Ruben "Hurricane" Carter dead at 76 Toronto, Canada — He was one of seven siblings raised in poverty.    Ruben “Hurricane” Carter had a troubled youth filled with police, jail, courts and prison.  He somehow found salvation and money as a champion boxer until his new life came crashing down. Carter’s troubled past kept him on the police radar as a “usual suspect” and he was arrested and twice convicted for a New Jersey triple murder.  Finally in 1985 after some 20 years in prison Carter finally won his freedom from the wrongful conviction. Carter left the nation that failed him in seeking justice for Canada.  He spent the rest of his life speaking, advocating and investigating on behalf of Death Row inmates.  Carter created and chaired a foundation for the wrongly convicted.  Carter and Willoughby courtesy New Times I met and chatted extensively with Carter in Phoenix when he came there on behalf of former Death Row inmate...

Phoenix, AZ —I don’t think the people that know me or visit my blog will ever question my Conservative/Libertarian credentials.  As a young man growing up I naturally hated criminal violence and wanted to see cruel killers exterminated.  Believe me when I say my thinking on this has not changed a bit.  Not all, but certainly most murderers do not deserve to live.  I’m also staunch believer in Castle Doctrine and Stand Your Ground laws as well as the absolute right of law-abiding Americans to carry guns wherever they wish.  The statistics overwhelmingly show that armed citizens save millions of lives every year.  In the vast majority of these incidents a gum may have been displayed but no shots were fired.  I never morn the justifiable killing of thugs like Travon Martin, home invaders, armed robbers, rapists or murderers.  I also believe that each justifiable homicide prevents as many as a dozen future violent crimes that otherwise wou...

Chicago, IL —Most of my readers know that I hate the death penalty and consider the American criminal justice system deeply flawed. Either the innocent are convicted or dangerous criminals are given freedom far too early endangering society. My personal quote is, “If justice happens it’s usually by accident and for all the wrong reasons. ” A single mother, who was most of the time only one step ahead of the Sheriff’s eviction team, raised me on Chicago’s North side. Just two years before I was born there were three ugly murders. My mother warned me about strangers and a man named William Heirens . Heirens was the proverbial boogyman. Two adult women Josephine Ross, Frances Brow n and six year-old Suzanne Degnan , were murdered. The Degnan killing was unusually depraved because she was cut up and her body parts dumped in various catch basins in the neighborhood. William Heirens confessed to these crimes and entered a Guilty Plea in court avoiding Cook County Jail’s busy electric...