Javert 2, Escapes, O. As yet another Long Time Michigan Escaped Convict Is Captured In California

Santa Barbara--Javert of course, is the fictional policeman from that great Victor Hugo Novel, Les Misérables. Javert chased the escapee, Jean Valjean across France catching him nearly a lifetime after he had reformed and became a beloved town mayor.

This is an example of lightning striking twice within a couple of months. In February, a long time, trusted and well liked University of California Santa Barbara employee, Jason Von Straussenburg, a Developmental Technician in the Biological Sciences Department was nabbed after an anonymous tipster told authorities he was really a Michigan escaped convict. The tipster was correct in fingering Roger Crona who broke out of another Michigan prison in 1972.

Carona was twice sent to prison for auto theft related offenses.

Decades have gone by and Crona found the good life in this beautiful coastal town. He put his larcenous ways behind him and at 61 years of age he could soon reasonably expect retirement and a nice pension.

Now Crona is waiting for the extradition train back to Michigan. So far he has refused to waive extradition. If the requesting state wants him it’s almost a sure thing to happen.

Extradition laws involve governors of both involved states to agree to allow a prisoner to be surrendered and moved. The requesting state has to pick up the prisoner and pay for transportation. Often states elect not to bother if the crime is not considered important enough. Crona may well have gotten closer to getting this thing behind him if Michigan decides to give their taxpayers a break.

I see no purpose in wasting money to incarcerate obviously reformed middle aged folks. I say let Mr. Crona who retired from his short auto theft career also retire from his university job far from taxpayer’s wallets.

However it happened Michigan authorities will now have to grapple with two somewhat similar ancient cases. Of course Susan Leferve now known as Marie Walsh was captured little more than a week ago.

Michigan Department of Corrections Information here.

How should Escaped Convict Susan Lefevre Be Handled?

Marie Walsh with her husband and three children. Click on picture to enlarge.

Susan Lefevre is the San Diego woman recaptured after her escape in 1976 from a Michigan prison where she was serving a 10 to 20 year term. Lefevre is now known as Marie Walsh.

I call Marie Walsh the modern day female, Jean Valjean from the great Victor Hugo Novel, Les Misérables.

There is little precedent for this highly unusual case of sin, punishment, escape and redemption in our criminal justice system. This case involves the following facts:
1. Walsh was a 19 year-old first time offender.
2. Walsh received an unusually harsh sentence for her drug conviction.
3. Walsh escaped and was at large for over 32 years.
4. Walsh has never reoffended in over three decades.
5. Walsh has led the rest of her admirable life with her husband and three children.
6. Walsh was never involved in theft of violence.
7. Walsh is obviously no threat to public safety.
8. Walsh suffered over a year in prison and many years living in fear of capture.
9. Walsh’s family needs their wife and mother.
10. Walsh defied the odds of an over 90% failure rate of ex convicts.

The ultimate goal of the Michigan Department Corrections was reached with respect to Walsh.

There are three potential directions for resolving this case:
1. Forcing Walsh to complete her sentence.
2. The court that sentenced Walsh may be able to conduct a new pre-sentence investigation and re-sentence her to a lesser term.
3. Commutation proceedings by the Michigan Parole Board and Governor Jennifer Granholm could finish by ending Walsh and her family’s worst nightmare.

Whatever happens will take many thousands of tax dollars in order to turn the slow wheels of government bureaucracy.

Walsh paid a huge price for her youthful indiscretion already and has demonstrated stellar conduct ever since her escape. Yes, she broke out of prison but more importantly she broke away from the drugs, bad influences and conduct that brought her there.

This is a case where good truly triumphed over evil. We as a society have a duty to make sure Marie Walsh and her family is reunited without further delay.

Illinois Gov. Blagojevich Has Yet Another Taxpayer Joyride Plan

Springfield IL—Governor Rod Blagojevich announced plans to end inner-city violence by throwing $159 million at it.

That reminds me of the time Chicago politicians gave a mere, one million dollars to Jeff Fort, head of the Blackstone Rangers aka The P Stone Nation and finally the El Rukins. Needless to say the politicians only funded the largest gang bloodbath in Chicago’s history. Just imagine what $159 million could do?

Highlights of what Blagojevich wants:
$20 Million for summer meaningless make-work jobs for idle youth, after school hip-hop, basketball and vocational training programs are the plan. Of course they left out any Bill Cosby style programs to change the basic ghetto culture of gangs, drugs and killing.

$50 Million will be given away to fix up or acquire real estate in certain communities. The good news here is Blagojevich can only hand out $50 million to his cronies. That should bring in plenty of kick-backs for those expensive political campaigns.

$40 million in grants to establish a loan program for job-producing small businesses or community organizations. I guess the gangs need their share too!

$10 Million will be used to buy needed equipment. I never knew body bags were so expensive!

The only hope for Black Inner-city kids is to drag them into the White man’s world of the American dream. Medicine, commerce, art, entertainment, and manufacturing make many more millionaires than the ghetto methods.

Blagojevich wants to raid the pockets of hard working taxpayers who have already been bled dry. More productive small business that employs people will disappear because they will be unable to survive the increased tax burdens.

The inner-city Black culture needs to be snuffed out, not perpetuated with so much good money after bad.

I’m A War Hero And Have The National Defense Medal to Prove it!

How can that be when I served as an Army draftee in Germany and not Viet Nam? Yes, it’s true that the only combat I saw was those pillow fights with the local women, and they always won. Perhaps it was despite being out-numbered, I still fought them all gallantly above and beyond the call of duty? Okay I will confess to surrendering and doing what the nice ladies told me to do.

The pictured Nation Defense Medal was the one I earned for simply showing up for duty. Really I’m proud of my service as a medical corpsman as though I won the Congressional Medal of Honor. I earned that medal along with an Honorable Discharge after two years required of active duty.


The feds are prosecuting a despicable politician, Xavier Alvarez, 50, of Pomona, CA. Alvarez ran and was elected for office on his pretend military record platform and the Congressional Medal of Honor he claimed to have earned.

Alvarez pled guilty to violating the Stolen Valor Act of 2005 which is federal misdemeanor and awaits sentencing on July 21.

Jail, probation, fines or parole doesn’t fit this crime. A simple severe beating followed by being tarred, feathered and run out of town should be the price to pay for this jerk.

Fugitive Soccer Mom’s Incredible Demeanor

Undated photo of Marie Walsh and her husband, Alan Walsh with their two daughters.

After leading a law-abiding and productive life 32 years since her escape from a Michigan prison, Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh is still quick to flash a bright smile.

At first I could not understand how anyone could withstand being ripped from their home and loving family and not sink into a sewer of despair at the thought of resuming a 10 to 20 year prison stretch.

Imagine how a wife of 23 years could handle being forced by jailers to remove her wedding ring before they apply the foul delousing spray jails commonly use on all new inmates? Walsh has been captured, put in irons and prison garb and still has an air of amazing style. She seems to be able to turn a handcuff on her wrist into an elegant, diamond tennis bracelet.

For Walsh, her running is finally over. Walsh is also obviously proud of the life she made for herself, her family and friends. Above all Walsh beat the odds for prison convicts by getting completely away from the things that led her astray as a teenager in 1975.

Walsh seems to have real confidence in herself to overcome her troubles and land on her feet with all of her dignity intact.

Walsh has shown by example that her original sentence was far too harsh and that she is no danger to the public. She got caught up in the Drug War dragnet and has ever since paid a very heavy price. Most importantly Walsh learned from her misdeed.

Another price we cannot ignore is the total loss of privacy for Walsh and her family. Marie Walsh’s husband and children really have little choice but to step forward and submit to interrogation by the inquiring minds of the national news media.

I see a great opportunity for every government representative involved in Walsh’s future to show compassion in this very extraordinary and historical case. I only hope they will be able live up to Walsh’s example.

Facts about Commutations in Michigan:

The power to grant commutation rests solely with the Governor. Const. 1963 art. 5 & 14. In Michigan, the Parole Board receives clemency applications, conducts public hearings, and makes formal recommendations to the Governor. The Governor has the power to grant a commutation for any sentence except treason.

Grants of commutation have been rare indeed in Michigan in the last decade. While in the mid-1960s, Governor Romney commuted the sentences of 107 inmates. Twenty years later, Governor Blanchard granted only six commutations -- all but one just before he left office. Governor Engler has granted just five commutations since 1990.

Business, Mall And Employer Rules On Concealed Weapons

Gun violence and fears of armed confrontations inside businesses, malls and restaurants have caused massive private property gun bans in America.

At first blush this seems an issue of private property rights but it’s more about simple fear and a poorly thought out solutions.

Workplace violence was never a problem until our industries disarmed their security people. 45 years ago nearly every security guard in America was armed and crime was insignificant compared to today.

Many say that times have changed and they’re right. Changes were made in the way we deal with crime and gun rights.

As anti-gun rights hysteria spread in America the guards were slowly disarmed. Workplace violence became a new phenomena facilitated by that disarmament.

Las Vegas hotels and Casinos only had armed security until the corporations gained control from those so-called Mob owners in the early 1980s. Take-over robberies never happened and crime in these places was low.

Once the corporate bosses disarmed their security, tourists were being killed during brazen daylight take-over robberies. Casino crime in general was on a huge increase with unarmed security.

In recent years Las Vegas hotels and casinos have quietly rearmed their security staffs by significant percentages and the tourists are much safer.

We’ve learned that laws don’t disarm criminals and neither do the house rules of businesses, malls and restaurants. The house gun prohibitions do disarm the most respectful employees and law-abiding patrons.

Unarmed security officers easily become unarmed hostages and additional victims. Unarmed guards are of little or no value anywhere they are employed.

Among those respectful and law-abiding employees and patrons are well trained military veterans, former cops and experienced hunters and sports shooters.

Perhaps it’s time to change the odds in favor neutralizing deadly threats by ending the unenforceable and meaningless rules. Guns do save lives.

Fugitive Soccer Mom's Story Is Nothing Less Than A Victor Hugo Novel

This time the character Jean Valjean from Hugo’s great tear-jerker novel, Les Misérables, turns out to be a woman!

Susan Leferve now known as Marie Walsh is the escaped convict that fled in 1976 from a severe 10 to 20 year prison term. She has turned her life around and lived the American dream with her husband and three children as a lawful and productive member of society.

Javert the policeman, chased Valjean for his entire career all over France. The Michigan Department of Corrections has their own Javert aided by the US Marshall's service.

Unfortunately, a 1832 national insurrection pre-dating the French Revolution brought death to most of the compelling characters in Les Misérables.

If every offender in this country could follow Leferve’s lead by escaping and to never reoffend we’d be living in a true Utopia. We want our criminals to change their ways but it’s a very rare day when that happens.

Some say it’s a terrible example to wipe LeFerve’s slate clean just because the fugitive turned her life completely around. I say the opposite is true, LeFevere should serve as an example that good things can happen when criminals change their evil ways.

LeFerve already waived extradition and Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm has the power to commute LeFever’s sentence. The parole board will hear requests and take testimony from citizens before making recommendations to Governor Granholm.

LINKS:
Hear Detroit , WJR Radio host Frank Beckmann talk to Russ Marlan of Michigan Department of Corrections, about the Susan LeFevre case.

If you want to help LeFerve here is how you can do so.

Michigan Department Of Corrections Information.

Another Phoenix Simmer Is Almost Here...

Hell is Phoenix, Arizona in the summertime. It gets so hot you believe you’re in a blast furnace. But if you have a good imagination you can visualize this. Snow is so rare in Phoenix I had to stop and capture this video. Scott Drier will sing, Pure Imagination just for you!

Death By Hanging--For A victimless Crime

America has waged a long and sordid war against gambling, pornography, prostitution and drugs.

Of course we had a very bloody war against alcohol too. Vice brings the scorn of religious folks that want us all to live Christ-like. I don’t see anything wrong with being Christ-like, but for our government’s demand that we follow religious ideals.

Vice crimes are a victimless classification of offenses that have purely religious origins.

Sometimes people are kidnapped to work as sex slaves and that is absolutely a concern of any government. That’s not a valid excuse for government to try and regulate anyone’s sex life. There are lots of valid laws that regulate kidnapping.

Today Deborah Jeane Palfrey, known as the "D.C. Madam," hanged herself rather that deal with a 55 year prison term she faced for hurting nobody. I find the penalties themselves shocking and the suicide revolting. I cannot see a lengthy prison term as somehow a better option than death.

Our prisons mix cannibals, deranged perverts and purely violent people with gentle prisoners. Inmates are all treated poorly by a miserable underclass of government workers misleadingly called correctional officers. Simple loss of freedom is pale by comparison.

Presently the United States has more people in prison per capita than any other country. Why do we throw good money after bad destroying lives over petty vice crimes? I don’t think that’s what Christ ever intended.

A Mom And Her Family Need Your Help!

Please Call or write Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

For a stupid teenage indiscretion in illegal drug commerce in 1975, Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh was sent to prison in Michigan. She accepted responsibility and got a draconian 10 to 20 year sentence.

Lefevre turned her life around and is a wife and mother of three fortunate children today. She’s avoided drugs, crime and the lifestyle that led to her going to prison. She did what less than ten percent of ex-convicts can do. She was never arrested for another offense.

Lefevre felt threatened in prison and found a way to escape with the help of her grandfather in 1976. LeFevre spent the next three decades keeping a terrible secret fearing every knock at the door. That knock came last Thursday and she is on her way back to Hell.

I’ve investigated this woman and firmly believe she should be forgiven and have her sentence commuted at once. I can’t imagine the horror her family is going trough right now.

Here is the whole story complete with links to interviews


I don’t see much help for this woman other than courageous clemency action by Michigan Governor, Jennifer M. Granholm. She will need time to investigate and determine if LeFevre is even worthy of the expense of extradition.

The Governor is really LeFerve’s only hope. I’m asking all of my readers to contact the Governor and send this woman back to her family. Then e-mail this article to everyone you know.

The governor’s contact information is below:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
PHONE: (517) 373-3400
PHONE: (517) 335-7858 - Constituent Services
FAX:(517) 335-6863

A side note: 05/03/08-Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is now home, resting after undergoing surgery for intestinal obstruction stemming from an auto accident 15 years ago.

Even so the Governor is on top of Marie Walsh’s frightening situation. I know the governor wants to see a fair and humanitarian solution to Walsh’s Commutation investigation and proceedings.

I wish the Governor Godspeed to a full recovery.

Marie Walsh’s attorney is:
Paul Denenfeld, Esquire
Yates, LaGrand & Denenfeld PLLC
161 Ottawa Avenue, N.W., Suite 404
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
Phone: 616-356-1770
Fax: 616-356-1772

Boomer Please! Stay Out Of Chicago!

Boomer is a two year-old African lion who ran away from home. His home was with a resident of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg Indian Reservation near Ottowa Canada.

The cat’s owner claims Boomer is only a harmless pet. I suspect that the “harmless” claim has fallen on deaf ears as police aided with helicopters are searching for Boomer right now.

I heard Boomer was on his way to Chicago where he wants to become the mascot for any winning sports team.

Please Boomer! Turn around and go home before it’s too late! I sure hope history does not repeat itself again...

The Long Arm Of The Law Reaches Out Through Time Again

SAN DIEGO – Susan Lefevre was a teen who made some bad choices and found herself sent to prison for a 10 to 20 year term for drug dealing by a Saginaw county court after she pled guilty in 1975.

Soon Lefevre’s grandfather helped her break out of the what's mow called the Robert Scott Correctional Facility located in Plymouth and she’s been on the lam ever since.

Lefevre fled to California and It’s abundantly clear she learned the lesson her lifestyle brought her. Lefevre changed her ways and chose the life of a clean living, suburban San Diego housewife, and soccer mom.

According to a US Marshall’s spokesman the fugitive changed her name to Marie Walsh and evaded capture until late last week. Someone ratted out the 53 year-old absconder to the Michigan Department of Corrections. That led to her capture.

Lefevre’s husband and three children were unaware of her secret.

Punishment was administered but was interrupted for over three decades. Carrying around the secret and looking over your shoulder for so long is severe punishment in and of itself. Rehabilitation of criminals is the ultimate goal of our society and that goal has been reached in this case.

Lefevre faces swift and certain extradition to Michigan where she faces additional escape charges which may destroy the rest of this woman’s life. Her family must be enduring a frightening and heartbreaking nightmare.

Susan Lefevre is a victim of our failed Drug War. The drug laws created an opportunity for a teen to engage in some very lucrative commerce. That opportunity only existed because the drug prohibition made drugs worth far more than their weight in gold.

For now Michigan officials will decide issues while she is in custody over the next several months. Issues like an additional escape prosecution, new sentencing by the original court, or clemency.

I hope they find a way to administer compassion as well as punishment in Michigan. I want very much to see a commutation of Lefevre’s sentence allowing her to go home.

Read more bout this case and see video of an interview with the fugitive here.

A better interwiew can be found here.

Here is a high school photo of Lefevre before her arrest.