by Diane on November 22, 2009
Mohammed Wants All Americans Dead
So, the so-called 9-11 Gang of Five will go on trial in a federal court as opposed to before a military commission. The bottom line question then has to be: Are you ready for the possibility that Khalid Sheik Mohammed or any of his fellow collaborators might walk free on a sly defense attorney’s manipulation of our system?
Don’t think it couldn’t happen.
Millionaire Robert Durst walked free even after he admitted to murdering a neighbor. In my opinion O.J. Simpson got a free pass too after taking the lives of his ex-wife, Nicole and her friend Ron Goldman. I could cite other cases in which juries, again in my opinion, did not come to the right conclusion. Take it from me it happens.
As you sit reading this column there are American lawyers preparing and strategizing right now on how they might secure the freedom of … [click to continue…]
by Diane on December 26, 2008
Wishes For Justice
‘Tis the season to wish good things for the year ahead so here’s my list.
I hope the worsening economy does not translate into a higher crime rate. Scholars and police disagree about whether bad economic times and high unemployment necessarily equals more crime. I agree with the boots-on-the-ground police types who tell me crime especially thefts, burglaries and domestic abuse does go up in hard times.
I hope our new President gets a handle on illegal immigration. [click to continue…]
by Diane on November 29, 2008
Junny Rio-Martinez, age 11
Sometimes I meet people on this crime and justice beat who just take my breath away. I want to tell you about one. Where she found the courage to go through what she did is beyond me.
Her name is Vicki Rios-Martinez. She’s the mother of six, grandmother to 12 and the survivor of a murder so heinous you may never forget the details. From that unspeakable crime Rios-Martinez found the courage to fight for a change in the law.
In short, her young son, Junny, was kidnapped, sexually molested and murdered 17 years ago. It was only recently that Vicki and her husband watched their son’s killer be put to death at the Starke, Florida State Prison. [click to continue…]
by Diane on October 25, 2008
My mailbox is filling up with e-mails asking how prosecutors can try to convict someone of murder if no body has been found. Is it fair to proceed to trial without one? Without a body isn’t there always reasonable doubt about whether the person is really dead? What about the corpus delicti principle?
No body, no trial, right? Wrong.
[click to continue…]
by Diane on September 5, 2008
Missing: Caylee Anthony
She missed celebrating her 3rd birthday with her family. No cake, no candles, no presents for little Caylee Marie Anthony of Orlando, Florida. She has been missing since sometime after June 15th . Her birthday was August 9th.
Now, a couple of numbskull bail bondsmen have given Caylee’s secretive, lying mother the gift of freedom – again. For the second time Mom gets bail on child neglect charges and leaves jail to watch from the comfort of home as others try to clean up her horrible mess.
Where is Caylee? Read more and vote in my online poll after the jump…
[click to continue…]
by Diane on August 9, 2008
Cold Cases = Dead End
F
rom time to time I get in my e-mail box a message like this:
“…A friend of mine has made a YouTube video about the murder of my 10 year old brother in Jacksonville, Florida in 1968. Glen’s death was not investigated in 1968 and still today there has been no justice for Glen.”
I diligently go to the website address provided thinking the cold-case story of Glen might make a good subject for one of these columns.
I’m quickly overwhelmed. Its clear reading the impassioned blogs of Glen’s still bereaved sister, Sandy, that the family’s pain is as real today – a full 40 years later – as it was that early February morning in 1968 when little Glen’s body was found beaten and “partially hanging” from a neighborhood rope swing. His death was originally labeled an accident. But the bruises on his tiny body, clearly visible on his face at the open casket funeral, told his family otherwise. Nevertheless, police simply closed the case with no investigation. Two years ago sister Sandy got another Jacksonville detective to declare “foul play” was involved. But since no evidence had been gathered in 1968 there was little authorities could do if they re-opened the case – so they didn’t.
So Sandy’s lonely quest for justice for her little brother continues. Her parents went to their graves never knowing who abducted and killed their little boy – or why.
It’s the WHY that seems to be so important to the survivors of cold case victims. [click to continue…]
There is an inner voice in my head that can’t stop screaming!
I’ve heard it since last week when the United States Supreme Court declared the rape of a child under the age of 12 should not – cannot – be punished by death. That, a majority of the court ruled, is not a “proportional punishment.”
The case before the court came from Louisiana, representing the only two men in the entire country who faced death for what they did to small children. One repeatedly raped a five year old. The other attacked his own 8 year old daughter so viciously she required surgery. The court concluded their actions did not rise to the level of crimes that deserve death, namely crimes against the state (like treason) or murder.
Part of my logical brain wants to scream into the faces of the Supreme Court Justices to come to their collective senses, the other part of my brain reminds me I am against the death penalty. [click to continue…]
