Former death row inmate Mumia Abu-Jamal has been
transferred from a maximum-security prison in western Pennsylvania to a
medium-security institution across the state.
Corrections Department
spokeswoman Susan Bensinger confirmed Thursday that Abu-Jamal is now at
the Mahanoy state prison in Frackville, about 80 miles northwest of
Philadelphia.
The convicted killer of
Philadelphia police Officer Daniel Faulkner had spent the past 16 years
at Greene state prison in Waynesburg, more than 260 miles west of
Philadelphia. Abu-Jamal had also served time in other facilities.
Abu-Jamal was sentenced to
death for the 1981 murder. But a federal appeals court recently ordered a
new sentencing hearing because of flawed jury instructions. Last week,
the Philadelphia district attorney instead agreed to a life term for
Abu-Jamal.
Bensinger says Abu-Jamal was transferred Wednesday.
Allow me to tell a story about this... Back in the 70's and 80's , Philly was pledged and held hostage to the Black Panthers and their little spin off radical groups like MOVE.. Their moto was to kill cops, The streets were scarey , no one was safe if you were any other color than black or disagreed with these scumbags openly including our black Mayor Wilson Goode.
They held neighborhoods hostage and blocked off their areas into compounds in Poweltown Village. They all changed their last names to " Africa" , put their own children in danger and terrorized the city and our police force..No One was safe from these animals, including the home owners on that block .
Wearing sidearms and rifles on August 8, 1978, They killed Officer James Ramp, Later that day, a warrant was issues demanding that MOVE surrender, City Officials and Several organizations pleaded with them to end their siege for too many years, However; They refused, And their rein of violence continued and their organization grew still continuing to vow to kill our police officers .
By May, 1985, There were not other options and using battering rams to get into the compound; Hundreds of rats and dozens of dogs followed 11 MOVE members and 11 children out, After a 90 minute firefight , a PA State Police Helicopter dropped a improvised bomb into the bunker destroying the Osage Ave home and killing 11 members. Unable to safely allow firefighter to enter the area, 52 other homes were destroyed leaving 250 people homeless because the reckless behavior of the MOVE siege.
Now; 2011 and the Black Panthers and MOVE are still terrorizing the streets of Philadelphia and every resident and Law Enforcement officer because NO One will put a stop to them.
12/09/11
Thirty years ago to the date, Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner was killed in the line of duty.
In the early morning hours of Dec. 9, 1981 Mumia Abu-Jamal shot the officer near 13th and Locust Streets in Center City, Philadelphia, Pa
Faulkner died but the case against Abu-Jamal would live on far beyond his 1982 conviction for murder.
Three decades later, the controversy surrounding the killing continued to top headlines. Just this week Abu-Jamal was taken off death row
Instead of taking the sentencing case to trial
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams withdrew the death penalty
because “the survivors of Danny Faulkner have suffered enough.”
At 3:30 a.m. Friday, officers observed a moment of silence at the site of the killing at the moment Faulkner was struck down.
Mumia supporters also planned events in hopes to free the convicted cop killer. There are celebrities and activist who have banned together for 30 years to Free this dirtbag, they have sued the city and have had fund-raisers and most recently ; He has been invited to speak and to take part in a Q&A at the National Constitution Center via phone.
MAUREEN FAULKNER has
requested that anyone who cares please call Gov. Corbett's office today
at 717-783-1116 and ask him to stop Mumia from being permitted to take
part in a Q&A.
The time is Now that we push for this Bill to pass and Stop people like Mumia Abu-Jamal , Please sign this petition in honor of all of our Law Enforcers who gave their lives to Protect and Serve Us..
After enduring 30 years of emotional and physical
hell as I’ve suffered through the appeals process, I am now convinced
that when a death sentence is at issue, the judges of the Federal
District Courts and the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals simply
do as they want, not as the law dictates. Judges Yohn, Scirica, Cowen
and Ambro oppose the death penalty, so they shape the law to suit their
personal needs. This isn’t just me venting. It’s a fact that’s supported
by the numbers. The dirty little secret about the death penalty in
Pennsylvania that nobody wants to come to grips with is that since the
death penalty was re-instated by the U. S. Supreme Court in 1976, there
have been hundreds of death sentences imposed by Pennsylvania juries.
Yet, after three decades of trying, not a single one of them– including
my husband’s case — has managed to successfully make it through the
Federal appeals gauntlet. How is it possible that over the course of
three decades all District Attorneys combined have gone 0 for several
hundred on their appeals?
The disgusting reality with the death penalty in Pennsylvania is that
the fix is in before the hearings even begin, and federal judges,
including the 4 dishonest cowards who presided over my husband’s case,
are the fixers.
My family and I have endured a three-decade ordeal at the hands of
Mumia Abu-Jamal, his attorneys and his supporters; who in many cases
never even took the time to educate themselves about the case before
lending their names, giving their support and advocating for his
freedom. All of this has taken an unimaginable physical, emotional and
financial toll on each of us. Over the past few months, we have
anguished over the two terrible options we are presented with. Should we
choose a new sentencing hearing, it would undoubtedly take months to
complete and come at an extreme cost to the citizens of Philadelphia.
It will undoubtedly be a venue for every fringe group imaginable. Droves
of sleazy Human Rights lawyers will want to weigh in with amicus
briefs. The list of character witnesses for Abu-Jamal would be a rouges
gallery of the Hate America First crowd, and unlike he did at the 1982
sentencing hearing, this time around he will undoubtedly keep his vile
mouth shut and portray the image of “a man filled with soulful humanity”
as his former attorney once described him and not the seething animal
he was at the 1982 hearing. The damning testimony of several key
eyewitness who are now deceased will have to be read to the jury without
emotion and the District Attorney will have the unenviable challenge of
seating an impartial jury without being duped by even a single person
who intends to nullify the death sentence. Should the jury decide on a
death sentence again as they should, we would then start the whole
decades-long appeals process over again, and we will be forced to repeat
the past 30 years as if they never happened.
Given that we would be forced back into the same foul legal system
that has failed us for so long and the morally dishonest judges we would
undoubtedly be confronted with if there were a new sentencing hearing,
we have asked Seth Williams to deny such a hearing and agree to have
Mumia Abu-Jamal’s sentence be reduced to life in prison without the
possibility of parole.
This decision certainly does not mark the end of my journey, nor will
I stop fighting to see justice done for my husband. Rest assured I will
now fight with every ounce of energy I have to see that Mumia Abu-Jamal
receives absolutely no special treatment when he is removed from death
row. I will not stand by and see him coddled — as he has been in the
past — and I am heartened by the thought that he will finally be taken
from the protected cloister he has been living in all these years and
begin living among his own kind; the thugs and common criminals that
infest our prisons. I will hold any official who attempts to help
Abu-Jamal improve his situation publicly and legally accountable for as
long as I live.
In closing, I’d like to say that I believe the lowest dimension of
hell has been reserved for child molesters and unrepentant murderers
like Mumia Abu-Jamal. After 30 years of waiting, the time remaining
before Abu-Jamal stands before his ultimate judge doesn’t seem quite so
far off as it once did when I was younger. I look forward to that day,
so I can finally close the book on this chapter of my life and live with
the gratification and assurance that Mumia Abu-Jamal has finally
received the punishment he deserves for all eternity.
Thank you.
04/26/11
I'm
sick to my stomach knowing that man lives off taxpayers dollars , he's a
scumbag that killed a friend of mine and his wife has suffered since
1981..
Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel J. Faulkner EOW: Wednesday, December 9, 1981
US court grants new sentencing for Mumia Abu-Jamal
The Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA - A federal appeals court on Tuesday ordered a
new sentencing hearing for convicted police killer and death-row
activist Mumia Abu-Jamal, finding for a second time that the
death-penalty instructions given to the jury at his 1982 trial were
potentially misleading.
The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals
ordered prosecutors to conduct the new sentencing hearing within six
months or agree to a life sentence. Abu-Jamal's first-degree murder
conviction nonetheless stands in the fatal shooting of Officer Daniel
Faulkner.
Prosecutors said they were considering another appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
"We
continue to maintain that granting this new sentencing hearing is
contrary to clearly established precedent of the United States Supreme
Court," District Attorney Seth Williams said in a statement.
Abu-Jamal's lawyer, Widener University law professor Judith Ritter, did not immediately return a call to The Associated Press.
Tuesday's ruling is the latest in Abu-Jamal's long-running legal saga.
A
federal judge in 2001 first granted the former Black Panther a new
sentencing hearing over the trial judge's instructions on aggravating
and mitigating factors. Philadelphia prosecutors have been fighting the
order since, but the 3rd Circuit ruled against them in a pivotal 2008
decision.
In rejecting a similar claim in an Ohio death-penalty
case last year, the Supreme Court ordered the Philadelphia appeals court
to revisit its Abu-Jamal decision.
On Tuesday, the 3rd Circuit judges stood their ground and noted differences in the two cases.
Under
Pennsylvania law, Abu-Jamal should have received a life sentence if a
single juror found the mitigating circumstances outweighed the
aggravating factors in Faulkner's slaying. The three-judge appeals panel
found the verdict form confusing, given its repeated use of the word
"unanimous," even in the section on mitigating circumstances.
"The
Pennsylvania Supreme Court failed to evaluate whether the complete text
of the verdict form, together with the jury instructions, would create a
substantial probability the jury believed both aggravating and
mitigating circumstances must be found unanimously," Judge Anthony J.
Scirica wrote in the 32-page ruling.
Tuesday's decision upholds
the 2001 ruling by U.S. District Judge William H. Yohn Jr., who first
ruled that the flawed jury instructions warranted a new sentencing
hearing. While prosecutors were fighting that ruling, Abu-Jamal has been
fighting unsuccessfully to have his conviction overturned.
Faulkner,
a white 25-year-old patrolman, had pulled over Abu-Jamal's brother on a
darkened downtown street in 1981. Prosecutors say Abu-Jamal saw the
traffic stop and shot Faulkner, who managed to shoot back. A wounded
Abu-Jamal, his own gun nearby, was found at the scene when police
arrived.
Abu-Jamal is now 58. His writings and radio broadcasts
from death row have made him a cause celebre and the subject of numerous
books and movies. Hundreds of vocal death-penalty opponents and
supporters typically turn out for hearings in his case.
Mateo
Matias on July 23, 2009 was driving on Palm Beach Boulevard
when he was struck and killed by a deputy sheriff. The deputy was
responding to a pursuit where an alleged unoccupied residential
burglary occurred.
Two
people were arrested - the people the deputies were chasing - for the
death of Matias. However, the burglary needed to be substantiated. The
homeowner, who moments before carried a conversation with one of the
suspects in his driveway, told deputies he could not identify the
people at the traffic stop as the burglars. He later was unable to make
an identification from a photographic lineup - a lineup that is now missing.
The vehicle description of the truck deputies stopped was similar in
color and size to the one the witness reported, but had a blue license
plate where the suspect's had an orange one.
The
burglary HAD to be closed by an arrest in order to justify the chase,
and to permit the arrest of the driver for the vicarious death of Mateo
Matias. Otherwise, the death would be the responsibility of the
Sheriff's Office.
The
first HUGE problem here is why, just now, is the lack of identification
and the missing evidence brought to light? The case will be dropped on
Monday according to the SAO spokesperson and the charges nolle-prossed.
After all this time, roughly a year, am I, more importantly you, to
believe nothing was ever sent from the State Attorney's Office to the
Lee County Sheriff's Office regarding the lack of evidence? Of course
not! The State Attorney's Office is staffed with professional,
educated prosecutors, and such glaring holes would have been spotted
immediately. Murder is the most serious charge regarding the most
heinous crime. A prosecutor would have immediately picked up on the
lack of evidence, missing evidence, and non-corroborating, conflicting
testimony and alerted the Sheriffs Office early on - most likely in the
form of an Additional Information Request (AIR). This should have been
looked into by the Sheriff's Office the very moment the SAO got an
inkling that a problem existed with the investigation. The arrest was
made on July 23, 2009. And we just learning of this today? Ask yourself
why that is?
In
cases where the SAO feels there is lacking evidence, testimony, or
supporting documents, the State sends an AIR - Additional Information
Request. It's generated on
behalf of the prosecuting attorney
via his or her investigator and sent to Damary Glover at the Sheriff's
Office. She logs them and forwards them to the deputy for follow up.
There are records, and I encourage everyone to request them.
But, there is something even more troubling here!
Major
Jim Jones is the commander over the Major Crimes Unit, which includes
the homicide unit - that unit from which Adrian Powell and David
Newsome's murder charges originated. As that commander, Major Jones allowed two people - who records show could not be identified and for which probable cause did not exist - to be arrested for murder and their civil rights
infringed upon. The Major reviews each and every case report and arrest
affidavit stemming from the investigative efforts of his bureau. How is
it then that he permitted the arrest of Powell and Newsome for murder
despite the fact positive identification of the two could not be made,
not once, but TWICE. The arrest was made in light of no identification
at the scene or in a photographic lineup - the line up which is now
missing. Powell and Newsome were in a different vehicle with a
different tag with different colors than what was reported by the
witness. Yet Major Jones authorized the arrest to be made. Maybe it was
because a deputy was involved in the accidental death ofMatias that he wanted an immediate arrest made - scapegoats if you will.
And that leads into another issue. Lee County Sheriff's Office policy (operations manual) prevents chases in all circumstances except for VIOLENT, FORCIBLE Felonies.
Why? Because chasing a car is deadly - as we see in this event. But the deputywho struck Matias was following orders. The Bravo District Commander and the Watch Commanders
on duty that day are solely responsible for authorizing and ending the
pursuit. That's by policy also. So why did the Bravo District Commander
feel it was necessary to go outside of the policy of the sheriff's
office (operations manual) and permit a chase, which is essentially the
same thing as pointing a gun at someone and pulling the trigger -
deadly force is deadly force. And used for a crime where no violence
occurred? Really? No one was shot, threatened, beaten etc.
So
we know there was not a VIOLENT FORCIBLE FELONY to have occurred. But
the deputy who struck and unfortunately killed Matias was following
orders of a commander who authorized the chase and thereby permitted
the use of deadly force.
The
way I see it is Major Jones and the Sheriff wanted to keep this a
secret and make an arrest - a cover-up - because command level officers
authorized the chase and therefore are responsible for permitting it.
The authorization resulted in the death of an innocent person. But
instead of admitting wrongdoing, they rushed to make an arrest to
deflect the negative press associated with the chase. See, once the
arrest was made, the end justified the means. These cover-ups are the
very type of corruption I stand against.
And so two people were arrested to cover up the mistakes of the Sheriff's Office commanders.
My
fear now is that the deputy who struck Matias will become Mike Scott's
next victim for following his superiors orders that unfortunate day -
Command level orders that resulted in an unnecessary death. Orders such
as Major Jones permitting the arrest and violation of constitutionally
protected rights of two Lee County residents.
Don't
get me wrong -1 am not championing Powell and Newsome. I am not saying
that Powell and Newsome did no wrong. It's pretty clear that running
from police is a crime and they should be charged and tried
appropriately. But they should not have been arrested frivolously for
murder because of someone's attempt to cover up a mistake and/or
deflect community outrage. No one should have been arrested to justify
the pursuit. Powell and Newsome should not have been arrested for
murder in which probable cause could not be found
Probable
cause is defined as that level of belief, developed by articulated
facts, circumstances and evidence that would permit a reasonable person of sound mind to believe that the person charged probably committed the crime.
In
this case, where is the probable cause for the murder? The burglary had
to be proven in order to substantiate the murder charge. The murder
charge had to stick to absolve the Sheriffs Office of wrongdoing. But
different vehicles, different tags,missing evidence, inconsistent
testimony - none of this leads to probable cause - yet Major Jones
allowed it, and Mike Scott condoned it. How convenient, too, that
evidence just happens to go missing?
I
cannot sit by and watch Mike Scott fire another deputy for following
the orders of superiors in order to cover-up his and his
administration's errors and culpability in this death. Mike Scott is
the only one accountable for this.
Mike
Scott prides himself that he is in-tuned with the Lee County Sheriff's
Office. So then, he would have known all along about the lack of
identification in this case and would have known that it was a bad
arrest. And if he claims he didn't, he needs to hold the appropriate
Bureau Commander accountable for the cover-up. Its called
accountability.
It
is my belief that an outside investigation into this matter is
warranted. Rest assured that Mike Scott will hang this on a deputy's
neck to answer for the decisions of an administrative command officer. The sheriff has a history of protecting himself. I call for FDLE to conduct an investigation into this matter.
What
lengths will the sheriff's office go to protect its own upper staff? If
we cannot trust Mike Scott to run his office with integrity, and to
make lawful arrests, can we really trust him to conduct his internal
affairs properly? Are we going to simply put him on the honor system?
Again, an outside agency needs to investigate this matter.Both for
Mateo, for Powell and Newsome, and for the involved deputies.
The
system was built on the belief that we all have rights and that those
rights will be preserved by those entrusted to protect them. It's
unfortunate that those rights are treated so haphazardly here in Lee
County.
Thank you,
Lee Bushong
Please visit Lee Bushong's website where he has an open door policy and you can ask any question and get an honest answer..
The Lee County Sheriff's Office has been
selected as a flagship agency by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. "CALEA flagship agencies are really the cream of the
crop," said CALEA program manager Steve Mitchell.
"They have clean assessments and have something
to bring to the table. In fact, they are the ones we
want all other agencies to emulate." The Lee County Sheriff's Office is one of 22 agencies
nationwide to receive the current flagship
designation and will receive its certificate on March
27th in Dallas.
So what is CALEA ?
The CALEA® Flagship Agency
Program is designed to acknowledge CALEA Accredited public safety agencies that
have demonstrated success in the accreditation process. The program also serves
to provide other agencies seeking accreditation with examples of “best
practices” on how to address compliance, policy development, file maintenance,
and other issues relating to the accreditation process.
A Flagship
Agency must meet the following minimum criteria:
Must
have a minimum of two previous consecutive accreditation awards.
Must
not have conditions or noncompliance issues on most recent past award.
Must
not have noncompliance issues, or be recommended for conditions on current
assessment.
Current Assessment Report must have limited file maintenance and applied
discretion issues.
Current Assessment Report must not have issues involving life, safety, and
security standards.
Must
not currently be affected by issues that detract from the tenets or goals of
accreditation and/or the Flagship Program.
MUST NOT HAVE ISSUES INVOLVING LIFE, SAFETY AND SECURITY STANDARDS !!!!! The purpose of CALEA’s Accreditation
Programs is to:
" Improve the delivery of public safety services ", primarily by:
maintaining a body of standards, developed by public safety practitioners,
covering a wide range of up-to-date public safety initiatives;
establishing and administering an accreditation process; and recognizing
professional excellence.
To Improve The Delivery of Public Safety Services ???
This means stop killing people .... or you'll will lose your accreditation !
01/20/10
Publix Super-Market hires foreign workers
Says local residents don’t want the jobs
At a time when Lee
County’s unemployment rate is almost 14 percent and about 38,000
residents are jobless, Publix is paying people from South America to
work at some of its Southwest Florida supermarkets.
For
the last three years, Publix has hired hundreds of Peruvians and
Brazilians for its stores in south Fort Myers and Naples during tourist
season because the company says it can’t find locals to fill those
spots.. Many Southwest Florida jobseekers and the people who help them disagree.
Although numbers aren’t
broken down by county, there are 7,756 J1 visa-holders in Florida, said
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Darlene Kirk. The department calls it
an “Exchange Visitor Program,” allowing foreign college students to
“become directly involved in the daily life of the people of the United
States through travel and temporary work.” Publix doesn’t reciprocate
in the exchange.
“With
14 percent unemployment in Lee County, Publix can’t find any local
Americans interested in working part time? Give me a break,” Larkin
said. “This can hardly have been the intent of the new Kennedy
administration in 1961 when it instituted this program for cultural
exchanges with Central and South American nations which were, at that
time, predominantly military dictatorships.”
Publix re-evaluates hiring needs every year, Patten said. “We will revisit this for 2011.’’
South
Seas Island Resort on Captiva has about five J1 visa workers doing jobs
locals don’t want, said Joe Palmer, human resources director.
These are the e-mails for the district hiring managers for publix. Please let them know what you think
In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do
affects someone else - even their job . So, after reading this email to
friends and families and let's get on the right track .
My grandson likes Hershey's candy . I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico
now . I do not buy it any more . My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made
in Mexico now . I have switched to Crest . You have to read the
labels on everything .
This past weekend I was at the supermarket. (Can be true for any
store.) I needed 60 W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets . I was in
the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off brand labeled, "Everyday Value
. " I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats - they were
the same except for the price . The GE bulbs were more money than the
Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the
fact that GE was made in Mexico and the Everyday Value brand was made
in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio .
So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here .
So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets . . . Yep, you guessed it,
Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada. The Everyday Value brand
was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the
dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for
years and at almost half the price!
My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for
everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the
job you save may be your own or your neighbors!
If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from overseas companies!
(We should have awakened a decade ago . . . . . . )
Let's get with the program . . . . Help our fellow Americans keep their
jobs and create more jobs here in the U . S . A .
( Don't just pass this on and hope someone else will do it ... Next
time you shop, take the few minutes and check where the items came
from, a few minutes could save a few dollars on your shopping bill...)
We all know that everyone has financial problems right now and some
worst them others, Some that maybe don't want everyone knowing their
personal business and we can appreciate that without judging, At least
I would hope so.
So here is the quick version of my story, My unemployment ran out after
working sometimes 2 jobs for over 35 years, and being unemployed for
the last 2 years .
So after my many years of service I applied for assistance and was
denied for cash and medical , However ; I did get $165.00 in Food
Stamps.
This week, There was an error on the EBT card balance and I needed to call and correct the issue.
(For anyone who doesn't know about the EBT card In Florida it is a
American flag draped debit card and most every state uses it for WIC,
welfare cash deposit and food stamp deposits.. The card may look
different and the bank may be different )
You can google image your state EBT card..
Back to my story: I made the call to customer service and Guess what I called; INDIA
This is important to me because I am someone that would take a job in
call center and the EBT card services are being sub-contracted to low
wage labor out of this country when We need those jobs..
Do the right thing; Do Not patronize companies that use foreign labor,
Do Not use self check out lines in the stores and take the time to look
when shopping !
Here are just a few companies that use foreign labor; Some that were Bailed out :
Ford Motor Credit- Central America America On Line ( AOL ) - India J.P Morgan / Chase Bank- India J.C Penny's - India Microsoft- India
3M - France
November 29, 2009
Open letter to Sheriff Mike Scott
Terry Eberle
Teberle@news-press.com
Dear Sheriff Scott,
You have been saying a few things about us the past few weeks.
You accused us of bias, agendas, inaccuracies. You even made it sound personal.
Let me assure you that it is not personal. We both have a job to do.
Neither is easy. You have to keep the streets safe. We have to watch how you do it and how you spend taxpayers' money.
Both
of us must be held to a higher standard. We both are human and as
humans we make mistakes. It is how we handle our mistakes that we will
be judged.
You are
acting like a politician. We had hoped for more. You blame the media
for all your problems. And now you threaten anyone who disagrees with
you.
"I have the right to pick and choose who I talk to, don't forget that."
This was not said just to us, but to all the gathered media after the Nov. 18 union vote. We all heard you loud and clear.
You do have that right and we will fight to protect your right to say what you want to whom you want.
But, we expect so much more.
Your opinions, policies and actions as chief law enforcement officer in our community are of utmost public interest.
If you exclude certain media, you are excluding the citizens.
You
told the Naples Daily News that we need you more than you need us.
Still, you talk constantly about us. Still, you ask to run guest
columns in our newspaper. You still want to get your message out to
Southwest Florida.
Let's both admit we need each other.
I
first met you at our editorial board meeting when we were doing our
election endorsements. You impressed us. We strongly endorsed you as
the best candidate.
Then, there was that Sarah Palin rally and that Barack Hussein Obama statement. I am sure you were caught up in the moment.
You probably wish you'd handled it a little differently. Maybe even think it was a mistake. Heck, we all make mistakes.
You became a little more distant.
Then there was the headline. That headline from last February you keep bringing up.
You and I talked about it. I explained it, I told you I understood your concern and I know you understand.
But that doesn't make for a good sound bite.
And you persist in bringing it up 10 months later.
The
headline had quotes around 'good guy.' The News-Press did not say the
San Carlos Park man shot and killed by a deputy was a good guy. We
would have no idea. No one in the sheriff's department would talk. We
got only one side. We didn't know what went down that day.
It
was a neighbor who knew him who called him a "good guy." We believed
the deputies were in harm's way. We didn't know if he had a gun, knife
or cannon. We wish we had a little more. The readers wish they had a
little more.
Then, there was your former friend Dick Spence, a convicted felon, and the union elections and all those e-mails.
There were tons of public-records requests and we went back and forth.
You would not talk to us. Then you would. Then you wouldn't. And then you wanted it all in writing.
That concerned us because we couldn't look you in the eye and see your face as you answered.
We
didn't know who would be answering. We couldn't ask follow-up questions
and we couldn't react to your responses, nor you to us.
You
worried we would misquote you, or take it all out of context. We
offered to video it all and run it online without editing. That's more
than TV does. We expect more.
You were just cleared by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement of any of any criminal conduct. Congratulations.
I
just want to remind you that we never accused you of any criminal
conduct. It was two former law enforcement officers and one current one
who did. And there were four complaints, not 124, as you have said.
We
had no one in that fight. We covered it and we didn't take sides and we
played the story on the top of the front page where it belonged.
Sheriff, you have too many more important things to do than to battle us.
Let's move forward knowing that we still will be asking questions and still will be holding you to a higher standard.
We pledge to be fair and, yes, we will make mistakes. As will you. But they will not be out of anger or because of any agenda.
We really want you to succeed because it is critical for the growth and well-being of our community.
Sincerely,
Terry Eberle
Look at what is happening to our country :
Remember the movie: 1984 ; With Big Brother watching , His face was on every TV, his voice on every radio, Cameras at every street corner, No privacy or rights in Their own homes, They all wore the same cloths and did the same things and Protesters were ratted on by their neighbors and even family to the government and when those who rebelled they had something bad happen to them ? The government chose who lived or died, Who worked and where ,Who had children and the government chose their future for them, from birth they were micro chipped and data based, eventually molded to the perfect citizen. Parents feared them ( DCF/ CPS)..
Was that a movie of fiction or reality ? I see him everywhere, I hear him everywhere, I look up and around me now, I feel a sense of insecurity and lack of privacy, There is fear in every word said !
Am I imagining this or living this ?
I would like to watch it again and see how it's going to end.
Is Obama spreading socialism in our schools ?
No; He wasn't but had we " Trusted " him, This subject would of never came up
The president wants to push a "socialist" agenda on children.Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer issued a press release Tuesday headlined, "Greer Condemns Obama's Attempt to Indoctrinate Students." In it, Greer says, "As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology" and "I do not support using our children as tools to spread liberal propaganda.Greer predicted that children will be "forced" to watch the speech and said the president was " Bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power."
Farmers Losing Crops to Endangered Fish Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Farmers in California, they're losing their land, crops, and their livelihood, all because of a 2-inch fish. Ainsley Earhardt brings us this special investigation.
California's Central Valley is considered by many to be the richest and most productive farmland in the nation. But this land is being threatened by the small, harmless-looking minnow called the delta smelt.
Recently, it landed on the endangered species list, causing a federal court to shut down vital pumps to farmers to help preserve it.
REP. DEVIN NUNES (R-CALIF.): You're spending $1 trillion and you will not put in one provision that would create — save 60,000 jobs. This is an insult to my constituency.
What we have today is a manmade brought on by laws, passed by Congress, to where we're starting the breadbasket of the world and starving it of water to save little fish, which is outrageous.
Representative Nunes estimate 37,000 jobs have been lost due to the smelt issue and that number is rising higher by that day. In one town in California, unemployment is up to an astonishing 40 percent.
PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ACTOR/COMEDIAN
RODRIGUEZ: This has changed not only — this has not changed my political point of view; it has changed everyone around me.
We have always been lifelong devoted Democrats. I supported Mr. Obama. You know, I'm part of the "I love you, Mr. Obama" group. But I — that patina is starting to fade. I want — I want my lover to call me.
There's 80,000 of us over here hoping to get some precipitation here.
HANNITY: Listen...
RODRIGUEZ: We need to continue to farm, and we need that water open badly. I appeal to Mr. Ken Salazar, the interior secretary, to please land this time, talk to us, come see us, look at the faces that you're affecting.
HANNITY: Listen, Paul, this is serious. These are 80,000 jobs. You're right; the price of food is going to go up. This is one area in the country — for those that don't know this area around the Fresno area of California — where you can grow just about anything. It is some of the most...
RODRIGUEZ: Let me remind — let me remind everyone that fish, they have powerful lobbies, but they don't vote. Fish do not vote: we do, and we're going to remember this. We need those federal pumps open yesterday. We need this waste desperately. This is so UN-American. They didn't put into consideration our lives. We live there !
So what will be next ?
Concentration camps for those who dis-agree
with this administration ?
Riot Control and SWAT at all Town Hall meetings ?
A Civil War ?
Now the Patriot Act will be taken to extremes all over the country,
Any American can lose the right to privacy and be considered A
THREAT .
You don't like the Health Care Plan? You are Un- American !
You don't like the President ? You are a Racist !
You don't want Cap & Trade ? You are Unpatriotic !
You are a complete Nut ? You are Nancy Pelosi !
Say your Good-Byes to Freedom...
Lee County Judge Edward Volz Jr. sentenced Mary Grodin...
Finally: She Cried !
Not for the death of her daughter but her freedom...
09/22/09
Lee County Judge Edward Volz Jr. sentenced Mary Grodin to just less
than 13 years in prison followed by just more than two years on
probation during a sentencing hearing September 21st.
In 2000, The SAO made a deal with Mary Grodin that if she pleaded
guilty to only child abuse she would received a 15-year sentence if she
testified against her husband, Justin Grodin, in the death of her
11-month-old daughter, Gretchen.
In April, The SAO agreed to amend her plea agreement so she could spend
the remaining six years of her 15-year sentence on probation for her
role in the murder of Gretchen.
But Thank God; Judge Edward Volz Jr. never signed off on the amended deal - and he showed Monday he didn't approve.
"She was very upset - she cried," said Grodin's attorney, Scot Goldberg. " .
On Aug. 31, Mary Grodin was supposed to get out of jail, she thought, starting a new life of freedom.
But Thankfully Judge Volz threw everyone off
by continuing the sentencing until September 21, 2009, telling
attorneys that day he wasn't sure he would agree to the amended plea
agreement.
In the sentencing order Volz wrote for Justin
Grodin, he makes clear he believes Mary Grodin is responsible for
Gretchen's killing. He gave her sentence "moderate weight" in sending
her husband to prison for life.
"The facts of this case reflect that Mary
Grodin also bears culpability for the death of the victim," Volz wrote.
"Ms. Grodin has received a comparatively short sentence despite her
role in the victim's death."
Assistant State Attorney Anthony Kunasek said after the hearing he
agreed to the amendment because He thought Mary Grodin's testimony was
key to the conviction
At the least Judge Volz did try for some sort of Justice with his hands
being tied , I'm just so angry that this happened , 9 years we waited
to see justice, Gretchen would be 10, Just starting school after a
summer break, She would have friends & teachers that would of
protected her more than her own mother ever did..
I commend Judge Volz , However, had the State Charged her correctly , This would of never of happened !
I didn't know Gretchen, But she deserved better & our SAO let her
down & If our SAO ever comes near my kids ever again, They'll see a
Mothers Rage, Like no other, I Protect my kids always....
This was a Mockery of Justice for that Baby......The Lee County State
Attorney is the worst Scum ever...Everything in this county is a felony
to start with, Then these scumbags come to you with a deal, lesser
charge if you accept a plea deal, "That's the Dance " Said Kelly
Worchester in 2007...This is a fact not speculation, Out of her mouth
and backed up by Charlie Green.
I have watched them for years in those court rooms, It looks like an
auction not a justice system, The attorneys haggle back and fourth
about Plea Deals, They Threaten defendants into the deal..Yet this time
They'll let a Murder out of jail faster than some traffic tickets.
Kelley Worchester: I hope to God you see that Babies face everywhere
you look ...You disgust me , You Slummy Plea Dealer , You tied Judge
Volz's Hands with your Wheeling and Dealing ; As always , You have
destroyed so many Lives and Now the memory and Justice of Gretchen
Remember Me , I'll never forget you or that innocent Baby
08/31/09
Today signals a new chance at life for Mary Grodin.
The 31-year-old pleaded guilty on Oct. 20, 2000, to a charge of child abuse and after nearly a decade of waiting for her husband to go to trial for killing her 11-month-old daughter, Gretchen, she will be sentenced today by Lee Circuit Judge Edward Volz Jr.
The plea agreement, amended earlier this year, calls for Grodin to get out of custody as early as today and serve the last five years of a 15-year sentence on probation.
"I think it's going to be a challenge for her," said Scot Goldberg, her attorney. "I think she's got some fears about getting out - there's some trepidation."
"There are so many things we take for granted that she doesn't have - skills that she hasn't been taught for the last 9 years," he said. "She's got to carry a lot of guilt for the death of her daughter. She's carrying a lot of baggage coming out."
Just like the trash bag she carried with her daughters body in it ?
This system makes people sick to their stomachs, there are so many different standards that it is disgusting, Repeat offenders on the streets and first time offenders in prisons or county jails..
Go to www.leeclerk.org, look up Mark Joseph Serena, Gregory Scott Serena and Dominique Williams, They have several pages of crimes including with Firearms, all on State Probation, never VOPed, All have open cases now and several cases with No Information or Nolle Prossed...
Give me a break, Who are they connected too ???
They have been getting off with slaps on the wrist just like Mary Grodin, There is no way the average person would get away with these crimes..Research each case and see that the same judges are listed and just for Giggles, Look at their pictures; Mark looks like Steve Russell, Greg looks like Mike Scott with hair and Dominique must look like someone in the justice system, It just to coincidental for me..
Kelly Worchester makes a deal with the devil and a mockery of the justice system....
Not one tear dropped for her daughter !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Worchester modified the Plea deal to set a murdering Mom Mary Grodin Free to get her to testify against her husband Justin Grodin, Who would of been found guilty without it.
In exchange for her testimony, Mary Grodin will be released from jail serving only 9 years and will get 5 years probation...
Gretchen Grodin, 11 months old, was found buried in a shallow grave in south Fort Myers in May 2000.
On April 26, 2000, Grodin was home with the baby when he called his wife Mary, who was at work, she had testified Tuesday. When she got home, she found her husband attempting CPR, but the girl was dead.
The next day, they buried Gretchen, wrapped in a blanket and garbage bag, in south Fort Myers. The couple, who were on the run from Arizona authorities, took a bus to Seattle, where they were arrested about a week later.
They did it together, No one knows their child like a mother, She is more guilty of murder than he, It was her job to protect her child...
So will Mary divorce Justin or take out life insurance ??
Here is an old quote from Kelly Worchester:
From January to June 2007 , 1505 felony cases ended in forced pleas and 49 went to trial while 5856 misdemeanor cases ended in forced pleas and 45 went to trial according to Charlie Green Clerk of Courts for Lee county.
Kelly Worcester of the Felony head of the State Attorneys office said " It's all strategy , it's a dance and most defendants know that " On June 23,2009 Justin Grodin's jury has recommended that he be sentenced to death for the murder of Gretchen Grodin, And Mary should be walking out the door !
For the past 20 years, I have had the honor to serve you as a law enforcement officer in numerous assignments and was proud to wear that uniform every day I reported to duty.
Although I came in contact with a lot of bad people in Lee County, which was my job, I also had the pleasure of serving good citizens, and I want to assure you there are far more good people than bad in this county, and we have a great community.
The past four years I have had the distinguished privilege serving you as your chief deputy/under sheriff, and I did the job every day with the highest degree of integrity, ethics and dedication to the service of others. During that time I maintained convictions that I would never compromise.
Those practiced, learned traits that were instilled in me by my Dad, who has since passed on, were as follows: Always maintain the highest degree of ethics and honesty, never trade principles for politics, never sugar coat anything, always telling it like it is, constantly remember that you chose this profession to serve others and not yourself, and if you don't like who you see in the mirror it is time to hang it up. I can still look in that mirror and like who I see, never regretting one minute of my devotion to the service of others.
Recently and regrettably you have been subjected to a circus of illusions at the Sheriff's Office and I know in my heart that most of you have seen it for what it is. Upon my departure, I ask of you for one thing and that is while being subjected to this circus of illusions please divert your attention and focus outside the circus tent for that is where the front line troops perform...
As the former chief deputy, I can attest to you that the certified law enforcement/correction and civilian members of the Lee County Sheriff's Office are the best of the best, and I was honored and proud to be serving with them.
These men and women serve you 24 hours a day, seven days a week with steadfast bravery, professionalism and dedication to public service, always putting the safety and welfare of others before themselves.
As I turn this page in my life as a servant to the members in this community, I want to assure you once again, Lee County, you are in good hands for these great men and women on the front lines have true servant hearts and have chosen this profession for all the right reasons. May God bless each of you and your families.
- Charles J. Ferrante is the retired chief deputy of the Lee County Sheriff's Office.
However: Scott could not keep his mouth shut about this : A few irrefutable facts:
Charlie's brother Dominick got caught lying to the Sheriff about using the word retaliation and Dominick resigned. Charlie approached the department Attorney about paperwork in his brother's file after the Sheriff told him numerous times to stay out of his brother's problem. Charlie himself was scheduled for a Civil Service Hearing for his conduct in a meeting with Ryan Bell and that hearing was to occur just days after Dominick's demise. Bell opted for a formal, written grievance but Charlie retired. Very specific individual behaviors followed by voluntary departures...the record is clear.
Sheriff Mike Scott 4/19/2009 10:53:17 AM
If the record is so clear to Scott, Why did he state that Charlie was leaving with an impeccable record and give him nothing but raving performance reviews of excellence ?
Scott may be better off not speaking at this time, he has made himself look even more foolish with all the recent events. Think first before you act !
_____________________________
What do you think these law enforcement officers know ? All three earned their ranks, strips and promotions, started at the bottom and know their jobs better than Mike Scott knows his own or what their job duties are, being a elected sheriff .
Prior investigations of the year:
Cheif Deputy Charles Ferrante; 20 years with LCSO and started in DOC may have covered up for his brother, However, I'm sure he learned that from Mike Scott who did favors for high top ranked brass concerning their families and covered up criminal offenses, Charles J. Ferrante is the subject of an internal investigation into his alleged abuse of power. The investigation was opened on the day he was to announce his retirement, and he has since been on administrative leave with pay.
Ferrante wanted one high profile incident handled by the book when Mike Scott as a favor for a Now Former Captain, squashed it and claimed no connection:
Power Corrupts And Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely
"Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."
~ John Emerich Edward Dalberg Acton ~
The Now Former Captain Michael R. DeTar Sr. checks this site as much as possible looking for updates..I can't imagine what he or his family might be seeking to find but something to gossip about, I'm sure However that they are in deed very proud of the younger DeTar not making the news lately..
Captain Dominick Ferrante, Has a complaint from another crying captain who hired an "attorney" when IA failed to do their job when he went to them last year.
Larry King said : It was not related to recent allegations against Bushong’s former superior, Capt. Dominick Ferrante.
Ferrante resigned on March 4, following allegations he threatened another officer over a firearm purchase that circumvented chain of command. Bushong’s name appeared in an e-mail involved in the allegations, in which Ferrante berates the officer’s junior for helping stall the purchase.
“...I thought it might be a good idea for you to be familiar with policy in your area of responsibility. Lt. Bushong has provided it for you,” Ferrante wrote in an email to Lt. Shane Hingson on Feb. 5.
It’s unclear as to what, exactly, Ferrante was referring.
Bushong’s suspension is another blow to the influence of Ferrante, the former head of the Special Investigations Division, and his brother, Chief Deputy Charles J. Ferrante, the agency’s second-in-command.
With these open investigations LCSO had no problem releasing all the details and names, However, 3 unknown deputies who fired their weapons, 1 victim was a known mentally ill man, LCSO refuses to name the deputies for some unknown reason, all are back to work and armed..
Drew Peterson arrested in 3rd wife’s death, the Ex-police officer is also a suspect in 4th wife's disappearance...
BOLINGBROOK, Ill. - Drew Peterson, a former
Illinois police sergeant in Bolingbrook, Ill.,and long suspected in the disappearance of his
fourth wife, was arrested Thursday on a murder charge in the death of
his third wife.
Peterson, 55,
was taken into custody without incident Thursday evening during a
traffic stop, not far from his home, Illinois State
Police Capt. Carl Dobrich said at a press conference. A two-count
indictment accuses him of murdering Kathleen Savio.
Bond was set at $20 million. In his self confident manner, Peterson said : "I guess I should have returned those library
books,"
Savio's body
was found in a dry bathtub on March 1, 2004. Her death was initially
ruled an accidental drowning but investigators have since said they
believe it was a homicide staged to look like an accident.
Authorities
have said Peterson is also a suspect in the October 2007 disappearance
of his fourth wife, Stacy, then 23, though he has not been charged in
the case. Peterson has repeatedly said he thinks Stacy Peterson ran off
with another man.
After Stacy Peterson's disappearance, Savio's
body was exhumed and underwent forensic examination. An autopsy in
November 2007 determined Savio was killed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Deputies of the LCSO get away with DV and Sexual Assault...
Deputy gets Not 1 but 2 promotions and $1500.00 cloths allowance with possible raise..
"She had 15 shots to the back ! Worst case of Suicide ever seen ! "
[NC] Ex Police Chief Bradley - firearms violator or wife-killer?
IN MEMORY and JUSTICE 4 PATSY TINSLEY BRADLEY:
North Carolina Woodfin's Former Police Chief faces a federal firearms charge, but his deceased wife's family says that's not enough. Pete Bradley was indicted for illegally having a pistol. Because of an appeals court ruling, he can't have the gun because he was convicted of assaulting his wife, Patsy. The assault occurred a month before Patsy was found shot to death in the couple's home
1.[AR] Deputy Dinwiddie and Renee murder-suicide, April 2009,Three children are staying with relatives after their parents were killed in an apparent murder-suicide in White County. One of the children witnessed it happen. Police found Bronson Dinwiddie, 35, and Renee Dinwiddie, 29, shot to death inside a home , police believe a result of a murder-suicide but no one is saying who pulled the trigger[.
2.[TX] Jailed Ex Officer Fratta gets new murder-of-wife-Farah , April 2009, Texas Missouri City Police Officer Robert Fratta was convicted back in 1996 of having his wife Farah killed, and now he's getting a new trial.
3.[TX] Police Chief Ivy who repeatedly tasered girlfriend had domestic violence history, April 2009
Oakwood Police Chief Oly Ivey was arrested Monday for allegedly using a taser on his live-in girlfriend. Ivy is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bond is set at $100,000.
4.Editorial disgust in New Zealand over Officer Harrod's tactical assault of his wife and how it was handled
5.[SC] Councilman's wife, Jennifer Lindemann, arrested for criminal domestic violence
6. [TX] Dalla Police Sr. Corporal Rex Jones, said to have beat son for leaving the TV on
7. [FL] DA drops attempted (wife) murder charge against ex-deputy Conner
8. [PA] Philadelphia Police Sgt. Seeger and 4 other officers fired
9. [VA] Deputy Kevin Jones Assault of wife and Trespassing charges
10. [TX] Officer Gueda free and clear after shaking charges of hurting his wife and stopping her from calling 911
9. [IN] Deputy's stepdaughter, 2 year old Alexis Camp, shoots herself
11.[MI] Ex-Officer Robert Vargas found guilty of stalking Officer Merritt
12.[NY] Janet Redmond-Mercereau found guilty of killing her fire marshal husband Doug Mercereau
13. [IL] Ex Sgt Peterson sued: Peterson faces lawsuit over death of 3rd wife Kathleen Savio » link to Drew Peterson sued: Peterson faces lawsuit over death of Kathleen Savio
14.[WA] UNPRECEDENTED LEGAL MOVE IN THE SO-CALLED SUICIDE OF EX TROOPER RONDA REYNOLDS
15. (I blogged re: Ex Dep. Claggett news here, and thanked @Injust_Seattle in the text.
16.[RT] @Injust_Seattle Clackamas County ex deputy Claggett is arrested on multiple DV charges after police standoff
17. Detective Jay Mehring in the last article was heard BY COPS threatening to kill his wife so i'm angry to learn he's even been rehired.
18.[RT] @Injust_Seattle [WOW!] Spokane WA PD chief releases disciplinary files of 11 officers under pressure
19. BREAKING: Wife of Vestavia Hills Officer has a bullet in her head
20. Article: "Experts have profile of fathers who kill family
21. [FL] Deputy gets 2 promotions after cleared of DV and sexual assault
More LINKS To: OFFICER INVOLVED DOMESTIC VIOLENCE:
Go here: www.msplinks.com
ELECTION 2012 ~ MY OPINION, MY RESEARCH
Draft LTC. Allen West for President 2012
To: Allen West
We the People of the United States of America are tired of voting
AGAINST one candidate by voting FOR a candidate we don't fully support.
It's time we have true leadership in Washington DC. Allen West has
demonstrated his courage, leadership and commitment to our nation.
America NEEDS you sir. Please consider this as a course of action you
would be willing to take.
We the undersigned would like to ask Allen West to run for President of the United States of America in 2012.
PRESIDENTIAL GOP : I would love to see Col Allen West (FL) run for the office, this man has unbelievable knowledge and integrity, He feels it's up to the people of the 22nd district that he faithfully serves in Congress, As one of many Americans , I feel this country NEEDS him, I have no doubt that if he honored us and ran, he fix this country, He has courage and a SOUL, Read more about him , watch youtube videos with him and if you feel he is the right choices for you; You can help to draft him like we did many years ago with Eisenhower ..
History Repeats Itself: A Grass Roots Movement Similar
to the One that Drafted Ike Eisenhower to Run for President 60 Years
Ago Is Growing to Draft Allen West to Run Against Obama in 2012! Are You
In?
There is a site where you can go to see every state that has Senate seats that need to be filled , Here in Florida , It's time for Bill Nelson to GO but I'm still researching the alternative, And it will not be him for me !
Liberty Lifeline : http://libertyslifeline.com/2010/11/04/next-up-the-senate-class-of-2012/
BILL HAMMONS' AMERICAN POLITICS GUIDE: TOTAL POLITICS : http://www.wrhammons.com/fl-elected-officials.htm
Lee Bushong’s Leadership Forces Budget Spin by LCSO Administration
Lee Bushong’s leadership has forced the obvious
spin of budget woes by the very people who have caused your tax dollar
crisis; the current administration of the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
The following article, which is located on the very informative Wink
News website (www.winknews.com), is a clear attempt by the Lee County
Sheriff’s Office administration to spin budget issues and deceive the
citizens of Lee County.
No amount of spin in the world can make up for the rampage against
your hard earned tax dollars that has been committed. The LCSO
administration knows this. As Mr. Bushong has stated in the past, the
money can run but it can’t hide.
“With the budget cutbacks, we’ve had recently a number of people
retire and we’re not filling those positions,” Stacey Payne of LCSO
said.
Take the above statement for example. Slow this statement down and
you can see what is hiding amongst the high velocity spin game that is
trying to be played against the citizens of Lee County. What hides just
below the blurred surface is the fact that there are no real budget
cutbacks; however, there has been a huge buy-out program, resulting in
numerous employee departures, that has crippled your Sheriff’s Office’s
ability to protect you.
Your safety is at risk and your right to a high quality, professionally trained Sheriff’s Office workforce has been ignored.
“Now, we’re having our volunteers working in our evidence facility,
they’re helping out maybe with some of our crime scenes, going
door-to-door just canvasing a neighborhood,” Payne said Friday.
Putting the break on the above statement reveals that because of
budget mismanagement, the process of collecting, storing, retrieving and
using evidence, which is one of the very foundations of our system of
law is at risk. You are at risk. The word “maybe” has been used so that
the Sheriff’s administration can easily say anything or deny everything
if questioned further on this topic. Don’t be fooled Lee County.
The absence of quality leadership and a strong fiscal policy has
forced the Lee County Sheriff’s Office administration to take the most
drastic and incorrect step of what amounts to a “mass layoff”. Call it
what it is Lee County, a buy-out program is a budget scammer’s
equivalent to a massive layoff. It is the result of years of wasted
spending. Mike Scott and his administration have paid professionals
(spending even more of your tax dollars) to leave the Sheriff’s Office
because of his administration’s extreme over spending throughout nearly
the last decade, and is using the good services of our wonderful
volunteers to help spin his agenda. Shame on him. Shame on his
administration.
The sheep’s clothing is coming off Lee County. Lee Bushong is
revealing Mike Scott and his administration for what they are. Lee knows
“it’s your money”. After all, he’s been saying it all along. Mimicry
is the sincerest form of flattery. Lee Bushong will continue to make it
right for the citizens of Lee County.
How I see Mike Scott's budget ?
Just this past weekend, I was at an event and noticed a Sheriff's car in the parking lot, Went I went into the function and I seen NO uniformed deputy there. Seated at the same table as me was a process server for LCSO, It was his car... We allowed them to take their cars home, use them for personal transportation and WE pay the gas, insurance and maintenance on these vehicles, This one car cost taxpayers thousands ever year and look at how many are out there all over the county. Again; This man is not even a deputy !!
Remember DO your own Research !
Now; My local view and I don't care who get's mad or upset, It's my right and my opinions based on the facts.
Lee County Sheriff ~ I'm praying that Lee Bushong runs against Mike Scott, It is time for a serious change here in Lee County, the corruption in that department has been a disgrace to everyone who resides here, the entire Lee County Sheriffs Office and our hard working deputies.
I was honored to meet Lee Bushong; a former active Marine , family man and community servant during many of the military events and with the Project Iwo Jima Restoration in honor of SSGT. Craig T. Fuller (which I am a one of the team members for)
I don't know him on a personal level or even a political level, However; What I do know through my research is The former LCSO Lt. Lee Bushong, had been a member of the agency since 1998 and that his Integrity is never compromised with him, He stood strong when he knew that corruption was in the department and walked away from that, head held highly, Refusing to be part of a disgraced team, The man has a conscience !
In his personnel file, the former active U.S. Marine sergeant repeatedly received stellar
reviews and several letters of commendation, including his part in
saving two lives - one who had threatened suicide and another who had
driven into a pond. He was described by his superiors as someone who is brave,
motivated, polite, an excellent writer and a good team player.
His
records indicate he was counseled in the last few years of his service to LCSO for not going
through the proper chain of command and the need to cultivate better
relationships with other lieutenants and sergeants. The chain of command was compromised by the top and he was right to do what was best as part of his oath to protect and serve.
The
intelligence unit Bushong oversaw included the gang unit, homeland
security, crime tracking, career support and Crimestoppers. Bushong also
was a member of the regional Joint Terrorism Task Force.
He Served our country, earned all of his promotions and has been labeled as a hero for saving lives.
Bushong, was a 10 year veteran, was demoted January 2009, after being accused of sending a threatening
e-mail to employees, and was fired after calling one of those employees
and swearing at him, according to internal affairs reports.
Bushong
also told employees he would, "hang a small portion of your (expletive)
on my wall for decoration" if the directive wasn't followed.
One of the employees forwarded the e-mail to superiors.
Bushong
was questioned, and admitted to sending the e-mail, agreeing it was
unprofessional. He was found to have violated the agency's policies with
improper conduct and insubordination by abusiveness, and was demoted to
deputy.
Then in
March, another investigation was initiated after it was alleged Bushong
called Steve Drum, swore at him repeatedly and called him names. Bushong later
said he wanted to ask Drum why he didn't follow the chain of command.
Per
agency policy, employees are to be placed on paid administrative leave
pending outcome of an internal affairs investigation. Orders were given
to Maj. Scott Ciresi to inform Bushong he was being placed on leave
while he was investigated for his conduct toward Drum.
However,
the report states, Ciresi passed off the duty to a lieutenant. There
are conflicting statements, but somehow, three other lieutenants came
along to help deliver the news to Bushong, who was cleaning out his
office. One of those, Lt. Shane Hingson, had been involved in an earlier
dispute weeks prior with Bushong, Capt. Dominick Ferrante (who later
resigned) and Capt. Gary Kamp.
When the three lieutenants arrived, Bushong became upset. Hingson eventually summoned Ciresi because it was "getting ugly."
It was
later determined Ciresi "mishandled" the situation by allowing the
lieutenants to deliver the news to Bushong, but no formal investigation
was conducted.
Ciresi
was later demoted from major to captain, although the reason given by
the sheriff's office was it was part of the agency's restructuring.
On March
25, Bushong's second internal investigation determined he was abusive
to Drum, but did not find he was insubordinate to the three lieutenants.
He was fired that Friday.
In
a statement, Sheriff Mike Scott said, "It is always regrettable to part
company under unfavorable circumstances; however, inappropriate
behavior will not be tolerated."
Inappropriate & unprofessional behavior is normal activity at
the LCSO, Mike Scott himself , he could not even reply to emails without
being rude & unprofessional
File# EEOCs08:915.003:2012
These words were told to Lee in the final days before his demotion
from Lieutenant. He received a phone call from an informed member of
the Sheriff’s Office, telling him that the sheriff was going to do
whatever he could to keep Lee quiet. This informant told Lee that an
“investigation” into an email Lee sent (the one with the word “ass” in
it) was underway. Lee was cautioned to stop investigating Spence if he wanted his career to survive.
There were two other factors that were mitigating this issue. One involved the sheriff ordering FCIC/NCIC (essentially, State and Federal records databases) checks into some people for illegal, personal reasons.
When Lee asked the sheriff what the purpose of the checks were for, and
upon finding out the reports were for personal reasons, Lee cautioned
the sheriff. The sheriff didn’t take the caution very well.
Almost as importantly, there were two captains who were disagreeing
about a purchase of firearms. The firearms were ordered for a unit
under Lee’s command. The sheriff himself approved the purchase. During
a later conversation between these two captains, a conversation that
Lee partially overheard, allegations were made that one captain
threatened another. Lee did not hear this and, when questioned by the
sheriff, said so.
These things all lead up to a comment made to Lee: “Honor won’t feed
your family.” It’s a disappointingly true statement. But, honor does
let Lee hold his head high every day, knowing he did not bow down before
corruption or personal interests. And given time and patience, choosing
honor over corruption or personal interests (besides being the
absolute lawful and moral choice) plays a major role in positively
impacting one’s own life and that of the public good. It is this same
honor that Lee will hold himself accountable to as your sheriff. You,
as a citizen or law enforcement officer, can rest assured that Lee’s
honor will protect and preserve your rights and provide for the safest
environment in which we can live, work and play.
Lee knows that he cannot be a sheriff by himself. It is a team
collaboration, an effort between law enforcement, the community, and our
residents.
” I am making this information and much more to come available,
because the citizens of Lee County and our heroes who protect us
everyday deserve to know the truth. The Office of Sheriff is a very
sacred one, which requires the utmost trust between the sheriff, public
and the law enforcement team. Violations of this trust erode the very
fabric of the institution, rendering it less effective and protective
each and every time such an event occurs. As your sheriff, I vow to
uphold this trust, to nurture and protect it. I can do this because I
have successfully maintained that trust throughout my career. I will
never forget that as sheriff I work for you and not for myself, which is
a reality that has so unfortunately been lost within your (the people’s
Sheriff’s Office) over the years.”
Bushong appealed his firing and the Sheriff’s Civil Service Board , his reinstatement came on the heels of testimony given by Capt.
Scott Ciresi during Ciresi’s civil service hearing. Ciresi had been appealing his demotion from major, resulting in a $21,000 a year pay cut.
Coupled with ongoing discussions and information revealed between
attorneys, it was determined that Bushong’s discipline
would be amended, Bushong was rehired as a sergeant in the sheriff’s Patrol Division
Bushong resigned when Sheriff Mike Scott directed employees to search criminal histories, then
gave that confidential information to a county business owner, He said he helped Taylor, his cousin, as he helps many others with their problems , Scott said he has e-mails to prove it.
“It was nothing personal,’’ said Scott, “It was a request from a local
business for a prospective employee. We do criminal checks for a lot of
people and “I am well aware of policy on criminal history.’’
But Bushong said it violates sheriff’s office use of the National Crime
Information Center and the Florida Crime Information Center —
computerized indexes of criminal justice information for law
enforcement.
“Information gleaned from NCIC/FCIC or Computerized Criminal History
shall not be released to noncriminal justice personnel,’’ said Bushong
Lee Bushong said concern about the sheriff’s use of NCIC and FCIC
systems was prompted by his crime analysts, who were “uncomfortable’’
gathering the information. Bushong said he asked if the request was
professional or personal, and Scott told him it was personal.
Bushong said FDLE audits the sheriff’s office to make sure analysts provide proof their system searches are justified.
“I called him out on it,’’ Bushong said. “(NCIC and FCIC) can’t be used for personal business.’’
Bushong said Scott’s requests “put me in a hell of a position because I
just violated some rules,’’ which had gotten some deputies fired.
Taylor said he asked the sheriff in a February e-mail for criminal
histories on job applicants Alvaro Zavala and Vincent Cameron.
“Mike told me some things that were not good,’’ said Taylor, 45. “I
hired Alvardo but didn’t hire Vincent. He just wasn’t the right fit for
us.’’ Taylor said he didn’t receive preferential treatment from his
kin. Mike Scott said there is no agency wide policy concerning free
background checks for businesses.
Bushong said if Scott is found to have ordered misuse of the system, the
punishment is harsh. “The FDLE could suspend their access to criminal
history,’’ Bushong said. “They could come in and take all the sheriff’s
office computers.’’
The FCIC Manual Chapter said “the FDLE may reinstate access to the data
upon receipt of satisfactory assurances that such violations have been
corrected.’’
Double Standard Example made by Scott was Former Lt. Steve Ford, a LCSO deputy for 24 years, was fired Jan. 29, 2007, for
filing misleading documents in a child adoption case. He was also cited
for violating agency regulations when he checked on the girl’s father
and used the police network for personal reasons.
And Than We Have; Mike SCOTT-FREE
Sheriff "Corporal" Mike Scott,Motorcycle traffic cop and local news traffic reporter..
Scott praised Chief Deputy Charles Ferrante for his service when
announcing his No. 2’s retirement. " His second-in-command goes out on
top.“After 20 years of impeccable service " and excellent performance
reviews..Than the story changed the following Monday. Ferrante was placed on
paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation.
Chief Deputy Ferrante: Began
his career in Lee County as a corrections deputy at the jail. He has
been a member of the SWAT team, headed the Fugitive/Warrants Unit and
was North District assistant commander.He came to the sheriff’s office
after two years at the New York City Department of Corrections.He Earned all his strips, promotions and worked his way to the top with a degree in his field
“I’ve given a lot of years of great service and I learned a lot here,’’
he said. “I’m proud of the things I’ve done, but I’ve gone as far as I
can here. My aspiration is not to be sheriff.’’ said Farrante
What could of Farrante possibly do that would cause Scott- Free to change his story ?
How about his job !
Farrante was made aware some serious issues concerning our sheriff like his personal involvement with a convicted felon..
Richard
“Dick” Spence, manager of the Alva Village Market and personal friend of Lee
County Sheriff Mike Scott, Spence was one of the top three organizers in the
New York cell of the Colombian Cali cartel that laundered more than $100
million in the early 1990s
Spence butted heads with Scott’s former second-in-command, Chief Deputy
Charles Ferrante. Ferrante and his brother, former Capt. Dominick
Ferrante, both left the Sheriff’s Office under "allegations of
wrongdoing" earlier that year. Others in the Special Operations Bureau,
including its commander, then-Major Scott Ciresi, were transferred or
demoted at the same time.
Sheriff’s Office policy prohibits deputies from associating with individuals they know are convicted felons.
“The fact is I did not know he was a felon,” the sheriff said in an
interview . “I guess we can argue or disagree about whether I should
have known.” Griner disagreed — he said deputies went to Spence to get around Ferrante, who they claim to feared.
“They found a loophole,” he said
Griner said Spence told him otherwise, that the sheriff knew about his background before August 2008.
Samantha Syoen, a spokeswoman for the State Attorney’s Office, said Steve Russell received a $500 donation from Spence for his 2006 campaign and
then returned $385 that was never used. Russell only learned of Spence’s
history later that year,
A state inquiry into Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott was to determine if the
complaint made by ex-employees should prompt a criminal investigation
into the sheriff.
The nature of the complaint, as well as the names of the
complainants, are confidential, said Florida Department of Law
Enforcement spokeswoman Kristen Perezluha.
"We're just looking to find out if we need to do a full investigation," she said.
The agency opened the preliminary investigation after receiving a
complaint from several ex-employees in May. The Tallahassee-based Office
of Executive Investigations is handling the inquiry, due to Scott's
high profile.
The same office would handle a criminal investigation if one is deemed necessary, Perezluha said.
Findings from a criminal investigation would then go before the State
Attorney's Office. LOL and why would they send it to the SAO who is
also involved ??
State
Attorney Stephen Russell, who oversees prosecutors in Lee and four
surrounding counties, also has maintained a friendship with Spence.
Phone records show Russell talked to Spence 15 times between January
2008 and June 2009. This communication, too, continued after Russell
learned of Spence's background. The state attorney's office, unlike the
sheriff's office, does not have a policy restricting associations with
felons, Russell said
The recent revelation of a years-long friendship between Scott and a
convicted felon with former ties to a Colombian cartel has raised
questions of the man's influence inside the Sheriff's Office.
Scott has denied that Richard Spence, had any sway in his agency.
Earlier that year, a restructuring of the Sheriff's Office saw several employees part ways with the agency.
Scott, in a prepared statement, said the investigation would work to his advantage.
“I am thankful for the inquiry into these false accusations, and I am
supremely confident that the independent and unbiased review of the
facts will eliminate the agenda driven cloud of suspicion.”
Really ? Really ! Mike Scott Free walks away with a slap on his hand..
FDLE clears Golden Child Mike
Scott-Free of all criminal wrong doing.. Not the FBI but FDLE has yet
again turned another ass cheek :
FDLE today cleared Scott of four specific allegations:
• Allegations Richard Spence was allowed to clean up a crime scene at his son’s home.
• Allegations a sheriff’s office employee revealed the installation of a pole camera at the Alva Market, Spence’s store.
• Allegations a sheriff's office employee revealed an undercover officer’s identity.
• Allegations public records were destroyed regarding a polygraph exam of two captains.
The Florida Department of Law Enforcement has cleared Lee County
Sheriff Mike Scott of all criminal misconduct over certain aspects of
his relationship with a convicted felon, According to an article in
the News-Press our largest media source.
Considering the allegations and documentation provided to the FDLE,
They were able to conclude quickly..They had the Christie Murder case
since April 2009 and it passes around the red tape unanswered. I wonder why
?? It's now 2 years later since the death of Nick Christie
According to the FCIC Manual Chapter 2.3 on use of information:
• “Information ... accessed through FCIC workstations located
in local law enforcement agencies cannot be used for noncriminal
justice purposes or released to noncriminal justice personnel.’’
• “Access to FCIC or information retrieved from the files shall not be
made available to noncriminal justice agencies or private individuals.
Information ... including both wanted and criminal history information
shall not be made available under Florida's Public Record Law.’’
• “Sheriff’s Office members shall not knowingly violate or cause
another to violate any statute, rule, or regulation relating to the
Office of the Sheriff.’’
Now of Course , We can't forget the violation of the Hatch Act during the 2008 Presidential Campaign, and my mission to seek justice for the MURDER of Nick Christie as well as other unethical behavior by Scott- Free that violated several policies and procedures .
Do your research, read about the Christie Murder at the Lee County Jail, Scott's involvement with the Colombian Cartel felon Richard Spence, The multiplying law suits and Disgrace that Lee County has had to endure since Mike Scott was Elected to office without any experience but a well known face from the morning news traffic report .
Important reminder and advice !
04/16/11
Deadliest year in the record of Law Enforcement and this has to stop !
In just the first 4 months of 2011, more law enforcement officers have been shot and killed and this doesn't even include our Border Patrol, Correction Officers or US Marshall's..
The normal traffic pull over is now a Life and Death decision, Our LE has to be cautious and the public must be understanding when they are being approached by any officer, Use common sense and put yourself in their shoes, Do Not be combative, Do Not reach for anything ; Put your hands where the officer can see them and let know they are safe.. Our LE put their lives on the line everyday for all of us, Give them the same courtesy and keep them in your prayers !
Cape Coral Police Officer Shot Three Times A Cape Coral police officer has been shot three times in the chest
during a traffic stop. Police say it happened on Santa Barbara Boulevard
just north of Pine Island Road at around 1 am Saturday morning.
According to police, there was a woman driving the car and a male
passenger. The male passenger is the one who allegedly shot the officer
three times in the torso. The officer then returned fire but it's
unknown if the suspect was hit. Police say the suspects drove off but
crashed their car a quarter mile away and then fled on foot.
Investigators say the officer pulled a car
over. When the officer approached the vehicle, one of the two occupants
shot the officer three times and the driver sped away.
The officer returned fire, but there is no information yet on whether anyone inside the car was hit.
About a quarter mile down the road from the shooting, the driver crashed into a house. Two people got out and ran.
Police say both suspects are now in custody.
The officer is now out of surgery and reported to be stable at this tim
03/10/11
Cape Coral Police Officer; Christian Munoz-Luna, is welcomed
home after returning from a military deployment in Afghanistan !
After serving nearly 14 months in Afghanistan, Cape Coral Police
officer Cristian Munoz-Luna returned to Southwest Florida on Thursday
and was greeted with a hero’s welcome.
As the U.S. Army
staff sergeant walked through Concourse D at Southwest Florida
International Airport, he was met by the Cape Coral VFW Honor Guard,
about 20 Cape Coral police officers and applause from friends,
co-workers and strangers.
Cape Coral Police Officer Justin Altman received the department's
Lifesaving Award for his efforts in reviving an infant in February.
Officer Altman held the baby on it's side and delivered a few light
blows to his back and dislodged a large amount of mucus that had become
stuck in his airway. Instantly, the baby started crying and his color
returned to normal. EMS arrived moments later and examined the baby.
They determined that there was no need to take the baby to the hospital
and released him to his parents with a follow up visit to the
pediatrician.
Said Chief Jay Murphy of Officer Altman, "Thank you Justin, your quick actions undoubtedly saved this infant's life".
Cape Coral's Finest and Best to retire after 26 years of service..
Cape Coral police Chief Rob Petrovich is retiring on June 25th after four years in the department’s top job and exactly 26 years of his first day of service to CCPD.
“I have decided that after 26 years of service to the city of Cape
Coral, it is time for me to call it a career and retire from the Cape
Coral Police Department,” Petrovich, 57, said in his statement.
City spokeswoman Connie Barron said that Petrovich’s decision is not
a surprise. She said Petrovich signed up for the Deferred Retirement
Option Program, which sets a specific timetable for retirement and
helps set up retirement funds.
Members of the City Council said they are sorry to see Petrovich go.
“I
think we’re losing a good man. He’s done a good job,” said Mayor John
Sullivan. He said City Manager Carl Schwing will start the process of
picking a replacement when the retirement is official.
“I’m going to miss him,” said Councilman Bill Deile. “We’d established a rapport. We had a reduced crime rate.
Chief Petrovich was always are huge part of our community, he made his job a priority with dignity and honesty, No resident could ever say that he was nothing less, If you had a question or concern he made it a point to personally get in touch with respect. He will be sadly missed..
As a former lieutenant with the Lee County Sheriff's Office and as a taxpayer, I am shocked to learn that Sheriff Mike Scott
is closing the county sub-stations at night, from 5:30 pm to 7:30
am. During my experiences with the Office, I saw so many areas where
money could be saved and I do not know why Mike Scott didn't
explore these. During the good years of the boom, some public
officials were not careful about spending taxpayer money, as we are now
seeing.
Sub-stations are safe-havens for the public and reduce crime. Bonita Springs City Council Woman Martha Simons said that the Bonita Springs sub-station reduced crime in the Bonita Springs area by 46% (Bonita Springs substation to stay open 24/7, News-press, April 22, 2010). In fact, the City of Bonita Springs feels so strongly about it that the City is willing to pay extra to keep the Reynold Road Bonita sub-station open 24/7.
The Lee County Sheriff's Office is a body of professional men and
women that serve our communities 24/7. That is why there are
sub-stations in areas such as Bonita Springs, South Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Dunbar, Central Fort Myers,
and Lehigh Acres (and at one point in time, Pine Island). If it wasn't
for the very nature of law enforcement to be open and available to the
public all the time, then there would only be one "main" station
somewhere.
The sub-stations serve a variety of functions, and all for the
public. Fingerprinting is available for public purposes (applicants
need printing, etc), child custody exchanges are made at the
sub-stations, and the public can solicit information and/or advice at
the sub-stations without ever having to remove a deputy from the road.
Now, if someone who works normal business hours gets off at 5:30 pm,
that person cannot access any help/information from a sub-station
because it is closed at night. A deputy will need to be called off the
road and removed from patrolling and protecting our neighborhoods to
handle routine business that would otherwise have been addressed by a
clerk at a sub-station. Unless, of course, that person is willing to
take time away from work to do business at a sub-station during Mike
Scott's new "business-hours." But in today's tough economic times, who
can afford to do that? The nightly hours of closure, 5:30 pm to 7:30
am, is in blatant disregard to the people who work everyday, yet need
Sheriff's Office assistance.
And, keep in mind that a large amount of burglaries are committed in
the daytime. People come home to find their house ransacked, but will
no longer have a sub-station to go to. The hours clearly are not set
for the convenience of the public.
Another important function of sub-stations is that they provide a
safe haven for people in need. Imagine this common scenario: An
elderly woman leaves a bingo hall and is followed by some young thugs
intent on scoring some easy cash. She pulls into a sub-station,
thinking it's safe. But instead of safety, she finds a sign that says
they are closed for the night. She gets mugged. Or, how about that
woman who is trying to flee an escalating violent encounter with
an abusive estranged husband. She calls 911 and drives toward the
sub-station, while he is following. But instead of safety there, she
finds disaster.
The options Mike Scott did not explore are many, but allow me to
illustrate just a few. Mike Scott has endorsed a program whereby 36
non-sworn employees (civilians) have been given their very own
luxury take-home car. That's right - high paid secretaries, finance
personnel, attorneys, civilian managers, mechanics, etc., have luxury
take home cars ranging from Expeditions and Explorers to F250 trucks
and Crown Victorias. And, they get to use county gas on their off time
and for personal use. I recently requested information from the
Sheriff's Office that reflected nearly $700,000.00 dollars in cars
bought with taxpayer dollars were given to these civilian
personnel. Some high-ranking civilians have take-home luxury SUV's that
serve no other purpose than their own individual comfort. By shutting
down the sub-stations at night, and allowing this civilian take home
car program to continue, Mike Scott is sacrificing citizen safety for
the comfort of high-ranking civilian personnel. And, on top of that,
records allowed me to estimate over $98,000.00 a year are used in
unnecessary fuel for these privileged civilians. The combined cost
for this comfortable and unnecessary luxury program costs taxpayers
about $800,000.00 a year!
Sheriff Scott will argue that these civilians need cars to make
trips to the court house or other outlaying governmental sites as
justification for the program. I would tender instead, have a pool of
about 5 or 6 retired police cars
(repainted to remove any indicia of authority) that these civilians
might use. These cars will serve same thing: Doing official business
at hardly any cost at all!
Also, Mike Scott pays about $325,000.00 a year on his in-house legal dream team. His two full-time attorneys (with their luxury vehicles) and
their secretaries are in addition to several outside law firms that
Mike Scott keeps on retainer, including Henderson and Franklin; Allen,
Norton and Blue; Jay Cohen; and Gerard Keating. Mike Scott would
rather spend money on his dream team of lawyers than he would on a
community service like 24-hour sub-stations.
The combined money that Mike Scott spends on the luxurious
civilian take-home car program and his over-sized legal dream team
(about $1.25 million dollars annually, more or less), could be used to
keep these substations open and available to the public. In fact, this
is the amount of money he said shutting down the sub-stations would
save. Public service is more important than comfort and convenience
04/22/10
Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott just announced he is shutting down substations at night time. This is a problem because it restricts public access to law enforcement.
What happens to those seeking solace in the substation after a frightening event (such as a burglary, threat, domestic battery?)
What happens to those people who exchange children at the substations at night-time after they get off work?
Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott plans to dramatically scale back public
hours at substations throughout the county, a move he claims will save
cash-strapped government coffers almost $1.2 million a year.
Substations, now open 24 hours, will instead be open to people off the street only from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Mike postures to save money, but continues to give out cars to secretaries (hundreds of thousands of dollars
a year) and pays for their gas, announced a hiring freeze, yet
continues to make internal promotions to high ranking personnel (making
the rich richer), and now closes substations.
All of this while he is away for months at a time on taxpayer money while attending a non-mandatory class in Virginia.
Feel free to share as you see fit. My website has more info.
03/23/10
I have forwarded this on to all of you for your review.
The recent promotion of a lieutenant when there is such a "budget"
crisis, and the recent announcement of a hiring freeze, has caused me
to comment on these actions.
I am not being critical of the lieutenant, or of any one member of
the Sheriff's Office, or even of the Sheriff's Office itself. I am
criticizing the actions of Mike Scott. It is clear that his heart and mind is not in it for the men and women of Lee County.
Please feel free to comment, if you desire. I am open to all.
From: Ellegood, Thomas
Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 4:29 PM
Subject: Department Issued Cellular Phone
If you are receiving this email then records shown you as having a department issued cellular telephone as of the last billing statement. After a further review of all those that have issued cellular phones from the Bureau of Corrections it has been determined that you are not in a position that
requires you to have one issued,
I am directing you to turn your department issued telephone back in to Technical Services no later than end of business day March 5th 2010 so that the service can be disconnected. If you have a payroll deduction being
removed for use of this phone for personal use or extra texting, this amount will be discontinued on 03-05-10 by the finance department.
If you believe that I am in error and you should maintain your department iccuipri telenhone you need to contact me directly to discuss the matter.
I wanted to ensure that all certified members of the Bureau of Corrections
received this email with the intention of reaching all that may be affected promptly.
It is with regret that I inform you that all letters of transfer from Corrections to Patrol will not be accepted indefinitely. The current list of members waiting for transfer has also been suspended indefinitely.
The reasoning for this move is to focus on the manpower needs of the Bureau of Corrections and the agency as a whole. With the pending budget issues that are being communicated to us from the Board of County
Commissioners we currently are not replacing open positions agency wide when a vacancy presents itself. This maneuver will allow the agency to help protect the current employees that we have in place now as well as the benefits we all enjoy with our employment.
With the current waiting list reaching out until May of 2011, it is not reasonable to continue to add to that list at this time.
When we receive an approved budget from the Board of County Commissioners the agency will re-evaluate what steps can be taken and it will be my focus to assist you and start accepting letters of interest for transfer again.
If you have any questions I can assist you with or communicate any more information to you please feel free to contact me directly.
Col Thomas W. Ellegood, CJM
Bureau of Corrections Commander
Lee County Sheriffs Office
2115 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Fort Myers, FL 33901
(239)477-1573
telleqood@sheriffleefl.org
2/25/2010
Bill O'Reilly / Glenn Beck ~ 2012 ~
(note)
- Everyone who kindly reviewed this article liked it but found my visualizations
a bit crude and offensive. I do not mean to offend any true American but I write
about things as I see them and sometimes it is necessary to put things in a
perspective that the morally defunct bunch that wants to hurt
America will
understand.
The
following thoughts are meant to entertain while
enlightening.(Making any changes without the express written
consent of the author can lead to guilt, stress, illness, Anger, Sterility
and/or litigation, the author does not want that for
you.)
ONE HUNDRED
MILLION AMERICANS
By
Dennis Grover - American, in honor of
Don Harkins
Yesterday, September 12, 2009, up to
a million American people converged on the nation's capitol and cities
throughout
America to send a clear and precise
message to their insignificant 535 elected "representatives" and their
significant, yet, falsely self elevated handlers and wannabe controllers. That
message is to stop exercising your bowels on your dinner plate. Without your
dinner to feed on you will starve. Even the animals in nature know better than
to do that. A good parasite never destroys its host entirely but keeps it in
chronic use.
While I know that there are a few
members of the 535 who are in fact honorable, we must separate and praise them
apart from those who are not. They do provide us comfort in knowing that when
the dark ones are sent away, we will have the foundation to rebuild
constitutionally, and renew our vigilance of those who try once again to
misbehave at our expense.
The burden that each one of those
million fed-up Americans yesterday were willing to carry is awesome as they each
represented the desires of 100 other Americans who could not attend. To clarify
this for the instruction-taking spinners of the major media; it means that 100
million Americans are full of their "elected representatives," and your, road
apples.
The major media has been instructed
to call this 100 million people (1/3 of the population) "insignificant," without
finishing the thought (and how ironic as Congress works on passing the "Media
Reporters Protection Act.") The second hundred million are either elected,
suck-up to the elected or are brain-dead while the third hundred million are
simply wringing their hands in fear of having to be responsible for themselves
and waiting to see who emerges on top so they can say; "we were behind you all
the way." The vocal 100 million are not insignificant, they are the
majority.
Most of you 535 must be brain dead
or incapable of common sense, as you used to pride yourself with the knowledge
that
America has more laws and statutes
than people, and more attorneys than house pets. Doesn't it occur to you now
that since
America has more guns than people,
yet they are not murdering each other, that they realize that being armed means
being peaceful?
Also to the dismay of the self
appointed and self exalted handlers of the 535 it means that their attempt to
divide and conquer and pick a bloody fight with the people has failed. Their
failed attempts at mass medication, vaccination and faulty education have not
proven to be effective in the suppression of nature-provided intelligence in the
people. The inference that this happening on 9.12.09 is a fleeting movement by a
few disgruntled people won't work. A movement goes for a short time and stops,
while a revolution continues to go around infinitely. This is a revolution, and
a peaceful one, get used to it.
While this event took place in D.C.
and across
America , a great American lay in
intensive care in a hospital having succumbed to corporate and government food
and water additives, written lies and sprayed chemicals. Don Harkins has spent
years of his life sharing truth with Americans through the
Idaho Observer Newspaper. He may not have literally
heard you yesterday, but through spirit, I know he felt you. When you get up
Don, give Praise and Love to Ingri and then get back to
work.
For you rotten souls in the 535
basket and your puppet masters spinning and bleating from their playing card
built structures, you are being sorted out and tossed along the way. I thank you
all for becoming the fertilizer that will provide beautiful new growth. Next
time remember that "Honorable" is term that is earned, not assigned by being
elected or through one of your stupid control fantasies. Trust must always be
earned. The purpose of governmental checks and balances was installed so that
what is happening could not happen. You took away the checks and balances. We
noticed. Now we act!
Dennis
Grover,
American
Permission
to reprint and/or share granted!
Copyright in Common
Law 2006 AKM
Dennis is
the host of "WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR
ALL," The Truth on Television" now in its twelfth year of production.
www.libertyandjusticeforall.tv
No one said it was racist when the same picture was done to Bush..
Sadly; No Batman will be coming to rescue us from this Evil man, We will have to fight this battle out our selves and together.
He promised Change and we got it, The worst Change this country has ever had..
And he did all this before he choose Health Insurance for his own family..
Cap and Trade and will sink this ship and the best done was to scream foul over a picture ?
Really ? Really !
The mentality of this issue is to sway your attention to this Stupid issue and Not the Real Issues,
What you don't know : Will Hurt You !
Some will be Stuck On Stupid when the day is over and watch how many
"OHITLER" supporters will scream then.
Rush Limbaugh :
[The Joker] had a big damn chip on his shoulder about his childhood and about a bunch of other things. His goal was to undermine the whole system. . . . And to effect the change that the people of Gotham City didn't want, the Joker created chaos upon chaos. The whole city was focused on him and what he was going to do next. He viewed crisis as an opportunity. So the Joker orchestrated crisis after crisis after crisis. And the Joker wore a mask. I mean whoever put this poster together is pretty smart because there are some similarities here to what the Joker did in that movie and what Obama is doing to this country.
Limbaugh claimed that Obama and the Joker share a fundamental traits and I agree..
The Italians Loved Mussolini; All he did for Italy made him a hero to them until Hitler made him a Murder.
Left, Right or in the Middle, We still have some rights left and I will continue to use them..It is my grandchildren I worry about, They will suffer more because of This administration. Everyone is crying out and No one is listening..
We all wanted Change but not Destruction ! This country was founded with God and Values, Since they been have taken away, We reap what we sow..
I'm tired of hearing Racial excuses, Its long past and only those who still dwell on the past generations are quick to say, Had Americans knew that any protest would of been conceived as Racial, We would looking at Sarah Palins Hair doo's everyday instead not to deal with being accused of racism over and over..
Politics is good comedy, Always have been. However, Now it's racial and wrong.
My views are not racial, I hate this Man and his ideas...He is not a Afro-American, He is the president of the USA, American Only !
No where on any applications does it say Italian-American, Irish-American but we have Latin-American and Afro-American..When will it Change to plain old just American ? Where is the National Organization for Italians to go to college, So I can send my kids..Why did the ACLU refused to act for a White man but Al Sharpton comes to town for a Black Man ??
Stop the Racial Crap and Move on and Get over it, Stop all the excuses and blame the person for accountability !
Check out this blog on our local paper and tell me who is racist ?
These are my opinions :
I don't have a degree or a national audience, However, I find nothing wrong or racist with any of the Fox reporters. Everyone should agree to dis-agree and that Thank God is Freedom of Speech for as long as we still have it.. 3 sides to every story and even the polls are pretty accurate.
34% - 56% say the country is headed in the wrong direction.
This has been the worst 6 months of my life time and the uncertainty scares me more than ever.
I believe few people are racist but lets face this, I am the third generation American and I have never owned a slave, I'm almost 50..
I have been discriminated in the work place forever because I am a woman, speak only English and is over weight..So does that make some racial because I am a fat white woman who can't speak Spanish ?
This is not a racial issue with anyone at Fox news..This is a political issue, It is the writers view of racism, It is never the views of any other race..It is how they ( meaning the writers ) perceive it to be and will never allow America to go forward or beyond the racial barriers, I have listened my whole life to this political incorrect BS and it's time for people to come together as Americans, The media keeps the fire fueled and now more than ever, I can't say I'm sorry for something I never did, Nor my parents and grand parents.
I don't see Obama as Black, I see a President that's dragging down this country with socialist ideals, However, we who disagree with him are all considered Racist but those who disagreed with every president prior that happened to be white by Votes, What were they ?
It is only a contributing factor when the media makes it one or some of color says it is to get the media to make it a racial issue, I personally am color blind but not ignorant to the facts of the issues..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
According to the latest polls:
• 65 percent say President Obama is taking on too many issues
• His approval rating is at 50 percent (worse than Bush was after six months)
• 52 percent now oppose how he's handling health care — only 39 percent approve
• More than 3 out of 4 think Obama's plan will add to the deficit
Why the decline? Because Americans know something isn't right. Since when are we rushed like this? Since when are politicians the ones who guide our ethics and morals?
We had the AARP on the other day. They said, oh no, we don't see anything hurtful to seniors in there — it looks great.
Hey Glenn! I just found out I'm related to a Nigerian prince! He's going to wire me $10 million. All I have to do is give him $10,000 and my bank account number!
Wait! That's a scam! Stop!
No, you stop! It doesn't say anywhere in the e-mail that it's a scam. Plus, he made a pinky promise.
How many times have politicians promised us the moon and given us Detroit? No offense, Detroit, but you keep voting the same people in and your median home price is $7,500.
In 1965, the politicians said Medicare — something progressives see as a stepping stone to universal health care — would cost $9 billion by 1990. The actual cost: $66 billion — whoops, only off by $57 billion.
Obama's current plan is about $1.6 trillion. If it goes as well as the other government medical programs we've tried — or say, "cash for clunkers" — it will only cost us $13 trillion. Unless the government makes up the gap with higher taxes on coffins, we can't afford universal health care.
I want to ask you a very important question: That $13 trillion number is an actual number based on the errors of the past; would an $8-13 trillion error cause an emergency in this country? You decide, but hold your answer for a second.
Here's why I ask: When we're short money, the government has to decide who gets what. Who in government will be influencing and making those life and death decisions? The organizers, the advisers and the "czars."
AARP members, you must demand that the organization that claims to be looking out for you answers these questions. Who makes the life and death decisions?
Well, one of the people currently advising President Obama on health care policy has come up with his own "cost saving" health care methods. His name is Dr. Ezekial Emanuel, he's the brother of Rahm Emanuel and he wrote in January of this year:
"When implemented, the Complete Lives system produces a priority curve on which individuals aged between roughly 15 and 40 years get the most substantial chance, whereas the youngest and oldest people get chances that are attenuated... The Complete Lives system justifies preference to younger people because of priority to the worst-off rather than instrumental value."
But even more disturbing is this chart (above) that Ezekiel added into that article.
Another "czar" the media has ignored is Cass Sunstein, who wrote in the Columbia Law Review in January 2004:
"I urge that the government should indeed focus on life-years rather than lives. A program that saves young people produces more welfare than one that saves old people."
I want to make it very clear: What these people are talking about is how to ration in case of an emergency shortage — shortage of kidneys, hospital beds or flu vaccine.
What we all need to remember is that universal health care creates another shortage: a shortage of money. And when we are out of money, these are the people making the rules governing your health care.
I don't know if Obama believes any of this crazy stuff, but I also don't know why if he didn't he would appoint at least three people that do.
Never in my life would I appoint people who believe things like this. Why has no one in the media told you who these people are? And why hasn't AARP brought them to your attention?
Maybe that manufactured anger isn't manufactured. It's just Americans across the political spectrum sensing in their gut that they're moving to fast.
Why? Because something's not right. ~ Glenn Beck , Fox News
Lee County Sheriff Mike Scott violated More Laws
Sheriff Mike Scott directed employees to search criminal histories, then gave that confidential information to a county business owner, terminated Lee sheriff’s Lt. Lee Bushong said Thursday.
He said he helped Taylor, his cousin, as he helps many others with their problems , Scott said he has e-mails to prove it.
“It was nothing personal,’’ said Scott, “It was a request from a local business for a prospective employee. We do criminal checks for a lot of people and “I am well aware of policy on criminal history.’’
But Bushong said it violates sheriff’s office use of the National Crime Information Center and the Florida Crime Information Center — computerized indexes of criminal justice information for law enforcement.
“Information gleaned from NCIC/FCIC or Computerized Criminal History shall not be released to noncriminal justice personnel,’’ said Bushong
Lee Bushong said concern about the sheriff’s use of NCIC and FCIC systems was prompted by his crime analysts, who were “uncomfortable’’ gathering the information. Bushong said he asked if the request was professional or personal, and Scott told him it was personal.
Bushong said FDLE audits the sheriff’s office to make sure analysts provide proof their system searches are justified.
“I called him out on it,’’ Bushong said. “(NCIC and FCIC) can’t be used for personal business.’’
Bushong said Scott’s requests “put me in a hell of a position because I just violated some rules,’’ which had gotten some deputies fired.
Taylor said he asked the sheriff in a February e-mail for criminal
histories on job applicants Alvaro Zavala and Vincent Cameron.
“Mike told me some things that were not good,’’ said Taylor, 45. “I
hired Alvardo but didn’t hire Vincent. He just wasn’t the right fit for
us.’’ Taylor said he didn’t receive preferential treatment from his
kin. Mike Scott said there is no agency wide policy concerning free
background checks for businesses.
Bushong said if Scott is found to have ordered misuse of the system, the punishment is harsh. “The FDLE could suspend their access to criminal history,’’ Bushong said. “They could come in and take all the sheriff’s office computers.’’
The FCIC Manual Chapter said “the FDLE may reinstate access to the data upon receipt of satisfactory assurances that such violations have been corrected.’’
Example made by Scott was Former Lt. Steve Ford, a LCSO deputy for 24 years, was fired Jan. 29, 2007, for
filing misleading documents in a child adoption case. He was also cited
for violating agency regulations when he checked on the girl’s father
and used the police network for personal reasons.
According to the FCIC Manual Chapter 2.3 on use of information:
• “Information ... accessed through FCIC workstations located
in local law enforcement agencies cannot be used for noncriminal
justice purposes or released to noncriminal justice personnel.’’
• “Access to FCIC or information retrieved from the files shall not be
made available to noncriminal justice agencies or private individuals.
Information ... including both wanted and criminal history information
shall not be made available under Florida's Public Record Law.’’
• “Sheriff’s Office members shall not knowingly violate or cause
another to violate any statute, rule, or regulation relating to the
Office of the Sheriff.’’
And he Speaks : These are what we are lead to believe, the comments from Sheriff Scott ( Unconfirmed ):
I am amused thinking about the handful of cowards that sit behind their computers afraid to acknowledge their own opinions. In a county of about 600,000 it appears we have a dozen or so folks at the most contributing to this propaganda. Could even be fewer than that with a couple of different screen names making it appear to be more than it is...either way not an impressive ratio. An impressive ratio is the 75% average margin of victory I have earned in my 3 elections.
"avatar name" is defined by the New World Dictionary as the symbol 0 indicating a value of naught, a person or thing of no importance. I suspect this definition most closely applies to he or she who is consumed with my physique. Incidentally, I am 6'1" and weigh 215 pounds wearing the same duty belt I hired on with in 1988.
This is my first and second to last posting ever on this venue for people scared to own up to their words. I will follow with information on the 2 checks just to burst your bubbles. Mike
I fixed the spelling for 2 words, It was Propoganda and Imressive
and agencywide is 2 words...Your welcome Mike !
Having received very credible information that 1 of the 2 being checked was possibly wanted for murder, I inquired with intentions of arranging an arrest if such was the case. A full check was requested as opposed to the LCSO and FDLE website checks normally done due to my belief that a warrant was possibly active. Although the information I had was not completely accurate in that there was no active warrant,1of the guys did have a murder and 2 bank robberies in the past, so my information was close. This prior record was so egregious that Bushong came to me to personally express the seriousness of the fellow's criminal past. I called Taylor Carpet and verbally provided my opinion that the guy's past was quite serious and not likely a good fit for them. So the checks were in fact done for a legitimate, law enforcement purpose and a general opinion was verbally conveyed to Taylor Carpet...hardly the trumped up rhetoric promoted by this site. Sheriff Mike Scott
And I am Karma4all and replied :
Replying to SMIKE:
This is my first and second to last posting ever on this venue for people scared to own up to their words. I will follow with information on the 2 checks just to burst your bubbles. Mike
Sheriff Scott, I beg to differ with you but you are an Elected Official & the citizens on this blog are entitled to a response from you.
You chose to reply here & I have personally seen that this is a normal response to us when ever you are questioned. After I emailed you with issues , You responded to me with this:
From: Mike Scott ..
Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2008, 10:13 AM
Frankly ma'am...you rant and rave too much for me. While I regret that you have not found the answers and results you are apparently looking for, our agency has investigated all claims and rendered fair and impartial decisions.
I read your inflammatory message over the weekend and see no need to engage in a volley of e-mail; therefore, consider this my final communication with you.
Mike
This is from another citizen:
What happened to you Mike?
You've disappointed a number of the people who voted for you, and its obvious you don't care.
Fear of retaliation is what prevents people from expressing their opinions.
If your goal in this election, which was your 2nd not 3rd was to have people fear you instead of respecting you, you've succeeded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steven Russell , SAO
WOW....I KNEW THAT YOU GUYS WERE IN BED TOGETHER BUT MIKE SCOTT ON TOP ? ?
The Sheriff’s Office never notified the State Attorney’s Office of Nick Christie’s death, despite a requirement by State Attorney Stephen Russell that his office be informed of in-custody deaths no later than the end of the next day.
Prosecutors only heard of the death from media reports in May.
The Lee Circuit Court, too, was never notified, and a bench warrant was filed in Christie’s and delivered to the Sheriff’s Office three weeks after his death. The court only learned of Christie’s death two weeks later.
Bet you feel the " Abuse of Power " now, Don't you ?
From January to June 2007 , 1505 felony cases ended in forced pleas and 49 went to trial while 5856 misdemeanor cases ended in forced pleas and 45 went to trial according to Charlie Green Clerk of Courts for Lee county.
Kelly Worcester of the Felony head of the State Attorneys office said " It's all strategy , it's a dance and most defendants know that "
Well he never stated which Friday , However, Today; Wednesday.. We still have 1 more to go !
The state attorney’s office has determined a Lee County Sheriff’s deputy was justified in using deadly force against a San Carlos Park man on Feb. 15th .
George Vincent, 49, was shot and killed by a deputy while at his home .
The state attorney’s office finally released the name of the deputy who fired the fatal shots: Deputy Bryan Perera, 23
“Although the situation is tragic, our legal review is limited to the issue of whether the deputy committed a criminal act or was legally justified in the use of deadly force,” wrote state attorney Stephen Russell. “It is clear from evidence and witness statements that Perera had a well-founded fear for his safety and the safety of other persons in the area.”
Vincent’s widow, Deborah Vincent, disagrees with the outcome of the investigation
“I don’t feel that what they’re reporting is accurate,” Deborah Vincent said. “I’m not defending what George did, but for them to say he stood there with his gun at his side while they talked to him is a lie.”
Read the article by Sam Cook or in the F.Y.I section along with my personal opinion
After months of waiting this is what we got .....
All three investigations have been received by the state attorney's office for review, but there are still components in each, such as lab reports, that are pending. It could take weeks, perhaps months, before they are completed. State Attorney Stephen Russell said the length is common, as investigations vary depending on circumstances.
Scott said Russell's recommendation for independent investigations is just that - a recommendation, not a mandate.
"The deputies and detectives of the Lee County Sheriff's Office investigate everything from traffic crashes to violent felony crimes every day with complete objectivity and professionalism," Scott says. "... In officer-involved shootings, those entrusted to investigate within our agency are highly trained for the intricacies involved, while being diligently supervised by members with decades of knowledge and experience in this specific type of case."
Russell stands by the recommendation, saying it is not a declaration that such internal investigations are necessarily biased, but they can taint public trust in the integrity of the findings.
There is no law that says the sheriff's office can't investigate its own deputies for potentially criminal acts. Protocol varies throughout the state, and the state attorney's office reserves the right to conduct follow-up inquiries. All agencies conduct an internal affairs review to make sure agency guidelines were followed.
Steve Russell is not going to jump into bed with Mike Scott this time, He knows he is probably the next up on the Karma list..If an investigation is done on the SAO's office and closets are opened , Kelley Worchester may just fall out one and her statement that confirms that people are bullied into forced pleas because they are threatened with prison.
Crimes are committed in the county jail on a regular basis, but nothing is ever done about it because someone in jail, is obviously guilty before a trial here in Lee County Florida. You will NOT be afforded a fair trial in this county and the attorneys are forced to act as though they are representing you as much as possible on behalf of the State Attorney Steve Russell.
Ten attorneys later, some of which I never seen, I was forced to plea out to a misdemeanor charge, as I was threatened in the court of law."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Tangled Web :
~Anatomy of a Corrupt Florida Prosecutor~
It’s a simple enough truth… when you play in the mud; you’re going to get dirty. This truth is especially applicable in the shadowy and often corrupt world of politics. Where money buys influence and favors at a relatively cheap price. Anyone with even minimal political acumen knows how to play the game – when a candidate is running for an elected office that campaign is financed by monetary contributions from those who want that particular individual elected. After they win that particular elected office, the unspoken doctrine of quid pro quo comes into effect… I scratched your back, now you scratch mine. When that same candidate --even elected judges and state attorneys – run for office numerous times with the same contributors consistently funding that campaign, then an obvious bond is forged.
If we truly value the concept that “justice is blind” then the marriage of politics and justice is a contemptuous abomination – an entity of evil that can only and ultimately bear evil fruit. However, in Florida each judicial circuit elects its top state attorney and circuit court judges locally. Thus, each time the same candidate runs for the same “office” they become inherently dependent upon the continuing support of local contributors. Thus, at least theoretically, of course, if a person wanted to corrupt locally elected state attorneys and judges to protect against any prosecution in the future, then they could simply become a generous campaign contributor – and call in the favor when trouble does inevitably arise. That’s how American democracy works – that’s the American way.
The Bible teaches us that “money is the root of all evil” and this truth is especially applicable in the shadowy and corrupt world of politics. Consider the case of the elected State Attorney Steve Russell in the 20th Judicial Circuit of Florida. Steve Russell has worked in that circuit for over 30 years, since graduating from Stetson University and passing the Florida Bar. When previously long-time elected State Attorney Joseph D’Alessandro retired, Russell ran for that job and took office in 2003.
During the 30 years that Steve Russell has worked in the 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office (much of the time serving as the top prosecutor), although relatively small and comprised mostly of the rural farming communities of Southwest Florida, that office has established a record of having the highest number of wrongful convictions in capital cases in the entire country. Incredibly, just this one office has sent more innocent men to death row (subsequently released by the courts) than most other entire states, combined.
Steve Russell’s long-time personal friend and Stetson Law School alumnus Randall McGruther has worked alongside Russell for almost 30 years himself. But then a few years ago McGruther screwed up and attempted to go into private practice (which obviously pays more) only to shortly thereafter find himself under investigation for unethical misconduct after a witness in a criminal case alleged that Randy McGruther had attempted to coerce him into signing a false affidavit. Apparently, McGruther didn’t realize that although as a prosecutor he could get away with that, as a private lawyer he is not as protected. See, Prosecutorial Misconduct: Does Immunity Invite Injustice?
Shortly after these allegations were publicly disclosed, his long time good buddy, Steve Russell, by then the elected State Attorney, abruptly called McGruther back into the flock (birds of a feather…), and even appointed McGruther as his new Chief Assistant State Attorney, making McGruther the top prosecutor in the office! Not surprisingly, shortly after this appointment the allegations of misconduct previously lodged against Randall McGruther conveniently disappeared.
Does that sound just a bit fishy? But it actually only gets better, as a search of public records shows that in recent years McGruther has personally contributed thousands of dollars to Steve Russell’s campaigns… quid pro quo, baby! In fact, these public records show that McGruther has personally contributed well over $4,000 in recent years, with these substantial monetary contributions being made by McGruther while he was going through a contentious divorce and facing allegations of professional misconduct… and all on the salary of a public servant?
Although most of that money went to Steve Russell’s political campaigns, public records also show that McGruther contributed to the campaigns of numerous locally elected Circuit Court Judges, which raises substantial questions of conflict of interest. Money buys influence and in the political world there is no such thing as a free favor. So why was McGruther contributing money to the campaigns of locally elected judges that he knew he would argue cases in front of? If you were a criminal defendant being tried before a judge who was elected to that bench by monetary contributions made by the prosecutor, do you think you’d get a fair trial?
These facts are a matter of public record and cannot be denied. But this is not the end of the story. In 2006 the Florida Supreme Court threw out the capital convictions and death sentences against John Ballard, ordering his immediate release from death row upon the finding that Randall McGruther’s prosecution against Ballard was unfounded… that no credible evidence existed to support the convictions. See, Ballard v. State, 923 So. 2d 475 (Fla. 2006).
This Ballard case is an example of numerous other wholly circumstantial cases prosecuted by the 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office that subsequently resulted in the appellate courts throwing the convictions out upon find that no sufficient evidence existed to support the convictions. (I.E. Delbert Tibbs, James Richardson, Bradley Scott, John Landry, john Ballard, etc.) Each of these cases was based upon specious -- and arguably fabricated – circumstantial evidence in which the person was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death only to be exonerated and released from death row by the Appellate Courts.
In another wholly circumstantial case prosecuted personally by Randall McGruther almost 24 years ago, newly discovered evidence has now come to light that shows that the State Attorney’s Office knowingly collaborated and conspired with a key witness to deliberately convict and condemn Michael Lambrix to death for a capital crime they knew he was innocent of.
In that case, Lambrix was charged with a double murder in a locally sensationalized case in Glades County, Florida in early 1983. There were no eyewitnesses, no physical or forensic evidence, and no confessions. The entire case was built upon the testimony of Lambrix’s estranged ex-girlfriend’s testimony, who conveniently claimed that Lambrix told her he committed these murders, but only after she was charged with a another crime herself.
Lambrix pled not guilty and has consistently maintained his innocence. At trial the jury was not allowed to hear that this witness, Frances Smith-Ottinger, had actually told law enforcement officials numerous conflicting stories and had even failed a state administered polygraph test. Additionally, Lambrix was prohibited from personally testifying and virtually no defense was presented. Lambrix was convicted and condemned to death and has remained on Florida’s death row since March 1984. For a complete account of this case, please read, Condemning An Innocent Man
In recent years another witness has come forth stating that she was coerced into falsely testifying, Lambrix admitted killing the deceased, at trial by both the key witness and the state attorney’s lead investigator. An investigation into these allegations then revealed that at the same time Lambrix was prosecuted in this capital case, the key witness was engaged in a secret, illicit affair “of a sexual nature” with the State Attorney’s investigator, Robert Daniels – the very person who had sworn out the affidavit initiating the charges against Lambrix, then this same investigator personally supervised the development of the specious circumstantial evidence presented at trial.
Additionally Investigations revealed that the very evidence McGruther presented to the jury to convince them of Lambrix’s guilt was fabricated – and that McGruther knew this evidence was fabricated. More recently evidence has come to light that contrary to the key witness’ testimony at trial, she was given complete immunity from prosecution in exchange for her “cooperation” – all other charges against her were dropped shortly after Lambrix was convicted and condemned to death.
After almost 20 years of methodically stalking Lambrix’s wrongful execution, in 2004 McGruther was disqualified from the case due to the allegations of misconduct. However, no action has been taken against him – and under the protection of elected State Attorney Steve Russell, McGruther remains the top prosecutor in that Circuit.
Incredibly, McGruther now has bigger plans. With the history of alleged misconduct preventing McGruther from running for any publicly elected office, Randy McGruther is now posturing himself for political appointment to the bench. Public records reveal that McGruther became a substantial contributor to the most recent gubernatorial campaign of now governor “Chaingang Charlie” Crist. Once again, McGruther is spending money to manipulate the system. If Randall McGruther is successful in being appointed to the State Appellate Court bench by now Governor Crist, because of McGruther’s substantial contributions to his campaign, then with McGruther politically appointed for “life” without ever having to publicly campaign – his history of unethical misconduct will never have to be publicly debated.
All of these facts are a matter of public record and can easily be confirmed. The questions now is whether the public should allow someone like Randy McGruther to so brazenly manipulate the system to his advantage – do we really want someone like McGruther appointed to this bench for life?
If you have any information about prosecutorial misconduct in cases in the 20th Judicial Circuit (Southwest Florida) especially involving elected state Attorney Steve Russell, Chief Deputy Assistant Randall McGruther, or Assistant Attorney Cynthia Ross please contact us at info@southerninjustice.com or Southern Injustice PO Box 184, Wickliffe, OH 44092-0184.
I would encourage you to fully read the Southern Injustice website and blogs found at http://www.southerninjustice.com/and contact both Florida Governor Charlie Crist and Florida Attorney General Bill McCullom imploring them to initiate an independent investigation into corruption within the 20th Judicial Circuit State Attorney’s Office at the below phone numbers and email addresses: