The official website of investigative reporter author and investigative reporter Diane Dimond
Who Dreamed Up The Fast & Furious Plan?
Now, keep in mind – I don’t write about politics so this is not a partisan attack. I write about crime and justice. So, take what I’m about to say in that spirit.
And remember the name “Fast and Furious” because I predict you’ll be hearing a lot about it in the days ahead.
Here’s the backstory: Someone at the bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives … [click to continue…]
{ 9 comments }
Health Care in Prison? It is Constitutionally protected
While so many Americans are struggling to meet health insurance and prescription costs – services for prisoners constantly increase. And make no mistake about it, America has so many incarcerated people we are spending boat-loads of money on convicts’ medical care. Their services cannot be cut. But health care programs for the general public have been cut back time and time again. [click to continue…]
{ 29 comments }
It's Not Illegal For An American To Pray
Today let’s talk about what’s not a crime.
In a country that was founded on freedom of religion, it is not a crime to pray.
It’s not a crime to publicly pray to the deity of your choice. It’s not a crime for someone who holds public office to pray. It’s not a crime to be a politician and also host a public prayer meeting.
But after a recent spate of indignant media coverage I wouldn’t blame you if you thought there was something wrong with Texas Governor Rick Perry’s participation in what was called “The Response: A Call to Prayer for a Nation in Crisis” held in Houston. [click to continue…]
{ 43 comments }
Future President of France or Rapist?
The first order of business for a man accused of rape is to discredit the accuser. If he can paint her as promiscuous or having some sort of shady background the strength of her charges will diminish. This doesn’t, of course, mean the man is innocent but the more dirt that can be dug up on the woman the better his prospects are for acquittal.
This is the way it has always been and the way our legal system allows these types cases to proceed – smear the accuser and you might just get away with it.
Another ugly little secret about pending rape charges is that if the defense team can’t scare the woman away by telling her what they’ve discovered about her past, they then approach prosecutors. [click to continue…]
{ 2 comments }
He Declared the "War on Drugs"
No, of course we can’t. The drug scourge continues with its ever increasing criminality and murderous violence. It heaps economic hardships on families, communities and prison systems. Our decade’s long drug war gives off the stinking scent of failure and the undeniable conclusion that the way we’ve tackled the problem so far just isn’t working.
So how long do we keep doing the same old things before we change course? Isn’t it time for a radical shift in strategy to try to lessen the impact illegal drug trade has had on all of us?
I don’t want to make this a political thing but after reading a couple of recent reports (more on that below) I’ve come to the conclusion that Richard Nixon may have had a sharper focus on how to handle the drug problem than our current president. [click to continue…]
{ 25 comments }
Dr. Kevorkian Helped Us Think About Death
Hardly a day goes by that I don’t remember holding my stricken mother’s hand as she laid on a special hospital bed we had set up in her living room. It was there she took her last breath. Almost every day I think about how my father died in the bedroom of the home he loved so much. Both my parents passed away exactly how they lived – on their own terms.
They wanted no heroic measures to prolong their lives and they adamantly told me – their only child – that they did not want to die in a cold, impersonal hospital room. They made me promise to abide by their wishes. And just in case, they signed a living will putting it all in writing.
I thank Dr. Jack Kevorkian for that. He started the national dialogue about death that opened up the topic for discussion in my household. [click to continue…]
{ 26 comments }
If the Supreme Court Says Its Constitutional...
But I will remind folks of all those columns I wrote about the need for states to do something proactive about the problem of illegal immigration since members of the United States Congress have repeatedly fallen down on the job.
Frankly, I stopped writing about it because I figured anyone who was interested in the topic had already formed an opinion and nothing I would write would change any minds. Also, because there was the hate mail I got after I refused to call people who enter this country illegally “undocumented workers.” [click to continue…]
{ 12 comments }
Taking a Seat Here Can Change Your Life
Having spent the better part of the last two weeks watching an excruciatingly long jury selection for a capital murder case I’m left wondering – is it time for the United States to begin using professional jurors?
During the last couple weeks I watched intently as prospective jurors took the stand to explain to the court the financial hardship that leaving work to judge another would bring to their lives. Some of them work for employers who grant paid leave for jury duty but often it covered only a day or two. Many others worked for struggling small businesses or are self-employed and they explained that every day they didn’t show up at work was lost profit or a day’s pay docked off their paycheck. [click to continue…]
{ 16 comments }
Sex Offenders Must Be Punished
We’re pretty good at punishing people who are caught and convicted of sexual abuse. We’re not so good at stopping the abuse in the first place, especially when children are involved. After all these years of open discussion about this scourge why is it still so prevalent?
Because, we keep attacking the problem the same old way!
A new project from the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers, funded by the Ms. (magazine) Foundation, concludes it is time for us to adjust our collective thinking about sex offenders.
Perhaps the A.T.S.A.’s most important conclusion is that media coverage of abuse “monsters” has warped our sense of who they really are. Television news, movies and books mainly focus on the most extreme “stranger danger” cases, those in which a child is kidnapped, sexually assaulted and murdered.
In reality, the sexual abuse of kids doesn’t usually come from outside their circle and murder is extremely rare. [click to continue…]
{ 33 comments }
And, It Restored Our National Unity
Doesn’t it seem sad somehow that it took the assassination of Osama Bin Laden to re-ignite our national patriotism?
For ten very long years Bin Laden has been our Public Enemy Number One, our officially sanctioned Bogey Man. After his death was announced the spontaneous gatherings that occurred outside the White House, at sporting events and other locations around America were truly inspiring, especially when the crowds began to sing the National Anthem.
For me it brought back memories of a decade ago (has it been that long?!) when all of us banded together after the 9/11 attacks and regardless of race, class or political affiliation we collectively declared our pride in – and allegiance to – our country.
After September 11, 2001 we agreed justice would be ours. But, as the years passed we drifted away from that feeling of national unity and our public discourse became mired in ugly and divisive political rhetoric.
Now, with Bin Laden’s death we’ve finally gotten that justice. Feel better? [click to continue…]
{ 2 comments }
