I've blogged twice now (here and here) about Cameron Todd Willingham, the Texas man who was tried, convicted, and eventually executed on what now appears to be really bad "expert" testimony. In a nutshell, arson "experts" were convinced that Willingham intentionally started a house fire intending to kill his children (all three died). There was no other evidence against Willingham … Read More
My Take On Roman Polanski
Yes, the 13 year old victim, now in her 40's, has long since forgiven him. Yes, the victim's mother at the time was apparently some freaked out fame wannabe, and put her daughter in that position. Yes, it was a long time ago. Yes, he's famous. But here's the thing. A crime is a crime. He committed a crime. He pled … Read More
More on the Cameron Todd Willingham Execution
A couple of weeks ago, I blogged about Cameron Todd Willingham, a Texas man executed — wrongly, it seems — for the death of his daughters by intentionally committing arson (according to Texas prosecutors). Hon. John Jackson, the judge in the case that led to Willingham's conviction, has spoken out. I've excerpted his guest column in the Corsican Daily Sun. I want … Read More
The Man Behind The Jaycee Abduction
As you probably know now, Jaycee Lee Dugard, 29, walked into an Antioch (CA) police station earlier this week, and told authorities she had been kidnapped in 1991 waiting for a school bus in South Lake Tahoe. Authorities have since arrested two suspects for the crime. Here's the blog of the male suspect, Phillip Girrado. His latest entry, from August … Read More
Texas (Of Course) Executes Innocent Man
Take a long look at the picture: That's Amber Willingham and her father, Cameron Todd Willingham. In 1992,the Willingham house caught fire. Amber and her two sisters perished. Cameron, the father, was charged with murder. He is the only person in history charged with murder where fire was the weapon. There wasn't much evidence against him. He was convicted largely … Read More
Should The Supreme Court Stay The Execution Of An Innocent Man?
Yes, right? Well, maybe not. Here's the story of the Troy Davis case: Twenty years ago, a late-night scuffle broke out in a Burger King parking lot in Savannah. When Mark MacPhail, an off-duty police officer, tried to intervene, someone pulled a gun and killed the officer. Soon after, Sylvester "Red" Coles, came to the police with a lawyer, accusing … Read More
Squeaky Fromme To Be Released
Yeah, she's 60 now, but she hasn't disavowed Manson. So, bad idea.
The Question Is “Why”
No meaning can be ascribed to meaningless killings like the ones in Pittsburgh last night. Yet, the question still remains: "why". Why would somebody do such a thing? Revenge against a specific target? A nut job? The shooter (who took his own life) left behind an online diary of sorts. We know why. He was lonely. Here is what he wrote … Read More
The Guy Who Wrote “You Light Up My Life” Is Finally Indicted
About time, too. That song, written in 1977, is a crime which has gone unpunished for too long. Wait, what? Oh. My mistake. He was indicted on sex charges. Date rape.
Holocaust Museum Shooting
It's all unfolding now. Two people (perhaps 3) shot by a gunman in the Holocaust Musuem in D.C.. The gunman was also apparently shot and is in custody. Too early, of course, to determine the motive, but since it was at the Holocaust Museum, one can surmise that the shooter was anti-Jew. From there, it's not a far leap to suppose … Read More
Reasonable vs Unreasonable Voices
I’ve written recently about the inflammatory rhetoric of Fox News, Bill O’Reilly, etc., and how it can lead to events like the murder of Dr. George Tiller this weekend. Some people get it. This is a thoughtful post from Rod Dreher, a conservative, at Belief.net: Unsurprisingly, on this blog’s comboxes and elsewhere, some are blaming the entire pro-life movement for … Read More
Remember That DHS Report?
Michelle Malkin apparently doesn't think the killer of Dr. Tiller is a "terrorist". He's an "extremist". She adds: Interesting how the t-word has been rediscovered. She has the memory of a moth. It was only back in April when the Department of Homeland Security issued a report equating right-wing extremism as a possible breeding ground for terrorist acts. The right wing … Read More
The Dr. Tiller I Knew
From a Daily Kos diarist: Like many in this community, my heart is heavy today. There have been many great diaries that talk about Dr. Tiller's years of service to women, and the threats he has endured throughout the last years of his life. My story is a bit more personal and I want to share it with all of … Read More
Profile Of The Killer
They've caught the guy who shot and killed Dr. Tiller. According to KWCH-TV: Deputy Chief Tom Stolz w/ Wichita Police Dept. says Dr. Tiller died of a single gunshot wound. The Associated Press says the man detained in the Kansas City area is 51-year-old Scott Roeder of Merriam, Kansas, according to Law Enforcement authorities in the area. Roeder has not been formally … Read More
Right Response, Wrong Response
National Right To Life Committee: WASHINGTON – The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC), the nation's largest pro-life group, today condemned the killing of Dr. George Tiller. The following statement may be attributed to NRLC Executive Director, David N. O'Steen, Ph.D.: National Right to Life extends its sympathies to Dr. Tiller's family over this loss of life. Further, the National Right to … Read More