You Know Your Country is In Deep Trouble When…

Every non-taxpaying, deadbeat in America gets $300.00 free money in the form of a “tax rebate” even if they never paid a dime in taxes.

Making America’s hard working taxpayers pay for this outrage in beyond insane. This is nothing more than a very tired Marxist idea to redistribute wealth.

We don’t need a tax rebate. What we need is a leaner and more efficient government with fewer bureaucrats putting their greedy hands in our pants.

The freeloaders who are given $300.00 of their fellow American’s money will simply use it for illegal drugs, liquor or bail bonds.

Chicago May Be ready for Reform

A new investigation is expected to be launched into the criminal activities of Chicago Alderman Edward M. Burke and his wife, Illinois Supreme Court Justice, Anne M. Burke. The Burkes are accused of fixing murder cases and at least one high profile child molestation case.

There are some serious issues involving statutes of limitations that won’t affect State Bar and judicial conduct matters. There are plenty of matters recent enough to bring indictments.

Payoffs in the form of contracts awarded for Chicago’s legal work, Chicago Mob ties, new ghost pay-rolling allegations, along with fixing a court appeal to help the Emerald Gambling Casino regain their revoked license will all be under a new government microscope.

Alderman Burke was the son of a politically appointed Sheriff’s Deputy who rose through political ranks. Burke became a Chicago cop in 1965 and worked his way through DePaul Law School. When Burke’s father died in 1968 the younger Burke took a leave of absence from the police department to succeed his father’s position in the 14th Ward. Allegedly Ed Burke aligned himself with the Chicago Mob, got his inexperienced lawyer wife appointed to the Illinois Appellate Court and later the Supreme Court.

Many of these allegations are not new and were profiled in Robert Cooley’s book, WHEN CORRUPTION WAS KING that’s now being developed in Hollywood as a feature film.

Alderman Burke has a limousine, drivers and a large contingent of Chicago police bodyguards at his disposal because of an alleged threat made decades ago. I’ve been told taxpayers fund this at 1$ million a year. Along with his bodyguards Burke is also allowed by law to carry guns. No wonder Chicago is the land of constant tax increases.

If Chicago has a King and Queen they are the Burkes. They have the real power over the city’s government, at least for now. I’m told their lives are about to change.

Stay tuned! I expect to get some documents that are part of the investigation and will publish them here.

Hollywood Stars, Drug Addictions and Behavior Issues

It’s very difficult to find success as an actor in Hollywood. First you have to be able to perform before cameras and audiences without looking like a deer caught in the headlights of a speeding car. As far as acting skills go I will point you to two multi-millionaire stars, Steven Segal and William Shatner.

The reality is that the Hollywood gate keepers are the established agents. Agents can make nearly any homeless man or woman an instant millionaire if they simply are able stand still and talk. Usually its relatives, bed-mates or close friends of Hollywood powerbrokers that are made into stars. Of course there are those very talented exceptions that can do things like sing, dance or act better than anyone who make it on their own merits.

If an agent drops an actor and he’s not picked up by another he will be waiting tables as soon as the money he or she already earned runs out. An agent-less actor is an unemployed actor. Producers and their casting directors rarely audition unrepresented actors.

When actors misbehave, use drugs or otherwise become dysfunctional they are a huge risk and liability to film investors. Too many young actors give way to non-therapeutic drugs and every other kind of stupidity as they bite the hands that feed them.

The Hollywood mentality of tolerance has gone way too far as bad behavior seems to be considered more for its free publicity. When actors undergo rehabilitation they return as heroes when they are nothing more than addicted souls waiting for their next relapse.

There are legions of great actors that never grab headlines other than for making box office hits like Jodi Foster, Hillary Swank and Clint Eastwood. The miscreant thespians need to be given the bums rush out the door and other actors deserve their chance at the good life.

I’ll weep more for the actor who came to Hollywood, never found and agent or a chance to live their dream than the likes of River Phoenix, Brad Renfro or Heath Ledger.

Beauty Queen, Actress and Senn High School Alumni dead at 78.

Los Angeles--Lois Nettleton was a terrific actress who was believable in any role she ever played. She was captivating in early and memorable episodes of the Twilight Zone and hundreds of significant roles on stage, screen and television. In Recent years Nettleton had a recurring role in Crossing Jordan. Today she’s been reported to have died of Lung Cancer.

Nettleton was born In the Chicago Suburb of Oak Park, IL. She competed in beauty contests becoming both Miss Chicago and a runner-up in the Miss America Contest. Along the way she attended and graduated from my own Alma Mater, Senn High School on Chicago’s North Side. Nettleton gained her acting chops at the prestigious Goodman Theater of Chicago’s Art Institute.

I’ll never forget Nettleton's role opposite Maximilian Schell in that great film, Man In The Glass Booth in 1975. She played Miriam “Mimi” Rosen, an Israeli prosecutor on a mission to hang a wealthy Jewish-German-American immigrant who orchestrated the theft of the identity and impersonation of a Nazi War Criminal.

A long list of Nettleton's credits can be found here.

America’s Criminal Justice System Is Not So Wonderful

You’ve heard it said over and over that we have the very best criminal justice system in the world. Best perhaps but far from perfect as we keep changing the rules to make convictions easier for prosecutors to win.

Take young Alton Logan. Did I say young? Today Logan is 54 years-old,and languishing in an Illinois prison cell for more than half of his life. Logan was young when he arrived on that prison bus, but that was 26 years ago. Logan became a convicted murderer, doing life for killing a security guard at a McDonald’s restaurant on Chicago’s South Side.

During the January 11, 1982, robbery at the McDonald's at 11421 S. Halsted St., security guard Lloyd Wycliffe was killed by a shotgun blast and another security guard, Alvin Thompson, were wounded. The gunmen got no money, but stole the guards' handguns.

Just one month later, another man Edgar Hope, Killed one Chicago cop and wounded another aboard a CTA bus Hope used a McDonald’s guard’s stolen handgun to do the deed. Soon Hope was arrested charged with the cop’s murder. Alton Logan was arrested and charged along with Hope for the McDonald’s crime based on an eye-witness’ identification of the two suspects for killing the security guard.

Days later on February 9th two more Chicago cops, William Fahey and Richard O’Brien were murdered. The officer’s service revolvers also stolen by the killers during the crime. Police identified Andrew and Jackie Wilson as the cop’s killers and launched one of the largest manhunts in department history.

On Feb. 13, officers raided a South Side beauty parlor where they learned Andrew Wilson had been hiding. Cops were unable find Wilson, but they did find the revolvers belonging to Fahey and O'Brien, as well as a shotgun. Ballistics tests matched the shotgun to a shotgun shell found at the McDonald's restaurant according to a crime lab report.

Chicago Police Commander, Jon Burge and some of his detectives caught up with the Wilson brothers and interrogated them. Trials were held and the Wilson brothers along with Edgar Hope went to death Row for their crimes and all later had their death sentences commuted by Illinois Governor George Ryan who is doing time of his own in a federal prison cell.

The Wilson brothers and several others involved in despicable murder cases accused Commander Burge and his men of torturing them in order to gain confessions. Burge was fired, sued and is still under investigation decades later because of the allegations.

Andrew Wilson died of natural causes while in prison but one of his best kept secrets did not die with him.

Justice Derailed

Attorney Marc Miller was defending Hope who told him that Alton Logan was not involved with the McDonald’s crime and that Andrew Wilson was. Miller approached The two public defenders assigned to the Wilson brothers, Dale Coventry and Jamie Kunz telling them of Hope’s assertions.

Soon Coventry confronted Andrew Wilson with Hope’s revelations. Wilson laughed about someone else getting the blame and confessed that he not Logan did the McDonald’s stick-up and murder. The lawyers for the Wilson brothers knew that Alton Logan was an innocent man as prosecutors unsuccessfully sought to put him to death.

Rather than interfere with Logan’s worst nightmare Coventry and Kunz prepared a sworn affidavit in March of 1982, saying the following: "I have obtained information through privileged sources that a man named Alton Logan who was charged with the fatal shooting of Lloyd Wickliffe at on or about 11 Jan. 82 is in fact not responsible for that shooting that in fact another person was responsible." Coventry and Kunz signed it, as did a witness and a notary public. Then they sealed it in a metal box where it’s been until Cook County Circuit Court Judge James Schreier ruled that since Andrew Wilson died they could reveal Andrew Wilson’s statements to the lawyers.

This should be a no-brainer quickly setting Alton Logan who has maintained his innocence for nearly three decades free. Not so fast! That affidavit, now brittle and yellowed from being locked in that box all those years and the sworn testimony of the two public defenders is hearsay evidence and may never be admissible in court.

Since the secret affidavit has seen the light of day, Logan’s current lawyer Harold Wilson has filed motions with the court for DNA testing of evidentiary items to uncover the truth. So far the Illinois Attorney’s office has stonewalled that request.

The Illinois Attorney General has the ball in her court and can control everything. I believe we will see a big fight over the not so new but well concealed evidence. Will they do the right thing? Stay tuned!

APRIL 18, 2008 UPDATE!
Judge ordered a new trial for Logan and set bail.

Alton Logan's family say they took up a collection in the lobby of the Cook County Criminal Courthouse on Friday and quickly came up with the $1,000 needed for his release.

A tearful Logan says he feels great leaving the courthouse surrounded by friends and family.

Harvey Levin Please Have A Little Mercy

Imaging being cast in movies as the cool and suave spy, 007. Then you meet really sexy girl and you marry her.

Later, after having children and the yummiest food in your refrigerator your wife begins to change. That’s bad enough but TMZ roving photographers will share your wife’s new figure with the world. Stop with those whale jokes already! Harvey, you’re a son of a bitch!

Chicago Police Outsource Internal Investigations

Okay, there were some very serious incidents and corruption within the ranks of Chicago cops in recent times. City politicians sacked the 32 year old, civilian run Office of Professional Standards in favor of a new, Independent Police Review Authority.

Now because of a backlog of investigations the city has turned to outside lawyers and private investigators to work these cases. At first blush I want to condemn this idea as insane. But then I have to say that rotten departmental politics and associated outside political corruption have destroyed the careers of many fine officers. The department rigged results in too many cases rather than conduct fair or impartial investigations.

The backlog of cases needs to be addressed another simple and inexpensive way. All complaints would be reduced by 70% by just doing the following:
1. Require all complaints to be made under oath.
2. Every case of a false report should be prosecuted.

Sending these cases to outsiders is unprecedented in any police agencies I’ve ever heard about. The system may be the best or worst thing that ever happened to the men and women sworn to protect Chicago’s citizens.

As a licensed private investigator I’d take that kind of assignment very seriously. Having worn the uniform and been subject to abuse by local residents and their phony allegations I would do what OPS or the IAD has never done, demand prosecution of people making false reports. Cops would be lucky to have me investigate these cases.

We will all just have to hold our breath and hope for the best. I’m already holding my nose as I have began to smell funny business in the awarding of these investigation contracts.

Ugly Zero Tolerance Policies Get Uglier

GRAYSLAKE, Il. Christopher Berger, 18, is an honor student at Grayslake Central High School who faces an adult criminal record for the rest of his life. Why you ask? It seems that school officials found the lad’s jacket on school property, searched the pockets and found a small multi-tool that contained a knife blade. Police were called and in addition to school punishment Berger was charged with Reckless Conduct and now needs a lawyer.

Illinois is one of those states that have written law after law banning every possible type of instrument that could be used to inflict harm. When I was a Boy Scout attending Catholic school, on meeting days we proudly carried our Boy Scout knives on a chain from our belts. No, we did not arrange West Side Story style rumbles nor did any animals suffer because of our “Reckless Conduct”. That of course was long before the Uber Liberals had total control of Illinois state and local government.

Berger is clearly the victim of yet another insane Zero Tolerance policy. Berger wants to go to college and be a firefighter. He will face almost certain rejection should he be convicted of a crime. Of course there are those hateful bastards that applaud that kind of result.

This reminds me of all the people we’ve convicted of crimes for forgetfully bringing some type of knife or gun in carry-on baggage as they board enter an airport for a flight.

When I was a young policeman I had to enter the Cook County jail and was stopped by a jail guard who told me that he had to search me before I could enter. I asked the older jailer if sworn police officers are not trustworthy. The response was they even search Warden, Jack Johnson because we may forget and accidently introduce a weapon inside the jail. That made sense to me since they did not try and make criminals out of forgetful cops.

Someone please tell me why this silliness with Christopher Berger is going to a criminal court on February 20, 2008? Why must Judges, prosecutors and court reporters have their time wasted over this lad’s perceived threat to public safety?

In Case Anyone Didn’t know Tigers Can Kick Your Ass!

It was closing time at the San Francisco Zoo and three young fellows were at or near the tiger exhibit. The actions of the trio are subject to speculation but the results were not. An obviously agitated tiger found her way out of the enclosure and began to dine on the three visitors killing one.

No, I can’t blame the tiger for being a large carnivore and stepping out for a little snack. But there must have been a lot more than hunger involved. How many thousands of visitors could visit these magnificent creatures without such a mishap? I can’t help but believe that the lads were mean spirited and taunted the tiger causing the event. If that was the case I think that was another example of Darwin’s law and some truly poetic justice.

You Ring, We Rat Bail Bonds

Miguel Pereira, the owner of You Ring We Spring bail bonds arranged to get O.J. Simpson released for bragging rights and to see himself on TV. Pereira also waived Simpson’s premium payment of $18,000.00. When Pereira’s publicity ran out he saw the opportunity to personally take Simpson into custody and grace TV sets worldwide with his own image.

Pereira saved Simpson’s November rambling recorded telephone message for a second wave of publicity where he could be the star. Plain and simple, Miguel Pereira is a big fat rat who sought fame at Simpson’s expense.

Did Simpson’s phone call really amount to an attempt to influence or intimidate a witness? The answer is clearly, no. Had that been the case prosecutors would have convened a grand Jury and Indicted Simpson on new charges before sundown.

Bail is our Sixth Amendment Constitutional right should we ever be accused of a crime. The purpose of bail is to insure the appearance of the suspect in court. Courts have later ruled that in addition, protection of the public is an additional consideration.

Simpson is in no way a special flight risk and has always appeared in court when required. Simpson has a right to a fair trial and now the alleged victim of the crime Simpson is accused of wants the charges dropped. Has the O.J. Simpson Circus wasted enough time of our government officials?

Update: According to a published report from correspondent extraordinaire, LINDA DEUTSCH of the associated Press, our “hero”, Miguel Pereira took a queue from Simpson’s co-defendant. It seems Pereira concealed a digital recording device on his person in an effort to record some juicy statements from the Juice during travel back to the Clark county Jail. I can only conclude that the recordings were for later sale.

I seriously doubt that lawyers, investigators or their clients would ever knowingly patronize this bonding company or Mr. Pereira’s services for any reason. Nobody likes a rat.

Thoughts Of Viet Nam And America’s Shame

I was drafted for that war and was sent to be a medical corpsman in Germany somehow avoiding the death and destruction in Viet Nam. I watched the total sellout of the people we promised to protect from the yoke of Communism. Many soldiers returned who like Green Beret Sergeant Barry Sadler never had their name inscribed on the Viet Nam War Memorial.

A wounded Sergeant Sadler returned home and would later die at his own hands in 1989 despite the achievement of his hit song, and some minor publishing success. In a side drama, Sergeant Sadler was arrested, tried and acquitted for the 1978 murder of Nashville song writer Lee Emerson.

Watch as Sergeant Sadler sings his hit song, The Ballad Of The Green Beret.

Real ID Or Government Gone Wild?

For those old enough to remember, our politicians assured us that Social Security numbers would only be used for benefits and not identification. Okay their lied. Our Social Security number became our number one identification landmark.

Now Secretary Michael Chertoff, head of the Department of Homeland Security has told us that we need to adopt the REAL ID program or we will all die from terrorist attacks. Real ID is the back door attempt at creating a National Identity Card from all the driver’s licenses and state issued ID cards made uniform, secure and tamper-proof loaded into a single BIG BROTHER database.

You can always argue the benefits to public safety of total government control over all Americans. I'd argue government only need register, identify and keep tabs on criminals, foreigners and terrorists. They’ve never done that very well and now they demand total control over all of us.

Chertoff claimed only terrorists and enemy agents would object to REAL ID. I think Chertoff forgot that all Americans that value the Freedom and Liberty so many Americans died for would object to this government con-job too.

File under, "YOUR PAPERS PLEASE!"