Charge Drew Peterson With Murder Or Leave Him Alone

Booking Photo From Will County Jail May 21, 2008

Bolingbrook, IL--Drew Peterson just surrendered to Illinois State Police officers on an arrest warrant. He’s now charged with a highly technical gun law violation. Police now allege that one of Peterson’s rifles they took from him months ago is 3/8th of an inch too short.

At the time the weapon was seized Peterson was a sworn member of the Bolingbrook Police Department and used the rifle as a member of the SWAT team. I don’t think they rounded up the other members of SWAT team that have identical weapons yet.

Measuring barrel length is complicated and outside the training and ability of most cops. BATF agents and local cops have lost hundreds of cases against the people they’ve arrested because they measured improperly.

This arrest was made for the sole purpose of making Peterson a person prohibited from owning firearms so they don’t have to return his seized weapons. They will succeed at least until he is cleared of the charge.

Within a few short weeks we expect that gun laws like those in Illinois may be found to violate the Second Amendment in D.C. vs Heller by the United States Supreme Court. That may end this gun related prosecution.

This is happening on the eve of a court hearing that would have probably brought the return of Peterson’s eleven firearms seized during the fruitless missing person investigation of his current wife and the recently reclassified and reopened death investigation of an earlier wife.

Peterson will be posting $75,000.00 bail after cops waste more time trying to question him despite the fact he has invoked his rights to an attorney and to remain silent.

Indictment for a crime required only a paper thin level of evidence. It’s said prosecutors can get an indictment against a ham sandwich. I guess the same is not true of Drew Peterson.

This is not about Drew Peterson or whether he murdered anyone. This is about our way of life in America. This is our Bill of Rights and Constitutional protections. You’re next!

The actual Criminal Complaint and Arrest Warrant

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A New TV Series That My Readers Will Like, DEAD MAN’S GUN

No, it’s not really new, I just discovered it.

The title is misleading and is less about guns and more about those things we don’t understand like the Twilight Zone brought us so long ago. Mystical justice, poetic justice and the human element are showcased in the series with superb changing cast members.

THE GUN
This 1997 series is woven around a 19th Century Smith & Wesson, Schofield .44 Russian revolver. The gun is indeed rare and refreshing to see in films when the Colt Single Action Army stole the show long ago in Hollywood.

The Schofield was remade in the 1990s by Smith & Wesson and copied well by gun makers, Uberti and Navy Arms. I suspect the one used in the show is a lightly engraved and gold inlayed Navy Arms offering. It’s really quite pretty.

The Ed and Howard Speilman creation somehow was buried away at least from me until it resurfaced on SHOWTIME. At least I enjoy it now when I watch very little TV, that’s thanks to my trusty TV DVR.

Kris Kristofferson narrates the series as good as it gets and I’m really fond of the fine casting and acting. The writing is first rate.

THE PLOT
The gun simply shows up in the beginning and winds up in a new owners possession by simple chance. The new owner is helped or cursed while in possession of the gun. The new owner finds his or her life changed. Predicting the direction of each story is nearly impossible.

The series was produced in Canada for two seasons. It now has seen its rebirth on cable and DVDs. Check it out, you’ll like it.

Will Steve Cooley Seek Justice Or Blindly Prosecute?

Retired cop, now film actor Dennis Farina’s reputation and future is in the hands of Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley.
The former Chicago police burglary detective turned actor forgot he had a small handgun in a briefcase as he routinely began the boarding process for a flight out of LAX. TSA workers discovered the gun to his major embarrassment and put the ZERO TOLERANCE enforcement policy into action.

Zero tolerance for similar acts of forgetfulness does not further the cause of fighting terrorism or a prosecutor’s duty to seek Justice. That’s especially true for these similar violations that overwhelmingly snare off duty or retired cops rather than terrorists.

As of today Cooley’s office has not filed formal charges against the popular career lawman and actor. I take that as a sign that prosecutors understand the allegations that brought the arrest of Farina require that actual intent to violate the law must be present. Bringing a case forward to a trial when it’s so obvious that intent does not exist is horrible public policy.

On or off screen Dennis Farina has always been a genuine crime fighter. Farina’s reputation deserves to remain unsullied.

Obama Warns GOP "Lay Off My Wife"

I have two words to say about that, “Or what?” Obama is desperately trying to keep covered Michelle Obama’s quid pro quo position with Chicago’s taxpayer funded University of Chicago Hospitals.

Mrs. Obama is deeply entrenched with Richard M. Daley in Edward M. Burke’s Chicago corruption cabal. We can expect to learn exactly why Mrs. Obama ‘s salary at the hospital was raised suddenly from $100,000.00 to $300,000.00.

It’s too late Obama there will be volumes said about your wife. It’s open season on her and of course you. If you can’t handle that perhaps you should quit.

The sad truth this presidential campaign has been nothing but a beauty contest for ethical pygmies.

More on Mrs. Obama's employment here.

Darwin May Police Chicago’s Ghetto

The hollow suggestion that Chicago’s police officers will be getting light M-4 rifles to gain parity with street gangs has brought the wrath of the reverends and community leaders. That’s a very dangerous path for these holy agitators to take.

The concern is cops will be shooting back and possibly endangering the young neighborhood thugs. Chicago Black gangsters left to their own devices always engage in population control with a vengeance. They’ve already murdered more of their own in Chicago during the last two decades than 150 years of KKK murders nationwide.

Leaving Chicago’s officers undermanned, outgunned and demoralized will surrender the city to Darwin’s Law. Stand by for a very hot summer and an overflowing Medical Examiner’s Office.

You can’t expect officers to risk their lives and turn their own children into orphans helping communities that hate them. The officer’s agenda will change from enforcement to report writing and clean-up. Arrests will drop and killings will go unsolved.

The “08” Presidential Election Will Entertain Us For Sure

Never before, have our Presidential candidates had such incredible baggage going into a major campaign fight.

Obama’s association and deals with racists and corrupt Chicago politicians, have yet to begin being exploited. The time is drawing near for that bomb to explode. I suspect that there may even be an indictment in Obama’s future.

As for McCain he will have to rehash his tawdry role in the Keating Five Scandal. As I write this piece McCain is being exposed in a new lobbying scandal that’s breaking. McCain will never win real support from the Conservatives he has redundantly betrayed.

The match between Obama and McCain will be like nothing Americans have seen before. The information age may very well, fully gut these two pretenders before anyone is sworn in as President of the United States.

Parents Sue Maker of Metal Baseball Bats Over Son's Injury

I respect our civil courts and right to sue for torts and such but then there are cases that make us all shake our heads in disbelief.

The parents of a New Jersey boy permanently disabled by a line drive into his chest filed a multimillion dollar lawsuit. They have named the bat’s maker, the sporting goods store that sold the bat and Little League Baseball as defendants. The claim is the more efficient metal bat was unsafe.

Any form of sports is unsafe. Children die or are seriously injured in all manner of sports related injuries from swimming to simply playing tag.

As for the parents of young Steven Domalewski, we can all understand the profound hardship and heartbreak they are suffering. The fact is that if this suit is to move forward any further these parents need to add their own names as defendants for wrongful birth, negligent supervision and parenting.

A Special Song…

Real songwriters seem to have all but vanished in recent years. I don’t really understand what that’s about. Here is a great song written by J. Vezner & D. Henry that's sung by Kathy Mattea. I saw Mattea perform this outdoors in Scottsdale little more than a decade ago. The song celebrates a timeless and gifted relationship. I know someone out there that will watch this more than once.

Sit back and enjoy.

Barack Obama on Self-Defense And Gun Rights

The views of this Chicago politician and would be President are really frightening. Obama would sacrifice American’s only meaningful protection from home invaders, rapists and killers.

Obama’s close alignment to Alderman Edward Burke and his puppet Richard M. Daley has kept him awash him money from the most corrupted sources. Obama has a Leftist, racist and un-American agenda for us all.

Chicago Police And Physical Fitness

Being a cop is not good for anyone’s health unless they’re assigned to bicycle or mounted patrol. Cops sit in a patrol vehicle answering calls and do minimal walking.

Cops never run on the job except when chasing offenders now and then. Cops eating habits are horrible because they don’t get to plan their lunch breaks. The number three on the McDonalds menu is the rut cops fall into.

Regular exercise for the most part is non-existent for too many cops.

The only cure for this is to give cops a 45 minute workout period before they begin their tour of duty. Paying them to exercise is cost effective when it keeps cops off the medical roles and covering insurance cost for their heart attacks.

Being a cop means that once they hit mandatory retirement at 63, they won’t be collecting their pensions for very long.

Some districts where our cops patrol have a serious shortage of clean and nutritious places to eat. Firemen are able to plan and make great meals to rival mom’s home cooking.

J-Fed seems to be trying to figure out a way to put cops into better shape. Any way at all but, allowing cops to work out on city time like our firemen. Ever notice that firemen are so much more fit then cops?

Too many Chicago cops are only one foot chase closer to a major heart attack.

Retired LAPD Cop's Movie Security Deal Being Tampered With

A group of retired LAPD coppers have a sweet deal providing security for Hollywood’s Film Studios. They handle film location sets, and film premiers throughout Los Angeles. They wear LAPD style uniforms, weapons and drive look-alike LAPD motorcycles. Proudly they wear their retired shields.

The retired guys work under strict LAPD regulations just as they did when they were active officers. They are also part of The Motion Picture Officer’s Association.

Now the LAPD wants to boot these guys forcing the studios to hire current off duty and inexperienced officers. I say leave these guys alone! They’ve served their city and should be able to sweeten their retirement to help put their children and grandchildren through school. They protect all those around them when they work. The studios have years of confidence and trust invested in these fine men.

There’s more here in today’s L.A. Times

Riding an elephant in historic Jaipur, India

If you visit the massive Amber Fort in Jaipur you must arrive there by elephant. What a view! I was imagining that I was the Maharaja and my troops were behind me with 40 or 50 young and hot concubines waiting for my charms. As the dream was really getting good my elephant driver’s cell phone rang. Oh well…

Another Child Shot By Chicago Police For No Reason At All

Chicago--But he’s a mere child! Not really, he’s 19 years old. Javara Gardner’s 8th grade picture (Class of 2003) is proudly displayed by WMAQ-TV with allegations that an innocent man was shot down by police for no reason.

Some in the crime ridden neighborhood's 5800 block of South Damen Avenue now claim police planted a gun as evidence to frame the now paraplegic Gardner.

This is another racial hot potato that began Sunday afternoon when police responded to a 911, Man with a gun call.

They spotted Gardner who ran, dropped his gun and was shot while trying to retrieve it and shoot a cop.

Now the neighborhood called in all the reverends, lawyers and gullible news media to spin this story around and around.

They are screaming Gardner was shot in the back. That seems to match the officer’s stories because he’d have to bend over and expose his back if he was picking up a gun.

I ask my brothers in blue why bother to do your job if you are not wanted? I say Darwin’s law is the only one they need in Chicago anymore.

Officers should simply come in write, reports, allowing the streets and sanitation department and the cadaver removal services clean up the messes. The benefits are fewer complaints, lawsuits and you won’t be disgraced as you're stripped of your police star.

See WMAQ-TV’s overly inflammatory story here.

Anthony Pellicano Had A Fool For A Client

Like nearly all criminal defendants that choose to represent themselves as a lawyer, Anthony Pellicano proved he was not up to the task.

A jury just returned 76 out of 77 Guilty Verdicts. I have not attempted a time computation but suspect that the 64 year-old Pellicano won’t see freedom unless he lives a very long time.

Pellicano was a professional eavesdropper not an investigator.

Pellicano could only exist because people involved in litigation would do anything to uncover the lies and expose motives of liars and extortionists. A wire-tap is absolutely useless unless it can uncover lies people freely tell even while under oath.

What’s the bigger crime, the lies or the wiretaps? We live in an ugly world.

I suspect many of his culpable clients are safe because of the expiration of the Statute of Limitations.

Of course there are volumes of encrypted telephone calls and other computer files that the feds were never able to crack. Pellicano still holds the only key to Telesluth.

Pellicano for all practical purposes died today and the only CPR measure that can bring him back to life is for him to snitch like a magpie.

I still don’t rule out a sentencing deal as that savvy former PI still has what prosecutors have been praying for. I think they still want to see some big Hollywood power brokers doing the perpwalk.

The latest from AP can be hound here.

The Republican Party Has Lost Its Way In America

Before the GOP was firm in their stand on taxes, over-regulation, crime, rewarding productive Americans, and keeping government small. Not anymore.

Today Republican leadership has allowed and encouraged Mexico to export poverty, drugs and crime here with their actions on legislation and enforcement. They have gleefully joined in the over-regulation and over-spending ways of extremist Liberals.

Leftist politicians like John McCain have sought refuge in the party where voters assume the party’s platform is followed by those accepting the party label. New York has always led the way with the most Leftist politicians pretending t0 be Republicans.

The candidates offered up as presidential candidates were as bad as it gets. Ron Paul offered some hope but his age and lack of name recognition did him in early.

We have qualified Republicans in Congress like Arizona’s John Shadegg. Shadegg has a stellar reputation for honesty, electability and real charisma. The present Republican leadership is controlled by party infiltrators and interlopers with non-Republican agendas.

This election brought us candidates from every direction that have a very foul odor about them. I can’t imagine why in Hell we can’t do better.

J-Fed Met with The Troops

Chicago--Daley appointed an overpaid law enforcement bureaucrat that will never enjoy success under the corrupt anti-police city administration.

The meeting was attended by 100 to 200 officers. Second City Cop readers and another fine blogger, Rue St Michael Bienvenue recorded the minutes for posterity.

J-Fed had nothing concrete to offer the undermanned, poorly equipped and demoralized officers. There were a few gripes put forth that J-Fed is taking under advisement.

Little was settled but J-Fed is figuring out he has no clue about the street police work he’s supposed to be running.

O.W. Wilson came in as a civilian but he was once a street cop before he became a criminologist and professor. J-Fed was a federal paper pusher.

J-Fed would do well to lose the uniform and gain respect. He needs to figure out how to get the worthless mayor and city council to bring the department into the 21st Century. J-Fed needs to deal with manpower, equipment deficiencies. Nobody can be expected to work where promotions are based on clout, race and sex quotas rather than ability and knowledge.

I have two words for J-Fed, short term. The real problem is a city administration mired in corruption and greed rather than any concern for public service.

Taking A Little Drive In The Neighborhood.

I love going to India for work or play. You never get the feel of the country simply seeing their famous landmarks. I have 12 hours of video and thought my visitors might experience going for a short drive listening to Kenny G. The driving skills of local drivers meet or exceed Nascar standards.

The only problem I ever had is my disagreement with Indian food. Don’t worry many American chain restaurants like TGI Fridays, Ruby Tuesdays, Pizza Hut and many others can be found everywhere sans beef of course. Three months eating only chicken or fish will do us all some good. You never see many fat Indians do you?

Fugitive Soccer Mom Still Has That Smile

Plymouth, MI—Despite being subjected to a long and horrid trip in chains from San Diego to Plymouth on a prisoner bus this Soccer Mom can still muster a smile.

Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh is seen in her latest prison mug shot.

I don’t know too many women Walsh's age that can tolerate being photographed without having their hair done and without make up.

Walsh is preparing to make her case that she has been punished enough for that youthful drug commerce indiscretion as a teen 33 years ago in Saginaw, Michigan.

Walsh’s original sentence of 10 t0 20 years was off the charts of harshness for similar first time drug felons.

So far hundreds of citizens have called Governor Granholm and or signed petitions for Walsh’s speedy release.

Walsh’s husband and three children are struggling with this family disaster as best they can.

Right now Walsh is getting acquainted with her lawyers as they map out plans to prove Walsh has never re-offended in the 32 years she’s been a fugitive at the proper legal venues.

This ordeal is far from over. Many years and tears could pass before Walsh jumps all the hurdles to return to a life of wife and mother.

Police Use Airport Style Frisking On The Streets

“Look! You fools! You’re in danger! Can’t you see? They’re after you! They’re after all of us! Our wives…our children…they’re here already! You’re next!”—Dr. Miles Bennell

I lifted line delivered by that wonderful actor, Kevin McCarthy from the great 1950’s film, Invasion of The Body Snatchers as a desperate warning of where we are headed.

I don’t know about my fellow Americans, but the day they try this crap here is the Day I take up arms against my own government.

You have to read this assault on Liberty and Freedom to believe it.

TV News Sucks More Than Ever!

Ever since Edward R. Murrow hit the scene, TV news executives have not dared change their proven pattern of boring news presentation. That pattern survived through nearly 50 years as a time honored proven winner. A proven winner only if you have a captive audience with no real TV news alternatives.

Before the last decade or so we had only three TV channels all doing news on a Monkey See, Monkey Do format. With the cable explosion and now the Internet steadily drawing once loyal viewers away, the old ways need to change in a hurry.

If I was a general manager or news director with creative authority I would do it all so differently. Gone would be the trusted unchanging anchors. Instead reporters would assume those duties on a rotating basis from the newsroom instead of those sterile news sets. Messy reporter and producer’s desks are far more visual and interesting.

The attention span of today’s rapid-fire remote control viewers can’t tolerate the predictable old format anymore. I suspect if Murrow reappeared viewers would zap him back to his grave in an instant. Of course reporters doing stories out in the field have to continue to tell their stories pretty much the way they always have. Reporters and photographers must be encouraged to try new things.

The photographers need to lose their tripods but for press conferences and bring some excitement to their visuals. The viewers need to see the whole scene of these events both in front of and behind the cameras.

I’m not big on the VJ, system where a reporter becomes the photographer, producer, and sound man. However there is a place for those skilled players in every TV newsroom.

Clothing worn by reporters should match the stories and never be predictable.

TV news websites are getting better than ever. Court documents, police reports and such should be made available in their entirety on these well promoted sites.

The news outlet’s websites video embedded codes should be placed on all video packaged stories so the thousands of bloggers can be licensed to use them freely. This would give additional story life and revenue possibilities. The advantage here is a small ad clip goes with that story along full credit for the source.

Station General Managers and News Directors can change or they may find themselves working as Wal-Mart greeters. These are desperate times that call for radical experimentation.