Airport Gun Arrests Are an American Disgrace

Over the last 30 years thousands of forgetful people have brought firearms inside carryon bags to the checkpoints and have been arrested.

Today despite the fact that there is not a single known case where airport guards stopped a hijacking by uncovering a weapon, there is a zero tolerance policy for anyone with a gun in their bag.

Under American laws there must be actual knowledge and intent to carry or bring the gun on the plane in order to gain a criminal conviction. Forgetfulness is a valid defense in court.

If a gun owner wants to travel with a gun there is a simple procedure that allows for the gun be placed in checked baggage. Gun owners all know they don’t have to sneak their guns on to the planes.

Because prosecutors allow these cases to be litigated, a jury must decide if the defendant truly forgot.

After a court acquittal the defendant is in debt for bail bonds, lawyers and time off from work, to get his or her day in court. In other words, the defendant was innocent but still punished.

Should investigation reveal the gun carrier is a felon or the weapon is stolen that’s a different matter that should be prosecuted. Of course that is rarely the case at our airports.

The TSA guards look for and find the weapons and nobody is ever in danger. These bogus prosecutions must end.

Breaking Drew Peterson With Detective Joseph Kozenczak’s Techniques

Okay, I’ll agree Drew Peterson is a pariah these days. I can’t agree that he deserves this label since he was career cop with no criminal history. The worst anyone can really say about him is his penchant for young attractive women. I guess that puts me in the same category since I too enjoy them.

The real question is what happened to Peterson’s third and fourth wives and did Drew Peterson bring about their fate? The short answer is, nobody knows. Humans are a suspicious lot and murder investigations begin and too often end at the ones closest to the victims. Humans seem to only hurt the ones they love.

Where’s the proof? The third wife drowned in the bathtub. Perhaps she had help in getting that way but we can only guess. After we make the first guess as murder we have to guess again who was responsible.

Then there is Staci Peterson. We can’t say that she was murdered because we just don’t know. We suspect foul play but have zero evidence and we can prove nothing at all. The suspicious folks and arm chair amateur sleuths guessed that the missing girl was murdered and they guessed further that Drew Peterson killed her.

I’m sorry folks but guesses don’t count. If it’s going to count it must be hard and cold evidence. For now and perhaps always that will be the case. There are may thousands of crimes that have never been discovered or have simply gone unsolved. They don’t write too may books and never make movies about unsolved crimes. Absolutely nobody wants to read or watch that story

As for the police they have a nearly impossible task. They must determine if there was a crime or crimes and uncover enough evidence to bring someone to justice. The cops are not clairvoyant and without a confession and minimal evidence to support it they are powerless.

Right now the Illinois State Police have only one tool to use and that's unlawful harassment. They know that sometimes works as it did in the case of the infamous Chicago area serial killer, John Wayne Gacy.

Gacy was stressed out and confessed because of remarkably clever stunts used to unnerve him. Most of those incredible tricks used by retired Des Plaines detective Joseph Kozenczak 30 years ago are in every homicide investigator’s playbook today.

The problem is that retired police sergeant Drew Peterson has read that playbook too. If Drew Peterson killed anyone, the undeniable fact is he knew and knows how to avoid detection.

It’s not a fair world, people get away with murder and innocent people are punished for murder. America’s founding father’s got it right when they gave us the Bill of Rights. Even Drew Peterson deserves those protections.

Scott Peterson Will Be Leaving California’s Death Row!

Modesto, CA--Scott Peterson stands alone as a convicted and condemned killer where no evidence of murder ever existed. Peterson’s pregnant wife Laci died for sure, but it’s still unknown what caused the woman's death.

I believe Scott Peterson was convicted because of the efforts by those Court TV harpies, led by that lynch’em, lightening rod, Nancy Grace.

It was a trial by hate that convicted a cheat, liar and womanizer of murder sans a simple cause of death. The jury had to assume that Laci Peterson was murdered, and then leap to convicting Scott Peterson of capital murder.

Laci Peterson’s parents have filed a wrongful death civil case against Scott Peterson. That’s far more complicated than it sounds. If Peterson chooses to testify in the civil case he must be removed from Death Row of the San Quentin State Prison to a Modesto, CA jail cell for the civil proceedings.

This is where the fun begins. Scott Peterson has nothing to lose and everything to gain by standing trial in a civil court. This is the kind of thing defense lawyers live for. This lawsuit is more than a gift, it’s a way to reopen the entire case, re-examine witnesses and re-test the physical evidence all over again.

The court is going to hear a plethora of inconsistent testimony by government witnesses. With fresh subpoena power, defense lawyers and investigators can find what they missed or mistakenly felt would not be helpful the first time around.

The civil jury will hear about shoddy police work, evidence tampering and the unbridled greed of Laci Peterson’s divorced parents.

Peterson’s former girlfriend, massage parlor worker, Amber Frey will have her butt right back in the hot seat for a brand new round of examination and cross-examination.

Frey has a lukewarm IQ at best, how is she going to remember the crap her writer attributed to her in her literary offering, “Witness: For the Prosecution of Scott Peterson”? How did profit from book and film deals influence Frey’s testimony during the criminal trial?

Frey has serious credibility issues. In 2005 it was revealed that Frey snookered a man, Anthony Flores into paying child support for her daughter that was fathered by another man. Flores paid Frey for four years before the scam was revealed by DNA testing.

The Scott Peterson case is old news and the media attention is far less likely to influence a jury.

It’s difficult to imagine but what if the civil jury can’t find enough real evidence with a much lower standard of proof than reasonable doubt needed find Peterson liable?

Stay tuned, this is destined to make history!

The civil trial is set to begin July 8.

Dennis Farina Cleared Of Felony Gun Charge From LAX Incident!

Los Angeles—L.A. County District Attorney Steve Cooley’s office has declined prosecution of retired Chicago police burglary detective, turned actor, Dennis Farina on that felony gun charge.

The case was referred for review to the Los Angeles City Attorney, Rocky Delgadillo for review of any potential misdemeanor prosecution against Farina.

The requirement of intent for such a gun possession charge must be present in any misdemeanor violation prosecution. Perhaps Farina will be cleared altogether very soon. Let’s hope that happens.

Read earlier stories here.

Drew Peterson's First Legal Shot Fired At Prosecutor On That Gun Charge

Joliet IL—Drew Peterson’s lawyer, Joel Brodsky has filed a motion on simple, plain English grounds to dismiss the complaint filed over a gun seized last November by Bolingbrook police.

When the gun was seized Peterson was a police sergeant and member of the department’s SWAT team. The rifle was equipment that was used in connection with that assignment.

Unlike many police departments across the country, Bolingbrook requires their officers to find and purchase their own duty weapons. The officers are reimbursed through their police uniform allowance. That includes any weapons used by the SWAT team.

The complexities of department technicalities about issues of barrel length are just that, departmental issues. The weapons themselves are covered under a federal law preemption that immunizes the officers from criminal prosecution under any state law. Peterson was charged under Illinois law that cannot be used against him.

Frustrated state police investigators have no evidence of murder so they took another route to disrupt Drew Peterson’s life. Perhaps someone should have bothered to read the law first.

Here’s a motion filed today in The Circuit Court of Will County, IL:

Dismiss Motion - Upload a doc

Read this doc on Scribd: Dismiss Motion

Ivan The Terrible Or Just Another Nazi?

Washington D.C.--Retired Cleveland autoworker John Demjanjuk is 88 years-old now living in a quiet Cleveland suburb. This morning our nation’s highest court cleared the way for his deportation.

Demjanjuk’s life has been quite an adventure since the newly formed United States Office of Special Investigations (OSI), an obscure outfit entrusted to locate and bring to justice Nazi war criminals focused on him in 1977.

They falsely got his citizenship revoked and extradited him to Israel as, Ivan the Terrible. That was a moniker for a sadistic Treblinka guard named Ivan Marchenko. Decades later, in an incredibly suggestive photo line-up Holocaust survivors picked out Demjanjuk as the fugitive war criminal.

OSI investigators produced a NAZI identity card that proved its position as to Demjanjuk’s identity as the Treblinka sadist. That ID card was later examined by Bill Flynn a noted forensic document examiner with the Arizona Department of Public Safety. Flynn was able to conclusively prove that the card was a forgery pasted together from more than one identity card of that era.

Demjanjuk was convicted and sentenced to death and set to be only the second “war criminal” executed by Israel. That changed all when the Israel Supreme Court saw the injustice and freed Demjanjuk.

Demjanjuk returned home only to be once more identified as a Nazi by the OSI and run through the courts all over again. The standard of proof is much less than required in our criminal courts and OSI succeeded in again revoking Demjanjuk’s citizenship winning yet another deportation order.

Now what’s left for the old man is finding a country to accept him. He was ordered deported to Germany, Poland or his native Ukraine. This seems like such a waste of time and money.

Too bad that Demjanjuk was not a rocket maker so he could have been a spaceflight hero like, Dr. Wernher von Braun who as a Nazi arms maker utilized Jewish slave labor to build rockets that hit London.

UK Actor Rob Knox Was Murdered by Government Craziness

The people of The UK are beyond help and hope. They’ve handed their streets over to robbers, rapists, killers and even terrorists.

With traditional snobbery the Brits have rejected use of force to avoid violent crime. People who dare hurt a criminal in the course of a deadly crime face years in prison as well as civil actions by the predators.

I guess the pacifists rule the UK with an insane idea that laying down playing dead and total cooperation with criminals is somehow good public policy. I’m sure the UK’s most hardened criminals love Merry Old England for its kind of misplaced benevolence.

I remember the case of an American woman who used a Swiss Army knife many years ago to fend off an attacker in the Tube. The woman’s attacker was not injured and the woman faced serious time in prison. That incident took the UK off of my tourism list but for an occasional stopover at Heathrow Airport.

Actor Rob Knox, 18 who will be seen in the November opening of the latest film in the Harry Potter franchise was stabbed to death protecting his brother from a knife attack. Others were hurt during this incident.

For those who don’t know or were influenced by too many Hollywood film productions, knives are far deadlier than guns at close range. Bullet wounds seal themselves because human tissue is elastic. Knife wounds leave blood vessels wide open and our bodies can bleed out in seconds even if vital organs are uninjured.

Now the UK is trying to bring an end to knives through more laws that criminals don’t care about. They have a big KNIFE AMNESTY program underway. The great chefs of the UK may just become the latest refugees seeking asylum in nearby countries that still value freedom.

To aid the Amnesty program police have set up airport style checkpoints to frisk citizens suspected of nothing. I ask, what are UK’s politicians smoking these days?

This is all as backwards as can be and here is a simple cure.
1. Legalize reasonable force including deadly force in self-defense and defense of others.
2. Legalize the carrying of weapons including handguns by any sane and law abiding citizen.
3. Protect crime victims from civil liability from the thugs.
4. Arm all cops 24/7
5. Allow for armed private detectives and security patrolmen.

By making these changes and putting the thugs on notice will greatly slow down this violent crime rate that has been directly tied to new laws and enforcement against self-defense.

Are the Brits so dumb they can’t figure out that Charles Darwin, not the government is policing their streets?

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.

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.

LAX Cops And TSA Bust Former Burglary Dick Turned Actor Dennis Farina

Los Angeles--It seems that Dennis Farina forgot he had a little .22 pistol in his briefcase as he went through an airport checkpoint at LAX this morning. The TSA weenies saved us from yet another hijacking!

Farina honorably served as a Chicago cop spending most of his career as an Area Six burglary detective until he and and a former robbery sergeant, Chuck Adamson were discovered by legendary film director and Chicago native Michael Mann. Soon Farina took his leave of absence and early retirement to portray a cop in scores of projects on the small and large screen.

Farina has returned for many funerals of fellow officers and never missed a chance to help one of his own.

The TSA called LAX Police who booked Farina at the LAPD Pacific Division on a felony charge. Farina’s gun was allegedly not registered in California. California gives their residents a 60 day grace period in which to register firearms imported from other states. Farina told police he had recently brought the gun in from his home in Scottsdale.

Farina owns and lives in properties in Michigan, Illinois, and Arizona that I know about. Farina spends the least amount of time in Los Angeles and should not be considered a resident subject to local gun registration laws. Federal law lets retired officers carry firearms and another federal law protects non-residents from state and local registration laws where simple possession is involved. Police chose to charge Farina with a felony. Bail was set at $35,000.00, I never knew Farina was such a flight risk or so dangerous to the public.

Normally I avoid harsh language on my blog but this arrest is beyond CHICKENSHIT. What the Hell is going on in America?

The United States Supreme Court will be ruling on whether Americans have a right to keep and bear arms any Monday in D.C. vs Heller before the summer recess.

As I have always said, gun laws only impact the law-abiding. Will Farina get punished for being absent minded? I hope not. For now he is being punished with bad publicity, the Hollywood Perpwalk, court appearances and wasted time and money dealing with lawyers.

Through his publicist, Lori De Waal, Farina said "I apologize to anyone and everyone that I have caused any embarrassment or inconvenience to. It is my own stupidity to find myself in this embarrassing situation. I don't put the blame on anyone else but myself. I want to apologize to my friends, family and business associates who I'll explain to privately later. I'll be spending the next few days kicking my own ass. No one is more embarrassed than myself."

Here’s where Farina and I disagree. Obviously Farina did not intend to bring the gun onto the plane or hurt anyone. The police investigation should have uncovered that and they could have used discretion by releasing rather than booking the actor.

Farina obviously showed real class despite being subjected to an unnecessary trip through the criminal justice system as a defendant.

Farina’s latest movie, “What Happens in Vegas...” just had a premier at the Mann Village in Westwood, Los Angeles. Maybe the LAX Police are “helping” sell tickets?

LASD Sheriff’s Booking Record.

An Update:
Farina was released on bail after 12 hours in custody from the Van Nuys jail. I can just imagine fumbling around for cash on a Sunday when all the banks were closed for a bail bond from a jail cell must have been quite a challenge. Here is KTLA-TV's top story at 10:00 PM

A Small Mother’s Day Present For Fugitive Soccer Mom

Aside from more major newspaper editorial support for Marie Walsh’s freedom, she arrived somewhat early from her 2000 mile prison bus trip last night.

Walsh will be held in a quarantine setting for a while as she is processed into the general population at the Robert Scott Correctional Facility in Plymouth, Michigan.

Soon Walsh will have an approved list of people she can call by telephone assuming she has money in her personal prison account. It takes time for the bureaucracy to handle these things.

All of Walsh’s visitors including family members will have to undergo background investigations by prison officials before any visits can take place.

My hopes are that a defense lawyer can get the original Saginaw County Court to accept a motion for re-sentencing. Should the court take jurisdiction they may well set bail and release her pending a pre-sentence investigation and further court appearances.

Walsh’s former prosecutor publically said if he was the prosecutor today he’d join in Walsh’s motion to set her free. Walsh has been punished enough. Hopefully the current prosecutor may have a similar attitude. Of course the court will have to accept jurisdiction over this matter befor any movement here.

Should that effort fail a commutation application must be initiated and put into the Pardon Board’s overflowing caseload for consideration. A hearing would result and and recommendation made to the Governor. I know that Governor Granholm is well aware of this case but only she knows what she will do.

Let’s hope that this 33 year-old nightmare ends for Marie Walsh and is put behind her.

Read today’s Detroit Free Press editorial here.

Governor Granholm Should Exercise Leadership On The Soccer Mom Fugitive Case

Susan Lefevre is on a prisoner bus traveling to a state that felt she needed 10 to 20 years imprisonment to turn her into a productive and law-abiding citizen. Michigan was dead wrong as today the stellar wife and mother, now know as Marie Walsh has become today serves as solid evidence of their misjudgment.

I’m asking along with the hundreds of the fugitive’s friends and supporters for Governor Jennifer Granholm to use her commutation power in an unprecedented way in this unparalleled case.

Governor has sole commutation power to set Lefevre free under Article 5 & 14 of the Michigan Constitution. That’s despite a bureaucracy that was set up to include all ten politically appointed members of the Michigan Parole Board.

Usually parole boards are expected to be clairvoyant and predict which offenders are worth the risk of parole or commutation. They investigate and take a long hard look at each case before them and they nearly always vote on the side of caution against disturbing sentences imposed by courts.

Despite clear powers to do so, Michigan governors have never bypassed the parole board process or given a commutation where the board has not recommended mercy. Nobody can recall a similar case like Marie Walsh’s either.

The governor can and should sidestep the parole board’s fortune tellers because she is empowered to do so. Granholm can begin her own investigation and act reasonably and prudently before any clemency application begins its journey.

This is not to slight the members of the parole board or their important work, this rare case does not need to waste their time and limited resources.

The governor can save a family, save taxpayers a small fortune and bring a fair resolution to this woman’s case by just being a courageous governor.

The cost to taxpayers of keeping Marie Walsh for five and a half years in prison is well over $172,000.00. I know there are more important uses for that money than protecting Michigan from a middle aged, reformed soccer mom who lives 2,000 miles away from the place where she offended so long ago.

Here is the contact information for Governor Granholm:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
PHONE: (517) 373-3400
PHONE: (517) 335-7858 - Constituent Services
FAX:(517) 335-6863

The Busing Of Marie Walsh To A Michigan Prison Cell

Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh has just begun a lengthy bus trip from San Diego, California to Plymouth Michigan where she escaped over three decades ago.

Michigan contracts with a private prisoner transportation vendor that provides this service as authorized under a specific federal law.

The bus will be visiting jails and prisons everywhere along the way where they will load and unload their high risk passengers.

I suspect that this trip is the most miserable way to travel and may take as long as two weeks. Walsh will be wearing chains on her wrists and ankles during every moment she is in the bus.

For Marie Walsh this may be the loneliest and most frightening trip she’s ever taken in her life.

The good news for the Walsh family is that the legal machinery will begin considering requests for a sentence reduction or commutation as that bus arrives.

When Marie Walsh steps off that bus she can hold her head up high and smile because the last three decades brought her a fine family that’s very proud of her.

We will find out if justice is tempered with mercy in Michigan as this story unfolds.

Javert 2, Escapes, O. As yet another Long Time Michigan Escaped Convict Is Captured In California

Santa Barbara--Javert of course, is the fictional policeman from that great Victor Hugo Novel, Les Misérables. Javert chased the escapee, Jean Valjean across France catching him nearly a lifetime after he had reformed and became a beloved town mayor.

This is an example of lightning striking twice within a couple of months. In February, a long time, trusted and well liked University of California Santa Barbara employee, Jason Von Straussenburg, a Developmental Technician in the Biological Sciences Department was nabbed after an anonymous tipster told authorities he was really a Michigan escaped convict. The tipster was correct in fingering Roger Crona who broke out of another Michigan prison in 1972.

Carona was twice sent to prison for auto theft related offenses.

Decades have gone by and Crona found the good life in this beautiful coastal town. He put his larcenous ways behind him and at 61 years of age he could soon reasonably expect retirement and a nice pension.

Now Crona is waiting for the extradition train back to Michigan. So far he has refused to waive extradition. If the requesting state wants him it’s almost a sure thing to happen.

Extradition laws involve governors of both involved states to agree to allow a prisoner to be surrendered and moved. The requesting state has to pick up the prisoner and pay for transportation. Often states elect not to bother if the crime is not considered important enough. Crona may well have gotten closer to getting this thing behind him if Michigan decides to give their taxpayers a break.

I see no purpose in wasting money to incarcerate obviously reformed middle aged folks. I say let Mr. Crona who retired from his short auto theft career also retire from his university job far from taxpayer’s wallets.

However it happened Michigan authorities will now have to grapple with two somewhat similar ancient cases. Of course Susan Leferve now known as Marie Walsh was captured little more than a week ago.

Michigan Department of Corrections Information here.

How should Escaped Convict Susan Lefevre Be Handled?

Marie Walsh with her husband and three children. Click on picture to enlarge.

Susan Lefevre is the San Diego woman recaptured after her escape in 1976 from a Michigan prison where she was serving a 10 to 20 year term. Lefevre is now known as Marie Walsh.

I call Marie Walsh the modern day female, Jean Valjean from the great Victor Hugo Novel, Les Misérables.

There is little precedent for this highly unusual case of sin, punishment, escape and redemption in our criminal justice system. This case involves the following facts:
1. Walsh was a 19 year-old first time offender.
2. Walsh received an unusually harsh sentence for her drug conviction.
3. Walsh escaped and was at large for over 32 years.
4. Walsh has never reoffended in over three decades.
5. Walsh has led the rest of her admirable life with her husband and three children.
6. Walsh was never involved in theft of violence.
7. Walsh is obviously no threat to public safety.
8. Walsh suffered over a year in prison and many years living in fear of capture.
9. Walsh’s family needs their wife and mother.
10. Walsh defied the odds of an over 90% failure rate of ex convicts.

The ultimate goal of the Michigan Department Corrections was reached with respect to Walsh.

There are three potential directions for resolving this case:
1. Forcing Walsh to complete her sentence.
2. The court that sentenced Walsh may be able to conduct a new pre-sentence investigation and re-sentence her to a lesser term.
3. Commutation proceedings by the Michigan Parole Board and Governor Jennifer Granholm could finish by ending Walsh and her family’s worst nightmare.

Whatever happens will take many thousands of tax dollars in order to turn the slow wheels of government bureaucracy.

Walsh paid a huge price for her youthful indiscretion already and has demonstrated stellar conduct ever since her escape. Yes, she broke out of prison but more importantly she broke away from the drugs, bad influences and conduct that brought her there.

This is a case where good truly triumphed over evil. We as a society have a duty to make sure Marie Walsh and her family is reunited without further delay.

Fugitive Soccer Mom’s Incredible Demeanor

Undated photo of Marie Walsh and her husband, Alan Walsh with their two daughters.

After leading a law-abiding and productive life 32 years since her escape from a Michigan prison, Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh is still quick to flash a bright smile.

At first I could not understand how anyone could withstand being ripped from their home and loving family and not sink into a sewer of despair at the thought of resuming a 10 to 20 year prison stretch.

Imagine how a wife of 23 years could handle being forced by jailers to remove her wedding ring before they apply the foul delousing spray jails commonly use on all new inmates? Walsh has been captured, put in irons and prison garb and still has an air of amazing style. She seems to be able to turn a handcuff on her wrist into an elegant, diamond tennis bracelet.

For Walsh, her running is finally over. Walsh is also obviously proud of the life she made for herself, her family and friends. Above all Walsh beat the odds for prison convicts by getting completely away from the things that led her astray as a teenager in 1975.

Walsh seems to have real confidence in herself to overcome her troubles and land on her feet with all of her dignity intact.

Walsh has shown by example that her original sentence was far too harsh and that she is no danger to the public. She got caught up in the Drug War dragnet and has ever since paid a very heavy price. Most importantly Walsh learned from her misdeed.

Another price we cannot ignore is the total loss of privacy for Walsh and her family. Marie Walsh’s husband and children really have little choice but to step forward and submit to interrogation by the inquiring minds of the national news media.

I see a great opportunity for every government representative involved in Walsh’s future to show compassion in this very extraordinary and historical case. I only hope they will be able live up to Walsh’s example.

Facts about Commutations in Michigan:

The power to grant commutation rests solely with the Governor. Const. 1963 art. 5 & 14. In Michigan, the Parole Board receives clemency applications, conducts public hearings, and makes formal recommendations to the Governor. The Governor has the power to grant a commutation for any sentence except treason.

Grants of commutation have been rare indeed in Michigan in the last decade. While in the mid-1960s, Governor Romney commuted the sentences of 107 inmates. Twenty years later, Governor Blanchard granted only six commutations -- all but one just before he left office. Governor Engler has granted just five commutations since 1990.

Fugitive Soccer Mom's Story Is Nothing Less Than A Victor Hugo Novel

This time the character Jean Valjean from Hugo’s great tear-jerker novel, Les Misérables, turns out to be a woman!

Susan Leferve now known as Marie Walsh is the escaped convict that fled in 1976 from a severe 10 to 20 year prison term. She has turned her life around and lived the American dream with her husband and three children as a lawful and productive member of society.

Javert the policeman, chased Valjean for his entire career all over France. The Michigan Department of Corrections has their own Javert aided by the US Marshall's service.

Unfortunately, a 1832 national insurrection pre-dating the French Revolution brought death to most of the compelling characters in Les Misérables.

If every offender in this country could follow Leferve’s lead by escaping and to never reoffend we’d be living in a true Utopia. We want our criminals to change their ways but it’s a very rare day when that happens.

Some say it’s a terrible example to wipe LeFerve’s slate clean just because the fugitive turned her life completely around. I say the opposite is true, LeFevere should serve as an example that good things can happen when criminals change their evil ways.

LeFerve already waived extradition and Michigan Governor, Jennifer Granholm has the power to commute LeFever’s sentence. The parole board will hear requests and take testimony from citizens before making recommendations to Governor Granholm.

LINKS:
Hear Detroit , WJR Radio host Frank Beckmann talk to Russ Marlan of Michigan Department of Corrections, about the Susan LeFevre case.

If you want to help LeFerve here is how you can do so.

Michigan Department Of Corrections Information.

A Mom And Her Family Need Your Help!

Please Call or write Michigan Governor Jennifer M. Granholm

For a stupid teenage indiscretion in illegal drug commerce in 1975, Susan Lefevre now known as Marie Walsh was sent to prison in Michigan. She accepted responsibility and got a draconian 10 to 20 year sentence.

Lefevre turned her life around and is a wife and mother of three fortunate children today. She’s avoided drugs, crime and the lifestyle that led to her going to prison. She did what less than ten percent of ex-convicts can do. She was never arrested for another offense.

Lefevre felt threatened in prison and found a way to escape with the help of her grandfather in 1976. LeFevre spent the next three decades keeping a terrible secret fearing every knock at the door. That knock came last Thursday and she is on her way back to Hell.

I’ve investigated this woman and firmly believe she should be forgiven and have her sentence commuted at once. I can’t imagine the horror her family is going trough right now.

Here is the whole story complete with links to interviews


I don’t see much help for this woman other than courageous clemency action by Michigan Governor, Jennifer M. Granholm. She will need time to investigate and determine if LeFevre is even worthy of the expense of extradition.

The Governor is really LeFerve’s only hope. I’m asking all of my readers to contact the Governor and send this woman back to her family. Then e-mail this article to everyone you know.

The governor’s contact information is below:
Governor Jennifer M. Granholm
P.O. Box 30013
Lansing, Michigan 48909
PHONE: (517) 373-3400
PHONE: (517) 335-7858 - Constituent Services
FAX:(517) 335-6863

A side note: 05/03/08-Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is now home, resting after undergoing surgery for intestinal obstruction stemming from an auto accident 15 years ago.

Even so the Governor is on top of Marie Walsh’s frightening situation. I know the governor wants to see a fair and humanitarian solution to Walsh’s Commutation investigation and proceedings.

I wish the Governor Godspeed to a full recovery.

Marie Walsh’s attorney is:
Paul Denenfeld, Esquire
Yates, LaGrand & Denenfeld PLLC
161 Ottawa Avenue, N.W., Suite 404
Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
Phone: 616-356-1770
Fax: 616-356-1772

The Long Arm Of The Law Reaches Out Through Time Again

SAN DIEGO – Susan Lefevre was a teen who made some bad choices and found herself sent to prison for a 10 to 20 year term for drug dealing by a Saginaw county court after she pled guilty in 1975.

Soon Lefevre’s grandfather helped her break out of the what's mow called the Robert Scott Correctional Facility located in Plymouth and she’s been on the lam ever since.

Lefevre fled to California and It’s abundantly clear she learned the lesson her lifestyle brought her. Lefevre changed her ways and chose the life of a clean living, suburban San Diego housewife, and soccer mom.

According to a US Marshall’s spokesman the fugitive changed her name to Marie Walsh and evaded capture until late last week. Someone ratted out the 53 year-old absconder to the Michigan Department of Corrections. That led to her capture.

Lefevre’s husband and three children were unaware of her secret.

Punishment was administered but was interrupted for over three decades. Carrying around the secret and looking over your shoulder for so long is severe punishment in and of itself. Rehabilitation of criminals is the ultimate goal of our society and that goal has been reached in this case.

Lefevre faces swift and certain extradition to Michigan where she faces additional escape charges which may destroy the rest of this woman’s life. Her family must be enduring a frightening and heartbreaking nightmare.

Susan Lefevre is a victim of our failed Drug War. The drug laws created an opportunity for a teen to engage in some very lucrative commerce. That opportunity only existed because the drug prohibition made drugs worth far more than their weight in gold.

For now Michigan officials will decide issues while she is in custody over the next several months. Issues like an additional escape prosecution, new sentencing by the original court, or clemency.

I hope they find a way to administer compassion as well as punishment in Michigan. I want very much to see a commutation of Lefevre’s sentence allowing her to go home.

Read more bout this case and see video of an interview with the fugitive here.

A better interwiew can be found here.

Here is a high school photo of Lefevre before her arrest.

Please Anyone Just Tell Me How they Died?

The case of Laci and Scott Peterson captivated the entire nation. I won’t call this a murder case since a murder was never proven. The trial jury and millions of Peterson trial news-junkies will disagree with me on this point.

Let me begin by saying that Scott Peterson is a cad, cheat and liar. He led a double life to satisfy his over-active libido. We’ve all heard those stories about men who cheat and lie to get laid and then cheat and lie some more to cover-up those indiscreet liaisons. The popular former President Bill Clinton was cut from the same cloth as Scott Peterson in that regard. There was one not so minor difference though; Clinton lied about his own philandering under oath. Is a liar and cheat automatically a cold-blooded murderer? If the answer of that question were yes, most of the male population would be on Death Row today.

The American system of justice has always been one where a criminal conviction could only be sustained if there was proof beyond a reasonable doubt of guilt. That not so simple concept was created with the idea that it’s better that ten guilty men go free than one innocent man be wrongly convicted. I guess that concept is just too old fashioned and can’t satisfy Americans anymore.

It was around Christmas Eve 2002 when a very pregnant Laci Peterson vanished from her Modesto, CA home. This happened during a time when burglars and identity thieves were working very near the Peterson home. Despite that fact the Modesto police properly put Scott Peterson under tight scrutiny since statistically it's true that humans hurt the ones they love at a much higher rate then strangers. Eventually Laci and her unborn fetus were found dead of undetermined causes in The Berkley Marina of San Francisco Bay.

This sad story took on a Hollywood life of its own. Along with the media, their pundits and experts came bottom-feeders like Los Angeles lawyer, Gloria Allred. Allred bills herself as a victim’s advocate as she trolls for humanity like Scott Peterson’s love toy, Amber Frey as clientele. Allred has tailored her legal practice to hanging on to pathetic people with titillating stories to promote and cut her way into her client’s book and film deals. Unlike a film producer that would pay for an option, Allred becomes their “lawyer”, and takes a percentage of their money as an agent. Advocating for the best outcome of a story that would boost marketability becomes Allred’s goal rather than advocating for truth, justice or perhaps her client best interests.

Can those accused get a fair trial in a land of unprecedented electronic media coverage? Would prospective jurors truthfully inform the court about what they heard about the case? How could prospective jurors not expect to get bombarded with book deals and such if they got picked to sit on the Peterson jury? I would suggest that potential jurors could be trusted to tell the truth about their agendas as well as Bill Clinton did during that now famous court deposition.

As in all cases that are brought into out courtrooms there are those collateral issues that must be dealt with by the trial judge for relevance and unfair prejudice to any party of the case. In the Peterson case where media coverage was in overdrive no prospective juror could avoid the constant bombardment of gossip, rumors and outright bogus tales. This while people like Allred manipulate and spin the story for profit.

Next we have the Hollywood/TV lawyer throwing sensational sound bites everywhere. Unfortunately Peterson’s defense attorney Mark Geragos skill for TV sound bites exceeded his skill for lawyering. Instead of concentrating on the huge Corpus Delecti issue, Geragos got caught up in prosecution theories and Amber Frey’s pillow talk, spy work for the Modesto police.

Corpus delecti is Latin for the "body of the crime." Additionally it’s often correctly called the essence of the crime. The crime here is alleged as a double murder. Murder is the unlawful taking of a human life. To establish murder you need the corpus delecti. That would be a body and the cause and manner of death. That takes me to the simplest four-word question. How did they die? Not one prosecution witness could answer that question. That should have been the beginning and end of this case.

In order to convict a jury would have to determine that Laci Peterson was murdered. At best the Peterson jury could only make a guess that she was. Next the jury would have to again guess that Scott Peterson killed her.

When Mark Geragos lost sight of the corpus delecti and got caught up in the prosecution theory quagmire, he allowed the burden of proof to become reversed where Scott Peterson was forced into to proving that theory wrong. That’s where Peterson's defense case got derailed.

The opening defense statement should have been incredibility short and to the point. The Prosecution will not be able to establish a crime. They can’t tell you how Laci Peterson and her fetus died. The question of accident, natural causes or murder just can’t be answered. They don’t have the corpus delecti and they are simply wasting our time and tax money.

Every prosecution witness should have only been asked a minimum of questions during cross-examination: How did Laci Peterson and her fetus die? Did you see Scott Peterson kill anyone? Did Scott Peterson tell you he killed Laci Peterson and her fetus? Did you kill Laci Peterson and her fetus?

The closing defense argument should have been like this: Ladies and Gentlemen you have heard from an abundance of witnesses and not one could tell you how Laci Peterson and her fetus died. You have a duty to go into that jury room and render a verdict based on real evidence rather than a guess about the prosecution’s theory. The state has not even proven the corpus delecti. You must acquit because of the absence of cause or manner of death alone. If you can’t determine she was murdered, you can’t reach and guess even further that Scott Peterson is a murderer.

A conviction and death sentence was obtained against Scott Peterson with the help of a quartet of Court TV “anchors” that included Lisa Bloom, the daughter of Amber Frey’s lawyer, book and movie agent Gloria Allred. Court TV led the lynch mob while screaming for the conviction. We taxpayers shelled out no less than $4.13 million to put Scott Peterson on death row. I expect several more millions will be spent dealing with the appeals before this story ends.

Please, anyone just tell me how they died?