Posts Tagged Murder
“Trying to Get It Right the First Time”
Posted by Administrator in Radio Show Shattered Lives on April 22, 2012
Tim Palmbach: The Challenges of Forensic Science and Assisting Crime Victims
Tim Palmbach is tall in stature…with an equally big heart to match… His background includes law enforcement as a former Major in the Connecticut State Police, a forensic scientist as Director of Forensic Science at the Henry C. Lee Institute and an Associate Professor at the University of New Haven. And … in his spare time, he feels obligated to give back to crime victims, assisting with cold cases and/or providing awareness to the general public.
Ladyjustice could feel a common thread throughout the discussion… one of respect. Tim Palmbach respects crime victims… He respects good science that yields results that cannot be argued. He respects the judicial process even with its many flaws… Tim respects that there are many shades of gray, many layers to the process and that much of forensic science often is anything but “cut and dried.” He respects that there is often no clear-cut answers…that there are always multiple avenues to pursue in addition to DNA. Team work is required with all parties doing their due diligence and hopefully coming together with a plausible scenario. Above all, he respects competency and training, for that is the only way that victim’s families can have a piece of justice.
To listen to the show, Tim Palmbach Talks Forensics, CLICK HERE
As an associate professor, who mentors students in forensic science, Tim tries to engage students so that they apply theory to real life problems they encounter in law enforcement. If his students succeed in the classroom, he may offer the opportunity to visit a crime scene. In fact, crime scene reconstruction is his area of expertise.
The “CSI Effect” can wreak havoc on our sensibilities… As Tim stated, the real truth is that in TV land, investigators always have the correct evidence… scientific analysis always yields positive results, there is always one perpetrator…and there is always a “singular unique theory of the case.” The real truth is a long way from the 60 minute show, including commercials!
Tim’s skills were honed under the tutelage of Dr. Henry C. Lee, known for many qualities…including his keen mind, quick wit, workaholic nature and his generosity to crime victims. As a three time “retired person” Dr. Lee has ~ 800 open cases at last count. He is able to keep a “running mental card file” of cases and applicable technologies that could possibly be used on the many cold cases. At least, he attempts to use such strategies…
Other areas you will learn about when you listen to this show…
- Tim’s perspective on the Michael Petersen case and the importance of a new trial;
- How to correctly work a cold case to yield the best outcome;
- Theories’ concerning what really goes wrong in high-profile cases;
- Considerations when weighing scientific/physical evidence and circumstantial evidence in the solvability of cases;
- Possible reasons for cases to stall and become “Cold;”
- Juries demands and the “CSI effect” – a good or bad thing?
- Illustrative Example of Forensic Science and law enforcement working together in solving the deaths of 11 street women in Hartford, CT (1998-2000);
- How good are criminal profiles and when should they be done?
- Is there an order to every investigation that should be followed?
- How do you get it right the first time, according to Tim?
- The “good bad and the ugly” that media creates;
- Discussion of how a crime scene is contaminated and how it impacts the solvability and status of a case;
- Is it a good idea for crime victims to call medical examiners asking for assistance regarding data/evidence they may have?
- Being the “Squeaky wheel”- Example- the New Haven Murder Case of Penny Serra;
- Medical Examiners versus Coroners: How do they impact cases?
- DNA- The End All Beat All…or a very complex issue? (Don’t lose sight of other aspects of the job…);
- New Technologies…. Teleforensics- What’s it all about?
- The cutting edge at the Henry C. Lee Institute;
- Tim’s words of advice to crime victims
Bill Cosby: In His Heart-King of Comedy No More
Posted by Administrator in Survivors of Homicide on February 25, 2012
Were you brought up on Bill Cosby LP records as was Ladyjustice? Do you remember the infamous, “To Russell, My Brother Whom I Slept With?” It was 1968, and the first album recorded in a large venue. That record strikes fear in LJ’s heart when she recalls the refrain, “Don’t Tell Dad. Don’t Tell Dad, Don’t Tell Dad!” Corporal punishment-as the “Big Bad Dad” appeared to be alive and well… and was “acceptable” in those days. The sound effects and deep voice just got louder and louder. Ladyjustice can recall being scared in the same manner only watching the Wizard of Oz with the “Wicked Witch of the East or West.”(There is some controversy whether it was the east or west.) Since LJ is from the East, it must be East, right? Anyway….
However, this blog is not meant to be about nostalgia or fairy tales…. Rather, it is meant to tell the true tale of the passing and senseless murder and surrounding details of his son Ennis.
Ennis was Bill Cosby’s only son…. and “a late bloomer” and extremely well liked by all accounts. [Sources: The New York Times; ABC News; People.com, Wikipedia.org, CNN.com, the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity] In fact, Ennis’ trademark was “Hello Friend” to everyone he encountered.
According to news accounts, Ennis Cosby was cut down in the prime of life at age 27 on January 16, 1997. At approximately 1 a.m. while on a holiday break from his doctoral studies at Columbia University, he was en route to the house of a female friend when his family’s $130,000 Mercedes got a flat tire. [Note: It doesn’t matter whether your car cost $130,000 or “$20 something thousand” like Ladyjustice’s 2003 car… they all get flat tires….] and pulled off the San Diego freeway exit ramp onto the desolate Skirball Center Drive.
Ennis immediately called his friend, Stephanie Crane to come to assist by shining her car’s headlights in his path. Reportedly, the perpetrator, Mikail Markhasev (a Ukrainian born immigrant) and friends Eli Zakaria and Sara Peters initially encountered Ennis while in the midst of changing the tire, asked Cosby, “Hey are you okay?” to which he replied, “Yeah, Everything’s cool.” The three then apparently left to go to a nearby pay phone.
As Crane arrived to assist, suddenly, Markhavsev appeared at her window and ordered, “Open the door or I’ll shoot you.” Terrified for her life, Ms. Crane quickly drove off and then turned around; as she realized that she had left Ennis behind. Ennis was about to give up his money. But, in the interim, he was “not fast enough “and paid the ultimate price… He forfeited his life. Crane returned at 1:28 a.m. and discovered Ennis on the ground in a pool of blood with a gunshot to the temple. Two days later a composite sketch from Ms. Crane’s description was released.
Defense attorney Hall tried to cast doubt saying that jailhouse letters and “bottom dwelling witnesses” who called the Enquirer to try to claim a $100,000 reward for information, dropped off Markhavsev at home, while his accomplices, Peters and
Zakaria returned to the former Bel Air party for drugs and were the “only ones who knew who killed Ennis Crosby.”
Prosecutor and Deputy District Attorney, Anne Ingalls related that this was “a robbery gone bad,” and that Markehasev related in jailhouse letters that, “I shot a nigger… I went to rob a drug connection and obviously found something else.”
Witnesses also related that on the day of the shooting, Markhasev was watching for news accounts and asked for help in recovering the gun in the woods. Markhasev implied to associate Chris So that he had shot Ennis at that time, whereupon Mr. So called the National Enquirer to attempt to collect the reward. The police showed up, they went to the woods, and located the gun. Ballistics tests revealed that the gun was indeed the murder weapon. Accomplices Zakaria and Chang were prosecution witnesses …and also convicted felons serving prison sentences.
In the end… Mikail Makasev was found guilty of first degree murder in the death of Ennis Cosby and was sentenced to life without parole in August 1998.
BUT…..In January 1998 a petition was filed in the Los Angeles Courts to attempt to set aside the verdict based on the claim that another inmate, a David Gomez, forged the letters….
BUT, BUT, BUT… in an unprecedented event termed “unusual, very unusual” by spokesperson for the Los Angeles prosecutor’s office, Sandi Gibbons, Mikail Markasev asked the court to withdraw all of his appeals in an apology/confession letter to the Cosby family. As reported in a February 9, 2001, CNN Justice article, the murderer filed a notice of abandonment” of his appeal. “More than anything, I want to apologize to the victim’s family,” wrote Markhasev. “It is my duty as a Christian, and it’s the least I can do after the great wickedness, for which I am responsible.”
(At the request of the Cosby family, a death sentence was not sought for this defendant.)
The Other Side of the Story- The Life of Ennis Cosby:
Bill Cosby was “Mr. TV,” Dr. Heathcliff Huxstable in the 1980’s sitcom. Bill Cosby wanted the show to be a role model, and is quoted as saying, “I want people, when they watch this show to say, Hey, how did they get those microphones and cameras into my house?’ ‘Portraying a normal household with normal middle class problems…
The Cosby’s had four children, three daughters and then Ennis where they resided at times, on a 265 acre farm in Shelburne, Massachusetts. Ennis had two parents who earned Ph.D.’s in Education from the University of Massachusetts while in their 50’s.
However, despite their overachiever household, Ennis apparently put forth maximum effort but really struggled in high school and barely graduated. Bill Cosby “had a plan” and set out to introduce his son to the world by reading to him, introducing culture- museum and jazz etc. Each night it was something different. However, these efforts failed… UNTIL… a friend suggested that Ennis be tested for dyslexia, while he was attending Morehouse College in Atlanta. Ennis was officially diagnosed in the late 1980’s and suddenly thrived in the only college in the country, Landmark College in Putney Vermont, specifically designed for students with dyslexia!
From the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity
No one is born knowing how to read.
We all have to learn how.
Just about every person starts talking without having to learn how. When you were a baby, just being around people who were talking was enough to get you started talking, too. You didn’t have go to talking school or take talking lessons. Human beings’ brains are just designed to make talking happen almost automatically.
Reading is different, though. No one is born knowing how to read—we all have to learn how. When you read, your brain has to do a lot of things at once. It has to connect letters with sounds and put those sounds together in the right order.
Then it has to help you put letters, words, and paragraphs together in ways that let you read them quickly and understand what they mean. It also has to connect words and sentences with other kinds of knowledge. When you see “c-a-t” on a piece of paper, your brain doesn’t just have to read the word “cat,” it also has to make the connection that “cat” means a furry, four-legged animal that meows.
Why do I have dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a sort of invisible problem. It’s not an illness like chicken pox or a cold. In school your teachers can see you working hard, but they can’t see all the steps your brain has to take to make sense of the words on the worksheet she gave you to do.
Many kids with dyslexia worry that there is something wrong with their brain. That’s a pretty scary thought. Thanks to recent research, though, we have lots of scientific proof that a dyslexic person’s brain is normal and healthy.
When you have dyslexia, though, your brain takes longer to make some of these connections, and does it in more steps. It especially has trouble matching the letters you see on the page with the sounds those letters and combinations of letters make. And when you have trouble with that step, it makes all the other steps harder.
Dyslexia isn’t rare. You might know other kids in your school who have dyslexia, too. Although dyslexia isn’t contagious, sometimes several people in the same family have dyslexia. Older kids and adults can also have dyslexia.
A new way to learn…
| Listening to books on tape or CD while you read along in your own book is one step to make reading better for you. |
It’s actually lucky that you’ve already found out you have dyslexia. The younger you are when you figure out that reading is tough for you, the sooner you—with the help of your teachers and parents—can find ways to learn that make it easier. Even though dyslexia isn’t something you’ll grow out of, there are lots of things your teachers and parents can show you to help you to read better and even to enjoy reading.
In fact, you may have already figured out some strategies all by yourself that help you when you’re reading. Kids with dyslexia often learn to use other skills to help them make sense of what they’re reading or studying. You might already be especially good at:
- Observing—looking for clues in pictures or other kinds of illustrations
- Listening—paying attention to what your teacher is saying or what other kids are reading out loud
- Memorizing—remembering what you hear as someone reads or talks to you
Using creative skills like these is not cheating! They’re great tools that can help you as you learn to read better. Your parents, your teacher and maybe other people at your school, like a reading specialist, can take other steps to make reading better for you. Some of these steps might include:
- Starting you on a reading program that helps you to figure out what sounds make up each word
- Letting you do your work in a quiet place
- Allowing you to listen to books on tape or CD as you read along in your own book
- Letting you do some of your written work on a keyboard
- Giving you extra time to do your work
***Dyslexia was first recognized and diagnosed as a type of learning disability by the World Federation of Neurologists in 1968. Ennis was born in 1970.
Ladyjustice Has a Few Questions: No disrespect meant to the ultra wealthy and educated Cosby parents. However, each of them was earning Ph.D.’s in Education! These weren’t any fake sheepskin “honorary degrees” that are often handed out……
So, why did Bill Cosby concentrate on jazz and not recognize that his son was perhaps dyslexic much earlier? You can’t exactly to jump from an Associate’s degree to a Ph.D. in one swoop. There must have been cutting edge learning going on for several years from the renowned UMass. Was he playing the perfect father Dr. Huckstable at the same time he was earning his degrees running back and forth from Hollywood to the University of Massachusetts? If so, Mrs. Cosby was maintaining the home fires and also earning her degrees and raising her four children in their respective school systems.
A teacher colleague and Ladyjustice’s postulated together that perhaps it was one of the changing developmental milestones of a kid growing up and it just wasn’t noticed with physical, social and language learning also taking place.
Or, let’s face it, it’s not too cool to be the perfect family on TV and admit that your real son has problems. Remember, Ozzie and Harriet, the Donna Reed Show, The Danny Thomas Show, Leave It to Beaver, The Dick Van Dyke Show, anyone???
(To his credit, in his TV sitcom, Mr. Cosby did base his TV son character on his experience with Ennis.)
Ladyjustice speculates that those “perfect family sitcoms” had their share of real life problems too. BUT… again, these parents were highly educated and very wealthy. The fact that it took a friend to suggest testing is curious and very fortunate, indeed! It is all the more tragic as well…
As a new crime victim, Bill Cosby was more than generous in requesting that his son’s murderer not be put to death. He also wanted to “maintain dignity.” At about the same time as Ennis’ funeral, it is unfortunate that “bottom feeder women” came out of the woodwork to accuse him of fathering them. One case was apparently bogus, another was not….
THE GOOD ENDING:
Back to Ennis…. After attending Landmark College in Putney, Vermont , [http://www.landmark.edu/index.cfm] Ennis returned to Morehouse in Atlanta in which his grade point average rose from 2.3 to over 3.5, putting him on the Dean’s List. He mentored other students, graduated in 1992 with a Master’s Degree from Columbia and then enrolled in the Ph.D. program. The Cosby family was overjoyed!
Bill Cosby subsequently established Ennis Cosby Scholarships and the Ennis William Cosby Foundation. A grant enabled the training of 20 teachers in reading instruction to those with learning disabilities for a period of three years. After the 18 month training course was completed, 20 New York City elementary school teachers achieved this specialization in January 2002.
Bill Cosby Quote:
“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody.”
Related articles
- Critic’s Notebook: Bill Cosby Appreciation and Screenings at Paley Center for Media (nytimes.com)
- Bill Cosby Speaks Boldly to Students About Their Choices (fox4kc.com)
- Bill Cosby Enlists Santa’s Staff For A Silent Night (npr.org)
- Beyond What Bill Cosby Said (filterbypass.wordpress.com)
SHATTERED LIVES with Donna R. Gore welcomes Sam and Wanda Rieger
Posted by Administrator in Uncategorized on February 23, 2012
SHATTERED LIVES with Donna R. Gore, “LadyJustice”
Examining the effects of those who have survived violent crime and how it has impacted their lives.
Real people, real tragedy, real help.
Saturdays at 5pm ET Listen LIVE: CLICK HERE
Melanie Ilene Rieger, a college student, was murdered by her boyfriend on May 24, 1994. Her parents, Sam and Wanda Rieger created an annual conference to educate and bring comfort to others who have fallen victim to violent crimes.
Sam and Wanda Rieger took from the ashes of their daughter’s death and created (along with a village of volunteers) a premier conference dedicated to serving the needs of future crime victims and educating those who serve them. However, this is not solely an academic gathering with Power Point presentations. More to the point, it is a touching of souls and sharing of stories… creating an everlasting impact for participants – good, bad, but NEVER indifferent. Veteran survivors of crime such as Ladyjustice do not return for the facts and figures, or to be exposed to more violence. Rather, we return to visit old friends, for the thirst of ever-increasing knowledge in the field of victimology and violence in today’s society. We come to share with new victims and service providers, the benefit of our tragic experiences …and to hear more stories. The stories never end…
16th Annual Melanie Rieger Conference
THEME: “Resilience After Devastation: Putting the Pieces Back Together”
May 30-31, 2012
Central Connecticut State University
1615 Stanley Street
New Britain, CT 06050
Related articles
- Helping the Melanie Ilene Rieger Memorial Conference to Soar (donnagore.com)
- SHATTERED LIVES with LadyJustice: Elder Abuse with Sgt. Mark Varnau (donnagore.com)
- Shattered Lives with Donna R. Gore: Janice Smolinski, My Son is Missing (donnagore.com)
Lest We Forget…Being Grateful Even as Homicide Survivors
Posted by Administrator in Grief Counseling, Survivors of Homicide, Violent Crime on December 8, 2011
As homicide survivors, we get so caught up in our own grief in the beginning or in the cause down the road…. that we can’t see the forest for the trees. When the victimization is new and fresh, we feel stripped of all of our reserves, questioning humanity, questioning God and life itself. We walk in circles, try to make deals with our God or make a pact never to do this or that again, as if we could change the course of our loved one’s plight. We were not responsible. We typically did nothing to contribute to the awful event. And yet, it is our responsibility to fix it when others appear not to care or are seemingly incompetent.
Women in particular, are the “fix-it people,” the great organizers, and the “hold it together people” in the family line… We see women pursuing the helping professions in droves. Some pursue corporate life and cast a distaining scowl on the glass ceiling as if to say, “I’ll show you….” Well, LadyJustice wants to show them too…but in ways that make a real Impact and touch other’s lives differently than climbing the corporate ladder.
Women typically are nurturers and have a lot of love to give. When that nurturing is interrupted by a horrendous life event or when there is no one single “object of my affection,” the cause becomes the fiery passion. At least that’s the way it is for this writer…
As single, unmarried survivors, we have our biological families who have their own connections. We don’t always fit into their scenarios except around the Thanksgiving turkey. Therefore, we create our own personal celebrations.
LadyJustice is here to tell you that it is okay to celebrate survivorship itself. Yes, you may have overcome neglect, harassment, stalking, emotional and physical abuse, or other violence in its many forms… It is not something we wish to exploit for Hollywood tabloids, nor is it something to be hidden in the closet forever. Hiding such things will make you physically ill over time…or turn you into a raving manic. So, pick your poison as they say. This writer believes it is better to come clean, however painful in the beginning. ‘For to share and educate others is a perpetual way of healing over and over through the rough patches. So, celebrate the fact that you have survived and will be on the road to a different path! You are strong! You will not grant power to the evil forces! You too will smell the roses again, but in a much different way!
Given our personal landscapes and unspeakable new histories, we need to build bridges and make surrogate families. Whether we lose our own families to violence, divorce and emotional stress or being viewed as “damaged goods” for awhile, we need to build others into our new reality. If we are at odds with the uncaring world outside and cannot shout “Honey I’m Home” daily, what does one do besides talk to the cat??
We reveal our true personalities with those who have a stake in our new lives. We form new business and personal friendships around the fiery passions which we have acquired much to our initial dismay. Then…. suddenly we discover that paying it forward, helping someone else even in a small way who has been through it, has a huge payoff! We no longer see the world through rose colored glasses. And better still, we never say, what’s in it for me? What’s in it for me is yet to be determined by others more powerful than we!
Thirdly, we must celebrate resources in this information age. Admittedly, at times there is far too much personal information shared to the detriment of some. But when it comes to victimology, in the past 30 years, relatively speaking, we have grown from a barren desert to a strong and sturdy oak tree with many blossoms…..
‘Truth is, when our family homicide occurred just 30 years ago there was no such animal called a support groups for homicide survivors. If you were a widow, if your spouse had a terminal illness, if your loved one perished in an auto accident, these things were covered. But the tragedy menu did not include those matters of escalating violence, least of all homicide.
Now we have a world of search engines and websites to address every malady possible (with a wary eye toward accuracy versus b.s.). We have a myriad of universities sources, public broadcasting stations, “helping professional organizations “galore and internet radio just to scratch the surface. Lest we forget, in the infamous words of Auntie Mame, “Life is a banquet, so stuff yourself!” So…let us be grateful for resources!
Finally, composer John Bucchino tells us with the heart so eloquently in his wonderfully moving rendition of the song “Grateful” sung by Michael Feinstein. Take just 4 minutes to enhance your spiritual self and listen to this link:
Selected lyrics from above:
I’ve got a roof over my head; I’ve got a warm place to sleep….
I’ve got a heart that can love; I’ve got a mind I can think
There may be times when I lose the light and let my spirits sink….
But I can’t stay depressed
When I remember how I’m blessed
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful; I am truly blessed and duly grateful.
In a city of strangers, I’ve got a family of friends….
I feel a hand holding my hand… It’s not a hand you can see
But on the road to the promise land,
This hand will shepherd me through delight and despair
Holding tight and always there
Grateful, grateful
Truly grateful I am
Grateful, grateful
Truly Blessed
And duly grateful
Truly Blessed and Duly Grateful,
Donna / LadyJustice
The Final Chapter: The Jury is Out
Posted by Administrator in Judicial System, Justice, Violent Crime on December 6, 2011
“Perhaps catastrophe is the natural human environment… and even though we spend a good deal of energy trying to get away from it; we are programmed for survival amid catastrophe.” Germaine Greer
December 5, 2011 marks the first day of jury deliberation in the trial of co-defendant Joshua Komisarjevsky. It happens to be the 4 year, 5 month mark since Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, Hayley – 17 and Michaela – 11 were the victims of the most heinous crime imaginable in Connecticut…and nationally!
Stalking, kidnapping, home invasion, physical assault, restraining, sexual assault and rape, torture, asphyxiation, arson and MURDER- they all occurred in one household in the span of a few hours on a quiet street in Cheshire, Connecticut.
One of the many “bones to pick” with the legal system, is the fact that the jury is not able to see photos of victims or hear victim impact statements during the penalty phase…only during the sentencing phase after they have rendered their decision. However, this was not the case with the defendant! Jennifer’s sister, Cindy Hawke Renn believes, as many others do, that this is a distinctly unfair and does not allow the jury to be educated.
[LJ- There must be a pre-existing judicial rule for this…. Why is it that the defense can attempt to call upon the juries’ sympathies for the defendant, and not have an equal balance for those who are murdered during the penalty phase?]
The following is a summary of the virtual roadmap they must follow weighing mitigating and aggravating factors… It’s a bunch of gobbledygook legal maneuvers in LJ’s opinion, designed to give the perpetrator every chance in the world … but that’s the way it is…
What a chore…. If a jury member takes their responsibility with all seriousness and keeps to the letter of the law. Here’s what they must decide…
The defense’s burden of proof for establishing mitigating factors is less than the burden that the prosecution bears in establishing aggravating factors.
First, the jury will evaluate two statutory mitigating factors — whether Komisarjevsky’s “mental capacity was significantly impaired” or his “ability to conform his behavior to the requirements of law was significantly impaired,” as well as decide whether Komisarjevsky’s role in the killings was minor.
If the jurors find at least one mitigating factor under the statute, the death penalty cannot be imposed.
If no mitigating factors are found, then the jury must decide whether Komisarjevsky committed the murders in an especially heinous, cruel or depraved manner and whether he created a grave risk of death to another person. These are called aggravating factors.
If jurors do not unanimously agree that an aggravating factor exists, their task is over and Komisarjevsky will be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of release.
If they determine that an aggravating factor exists, the jurors must do so “beyond a reasonable doubt” and proceed to the next step.
The jury will then move on to the 42 additional mitigating factors claimed by the defense.
These factors, which are not covered by statute, focus mostly on Komisarjevsky’s background, his mental health, his employment record, his cooperation with police after the slayings, the value of his life to his family and the defense’s assertion that he has been a well-behaved, productive prisoner.
If none are found, Komisarjevsky will be sentenced to death.
If the jurors agree unanimously that at least one of these factors exists, they then weigh the aggravating factors against the mitigating factors and determine which prevails.
They can identify different factors, as long as they all agree that one is present.
If they find that aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating factors, Komisarjevsky will be sentenced to death. If not, the sentence is life in prison. Our collective thoughts and prayers are with the Hawke-Petit Family while they wait…while the nation watches the final chapter of this unbearable burden.
“There is a land of the living and a land of the dead and the bridge is love, the only survival, the only meaning.” Thornton Wilder
Watch for my Featured “LadyJustice” Columns on Here Women Talk and Time’s Up Blog.
Three Petersons in a Pod
Posted by Administrator in Justice, Survivors of Homicide, Violent Crime on October 21, 2011
Who could have foreseen that there would be three men named Peterson who would fit the profile of a sociopathic murderer all in the same decade?
Such men have their own agenda, but are skilled at “playing the game of life”, while in their heads, the true person is revealed only unto themselves. As Sandra L. Brown of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction & Public Psychopathy Education would say of such men; “They are charming, charismatic, glib.”
They went about their murders in a different way, but they were basically cut from the same cloth and seductive men who also embody some of the most dangerous human qualities: a breathtaking callousness, shallowness of emotion and the fundamental incapacity to love. To such men, other people, including their own family members, friends and lovers, are mere objects or pawns to be used for their own gratification and sometimes quite literally discarded when no longer useful or exciting. In other words, these men are psychopaths.
Scott Peterson:
Catherine Crier, legal analyst, former attorney judge and host of Court TV is credited as the quintessential expert on the likes of Scott Peterson. Her book offers details unavailable elsewhere. http://www.amazon.com/Deadly-Game-Untold-Peterson-Investigation/dp/0060766123.
Scott, of Modesto California, did not succeed at much in life. His passions were girlfriends and golf. Somewhere along the way, he charmed Laci into thinking that he also wanted the picket fence, the family life and a nice home. However, no one discovered that he was too narcissistic, too immature to “settle” for one women and marriage …until it was too late.
On December 24, 2002, while eight months pregnant with his child, Scott, reported her missing. It was at this time that he began contriving his web of lies… There were many stories told regarding the last day Laci was seen alive. Scott went fishing, played golf etc. He actually, was creating another personality – that of a “widower whose wife had passed away”- a performance for his unknowing new girlfriend, Amber Frey. Amber put two and two together and knew that the information she had did not add up. His web of lies began to unravel – He was in Paris when he was really at a candlelight vigil for his wife, “barely participating.” He tried to explain selling his wife’s vehicle immediately and tried selling his house. His non-participation was noted by all. After he was initially arrested and released, he attempted to make a break for Mexico, aided by money from his parents. He even changed his appearance.
On April 14, 2003 the body of a baby boy was recovered from San Francisco Bay north of the Berkeley Marina. Shortly after, Laci’s torso also washed ashore. It was theorized that Scott killed her in his boat or the area of the Marina and weighed her body down with a cement weight. The only tangible piece of physical evidence was a singe hair of Laci’s found in a pair of pliers. However the amount of circumstantial evidence collected over time was overwhelming! The jury would later say that they based their guilty verdict on “hundreds of small pieces of circumstantial evidence that was akin to putting together a jigsaw puzzle.” On November 12th2004, the jury convicted Peterson of first degree murder with special circumstances for murdering Laci and second degree murder for the murder of his unborn child. He was also given the death penalty for failure to protect his family. Scott became a resident of San Quentin State Prison on March 17, 2005. His case is on automatic appeal with the Supreme Court of California.
For a look at this case from the perspective of a crime victim, Laci’s mother, Ladyjustice highly recommends the book by Sharon Rocha entitled, “For Laci: A Mother’s Story of Love, Loss and Justice.
Michael Peterson
On December 9, 2001, Michael called 911 to report that his wife had fallen down the stairs after returning from poolside, having
drunk wine and taking Valium. As the only other person in the house at the time of death, Michael was charged with murder. His wife Kathleen sustained injuries to her neck, the back of her head via blows by a blunt object and experienced much blood loss.
While the Peterson defense team claimed it “was a terrible accident” and that Peterson’s bi-sexuality was known to his wife, the prosecution thought otherwise. Kathleen was a genteel Sothern lady, as was Assistant District Attorney, Freda Black. Ms. Black surmised that Kathleen discovered the pornographic photos on Peterson’s computer and confronted him.
“She would have been infuriated by learning that her husband, who she truly loved, was bi-sexual and having an extramarital relationship – not with another woman – but a man, which would have been humiliating and embarrassing to her. We believe that once she learned this information that an argument ensued and a homicide occurred” —Assistant District Attorney, Freda Black
The defense, headed by David Rudolph was the lengthiest and probably the most expensive in North Carolina history. There were jury researchers, sample jury panels, the exhumation of Elizabeth Ratliff’s body in Texas (Peterson’s daughter’s biol
ogical mother) travel to and from Germany and Texas, a second autopsy, the consultative services of Dr. Henry Lee, forensic scientist and blood spatter expert on more than one occasion, much searching for the blunt object murder weapon said to be a fireplace “blow poke”, located at the 11th hour of the trial filled with cobwebs… etc., etc.
In fact, a riveting docu-drama reviewed previously by Ladyjustice called, “The Staircase,” describes this five star tale for Netflix. It was created by French filmmaker Jean-Xavier de Lestrade depicting the real lives and death, gripping courtroom scenes and family gatherings following the aftermath of chronicling the case of author Michael Peterson, who was convicted in 2003 for the murder of his second wife Kathleen. The portrayal of this real life occurrence is done over a period of several months from several points of view and condensed into six hours of viewing. It is an intimate, unprecedented view of family relationships, raw emotion, secrets, legal strategies, expert consultations, courtroom drama and even international intrigue tying a previous accidental killing of the same type to this defendant. It engages the viewer from the start with its storytelling abilities, cast of characters, timeline and musical offerings. I purchased this film and have viewed it about three times. With each viewing one gathers more insight into their version of events. LJ is discomforted with the findings of the two renowned forensic experts from Connecticut. However, as a biased homicide survivor, for all of its good qualities, this blogger thinks the film “bends over backwards” to represent Michael Peterson as the perfect husband with the perfect marriage. In reality, his life and marriage was far from it was far from it. This film omits physical evidence that offers further proof of his guilt. This family did survive the adopted, blended, divorced, inter-continental forces that would go against the making of a strong, but non-traditional family. The viewer does have empathy for many of those involved. In the beginning and in the end of the film, Michael Peterson comes off as a self-absorbed pathetic figure.
Elizabeth Ratliff’s evidence was admissible on the basis that Peterson used it to fake Kathleen’s death. On October 10, 2003, Michael Peterson was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. Parole was denied even though premeditation is a prerequisite, as the jury felt that a “spur of the moment crime” could also be premeditated in seconds, minutes, hours or days… Appeals based on “judicial mistakes” were turned down.
As of late 2009, another theory surfaced that some thought credible, concerning the possibility of an attack by an owl as indicated by scalp wounds and debris in her hands and hair. No motion for a new trial was filed at the time. As of August 2010, Duane Deaver, a State Bureau of Investigations Agent, whose work was found to be highly suspect, gave rise to David Rudolph filing another motion, pro bono. Diane Fanning’s WRITTEN IN BLOOD, 2006 Edgar Award Nominee for Best Fact Crime, is the premier book on the Michael Peterson murder case..
Drew Peterson
A cop who also murders sends chills down our spine. Just the thought of it is not something we are used to processing. When we see and hear the familiar protect and serve” this is not the notion our mind conjures up. And yet, it is more common than we realize. According to Purple Berets, an Advocacy group in Southern California for domestic violence prevention grass roots organization whose focuses include police as batterers state that: (http://www.purpleberets.org/about.html)
- Domestic violence is 2 to 4 times more common in police families than in the general population. In two separate studies, 40% of police officers self-report that they have used violence against their domestic partners within the last year. In the general population, it’s estimated that domestic violence occurs in about 10% of families.
- In a nationwide survey of 123 police departments, 45% had no specific policy for dealing with officer-involved domestic violence.
- In that same survey, the most common discipline imposed for a sustained allegation of domestic violence was counseling. Only 19% of departments indicated that officers would be terminated after a second sustained allegation of domestic violence.
- In San Diego, a national model in domestic violence prosecution, the City Attorney typically prosecutes 92% of referred domestic violence cases, but only 42% of cases where the batterer is a cop.
As for Drew Peterson, according to the Chicago Tribune, his third wife died mysteriously and his fourth also vanished. Peterson, 55 was arrested in May 2009, after an indictment for murder was obtained in the murder of his 3rd wife Kathleen Savio. She was found with a gash on the back of her scalp and appeared to have “drowned in an empty bathtub.” Peterson’s 23 year old 4th wife, Stacey disappeared in October 2007, which was the impetus for the re-investigation of Kathleen Savio. A second autopsy reaved that her death was not an accident. As of his arrest, he faces two counts of murder for Savio and was being held in lieu of $20 Million bail. According to an Illinois State Police Captain, have since accumulated 1,100 leads in the disappearance of Kathleen.
As of May 2011, reported by the Shorewood Patch, no progress had been made in the case of missing fourth wife, Stacey. At a
hearing in April 2011 to determine which testimony considered hearsay could be used, 13 statements were deemed usable from 70 witnesses. The State’s Attorney appealed the ruling which apparently is still pending.
All the while, Peterson laughs and jokes, mugs for the cameras, and reportedly previously engaged in “dating contests, and Nevada brothels” prior to his arrest.
For the other side of the story that the media doesn’t address, there is not a more informed advocate on the activities of Drew Petersen than Susan Murphy Milano.
He is described as a covert monster and narcissist, a womanizer, kept his children in line just like the military. He even dated Stacey on the birthday of his wife Kathleen.
[Ladyjustice-Sounds like Scott Peterson when he attended a Christmas party with Amber Frey as his wife waited at home!]
Please view this video done by Susan for A & E, as it is the epitome of intimate partner violence….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=junlgP3PfMU.
What can be said in the final analysis of all of these three “peas in a pod?” They have so much in common. They are evil and have no respect for life, other than their own lives. They have pathological brains and no hearts…. If my last name was Peterson I’d change it in a New York minute!
Respectfully Written,
(For all of the Intimate Partners who are no longer with us)
Ladyjustice
Hold the Pickle, Hold the Lettuce… Plain Murder on a Bun
Posted by Administrator in Employment, Justice, Missing Persons, Victimization, Violent Crime on October 3, 2011
“Oh dear, Oh dear and a bottle of beer, if I wasn’t married, I wouldn’t be here….” Ladyjustice learned this little ditty as a child… but oh how it takes on a new meaning now!
It has been nearly a year in October since this author began her training at “ImaginePublicity University” with exposure to such fine writers….. I dare say that what LJ knew about the intricacies of domestic violence or intimate partner homicide, you could put in several thimbles…. Now it is a MUCH DIFFERENT STORY.
As LJ was surfing the web, recovering from hand surgery nearly a year ago and happened upon the fiery red inferno of Susan Murphy Milano’s website… well, the rest is history as they say…. Ladyjustice thought she knew quite a bit about particular victim issues, but oh how she has learned from others!
However, once introduced in the topic of intimate partner homicide by Susan Murphy Milano, LJ “fell hook, line and sinker” for this issue and the plight of all missing persons after learning about the life path that she has chosen as a consequence of her horrendous childhood attributed to her perpetual abuser-murdering father. To borrow a line from a Tom Cruise movie, looking back on it, “you had me from the word hello.” Let me tell you, no matter what we have all experienced in life, it isn’t hard to be a cheerleader for someone who has overcome so much and at the same time accomplished so much!
This blogger was used to “plain murder” as her personal life experience when her Dad was murdered. In comparison to the plight of others, the crime itself was relatively uncomplicated, like ordering a hamburger with nothing on it… There was much pain and grief, extenuating circumstances and unbelievable levels of incompetence and miscommunication at times. However, the solvability factor, as they say on Crimewire, was high.
Although he was robbed, set up by a female accomplice, riddled with 5 to 6 bullets, there was no kidnapping, sexual assault, personal torture, extended period in which he was missing. There was no “special sauce, pickles, onion.” There was no arson, personal restraints, ransom, or intimate partner violence. No lettuce cheese, ketchup or fries…
The expertise and gratitude for the opportunity to learn from Diane Fanning, Sandra Brown, Jillian Maas Backman, Anny Jacoby, Denny Griffin, Vitto Collucci, Lynn Twyman, Barry Goldstein, Monica Caison, Janice Smolinski, Dr. Laurie Roth….The list goes on and on… And… how to express gratitude for the person who puts it all together so well, who puts up with Ladyjustice’s whims, endless questions and ideas at all times of the day and night- Delilah Jones! Impossible to do it without her!
As I continue on with a second year in the company of such fine individuals who advocate for others, and continue to see the crime in epidemic proportions that the general public doesn’t see… as I continue to try to fight the battle in my own way on behalf of others…. As I see my dear friend, Dr. Bill Petit, Jr. tortured again beyond belief…. I am thankful for so many thinks and so many people!
Thank you everyone who is a client of ImaginePublicity for what you have offered me! Thank you God for helping me pursue my aspirations! Thank you for small blessings such as “plain hamburger homicide”.
Here’s to another great year!
LOL
“Ladyjustice”
Twenty Seven Minutes for Twenty Two Years of Agony
Posted by Administrator in Judicial System, Justice, Sentencing, Survivors of Homicide, Victimization, Violent Crime on August 27, 2011
(Ladyjustice Commentary)
Ladyjustice writes this as we in New England are on the brink of the worst hurricane to strike in years… This hurricane will be nothing compared to the pain and anguish experienced by the Carone family.
A love of family can take many forms – even destructive forms.
That was “the excuse” for aiding and abetting the fugitive son of Frederick Zachs after his son committed murder in 1987. Peter Carone lay dead with a bullet in his back following an off handed comment about spin shining the bar…… Who would do such a thing? This man, Adam Zachs was a virtual time bomb waiting to explode. And, Peter got in the way….
Adam Zachs was coddled and protected all his life. He appeared to never succeed at anything much…except murder.
Ladyjustice was there. She saw first hand the torment and the injustice. She witnessed the dignity and grace with which Addie Carone conducted herself. She saw the lies told to the judge by the Zachs family about safeguarding Adam’s environment and returning him to begin his incarceration.
Ladyjustice saw the Carone family’s considerable efforts and perseverance in the passage of groundbreaking legislation so that a convicted killer could never be released on bond again….
For 22 long years, no one grew a conscience, no one turned him in. He was not just on the run like the David Jansen character. His family’s dirty money helped create a whole new identity for Adam, a computer business, a marriage and two children in Mexico.
‘Fast forward to August 2011. Now is indeed time for Frederick Zachs to once again face the Carone family.
On Friday, August 26, 2011 (The birthday of LJ murdered father) ,his attorney called him a “prototypical perfect citizen.”
Judge Janet Bond Arterton called it a “lose-lose situation and a “theft of justice.” She continued…
“This concept that he acted out of love for his son is not devotion, but criminal activity,” Arterton said. “This is a crime that could have been stopped at a very early stage and the ripples and ramifications we see today could have been minimized.’
Frederick Zachs never once apologized in 22 years and that was what Addie needed most. Kathleen O’Brien, Peter’s fiancé said in court Friday that her life changed forever that night. She has never married and lived with the stress of never knowing if Adam Zachs would be caught.
Frederick Zachs received the maximum, sentence of six months in jail, 3 years probation and a $5,000 fine. His sentence is to begin by September 27, to be served at the Federal Correctional Institute in Otisville, NY. Such a pitiful sentence for a prolonged inhumane act! Let’s hope that the elder Mr. Zachs is monitored closely before he begins his sentence!
This chapter is now closed for the Carone family… Future chapters we hope will be a bit brighter with Peter observing from his place in heaven.
With Respect and Love,
Ladyjustice
The Sins of a Son Fall on the Father
Posted by Administrator in Judicial System, Justice, Sentencing, Survivors of Homicide, Victimization, Violent Crime on June 9, 2011
Comment: As a court escort, Ladyjustice remembers clearly the parents of Adam Zachs promising to “monitor their son’s behavior and the presence of any weapons” as he was released on bond during the sentencing phase of the trail of Adam Zachs 22 years ago.
The truth is, this wealthy family demonstrated the most egregious misconduct imaginable by conspiring with others to harbor their fugitive son for 22 years, sending him money, creating a new identity and the opportunity of family in Mexico.
At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Carone family, who lost their son-brother Peter, who did everything possible to seek justice on an international level and carried on with dignity and hope. Even now, Addie showed constraint and “an ounce of compassion” for Fredreck Zachs, as he was charged with harboring a fugitive yesterday. (See initial blog Bridge Over Troubled Water and attached article)
Mr. Zachs, Money doesn’t buy true freedom, it only served to prolong the agony for the Carone family.
Ladyjustice hopes for the maximum penalty in this case!
Father of convicted killer Adam Zachs admits to harboring his son
WEST HARTFORD - The father of convicted killer Adam Zachs admitted to authorities on Wednesday that he harbored his son from federal authorities for more than 20 years.
David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Frederick B. Zachs, 78, of West Hartford, waived his right to indictment and pleaded guilty Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Joan Margolis in New Haven to harboring a fugitive, namely his son, Adam Zachs.
“For more than 20 years, this defendant helped a convicted killer escape justice,” Fein said. “By doing so, he contributed to the suffering of the victim’s family and loved ones. I want to commend the U.S. Marshals Service and the West Hartford Police for their dedication and persistence throughout this long-term investigation. Their efforts show the resolve of law enforcement and show that the engine of justice never stops turning.”
According to court documents and statements made in court, on Aug. 26, 1988, Adam Zachs was convicted of first degree murder following a jury 
trial in Hartford Superior Court. On October 13, 1988, he was sentenced to 60 years of imprisonment but was allowed to remain free on a $250,000 appeal bond. When Adam Zachs failed to appear for a court hearing in June 1989, a federal warrant charging him with unlawful flight to avoid confinement was issued. On February 2, 2011, Adam Zachs was apprehended in Leon Guanajuato, Mexico, and is currently facing extradition.
In pleading guilty Wednesday, Frederick Zachs admitted that, in June 1989, he assisted in Adam Zachs’ flight from justice by arranging for his son to be driven to New York in order to board a flight to Mexico and avoid serving his 60-year sentence. When federal authorities began questioning Adam Zachs’ family members about their knowledge of his whereabouts and the circumstances of his disappearance, Frederick Zachs falsely denied having any knowledge about his son’s disappearance or current whereabouts.
Frederick Zachs further admitted in court today that, over the years, he sent money to his son through at least two intermediaries.Zachs also stayed in touch with his son by using an intermediary in Brooklyn, New York, to receive and send letters, and by using prepaid calling cards to call from payphones in Arizona and New Jersey between February 2002 and September 2005.
Frederick Zachs is scheduled to be sentenced by United States District Judge Janet Bond Arterton on Aug. 26, at which time Zachs faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000.
This matter was investigated by the United States Marshals Service and the West Hartford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.
A Tumultuous Twosome- Harvey Milk & Dan White. . .
Posted by Administrator in Judicial System, Justice, Legislation, LGBT on April 3, 2011
An Historical Time Line
(Written by the Ghost of Joe Friday and Ladyjustice)
Who: Born: Harvey Bernard Milk
What: Son of Lithuanian, Jewish immigrants
Where: Woodmere, New York
When: May 22, 1930
Why: Because…. “They birthed babies back then”
Who: Born: Daniel James White
What: Son of Irish American Parents
Where: Los Angeles County
When: September 2, 1946
Why: Because… “They birthed babies back then”
Who: Harvey as Teacher and Naval Officer
What: Chief Petty Officer
Where: Submarine Rescue Ship, Junior Lieutenant
When: Korean War (1950-1953)
Why: Because…. “He joined up”
Who: Dan as Student & Valedictorian
What: Attended two high schools, Expelled from Riordian High
for “violence”
Where: San Francisco, California
When: Army Career 1965-1972
Why: Why not???
Who: Harvey as closeted gay man
What: Ex-teacher, Became Investment, Financial Advisor &
Theater Aficionado
Where: Bache & Company, New York;
When: 1963
Why: Talent for Finance; Partner was a theater director
Dan White
Who: Dan as Public Safety Officer & “Boy Wonder”
Saved mother & baby from 7th Floor Apartment; Reported
Cop for beating a suspect; Quit police force;
What: Police Officer, Firefighter, Security Guard;
Where: Anchorage, Alaska; San Francisco, CA
When: 1965-1972
Why: “Trying to find his niche”
Who: Harvey as Hippie, Non-Conformist
What: Burned his Bank of America Card; Fired from Job;
Opened a Camera Shop in Castro section, San Francisco
Where: New York & San Francisco
When: After invasion of Cambodia ~ 1970-1973
Why: Political, Business views were changing
Who: Harvey as Budding Politician, Activist
What: “The Mayor of Castro Street”; Newspaper Columnist;
Several Attempts at Municipal Office: State Assembly &
Board of Supervisors (City Council);
*** Made History as the First Openly Gay Elected Official
Where: The Castro, San Francisco, CA
When: 1973, 1975; 1977
Why: Building Momentum for Gay Rights & Other Minorities;
Who: Dan: As Family Man
What: “The Blank Period;” Married Mary Ann Burns
Nothing else notable …
Where: San Francisco, CA
When: 1976
Why: Everybody Needs Somebody….
Who: Harvey as City Supervisor
What: Legislator of Gay Rights- Anti-discrimination in
Housing, Employment, Teaching and Increasing the
GLBT Police Force
Where: San Francisco City Hall
When: 1977 to November 27, 1978
Why: He was a leader with a vision for change and equal
rights for all… He was a representative of the people.
Who: Dan as elected official on the Board of Supervisors
What: SF Police Union, Board of Realtors supported Dan’s
Election, financed it and shared his perception of the City was “soft on crime,” shared his conservative views on religion, civil rights, prostitution intolerance of homosexuality
Where: Southeastern District of San Francisco: District 8,
“the Working Class District”
When: 1977
Why: They needed someone to represent “the other side.”
Dan nicknamed the epitome of “white bread”
Who/What: “The Juice,” Anita Bryant: Born-again singer campaigns to overturn an anti-discrimination law protecting gay men and lesbians in Dade County, Fla. Inspired by her victory, Bryant founds the first national anti-gay group, Save Our Children, drawing unprecedented attention to gay issues and motivating gay groups to organize in response.
Who/What: James Dobson, author of 1969 pro-spanking book Dare To Discipline, founds Focus on the Family in Arcadia, Calif. Focus will move to Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1991, become America’s wealthiest fundamentalist ministry, and spearhead the campaign against gay marriage.
Where: Dade County Fl; Colorado Springs CO; Arcadia, California and later in San Francisco…
When: 1977 (The Thirty Years War- A timeline of the anti-gay movement) Southern Poverty Lew Center http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2005/spring/the-thirty-years-war
Why: “Because they could…..”
Who: Harvey as revered activist and frequent sparing partner
With other Board Supervisors
What: *** Achieved National Recognition in defeating Senate
proposal Proposition 6 of California to fire gay teachers
or their supporters
Where: San Francisco City Hall
When: Early 1978
Why: His star was rising….
Who: “Dan the Man” who quit and then changed his mind-
“Too Late…. “
What: “Too Little Salary” ($9,600/year- part-time) Couldn’t
support his family… couldn’t deal with the changing
ethics… Recipe for mass murder….
Where: Mayor George Mascone’s office
When: Late 1978
Why: Chief of Police, Board of Realtors, Supervisor, Diane
Feinstein convinces Dan to withdraw his resignation
and appeal to Mayor Mascone for the return to his job
WHY, WHY, WHY??? REVERSAL OF DECISIONS =
DEAD BODIES…
Dan reversed his decision to resign as a consequence of offers for financial help and political influence
Mayor George Mascone was “inclined to give Dan his job once again.” But, but, but… Harvey reminded George that of all the conservative proposals that had been defeated due to the 6 to 5 conservative majority. Harvey used his personal agenda to remind the Mayor that Dan “was the only actively gay staff person on the Board of Supervisors. As George was up for re-election the next year and dependent on the gay community for votes, Mayor Mascone made the fateful decision to deny Dan’s re-appointment. It turned out to be fatal….
Who: George Mascone: Former County Supervisor, State
Senator and Mayor of San Francisco
What: Origin: “Wrong side of the tracks” who did well in school
and became a champion of minorities including the elderly,
the working class, the poor, blacks and the GLBT community.
Attended Hastings Law School on a basketball scholarship…
and then was invited to enter the political arena.
Where: San Francisco, California
When Born: November 24, 1929; Died November 27, 1978
(‘Just 3 days after his 49th birthday)
Who: Dan as depressed, dejected, ex-City Supervisor,
“White bread” family man unable to support his brood
Where White Entered - A Door Today...
What: Dan entered an open basement window. (Thus avoiding
Metal detectors at the city Hall’s entrances)
He went to Mayor Mascone’s office first – shooting him in the
chest and then in the head as George lay dying on the floor…
Dan re-loaded, walked to the other end of the building,
Asked for a private meeting with Harvey whereby he shot
him twice in the brain
Dan walked out calmly, called his wife, met her at St. Mary’s
Cathedral and then turned himself in to police
Where: at the Northern Station.
Why: “I really lost it that day… I was on a mission.
I wanted four of them” (Confession to former Homicide
Detective Frank Falcon in 1984)
Who: Dan as Defendant
What: “Diminished Capacity due to Depression” Change in diet was
Evidence of his depression -
*** Forever known as: “THE TWINKIE DEFENSE”
Plea deal and conviction down to voluntary manslaughter
Seven years reduced to five with “good time”
Total Outrage by the GLBT Community
When: May 21, 1979 White Night Riots
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unu-9vM9VZw (Milk Trailer)
What-Again: Suicide-carbon monoxide poisoning by Dan
in his car
When Again- October 21, 1985
Why: A very troubled man saw no reason to carry on
If only Harvey was alive today…
Post Script: CHANGE IN CALIFORNIA LAW: After the jury convicted White of voluntary manslaughter — the least serious charge for homicide. This caused uproar against the diminished capacity plea in California, and in 1982, voters overwhelmingly approved a proposition to eliminate the defense.
See: 1981 CAL. STAT. ch. 404, effective January 1, 1982. See: 1982 CAL. STAT. ch. 893, effective January 1, 1983. http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/danwhitelinks.html
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