November 26, 2021
Looting Union Pacific
It's an interesting story that railcars carrying packages (FedEx, UPS) are being looted on the tracks in East L.A. and Union Pacific knows about it. There's no further word in this short item about Union Pacific's responsibilities in the matter. But the most interesting part is when all-knowing Sheriff Villanueva makes an appearance and is shocked, shocked I tell you that this is going on. He claims total ignorance of the problem and says he will put someone right on it. I've read about this looting a couple of times over the last few weeks, but I don't recall where. The Sheriff needs to broaden his sources of information.
permalink | November 26, 2021 at 10:30 PM | Comments (0)
November 2, 2021
Vaccination Deadline Passes For NYC Employees
Yesterday (November 1) was the deadline in New York City for city employees to be vaccinated for COVID. The Police Benevolent Association said this would mean as many as 10,000 police officers would be taken out of service, but in reality that number was 34. Just plain 34, not 34,000, not 10,000. Thirty-four police officers were put on unpaid leave. Service levels remain normal. The full article:
Only 34 police officers defy New York’s vaccine mandate after union threatened 10,000 would quit‘There is literally no effect on service at this point,’ says New York City Police Commissioner Dermot Shea
Nathan Place
New YorkNew York City’s vaccine mandate for municipal workers has taken effect, and just 34 police officers have refused it – a far cry from the 10,000 threatened by the NYPD’s union.
Under the mandate announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio, all city municipal employees – including police, firefighters, and other civil servants – must either get vaccinated for Covid-19 or be put on unpaid leave.
Hundreds of city workers protested the mandate, and the New York Police Department’s largest union, the Police Benevolent Association, claimed it would take thousands of cops off the streets.
“As of Thursday morning,” the PBA warned last week, “there were approximately 10,000 unvaccinated, uniformed NYPD members – which equals the staffing of dozens of patrol precincts – who will be barred from reporting for duty on Monday, Nov 1, unless they have applied for a religious or medical exemption.”
The union’s president, Patrick Lynch, particularly slammed Police Commissioner Dermot Shea for going along with the plan.
“Commissioner Shea and his team should have told the Mayor that this mandate and his arbitrary Friday deadline were going to throw NYPD operations into chaos,” Mr Lynch said on Thursday.
On Monday, however, that chaos failed to materialise. Less than three dozen NYPD officers were put on unpaid leave, and the department reported no interruption in service.
“Members of the police department responded to this [vaccine mandate], they came to work as they always do, and there is literally no effect on service at this point,” Mr Shea said on Monday.
Meanwhile, vaccination rates jumped. Since 20 October, when the mandate was announced, the proportion of NYPD employees who’d received at least one shot rose from 70 to 84 per cent, according to CNN. In the New York Fire Department, that number increased from 58 to 77 per cent, and in the Department of Sanitation it leapt from 62 to 83 per cent.
But while few workers were suspended over the mandate, a high number of them did call out sick. On Monday, 2,300 city firefighters stayed home from work, citing health reasons. On a normal day, less than 1,000 do so, according to FDNY Commissioner Daniel Nigro.
"Since the mandate was issued, our medical leave spiked up and we know that," Mr Nigro said on Monday. “The majority of them are unvaccinated. This is completely unacceptable.”
Mayor de Blasio said anyone faking sick to avoid getting vaccinated would be held accountable.
“When a city employee fakes it and puts other people’s lives in danger, that’s a serious thing and there are going to be consequences for that,” the mayor said.
permalink | November 2, 2021 at 05:41 PM | Comments (0)
October 28, 2021
One Million Dollars
Gang Member Arrested on 1 Million Dollar Arrest WarrantOn Thursday, October 28, 2021, at 12:15 P.M. the Coachella Valley Violent Crime Gang Task Force conducted an arrest warrant service in a residential area located in the 49000 block of Highway 74 in Palm Desert. Gang Task Force Officers located documented criminal street gang member Robert “Lil Rob” Cruz, 40 of Coachella, as he was delivering furniture to a residence for a local furniture store where he is employed as a delivery man. Cruz was taken into custody without incident on a 1 Million Dollar Arrest Warrant for Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Witness Intimidation. Cruz had evaded capture since June of 2021 when the warrant was issued for his arrest. Cruz was subsequently booked at John Benoit Detention Center in Indio.
I don't even know what it means to attach a dollar value to an arrest warrant. Does it mean the Riverside County Sheriff's Office is going to receive a million-dollar reward for arresting this guy? I don't think so. Does it mean somebody was willing to spend up to a million dollars to catch this guy?
permalink | October 28, 2021 at 06:01 PM | Comments (0)
$17 Million Verdict In Costco Shooting
A federal jury awarded a $17 million verdict to the parents of Kenneth French who was shot and killed by an off-duty LAPD officer at the Costco in Corona in 2019. "The bulk of the verdict will be borne by the City of Los Angeles, with the eight-person jury finding that Sanchez was acting within the scope of his LAPD employment when he opened fire inside the store, attorney Dale K. Galipo said." No word in the article on how much that "bulk" is, or who is paying the remaining "non-bulk" part of the award.
permalink | October 28, 2021 at 06:53 AM | Comments (0)
October 26, 2021
Free Motorcycle Classes
The Riverside County Sheriff's office has received a grant that will allow it to offer free motorcycle riding classes. From the brief description, it sounds like totally beginner stuff that you should learn before riding on a public street...but if you are already riding a motorcycle and are smart enough to realize you're an unskilled rider then this would be for you too.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department/Moreno Valley Sheriff Station Receives Funding for Motorcycle Safety Training Program.Moreno Valley, Calif. — The Riverside County, Moreno Valley Sheriff Station received grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to step up motorcycle safety awareness with free, hands-on rider trainings.
The $36,000.00 grant will pay for a series of free motorcycle safety classes that allows riders to practice braking, turning, steering, entering traffic and other skills that help avoid collisions and improve rider safety on the road.
This event is called “Ride To Live” and will assist the civilian motorcycle enthusiast on becoming a better and safer rider. You will learn the following:
- Proper manipulation of clutch and throttle in order to work the “friction zone”
- Proper use of head and eyes when turning a motorcycle
- Counter steering
- Negotiating curves
- Low speed precision maneuvering
- Instructors will be from the Moreno Valley Station Traffic Motor Team.
The motorcycle training program will run through September 2022.Classes will be available starting December 11, 2021. To register for a free training class, email [email protected]
Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
permalink | October 26, 2021 at 06:41 PM | Comments (0)
October 14, 2021
Police Shoot & Kill Fleeing Suspect At Indian And I-10
Very early this morning. Riverside County Sheriff's Office press release:
Details:Deputy / Officer involved shooting occurs after Beaumont Police officers, Riverside Sheriff’s deputies and Palm Springs officers locate suspect who shot at a Banning Police officer during a traffic stop.
On Thursday, October 14, 2021 around 12:24 AM a Banning Police officer was shot at by a suspect during a traffic stop off State Highway 243 in Banning. During the shooting the gunfire struck the Banning Police vehicle and disabled it. The suspect fled the scene in an older model green wagon. Banning Police requested the assistance of surrounding law enforcement agencies. Beaumont Police officers responded to the area and located the shooting suspect driving eastbound on Interstate 10.
Beaumont Police Department officers attempted to stop the suspect who failed to yield. The suspect fled at a high rate of speed and a pursuit was initiated. Beaumont Police Department officers were joined by Riverside County Sheriff’s Department deputies as they pursued the suspect eastbound on Interstate 10 towards the Palm Springs area. The suspect shot several times at Beaumont Police officers who were behind him during the pursuit. Information was relayed to Palm Springs Police Department advising them of a pursuit of an armed suspect heading towards their jurisdiction.
Upon entering the Palm Springs area, the suspect exited on North Indian Canyon Drive where he ultimately stopped his vehicle on the offramp. At that time, a deputy / officer involved shooting occurred.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau and the Palm Springs Police used Armored Rescue Vehicles, to protect the law enforcement officers from the suspect who was still armed and barricaded inside his vehicle. Upon approaching the vehicle, the suspect was found deceased. The rifle used by the suspect was located inside the vehicle. The suspect’s identity will be withheld pending next of kin notification.
No deputies or officers were injured during this incident. There are no outstanding suspects and there is no threat to the public.
The following agencies were involved in the deputy / officer shooting: Riverside County Sheriff’s Department, Beaumont Police Department and Palm Springs Police Department. The involved deputies and officers will be placed on administrative leave per their Department policy. The names of the involved deputies / officers will not be released at this time.
UPDATE 10/19/2021: "The suspect has been identified as Russell Leggett, a 30 year old resident of Idyllwild."
permalink | October 14, 2021 at 12:52 PM | Comments (0)
September 26, 2021
60% Of Police Line-Of-Duty Deaths In 2021 Due To . . .
What do you think? Gunshot? Heart attack? Car accident? Don't be silly. It's COVID. Vehicular assault comes in second place at less than 5%; heart attacks and automobile crashes (which they distinguish from motorcycle crashes) come in 3rd and 4th. Cops can potentially show up anytime and almost anywhere in your life, often without invitation or warning. But we know that Sheriff Bianco won't enforce any vaccine mandate, and the LAPD and LAFD unions are vigorously opposing their vaccine mandates.
If only there were some agency that, you know, tried to work for the safety of the public.
Scroll down on the Officer Down Memorial Page and you'll also see that both the rate and the actual number of all on-duty deaths of law enforcement personnel in Florida and Texas greatly exceed those in California: 51 in Texas, 32 in Florida, 23 in Georgia, 17 in California.
permalink | September 26, 2021 at 12:58 PM | Comments (0)
September 24, 2021
This Is How Palm Springs Police Conduct Themselves?
An article with videos in the Desert Sun about an attempt by an illegitimate bounty hunter to seize a "fugitive." Ignoring the fact that the bounty hunter has no license and is a convicted felon carrying firearms dressed up in an imitation Riverside County Sheriff Deputy uniform, I want to comment on the actual Palm Springs Police in the story. They came to the scene in response to a 911 call from the bounty hunter. When the police show up, they find the front door of the home smashed in so they walk right in announcing themselves by saying "Hey, where ya at? Hey, where ya at?" My knowledge in this area consists solely of watching a lot of other police videos like this, and when the police get to the door standard procedure seems to be that they first announce they are the police and then stand back, or if they decide to enter, they do so with extreme caution. Not so the Palm Springs Police. They barge in like it's a free for all, which seems to be the attitude of the bounty hunter as well.
After the bogus bounty hunter somehow manages to fail to embed his taser into a man standing only a few feet away wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, somebody fired a gun, putting a hole in the chest of the victim. The Palm Springs Police response to that is to "get some gauze." It's going to take a lot more than gauze (which no one actually goes for) to stop that wound. The victim, David Spann, died.
Spann's repeated questioning of the authority of the bounty hunters in the video footage seemed to indicate that he understood what the cops didn't: Herrera didn't have the authority to be there.
permalink | September 24, 2021 at 11:05 AM | Comments (0)
September 21, 2021
Fall River
What grinds my gears in this brief news article about former mayor Correia of Fall River [pronounced like 'Faw Rivah'], Massachusetts, being sentenced to six years for "fraud and extortion tied to the licensing of local marijuana businesses," is that they refer to FR as "a small Massachusetts town." Don't you picture a town green with a white church and a few other 18th century buildings lying about? Fall River is the tenth largest city in Massachusetts with a population of 94,000. It was one of those Massachusetts cities that were early leaders in the American industrial revolution. So when the ex-Mayuh of the tenth largest city goes down for fraud and extortion, that's kind of big town.
permalink | September 21, 2021 at 08:21 PM | Comments (0)
September 20, 2021
The Rodney King Videographer Has Died Due To COVID
George Holliday, a plumber from Argentina, grabbed his Sony Handycam when he heard the sirens outside his residence. He shot the video from his balcony. He tried to offer the video to the LAPD twice, but they were uninterested, so he handed it over to KTLA. The video - a bit over 8 minutes.
Mr. Holliday died at a hospital in Simi Valley on Sunday.
permalink | September 20, 2021 at 09:39 PM | Comments (0)
September 8, 2021
Mime Crime?
With all the excitement of a high speed police chase, Citizen seriously tries to track down an alleged mime who was allegedly assaulting people on alleged Grand Avenue in L.A. This had to have been called into the police as a prank.
Mime Assaulting People @CitizenApp
W 3rd St & S Grand Ave 1:51:57 PM PDT
permalink | September 8, 2021 at 07:43 PM | Comments (0)
August 30, 2021
Attorney For 17 January 6 Rioters Down With COVID (maybe)
There have been conflicting reports, but it seems that attorney John M. Pierce of Los Angeles who represents 17 of those accused in the January 6 Capitol riot is incommunicado because he has COVID and is on a ventilator. He had also been hired to defend Rittenhouse, until Rittenhouse’s family fired him.
Pierce has taken confrontational and high-risk positions in court and appeared to rule out plea deals for many clients. He also has called the riots a government setup, echoing a talking point on right-wing media. “This whole thing was absolutely a false-flag FBI and intelligence community and military special operations set-up,” he wrote in a late July email to a group of lawyers coordinating defense efforts
permalink | August 30, 2021 at 07:03 PM | Comments (0)
August 28, 2021
Angelica Marie Mendez Arrested
It all started with this video shot and narrated by Mendez at the Palm Desert Costco (my Coscto!) in which she made certain baseless assumptions, called the police and then got the community all excited. Today she was arrested and charged with providing false information to a police officer and knowingly filing a false police report. AND (surprise, surprise) she's from Desert Hot Springs.
On Friday, August 20, 2021, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department (Palm Desert Station) received information from a citizen that a female juvenile was a victim of child neglect and sexual assault. These serious allegations set in motion hundreds of staff-hours, by several law enforcement agencies, in two separate states.There were four independent investigations related to this incident. All four of the independent investigations concluded the allegations were false. It appears the reporting person had seemingly made up the allegations and had no supporting evidence to substantiate her claims. Her claims, both to law enforcement and publicly had numerous inconsistencies.
Because of the horrendous nature of the allegations there was significant public outrage. This outrage sparked countless calls to our Dispatch Center, city, and county officials. All the while the four independent investigations were fully staffed and tracking accordingly.
The countless calls to our Dispatch Center took up valuable call time for other citizens who were in need of emergency services. The Sheriff’s Department would also like to explain that if this were a legitimate criminal incident, the frivolous aspects and misinformation would have hindered the investigation and ultimately the welfare of the child. Not to mention the adverse effect on any future prosecution efforts.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department would like to remind the public that not all information that is on the internet or on social media is accurate and can be very misleading. While we appreciate the understandable outrage with child-crimes, we encourage the public to be engaged and helpful toward law enforcement, so it can be a community effort when combating crime.
The case was presented to the District Attorney’s Office and they deemed it to have probable cause that a crime had been committed by the original reporting party, Angelica Mendez. An arrest warrant was issued by the Riverside County Court.
On Saturday, August 28, 2021, the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department arrested Angelica Marie Mendez, 21-years-old, from Desert Hot Springs for providing false information to a police officer and knowingly filing a false police report.
permalink | August 28, 2021 at 07:01 PM | Comments (0)
August 14, 2021
Hyundae Resort Closed By City
Desert Hot Springs hotel shut down by city over code violationsBRIAN BLUESKYE AUGUST 13, 2021
Hyundae Resort and Spa in Desert Hot Springs was shut down and its operating license was revoked on Aug. 6 following a July hearing for code violations.
According to city documents, the violations include hotel personnel giving room keys to unauthorized individuals and granting access to any hotel room on the property, fire hazards such as locked fire exits and other hazardous activities by hotel occupants, inoperative vehicles on the property, and many dispatch calls for criminal and gang activity and illegal drug use.
The condition of the hotel and its exterior were also included in the violations.
The hotel is owned by Charles Yeh, of Los Angeles, who testified at the hearing and said his intent was to provide housing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yeh also said he wanted to improve the conditions of the hotel, but avoided opportunities provided by the city, adding it would cause a financial hardship to close. He said he had one line of credit he could access to correct the violations, however.
During a recent visit to the property, there were signs on the door and at the front desk saying there weren't any available rooms. A front desk employee said he would connect The Desert Sun to Yeh and his attorney, though neither party immediately contacted the Desert Sun.
A spokesperson for the city of Desert Hot Springs, Doria Wilms, said the city became aware of the issues after calls from residents reporting public safety issues and the "substandard conditions at the hotel."
"That is what made it abundantly clear this was not being utilized as a hotel, it was being utilized for long-term tenants," Wilms said.
permalink | August 14, 2021 at 01:50 PM | Comments (0)
August 12, 2021
80 Dogs Seized, But There's Good News Too
Nearly 80 dogs were seized from what I would call an illegal encampment in Winchester. People were living in several RVs illegally, according to the report which doesn't say why it was illegal. Trespassing? Zoning violation? But there's unusual good news. All of the dogs appeared to be healthy, some were even overweight, and all showed good behavior and temperament, even the pit bulls. The article:
By QUINN WILSON
PUBLISHED: August 11, 2021 at 5:20 p.m. | UPDATED: August 11, 2021 at 5:24 p.m.Nearly 80 dogs were seized from a man who was living illegally on a property in Winchester on Wednesday, Aug. 11, the Riverside County Department of Animal Services said.
The joint operation between Animal Services, the Riverside County Sheriff's Department and county Code Enforcement personnel took place around 8 a.m. on a piece of land on Beeler Road, which is not maintained by the county, near the 32000 block of Adams Street, said John Welsh, spokesman for county Animal Services. The dog's owner and others were living there illegally in multiple RVs, Welsh said.
The dogs — which consisted of about a third of pit bulls, one-third German shepherds and one-third Labrador mixes — were being held in kennels, pens and small cages, Welsh said.
Code Enforcement had made Animal Services aware of the situation and officials initially asked the owner to surrender the dogs, Welsh said. However, the owner refused and Animal Services obtained a seizure warrant from Riverside County Superior Court, Welsh said.
To Welsh's surprise, none of the dogs showed any signs of abuse or neglect, and some were in fact overweight, he said. There was no running water on the property, but it appeared large containers of water were transported onto the property.
However, Welsh said there was a large amount of animal waste and flies around the property.
"It's almost 100 degrees on a day like today out there so it's not a good situation for them," Welsh said.
All of the animals were transported to a San Jacinto facility by around 10:30 a.m. and many were able to receive vaccinations on site by veterinary staffers. The dogs all exhibited pretty good behavior and temperament as well, Welsh said.
"We're hoping this can be a 100 percent save for the dogs," Welsh said. "We're optimistic that's going to happen with this situation."
Some of the dogs recovered appeared to be microchipped and Animal Services was going to contact any possible owners, Welsh said. The dogs are being held for a 10-day period in which the owner at the Winchester property will have a chance to request the dogs back through the court, however, the dogs will be eligible for adoption or fostering after the 10-day period, Welsh said.
During the operation, the owner did not impede the seizure of the animals and was ultimately transported to a hospital for a mental evaluation after he allegedly said things that concerned authorities about his mental state, Welsh said. The owner will also face citations for trespassing as well as various building code violations, according to Welsh.
permalink | August 12, 2021 at 09:08 AM | Comments (0)
August 9, 2021
Voluntary Manslaughter Charge For Corona Costco Shooter
It was June 14, 2019, when off-duty LAPD Officer Salvador Alejandro Sanchez shot and killed another shopper, Kenneth French, in the Corona Costco. Riverside County DA Mike Hestrin submitted the case to the Grand Jury because some witnesses were not cooperative. The Grand Jury did not indict. But today, the Attorney General's office charged the ex-officer with voluntary manslaughter and assault with a semiautomatic firearm. Sanchez was arrested this morning.
permalink | August 9, 2021 at 01:54 PM | Comments (0)
August 7, 2021
Do Not Eat At The DHS Spa
Selected from the Press-Enterprise.
Desert Hot Springs Spa, 10805 Palm Drive in Desert Hot Springs, was placed on probation July 29. Riverside County Environmental Health officials said there were repeat violations at the facility, including inadequate handwashing, improper food temperatures, improper cooling of hot potentially hazardous foods and evidence of cockroach and rodent infestations.Kam Lun Chinese Food, 66610 Eighth St., Desert Hot Springs
Closed: Aug. 3
Grade: C/74, failing
Reason: Rodent infestation. After a complaint was filed, an inspector found rodent droppings and flies in the kitchen and a food storage area. The inspector also noted that employees were not sanitizing surfaces properly.Barrel District, 35939 Date Palm Drive, Cathedral City
Closed: Aug. 5
Grade: Not graded
Reason: No hot water. An inspector found the hot water temperature to be well below the minimum 120 degrees. The inspector also noted finding rodent droppings in the dining room.
I know problems like cockroach or rodent infestations are challenging for a restaurant to deal with and eliminate, but the issues that arise from employee misbehavior (e.g., "inadequate handwashing, improper food temperatures, improper cooling of hot potentially hazardous foods") should be immediately and permanently correctable with decent management and adequate employees. The fact that the DHS Spa has had these problems going on for months is very telling.
permalink | August 7, 2021 at 08:56 AM | Comments (0)
August 4, 2021
It Was Not A Suggestion
In New Mexico, the Public Education Department recently issued (presumably new or revised) COVID guidelines. (They are very briefly summarized in this article.) It's masks for everyone in elementary schools; masks are not required on the verified-vaccinated in grades above elementary school, otherwise masks. The Floyd School Board had just earlier approved its own COVID policy which was, of course, different. The state PED said, no problem, you have until August 3 to revise your policy so that it conforms. One article said the Floyd board of education would meet again on August 2, while a later article merely says the president said the board would not be reversing course. So, is that just the president announcing the result of the vote because the reporter didn't attend the meeting? Or does it mean a decision was made not to hold the meeting? In either case, the result is the same. The state said 'you must,' and Floyd said 'no.'
On August 4 [today, as I write this], the day after the deadline, the Public Education Department suspended every member of the Floyd Board of Education! The agency also reinstated the superintendent that the board had recently fired.
When rules are enforced!
permalink | August 4, 2021 at 09:44 PM | Comments (0)
August 3, 2021
In Case You Thought Missouri Couldn't Get Any Worse
Missouri governor pardons gun-waving St. Louis lawyer couple
O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Tuesday that he made good on his promise to pardon a couple who gained notoriety for pointing guns at social justice demonstrators as they marched past the couple’s home in a luxury St. Louis enclave last year.Parson, a Republican, on Friday pardoned Mark McCloskey, who pleaded guilty in June to misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and was fined $750, and Patricia McCloskey, who pleaded guilty to misdemeanor harassment and was fined $2,000.
“Mark McCloskey has publicly stated that if he were involved in the same situation, he would have the exact same conduct,” the McCloskeys’ lawyer Joel Schwartz said Tuesday. “He believes that the pardon vindicates that conduct.”
The McCloskeys, both lawyers in their 60s, said they felt threatened by the protesters, who were passing their home in June 2020 on their way to demonstrate in front of the mayor’s house nearby in one of hundreds of similar demonstrations around the country after George Floyd’s death. The couple also said the group was trespassing on a private street.
Mark McCloskey emerged from his home with an AR-15-style rifle, and Patricia McCloskey waved a semiautomatic pistol, according to the indictment. Photos and cellphone video captured the confrontation, which drew widespread attention and made the couple heroes to some and villains to others. No shots were fired, and no one was hurt.
Special prosecutor Richard Callahan said his investigation determined that the protesters were peaceful.
“There was no evidence that any of them had a weapon and no one I interviewed realized they had ventured onto a private enclave,” Callahan said in a news release after the McCloskeys pleaded guilty.
Several Republican leaders — including then-President Donald Trump — spoke out in defense of the McCloskeys’ actions. The couple spoke on video at last year’s Republican National Convention.
Mark McCloskey, who announced in May that he was running for a U.S. Senate seat in Missouri, was unapologetic after the plea hearing.
“I’d do it again,” he said from the courthouse steps in downtown St. Louis. “Any time the mob approaches me, I’ll do what I can to put them in imminent threat of physical injury because that’s what kept them from destroying my house and my family.” He echoed those comments in a statement issued Tuesday by his campaign and added: “Today we are incredibly thankful that Governor Mike Parson righted this wrong and granted us pardons.”
Because the charges were misdemeanors, the McCloskeys did not face the possibility of losing their law licenses or their rights to own firearms.
The McCloskeys were indicted by a grand jury in October on felony charges of the unlawful use of a weapon and evidence tampering. Callahan later amended the charges to give jurors the alternative of convictions of misdemeanor harassment instead of the weapons charge.
Parson’s legal team has been working through a backlog of clemency requests for months.
He hasn’t yet taken action on longtime inmate Kevin Strickland, who several prosecutors now say is innocent of a 1978 Kansas City triple homicide. Parson could pardon Strickland, but he has said he’s not convinced he is innocent.
Missouri’s Democratic leader contrasted Parson’s treatment of Strickland’s case with the McCloskeys in bitter denunciations of the governor’s action.
“It is beyond disgusting that Mark and Patricia McCloskey admitted they broke the law and within weeks are rewarded with pardons, yet men like Kevin Strickland, who has spent more than 40 years in prison for crimes even prosecutors now say he didn’t commit, remain behind bars with no hope of clemency,” Missouri House Democratic Minority Leader Crystal Quade said in a statement.
Democratic state Rep. LaKeySha Bosley said, “The governor’s stunt ominously underscores that under his watch, justice belongs only to the privileged elite in this state.”
permalink | August 3, 2021 at 06:34 PM | Comments (0)
July 31, 2021
Bad Police Work in Desert Hot Springs
Here's an article in the Press-Enterprise about the false charges brought against Roger Wayne Parker after DHS Police detectives did a poor job of trying to elicit a false confession from him.
He continued in the memo: "Many of these questions cannot be answered by 'further investigation.' There were many mistakes made during the investigation of this case. These mistakes cannot be undone, nor can many of them be remedied by further investigation. Forensic evidence hurts our case against the defendant and illustrates the mistakes made by law enforcement during the case investigation. It creates very reasonable doubt as to the defendant's guilt. Therefore, it is recommended that this case be dismissed."Ross' lawsuit sums it up this way: "The facts demonstrated extremely shoddy police work that coerced a confession from an innocent man with significant intellectual disabilities who plainly knew nothing about the crime. The evidence, in fact, pointed to another individual as the guilty party."
Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Jim Henson declined comment on the quality of the police work and why the case remains unsolved. Henson, coincidentally, was one of the lead investigators on the Stevenson murder case.
