The Death Penalty for Dummies

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 would have been committed by the decedent.

The Death Penalty is an entirely different matter.  This is a pre-meditated murder of an accused suspect.  It is the product of our local, state and federal governments along with their appointed bureaucrats.  We all know how unreasonable government can be.  We have a criminal justice system that is awash in wrongful convictions, corruption and incompetence.

Our jury system fails when our government’s judges keep evidence from being seen by juries.   It fails yet again when jurors are not allowed to consider or even know what punishment the accused defendants faces.

No matter what your political persuasion may be you will see politicians elected or otherwise put in office that you distrust, dislike and even hate.  Do you want a government run by what you consider an evil politician to have the ability to have you arrested, tried, convicted and executed?  You may like who is in office right now but that can and does change in a heartbeat.

Keeping someone in a cage for life, with crappy food, harsh prison temperatures and abject loneliness is punishment that far exceeds a merciful lethal injection.   Just imagine what that would be like.

For taxpayers the Death Penalty is a total disaster.  The pst-cnviction litigation must run its course usually through a state court system of appeals and once that happens the Habeas Corpus efforts begin with a federal judge and winds its way to the U.S. Supreme Court.  That process can take 30 years to complete and usually costs many millions of dollars.  Needless to say you pick up both the prosecution and defense’s legal tab.  It’s much cheaper to imprison someone for life. 

The Death Penalty has never been a crime deterrent beyond making sure the executed cannot reoffend.

With respect to every government on earth sooner or later history redundantly shows that they go bad and begin to slaughter their own citizens.  The Death Penalty is a control tool for Communists, Socialists and every Muslim Nation.   It’s a tool for America’s Far Left Wing.  You don’t see Obama or his political minions calling for ending this vile practice.  Ask yourselves, why not?  What’s past is prologue.   

Please pass this around to your conservative friends.

Another story of Guns saving Lives Through Self Defense

Court Sentencing and Victim Impact Statements are about Showmanship, Not Justice

Cleveland, OH—Prosecutors lobbied lawmakers everywhere to create sentencing extravaganzas.  This is where so-called Victim Impact Statements are made.  Prosecutors have really succeeded in the efforts to change court rules under the popular guise of giving victims a voice.  It sounds like such a admirable effort until you closely examine what its really about. 

Sentencing has changed into nothing more than a variation of the old time-honored Perpwalk for the defendants.  For the victims it’s little more than a perverted form of a Pity Party.

Today admitted kidnapper, rapist and fetus killer Ariel Castro got his turn for the spectacle.  Victim Michelle Knight dramatically told Castro, “You will Face Hell.”

They always begin by parading in the defendant into court in jail garb and chains.  Everyone is already aware of what sentence is coming to be handed out and nothing here ever changes the actual punishment.  In Castro's case it's 1,000 years.  

Normally the defendant is asked to make a statement.  They usually maintain their innocence, mitigate their conduct or transfer blame to others.  Sometimes they are remorseful.  Their words always fall on deaf ears.  I guess there is voyeuristic fun to watch chained up miscreants squirm, stutter or remain arrogant.  It’s all really so pointless.

The victims and or their families are also paraded through the courtrooms, but as pitiful creatures.  They are rarely good public speakers and read from writings they collected on paper.  They often sob, express anger and almost never express sympathy for the defendant.  They are often nervous and very uncomfortable while speaking.   I’ve yet to see a crime victim win fame or fortune as a result of their exposure in these Victim Impact Spectacles. The same is true for obtaining closure. 

Some so-called victims like the estranged father of Ron Goldman try to capitalize on their new fame.  Fred Goldman was a suit salesman who even got the opportunity to become a radio talk show host.  His continual whining about O.J. Simpson could only be tolerated so long and he was quickly and unceremoniously taken off the air.  Goldman never had a second act.  Goldman bitterly returned to his former occupation.  

The word closure is repeated ad nauseam.  Closure is a word picked by prosecutors to coax crime victims to participate in these Sentencing Spectacles.  It’s nothing more than a false promise.  For real victims there is never closure. Time is the only healer, certainly not some emotional post conviction courtroom confrontation.

The use of Victim Impact Statements by prosecutors is for pure political gain on the backs of victims and nothing more.  The Victim Impact statements are here to stay because of the insatiable and morbid curiosity of court watchers.

The three women kidnapped, raped and imprisoned for years have begun to explore the marketability with appearances at events and such.  I wish them well but I’m skeptical that they can break the mold of publicly displayed victimization to find rewarding careers. 

HELP! HELP! HELP! I need help from my pals!

Amsterdam, NL-KLM Airlines is running a contest for videos where people like me have to pronounce the Dutch translation of Royal Dutch Airlines.  I know that there is nearly always humor in watching people struggle through pronouncing words and phrases. It’s a cute marketing idea.  I have entered the contest and I MUST win!

More importantly the Netherlands is a terrific summer destination that offers terrific art, culture, flowers and food.  There are historical places everywhere and the World Court is at the Haag.  The Dutch worked very hard to protect victims of Nazi tyranny during the war and nothing demonstrates that better than the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam.

Please watch my video below so that it gets lots of hits.   I’d love doing some video blog stories from there.  I will also try and get a video interview of my favorite actress Carice van Houten too while I’m there.

Okay Please  watch and share my video below so often I can win my trip.

Where is the Motivation for the Young to Succeed in or World

Chicago, IL—As a young man I wound up drafted into the Army, trained and given orders for combat duty in Vietnam in an Air Cavalry unit.  That would have put me in the thick of the worst time of the war in 1968.

Somehow I was the only member of my Light Weapons Infantry unit at Fort Ord to get derailed to Germany instead.  I was able to win a Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) change to a medical corpsman.  I had great test scores and got the spot despite not having attended medical corpsman school at Ft. Sam Houston.  I got a crash course from doctors and nurses and loved that assignment. 

After I was discharged I wanted to return to being a cop.  What a mistake that was. Okay I was a poor kid with no parents to help me financially and I was afraid of the massive math I would be forced to learn before calculators were available.  I would have to conquer the slide rule that was viewed by me to be an instrument of the devil.   Okay, I was a coward for not risking all to perhaps win or fail. 

In Chicago I had two friends that had fast powerboats and would spend summer weekends out on Lake Michigan.  We’d take our girlfriends out and party away with complete abandon.  Sometime in the middle of the lake we’d throw bottles overboard and engage in target practice with our guns.  You will have to just guess what else went on as I celebrated my youth.

At the harbor was the Burnham Park Harbor Yacht Club.  It has a bar a restaurant for the well-heeled customers.  The bar area was always loaded with really attractive women.  Occasionally I’d walk through the bar in and out of police uniform.  To my disappointment I found myself all but invisible to these hot babes.

One day, a Henrotian Hospital emergency room physician and his girlfriend joined us on one of our boat parties.  We had returned to the harbor because he had to work his shift at the hospital.   The young doctor left our boat with his girlfriend leaving his medical bag behind.  When I discovered this I grabbed the bag and took and entered the yacht club to call the hospital and let him know we had his bag. 

I had his bag like the one above with the stethoscope wrapped around the top.  As I passed the bar area the hot babes discovered me!  They would not leave me alone!  One shamelessly gave me her phone number.  Suddenly I realized the ladies found me irresistible because of the bag I was carrying.  I was no longer invisible. I still did not get it and turned my back on the seemingly impossible dream of medical school.

Nowhere in my childhood did a single teacher ever tell me that wealth awaits those who can cut medical school.  It was the same with the other occupations that are well known to create millionaires. This was the greatest disservice to me, and the others they were supposed to me mentoring.

Meet “The People’s Court”

Berlin's Sony Center

Berlin, Germany-Just outside the beautiful and spectacular Sony Center Shopping mall here there is a simple sidewalk brass marker.  It is a reminder of terrible time in history when total judicial tyranny was practiced under National Socialism 1933-1945.  Murder under color of law was the mission of the Chief Justice, Roland Freisler.  

Freisler served in the WWI German Military where he was wounded and captured by Russians.  While in captivity, Freisler embraced Marxism turning his back on his homeland.  He joined the Communist party upon release but once again switched his allegiance joining the burgeoning Nazi Party.  Frisler proved to be quite a social climber.

Dr. Roland  Freisler

Freisler was a lawyer and was later appointed by Adolph Hitler as the People’s Court President.  It has been said that he Freisler constantly proving himself as a super Nazi to counter those who questioned his changing loyalties.

Freisler was ruthless and merciless as he sent over 5,000 German men, women and teenagers to the guillotine or gallows for even the most minor acts of resistance.  Evidence presented before the court was often simple hearsay.   The People’s Court court acquitted only a scant few before it.

Freisler was also one of Hitler’s Judges that made sure everything done by the Nazi government was legal. He was also chosen as one of 15 high ranking Nazis that promulgated the Holocaust at the Wansee Conference during a two-hour luncheon.

Freisler escaped the hangman when he was killed during an Allied bombing raid on February 3, 1945 successfully targeted the People’s Court building.  Rather than take refuge in a bomb shelter Freisler was busy safeguarding case files of those he was trying to murder.

Americans have a strong Constitution that contains a Bill of Rights.  Freisler's spirit is alive today and exists in every courtroom of the world where judges refuse or fail to protect the rights of those unfortunate enough to appear before them. We must make doubly sure that as our judges that lose sight of their duty to protect citizen’s rights are brought to book and harshly punished for any and all tyrannical acts. 

This Brass Marker translated into English reads:

“On this site 1935-1945 was the entrance to the People’s Court.

In violation of fundamental principles of constitutional justice, they condemned more than five thousand people to death.  Freedom was taken from even a higher number that were targeted for persecution and extermination of all opposed to the Nazi regime.”

Learn more about Roland Freisler in this video:

Services For Chicago Cop/Actor Dennis Farina in Chicago

Dennis Farina 

Chicago, IL--Dennis Farina was bigger than life as a a cop and actor. He made lots of friends and never forgot his roots in the Windy City.  I know a lot of cops that will want to pay their respects.
The schedule of events are as follows:
Monday, July 29, 2013 – Wake, 4:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Montclair-Lucania Funeral Home

6901 West Belmont Avenue

Chicago, IL 60634

773.622.9300

Tuesday, July 30, 2013 – Service, 10:00 a.m.

Assumption Catholic Church

323 West Illinois Street

Chicago, IL 60654

312.644.0036 (Phone)

312.644.1838 (Fax)

Burial private

  

Some History and a Guide for my Chicago Cop Brothers and Sisters on Concealed Carrying Civilians.

Chicago, IL—The laws that were in place here for decades made carrying a concealed weapon by anyone other that a sworn peace officer, and few others a felony (UUW Unlawful Use of a Weapon).

It was after police encountered mass killer Richard Speck with a concealed gun in 1966 that attitudes significantly changed.  Speck had just  slaughtered  eight student nurses and was not yet identified as the killer.  Just days later he was at the old Raleigh Hotel on the near North side, where he got into a fee dispute with a local prostitute and threatened her with a gun.

Mass Murderer Richard Benjamin Speck

The police were called and it was not handled as an emergency.  Cops responded, confronted and frisked Speck.  They found his .38 snub-nosed revolver.   Rather than arrest Speck the simply did what cops did in those days.  Since nobody was injured they just confiscated Speck’s gun and sent him on his way.  Rather than inventory the seized gun the cops kept it for their own use.

Soon Speck was identified and arrested after a young physician Dr. Leroy Smith identified him at the Cook County Hospital Emergency Room.  Dr. Smith collected a nice reward but I must confess that a cop working the wagon transporting Speck to the hospital actually figured out who he was hauling.  Legend has it that since the cop could not collect the reward himself he worked out a deal with Dr. Smith to split the proceeds 50/50.

Once the late and great Chicago police superintendent, Orlando W. Wilson learned about the missed opportunity to pinch Speck with the gun he made some big departmental changes.  All, “Man with a gun” calls were handled with lights and sirens.  A zero tolerance policy for UUW was put in place.  All guns recovered were to be inventoried and submitted to the crime lab for elimination testing for all unsolved crimes where fired bullets or shell casings were recovered.

Police recruits attending the academy were given special indoctrination about making UUW arrests.  It became a departmental unwritten standard that every cop that made a UUW arrest would be rewarded with 8 hours of compensatory time off.   Gun pinches were a sure way to boost officer’s efficiency ratings.

This gun policy was not about officer safety but simply suspending the Second Amendment.  I must chime in here that the UUW pinches were nearly always incident upon the arrest for other and often far more serious violations of law.  Otherwise law-abiding citizens carrying guns were not getting involved in criminal events and simply not getting frisked.  That’s always been the case.

In 1968 the Illinois Legislature made the law requiring people buying or possessing firearms or ammunition to submit to a background investigation and obtain a Firearm Owner’s Identification Card.  The cards are routinely suspended and revoked for issues involving restraining orders, mental commitments and arrests.

For Chicago cops some fear that those with permits and concealed weapons will suddenly endanger them.   Today we have lots of data that shows there is no additional threat when the law-abiding are allowed to carry concealed firearms.  They come from every state in our union.

Cops need to be considered all people they come into contact with to be armed until proven otherwise.  All reasonable precautions remain the same. 

As for traffic stops and such there needs to be an exchange of simple kindness.  The gun-carrying citizens should discreetly tell the officers that he is authorized by permit and is armed.  The cops should in turn treat that gun-packing citizen as part of the solution to violence rather than the problem.  It has been the statistical experience that those folks holding the permits are an incredibly honorable and peaceful bunch. 

There are those anti-gun advocates love to throw out inflated statistics about revoked CCW permits.  The truth is many permits are suspended or revoked on misinformation, error and data failures.  Then there are those arrested after s shooting who are later cleared and have their permits reinstated.

Former Chicago Police Burglary Detective Turned Actor Dennis Farina, Dead at 69

Scottsdale, AZ—I’m sad to report on the death of 18 year Chicago police veteran and accomplished actor Dennis Farina.  He died suddenly this morning in Scottsdale from a blood clot in his lung.

Farina enjoyed life as a burglary detective at the old Area Six headquarters at Damen and Grace Avenues.  He along with others in his unit handled the follow-up investigations to countless high-dollar burglaries on the Windy City’s North side.  

I first met Farina when I was asked to cover for another cop at an off duty job working security for Goldbaltt’s Department Store located in Chicago’s Uptown neighborhood.  Like most cops we both had a second gig to make a few bucks.

Farina attended St. Michael’s High School on North Sedgwick Street as I did until my mother could not pay the tuition.  I was quickly exiled to public school.

Around 1979 legendary film director Michael Mann was putting together his film Thief, starring James Caan.  Mann somehow hooked up with the late Robbery sergeant, Chuck Adamson and Farina.  

Back then Farina was doing “burning bar” demonstrations for district patrol officers like me at various National Guard armories. Burglars were having a grand time quickly cutting into the best vaults in the larger supermarkets and jewelry stores with the burning bar.  This highly visual form of larceny soon became immortal on the silver screen. 

Thief has a terrific scene where the burning bar is used that set Cann’s character apart from that of some ordinary burglar.  Mann put both Adamson and Farina in that film in acting roles.  Farina’s acting chops were a still work in progress but Adamson proved himself very well.  Adamson went on to be a screenwriter creating the TV series Crime Story that starred Farina and along the way he wrote some episodes of Miami Vice. 

Farina soon took a leave of absence to pursue acting and quickly proved himself as a fine actor.   He landed roles on the small and large screen as well as stage.  He’s probably best known for his role on Law & Order.

My personal favorite was Farina’s somewhat recent portrayal of an ageing small time Chicago hustler in the Second City film production of, “The Last Rites of Joe May.”  I saw it at a special screening at the Screen Actor’s Guild in Los Angeles.

As for Farina’s personal life he was a very private man who kept many of his friendships with fellow cops.  Farina was a big time golf aficionado and settled in a nice home near Cactus and Pima Roads in Scottsdale.  He quietly lived there with his longtime sweetheart, Marianne Cahill.

Farina had three adult children from his former wife Patricia Farina.  They divorced in 1980 as Farina was transitioning to acting from police work.  

At this time Farina’s funeral arrangements are still being made.  Rather than flowers he’s asked that donations be made to the Cook County 100 Club that aids families of cops killed in the line of duty.

I know we can count upon the Chicago Police Emerald Society to play their legendary bagpipes for Dennis along with is police family at his pending services.

About five years ago I became aware that Farina was undergoing lung cancer treatment at the Loyola Medical Center just West of Chicago.  Disclosure of that information would have ended his acting career because insurance companies would avoid covering productions when a key player may not survive. Farina seemed to be making great progress.  He was a long time smoker.  

I will update this with funeral arrangements as soon as I receive them from his long time Los Angeles publicist, Lori De Waal. 

Farina's Credits can be found here:  From The Independent Movie Data Base

Berlin’s Somber 69th Anniversary of Col. Claus Von Stauffenberg’s Execution

Here I'm standing at the Bendlerblock memorial for the fallen 20 July conspirators. 

Berlin, Germany—July 20, 1944 was the day that the first of many fine German men were executed for the last known attempt to kill Adolph Hitler. 

The war was a total disaster bringing dishonor and blight on the German people.  A madman with absolute power had caused the needless deaths of nearly 9,000,000 good Germans.  That does not take into account the Holocaust or the deaths of non-Germans.

A group of brave men took on the responsibility to kill Hitler risking all.  There were different failed attempts to Kill Hitler and this was the last of them. 

Col. Claus Von Stauffenberg became the leader of the group and brought a briefcase bomb to the secure field headquarters called Wolfsschanze near Rastenburg East Prussia.

Von Stauffenberg lost an arm and part of his remaining hand.  With only three fingers he was only capable of arming half of the device.  He ill advisedly discarded the unarmed half of the explosives.  There were other environmental issues that reduced the effectiveness of the device. 

The device detonated killing four and wounding 24 others.  Hitler was sparred from all but minor injuries. Von Stauffenberg escaped the Wolfsschanze and flew to Berlin to direct the coup. 

The coup ended quickly after it became known that Hitler survived the blast.  That evening at the Beldlerblock military complex five conspirators including Von Stauffenberg were arrested.  On order from General Fromm they were placed before a firing squad and executed in the courtyard. 

General Ludwig Beck asked for and was given a pistol so he could dispatch himself with dignity.  The others, Gen. Fredich Olbricht, Col. Albrecht Mertz Von Quirnheim ant Lt. Werner Von Haeften faced the firing squad with Von Stauffenberg.

Eventually the Gestapo rounded up 7,000 men and women that they somehow connected to the plot. Many were relentlessly tortured and eventually nearly 5,000 were put through sham show trials and garishly and slowly hanged at the Plotzensee prison using wire.

Every year on this date the surviving families gather for an invitation only ceremony at the Bendlerblock.   They vet the attendees very carefully to prevent disruptions by Neo-Nazi sympathizers.  

Below I have two videos that I shot and edited of my visit to the Bendlerblock military complex that also houses the German Resistance Museum.  The other was shot  at the Plotzensee Prison execution chamber.  The videos were shot with a tiny Flipcam but I think you will find them interesting and watchable.

Stand Your Ground Laws are Natural Rights and Long Time Civil Rights

Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr.

Washington, DC—Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. served on the United States Supreme Court from 1902 until 1932.  Still today he’s probably the most quoted jurist to ever walk the face of the earth.  In 1921 Justice Holmes weighed in on the concept of Stand Your Ground:

"The law has grown, and even if historical mistakes have contributed to its growth, it has tended in the direction of rules consistent with human nature. Many respectable writers agree that, if a man reasonably believes that he is in immediate danger of death or grievous bodily harm from his assailant, he may stand his ground, and that, if he kills him, he has not exceeded the bounds of lawful self-defense. That has been the decision of this Court. Beard v. United States, 158 U. S. 550, 158 U. S. 559. Detached reflection cannot be demanded in the presence of an uplifted knife. Therefore, in this Court at least, it is not a condition of immunity that one in that situation should pause to consider whether a reasonable man might not think it possible to fly with safety or to disable his assailant, rather than to kill him. Rowe v. United States, 164 U. S. 546, 164 U. S. 558.

Moreover, if the last shot was intentional and may seem to have been unnecessary when considered in cold blood, the defendant would not necessarily lose his immunity if it followed close upon the others while the heat of the conflict was on, and if the defendant believed that he was fighting for his life."

Brown v. United States, 256 U.S. 335 (1921) (opinion by Justice Holmes).

Our incredibly ignorant politicians can’t stop trying to tinker with God’s law of survival by punishing those that understandably value their own lives more than that of a criminal attacker.  

Many African-American politicians now want to outlaw strong self-defense laws and the so-called Stand Your Ground laws.  What they don’t get is African-Americans far outnumber other groups for being assaulted and murdered by their own kind. They need these protections more than anyone!

Altering the natural law of self-preservation will do noting but cause the imprisonment of crime victims.  I can’t imagine anyone giving a rat’s ass about some law when they're fighting for their lives.  There is an old saying, “It’s better to be tried by twelve than carried by six.”   Nature’s laws will always trump any and all codes, statutes and ordinances.

The natural law of survival serves as a real deterrent for criminals that understandably must weigh the risks that victimizing someone may bring.  For too many criminals the thought of jail is just not a substantial concern.   

Foolish criminals risk their lives everyday in pursuit of ill-gotten gains or the perverted gratification of bullying, raping and the killing of others.   Protecting criminals is abhorrent public policy of outlawing self-defense that does nothing but feed the community's crime rate.  

American Citizenship is Rapidly Becoming Devalued to Zero

Washington, DC—Our forefathers sacrificed so much so we would have freedom, prosperity and the tools to prevent government from again becoming despotic.   As a nation our citizenship has been the envy of the entire rest of the world.   We have allowed freedom to slip away and the value of our citizenship has rapidly declined.

We built a system where free enterprise created wealth and jobs.  That in turn gave Americans the ability to consume the fruit of their labor. Productivity and excellence was rewarded and accordingly America became the wealthiest and strongest nation on earth.   Today productivity is punished with extortionate taxation at every level of government.

Nearly 100 years passed and Socialists and Communists floated new ideas about government.  These ideas failed in nation after nation but for a few party leaders that could live like royalty through corruption while their citizens were starved, confined and enslaved.  These governments are well known for killing dissidents or anyone wishing to escape from their own homelands.

That did not stop the spread of Socialism and Communism to the USA and our government including the Whitehouse.  Both major political parties are awash with politicians on a united mission, to force the failed Socialist ideas on Americans.  These disloyal politicians all believe the Constitution they were sworn to protect is outdated and irrelevant.

Socialism can only flourish when the vast majority of citizens are totally dependent upon government.  We are at a point where over 50% of the population is impoverished and programed into utter and complete dependence. 

Our Socialists are doing everything they can to increase the population with the ignorant and poor from Mexico and Central America.  The price of admission is simply to break our immigration laws.  Millions more illiterate and unskilled trespassers are being handed citizenship and the right to vote by our Socialist politicians.  That will guarantee a Socialist government in the USA for the next 100 years.

In the mean time our government is moving in efforts to prevent the flight of Americans wanting to emigrate with their assets elsewhere in the world.  The revocation of passports for tax indebtedness has already begun.  At what point does our border patrol begin to use deadly force to keep Americans from leaving?  Don’t say that it can’t or won’t happen because history is redundant with examples proving this point.

In any event our American citizenship is all but worthless today.  Government’s domestic spying is out of control.  Our Criminal justice system has been reduced to show trials.  To make matters worse we are swimming in wrongful convictions because we’ve given prosecutors too much new power. Our free speech is endangered by the very real threat of IRS abuse.  Our politicians have sold Americans on the idea that liberty must be traded for security.  As a result we have morphed into a fascist police state that’s armed with the latest technological super weapons.

Frankly I have no taste for the new America.  Even the Left leaning European nations still understands the horror of fascism and protects liberty better then America.  Americans are fleeing this nation like never before.  

Productive Americans will either have to fight to regain their freedom or submit to slavery.  I just know one thing, each coming day will be darker as our productivity, prosperity and liberty slips completely into a tyrannical Abyss.