closing. Some things he brought out didn't make sense during the trial, at least to me, until he laid it all out in the end. It was brilliant, and it worked.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-28250410814191483782013-05-02T01:47:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.664-07:00Book Excerpt: UK Writer Ruth Jacobs Pens Debut Novel, 'Soul Destruction' <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>126</o:Words> <o:Characters>720</o:Characters> <o:Company>Best Friends Animal Society</o:Company> <o:Lines>6</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>845</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>14.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> 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<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/> <w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"></span></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #333333; font-style: italic; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4jMjgQktA8tNLF-Q0QVO3Dw4zM8bvsz26j6OEZXGstgSfrZGpqpfNJH8-NR6pBx3TxFhijbSnLQDLGhw-jYZtrNvDdtW16IvrsT74rOfQpoZLQgl-KODEP9WYYesV4-tYZmVKrPnmLLu/s1600/me+headshot+box+small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4jMjgQktA8tNLF-Q0QVO3Dw4zM8bvsz26j6OEZXGstgSfrZGpqpfNJH8-NR6pBx3TxFhijbSnLQDLGhw-jYZtrNvDdtW16IvrsT74rOfQpoZLQgl-KODEP9WYYesV4-tYZmVKrPnmLLu/s200/me+headshot+box+small.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://ruthjacobs.co.uk/about-ruth-jacobs/">Ruth Jacobs</a> writes a series of novels which expose the dark world and harsh reality of life as a call girl.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Below is an excerpt of Jacob's debut novel <i>Soul Destruction: Unforgivable</i> (released April 29 by Caffeine Nights),<i> </i>which takes readers into the bleak existence of a call girl haunted by the atrocities of her childhood.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">In the spring of 1997, Shelley Hansard is a drug addict with a heroin habit and crack psychosis. Her desirability as a top London call girl is waning. During this tumultuous time, she is presented with an opportunity to take revenge on a client who raped her and her friends. But in her unbalanced state of mind, can she stop a serial rapist?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP66wxOXSHxvnmbnfCjwFUU88H3NFRs1xTHJ5GhJDyWjYv_PtXrOoTc4_yN1hnrBwlHNMk6BnCGES4ADQUiFnPHMHt6pXqKv6TbWs42AGxqbxco3B8GqXdTVMhhnCqkvO9JK7efEGc-FL/s1600/SD-front+border.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIP66wxOXSHxvnmbnfCjwFUU88H3NFRs1xTHJ5GhJDyWjYv_PtXrOoTc4_yN1hnrBwlHNMk6BnCGES4ADQUiFnPHMHt6pXqKv6TbWs42AGxqbxco3B8GqXdTVMhhnCqkvO9JK7efEGc-FL/s320/SD-front+border.jpg" width="199" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Excerpt from Chapter One - The Dead John</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“There’s only one kind of dead, the not moving and the not breathing kind, and that’s the kind of dead he is.” Despite her hysteria, Shelley Hansard tried to whisper on the phone from The Lanesborough.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“Not necessarily.” Marianne’s voice squeaked down the line. “Just because things seem a certain way, it doesn’t mean they are.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“Sometimes it does. Sometimes things are exactly as they seem – and right now, this is one of those fucking times.” Shelley sat rocking on the edge of the bed in the Regency-styled suite. “I’m telling you, he fucking died on me.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“You’re not a doctor. You can’t go around pronouncing people dead.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“If you don’t believe me, get off the line and I’ll call someone else.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“Don’t you dare. You don’t tell anyone. Do you understand? You come straight here.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Marianne grunted. “Have you got the money?”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“What the fuck does that matter now?” A hot tear landed on Shelley’s thigh.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“Get a grip, Kiki. Start acting like a professional.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Fighting the urge to look at the motionless body spread-eagled next to her, Shelley pushed herself up from the bed. Her neatly folded suit lay by her feet. She stood, staring down, burrowing her toes into the plush carpet. She knew she should get dressed, but clean clothes didn’t belong on skin that felt unclean.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Taking a step towards the bathroom, she felt unbalanced. Her legs shuddered and her backside hit the floor. Reunited with her brown, pinstripe suit, she reached for her skirt. With trembling hands, she dragged it towards her. Shuffling on her back, she shimmied into it. Her fingers grappled with the hook and eye. Making a hasty exit was important, but making an exception to her rule was impossible. She couldn’t do it.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">She managed to stand but, stepping out of her skirt, she collapsed again. Pressing down on the carpet with her palms, she tried to lever herself back up. Her jolting arms gave way. The last limbs to surrender to the convulsionary rhythm that had overtaken the rest of her. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">She didn’t have control over her body. Instead, she had a helpless feeling of being completely powerless. The rush to leave the hotel and the corpse was over. As a periodic convulsionist, she knew the beat could monopolise her for hours. She just had to wait. She knew what to expect. Soon she’d be gone.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">***</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">On regaining consciousness, her shaking had reduced. She staggered to the walnut bureau where earlier she’d left her handbag, took out her mobile and checked the time: nearly midnight. Two hours lost to another world.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Slipping the mobile back inside her cream handbag, she shut her eyes, realizing what she’d done. She’d called Marianne from the phone in the hotel suite. Under the circumstances, that wasn’t the phone she should have used.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">After a shower, with hair wet, she dripped a track back to the bed. She dressed, trying not to look to her right but as she buttoned her jacket, she couldn’t help it. She breathed in deeply, as if inhalation through her nose would draw the tears back through her ducts from whence they’d sprung.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Quietly, she said aloud, “God bless you.”</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">What was his name? She tried to remember. She couldn’t. She didn’t know him, not in a real sense, only biblically. The last few hours they’d spent fornicating, high on a combination of crack and GHB. In the midst of proceedings, he’d complained of a chest pain. So, when he asked her to make him another pipe, she refused. On gently reminding her who was paying for the evening, and whose desires were to be met, he took the crack pipe from her hands and on the ash-covered foil, prepared himself a rock. The rock that would emerge to be the last ever smoked by the late, greying-blond john.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“Come to me, you... you... you nymph,” he said, beckoning to her as he exhaled his final pipe. “Come over here and pleasure me— my penis. I mean, pleasure my penis. Would you, with your mouth, please?” The client reclined on the bed, unaware that his last words had just been spent on a bungled request for fellation. And from a young woman whose name he didn’t know – at least, not her real name.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Some time in, Shelley became aware that the penis in her mouth was lifeless. She stopped to look up and saw the fixed expression on his face. It wasn’t changing. He wasn’t moving. He looked like a waxwork from Madame Tussauds.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">“What are you doing?” she asked, prodding his chest. “Stop fucking around,” she shouted through the hairs in his ear.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">After a vigorous shaking failed to extract even the slightest reaction, she put her fingers under his nostrils. He wasn’t breathing. That was when she called Marianne.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b><i>About the Author</i></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><i>Jacobs, who lives in a small village in Hertfordshire, England, studied prostitution in the late 1990s, which sparked her interest in prostitution. For the series, she draws on her research and the women she interviewed for inspiration. She also has firsthand experience of many of the topics she writes about, including post-traumatic stress disorder, rape, and drug and alcohol addiction. In addition to her fiction writing, Jacobs is involved in non-fiction for charity and human rights campaign work in the areas of anti-sexual exploitation and anti-human trafficking. She profiles writers in an online column “In the Booth With Ruth.”</i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">Soul Destruction: Unforgivable<i> is in stores now and available from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Destruction-Unforgivable-ebook/dp/B00CKBWWKS/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1367481537&sr=1-1&keywords=ruth+jacobs+soul+destruction">Amazon</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soul-Destruction-Unforgivable-ebook/dp/B00CKBWWKS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1367481587&sr=8-1&keywords=ruth+jacobs+soul+destruction">Amazon UK</a>.</i></span></span></div><br /><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-37758406924684630232013-05-01T02:39:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.674-07:00Bodyguard for Murdered Rap Artist Tupac Shakur Has Died<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdZHdK7NnyBw9raVMK7K2_jMHKSKyEJE5-72TkIW9wikSBWlv-INW95wga9-udU73D2i-Zv55FMyW7e30pW1X70zmststcAc72cvjZZuNrblC9BTUAbetX9Vwm9CxDIiMr1aAoi7hWGCj/s1600/TupacFrank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOdZHdK7NnyBw9raVMK7K2_jMHKSKyEJE5-72TkIW9wikSBWlv-INW95wga9-udU73D2i-Zv55FMyW7e30pW1X70zmststcAc72cvjZZuNrblC9BTUAbetX9Vwm9CxDIiMr1aAoi7hWGCj/s320/TupacFrank.jpg" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of TruthAboutTupac.com</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>by <a href="http://www.cathyscott.com/">Cathy Scott</a></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Frank Alexander, a bodyguard for the late rapper <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur">Tupac Shakur</a>, has passed away.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Alexander was in a car directly behind Tupac and his record producer, Suge Knight, in September 1996 near the Las Vegas Strip when Tupac was shot. A passenger in a white Cadillac pulled next to Suge and Tupac’s BMW, opened fire, hitting Tupac and grazing Knight.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Six days later, Tupac died from a chest wound. Suge, who was admitted to the hospital for treatment, was released the morning after the shooting. Frank two years later co-wrote the book <i>Got Your Back</i>, about his time on tour with Pac.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I got to know Frank over the years and spent time with him during the taping of the documentary <i>Before I Wake</i> and <i>Tupac: Assassination</i>, which Frank executive produced.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">One of the coolest gigs Frank and I had together was on August 18, 2002, when we both appeared on comedian <a href="http://kevinnealon.com/">Kevin Nealon</a>’s show “The Conspiracy Zone,” where Nealon, according to the show’s site, hosted “expert panelists discussing popular conspiracy theories.” The topic in this case was Tupac’s murder. On the show with us were comedians Kathy Griffin and Christopher Reid.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The oddest thing that evening was during the taping, which was in Burbank with a studio audience, when another guest, who'd also written a book about the Tupac case, publicly called me “a hack.” In writing vernacular, it was meant as an insult. It came out of nowhere, and I’d never met this guy before, so everybody but the name-caller cracked up laughing, including Frank.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On camera, Kevin Nealon turned to me and said, “I couldn’t tell, Cathy. Was he kidding?”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I don’t think so,” I answered, and Kevin laughed along with us.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://ktla.com/2013/04/29/kathy-girffin/">Kathy Griffin</a> cracked a joke about it as well, and then the show continued. It was a lively discussion, and the episode was well received.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Afterward, we all went into the Green Room to eat the spread that Kraft Services had set up for us. Frank, with a group of friends, stayed, as did I. <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0717212/">Christopher Reid</a> (formerly known as Kid) was fun to talk with; he had mad respect for Tupac.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The irritated author, in the meantime, practically ran out the studio and through the Green Room, stopping only to ask where his driver was, before heading through a back door to the parking lot. We all laughed again, because it seemed so odd.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Frank was in a good mood that night, as were the rest of us – except for the out-of-sorts author (who will remain unnamed). I thought of Frank at the time as on top of his game. His book, co-written with author and journalist Heidi Coder, had been released in June 1998. And it was re-released in paperback a couple years later. In recent years, he’d worked on indie documentaries while working as a security guard.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I interviewed Frank in 1997 for the first edition of my book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Tupac-Shakur-Cathy-Scott/dp/092971220X/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1367398365&sr=8-1">The Killing of Tupac Shakur</a></i>, and again for the second edition in 2002. About Tupac's murder, Frank told me, "I want to see the shooter brought to justice.” That never happened, despite the wide belief and law enforcement intelligence that points to Southside Crips as responsible for the rapper's death.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Frank Alexander passed away the afternoon of April 28 in his Southern California home. According to the Murrieta Police Department, investigators determined that he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head. The police investigation determined, per incident report No. 1304M-6390 and interviews and evidence at the scene, it was death by suicide. A formal autopsy was scheduled. But a police source close to the investigation told me, “The autopsy is just a formality in our determination. It was a suicide.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">An administrator with <a href="http://truthabouttupac.com/profile/BigFrank">TruthAboutTupac.com</a> site, says the loss is a personal one: “Big Frank was my friend and brother. We ate together, prayed together, told jokes and kicked it. He used to say, ‘It’s not how long you know a person that counts but how well you connect during the experiences you share that really matters.’</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The last conversation we had was very deep, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around our loss. I never in a million years thought I wouldn’t see him again.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">TruthAboutTupac.com summed up the loss for all of us: “Rest in Paradise, Big Frank. ONE LOVE.”</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-58843581126217666382013-03-20T10:24:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.679-07:00'Teach Your Sons Not To Rape'<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMVxBNg5aKAxrXH80rxgsdQuobuQQ2q5oAlK-vNGJnDtSUWefywmzvKLdFifEVaEAJtISzy0DVAcBAjh7mQSlRRHYMJYMDitYCjgCTm07uacak5xllB0JQHs8_sxhtLCo8N6RLFpYR-6d/s1600/Steubenville+Rape+Victim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNMVxBNg5aKAxrXH80rxgsdQuobuQQ2q5oAlK-vNGJnDtSUWefywmzvKLdFifEVaEAJtISzy0DVAcBAjh7mQSlRRHYMJYMDitYCjgCTm07uacak5xllB0JQHs8_sxhtLCo8N6RLFpYR-6d/s200/Steubenville+Rape+Victim.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b>by Pat Brown</b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There have been many very angry women <a href="http://www.laughmom.com/2013/03/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-teaching-our-daughters-not-to-get-raped/">expressing this sentiment</a><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6316617410436977874"> </a>following the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/steubenville-football-players-guilty-ohio-rape-trial/story?id=18748493">Steubenville, Ohio conviction</a> of the two high school football players who sexually assaulted a very drunk and near comatose young lady and then proceeded to threaten and humiliate her via social media. There is ample evidence in this case against these young men and that these two creeps were found guilty makes me very happy, Often, in these date or acquaintance type rape crimes, it is a <i>he said-she said</i> situation and it is very difficult to prove a rape or sexual assault actually occurred, that the alleged victim didn't participate consensually in the act. A Montana college student and football player was <a href="http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/9018978/jordan-johnson-reinstated-montana-grizzlies-acquittal-rape-charge">recently found not guilty</a> because there simply wasn't ample proof the girl didn't want sex with him. I thought that verdict was correct.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But in the wake of these cases, I see a lot of furious women <a href="http://www.laughmom.com/2013/03/i-am-so-fucking-sick-of-teaching-our-daughters-not-to-get-raped/">mad as hell about anyone recommending that they should educate their daughters</a> on how to keep themselves from getting attacked. These angry women say, "Why do we have to keep teaching our daughters this stuff? Why can't YOU teach your sons not to rape?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Umm, ladies, you can't teach your sons not to rape. You can't have a birds and a bees discussion and say, "By the way, don't rape girls; it's not nice."</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">If your son doesn't know that "no means no," and that having sex with unconscious girls is sick and criminal, you have a little psychopath on your hands and he doesn't give a crap about what you say. You lost him years ago when he was a little boy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">What we all SHOULD be are good parents, ones who teach both sons and daughters to be decent people, - kind and respectful, empathetic and law-abiding. When these children get to be teens and adults, they don't commit crimes. I did not have a talk with my sons about not raping girls; they would have been appalled that I would even have considered it necessary to tell them that. I didn't have a talk with my daughter about not tricking a guy into getting her pregnant and to not stalk and kill her boyfriend like Jodi Arias; she would have said, "Just what kind of girl do you think I am, Mom?"</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I started giving lessons in morality and ethics when my children were very young, teaching them not to hit, not to be poor sports, to be polite, to not be bullies, to not take what isn't theirs, to not be greedy, to be willing to share, and so on. I started when they were at the breast ("don't bite Mommy") and then kept them from thinking it was okay to pull the cat's tail when they learned to crawl and grab. I kept up the lessons in how to be a decent human being all through their childhood and into their teens. But, I never had to tell them not to shoplift, steal cars, burglarize the neighbors' homes, set fires, or sell drugs. And I didn't have to tell my boys not to rape. Why? Because I hadn't raised psychopaths or criminals. If you really think you need to have a "rape" conversation with your son, you dropped the ball long, long ago.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">And since there are enough young men out in the world who are past the point of moral return and the justice system cannot catch them all and keep them locked up, I will continue to encourage parents to teach their daughters how to keep from getting raped and sexually assaulted. Just because young men should never do bad things, doesn't mean some aren't going to. Being angry about it isn't going to keep your daughter from becoming a victim. So, in spite of a number of angry bloggers who attacked my book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Save-Your-Daughters-Life/dp/0757316697/ref=la_B003754SIK_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1363796241&sr=1-2"><i>How to Save Your Daughter's Life</i></a>, for educating parents on how to keep their daughters safe, I am going to keep on educating young women and their parents because I know sex predators are out there - in the high schools, in the colleges, in the neighborhood, and in the home. As a female, I, too, am frustrated at having so many sexual crimes perpetrated against women and I am all for coming down harder on these sex offenders with a much tougher criminal justice system, but, right now, the reality is such that we women have to do what we can to not end up a victims of horrible crimes that will ruin our lives. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Just because some parents need to do a better job raising their sons doesn't mean we should stop doing the job of raising our daughters.They need our help keeping them safe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b> </b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZLd9yUcUVmNbpwzzZqQEwGFkyZQdyHesGQpp7aDpjiBHQbZUKwOvsrSLfOvulrOvAp3Ghq-vgmv5itRbwFNwjf4fUchIFX9-DGUMC8i5SL-XxxtjyyClV0Msf8NYpJZz6Qq_T1luk6E/s1600/How+To+Save+Your+Daughters+Life.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZLd9yUcUVmNbpwzzZqQEwGFkyZQdyHesGQpp7aDpjiBHQbZUKwOvsrSLfOvulrOvAp3Ghq-vgmv5itRbwFNwjf4fUchIFX9-DGUMC8i5SL-XxxtjyyClV0Msf8NYpJZz6Qq_T1luk6E/s320/How+To+Save+Your+Daughters+Life.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>How to Save your Daughter's Life </i></b>by Pat Brown at <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Save-Your-Daughters-Life/dp/0757316697/ref=la_B003754SIK_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1343327858&sr=1-4">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-save-your-daughters-life-pat-brown/1111009007">Barnes and Noble</a> and bookstores near you.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Included in this book, a ton of information about</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Early Years</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Partying, Drinking, Drugging, Casual Sex (Hooking Up), and Gangs</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Date Rape</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Dangers of Social Networking and the Internet</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Risky Relationships</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Stalkers</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Child Predators, Serial Rapists, and Serial Killers</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Sex Trade and Sex Trafficking </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-60787645249618342642013-02-25T13:09:00.000-08:002013-09-16T05:44:15.686-07:00Armed and Dangerous: Search Widens for Suspect in Fatal Shooting on Las Vegas Strip <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XtqATSd7SAZIYp5lru1IewHa3raSeI5Aa3m4c-n7ZnPcetj9ylsbjb4huFvtj45xcQGG9VdLoPcKZEUhuh2UBW7uFBwSIfEGfrG2N507Hj9EtVJS9J_yS-HvvZCuH5q5puEtYlvkvqTM/s1600/Suspect+mug+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2XtqATSd7SAZIYp5lru1IewHa3raSeI5Aa3m4c-n7ZnPcetj9ylsbjb4huFvtj45xcQGG9VdLoPcKZEUhuh2UBW7uFBwSIfEGfrG2N507Hj9EtVJS9J_yS-HvvZCuH5q5puEtYlvkvqTM/s320/Suspect+mug+shot.jpg" width="253" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ammar Harris mug shot</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by <a href="http://www.cathyscott.com/">Cathy Scott</a></span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The dramatic shooting involving luxury cars on the Las Vegas Strip, which ended in three deaths, including a rapper, can't help but be compared to the shooting just two blocks from where hip-hop star <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupac_Shakur">Tupac Shakur</a> was mortally wounded.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The similarities are eery. car-to-car shooting at a busy intersection on the Strip with the gunman fleeing into the darkness; the victim, trying to get away from the gunfire while mortally wounded, ran a red light and ended up in an intersection two blocks from where Tupac was shot.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It was not unlike when <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suge_Knight">Suge Knight</a>, Tupac's record producer who was driving and was struck by shrapnel at the base of his neck, with Tupac, shot multiple times in the passenger seat, took off in his BMW, trying to flee the gunfire. The driver of the Cadillac from which the shooter fired sped away into the night, just as the Range Rover used in the Las Vegas Strip shooting got away.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In this recent case, however, unlike in the Shakur murder investigation, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police are determined to catch the killer. They've already located the Range Rover used in the shooting, and there's been a manhunt for the suspect since it went down just before dawn on February 21. The search has been expanded to include southeast states, where the suspect once lived.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The suspect has been identified as Ammar Harris, 26, who's also known as Ammar Asim Faruq Harris. As of this writing, he was still at large, although the black Range Rover that police said was used in the shooting has been located and impounded. If the motive is known, police have not released it.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Harris is considered armed and dangerous, and, police say, if he is seen, he should not be approached. He has several tattoos, including a small heart below his right eye and an owl that covers his neck and a portion of his chest. Harris, who is a convicted felon, has been arrested in the past for kidnapping, soliciting clients for a prostitute, and sexual assault, according to a <a href="http://lvmpd.com/Portals/0/news/2013/022313ReleasePO053.pdf">news release</a>.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The shooting occurred after an argument at in the valet area of a nearby hotel.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Kenneth Cherry, 27, an aspiring rapper known by the stage name Kenny Clutch, drove his Maserati from the valet area around 4:20 a.m. on February 21 when a suspect in the Range Rover shot at his car as it headed north on Las Vegas Boulevard. Cherry, who was shot in the chest and arm, later died at a local hospital.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Cherry, to escape the gunfire, drove the Maserati into the intersection on the Strip at Flamingo Road, against a red traffic light, and crashed into a taxi, which caught fire, killing cab driver Michael Boldon and his passenger, Sandra Sutton-Wasmund, 48, of Maple Valley, Washington. The Clark County Coroner's Office has ruled all three deaths as homicides.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGLiwSB6rphLmaAhemu9p-1H8Gs8C2tpTMF2whRyYa7JQte96rsugk88jl-Vo3KqE8tSmCTiAAsz6ZtNLW87Jj7CDIkWOf5PSGNKsQ7gRPNbPGoFxp_45yGZSQUF5_tp5JHPWMODjpxxd/s1600/Image_The_Killing_of_Tupac_Shakur.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdGLiwSB6rphLmaAhemu9p-1H8Gs8C2tpTMF2whRyYa7JQte96rsugk88jl-Vo3KqE8tSmCTiAAsz6ZtNLW87Jj7CDIkWOf5PSGNKsQ7gRPNbPGoFxp_45yGZSQUF5_tp5JHPWMODjpxxd/s320/Image_The_Killing_of_Tupac_Shakur.jpg" width="199" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When I wrote the book, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Tupac-Shakur-Hiphop/dp/092971220X/ref=tmm_mmp_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1361823982&sr=1-1">The Killing of Tupac Shakur</a></i>, it was done in part to help solve the crime that police seemed reticent to investigate in-depth. Today, it's a different story. Had there been videotape at the parking garage set back from the street where Tupac was shot, police perhaps could have better pursued the killer.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">There was videotape in the parking garage at the <a href="http://www.treasureisland.com/">TI</a> (previously known as Treasure Island hotel and casino), where Crips gang member <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orlando_Anderson">Orlando Anderson</a> stayed with fellow Crips gang members. Anderson is widely believed to be the shooter in the Shakur case.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Why Las Vegas police did not get images from surveillance video in the TI parking garage, to see if a white Cadillac had left the garage that evening, is still unknown.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In the meantime, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Killing_of_Tupac_Shakur">killing of Tupac Shakur</a> remains unsolved, at least officially. But the Kenny Clutch investigation appears to be well on its way to the suspect's arrest so justice can be served this time around.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-60573710225748434122013-02-17T22:47:00.000-08:002013-09-16T05:44:15.699-07:00The Murder of Cleopatra<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> <o:DoNotOrganizeInFolder/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> 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margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfCE17Hq8XvTWXxBLX4P2o5XnD6rUuDzewxUIki9q4a9Arqq9Lb4FrIzmdhhty7Q_PxNBJX3lLrFmCQHer4OQm_WGecUU7QkJMH9m15M7QnfYrOjLFLTC81VB1GhiKFHlelo1k1hLIP_6X/s320/The+Murder+of+Cleopatra+Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></b><br /><div style="display: inline !important;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Excerpt from <i>The Murder of Cleopatra</i></b></b></b></div><br /><br /><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i>by Pat Brown</i></b><br />Publication date: February 19, 2013 by Prometheus Books</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Prologue: The Myth of Cleopatra's Death</b></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">"When the sun rose over the city of Alexandria on the morning of August 12, 30 BCE, it did not shine down on the great Alexandria of Egypt, but the new Alexandria of the Roman Empire. The air was heavy with resignation and solemn respect for the passing of the queen, and the transfer of Alexandria into the hands of the Roman general Octavian. Cleopatra had provided a dignified conclusion to the great dynasty with her brave, if surprising, exit from the world.<br /><br />"The story was simple, yet awe-inspiring. Octavian had been in the palace, and Cleopatra in her tomb with her two favorite handmaidens. Somehow, a cobra had been smuggled into the mausoleum hidden in a basket of figs. A soldier delivered a letter to Octavian in which Cleopatra explained that she was about to take her life with a request that her body be buried next to her beloved husband and Roman general, Mark Antony, who had already committed suicide a few days earlier, dying in the arms of his wife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Octavian immediately dispatched his men to the mausoleum to intervene and stop the queen from this rash course of action. However, by the time the soldiers arrived, Cleopatra was dead. Word was sent back to Octavian, “We were too late.”</div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">Unwilling to believe Cleopatra was truly dead, Octavian hurried to the mausoleum. He was stunned and angered by the sight of the motionless queen. This determined woman who had refused to yield at any time in her life, this enchantress who lured married Roman men into unfaithfulness and turned them against their countries, this queen who had refused to recognize his superiority in life, preferred death over submission to his sovereignty. He would now be unable to bring her back to Rome in shackles and parade her though the streets in his grand triumph—his final coup de grace. Queen Cleopatra, the greatest prize in the entire world, had slipped out of his grasp.<br /><br />"Hoping she was perhaps in a coma, the sleep that mimics death, Octavian desperately sent for the physician and for specialists in snake venom who might still find a way to save her. But the snake venom experts had no remedies and the doctor pronounced her dead. All of this was witnessed by the soldiers, and after they left, Octavian met with his advisors.<br /><br />"The story of Cleopatra’s death did not take long to spread beyond the compound and soon the city was in mourning. Later that week, a wealthy friend of Cleopatra's came to Octavian and gave him a large sum of money to maintain statues of the queen. Wishing to prove he was a moral leader who respected the sentiments of his new subjects, Octavian agreed.<br /><br />"This is the account of Cleopatra’s death, a tale that has been dutifully retold for two thousand years. But the real story of how Octavian got away with the most perfect crime in history, the murder of Cleopatra, has never been uncovered until now."</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutt1CXbois8Jq5TDv4nALaJJQvvm3LDT1HAo-b2CvMkWH21eZIxkl3vFVy180mcA8mE9gNddNCzWrQqcQHrtcLqsB0wnrXYl3YIM7_BjfmeUs1iO7wI0rFJKSN3PGB-vnnza2b8ABLlOi/s1600/Pat+with+archeologist+at+Tapasoris+%28Photo+by+Pat+Brown.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutt1CXbois8Jq5TDv4nALaJJQvvm3LDT1HAo-b2CvMkWH21eZIxkl3vFVy180mcA8mE9gNddNCzWrQqcQHrtcLqsB0wnrXYl3YIM7_BjfmeUs1iO7wI0rFJKSN3PGB-vnnza2b8ABLlOi/s200/Pat+with+archeologist+at+Tapasoris+%28Photo+by+Pat+Brown.JPG" width="200" /></a> </div><div class="MsoNormal">In 2004, I hosted the Discovery Channel documentary, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Mysterious Death of Cleopatra,</i> and debunked the “death by snake theory.” I also stated that I believed Cleopatra was murdered. But I wasn't able to go into my reasoning on the show that was just an hour long. I decided only a book would allow me to present my research and an in-depth analysis, to present a solid profile of history and to reconstruct the events of Cleopatra's life and death.<br /><br />During the work on the documentary and throughout the next eight years, I spent time in Egypt, Rome, and England working with Egyptologists, poison experts, archeologists, and historians of the ancient world and I began to piece together another, more credible story behind the death of Cleopatra.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra was tortured.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra was strangled.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">• </span>I believed Anthony was murdered.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">• </span>I believed Cleopatra did not hide in her tomb with her treasure.<br />• I believed Cleopatra did not bargain with Octavian.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra planned a brilliant military maneuver at Alexandria, her Actium Two, which this time would not have been an escape strategy from a failed naval battle, but a faux naval battle to permit a successful escape from a dire military position that offered little hope of survival.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra never loved Antony.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra never loved Julius Caesar.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra did not have Caesar’s son.</div><div class="MsoNormal">• I believed Cleopatra may have been one of the most brilliant, cold-blooded, iron-willed rulers in history and the truth about what really happened was hidden behind a veil of propaganda and lies set in motion by her murderer, Octavian, and the agenda of the Roman Empire.<br /><br />And now <i>The Murder of Cleopatra</i> brings this new view of history to you with my full analysis of the world's greatest cold case.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><i>The </i>Murder of Cleopatra<i> is in stores February 19<span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i><i>and available for order now at </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Murder-Cleopatra-Historys-Greatest-Cold/dp/1616146508/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361169124&sr=1-1&keywords=the+murder+of+cleopatra" style="font-style: italic;">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Murder-Cleopatra-Pat-Brown/dp/1616146508/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361169853&sr=8-1" style="font-style: italic;">Amazon Canada</a><i>) and </i><a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-murder-of-cleopatra-pat-brown/1111959629" style="font-style: italic;">Barnes & Noble</a>.<i> </i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Murder-Cleopatra-Historys-ebook/dp/B00BEZ9V00/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1361169255&sr=1-1&keywords=the+murder+of+cleopatra" style="font-style: italic;">Kindle</a><i> format is also available in the US and </i><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Murder-Cleopatra-Historys-ebook/dp/B00BEZ9V00/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1361169764&sr=8-1" style="font-style: italic;">UK</a><i> and </i><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Murder-Cleopatra-Historys-Greatest-ebook/dp/B00BEZ9V00/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1361169853&sr=8-2" style="font-style: italic;">Canada</a><i>.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-32592544553852697812013-01-13T23:56:00.000-08:002013-09-16T05:44:15.709-07:00Infamous 'Person of Interest' in Unsolved Murder Case Spotted in Las Vegas<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv59LAHWNyk1VhK49BPsCO0ARCeJbbHjdf4V6OsLjdzEpGvIAntNasvT8DyQyOynO2FeUdoVQ4AKXIHycjbjnWKtaWHTNARTv2svyASbfaO0M0OL0ujA91W4ku4EGXPzbbhDxXVNn1b_F0/s1600/defendant-makeovers.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv59LAHWNyk1VhK49BPsCO0ARCeJbbHjdf4V6OsLjdzEpGvIAntNasvT8DyQyOynO2FeUdoVQ4AKXIHycjbjnWKtaWHTNARTv2svyASbfaO0M0OL0ujA91W4ku4EGXPzbbhDxXVNn1b_F0/s200/defendant-makeovers.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div><b style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4em; text-align: justify;"><i>By Cathy Scott</i></b><br /><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4em; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4em; text-align: justify;">New York real estate baron Robert Durst, who has long been a person of interest in the 2000 murder of Mob daughter Susan Berman and in the 1982 disappearance of his wife first Kathleen Durst, has been seen in Las Vegas on three occasions.</span><br /><div style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.4em; margin-bottom: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Sin City is where Durst's one-time best friend, Susan Berman, grew up Mob royalty as the spoiled daughter of Jewish mobster Davie Berman.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Durst was spotted by a patron just before Christmas at a Chinese restaurant on Paradise Road near the Las Vegas Strip, at a supermarket on the east side of the valley by a fellow shopper, and at another restaurant in the same vicinity, according to the restaurant's host.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">He's tough to miss. Images of Durst wearing wire-rimmed glasses, with salt-and-pepper hair, have been broadcast on TruTV, Nancy Grace, Jane Velez Mitchell, CNN, and on all the national networks.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">In 2000, as New York police reopened their investigation into the disappearance of Kathleen Durst, investigators had scheduled an interview with </span><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Berman" style="line-height: 1.4em;">Susan Berman</a><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">. Durst had reportedly fled New York for Galveston, where he lived in disguise as a mute woman.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Before Berman's police interview was to take place, she was found in her Beverly Hills bungalow, dead from a gunshot wound to the back of her head. Her murder remains unsolved, but police have publicly said Durst, who had been visiting San Francisco where he owns a house, was in California at the time of Berman's murder. LAPD homicide-robbery division publicly said Durst was a person of interest in Berman's case.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Back in Texas, Durst was wanted for questioning when the remains of Durst's next-door neighbor, senior citizen Morris Black, were discovered by a fisherman and his young son floating in Galveston Bay -- except for poor Morris Black's head, which never surfaced. Durst was eventually arrested and charged with Black's murder. In court, he admitted to accidentally fatally shooting Black, and then chopping up the body, bagging the remains and dumping them in Galveston Bay.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">Durst hired the best of the best when it came to his defense. Dick DeGuerin, who was named one of the top 100 criminal attorneys in the nation, used a self-defense strategy in court. Jurors bought it; they acquitted Durst of murder in 2003. He pleaded guilty the following year to jumping bond and evidence tampering. In a plea agreement, he received a sentence of five years in prison. With credit for time service, Durst was paroled in 2005.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">He bought a high-end, five-family townhouse in Harlem, New York, in 2006. News reports indicated that nearby residents were unhappy with having Durst as a neighbor, especially after a real estate agent told a newspaper that Durst had mentioned renting out part of the property and moving himself into one of the family units.</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></span><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">So far, records at the Clark County Assessors' Office don't indicate that Durst has purchased property in the Las Vegas Valley -- which begs the question: What is Robert Durst doing in Las Vegas?</span><br /><em style="line-height: 1.4em;"><br /></em><em style="line-height: 1.4em;">A second edition of <a href="http://www.cathyscott.com/">Scott</a>'s book, </em><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_a_Mafia_Daughter" style="line-height: 1.4em;">Murder of a Mafia Daughter</a><span style="line-height: 1.4em;">: The Life and Tragic Death of Susan Berman</span><em style="line-height: 1.4em;">, is scheduled for re-release in May 2013.</em></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-20051269305615306772012-11-22T09:51:00.000-08:002013-09-16T05:44:15.763-07:00'Twas The Day After Thanksgiving<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzipr_GP-DwgYt4mUfgnDFyRG2Q-_12dHTvTAhWLxigES1_GTaNcD0mOYG51gBPaaAZl7zHpMc9hkKl9mruYCLGClSQ-eU01mQBCKSsrSW3rMFHebEsBasTNfS-J1dP0nKtXN5-QNDxE/s1600/Black-Friday-Crowd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="201" rea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCzipr_GP-DwgYt4mUfgnDFyRG2Q-_12dHTvTAhWLxigES1_GTaNcD0mOYG51gBPaaAZl7zHpMc9hkKl9mruYCLGClSQ-eU01mQBCKSsrSW3rMFHebEsBasTNfS-J1dP0nKtXN5-QNDxE/s320/Black-Friday-Crowd.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><em><strong><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Donna Pendergast</span></strong></em><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">'Twas the day after Thanksgiving and all through the land</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The shoppers were awake, the agenda was planned</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The coffee was brewing, the tennies were laced</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The stores would soon open, around the house they all raced</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The stores were all decked out with flash holiday flair</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">with hope that the shoppers would soon buy their fare</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And Mom with her coupons and dad with his cash</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">had compiled a list for the mad morning dash</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Mall doors were now open, 'twas all that would matter</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The crowd surged ahead in a frenzy quite crazy</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not a place for the weak and worse for the lazy.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Holiday lights in the window of a once simple store</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">gave the luster of magic to something quite plain before</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When what to my wondering eyes should appear</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But a runaway mob propelled from the rear.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Push forward, move faster, don't worry where you tread</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't look back, don't falter, think bargains ahead</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">From outside the front door, for the length of the mall</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now dash away, dash away, dash away all.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Like leaves in the middle of a wild tornado fly</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">run for the shops, many presents to buy</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Super special sale and bargains galore</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">but you need to move quickly and get through the door</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Then in a twinkling, a voice on the mike</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Door buster special, something you'll like</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">You need to get this deal, you need to buy more</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But you better move fast, only five units per store."</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So off to that aisle, shoppers flew in a flash</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm going to get me one and save tons of cash</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But I only can do it by fighting off the crowd</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I need to be brazen, I musn't be cowed.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As boxes fly into carts full of loot</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">get out of the way or I'll give you a boot</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I need to get this deal, my kid needs this toy</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And I'm on a mission to search and destroy</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Don't you know it's Black Friday, only one thing to say?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Survival of the fittest is the order of the day</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm going for the deals, I want only the best</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can't stop or falter, I can't take a rest.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Up and down the corridors, until plum out of steam</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I got all my bargains, my haul is a dream</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I'm done hitting stores from morning to night</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Merry Christmas to all, you put up a good fight.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Black Friday is one of the most anticipated shopping days of the year for bargain-hunting shoppers. It's a time to hit the stores and officially launch the holiday shopping season. But criminals look forward to the shopping season for a very different reason. Based on experience I can tell you that they are hoping to take advantage and prey on shoppers. Be a smart shopper and heed these safety tips:</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Avoid the ATM. Early Friday morning is no time to be hitting the money machine for a dose of cash. If you absolutely need to visit the ATM, be safe about it. Use a well-lit ATM inside an open establishment. Be especially mindful of anyone who appears to be watching you near an ATM. Also be aware of anything that seems unusual about the ATM machine itself. Criminals have become adept at rigging ATM machines to trap your card which they will extract from the rigged machine after you walk away. They can later use it by entering your pin number which they have learned by either watching you punch it in up close or watching from afar with binoculars.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Be Alert. Pay attention to surroundings and keep an eye out for any unusual activity. Park under lights and shop with a buddy. If you have to exit your car in a dark parking lot, wait for a crowd that is heading toward the store or mall as well.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Keep your purse close to your body and tightly shut. I have personally been the victim of a pickpocket who was so adroit that he was able to lift my wallet out of my purse while it was on my shoulder. I never felt a thing. Keep a tight leash on your purse and be alert in crowds and aware of persons bumping up against you. A neat tip for your purse if you are putting it in a shopping cart. Put it in the child seat area and lace the seatbelt straps through the purse handle and lock them. This prevents a thief from running by and grabbing it on the run.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Don't fight. Black Friday can bring out the worst in shoppers. A good deal is not worth a physical altercation.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Be safe out there tomorrow. Happy shopping, and remember, people. it's only stuff! Today, think of what's really important and be thankful for what you already have.</span></div><br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-35115667424920802572012-11-05T00:28:00.000-08:002013-09-16T05:44:15.817-07:00Angel Killer: Deborah Blum Discusses Serial Stalker Albert Fish and eBook Publishing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>842</o:Words> <o:Characters>4806</o:Characters> <o:Company>Best Friends Animal Society</o:Company> <o:Lines>40</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>11</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>5637</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>14.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> 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href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWtFvASEEhbugG5dweXxwZg-vlfLkPZYf53e5UiKHfMmQGkHT_wUBq_jXxliySfEUyGbfgM31bdgQRWYw6q6eiOVC8WtQ4zdb0wGrAdY1Tyg5RR4jYXTMZeZdSy1vQKClBVg0lY3bIoA/s1600/angel-killer-landscape-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfWtFvASEEhbugG5dweXxwZg-vlfLkPZYf53e5UiKHfMmQGkHT_wUBq_jXxliySfEUyGbfgM31bdgQRWYw6q6eiOVC8WtQ4zdb0wGrAdY1Tyg5RR4jYXTMZeZdSy1vQKClBVg0lY3bIoA/s200/angel-killer-landscape-web.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Deborah Blum</span></b></i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">When first thinking that I might tell the story of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Fish">Albert Fish</a> – the cannibal killer who stalked New York City in the 1920s and '30s – all my friends advised against it. Did I really want to spend hours of my life with a subject this warped? “Call me if you if you really decide to write that book,” a long-time friend at <a href="http://www.npr.org/">NPR</a> said. “So that I can talk you out of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And yet the story haunted me. It tapped me on the shoulder when I was working on other projects. If you write for a living, you know what that means. I decided finally that I would write it but not as a full-length book. So I pitched the shadowy, murderous path of Albert Fish as a long narrative story – an e-single – to the rising star digital publisher, The Atavist.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Last week, that story – titled <a href="http://atavist.com/stories/angel-killer/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><i>Angel Killer</i></span></a> – was the number-one selling non-fiction single on Amazon (number eight out of all Kindle singles). Partly, I think, because it’s just an incredible story of murder and detection and of scientists wrestling with their own definitions of justice regarding a madman. Partly, I hope, because I told it with style.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But also because this turned out to be just the right format for my story set in shadows. I just participated in a panel on e-books at the <a href="http://www.nasw.org/">National Association of ScienceWriters</a> meeting in Raleigh, N.C. I’m including a link to that session <a href="http://www.sciencewriters2012.org/sessions/a3-making-book-e-books-writing-science-ebooks-real-world"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">here</span></a>because you can download a pdf there with all kinds of great information about e-publishing, from commissioned pieces like my own to self-publishing. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">We talked about this newly wonderful opportunity to write a long-form story, a place where you could publish in the 10,000 to 20,000 word length (mine’s about 11,000) as opposed to a full-length book of 100,000 or more words. We talked about all the digital possibilities not available in print. In the enhanced editions, for instance, <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Angel-Killer-Cannibalism-Fighting-ebook/dp/B009TBGVVI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352106181&sr=8-2&keywords=angel+killer">Angel Killer</a></i> contains video, audio (by me), music, interactive murder maps. We talked about what the future looks like for writers and publishers. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But here’s the thing. Every person on my panel agreed that in the end, it wasn’t the bells and whistles that made this most exciting. It was the story itself. And the opportunity to tell it a really good length, long enough to do it justice, but short enough to make it a fast read. Which brings me back, of course, to the dark journey of Albert Fish and why I couldn’t quite let it go.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m not a writer who specializes in serial killers. I am a science writer who specializes in poisons and toxicology, so I do often tell stories that you might consider true crime. My book, <a href="http://deborahblum.com/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><i>The Poisoner’s Handbook</i>,</span></a> for instance, is subtitled “Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz-Age New York.” And it was because I spent so much time researching criminal justice in that time period, that I encountered the crimes of Albert Fish.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">At first his story looks like that of many serial killers. White, male, poor and poorly educated, abused as a child, angry. He was born in 1870 in Washington, D.C. scraped out a living as a painter and handyman for most of this life in New York City. He was thin, gray, a shadow man drifting through the city streets. He stalked, he killed, and for well over a decade, he got away with it. One of the nicknames for him, after he became infamous, was the Gray Man.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But he was crazier than most. And, yes, it’s hard to argue with that description of a cannibalistic serial killer who sends recipe-infused letters to the families of his victims. I say that because he was delusional. He suffered from hallucinations, heard voices, believed that he followed the instructions of vengeful angels (hence the title of my story.) <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And the question of his sanity was why I became so interested. During his 1935 trial, that was the most important, really the only question about his future. Was he crazy enough to escape the electric chair at Sing Sing Prison? The psychiatrists for the defense didn’t see it as escape. They saw a desperately mentally ill man who had become a successful killer. They wanted him locked away, studied, used to gain new understanding of multiple murders. The state of New York, though, just wanted him dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a result, the trial provided one astonishing scene after another of psychiatrists facing off over a killer’s sanity. Even today, the testimony of some of the state experts – one scientist described Fish’s habits as “just a matter of taste” – is some of the most egregious on record. It was that extreme scientific testimony, the question of how we define sanity that first caught my attention. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But it was the ethical, moral dilemma that kept me interested. How should we deal with the dangerously crazy in the criminal justice system? Is there a best answer for what to do with a killer like Albert Fish once we’ve managed to catch him? One person wrote me to say engraving his name on a tombstone was a good enough result. But of the defense psychiatrists at the time likened executing an insane old man to witch burning in the Salem trials of long ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, that’s why I wanted to tell the story of Albert Fish. I wanted to put myself – in the way writers do – on that wooden bench with the jurors and see if I could answer that question. And did I find it? Some days I know exactly what I’d do. And on others the story still taps on my shoulder, letting me know that I’m still wrestling with the question. But that’s okay. A good story should haunt you for a while anyway.</span><o:p></o:p></div></div><!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-46487997783820131942012-10-16T08:47:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.873-07:00Times Up<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeEiV0LRYTiGm29KMOHEGPCBtRwbA2DmUhX6dGR3pTGUaLbaoENYt2d6u0vhwDJesiEmLn9DV2J2gR3vQoDC2JPQYevDb8fhCwr9EkQc7rKgD4BzcP1_vzDOHlpR0pUm7dSUDWM9Bneo/s1600/sunset+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" nea="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxeEiV0LRYTiGm29KMOHEGPCBtRwbA2DmUhX6dGR3pTGUaLbaoENYt2d6u0vhwDJesiEmLn9DV2J2gR3vQoDC2JPQYevDb8fhCwr9EkQc7rKgD4BzcP1_vzDOHlpR0pUm7dSUDWM9Bneo/s200/sunset+2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><em><strong>by Donna Pendergast</strong></em><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">It was a call that I never expected to get. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_Murphy-Milano">Susan Murphy-Milano</a> was on the line and she wanted me to write the foreword to her book <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Times-Up-Abusive-Stalking-Relationships/dp/1608443604/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1350419265&sr=1-1&keywords=susan+murphy+milano+times+up">Times Up</a>.</em> I had to repeat the words to make sure I understood. "You want ME to write the foreword to your book," I asked with incredulity? to which she answered, "Yes."<br /><br />I could almost hear the smile in her voice as she repeated her request. She went on to give her reasons, stating how much she admired me and what I had accomplished in my career and how she could think of no one else who she would rather have write the foreword to her new book. As I listened through the fog, the words kept repeating in my mind, "She wants ME to write the foreword to HER book." WOW.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I listened to her reasons, all I could think was <i>why is this incredible woman saying all these things about me-she is the hero? W</i>e ended the call with me agreeing to write the foreword and her expressing her utmost gratitude that I would honor her by accepting her request. <i>Honor to her?</i> I thought as I hung up the phone. Y<i>ou have got to be kidding me.</i> For the truth is, I was the one who was overwhelmed and honored. I never dreamed at the time that her chosen title for the book would be eerily prophetic.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In hindsight, I now know that the tone of that call was nothing out of the ordinary. For Susan, it has never been all about herself but rather always about everyone else. She has spent her life looking out for and trying to ensure that women in abusive relationships didn't have their lives cut short because they were naive and in denial as to the inevitable outcome of their dangerous situations. You see for Susan it was a matter of life and death, she had seen a horrific outcome first hand and she was determined that no one else would have to experience what she had gone through.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In January 1989, Susan's father, Philip Murphy, a 30-year <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_Police_Department">Chicago police officer</a> and decorated violent crimes investigator killed her mother with his .44-caliber service weapon. He then took his own life by shooting himself in the head. It was the culmination of a violent and abusive pattern of behavior which had characterized her parents entire marriage. After finding her parents' bodies, Susan vowed to change the way intimate partner homicides are handled and investigated. It was to become a lifelong crusade which undertook with ferocity and passion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She went on to become a nationally renowned crusader and women's rights advocate who spent her career advocating for women and children who are the victims of domestic violence. A much sought after speaker she has been regularly featured on shows such a "The Oprah Winfrey Show," "Larry King Live," MSNBC, CNN. The list goes on. Her books <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Defending-Our-Lives-Domestic-Violence/dp/0385484410/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1350418467&sr=8-4&keywords=susan+murphy+milano">Defending Our Lives</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Moving-Out-On-Susan-Murphy-Milano/dp/1419696300/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1350418467&sr=8-3&keywords=susan+murphy+milano">Moving Out, Moving On</a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Times-Up-Abusive-Stalking-Relationships/dp/1608443604/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350418467&sr=8-1&keywords=susan+murphy+milano">Times Up</a>,</em> and the just released <em><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Holding-My-Hand-Through-Hell/dp/1888160675/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1350418467&sr=8-2&keywords=susan+murphy+milano">Holding My Hand Through Hell</a></em> have empowered scores of women and set the standard as the go to tomes for women in trouble. She was a contributor here at Women In Crime Ink for a period of time but had to give it up because of the demands on her time and the need to fulfill other commitments.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">But it was what she did behind the scenes that really defines Susan as a person. Always available on the other end of a phone she personally involved herself in the fight to keep women safe sometimes at considerable risk to her own personal safety. I personally was the recipient of Susan's concern and compassion last year when I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer.She was always at the other end of a phone and her calls always seemed to come when I needed them most. In her personal life and her professional life Susan burned the candle at both ends and saved more lives than we will ever know.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As the fates would have it, she couldn't save her own. On October 1, Susan decided to <a href="http://www.conqueringcancer.me/2012/10/holding-her-hand-towards-heaven.html">forego her treatment</a> and let nature take its course with her cancer. I was blessed in my situation, needing no radiation nor chemotheraphy after my initial surgery. Susan was not as lucky. Without treatment, she is reported to be declining rapidly, although comfortable and well cared for by a team of hospice care workers and a dear and committed friend who is holding her hands toward heaven. It is a cruel and unfair irony. The woman who saved so many lives can not save her own. She has fought a valiant fight but this demon is just too strong. We all, of course, hope for a miracle, but the odds are hugely against her and time is said to be running out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Susan realizes more than most that time can be short. She has lived life fully grasping it and making the most of it, and she will leave behind a larger legacy than most can ever hope to leave behind. So I know I speak on behalf of Susan when I say these words, fight the fear, follow your dream, seize the day, don't be afraid to love, take a chance. You never know when your time might be up.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Go softly on the wings of angels, sister. You have earned some rest. I love you! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><strong>Statements made in this post are my own and are not intended to reflect the views, opinion or position of the Michigan Attorney General or the Michigan Department of Attorney General.</strong></em></div><em></em><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><em><br /></em></div><em></em><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-48055097158802602702012-10-08T22:39:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.926-07:00Prisoner Rights Run Amok in Sex-change Case<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzJzUlILj8frNoKJzUCW0HD6JXdwcvW1q9ZZAYBmUDZHWS_l-vq5lA1c2IFXatcBILat8h86-vbKycJCcH9b3yRIcIi4wtJ-_NR4wVZu7rqlIhIfQtiFQgp-UQhv2qc8ijwLBxU_gE88/s1600/Cela.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAzJzUlILj8frNoKJzUCW0HD6JXdwcvW1q9ZZAYBmUDZHWS_l-vq5lA1c2IFXatcBILat8h86-vbKycJCcH9b3yRIcIi4wtJ-_NR4wVZu7rqlIhIfQtiFQgp-UQhv2qc8ijwLBxU_gE88/s320/Cela.jpeg" width="212" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Wikipedia Commons)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>by Diane Dimond</b></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I unequivocally oppose a recent pro-prisoner court order that you may find positively shocking. I know I did.</span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The prisoner at the center of the controversy is <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/29/michelle-kosilek-ruling-transgender_n_1924424.html">MichelleKosilek</a>. But up until 1993, this person was known as Robert Kosilek. In 1990, Robert’s wife, Cheryl, already distressed over his drinking came home to find him dressed up in her clothes. A fight ensued and the trial court found Robert was guilty of strangling Cheryl with a wire and abandoning her naked body in the family car outside a local mall.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Just before Kosilek went on trial for Cheryl’s murder in 1993, he declared he was a woman trapped in a man’s body and legally changed his name to Michelle. Kosilek appeared in court with long luxurious hair and wearing eye makeup, rouge, women’s glasses, slim cut jeans and a set of dangling circle earrings. Despite self-identifying as a female, upon conviction, Kosilek was sentenced to an all-male prison in Norfolk, Massachusetts to serve life in prison without parole.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Over the years, Kosilek’s attorneys have repeatedly filed motions asking the court to order sex-reassignment surgery for the convicted murderer. In 2002, after specialists testified Kosilek did, indeed, suffer from severe gender identity disorder the court allowed Kosilek to begin receiving taxpayer funded psychotherapy, female hormone injections, laser hair removal and access to women’s underwear and make-up. All of that wasn’t enough for Kosilek’s peace of mind, however. Court documents revealed s/he attempted self-castration and twice attempted suicide in prison.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, let’s pause here so I can be clear. I have no doubt that gender identity disorder exists and that it can be psychological hell for those who are born this way. But there are lots of people on the outside struggling with Kosilek’s problem, unable to come up with the money for a gender reassignment operation. Do we afford convicted killers health care rights that law abiding citizens don’t have? The answer is yes, according to a recent decision from U.S. District Court Judge Mark Wolf.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“It may seem strange that in the United States citizens do not generally have a constitutional right to adequate medical care, but the Eighth Amendment promises prisoners such care,” Judge Wolf wrote in ruling that the state of Massachusetts must pay for the prisoner’s sex-change operation. To do otherwise, Wolf ruled, would constitution cruel and unusual punishment.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, stop and think about this a minute. Here is a person who lives in the general population of an all – male prison. It may be one thing for him to dress up like the character Klinger from the old M*A*S*H* TV series but it might be something altogether more dangerous for Kosilek to actually become transgendered and think nothing will change within his testosterone driven prison community. Judge Wolf heard testimony from prison officials about the unique security problems Kosilek’s case would present but he dismissed the argument. As it stands now Kosilek gets his free operation but the state could appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court which would delay things.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other states have grappled with similar federal cases filed by prisoners wanting a sex change operation but I couldn’t find one where a judge actually ordered taxpayer funded surgery.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Judge Wolf’s apparently groundbreaking decision seems so shortsighted to me. He made it sound as if he had no choice in the matter, that it was a “medical necessity” for this prisoner. It’s as if the judge forgot that the state has already bent over backward to accommodate this prisoner’s numerous wishes over the years.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I’m not the only one who is outraged by this. After the ruling, U.S. Senator Scott Brown of Massachusetts said Kosilek’s surgery would be, “An outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars.” A niece of Cheryl Kosilek nearly begged the state to quickly appeal the decision saying, “As far as I’m concerned, he deserves nothing. If he wants to attempt suicide … let him.”</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Judge Wolf’s written ruling didn’t address what would happen to Kosilek after the operation. Would s/he be left to fend for her/himself in the all-male population or be transferred to a women’s prison? What if Kosilek decides he is unhappy with the results and wants further surgery? And, most important, what signal does this send to all the other poor but law-abiding souls who cannot afford the psychotherapy, the hormones, the gender reassignment surgery? For the truly desperate it seems to be an invitation to commit a really serious crime so they can advance their goal of changing sexes.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I can see providing a prisoner a heart transplant or expensive cancer treatments so they don’t die. That, to me, fits in the “medically necessary” category. But, to those Kosilek sympathizers who declare granting this operation is humane – I asked them one question: How humane was Robert Kosilek when he pulled that wire around his wife’s neck and tugged on it until it nearly took her head off? He’s gotten enough rewards for his murderous behavior.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-71472833265859442492012-09-20T23:00:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:15.980-07:00Shocker in the Dawn Viens Missing Person's Case<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1gCMzRcKNAy-JraWvMlwX1m3gLTVx1TcxmtjLbj3lFs3g5cunBnzm5k7De8Fh7d_C86qN-sNuVCrZJZsI9cXOZ803BjXzSo5WX_6Y9yRDA9ZGdOP6C5pIE_-zIUw0gtLTNe2hu-7EglE/s1600/police-mug-david-viens.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb1gCMzRcKNAy-JraWvMlwX1m3gLTVx1TcxmtjLbj3lFs3g5cunBnzm5k7De8Fh7d_C86qN-sNuVCrZJZsI9cXOZ803BjXzSo5WX_6Y9yRDA9ZGdOP6C5pIE_-zIUw0gtLTNe2hu-7EglE/s200/police-mug-david-viens.jpeg" width="150" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><b>by Cathy Scott</b></i></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As promised by Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Dave Coleman in 2011, detectives planned to talk at length with David Viens, who has long been suspected of killing his missing wife, Dawn.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Investigators did more than that. They interviewed David Viens' daughter, from an earlier relationship, about the goings-on immediately after Dawn disappeared in 2009 from the quaint village of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lomita,_California">Lomita, California</a>.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2011, investigators jack-hammered and tore down interior walls of the Thyme Café, owned by Dawn and David Viens. Deputies also used a cadaver-sniffing dog.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They were on the right track. This week, the sheriff's department announced a shocking revelation gleaned from interviews with the daughter and the confession of her father. It is this: David Viens told police he "slow cooked" his wife's body for four days in a brand-new cooker he'd purchased for the cafe. He then hid her skull and jaw in his mother's attic.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">David had been having an affair with a younger woman and, a week after Dawn's disappearance, witnesses saw him tossing out Dawn's clothing. Then he moved his new girlfriend into his home. On top of that, the girlfriend took over Dawn's duties at the cafe.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dawn, who was in her late 30s, was last seen by friends on October 18, 2009 leaving her the cafe.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Not long after her disappearance, however, as law enforcement zeroed in on David, as a deputy tailed him while driving on Pacific Coast Highway, David stopped his car, ran to the cliff and jumped 80 feet to the beach below. He survived but suffered multiple fractured bones and internal injuries. After he recovered, he confessed to police and he was indicted for murder.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Meanwhile, in exchange for the daughter's damning statements about her father David and to secure her eventual testimony in court, the daughter reportedly was given immunity from prosecution. She told deputies that the day after Dawn disappeared, David Viens gave her Dawn's cell phone and asked her to pose as Dawn and send text messages to Dawn's friends and family saying she needed time for herself and would be out of town for a few days. As days turned into weeks, David became the main person of interest.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">These kinds of details, albeit some of them grisly, have the makings for a true crime story. In fact, the Dawn Viens story is my next <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_crime">true crime book</a> (I started the manuscript late last year). You can't make this stuff up.</span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-29321866895898730482012-09-09T05:35:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.034-07:00Drew Peterson's Body Language During Verdict, and Sociopathic Seduction of Women<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd8clerDQc_xZNABFDvDiXa1g8oN5VocyjWM2AcUg_n5sFrlNzrMav33VAX4ondVeV450mKv_Gy3YRPQ3ez3T3s_xDbwpCDTE0LcrkPOY8oiTSpT4kZLls5-j99ofQqvITGDy2g8XuJA7/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-09-09+at+4.58.06+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhd8clerDQc_xZNABFDvDiXa1g8oN5VocyjWM2AcUg_n5sFrlNzrMav33VAX4ondVeV450mKv_Gy3YRPQ3ez3T3s_xDbwpCDTE0LcrkPOY8oiTSpT4kZLls5-j99ofQqvITGDy2g8XuJA7/s200/Screen+Shot+2012-09-09+at+4.58.06+AM.png" width="200" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>660</o:Words> <o:Characters>3766</o:Characters> <o:Company>Best Friends Animal Society</o:Company> <o:Lines>31</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>7</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>4624</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal"><i><b>by Dr. Lillian Glass</b></i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />When we look back at the trial of serial killer who received the death sentence, Ted Bundy, it was reported that he showed no emotion.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">When we look back at the reaction of Scott Peterson who was convicted to death for killing his wife and unborn baby, we all witness that he had a mask like facial expression and showed no emotion. Now we have seen the same thing with Drew Peterson. As soon as the "guilty" verdict of was read for killing his third wife Kathleen Savio, Drew Peterson showed no emotion.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">That lack of emotion is typical of a sociopath’s reaction when found guilty. They detach and tune out as though the situation had nothing to do with them. They may even joke and make light of their situation. Peterson was overheard saying, after hearing the verdict, “I guess that ruins my Christmas.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">His joke clearly reflects that he feels no remorse for what he did.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Peterson will be spending the rest of his natural life behind bars where like most sociopaths will insist he did nothing wrong and how it was everyone else’s fault he is in prison. This sociopath will be where he deserves to be so he can no longer seduce, marry, and harm women who fall prey to him.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">He fancies himself as being irresistible to women. Like many sociopaths, his seductive personality lured them in. The fact that he was a policeman and considered to be on the right side of the law, initially made many women feel safe and secure. But once he got them into his clutches, it was a different story.He became controlling and abusive.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Thank goodness 24-year-old Christina Raines' father put an end to her engagement with Peterson a few years ago. Her father told the media that Peterson tried to control his daughter and use her to watch his kids.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The young woman’s father was her savior; he went to Peterson’s home with police in tow to collect his daughter, escorting them to and from he home with police units. Peterson, who was more than twice the young woman’s age, blamed her father and the press for the breakup. In typical sociopath form, Peterson said, "This is what the media always does to me. As soon as the story got out on Chrissy, I knew it would be a problem for us.“</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If you listen close enough to what a sociopath says, they often reveal themselves as Peterson did in his "Nightline" interview years back when Peterson said, after he was asked about Christina Raines’ family, “I’d be wary of me too.” He also admitted when the romance is gone in his relationships he tends to have flings and move on.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Thankfully, his comments sparked a fight between the couple, and Christina Raines returned the engagement ring and a cell phone.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Christina Raines, 24, is still alive. It's unlucky that Stacey Peterson, who is still missing, was just 17 when the affair began while he was still married to Kathleen Savio. Kathleen was 10 years his junior when he married her. Most of the women he married or went after were young and petite. These were women Peterson felt he had some control over.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I had the opportunity to briefly see Peterson when I was at CNN. Peterson was there to do the Larry King show and was in the makeup room, where, according to the makeup artist, he hit on her. She told me that he stared directly into her eyes and didn't break the gaze as she applied his makeup.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps Peterson wanted to see if he could control this curly haired, glasses-wearing, pierced, short-statured woman with colorful and strange tattoos all over her arms, chest and neck. The eye stare was no doubt his test to see if he could assert control over this different-looking woman. Most likely, Peterson has played this staring game with many other women. Those who blinked, turned away, or women he sensed were intimidated by his stare were the ones, if circumstances allowed, he probably took to the next level of seduction.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Even though Peterson will live out his years behind bars, don’t be surprised if you hear that he has landed another relationship. Unfortunately, there are emotionally disturbed women out there who are attracted to men behind bars and who feel empowered by defending them. They have the illusion the criminal would never do any harm to them because they are special and they have control over the situation, which is only true when the perpetrator is behind bars.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Little do they realize that sociopaths like Peterson will still be in control as he plays mind games with them in an engaging way with manipulation and emotional abuse, which is typical of a sociopath like Drew Peterson.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment--></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-10167948007147387252012-09-06T10:03:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.088-07:00Eerie Deaths in Thailand of 2 Sisters<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Ko_Phi_Phi_after_sunset,_preparing_for_the_night.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Ko_Phi_Phi_after_sunset,_preparing_for_the_night.JPG" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;"><i>Wikipedia Commons</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;">by </span><a href="http://www.deborahblum.com/" style="text-align: justify;">Deborah Blum</a></span></i></b><br /><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;">The </span><a href="http://www.travelchannel.com/interests/beaches/articles/phi-phi-island-thailand" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Phi Phi Islands</span></a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;"> sit off the western coast of Thailand, floating like jewels in a turquoise sea, a picture-perfect image of a tropical getaway. Director Danny Boyle filmed his 2000 psychothriller, </span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0163978/" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Beach</span></a><span style="color: #333333; text-align: justify;">, on the largest of those islands and if you know the movie, you know, despite the gem-like setting the story ends badly.</span></span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">They say, though, that the movie put the largest of the islands, Ko Phi Phi Don, on the map as a tourist getaway, a reasonably priced home to glittering beaches and unlimited partying. And that’s undoubtedly what drew two young sisters from a small Canadian village, just north of the Maine border, to travel there for a summer break from their university studies.</span></span><br /><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: justify;">Noemi Belanger was 26 and her sister, Audrey, 20, when they planned the June vacation. Both sisters lived in their hometown of Pohenegamook, Quebec. Did I mention that it was small, the kind of place where people know each other, stay close? The population is about 3,000 and both girls worked for their father, Carl, in his grocery store before starting university classes. They were happy girls, friendly, </span><a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/17/quebec-sisters-may-have-died-from-accidental-poisoning-thai-police/" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">residents say</span></a><span style="text-align: justify;">, involved in their community, helping out at the local library, at public beaches.</span></span><br /><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">This summer, they were ready to fly a little, indulge in a splashy vacation. So they saved their money and flew to Thailand in June, went to visit the Phi Phi Islands. And there, as a flood of mid-June news stories made obvious, things went very wrong. Very, very wrong.</span></div><!--EndFragment--></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>1279</o:Words> <o:Characters>7294</o:Characters> <o:Company>Best Friends Animal Society</o:Company> <o:Lines>60</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>14</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>8957</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The stories were puzzled, horrified. <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/17/quebec-sisters-may-have-died-from-accidental-poisoning-thai-police/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A story</span></a> in Canada’s National Post described a hotel maid finding the sisters dead in their room, with lesions tracked across their bodies, their fingernails and toenails turned an odd grayish blue. They were huddled in their beds, <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/thailand/120616/2-canadian-sisters-die-thailand-resort-poisoning"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">relayed</span></a> the Global Post, smeared with vomit and blood.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rumors flew of an exotic poison, of a lurking killer. Dismissive statements from the police added to the sense of mystery. “We found many kinds of over-the-counter-drugs, including ibuprofen, which can cause serious effects on the stomach,” <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2160418/Canadian-sisters-Audrey-Noemi-Belanger-dead-Thai-hotel-room-suspected-poisoning.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">one investigator said</span></a>, sounding as if packing painkillers was the real problem. Mysterious poison deaths of tourists visiting the Phi Phi Islands were recalled: the <a href="http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/deaths-canadian-women-thailand-share-similarities-/nPZjp/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">2009 death of a Seattle woman</span></a>, still unsolved today. The similar and also <a href="http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/262695-norwegian-woman-and-american-woman-die-of-unknown-causes-on-koh-phi-phi/page__st__75"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">unexplained death</span></a> of a 22-year-old woman from Norway the same year. <a href="http://www.3news.co.nz/Parents-seek-answers-in-Thailand-death/tabid/817/articleID/204597/Default.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">An odd cluster of deaths</span></a> in another Thai city during winter of last year, including a 23-year-old woman from New Zealand. The conspiracy theories expanded<a href="http://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/2626/20120808/two-young-female-tourists-die-in-vietnam-after-being-poisoned.htm"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> to include </span></a>the unexplained deaths of two young women in Vietnam this summer. “Is this a cover-up?” <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/298647/cover-up-on-phi-phi"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">asked a letter writer </span></a>in the Bangkok Post after the police went on from the ibuprofen theory to one that involved food poisoning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And not just any food poisoning. <a href="http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8485793/canadian-sisters-may-have-been-poisoned-by-blowfish"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A leak from the investigation </span></a>suggested that detectives were considering the possibility that the sisters had dined – somewhere – on either poisonous mushrooms or blowfish, sometimes called pufferfish or fugu. The fishes are considered a delicacy but they must be carefully prepared to exclude any contact with the liver or other internal organs, which contain an exceptionally potent neurotoxin called<a href="http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+3543"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> tetrodotoxin.</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Neither of these suggestions, though, were an ideal match for the described symptoms. Tetrodotoxin is most famous for its ability to induce a corpse-like paralysis in victims; they may remain alert but unable to move or communicate, gradually suffocating as the lungs fail. Poisonous mushrooms tend to kill by gradually destroying the liver. As quickly as the suggestion was floated it seemed to disappear, leaving the questions to further simmer over the summer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until last week, when a preliminary autopsy report was announced, which apparently indicated a toxic level of exposure. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/08/31/montreal-sisters-die-thailand-insecticide.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">According to news reports</span></a>, toxicologists in Thailand now believed that the two sisters had been drinking a popular local cocktail that contains Coca-Cola, cough syrup, ground up leaves from the kratom tree, and the well-known mosquito repellent DEET and is admired for its hallucinogenic qualities. In their case, apparently, too much DEET had ended up in the drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or as the tourism-focused island paper, <a href="http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phi-phi-riddle-dead-sisters-grows-pesticide-claim-deaths-vietnam-16593/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Phuket Wan, wrote following the announcement:</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Phi Phi is renowed as a rites-of-passage destination for 20-somethings and it transforms from a haven for day-trippers in the sunshine to a less beguiling island party after dark.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Alcohol is just one of the many ingredients that Phi Phi’s party people mix in their buckets.</span><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Each bucket is a concoction of all kinds of juices and substances that are mixed into containers of various sizes and usually sucked through straws all night long.</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s a nicely sinister portrait of cocktails in the Phi Phi islands. Still my first reaction was a kind of “DEET, really?” skepticism. We’re not talking about anything like tetrodotoxin here; this is a compound we routinely spray all over ourselves on camping trips and summer hikes. Our Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 30 percent of the U.S. population uses a DEET-infused product every year. Plenty of us have accidentally swallowed a little during an over-enthusiastic assault on mosquitoes without getting sick (including myself). Not that you’d want to take it by the tumbler, of course. But it’s reasonable to ask whether it would take a tumbler to kill you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The short answer, yes, pretty close to that. DEET, by the way, stands for N.N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, which is basically chemist-code for a formula that includes the familiar elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. It <a href="http://phys.org/news/2011-09-deet-insects.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">apparently works</span></a> as a repellent by disrupting insect olfaction-detection systems. And an EPA analysis found that it is slightly toxic to birds, fish, and aquatic invertebrates and has”very low toxicity potential” in mammals, such as ourselves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, it’s not surprising that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry <a href="http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/consultations/deet/health-effects.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">reports </span></a>that people have committed suicide with the repellent but only by drinking full “bottles of DEET” along with quantities of alcohol. In other words, The stories were puzzled, horrified. <a href="http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/06/17/quebec-sisters-may-have-died-from-accidental-poisoning-thai-police/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A story</span></a> in Canada’s National Post described a hotel maid finding the sisters dead in their room, with lesions tracked across their bodies, their fingernails and toenails turned an odd grayish blue. They were huddled in their beds, <a href="http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/thailand/120616/2-canadian-sisters-die-thailand-resort-poisoning"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">relayed</span></a> the Global Post, smeared with vomit and blood.</span></div><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal.dotm</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>1279</o:Words> <o:Characters>7294</o:Characters> <o:Company>Best Friends Animal Society</o:Company> <o:Lines>60</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>14</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>8957</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>12.0</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves>false</w:TrackMoves> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridHorizontalSpacing> <w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing>18 pt</w:DrawingGridVerticalSpacing> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:DontAutofitConstrainedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> </w:Compatibility> </w:WordDocument></xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" LatentStyleCount="276"> </w:LatentStyles></xml><![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 10]><style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Rumors flew of an exotic poison, of a lurking killer. Dismissive statements from the police added to the sense of mystery. “We found many kinds of over-the-counter-drugs, including ibuprofen, which can cause serious effects on the stomach,” <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2160418/Canadian-sisters-Audrey-Noemi-Belanger-dead-Thai-hotel-room-suspected-poisoning.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">one investigator said</span></a>, sounding as if packing painkillers was the real problem. Mysterious poison deaths of tourists visiting the Phi Phi Islands were recalled the <a href="http://www.kirotv.com/news/news/deaths-canadian-women-thailand-share-similarities-/nPZjp/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">2009 death of a Seattle woman</span></a> still unsolved today, and the similar and also <a href="http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/262695-norwegian-woman-and-american-woman-die-of-unknown-causes-on-koh-phi-phi/page__st__75"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">unexplained death</span></a> of a 22-year-old woman from Norway the same year. <a href="http://www.3news.co.nz/Parents-seek-answers-in-Thailand-death/tabid/817/articleID/204597/Default.aspx"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">An odd cluster of deaths</span></a> in another Thai city during winter of last year, including a 23-year-old woman from New Zealand. The conspiracy theories expanded<a href="http://www.travelerstoday.com/articles/2626/20120808/two-young-female-tourists-die-in-vietnam-after-being-poisoned.htm"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> to include </span></a>the unexplained deaths of two young women in Vietnam this summer. “Is this a cover-up?” <a href="http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/298647/cover-up-on-phi-phi"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">asked a letter writer </span></a>in the Bangkok Post after the police went on from the ibuprofen theory to one that involved food poisoning.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And not just any food poisoning. <a href="http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8485793/canadian-sisters-may-have-been-poisoned-by-blowfish"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">A leak from the investigation </span></a>suggested that detectives were considering the possibility that the sisters had dined – somewhere – on either poisonous mushrooms or blowfish, sometimes called pufferfish or fugu. The fishes are considered a delicacy but they must be carefully prepared to exclude any contact with the liver or other internal organs, which contain an exceptionally potent neurotoxin called<a href="http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/a?dbs+hsdb:@term+@DOCNO+3543"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> tetrodotoxin.</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Neither of these suggestions, though, were an ideal match for the described symptoms. Tetrodotoxin is most famous for its ability to induce a corpse-like paralysis in victims; they may remain alert but unable to move or communicate, gradually suffocating as the lungs fail. Poisonous mushrooms tend to kill by gradually destroying the liver. As quickly as the suggestion was floated it seemed to disappear, leaving the questions to further simmer over the summer.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Until last week, when a preliminary autopsy report was announced, which apparently indicated a toxic level of exposure. <a href="http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/story/2012/08/31/montreal-sisters-die-thailand-insecticide.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">According to news reports</span></a>, toxicologists in Thailand now believed that the two sisters had been drinking a popular local cocktail that contains Coca-Cola, cough syrup, ground up leaves from the kratom tree, and the well-known mosquito repellent DEET and is admired for its hallucinogenic qualities. In their case, apparently, too much DEET had ended up in the drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Or as the tourism-focused island paper, <a href="http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phi-phi-riddle-dead-sisters-grows-pesticide-claim-deaths-vietnam-16593/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Phuket Wan, wrote following the announcement:</span></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Phi Phi is renowed as a rites-of-passage destination for 20-somethings and it transforms from a haven for day-trippers in the sunshine to a less beguiling island party after dark.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Alcohol is just one of the many ingredients that Phi Phi’s party people mix in their buckets.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Each bucket is a concoction of all kinds of juices and substances that are mixed into containers of various sizes and usually sucked through straws all night long.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s a nicely sinister portrait of cocktails in the Phi Phi islands. Still my first reaction was a kind of “DEET, really?” skepticism. We’re not talking about anything like tetrodotoxin here; this is a compound we routinely spray all over ourselves on camping trips and summer hikes. Our Environmental Protection Agency estimates that about 30 percent of the U.S. population uses a DEET-infused product every year. Plenty of us have accidentally swallowed a little during an over-enthusiastic assault on mosquitoes without getting sick (including myself). Not that you’d want to take it by the tumbler, of course. But it’s reasonable to ask whether it would take a tumbler to kill you</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The short answer, yes, pretty close to that. DEET, by the way, stands for N.N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide, which is basically chemist-code for a formula that includes the familiar elements carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen. It <a href="http://phys.org/news/2011-09-deet-insects.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">apparently works</span></a> as a repellent by disrupting insect olfaction-detection systems. And an EPA analysis found that it is slightly toxic to birds, fish, and aquatic invertebrates and has”very low toxicity potential” in mammals, such as ourselves.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">So, it’s not surprising that the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry <a href="http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/consultations/deet/health-effects.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">reports </span></a>that people have committed suicide with the repellent but only by drinking full “bottles of DEET” along with quantities of alcohol. In other words, evidence is that it would take that tumbler full to kill you. I also looked at the other ingredients in the suspect cocktail, except for the Coca-Cola (which hasn’t contained cocaine for more than a century). The codeine in cough syrup could, in a high enough amount, add to a sleepy buzz. And <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/19/10760892-asian-leaf-kratom-making-presence-felt-in-us-emergency-rooms?lite"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">kratom</span></a> – while known to be hallucinogenic – can also bring on a numbing lethargy in too high a dose. It is generally, though, considered to be most risky for its addictive qualities than for its acute toxicity issues.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which brings us back to the DEET theory of death. And that requires someone to pour a ridiculously large quantity of this pale yellowish liquid into a drink served to two sisters from Canada. Could someone be that careless? Sure, especially if they were enjoying the island brew themselves. Still, only the Belanger sisters died after that night on the beach; under this theory only one over-toxic cocktail was served. And that does raise a few other questions. For instance, why – as you may have noticed from my fatality list – is it mostly young women who are dying of mysterious chemical poisonings in a tropical paradise?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even Phuket Wan (which seems remarkably tough-minded for a publication focused on tourism) seems unconvinced by the mosquito repellent hypothesis, noting that it would be unusual for only two people to be poisoned by a shared bucket drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Could it be a cover up, the paper asked, for a heavy-handed use of insecticide in the sisters’ room? Insecticides have been suspected in some of the other deaths. Could it be that island authorities were trying to hide the existence of a killer who was deliberately spiking drinks? Or, slightly less creepily, that the women had been killed by excessive use of insecticides by hotel management and that authorities were moving to protect reputations? “All options remain open,” <a href="http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phi-phis-killer-cocktail-buckets-time-health-officials-explain-death-riddle-16598/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">the paper warned,</span></a> until the authorities produce evidence of a much more meticulous investigation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And, yes, you’ll find me in the “options remain open” camp as well. It may well be that this is as simple as it sounds, two trusting travelers from rural Canada drinking an untrustworthy bar drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still, at the moment, if I felt a sudden urge to go party in the Phi Phi islands, you would find me insisting on a nicely capped container – and, I think, opening that bottle myself. Which, frankly, makes good sense -- most of the time anyway.</span></div><!--EndFragment--><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">evidence is that it would take that tumbler full to kill you. I also looked at the other ingredients in the suspect cocktail, except for the Coca-Cola (which hasn’t contained cocaine for more than a century). The codeine in cough syrup could, in a high enough amount, add to a sleepy buzz. And <a href="http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/03/19/10760892-asian-leaf-kratom-making-presence-felt-in-us-emergency-rooms?lite"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">kratom</span></a> – while known to be hallucinogenic – can also bring on a numbing lethargy in too high a dose. It is generally, though, considered to be most risky for its addictive qualities than for its acute toxicity issues.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which brings us back to the DEET theory of death. And that requires someone to pour a ridiculously large quantity of this pale yellowish liquid into a drink served to two sisters from Canada. Could someone be that careless? Sure, especially if they were enjoying the island brew themselves. Still, only the Belanger sisters died after that night on the beach; under this theory only one over-toxic cocktail was served. And that does raise a few other questions. For instance, why – as you may have noticed from my fatality list – is it mostly young women who are dying of mysterious chemical poisonings in a tropical paradise?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Even Phuket Wan (which seems remarkably tough-minded for a publication focused on tourism) seems unconvinced by the mosquito repellent hypothesis, noting that it would be unusual for only two people to be poisoned by a shared bucket drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Could it be a cover up, the paper asked, for a heavy-handed use of insecticide in the sisters’ room? Insecticides have been suspected in some of the other deaths. Could it be that island authorities were trying to hide the existence of a killer who was deliberately spiking drinks? Or, slightly less creepily, that the women had been killed by excessive use of insecticides by hotel management and that authorities were moving to protect reputations? “All options remain open,” <a href="http://phuketwan.com/tourism/phi-phis-killer-cocktail-buckets-time-health-officials-explain-death-riddle-16598/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">the paper warned,</span></a> until the authorities produce evidence of a much more meticulous investigation.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And, yes, you’ll find me in the “options remain open” camp as well. It may well be that this is as simple as it sounds, two trusting travelers from rural Canada drinking an untrustworthy bar drink.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Still, at the moment, if I felt a sudden urge to party in the Phi Phi islands, you would find me insisting on a nicely capped container – and, I think, opening that bottle myself. Which, frankly, makes good sense -- most of the time anyway.</span></div><!--EndFragment--></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-83532955822647317412012-08-28T15:22:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.147-07:00How to Save Your Daughter's Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAgeXvywyk3SAO2H8J4aYF-WZ-CA7z1lmc2PyLrKuw1xaHFP4ClPgBAmQku-d-1_ad5_Qrpv15hbeHpR1-rIG4w90elwS_rNBzcvxbKBxgxCuCF3HmikLB9Eo390cnX5xZxiHlnf35BT_/s1600/How+To+Save+Your+Daughters+Life.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsAgeXvywyk3SAO2H8J4aYF-WZ-CA7z1lmc2PyLrKuw1xaHFP4ClPgBAmQku-d-1_ad5_Qrpv15hbeHpR1-rIG4w90elwS_rNBzcvxbKBxgxCuCF3HmikLB9Eo390cnX5xZxiHlnf35BT_/s320/How+To+Save+Your+Daughters+Life.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b><i>by Pat Brown</i></b><br /><br /><i>There once was a girl who, after having a fight with her boyfriend, left their apartment in a huff. While she as out wandering around, she decided she might as well check a few places to see if there were any jobs available she might apply for. She walked into the local bowling alley and talked with the manager. She filled out an employment form and they chatted. He was cute and sweet, and he asked if she wanted to hang out and go smoke a joint when he went on break. She was in a bad mood, so she said yes.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>He directed her to a door that led into an unused area of the building. He said he would slip in through the back and let her in; he didn't want the other employees to see him sneaking out with her. She followed his directions. He let her into the other part of the building, and they sat down just inside on the floor and smoked the weed and chatted. Not so abnormal for a couple of young people (she was just twenty-two and he was about thirty).</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>After twenty minutes, his break was over, and he told her he had to get back to work. He instructed her to follow him out the back so he wouldn't get caught "playing hooky" with her. He indicated they would need to go down some stairs into the basement and out the back way.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>Suddenly, the girl felt something was wrong. She felt the "gift of fear," as security specialist Gavin de Becker would call it. (Becker is the author of the book of that name in which he advises women to pay attention to their gut feelings about danger.) She told the man she wouldn't go out that way, and she stood next to the glass door at the front. </i><br /><i><br /></i><i>He looked at her with dead eyes and said, "You think I am going to kill you, don't you?"</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>She looked straight back at him and said, "Yes, I do."</i><br /><br /><i>He let her out the front door. Whether he did this because he knew she would put up one hell of a fight or because he admired her for being so direct with him, we will never know.</i><br /><i><br /></i><i>One thing I do know: I am happy to be alive, because that dumb girl who went off to smoke dope with a stranger was me.</i><br /><br />(excerpt from How to Save Your Daughter's Life:<i> Straight Talk for Parents from America's Top Criminal Profiler </i>by Pat Brown)<br /><br />For more on the book, listen to my interview on Elliot in the Morning.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nvadM1QOb6w?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /><br /><br /><i><b> </b></i><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZLd9yUcUVmNbpwzzZqQEwGFkyZQdyHesGQpp7aDpjiBHQbZUKwOvsrSLfOvulrOvAp3Ghq-vgmv5itRbwFNwjf4fUchIFX9-DGUMC8i5SL-XxxtjyyClV0Msf8NYpJZz6Qq_T1luk6E/s1600/How+To+Save+Your+Daughters+Life.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZLd9yUcUVmNbpwzzZqQEwGFkyZQdyHesGQpp7aDpjiBHQbZUKwOvsrSLfOvulrOvAp3Ghq-vgmv5itRbwFNwjf4fUchIFX9-DGUMC8i5SL-XxxtjyyClV0Msf8NYpJZz6Qq_T1luk6E/s320/How+To+Save+Your+Daughters+Life.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b><i>How to Save your Daughter's Life </i></b>by Pat Brown available now in local bookstores and online at from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Save-Your-Daughters-Life/dp/0757316697/ref=la_B003754SIK_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1343327858&sr=1-4">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-save-your-daughters-life-pat-brown/1111009007">Barnes and Noble</a>.<br /><br /><br />Included in this book, what parents of teen girls need to know about:<br /><br />The Early Years<br />Partying, Drinking, Drugging, Casual Sex (Hooking Up), and Gangs<br />Date Rape<br />The Dangers of Social Networking and the Internet<br />Risky Relationships<br />Stalkers<br />Child Predators, Serial Rapists, and Serial Killers<br />The Sex Trade and Sex Trafficking </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-4235952201948099852012-08-23T21:04:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.202-07:0010 Clues to the Modern Poisoner<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: justify;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2012/08/707px-Syringe_Needle_IVfrmWikimediaCommonsNov10_800px.jpg" style="background-color: #e5f8ff; clear: right; color: #007ca5; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px auto 1em; outline: none; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none;" title="Syringe Needles"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img alt="Syringe Needles" class="attachment-medium" height="148" src="http://www.wired.com/images_blogs/wiredscience/2012/08/707px-Syringe_Needle_IVfrmWikimediaCommonsNov10_800px-300x222.jpg" style="background-color: white; border: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;" title="Syringe Needles" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Wikipedia Commons</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><i style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Deborah Blum</span></b></i><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Ever since I wrote my story of early 20th century toxicologists learning to catch killers, <i>The Poisoner’s Handbook</i>, many people have asked me what has changed since then. The short answer is: not much as we might hope.</span></div><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Contrary to what many people think, except in political killings, poisoners don’t make much use of exotic new compounds. They use – as they always have – what’s at hand. They kill for the same old reasons - for anger, jealousy possessiveness, greed. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19514882"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">They are rare, </span></a>as this analysis shows, farmore rare than other forms of killing. And that’s probably the most important change. Poison homicides don’t occur as often as they did a hundred years ago, mostly because scientists are better at solving these mysteries.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">But if you’re the kind of person who likes to be prepared against all possible harm, then I’ve put together this short list of warning signs based on a scatter of recent cases. Don’t take them too seriously, as I said, this kind of thing is rare. But still, there’s a few reasonable assumptions here. For instance, you should probably pay attention if:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Your bowl of Rice Krispies tastes like solvent.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In January, a southern California man<span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/man-poisoned-wifes-rice-krispies-with-chemical-police-say.html"> poured the paint remover</a> </span>Goof Off into his wife’s evening cereal snack. After swallowing a spoonful, she turned to her daughter saying “Something’s in it. Something’s in it.” Her daughter called 911. When police came to the hospital, the husband fled the building (he was arrested later at a nearby convenience store). He <a href="http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2012/03/28/azusa-man-admits-to-poisoning-wifes-cereal-gets-8-years-in-prison/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">pleaded guilty</span></a> in March and was sentenced to eight years in prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">2. The coffee in your morning cup turns green.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In March a Kentucky man was<a href="http://www.wkyt.com/news/headlines/Detective_testifies_about_rat_poison_in_womans_coffee_151730845.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> charged with poisoning</span></a> his estranged wife’s coffee. She called the police after she noticed the dark liquid in her cup had an oily greenish tint. A lab analysis found a sludge of rat poison in the bottom of the pot. He told the police that he was merely trying to make her a little sick. But she said friends had warned her that he planned to kill her after she started divorce proceedings.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">3. Your coffee is, maybe, a little too bitter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2010, a Long Island man <a href="http://www.longislandpress.com/2010/06/05/center-moriches-man-pleads-guilty-to-poisoning-wife/"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">pleaded guilty to killing </span></a>his wife by putting cyanide in her coffee. The couple, who had two sons, had separated after he told her that he’d <a href="http://www.nypost.com/p/news/regional/item_umHOlGA6jzdGfCqlXbHxHO"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">realized that he was gay</span></a>. But he later told police he’d also realized that he didn’t want her to be with anyone else.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">4. Your iced tea is, maybe, a little too sweet.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In July, police <a href="http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2012/07/cleveland_woman_charged_with_2.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">brought murder charges</span></a> against a Cleveland, Ohio woman, accusing her of poisoning her fiance with antifreeze in 2006. Although evidence of ethylene glycol – the key ingredient in antifreeze – was found early in the investigation, it took police years longer to build a conclusive case for the poisoning itself. Detectives said ethylene glycol, which is known both for its strong, sweet taste and ability to destroy the kidneys, was mixed into the victim’s iced tea. She was ready, they said, for the relationship to be over.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">5. Your mother mixes you up a cocktail when she has never done so before.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of the more<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stacey_Castor"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> notorious recent poison killers,</span></a> Stacy Castor of Clay, New York, was convicted of murder in 2007 for killing her husband with antifreeze. She then tried to frame her daughter for the crime, writing a fake suicidal confession, and serving the girlan unexpected cocktail of orange juice, soda, and crushed painkillers. The girl told police that the drink tasted “nasty” but she swallowed at her mother’s urging. Her survival led to a break in the case.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">6. Your husband insists that you take those “special” calcium supplements he’s found for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2010, a Cleveland, Ohio doctor was <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2010-03-09/justice/ohio.cyanide.death.sentencing_1_murderer-stiffer-sentence-cyanide?_s=PM:CRIME"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">found guilty of murdering </span></a>his wife with cyanide, which he had carefully injected into her calcium supplements. His wife died in 2005 after she collapsed from the poisoning while driving and crashed her car. Before she crashed, she had told a friend that she felt increasingly ill and wondered if it was related to the mineral supplements her husband had provided.The investigation suggested that he was tired of being married.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">7. Your wife works at a pharmaceutical laboratory where certain supplies have gone missing.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In March of last year, New Jersey prosecutors<a href="http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/03/prosecutor_says_monroe_woman_c.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"> charged a </span></a>Bristol Meyers Squibb chemist with poisoning her husband with thallium stolen from her employer. They were at the time going through a divorce. Thallium is a potent, systemic poison once widely used as a pesticide until it became considered too dangerous for general use. Today it’s mostly found in manufacturing facilities only.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">8. Your wife takes a sudden interest in growing her own salad greens.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2008, the wife of a Missouri police officer decided she was ready to end the marriage but didn’t want to go through a divorce. Instead, she served her husband salad mixed with leaves from foxglove plants in the garden. Foxglove contains the compound digitalis which, in the right dose, can stop the heart. She’d researched the poison in the internet, police said, but she got the dose wrong anyway. Her husband survived and <a href="http://www.truecrimereport.com/2010/04/lisa_leigh_allen_pleads_to_try.php"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">she pleaded guilty to assault</span></a> in 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">9. Your jilted lover adds some secretly acquired “herbs” to food in your refrigerator.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">After a London man broke off a 15-year affair and decided to get married, his ex-mistress used an old key to enter his home and add seeds from the monkshood plant (sometimes called the Devil’s Helmet) to some leftover food in his refrigerator. The plant contains an extremely powerful neurotoxin. He died and his fiancee was in a coma for two days. The killer <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/8492936.stm"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">pleaded guilty i</span></a>n 2010 and was sentenced to life in prison.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">10. A cautionary note. If you see serious warning signs and ignore them, you may want to leave a letter.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">In 2008, Wisconsin resident Mark Jensen was convicted of murdering his wife Julie by spiking her wine with antifreeze. The actual death had occurred a decade earlier and was at first thought a suicide. Jensen had been having an affair at the time and angry divorce discussions were underway. But Jensen had left a letter in case of her death, detailing her husband’s suspicious behavior. Wisconsin prosecutors were able get this “letter from the grave” admitted under a rule allowing evidence of the dead woman’s state of mind in response to the suicide claims. Jensen was <a href="http://articles.cnn.com/2008-02-21/justice/jensen.verdict_1_poisoning-death-verdict-letter?_s=PM:CRIME"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">convicted</span></a> of murder in 2008; the conviction was <a href="http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/112609539.html"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">upheld </span></a>in 2010.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And, finally: You begin to realize that your wife just knows way too much about poison. My husband hasn’t let me pour him a cup of coffee since I wrote the book.</span></div><!--EndFragment--><br /><div class="entry" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><!--EndFragment--></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-5788961796992191802012-08-21T06:05:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.256-07:00Janet Danahey Deserves Special Consideration for Clemency <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpYRLLY7Pu4NyxIN1fkyJGIWcA8rAoL7Z1e_IGIVvG6d1_QnROnqgC-Vv4QKpIBoC2uJaocCbfH7VNWkOJH9epD5l7YOIcKKQDIOGWxNm7sMYinq1I77TzTzviu8TYi-uEB3K2Dkj7ls/s1600/1danahey_janet.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZpYRLLY7Pu4NyxIN1fkyJGIWcA8rAoL7Z1e_IGIVvG6d1_QnROnqgC-Vv4QKpIBoC2uJaocCbfH7VNWkOJH9epD5l7YOIcKKQDIOGWxNm7sMYinq1I77TzTzviu8TYi-uEB3K2Dkj7ls/s200/1danahey_janet.jpeg" width="200" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div class="nrcBlk_credit" style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: italic; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span class="nrcTxt_author">Janet Danahey, N.C. Department of Correction</span></div><div class="nrcTxt_cutline" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin-bottom: 0.6em; margin-top: 0.6em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="nrcTxt_label nrc_aural" style="display: block; left: -9000px; position: absolute; top: -9000px;">Photo Caption</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i>by Diane Dimond</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><i><br /></i></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Any parent would agree that young people can do impulsive and thoughtless things.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">But what if one of their stupidly spontaneous acts accidently turns deadly? Should society give that young person special consideration? Should it depend on the kid’s past good or bad character? Should the justice system treat them the same as career criminals?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The case that caused these questions to pop into my mind comes from Greensboro, North Carolina, and involves a young woman named Janet Danahey. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that what happened to Janet could happen to any one of our kids.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">It was Valentine’s Day 2002, and since Janet and her boyfriend, Thad, had recently (and amicably) broken up, the then-23 year old got together with two girlfriends that night to play cards and drink some wine.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Their circle of friends was always playing pranks on each other and this night the three girls – Janet, Nicole and Adrianne – schemed about what kind of trick they could pull on Thad. They decided to sabotage his car and visited a grocery store looking for fish oil or something smelly to pour into the young man’s fresh air vent. They bought a bottle of clam juice and headed to Thad’s apartment building. When they discovered his car wasn’t there Janet grabbed charcoal lighter fluid and set a small fire atop an old futon outside Thad’s door. They could hear people inside the apartment and the idea was to knock and run leaving Thad’s roommates to stamp out the flames.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">The night was windy and the fire soon engulfed the apartment building. Four people were killed – sisters, Rachel and Donna Llewellyn, ages 21 and 24; Ryan Bek, 25; and Elizabeth Harris, 20.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Janet never stopped to think what heartache would result from that childish and senseless act.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Janet admitted to police and to the father of Elizabeth Harris that she had set the fire and begged for forgiveness. But she was soon faced with the cold reality of North Carolina’s felony murder statute which dozens of other states also have on the books. Under the felony murder rule if anyone is killed during the commission of a felony (in this case – arson) the perpetrator of the felony can be charged with murder and sentenced to death. It holds even if the victim’s death was an accident.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Janet had to choose between pleading guilty and receiving life in prison with no chance of parole or going to trial where, if found guilty, she would automatically get the death penalty. She pleaded guilty. (The felony murder rule is applied differently depending on the jurisdiction, but, generally speaking, the underlying felony must present a “foreseeable danger to life.” In some cases, accomplices can also face the ultimate penalty too – if they exhibited “extreme indifference to human life” – but in Janet’s case, her two girlfriends never spoke to her again and were not charged. Janet assumed full responsibility.)</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As you ponder this tragedy realize that before this happened Janet had been an exemplary child. As a high school student she was described as “sweet, responsible, and very respectful.” Janet had won the Girl Scouts top award, was active in several clubs including the Young Christian Society. She played the viola, carried the Olympic torch during part of the run to Atlanta’s 1996 Summer Olympic Games and she made the dean’s list in college. None of this, of course, absolves her of blame but the record shows Janet Danahey made one awful decision on one horrific night.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">On the other hand, as prosecutors rightfully pointed out in court Janet was an intelligent college graduate – a woman who should have known that using an accelerant and setting a fire on a windy night could result in catastrophic damage. And, the state maintained, Janet and her friends exhibited complete indifference by leaving the scene without making sure the fire was actually put out.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">Now, 10 years later, Janet’s lawyers note that she has been a model prisoner and they have filed a petition for clemency with the outgoing governor to have her sentence reduced to time served. The attorneys call what happened on that February night, “A joke … A foolish prank. A thoughtless act, but with no malicious intent.” They have asked for an adjustment: “To a sentence that is out of all proportion to the conduct involved.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">One of Janet’s most visible supporters is Elizabeth Harris’s father, Robert, who said he forgave Janet years ago. His words are part of the clemency petition:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq" style="text-align: justify;">I still picture Janet, standing with outreached hands, handcuffed, trembling, shaking almost violently, crying intensely, speaking almost incoherently, ‘These are the hands that are responsible for Beth’s death.’ My reactions were instinctive. I went over to her, held her tightly … (and) whispered …‘I forgive you, Janet’ several times.</blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">At this writing there have been no comments from other victim’s family members so there is no way to know if they will challenge the clemency request.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">As one North Carolina newspaper pal wrote me recently, “Two-and-a-half years per life doesn’t seem like much punishment for a deliberate act of arson that went bad.”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">I guess I agree with that but I have this nagging feeling that our felony murder laws should be adjusted for people like Janet. I think only career criminals should get life in prison with no chance at parole.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-80972186600038809982012-08-13T23:23:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.309-07:00Book Excerpt: The Millionaire's Wife by Cathy Scott<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Bgm6tbLJ4HxtsmQupzcjUYJcPy4wUEYN7xBFxDwnjQuosD_n7vHXMjakf-7TkzFezE07c6yozwAcxQONPc7wbzYnTpvE67BjastEJL3xfFi-NLGUO7xqi9gpvoTrpSXmqX_t8B6G9fw/s1600/Millionaire'sWife_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_Bgm6tbLJ4HxtsmQupzcjUYJcPy4wUEYN7xBFxDwnjQuosD_n7vHXMjakf-7TkzFezE07c6yozwAcxQONPc7wbzYnTpvE67BjastEJL3xfFi-NLGUO7xqi9gpvoTrpSXmqX_t8B6G9fw/s320/Millionaire'sWife_Cover.jpg" width="184" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Today's post is an excerpt from the first chapter of </i>Los Angeles Times<i> bestselling author Cathy Scott’s latest true-crime book, </i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Millionaire%27s_Wife">The Millionaire’s Wife</a>: The True Story of a Real Estate Tycoon, is Beautiful Young Mistress, and a Marriage that Ended in Murder. </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">George Kogan, a wealthy businessman, was cut down in broad daylight on an Upper Manhattan sidewalk. It's a fascinating read with lots of twists and turns.</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A Cool Manhattan Morning <o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">by Cathy Scott</span></b></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">A light rain fell over Manhattan on a weekday morning like any other. But life can change on a dime, and that’s exactly what happened as middle-aged business tycoon George Kogan hurried back to his ultra-chic Upper East Side apartment with a bag of groceries on each arm in anticipation of break- fasting at home with his young lover. The late morning of Tuesday, October 23, 1990, turned out to be anything but a typical day in the city.</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">On the busy sidewalk, George, who’d recently celebrated his forty-ninth birthday, turned the corner onto East Sixty- ninth Street and headed toward his mid-block building, between Second and Third. As he hurried down the tree-lined street, he didn’t notice anything unusual other than the cool morning temperature. He continued walking toward the canopied entrance to the co-op where he’d lived for the last two years with Mary-Louise Hawkins, a twenty-eight-year-old rising star in the public relations world. Across the street, carpenters noisily worked on the new Trump Palace high-rise apartment building. A few blocks away, Central Park was alive with pedestrians, bicyclists, and joggers as they coursed through the park’s major arteries to their destinations in New York City, where the drone of urban traffic awaited them. George enjoyed walking the neighborhood. He’d lose himself in the bustling sights and sounds of the city. And this day was no different.</span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Walking from the neighborhood Food Emporium, he looked forward to spending the late morning with Mary- Louise. Quiet breakfasts were how their relationship had moved from platonic to romantic, and they especially appreciated those moments. Plus, George was anxious to prepare for an afternoon meeting with his son, William, who was acting as mediator to nail down an agreeable divorce settlement with George’s estranged wife, Barbara, and bring to a conclusion the marriage that in essence had ended two years earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As George headed home that morning, William telephoned his father’s apartment to confirm their afternoon appointment. Mary-Louise told him she’d have George return the call when he arrived home from the store. George was optimistic about the settlement and finally getting the lengthy divorce behind him, so he and Mary-Louise could move on with their life together. Also uppermost in George’s mind was settling the divorce to help repair the damaged relation- ship he’d had with William, who had sided with his mother after his parents’ separation. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As George continued his walk home, the usual cast of characters were out and about—nannies pushing babies in strollers, residents leaving their high-rises to walk their dogs, business people hurrying to the subway entrance just steps away. George, distracted with the nagging thought of the afternoon meeting, quickened his pace when his limestone building came into view. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">He lived in the heart of Manhattan’s Upper East Side, once called the Silk Stocking District, so named for the attire worn by the rich people who had once lived there. Long gone was the 19th-century farmland, as well as the market and garden districts that had peppered the area. Left were skyscrapers, rows of stylish townhouses, mansions, and the occasional walk-up apartment building. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">For a millionaire antiques and art dealer who had once had interests in a casino and several properties in Puerto Rico and New York, George lived a surprisingly modest life on New York’s well-to-do Upper East Side—broadly defined as the area from Fifty-ninth to Ninety-sixth Streets, east of Central Park. His living quarters with Mary-Louise Hawkins were definitely nice, although small, with just one bedroom and a marbled-bath washroom. And while the apartment had a prestigious address with the coveted 10021 zip code in a luxurious high-rise complex, it was not quite up to the elite level of Fifth Avenue, which serves as <i>the </i>symbol of wealthy New York, where George once lived with his now-estranged wife Barbara. Still, he admired the high-end building that housed his current apartment.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The Upper East Side has a legacy of outstanding eclectic architecture, including George’s pre-war apartment. The facade of his co-op, a mix of limestone and beige brick, created a grand entrance with its surround and above-the-door stone molding, with tall arched relief details and shallow columns on either side and carved renaissance-style capitals. Above that was a heavy, stately ornamental stone molding.</span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The variety of styles added a touch of grace and grandeur from a bygone era. As a connoisseur of fine antiques, George appreciated the artistry that went into the face of the building and enjoyed walking through the double-glass doorway, framed in oak, with its etched Art Deco design. What George could not know was that he would never again walk through that entryway, and the anticipated meeting with his son and his soon-to-be ex-wife to finalize the divorce was not to be. What happened next, he never saw coming.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As he neared the entrance to his Sixty-ninth Street apartment, his face flushed from the damp morning air, what he heard next was startling. It sounded like an explosion, most probably coming from the construction site across the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“What the—?” George cried out a nanosecond later, when it dawned on him what the noise <i>really </i>was. It was the distinct sound of gunfire.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>No, no, no! </i>he said to himself, and then, <i>Mary-Louise!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The force of the bullets entering George’s back thrust him into a forward dive and catapulted him into the air; he landed in a skid on the rain-soaked concrete. He was face down just yards from his apartment lobby. Seconds felt like minutes.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Coins, bills, and groceries—a carton of eggs, a slab of cheese, a bottle of milk, pieces of fresh fruit—tumbled to the ground, along with George.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Sprawled on the sidewalk next to the wall, with his arms stretched out in front of him amidst the scattered groceries and money, George lifted his head and cried out, “Help me!”<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: .1pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: .1pt;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The book is available at bookstores and online at </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Millionaires-Wife-Beautiful-Mistress/dp/0312594356/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1344529833&sr=8-1&keywords=the+millionaire%27s+wife">Amazon.com</a>.</span></i><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia; font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-72861043993235005412012-08-08T21:00:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.364-07:00The Technology of Facial Recognition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAYS1mjtG3eLrr13dvwicMfl08ml3LRIHRSfmjSfeKh2g1tjXqLySqH2nkpcZsSUf1LFqxjOAiJtMG8DCmKJHPyEB7DWXVN883SV1mQtZS2M30O4OjxWwDbINjaFFqf7B6dQZglT98XYE/s1600/2925269641_bda9e315c2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRAYS1mjtG3eLrr13dvwicMfl08ml3LRIHRSfmjSfeKh2g1tjXqLySqH2nkpcZsSUf1LFqxjOAiJtMG8DCmKJHPyEB7DWXVN883SV1mQtZS2M30O4OjxWwDbINjaFFqf7B6dQZglT98XYE/s200/2925269641_bda9e315c2.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><b>by Andrea Campbell </b></i></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Television and movies are famous for zeroing in on the technologies of the present and future. Some are outrageous such as the vertical mid-air computer manipulation screens and the holograms used for facial reconstruction--fascinating but most cities’ law enforcement and forensic science divisions are cash-strapped, so fantasy is more the reality. There is one thing though that criminal justice has been good at, and that’s compiling information, mainly data in regards to identification.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The History of Identification</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">In 1924, the Criminal Justice Information Services created an FBI Identification division that began with the collection of fingerprints. Prior to that, things were fairly unsophisticated and rather chaotic in terms of holes--states were responsible for their own mug shots and fingerprint collections and since information was collected manually, if a perpetrator crossed state lines, his slate was temporarily clean. The need for centralization and an organized repository wasn’t really met until as late as 1999. Instead of mug shots, photographs and criminal history traveling through the U.S. mail and processed manually, the IAFIS (Integrated Automated Fingerprint System), system improved all that. Now with the launch of IAFIS, it made it easy to search, process and store data electronically. Wherever a suspect went, his identification could follow.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotHiJYIWlBLiRH21BkCppEDY8-fCTMxu8lDYrirV0vOmu3o3Y-krY3T4ougfhpCIqSW-a9NuaOfJZ6qN1hi5VyT2FuSfCsQm2du56XgJXFMLXqwG7XaXX64dO06UQ-n4pHRyrg__6E7Sn/s1600/4644309240_3fcaf15e7a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiotHiJYIWlBLiRH21BkCppEDY8-fCTMxu8lDYrirV0vOmu3o3Y-krY3T4ougfhpCIqSW-a9NuaOfJZ6qN1hi5VyT2FuSfCsQm2du56XgJXFMLXqwG7XaXX64dO06UQ-n4pHRyrg__6E7Sn/s200/4644309240_3fcaf15e7a.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>The New Generation</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">With the advent of a growing demand for identification services, the FBI stepped up its criminal justice data system with its new Next Generation Identification or NGI program. Previously, the technology infrastructure was fast becoming obsolete. Just as you have to stay current with upgrading your computer software and equipment--with all the identification requests the FBI receives, they were struggling to fulfill their mission. So while NGI attempts to shore up its reputation, staying a global leader in biometrics is a feat. Because biometric submissions come from tribal, local, state, federal, international and other intelligence systems, the rapidly expanding database is a race--and the timeline for upgrade was posed as a multi-year time frame developed with incremental phases (or one step at a time).</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><br />Our Identification Rights</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Generally what happens as new technologies evolve, its development has a tendency to stop on people’s rights, that is to say, their right to privacy, searches or just by being required to submit to varied forms of ID.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">There are federal codes however, that provide much-needed authorization for such information and it can be found in U.S. Code, number 28 to be more precise, and it outlines how to acquire, collect, classify and preserve such identification and crime records. The exchange of this data between agencies must follow guidelines set out in section 534 of the same code, and section 3771 outlines the authorization for the FBI director to develop new approaches, techniques and devices.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Several of the program increments for the NGI platform have been completed like: increasing the true match rate of fingerprints to 99.6 percent and providing the ability to process less than ten prints as well. Another program named RISC (or the: Repository for Individual of Special Concern) was also completed that helps to ID wanted persons, suspected terrorists, persons of special interest and sex offenders. A National Palm Print directory is on the agenda for next spring, 2013, and Increment 4 called Rap Back, Facial and Scars, Marks and Tattoo search capabilities should be up and running summer 2014. The National Rap Back service is all about notifying searchers about folks who are already in the criminal system, and will include Facial and SMT--Scars, Marks and Tattoo--designs for investigation purposes.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNohhvzB10uWgF_-u9QKH9YfvswOdheb2abTjMeOz1DtXTbWtUY0lFQdoxZF-hSuAwwQS8PMQKdsENet_Ymf0hySvaXsbZotp7NWMORebxWzVdDXqYWS8LlDbvqUweZNAs0rHDZKpIQWb/s1600/2385169164_156f50a5a2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWNohhvzB10uWgF_-u9QKH9YfvswOdheb2abTjMeOz1DtXTbWtUY0lFQdoxZF-hSuAwwQS8PMQKdsENet_Ymf0hySvaXsbZotp7NWMORebxWzVdDXqYWS8LlDbvqUweZNAs0rHDZKpIQWb/s200/2385169164_156f50a5a2.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Next Generation for Facial Recognition</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">A pilot program debuted in 2012 for facial recognition, but should be fully operational summer of 2014. This will make possible image-based facial recognition searches of the FBI’s national repository. What comes back from a search will be a list of candidates to investigate. The bank of photos are based on criminal mug shots that were taken as a part of the booking process during arrest. The concerns have been that photos from other sources like Facebook, or surveillance cameras would be used but the FBI site says they will not use those as sources. Currently the National Repository holds approximately 12.8 million searchable frontal photos. The FBI claim that only authorized criminal justice agencies can query, and the requests are processed in what’s referred to as a, “lights out” manner, meaning that no one person prepares the ranked candidates list--it is constructed without human intervention.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">A government act called the “Interstate Photo System Privacy Impact Assessment” (PIA) is in a renewable phase as any evolutionary changes that have since come into fruition will be reevaluated since June 2008. States that have already sampled the facial recognition as part of a pilot program will still need to execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that reiterates why they need the information and how they intend to use it. The Facial Recognition pilot should be fully functional summer 2014.</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-72154748919215845512012-07-26T11:48:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.420-07:00Why I Quit doing Media Interviews on Individual Mass Murderers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgy7QiqYy6RKz0SROg2M7UbE9v8vzM88i-JaJlSal9dxk1md7D8piuGLEVmN-cZIgkcFGr1KLMzv7h3VvUe6WYubIyehs9OKofSPQk92C-TI5y4sJ6n992vkvDUscCEkZEJwnyFT5-9Bq/s1600/sun+news.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxgy7QiqYy6RKz0SROg2M7UbE9v8vzM88i-JaJlSal9dxk1md7D8piuGLEVmN-cZIgkcFGr1KLMzv7h3VvUe6WYubIyehs9OKofSPQk92C-TI5y4sJ6n992vkvDUscCEkZEJwnyFT5-9Bq/s320/sun+news.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><i><b>by Pat Brown</b></i><br /><br />When the most recent mass murder occurred, I got the usual calls from the media networks - television and radio - to come and talk about the mass murderer and why he did what he did. I gave my opinion on the causes including psychopathy, lack of empathy, anger toward society, attachment disorder in his early years, and a childhood likely influenced by ultraviolent movies, negative fantasy and role-playing games, and excessively violent video games. And I spoke of the media attention that also encourages mass murder as a way to express rage and become famous at the same time. I did television and radio from daybreak to bedtime for three days straight.<br /><br />I got my usual hate mail from a number of video gamers who don't get that what I am talking about is young children growing up in a world with far too much time spent in activities which are not of the most positive and wholesome variety; they think I am claiming all gamers will become psychopaths and killers. Not what I am saying at all, but some tend to be very sensitive about anyone who postulates that violent video games just might not be the best past time for our children, especially those with psychological issues.<br /><br />But, then, there were those who pointed out that as part of the media giving the mass murderer all that attention, I was part of the problem. I had to admit they had a point. I have always avoided using the killer's name and been careful to say nothing nice about him. I have attempted to educate the public about the psychology and development of mass murderers, hoping to effect change in parenting of the future. But, I have to say, I always kind of felt like I wanted to go home and take a shower after talking about the killer. I <i>did</i> think I was contributing to some extent to his fame and I didn't like the feeling.<br /><br />I finally decided I should step up the plate and take a stand. I will no longer do media interviews that focus on a specific mass murderer and give him the glory he wants. If parents need to do a better job of parenting, I need to do a better job of commentating. <br /><br />So when FOX News Channel called yesterday, I just said, "No."<br /><br />This morning the show went on without me. And when more television and radio producers called me throughout the day, I told them, "No." There was a stunned silence; us media folks know that refusing to do a show does not inspire producers to call you back and can be a career killer. Some people have written me saying I should continue because I will just be replaced anyway with someone who <i>will</i> say the mass murderer's name and won't explain what needs to be done to prevent mass murder in the future. They are probably right, that someone else will simply take my place, but, along with sleeping better at night, I hope that another media commentator or show host will stand up and just say "NO!" as well. And then another. Maybe a few years from now, no mass murderer will get his photo or his name or any details of his crime or life history in any media forum at all.<br /><br />I may be unrealistic about such change, but I can hope, can't I?<br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_KLJfXbQ7_ua5wv5BVDSt_FKBx3SIaP0420g0X-GKiyeADc5SBciBdM9grs_q8prB_y-8rNBbx94JWXJsStbmJh1Y0YkMmxVoz4zI4Eopwm7zCGKfhOpcvnnSw7pZSFQt1PtWh22Brs7/s1600/how+to+save+Book+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5_KLJfXbQ7_ua5wv5BVDSt_FKBx3SIaP0420g0X-GKiyeADc5SBciBdM9grs_q8prB_y-8rNBbx94JWXJsStbmJh1Y0YkMmxVoz4zI4Eopwm7zCGKfhOpcvnnSw7pZSFQt1PtWh22Brs7/s200/how+to+save+Book+Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><b><i>How to Save your Daughter's Life </i></b>by Pat Brown will be out on August 15, 2012.<br /><br />Pre-order from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Save-Your-Daughters-Life/dp/0757316697/ref=la_B003754SIK_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1343327858&sr=1-4">Amazon</a> or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/how-to-save-your-daughters-life-pat-brown/1111009007">Barnes and Noble</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8705339515581174014.post-79036054247387111042012-07-14T07:36:00.000-07:002013-09-16T05:44:16.473-07:00Jose Baez’ Book Reveals George and Cindy’s Telling Body Language<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTQvAjo97wB0DZLYTPHNWzod4ZpSEoTzp87XhXYfLiHzY6Lyb6JIyYh5LKm6GCCNBG9a6b0GxCg70DOk7SsVX1nsxUj8rQL1wP5rm6uaNRklNqgThjB6KChPrMZ-6pCyDWYxF_1AcH3rj/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-07-14+at+7.32.35+AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTQvAjo97wB0DZLYTPHNWzod4ZpSEoTzp87XhXYfLiHzY6Lyb6JIyYh5LKm6GCCNBG9a6b0GxCg70DOk7SsVX1nsxUj8rQL1wP5rm6uaNRklNqgThjB6KChPrMZ-6pCyDWYxF_1AcH3rj/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-07-14+at+7.32.35+AM.png" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal">If what Jose Baez reports in his book is accurate about George Anthony’s initial reaction to hearing that Casey accused him of molesting her, then George’s body language and verbal communication may very well point to his most likely allegedly molesting his daughter.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose states that when he initially confronted George, he observed that George hung his head and was silent. Then after a long pause, George asked Jose what else Casey said. In my view, most people who did not molest someone would be outraged. They would raise their tones and insist this was a lie. They would knit their brow in anger or open their eyes wide in shock. Jose does not report that any of this happened.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">His observations appear to be in synch with George’s behavior on the stand when asked whether he molested Casey. On the stand, there was a long pause and he looked down, adding suspicion in many people’s minds, to his answer that he did not molest Casey.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The other thing which was revealing in Jose’s book is that two independent qualified mental health experts - a psychiatrist and a psychologist said that Casey’s behavior was that of someone who was sexually molested. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">If this is the case, then what Jose is alleging about George certainly may ring true in my view. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Until the DNA test showed otherwise, Casey believed George may have impregnated her and that Caylee was his baby. Jose and everyone else thought it was odd that George was in the delivery room watching Caylee being born, something a father does not usually do. That is reserved for the father of the baby being born. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose was also surprised that Cindy didn’t know Casey was pregnant as he showed a photo of a very pregnant Casey in his book. Maybe Cindy was in severe denial or maybe deep down she may have thought the baby was fathered by George or Lee. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose’s book also says that Casey was afraid that George would molest Caylee.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose and everyone else who heard George speak at Caylee’s memorial and say that he misses the :smell of Caylee’s sweat” thought it was very odd . It no doubt made many wonder if what Casey may have alleged about George molesting Caylee as possibly ringing true.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">CINDY’S BODY LANGUAGE <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose also mentions in his book how Cindy inappropriately insisted on holding his hand on several of their initial meetings, which Jose thought was odd. To me this speaks volumes about the competiveness and jealousy and control issues Casey and Cindy had with one another. Cindy was initially trying to endear herself to Jose through her inappropriate touch as a form of one upsmanship and control over Casey . It could have been seen as a seductive flirtation on her part. Jose was Casey’s attorney, not her attorney. But her body language behavior indicated that she wanted Jose to like her. It may have been her means of trying to establish control over the situation and over Jose. But obviously it didn’t work. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose also confronts Cindy after the trial and asks why she didn’t call him to thank him for saving his daughter’s life as only her brother Lee called to thank him. Cindy allegedly lies to Jose and insists she thanked him when she never did. If this is true then we can certainly see the how lies and selfishness are a common theme with Cindy and Casey. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">CASEY”S LIES AND SELFISHNESS<br /><br />There were several things in the book that did surprise me. One was the fact that both of the mental health experts did not find that Casey was a sociopath or a narcissist. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Based on Robert Hare’s Test on Sociopathy and observing Casey in action on video all these years, she seemed to show signals of narcissistic behavior to me. She was self -centered and it was always “ all about her”. Remember the jailhouse tapes? She never even mentions Caylee. She also shows no remorse. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jose even reported in his book that Casey acted with no remorse which is a huge signal for sociopathic behavior as is lying. Jose addresses Casey’s lying throughout the book.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Based on Casey’s selfishness I believe there is no way she would take the rap for her father, especially if he allegedly molested her. That is why I had a hard time wrapping myself around Jose’s argument that Caylee drowned. If that were the case, why didn’t Casey bring it up at the beginning?<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">CASEY’S LOVE OF FAME <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"> What is the most sickening is that Casey continues to abuse and disrespect others, especially those trying to help her. Look at what she allegedly did to the couple who had her hiding out in their home. Casey now fancies herself as a star. In sych with her self absorption , she loves reading about herself online and reports say that she loved the SNL bit about her and her new dog. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">CAYLEES ASHES SPLIT AND WORN ON CINDY AND CASEY’S NECK <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Perhaps the most disgusting news about Casey and Cindy is that they are both allegedly wearing matching necklaces which contain Caylee’s ashes. How ironic that they have split Caylee in half for each of them to own. Now both of these self absorbed women who in my view were clearly jealous and competitive of one another can now each have their own Caylee to wear. <o:p></o:p></div><!--EndFragment-->Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10504685115588344730noreply@blogger.com0