He Served His Country

Gerald R. Ford has passed away. This man answered the call of his country with dignity and grace. Rest in peace Mr. President.

Merry Christmas

I could not top this Christmas story from so long ago when I was a young cop. I am republishing this because it’s really special to me and I hope everyone else that reads it.

I remember working every Christmas of my life when I was a cop. I never really minded that because it was always an easy day.

One such Christmas, We received a disturbance call and responded to a rat hole apartment building on Chicago's Roosevelt Road. We came in expecting trouble but found no disturbance. The problem was that the mom and dad of the house could not operate their brand new Polaroid camera.

The apartment was modest, but clean and tidy with fresh cake and cookies on the table. Our mom and dad were both unable to read the camera instruction book. There were five kids with their presents that needed to get their pictures taken next to their Christmas tree. That was a quick fix. Before we left we took pictures of the whole family all smiling and happy.

One thing more, there was a cross and the wall with a picture of Jesus Christ. In the middle of poverty there were some lucky children being raised by two parents that had some dignity and pride. That made my Christmas a little more enjoyable.

Crime, Guns and Video Tape wishes all our visitors a wonderful Holiday Season!

A Montage For A Young Fallen Police Hero

Young Michael Gordon became a cop as did his father and other members of his family. Michael's law enforcement career included service as an Army MP, spending two years as a cop in suburban Riverside where his father served as an assistant chief and two years as a Chicago cop. That was until a drunken driver and illegal alien snuffed out Michael’s life while he was on routine patrol in 2004.

Michael’s brother, John Gordon sent me this bittersweet video montage tribute to a young role model and fallen officer. I’m honored to post it for my visitors.

You can learn more about Michael Gordon here.

Long Beach PD Identifies Cop Shooter Suspect

Two Long Beach police officers were critically wounded after making a routine traffic stop yesterday. Tonight the officers, identified by Chief Anthony Batts as 37-year-old Abe Yap, a nine-year veteran and 39-year-old Roy Wade, Jr.. They both are still both fighting for their lives at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center.

Wade, sustained the worst injuries, he was shot multiple times in the chest and throat. The rookie police officer is described by Batts as a gentle giant who wanted to become a professional basketball player. Wade was only three weeks out of the police academy.

Police officials say the officers were shot Friday afternoon when they pulled over a White Nissan, SUV when the driver, now identified as 36-year-old Oscar Manuel Gallegos got out and opened fire on the officers

Gallegos was described as a local thug by Batts who disclosed his extensive criminal record that includes Assault With A Deadly Weapon, Terrorist Threats and drug charges. Batts also revealed that the suspect is an illegal alien who has been deported several times in the past.

Mexico and many other Latin American countries have exported their poverty, crime and violent criminals here unchecked for far too long. This while our government has elected to not enforce the laws enacted through our representatives. That begs the big question, How Many victims must there be before we seal the borders and deport the criminal aliens?

Miss Nevada USA’s Raunchy Romp Photos

I guess raunchy material is a big part of today’s happening pop culture. Bad girls get to go everywhere is a fact of life. The days of these things ending careers are over except in convents. I predict a bright and prosperous future in entertainment for Katie Rees wearing the red top. This is the real deal fromSplash News. Warning! The photos are graphic!

The Best Two TV Series Ever

They just can’t write scripts and produce shows like this anymore! The openings of these great action packed shows are right here…

Those TSA Passenger Searches Can’t Stop Determined Terrorists

Those who read this vlog know that I’m a perennial critic of the TSA passenger-searching program. It’s both un-American and ineffective in prevention of terrorism. Americans have been brainwashed into believing that the system is somehow saving lives. Law enforcement people know that the only effective means of terrorist prevention is through profiling passengers for those common dominators shared by real terrorists.

Our practice of allowing non-citizens from hostile nations to fly on our airplanes is absolutely insane. It’s another 9/11 disaster waiting to happen. We simply don’t need to allow this to be happening.

We also know that no American airport could repel or defeat a surprise-attack from a small squad of heavily armed terrorists. Hundreds of unarmed passengers would be rounded up like sheep and slaughtered before enough police reinforcements could ever be brought in.

The security program hosted by the TSA is only a lame effort to convince ignorant passengers that they are somehow safe. Searching America’s grandmothers like criminals on the other hand is both offensive and a waste of valuable resources.

Here is a video that demonstrates a virtually undetectable explosive that can be disguised as prescription pills, vitamins, candy or dozens of harmless objects. These are called binary explosives. X-Ray and bomb sniffing machines are easily defeated.

The Iraq Study Group Repeating History

Here is that video parody on the Baker Iraq Study Group and their recommendations.

Marion Barry Plans to Sue Cops

This crackhead and former mayor of D.C. got popped again this weekend. This time it was the U.S. Park Police arresting Barry for driving on a suspended driver’s license. Barry was treated to handcuffs, a perpwalk and yet another new Glamour Shot.

The allegations of racial profiling were flying everywhere after Barry was stopped and arrested. The stop was initiated when police observed Barry driving too slowly. Driving very slowly is one of the more common signs that a driver is impaired by alcohol, drugs or both.

My guess is that Barry is just gathering new credentials so he can run for Mayor again in this lawless town. Until then, Barry promised to go after the cops and motor vehicle department in court.

How Can This Be True?

We’ve spent hundreds of billions of tax dollars and incarcerated millions of Americans over this natural weed. Not only is this the number one cash crop but it also provides untold jobs for law enforcement, court workers, and a huge number of government contractors. Let us not forget paid government snitches.

The drug war has become a joke as millions of illegal aliens are drawn to this country to earn a living in the drug underworld. Have people stopped using marijuana because it’s against the law? How can America’s politicians be so dumb as to believe the drug prohibitions do anything but increase profits of criminals? I hate drug abuse but have learned long ago the Drug War is worse then the drugs themselves. The take for the Marijuana industry alone is $35 billion a year.

Chicago Taxpayers Paid Well Over $60K For Gun “Buy Back” Program

The deal was simple bring in a gun and leave with a card worth $50.00 0r $100.00 cash with no questions asked. If you have a shotgun and first saw the barrel short and you could get paid double!

Last week, bureaucrats and various do-good organizations handed your hard earned tax money over to local thieves and burglars. It cost taxpayers well over $60K for 1200 guns. Most of the guns turned in were old and of questionable serviceability.

A few of the guns are rare collector’s items suitable for museums but unless these surrendered guns are stolen along the way they will be destroyed. That’s happened in the past with thousands of guns entrusted to Chicago officials such as, General Francis P. Kane who later resold the guns to gang members and was never prosecuted.

This cash burning silliness will only cause the void in the marketplace to be replenished with the latest and greatest firearms made. I wonder who may have been murdered so some criminal could steal their guns in order to profit from this City of Chicago fencing operation. With taxpayer’s cash in their pocket criminals can buy drugs and more reliable guns.

The streets will not be safer, but gun-hating politician and bureaucrats will feel so much better. So will the people that make their living replenishing the gun supply.

None of the press reports revealed who financed this scam. It took an e-mail request to a Tribune reporter to even learn as expected that this was a taxpayer rip-off.

AN UPDATE: New information from SECOND CITY COP provides lots of details, that you can read here.

Am I Living In The Musical Past Again?

Perhaps I am! In the late 60’s a song hit the charts that has ever since been sung by loads of singers of every description. Never once was I lucky enough to see the original artist, Bob Lind sing his great hit, Elusive Butterfly. Originally this song was recorded with an orchestra complete with violins. Here is Bob Lind alone outdoors with only a guitar and his voice in more recent times. Here is another real treat!


Here he is as a kid doing the song!

Yet Another Crimefile Adventure And A Treat!

Okay my life has taken unusual turns. I can’t truthfully say what I’ll be doing from one moment to the next. I’ve never been one to like the routine.

Not long ago I was lucky enough to get some voice coaching from a good friend who is a real pro that just happens to be an Emmy Award winning singer, writer and producer. This lady, Sue Ann Pinner prepared me for a musical theater production.

Sue Ann had already released four CD’s with her remarkable voice that have sold internationally. During a short break from the lesson Sue Ann played a melody she wrote on her piano. It was a magical melody that had no companion lyrics. Suddenly I had an Illumination! Yep, I saw the light! Until this very moment nobody has written a song about the remarkable life of a great man who recently passed away. I went on a quest to research the man’s life beyond what I already knew.

I’m a fan of story songs such as Marty Robbins’, El Paso, Jimmy Dean’s, Big Bad John and Gordon Lightfoot's, Edmund Fitzgerald. I sat down and wrote the biography and then with Sue Ann at the piano and together we crafted the final words to this song for that wonderful haunting melody. The result was the title track for Sun Ann’s latest CD, ILLUMINATION.

Who is the man Sue Ann sings about? I will give you a hint with this short clip of Illumination but you will just have to guess or buy the CD to find out. As for the other songs on this great CD. They’re showstoppers for sure. You can hear a tease portion of Illuminattion by clicking the play button below.

You can download this music and other musci fron Sue Ann Pinner at iTunes Store and napster.com

Of course you can always order this CD right here!

you can also buy it and hear clips from all selections at CD Baby.

New York Newspaper Endangers Gun Owner's Personal Safety

It’s The Journal News, and it placed on line for worldwide viewing the entire pistol permit database providing full names and zip codes of every pistol owner in Westchester and Rockland New York.

In America you have a right to keep and carry a gun. Some believe you also have a right to privacy. It’s outrageous that citizens are forced to get a license to exercise their right to possess a gun and then have their privacy invaded and lives placed in danger by both government and some local rag as a result.

The publication of the list of gun owners now provides every contract killer, home invader and burglar with this sensitive information. It was a horrible thing to do under the color of journalistic work product. Publishing the list just because it's there and a public record, does not make this somehow acceptable or reasonable.

Of course I can see additional harm where paranoid local employers abuse the list to avoid hiring or promoting gun owners. One can only guess what other harm can come from this shameful publication.

Of course what this pathetic rag fails to mention is that convicted felons and people otherwise barred from possession such as illegal aliens cannot be prosecuted for failure to obtain permits or resister their firearms. The United States Supreme Court has twice ruled that requirement violates Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

New York, their politicians along with their muck-racking organizations are committed to do anything they can to obstruct, tax or otherwise punish lawful gun owners.

This is just one more reason for Americans to revolt against the deprivation of their firearms rights by refusal to participate in schemes that tax, invade privacy or otherwise infringe on the right to keep and bear arms. Gun owners can simply refuse to convict people of gun law violations when serving on jury duty.

It was not long ago that the personal data from driver’s licenses and motor vehicles where shut down from public viewing by Congress for reasons of public safety.

Of course the home address of every former or retired cop that owns a pistol can be obtained as a public record from the government agencies that issue the permits. Somehow I don’t see that as good public policy.

I’m posting a link here to the Journal’s database so all gun owners can see this outrage with their own eyes and take whatever steps necessary to prevent this from being repeated elsewhere.

Time Magazine Person Of The Year

Time recognized the creators and consumers of the new Internet media free for all as the Person Of The Year. That’s the millions of people writing, filming, watching and reading blogs, vlogs and Youtube. The new technology has revolutionized the way we get and share our information, performances and thoughts. The question is not if but when government reglates and taxes this to death?

Another Chicago Police Video

I’m not sure where this one came from but it’s described on Youtube as, “Two young recruits from the Swedish police academy spend a few weeks with members of the Chicago’s police department. Only trailer.”

The Official Crimefile Review of LETTERS FROM IWO JIMA

In mid October I was treated to a screening of the Clint Eastwood, Steven Speilberg first offering, Flags of Our Fathers. I had no clue they made a second film to tell the other side of this story. Today I saw this screening in Hollywood.

In every war as the bodies of the dead are collected it’s those personal effects found that tell the story behind the life that was snuffed out by the horrors of combat. They are the photographs of the families and those heartbreaking letters. War is dehumanizing and too often motions pictures never show the other side of the conflict. The World War II films from Hollywood used ethnic slurs like kraut or Jap to describe hateful and faceless enemy soldiers. The truth is that it’s always the conscripts who fight to maintain their way of life in their own country. These lads are sent fight all wars started by politicians and dictators.

For the Japanese soldiers there was no glory in their shameful defeat. Unimaginable hardship, fear and loneliness are always the constant companion of the combat soldier. Imagine going home to an enemy occupation of your homeland if you survived the war.

This epic is told from the point of view of, Saigo a young husband, father to be that had his little family bakery shut down and his equipment confiscated by his government for the war effort. Soon he was drafted to presumably die for his country. A 22-year old actor, Kazunari Ninomiya rocked in this role hopefully to an Oscar Award. .

Ken Watanabe, convincingly plays, General Tadamichi Kuribayashi and is at the top of his game acting in both English and Japanese.

I can’t recommend either of these two contenders enough as must see films.

The official website.

LAPD Promotional Sex Mess In The News

Wealth and power are the most reliable aphrodisiacs that attract women. Such may be the case at the LAPD where a sex sandal is rocking the department these days. I’m not passing judgment on the allegations involved but this may give new meaning to "Oral Boards".

This is an incredibly timeless story where only the names and dates change. Here is a link to this sordid tale that’s winding its way through the courts in Los Angeles.

Happy Anniversary for Crimefile News Visitors!

It was a year ago today that I suffered a profound hearing loss and inability to do many of the things I normally do everyday.

I was picked for an acting role of a recurring character in a primetime TV series after an audition and two callbacks. Just a few days later, I was out of the makeup chair and on the set. I could not hear the director or anyone else. The director quickly lost patience and I was replaced. Needless to say that has also affected much of the other work I do along the way.

To keep from going nuts I began this blog turned vlog. My doctors told me that the hearing loss would be temporary and they were right. It just took a lot longer then they anticipated for me to hear again. Finally my hearing has returned nearly 90% and for that I’m grateful. This vlog has made a little lemonade out of some really sour lemons.

I learned some new tricks along the way about blogging, vlogging and the related technology. I hope my difficulties have brought a little humor, entertainment and at the same time shed some light on how precious our Liberty and Freedom really is in this country. I’ve had fun because of all you fine folks that visit Crime, Guns and Video Tape.

A Video Montage Of Chicago Police At Work

I received a video this morning that provides a rare exhibition of Chicago’s finest at work. This is an artsy montage of photos and video clips going as far back as the Haymarket Riot and decades later 1968 Democratic National Convention. This is a must see video I think everyone will enjoy.