Category: Criminal Justice

Colorado Movie Shooting

In contemplating the shooting last week, I came across an old song that sums up many of my feelings.

The local school has got a real problem
They’ve hired policemen to restrain the rage
Metal detectors greet the school children

I’d like to say welcome to judgment day

Out on the streets I hear the guns blazing
They’re not just children going through a stage
‘Cause now they’re eighteen and beyond raising

Well, I’d like to say welcome to judgment day

Judgment Day DeGarmo and Key Band 1994

I’m probably in the minority on this point but I disagree that this guy is mentally ill. This is wishful thinking so people can deny the existence of evil in the world. I think the shooter was someone with twisted values but knew what he was doing. I’m sure he spent the bulk of his formative years in government schools.

If Darwin was right—as he was surely taught— then why were his actions wrong? Surely he proved his fitness as superior to those that died? If we are the product of random chance and probability then on what basis were his actions wrong? Based on what he was taught in government schools his actions are arguably rational, reasonable and justified in his mind. If “man is the measure of all things” then if he did what was right in his own eyes then how can we judge him?

It is at this point that Liberals and Libertarians scream that we can do whatever we want as long as we don’t hurt others. But if Darwin was right then what basis do you have to limit behavior by saying that hurting others is wrong? At this point folks will appeal to Hobbs and “the state of nature” or Rousseau and the “Social Contract” but both of these are artificial constructs that never existed in the real world. They are devices to explain things without appeal to God as creator and governor of the universe; besides Darwin and Marx swept aside the old order and introduced one that has lead to the “post Christian West”.

Without belief in God no amount of verbal gymnastics will provide an adequate basis to prove that murder is wrong. God is real—no matter how much non-sense that Christopher Hitchens could churn out to the contrary—nothing can change this Truth. Murder is wrong because it is first and foremost an assault on God by destroying beings created in His image.

Lest the Christians rejoice too much with my essay I do have a question about this topic for ya’ll. I have heard much about forgiving this guy for what he did but why? Has he repented? Did he say he was sorry? Has he asked for forgiveness? Has he gotten right with God? The answer to all these questions is NO. Listen to the following and let me know what you think of the forgiveness issue.
http://visitredeemer.org/sermons/?sermon_id=38

Meanwhile pray for the injured and families of the victims.

ID Theft Using Batches of Credit Cards

You may be a victim of identity theft and not know it for years.

Most stories of identity theft are about individuals that try to get rich quick by impersonating you, stealing what they can and then go on to their next victim. I know people to whom this has happen. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars and endless months of heartache to repair the situation. We have all heard commercials about how long it takes to restore your identity if someone hits you with a full-blown attack and companies offering one million dollar protection policies to protect you from such violations but there is another form of theft that is more subtle. If you are not paying attention, it could go on for years.

There are crime syndicates that deal in large volumes of information that do things on a more subtle basis. Here is how it works. Suppose I stole fifty thousand bank account or credit card numbers. If I want a steady steam of money over a long period of time then what I do is charge each card for $3.95. I just stole $197,500 and chances are that you won’t notice. So four months from now I do it again. This time I use different company name and a slightly different amount.

Until you complain to your bank and they take the time to fix it I can do it over and over again. Meanwhile, I can get more names and numbers and add then to my list to replace the folks that do catch on to my scam. Since it’s such a small amount of money why should they hurry to correct the problem?

This happened to me and I complained to my bank. They listened attentively and then did nothing. Four months later it happened again and this time I was told that they could not fix it via phone or email (which is how I tried to resolve the problem last time). I was told that only by going in person to the branch could they help.

When I got to the branch, I had to go through the whole thing with the teller who I knew couldn’t help me but I still told my sad tale. She went to get the branch manager. After a time of conferencing and huddling around a computer terminal the branch manager came to speak with me. She told me that the charge was made via my ATM/VISA card; the one ending in XX. (Actual numbers omitted) I said but my card ends with SZ. Then she looked on the sheet of paper in her hand and said yes but there is this other number on your account that is active. As it turns out, the bank had three different card numbers associated with my account. They had my current card, my previous card which was shutoff and a third old number from years ago that had never been shutoff. This third number was the one the thieves were using. I was told that they would refund the money to my account. I’m sure the thieves will be keeping their money and the bank will have to write-off the portion that they refunded to me.

You might want to keep a closer eye on your account so this doesn’t happen to you.

Oh, the fraudulent charges, they were from Byersbooks, a company from New Jersey, that stole $2.95 and Avant Garde LLC, a company from Colorado, that stole $4.99.

Baby Executed

As reported over the weekend, a 21-year-old man and his son were shot and killed in an apparent home invasion robbery.
http://www.kcra.com/news/14124355/detail.html
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297027,00.html

The father left his son in the car and walked up to the front door of a friend’s house and was jumped by two gunmen. All three men entered the house and a fight broke-out. The father was killed from multiple gunshots. The baby was in the car and strapped into his baby seat. As the gunmen left the house, they went over to the car and purposely shot the 8-month old infant in the head.

The motive is unknown.

The father was a boxer and had been training for a return to the ring. He had not fought for several years but had aspirations. Police have supposedly ruled-out gangs and drugs. This crime seems like something from a Mickey Spillane novel. Killing a man during a robbery is one thing, but executing his son raises the crime to the level of a mob hit.

I am particularly angry about this crime. Killing a baby in this purposeful manner is a crime that most folks would agree is worthy of a quick trip to the gallows. Part of my emotional response to this is the fact that it happened very close to where my wife works. In addition, I have a son that is two years old.

I hope the police will find the people responsible for this crime and rid our society of such evil men.

Virginia Tech Questions

There are many questions that remain unanswered about the shooting yesterday at Virginia Tech. Trying to find a rational motive is not among them.

What proof is there that both campus shootings are related?
Why did we know who most of the 9/11 hijackers were before the towers fell and it took over 24 hours before any information was released about the shooter?
Why did nobody fight this guy or try to stop him? (Todd Beamer and the American Spirit must not be lived or taught at this school.)
Isn’t it remarkable that even when reloading no one tried to stop him?
Where were the police?
Why doesn’t anyone bring up Beslan when talking about the number of dead and wounded? (F.Y.I. Beslan had over ten times as many dead)
Why is the only answer offered by Liberals to disarm the innocent and make it even harder to fight back?

Tom Sullivan Rights Wrong

In the early AM hours of the morning, Sou Saechinn was getting ready for work when he heard something outside. He looked out the window, and saw three people trying to break into his car. Saechinn came out side shot at the trio, hitting one in the chest.

Local business man and talkshow host Tom Sullivan posted bond for Mr. Saechinn.
Thanks Tom Sullivan for helping a man protect his family and property. (see link below for story)
http://cbs13.com/topstories/local_story_095004945.html

If I caught a person in my yard trying to steal my car, I would shoot him too.

I have been a victim of auto theft and auto burglary. This kind of crime is an assault upon my family and myself. Besides the sense of violation that you go through after being attacked on your private property, it is also an assault upon your economic livelihood. Without a car, you can’t get to work. If you can’t work, you can’t take care of your family.

Furthermore, the police won’t do anything. All they do is arrest a man for doing the job the police refuse to do. Protecting his life and property. That’s criminal!

According to our legal system, what the man should have done instead of shooting the thief is force the thieves to drink lots of water and if they should die we know they won’t press charges. http://cbs13.com/local/local_story_092204031.html

Mr. Saechinn’s act of self-defense is Constitutional under the Second Amendment. If you want a case to argue Original Intent this is the one. Furthermore, this action is justified on biblical grounds. The criminals not only violated the prohibition on stealing but also the injunction on coveting.

The Tenth Commandment reads

THOU shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.

For those of you who went to public school, the “ox” is a reference to a man’s job and his “ass” is the mode of transportation that a person owns.

I predict that ultimately Mr. Saechinn will not face any charges due to the public outrage at the police department’s stupid reaction.

John Mark Karr: Liar and Lunatic?

OK. I’m cynical. I don’t believe that John Mark Karr had anything to do with the death of JonBenet Ramsey.

Yes, he’s a freak and a pervert. He admits that much and it seems to agree with his reputation but I think his confession is just an extreme stunt by an emotionally disturbed person. Where is the evidence? We all know that the police withhold information that only the killer would know so if he did it, what did the police withhold? He can’t seem to put forth a story that has enough detail to withstand scrutiny. If he wants credit for the crime then connect the dots.

It is clear that he is lying; the real question is whether he is making a preemptive strike to discredit himself as a viable suspect or he’s just a nut. So is he a liar or a clever criminal?

Most criminals are stupid and they get caught. If he was really that clever he could never admit to the crime.

I submit that being stuck in the third-world is very unpleasant and Mr. Karr thinks that he has a clever way to be brought back to the USA. Once no charges are filed, he will then be free to prey upon our children.

San Francisco Cops Suspended for Videos

Twenty San Francisco police officers have been suspended for making a series of short videos that poke fun at themselves. Many of the videos were shot for a retirement party for one of their fellow officers.

The skits are mild and mostly inside jokes for officers at the Bayview Station. This station serves Hunter’s Point. For those not familiar with Hunters Point, it is a ghetto area that makes Oak Park in Sacramento look like a workers paradise.

Mayor Gavin Newsom and police chief Heather Fong are just fit to be tied. They are treating this like Rodney King II.

Five of these videos were shown at a press conference yesterday and can be found at this link.

This stuff is too mild to make Mad TV. If the Mayor and Chief Fong are wound that tight then they need to find a new line of work. Being a police officer in San Francisco is one of the most stressful jobs anybody could have especially anywhere near Hunters Point. If officers want to blow-off some steam on their free time then they have that right.

Elected officials should support their officers and give them every benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, those in San Francisco always start with the assumption that law enforcement officers are wrong and then just debate their punishment. It is time for the police to standup to these spineless bureaucrats.

Ronald McDonald Robs Wendy’s

We All know that competition in the fast food business is tough but this story is really hard to swallow.

It seems that Ronald McDonald was arrested for robbing a Wendy’s Restaurant in Manchester New Hampshire. Why Ronald would steal from Wendy is not revealed in the story. Wendy’s manager caught Ronald McDonald in the act and called police. There is no indication whether McDonald had been consuming Eggnog Shakes prior to the incident.

Clemancy for Stanley “Tookie” William?

The push is on to try to get the death sentence commuted for Stanley Tookie Williams.

In addition to the usual bleeding heart Liberals and small group of misguided but well meaning Roman Catholics, opponents of the death penalty have some new allies from the Right of the political spectrum. There are not many but there are some. Locally Craig DeLuz and Andy Nevis a.k.a. California High School Conservative are among those calling for Tookie to be saved.

On his blog today, Nevis wrote concerning Tookie:

He will certainly do more good alive than dead. If he is allowed to live, he can continue his work against gangs and violence.

As Abraham Lincoln said when pardoning a deserter in the Civil War, He will be of more use above ground than below it.

The power of clemency was given to the Governor for just an instance like this. Its time for the Governor to use that power.

This is a good summary of the views of many of the save Tookie advocates.

The fact is that Tookie is a convicted cold blooded murderer. He has exhausted every judicial appear available to him. There is no one saying that Tookie is innocent. There is no new or mitigating evidence of the crimes for which he has been convicted.

The real issue is can ones good works after conviction be used to mitigate their sentence. It is said that Tookie gave his life to God and has purposed to make amends for his crime. Had Mr. Williams committed property crimes and worked to repay those that were victims of his crime most people would agree that there would be grounds to modify his remaining sentence.

However, when we look at the case of murder does the same principle apply?

For Christians that follow the teaching of Scripture the answer is a clear. In any crime there are actually two victims; the primary victim of any crime is God, the secondary victim is the person that was acted upon by the criminal. In the case of murder, man cannot kill God but he can kill an image bearer of God. A murder is attacking God by destroying someone created in His image.

From Genesis to Revelation, murder is always a crime. This includes abortion, infanticide, euthanasia, homicide and any other act of murder. The Biblical punishment is always the same: restitution. If you take another’s life, then you forfeit your own.

This is reason that human government was instituted in the first place. The State is to protect life and property of its citizens. When someone breaks the law they are subject to the sanctions of the law. This includes criminals within the society and foreign armies without. The oath administered to the military and civilian leaders in the United States to protect us from all enemies foreign and domestic is based upon the Biblical model. (This is also why our Founders wanted the military to be a purely defensive force and gave us the Second Amendment.)

In the Bible only government can put someone to death.

The Church is given an even more awesome power, the power of spiritual life and death. Spiritual life is the goal of evangelism but excommunication is the declaration of spiritual death. Only repentance can move one from death to life.

I think both Craig DeLuz and Andy Nevis have confused these two. They seem to believe that evidence of spiritual regeneration is grounds for the civil government to move Tookie from death to life. Sorry fellas. If Stanley Tookie Williams has undergone a spiritual renewal and given his life to Jesus Christ then that is great. He will be in heaven when he is executed and not another gang banger in Hell.

Spiritual conversion is not grounds for clemency from the Governor. If Stanley has truly repented then he knows that he owes restitution to God and his victims. The only restitution that can make things right is forfeiting his life.

If Tookie wants to be an example to struggling young people then be an object lesson. Show them that “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6: 23

In this way Stanley could truly do more good in death than in life.