Finally, some responsible behavior from the now sole- parent of a serial killer. And yes, I strongly suspect this man has killed other women that have yet to be discovered or officially announced.
Perhaps if these same parents had not propped up and protected their son after his last...um mishap with the law ( facetious reference to Natalee Holloway's murder -I do not mean this disrespectfully to Natalee or her loved ones ) the murder of Stephanie Flores might very
well not have happened.
I see this again and again with killers of this ilk: Born to middle class or upper-middle class families, their parents commonly will not only refuse to hold their "children" responsible or accountable for crimes that they commit throughout their lives, but indeed, aid and abet them in escaping culpability when invariably caught by school and/or criminal authorities.
This behavior often begins in tween/teenage years, typically starting with acts less serious than murder. Chronic lying and conniving behavior, Physical assaults on peers, girlfriends or even family members, fire-starting, vandalism/break-ins/thefts, and sometimes cruelty to animals - Any of these are clear signposts for the young sociopath in the making, who usually evolves from what is known as" conduct disorder" or " oppositional-defiant disorder" (ODD) the designation for such by the psychiatric community when a child is under the age of 17.
These formal diagnosis' will too often go formally undiagnosed, largely due to parents entrenched in a thick denial regarding the seriousness of their child's issues ( at least denial toward the outside world.) and at times parents will even be found repeatedly covering up/lying for the child/teenager/young adult.
Within the home, the issues might be openly or quietly discussed and hand wringing may abound between parents and other family members- but when it comes to the world outside the home, parents can perceive their children's negative behaviors and actions as a possible reflection on their parenting, and their families ?name" and thus, if they are forthright and honest about their child, they risk being judged .
It then becomes even more important to deny deny and deny some more and when even that becomes impossible, the excuse making and outright covering up for the problem child begins. Likely this is the point where Joran Von Der sloots father found himself on the night that Natalee Holloway disappeared. Now, what began as over indulgent father permissive who too often looked the other way,denial, and irresponsible parenting turned deadly with the then teenage Joran. We have heard many attestations that Joran was a pathological liar and no doubt he lied to his mother about the circumstances surrounding her death and his involvement with it but many of us have suspected that Joran might have shared much more with his father that fateful night with his father perhaps even being complicit after the crime in some clean up of the crime scene. This was always my feeling and when his father died of a heart attack just a few years after the crime I was not surprised as the weight and stress of knowing your own child has killed someone - well that can do great damage to the psyche and the body of a person with a conscience-ie a non sociopath and I believe he was just that-but a weak man an irresponsible parent and human being none the less.
I see this over and over again with men who wind up becoming rapists and murderers. When tracing their histories you will so often find this same brand of parental denial and even shielding of the "problem" child / teen and later, even the young adult. I find it reprehensible because I recognize that many of these murderers in the making could have been stopped dead in their tracks with proper intervention by parents and the legal system - the very first time they are caught committing an act of criminality.
I've given it a lot of thought and consideration and spoken with many parents about this, posing it as a hypothetical real life moral dilemma that they would have to face in their own lives.
I have queried my own mother at length, as to what she would see herself doing if first off I were a son, rather than a daughter, and had been accused of committing an act of criminal brutality against a vulnerable person resulting in serious harm or death--Would she stand by me no matter what I did because "I was her flesh and blood" and more importantly would she help me to escape accountability by doing things like posting bail and hiring expensive attorneys, investigators specialists and the like----?
Well first there is the issue of getting to the truth of what happened, as the Jo ran Van Der Sloot's of the world like Joshua komisarjevsky, are not likely to come clean with their parents about committing an act of terrible violence against a defenseless person. Although sometimes when caught dead to rights with witnesses or irrefutable proof , the sociopath will spin some tale of self defense or "accidental" scuffle resulting somehow always with the victim- a woman-falling and hitting her head - or--breaking her arm---or catching ans elbow in her eye.
The Point is, murderers are not made overnight - they evolve. And in that evolution various people have influence over that "problem" child turned adolescent turned young adult.
And it is obviously crucial what role parents other relatives police and judges take at the very first signs of conduct disorder or serious oppositional-defiant disorder-both disorders flashing neon lights that a child or teenager is likely to develop full blown anti-social personality disorder- ie sociopath, aka psychopath, if no intervention is taken.
And even then SOCIOPATHS are considered incurable, but some kind of intervention is appropriate especially in children and teenagers who have not yet crossed the boundary of maiming someone or taking another life. Treatment is aimed n hopes of moderating the worst symptoms -the ones that involve hurting others, breaking laws and running havoc upon other peoples lives ( ie con artistry is another classic sociopath trait)
And to clarify here: anti-social personality disorder does not mean this person is not "sociable",or social - as some people mistakenly believe, taking the dam's definition literally ie DSM diagnostic statistical manual 's for what is also referred to as a sociopath.
In fact, many of our worst sociopaths that wreak the most harm and havoc upon lives and the world at large, can be somewhat to very charming, when they wish to be, iie think ted Bondy,Charles Manson David koresh etc: Along with that charm comes a high level of manipulation and deception also part and parcel of the Sociopath M.O.
Jul 25, 2010
A Boston Defense Attorney Reviews A Deadly Case Of Domestic Violence
A quality blog and an insigtful post.
Jul 22, 2010
Soldier charged with killing wife, daughter
Yet another horrific domestic violence double murder/attempted suicide, with the murderous husband surviving, while his wife and infant daughter did not. How can one shoot an eight month old infant - much less ones own child-this boggles my mind and breaks my heart.
The scariest part of all of this is that cases of this nature seem to becoming more commonplace rather than more scarce. You would think that as education and public awareness campaigns increase, domestic and partner violence would decrease - it isnt.
Unfortunately in these kinds of famicide/ suicides, the only thing that can really stop them from happening is better protection for women who have had a history of being abused by their husbands or partners . And this means whether the law was involved or not, whether charges "stuck" or not in past incidents. As they traverse the statistically very dangerous time period during and following separation and/or divorce this is often when the enraged husband or former partner realizes he is losing or has lost- "control" of his wife and thus his children, the twisted thought occurs to him that if he can no longer control them, he will end their lives. This is seen as the final act of control.
And then often they try to kill themselves and somehow they often botch that part up of the plan-and they wind up merely injured, as was the perpetrator in this story.
While I realize that it is not monetarily feasible to give these women 24 hour police protection -although it would be wonderful-we must find better ways to intervene both socially and legally on behalf of abused women who are going through separation or divorce-as well as the dangerous months following either. I cant tell you how incensed I become reading about these same kinds of murders week after week after week.
Whether we raise the monies privately through public awareness fund raisers and charitable donations... or we solicit the money from already existing non profits that deal with the cause of domestic and partner violence, one way or another we've got to become more involved, more savvy and ultimately more responsive towards these at risk women and their children.
I am reading about far too many of these senseless murders or attempted murders that society i(e friends acquaintances neighbors relatives ) and the law should have seen coming and could thus help prevent. As conscientious and caring human beings, we must do better.
The scariest part of all of this is that cases of this nature seem to becoming more commonplace rather than more scarce. You would think that as education and public awareness campaigns increase, domestic and partner violence would decrease - it isnt.
Unfortunately in these kinds of famicide/ suicides, the only thing that can really stop them from happening is better protection for women who have had a history of being abused by their husbands or partners . And this means whether the law was involved or not, whether charges "stuck" or not in past incidents. As they traverse the statistically very dangerous time period during and following separation and/or divorce this is often when the enraged husband or former partner realizes he is losing or has lost- "control" of his wife and thus his children, the twisted thought occurs to him that if he can no longer control them, he will end their lives. This is seen as the final act of control.
And then often they try to kill themselves and somehow they often botch that part up of the plan-and they wind up merely injured, as was the perpetrator in this story.
While I realize that it is not monetarily feasible to give these women 24 hour police protection -although it would be wonderful-we must find better ways to intervene both socially and legally on behalf of abused women who are going through separation or divorce-as well as the dangerous months following either. I cant tell you how incensed I become reading about these same kinds of murders week after week after week.
Whether we raise the monies privately through public awareness fund raisers and charitable donations... or we solicit the money from already existing non profits that deal with the cause of domestic and partner violence, one way or another we've got to become more involved, more savvy and ultimately more responsive towards these at risk women and their children.
I am reading about far too many of these senseless murders or attempted murders that society i(e friends acquaintances neighbors relatives ) and the law should have seen coming and could thus help prevent. As conscientious and caring human beings, we must do better.
Jul 21, 2010
Prison Books As Incriminating Evidence In Triple Murder Case - Gothamist
Don't get me started on this...
Jul 19, 2010
Petit 5K: Almost 2,000 runners in the streets of Plainville - Running Around in Connecticut
Hurrah for The people of Plainville Cheshire and the surroundin environs-on one of the hottest most humid days of the year, 2000 men women and children showed up to participate in the third annual Petit family foundation 5K race sponsored by GE and introduced by NBC THIS YEAR FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME!
No actual numbers are in yet but it appears to be that a good deal of money was raised and lots of folks are going to be helping victims of violrmt crime, as well as people sufferring ith chronic illmss and other great causes@
No actual numbers are in yet but it appears to be that a good deal of money was raised and lots of folks are going to be helping victims of violrmt crime, as well as people sufferring ith chronic illmss and other great causes@
Jul 17, 2010
Jul 14, 2010
Hearing for Steven Hayes co defendent Petit murders today
A lot of important happenings in today's hearing for Steven Hayes, co-defendant of the Petit family assaults and murders that occurred in July 2007. The hearing centered around the admissabiltiy of Hayes confession to Police following his arrest at the Petit family murder scene on Sorghum hill Drive in Cheshire.
Joshua Komisarjevsky, the other man arrested with Hayes as they fled the then burning Petit family home , (driving the Petit's family car no less) will be tried after his pal Hayes' trial has ended. Considering how time consuming Connecticut's voire dire processes alone are, Komisarjevsky's trial will wind up starting in 2012, if were lucky.
The bottom line is that Connecticut must create laws that place clear cut time parameters between when a violent crime occurs and when it is actually tried and resolved in a court of law. And although the logical assumption would be that this issue is primarily about fairness to the victims and the families of crime victims there are even more important and far reaching reasons for limiting the time between arrest and resolution of these cases.
As a survivor of a violent crime "handled" within a well known Connecticut court, I have a unique perspective on just how grievously damaging a lackadaisical judicial pace can be to the ultimate adjudication ( ie sentencing) of a violent crime case. As well the effect of these inordinately long lapses can be far more deadly than Connecticut residents could possibly imagine. (This brings me to one of my signature asides ..._)
While its easy enough to use terms like " adjudication, judicial resolution criminal case" et al
and clearly I myself do it--reflexively at times as does mainstream media and legal professionals alike, really all we're doing is antispeticizing a very unpleasant and upsetting subject--- And In doing this, unwittingly we wind up dehumanizing the victims of violent crime.
At least unwittingly in the case of well meaning writers and media members, whereas conversely the attorneys that defend violent criminals are more purposeful in thier attempts at antisepticizing what is at the core of these words and thus thier clients actions, they have an agenda-this is a different matter altogether.
In either case the fact is that what are behind these words are actually brutal and horrific acts of violence, committed against innocent human beings. Its easy to forget when reducing crime with such verbage, particularly for those who work in the courthouses everyday, what is actually at the heart and soul of those cases and all of the legal-speak that swirls around them.
Pain. Terror. Beatings, rape, suffering, torture and brutal and horrible deaths. THIS is what violent crime is about.
It is so much more than " a case."
Now where I left off.
My own violent crime case was "resolved" via a "plea bargain" -- nine and a half months after the crimes happened.-- Nn big surprise really when 97 to 98 percent of all criminal cases in Connecticut, including crimes like felony assault, aggravated rape, kidnapping and murder - are resolved by such plea bargains daily . Plainly speaking States attorneys in our Connecticut courts do not like to go to trial: they will typically pursue a trial only for the most high profile and/or heinous crimes or when the state has a strong case against a violent criminal who refuses to plead to anything "+reasonable", or anything at all, no matter how reduced the charges nor how many of his or her multiple charges are offered to be dropped completely within the proposed deal.
And when these charges are dropped within multiple charge crimes it is not because the criminal didnt commit that crime nor even because the state feels that that particular charge is iffy or wont hold up under the scrutinization of trial, no crime dropping within multople charge cases is done automatically, little to no logic behind it simply for the sake of "the deal." ie 'I'll drop this one and this one and lower these two to lesser crimes and voila youve got a plea deal and a violent crime "case" resolved, albeit leaving a criminal record that does not reflect what this criminal has actually done in his criminal past, thus his criminal file is terribly misleading and this often leads to more victims in this criminals future.
In other words when someone they've got dead to rites who wont "play ball."
In situations like these the prosecutor is pretty much forced to go to trial, and usually not happy about it; time consuming preparation for violent crime trials all take extrordinary effort, and unfortunately plea deals have become such a rote practice in our courts that if a prosecutor can get paid to do their weekly plea deal grind, why cause themselves a ton of extra work?
Unless it is a case that by trying and winning could elevate their profile and career. Also remember that many prosecutors and or thier bosses, are on specific career paths that might involve political aspirations or a vertical climb up the states attorneys ladder or often judgeships.
This complicates things even more for the victim and or thier family members, sullying up the "case" with yet another agenda, the attornys for the defense clearly have thier own agendas but the prosecutors are supposed to be the "good guys" they are in fact the sole voice for the victim within the entire judicial process.
.
This 98 percent plea bargain ratio creates more than one danger, making things even more problematic becomes the lack of trial experience that most of our Connecticut prosecutors actually have,(largely due to plea bargains and rarely trying cases) they find themselves at a distinct disadvantage when forced to compete against a well practiced trial lawyer who spends his or her life in the courtroom, often defending the most brutal murderous sociopaths-and "winning" As such is it no surprise that the majority of our state courts have become: little more than watered down revolving door plea "Deal" mills.
.As I said, the practical reasons for resolving criminal cases within a minimum time period are multi-fold and surpass simple consideration to the victim and victims family. Frst of all, time is a friend to the defense, anyone familiar with crime and the law knows this. Time tends to " heal" and part of this so called healing is merely the body and minds way of dealing with severe trauma, without completely shutting down.
So our memories soften a bit about the edges, our anger and loathing towards the criminal might even lessen a hair, if only to preserve our own sanity, for it tends to literally sap the soul to relive these violent happenings in our minds along with the accompanying shock pain and anger that is inevitable.
Moreover our memories fade, even if it is in imperceptible amounts, as does our desire to quote "get on with our lives" something that defense attorneys count on and manipulate to the utmost. By the time a felony assault, sexual assault, or kidnapping is finally "down to the wire" time wise in Connecticut an average of 11 months have passed.
Meaning; the judge presiding over the succession of "hearings" where the case is merely officially "continued" at the prosecutors formal request usually for another month or so at a time, And this for no other discernable reason than to procrastinate as the two "sides" consider the details of the case, beef up the lawyers bill with multiple court appearences, and of course clear the days court docket. And this is only when the victim survives, and the case is eventually resolved by plea bargain- meaning -again-no trial.
In murder cases such as the Petit family assaults and murders, if the case proceeds to trial, which it inevitably will, the average time lapse between the crimes and the trial itself is ridiculously long. This keeps surviving victim Bill Petit and his families in a state of chronic suspension both emotionally and physcially. Many people forget that Bill the sole survivor of the home invasion was seriously assaulted within that cluster of horrible crimes, he easily could have died of his head injury and blood loss.
There are laws protecting those who are arrested for committing violent crimes. As such it is only logical that there be parallel laws protecting the victims of these same
crimes. Instead, victim survivors of the most brutal crimes are supposed to rely on a loosely defined basically toothless bundle of so-called "Articles of victims rights" Entirely ineffectual and moot, they are not in fact laws, but rather a sort of .....guide - you might say.
Meaning, there is absolutely no viable recourse when these so called rights are infringed upon or directly violated as is so often the case in Connecticut's criminal courts.
And so you might ask as a concerned Connecticut resident and a compassionate human being - What can we do ?
Well for one thing, we can pay close attention to how our Connecticut lawmakers have voted within their terms on any and all issues related to crime and justice, particularly violent crime.
All legislative " sessions" ie (meetings) are now televised on Connecticut's local cable network And as such, as citizens we now have a real window into the machinations of our states lawmaking processes, as well as individual legislators personalities and moral and professional integrity- -taking into account of course any mugging for the cameras, but still.. .if one watches carefully, there will always be that moment when even the most polished legislator lets down his/ her guard and forgets that the session is televised and shows his or her true colors for a moment or if we're lucky- an entire diatribe.
These legislative sessions are a must see for anyone who has a TRUE interest in how laws are made in our state-and how laws are not made as the case may be. They are regularly scheduled and posted on our Ct Gov website. Make it a habit to begin viewing them-many of you will be awed by the general lack of genuine sensitivity and insight re victims of violent crime, at times shamelessly on display in our Connecticut General assembly.
So many well meaning citizens simply don't realize or forget that We CAN use the power of our
collective VOTE to help oust area lawmakers who vote against toughening laws and prosecution measures and accordingly vote for the candidate that supports tougher sentencing, tougher laws and victims rights.
We mustn't be lured by rhetoric that accompanys voting season:Connecticut legislators crime bill voting history must back them up, especially when it comes to crucial issues like whether or not to keep the state death penalty or to reform it and common sense issues such as whether the recent limited state funds should be spent on social programs for prisoners or for assisting victims of violent crime. (This year for example many victims programs were cut back at a time when high ranking judiciary committee officers are lobbying for multi-fold programs for inmates from access to more computers and free college education to elaborate re-entry programs.
Remember being dedicated to making Connecticut a safer state might mean crossing your political party's lines in the voting booth. This is something I myself, a registered democrat, have done and encouraged others to do when the need arises. Public saftey is more important than partisan politics.
Joshua Komisarjevsky, the other man arrested with Hayes as they fled the then burning Petit family home , (driving the Petit's family car no less) will be tried after his pal Hayes' trial has ended. Considering how time consuming Connecticut's voire dire processes alone are, Komisarjevsky's trial will wind up starting in 2012, if were lucky.
The bottom line is that Connecticut must create laws that place clear cut time parameters between when a violent crime occurs and when it is actually tried and resolved in a court of law. And although the logical assumption would be that this issue is primarily about fairness to the victims and the families of crime victims there are even more important and far reaching reasons for limiting the time between arrest and resolution of these cases.
As a survivor of a violent crime "handled" within a well known Connecticut court, I have a unique perspective on just how grievously damaging a lackadaisical judicial pace can be to the ultimate adjudication ( ie sentencing) of a violent crime case. As well the effect of these inordinately long lapses can be far more deadly than Connecticut residents could possibly imagine. (This brings me to one of my signature asides ..._)
While its easy enough to use terms like " adjudication, judicial resolution criminal case" et al
and clearly I myself do it--reflexively at times as does mainstream media and legal professionals alike, really all we're doing is antispeticizing a very unpleasant and upsetting subject--- And In doing this, unwittingly we wind up dehumanizing the victims of violent crime.
At least unwittingly in the case of well meaning writers and media members, whereas conversely the attorneys that defend violent criminals are more purposeful in thier attempts at antisepticizing what is at the core of these words and thus thier clients actions, they have an agenda-this is a different matter altogether.
In either case the fact is that what are behind these words are actually brutal and horrific acts of violence, committed against innocent human beings. Its easy to forget when reducing crime with such verbage, particularly for those who work in the courthouses everyday, what is actually at the heart and soul of those cases and all of the legal-speak that swirls around them.
Pain. Terror. Beatings, rape, suffering, torture and brutal and horrible deaths. THIS is what violent crime is about.
It is so much more than " a case."
Now where I left off.
My own violent crime case was "resolved" via a "plea bargain" -- nine and a half months after the crimes happened.-- Nn big surprise really when 97 to 98 percent of all criminal cases in Connecticut, including crimes like felony assault, aggravated rape, kidnapping and murder - are resolved by such plea bargains daily . Plainly speaking States attorneys in our Connecticut courts do not like to go to trial: they will typically pursue a trial only for the most high profile and/or heinous crimes or when the state has a strong case against a violent criminal who refuses to plead to anything "+reasonable", or anything at all, no matter how reduced the charges nor how many of his or her multiple charges are offered to be dropped completely within the proposed deal.
And when these charges are dropped within multiple charge crimes it is not because the criminal didnt commit that crime nor even because the state feels that that particular charge is iffy or wont hold up under the scrutinization of trial, no crime dropping within multople charge cases is done automatically, little to no logic behind it simply for the sake of "the deal." ie 'I'll drop this one and this one and lower these two to lesser crimes and voila youve got a plea deal and a violent crime "case" resolved, albeit leaving a criminal record that does not reflect what this criminal has actually done in his criminal past, thus his criminal file is terribly misleading and this often leads to more victims in this criminals future.
In other words when someone they've got dead to rites who wont "play ball."
In situations like these the prosecutor is pretty much forced to go to trial, and usually not happy about it; time consuming preparation for violent crime trials all take extrordinary effort, and unfortunately plea deals have become such a rote practice in our courts that if a prosecutor can get paid to do their weekly plea deal grind, why cause themselves a ton of extra work?
Unless it is a case that by trying and winning could elevate their profile and career. Also remember that many prosecutors and or thier bosses, are on specific career paths that might involve political aspirations or a vertical climb up the states attorneys ladder or often judgeships.
This complicates things even more for the victim and or thier family members, sullying up the "case" with yet another agenda, the attornys for the defense clearly have thier own agendas but the prosecutors are supposed to be the "good guys" they are in fact the sole voice for the victim within the entire judicial process.
.
This 98 percent plea bargain ratio creates more than one danger, making things even more problematic becomes the lack of trial experience that most of our Connecticut prosecutors actually have,(largely due to plea bargains and rarely trying cases) they find themselves at a distinct disadvantage when forced to compete against a well practiced trial lawyer who spends his or her life in the courtroom, often defending the most brutal murderous sociopaths-and "winning" As such is it no surprise that the majority of our state courts have become: little more than watered down revolving door plea "Deal" mills.
.As I said, the practical reasons for resolving criminal cases within a minimum time period are multi-fold and surpass simple consideration to the victim and victims family. Frst of all, time is a friend to the defense, anyone familiar with crime and the law knows this. Time tends to " heal" and part of this so called healing is merely the body and minds way of dealing with severe trauma, without completely shutting down.
So our memories soften a bit about the edges, our anger and loathing towards the criminal might even lessen a hair, if only to preserve our own sanity, for it tends to literally sap the soul to relive these violent happenings in our minds along with the accompanying shock pain and anger that is inevitable.
Moreover our memories fade, even if it is in imperceptible amounts, as does our desire to quote "get on with our lives" something that defense attorneys count on and manipulate to the utmost. By the time a felony assault, sexual assault, or kidnapping is finally "down to the wire" time wise in Connecticut an average of 11 months have passed.
Meaning; the judge presiding over the succession of "hearings" where the case is merely officially "continued" at the prosecutors formal request usually for another month or so at a time, And this for no other discernable reason than to procrastinate as the two "sides" consider the details of the case, beef up the lawyers bill with multiple court appearences, and of course clear the days court docket. And this is only when the victim survives, and the case is eventually resolved by plea bargain- meaning -again-no trial.
In murder cases such as the Petit family assaults and murders, if the case proceeds to trial, which it inevitably will, the average time lapse between the crimes and the trial itself is ridiculously long. This keeps surviving victim Bill Petit and his families in a state of chronic suspension both emotionally and physcially. Many people forget that Bill the sole survivor of the home invasion was seriously assaulted within that cluster of horrible crimes, he easily could have died of his head injury and blood loss.
There are laws protecting those who are arrested for committing violent crimes. As such it is only logical that there be parallel laws protecting the victims of these same
crimes. Instead, victim survivors of the most brutal crimes are supposed to rely on a loosely defined basically toothless bundle of so-called "Articles of victims rights" Entirely ineffectual and moot, they are not in fact laws, but rather a sort of .....guide - you might say.
Meaning, there is absolutely no viable recourse when these so called rights are infringed upon or directly violated as is so often the case in Connecticut's criminal courts.
And so you might ask as a concerned Connecticut resident and a compassionate human being - What can we do ?
Well for one thing, we can pay close attention to how our Connecticut lawmakers have voted within their terms on any and all issues related to crime and justice, particularly violent crime.
All legislative " sessions" ie (meetings) are now televised on Connecticut's local cable network And as such, as citizens we now have a real window into the machinations of our states lawmaking processes, as well as individual legislators personalities and moral and professional integrity- -taking into account of course any mugging for the cameras, but still.. .if one watches carefully, there will always be that moment when even the most polished legislator lets down his/ her guard and forgets that the session is televised and shows his or her true colors for a moment or if we're lucky- an entire diatribe.
These legislative sessions are a must see for anyone who has a TRUE interest in how laws are made in our state-and how laws are not made as the case may be. They are regularly scheduled and posted on our Ct Gov website. Make it a habit to begin viewing them-many of you will be awed by the general lack of genuine sensitivity and insight re victims of violent crime, at times shamelessly on display in our Connecticut General assembly.
So many well meaning citizens simply don't realize or forget that We CAN use the power of our
collective VOTE to help oust area lawmakers who vote against toughening laws and prosecution measures and accordingly vote for the candidate that supports tougher sentencing, tougher laws and victims rights.
We mustn't be lured by rhetoric that accompanys voting season:Connecticut legislators crime bill voting history must back them up, especially when it comes to crucial issues like whether or not to keep the state death penalty or to reform it and common sense issues such as whether the recent limited state funds should be spent on social programs for prisoners or for assisting victims of violent crime. (This year for example many victims programs were cut back at a time when high ranking judiciary committee officers are lobbying for multi-fold programs for inmates from access to more computers and free college education to elaborate re-entry programs.
Remember being dedicated to making Connecticut a safer state might mean crossing your political party's lines in the voting booth. This is something I myself, a registered democrat, have done and encouraged others to do when the need arises. Public saftey is more important than partisan politics.
Jul 13, 2010
Jul 10, 2010
Interesting comment on Sreven Hayes and The Petit Family Murders
The mini-essay below is an actual readers comment plucked from the Hartford Courant's article about the latest in the morally repugnant pre-trial tactics of the defense attorneys for one Steven Hayes: Hayes, you'll recall is the older of two "co-defendants" caught red handed in the kidnappings, assaults and murders of Jennifer Hawke Petit and her two daughters Hayley and Michaela - 17 and 11 years old respectively..
Let me preface this by saying that I am not easily impressed by most readers comments, particularly those found in the Courant, as they are often of the over the top zealot variety.
You know the type... "skip the trial these *%@#!**''s were caught red handed ! Torture them, and set THEM on fire in the town square" That type of thing.
As much as I can identify with the rage and frustration in some of these comments, we have a system that is designed to protect the innocently accused. And as such, we must therefore go through the necessary machinations with even the glaringly guilty, however difficult it is in light of what they're clearly responsible for - and we have to do so humanely.
So while I can understand the wish to impart and eye for an eye to men who have raped murdered and tortured women and children, outlining these desires in a public forum only serves to muddy the waters and can even discredit those working towards responsible judicial reform in this state - Reform which could prevent another set of crimes such as those that befell the unsuspecting and innocent Petit' family on July 23 2007. Only William Petit, who sustained repetitive traumatic brain injury and severe blood loss in the attacks managed to survive by breaking his hand binds and hopping up his cement cellar steps to a neighbors garage as his home went up in flames.
The reforms would include not setting loose dangerous repetitive felony offenders like Hayes and Joshua komisarjevsky out of prison or halfway houses on "early release parole" for any reason. Time limits on pre- trial "preparation periods" Shortening the huge time gap between when a violent crime is committed and when it is finally resolved often years upon years later in a court of law. This key reform would afford victims and their families the same right to a speedy trial that is guaranteed to even the most brutally violent offenders caught in the act - as it were.
Distinct and sensible limits on the amount of death penalty appeals a defendant may file as well judiciously confirmed legally sound reasons for any granted appeal ie new evidence or Just cause-- to appeal capital crime convictions. This would replace the extremely expensive file an appeal just to drag out the process and spend money system that we currently employ here in Connecticut.
.
The very first Appeals on death penalty cases believe it or not are currently automatic here and then limitless in the number of times an inmate can re-appeal
And these appeals are a big factor in why no murderer actually receives the death penalty in Connecticut. This sentence itself is extremely rare proving that we are a moderate discerning and careful people It is rarely pursued by the state to begin with and handed down by a jury or judge in the very worst of the worst aggravated murder cases where evidence is overwhelming and various other crime criteria exists.
Last year the Connecticut Judiciary committee clandestinely lobbied and then voted on a bill to abolish the death penalty, initially citing the large amount of money that it would save the state.
Read this to see why this is nit the case
Amidst much protestation by the actual citizens of the state ( A timely Qunnipiac poll proved that 68 percent of the state are want to keep the death penalty) the Death Penalty abolishment bill actually passed muster albeit by the slimmest of margins, in the house and the Senate. The latter had a much closer vote margin.
Thankfully, as she had assured the people of Connecticut Governor Rell exercised a rare veto on the Bill.The governor, a minority Republican has announced that she will not seek reelection in the coming term- this leaves us with a quandary that may cost many innocent lives. The divisiveness over the death penalty abolishment was not strictly partisan-- some thoughtful and independent thinking democratic legislators did vote against the bill, but the judiciary and the house spearheaded by Mike lawlor and co. did their best to sell the bill to every democratic assemblyman as " the inevitable " citing that if Connecticut wanted to join their progressive new England counterparts we better follow suit and abolish. Ugh.
Clearly, I could go on and on. The Comment is in bold italics below.
This Is Steven Hayes' Definition Of Inhumane?
For a guy who was supposedly being mistreated in prison, the slightly thinner, newly bearded Steven Hayes didn't look as bad as one might expect.
Granted, it's been about a month since his lawyers claimed one of the two men accused in the brutal 2007 Cheshire killings was being treated inhumanely after his recent suicide attempt. And everyone agreed that conditions have since improved, so jury selection is tentatively back on for March 15.
But after hearing the details of his care in a prison infirmary, all I kept thinking was:
What kind of Ritz accommodations was the defense expecting ?
Twenty-four-hour lighting could make it hard to sleep — but the guy hoarded pills and tried to commit suicide, so you can't blame the Department of Correction for wanting to see what the guy's up to. What would his defense team say if they weren't watching and the next time he tried he was successful?
And sure, rationed and supervised toiletries can take a real toll on a person's appearance — but, again, they can't responsibly leave sharp objects around him. It's not like they're not letting the guy brush his teeth.
In fact, I was really hard-pressed to see how any of the precautions the DOC was taking to prevent Hayes from harming himself qualified as inhumane. The guy's cell at MacDougall Correctional, many joked outside the courtroom, is bigger than most offices and cubicles. He's got a prison counselor assigned to him and a psychiatrist who could probably do him a lot more good if Hayes' defense team wasn't advising him not to talk to her, as Dr. Suzanne Ducate testified Tuesday.
And apparently her services aren't the only thing Hayes has declined. He's also declined exercise and, at times, showers and electric clippers, as evidenced by the scraggly beard he was sporting at the hearing.
Look, I understand the importance of due process. And as hard as it might be to swallow, we shouldn't torture prisoners — no matter how brutally and senselessly they've tortured their victims.
But what gets me is how twisted into knots the system gets to ensure that a prisoner such as Hayes isn't being mistreated, while endlessly torturing an innocent family with justice delayed.
Those lights, which have since been dimmed, kept coming up during the two-hour hearing that at times was somewhere between absurd and vulgar. Between those lights and the 15-minute checks by DOC staff, his lawyers claim, it's nearly impossible for Hayes to get any sleep.
But before these proceedings are delayed any longer, perhaps everyone should remember that Hayes isn't the only one with that problem.
Outside, Dr. William Petit Jr. reminded reporters how very little rest he and his family have had since his wife and two young daughters were brutally killed.
It really is about the delivery of justice for two cold blooded coward killers who stole the lives, raped, and abused an entire family. They had ample opportunity to stop and leave. But they didn't choose to do that, they had to take it to the ultimate end.
I don't care in the least about what kind of childhoods the cowards endured, that led to the execution of a good and loving family. Another words - don't tell me about the extenuating circumstances! Or the light in his eyes while he tries to sleep, or being in a safety smock - we want to keep you alive coward. We want to see justice done - not on your terms, on ours. And because you tried to exercise your cowardly rights via suicide, you now must be protected from yourself - thus the lights on and the physical restraints.
I truly wish that we could perform a memory transplant of the horrors they committed, from Dr. Petit, let's download it to the cowards' brain, if we could do that, I might settle for 'Life Without Parole'. But since that technology is currently unavailable, only the ULTIMATE sentence will allow Dr. Petit to possibly have some peace, at last.
Not a perfect solution, but better than knowing the cowards are working out in an exercise yard on a daily basis. Having 3 meals a day, and sleeping well...
www.courant.com/topic/hc-ubin...3680529.column/
Let me preface this by saying that I am not easily impressed by most readers comments, particularly those found in the Courant, as they are often of the over the top zealot variety.
You know the type... "skip the trial these *%@#!**''s were caught red handed ! Torture them, and set THEM on fire in the town square" That type of thing.
As much as I can identify with the rage and frustration in some of these comments, we have a system that is designed to protect the innocently accused. And as such, we must therefore go through the necessary machinations with even the glaringly guilty, however difficult it is in light of what they're clearly responsible for - and we have to do so humanely.
So while I can understand the wish to impart and eye for an eye to men who have raped murdered and tortured women and children, outlining these desires in a public forum only serves to muddy the waters and can even discredit those working towards responsible judicial reform in this state - Reform which could prevent another set of crimes such as those that befell the unsuspecting and innocent Petit' family on July 23 2007. Only William Petit, who sustained repetitive traumatic brain injury and severe blood loss in the attacks managed to survive by breaking his hand binds and hopping up his cement cellar steps to a neighbors garage as his home went up in flames.
The reforms would include not setting loose dangerous repetitive felony offenders like Hayes and Joshua komisarjevsky out of prison or halfway houses on "early release parole" for any reason. Time limits on pre- trial "preparation periods" Shortening the huge time gap between when a violent crime is committed and when it is finally resolved often years upon years later in a court of law. This key reform would afford victims and their families the same right to a speedy trial that is guaranteed to even the most brutally violent offenders caught in the act - as it were.
Distinct and sensible limits on the amount of death penalty appeals a defendant may file as well judiciously confirmed legally sound reasons for any granted appeal ie new evidence or Just cause-- to appeal capital crime convictions. This would replace the extremely expensive file an appeal just to drag out the process and spend money system that we currently employ here in Connecticut.
.
The very first Appeals on death penalty cases believe it or not are currently automatic here and then limitless in the number of times an inmate can re-appeal
And these appeals are a big factor in why no murderer actually receives the death penalty in Connecticut. This sentence itself is extremely rare proving that we are a moderate discerning and careful people It is rarely pursued by the state to begin with and handed down by a jury or judge in the very worst of the worst aggravated murder cases where evidence is overwhelming and various other crime criteria exists.
Last year the Connecticut Judiciary committee clandestinely lobbied and then voted on a bill to abolish the death penalty, initially citing the large amount of money that it would save the state.
Read this to see why this is nit the case
Amidst much protestation by the actual citizens of the state ( A timely Qunnipiac poll proved that 68 percent of the state are want to keep the death penalty) the Death Penalty abolishment bill actually passed muster albeit by the slimmest of margins, in the house and the Senate. The latter had a much closer vote margin.
Thankfully, as she had assured the people of Connecticut Governor Rell exercised a rare veto on the Bill.The governor, a minority Republican has announced that she will not seek reelection in the coming term- this leaves us with a quandary that may cost many innocent lives. The divisiveness over the death penalty abolishment was not strictly partisan-- some thoughtful and independent thinking democratic legislators did vote against the bill, but the judiciary and the house spearheaded by Mike lawlor and co. did their best to sell the bill to every democratic assemblyman as " the inevitable " citing that if Connecticut wanted to join their progressive new England counterparts we better follow suit and abolish. Ugh.
Clearly, I could go on and on. The Comment is in bold italics below.
This Is Steven Hayes' Definition Of Inhumane?
For a guy who was supposedly being mistreated in prison, the slightly thinner, newly bearded Steven Hayes didn't look as bad as one might expect.
Granted, it's been about a month since his lawyers claimed one of the two men accused in the brutal 2007 Cheshire killings was being treated inhumanely after his recent suicide attempt. And everyone agreed that conditions have since improved, so jury selection is tentatively back on for March 15.
But after hearing the details of his care in a prison infirmary, all I kept thinking was:
What kind of Ritz accommodations was the defense expecting ?
Twenty-four-hour lighting could make it hard to sleep — but the guy hoarded pills and tried to commit suicide, so you can't blame the Department of Correction for wanting to see what the guy's up to. What would his defense team say if they weren't watching and the next time he tried he was successful?
And sure, rationed and supervised toiletries can take a real toll on a person's appearance — but, again, they can't responsibly leave sharp objects around him. It's not like they're not letting the guy brush his teeth.
In fact, I was really hard-pressed to see how any of the precautions the DOC was taking to prevent Hayes from harming himself qualified as inhumane. The guy's cell at MacDougall Correctional, many joked outside the courtroom, is bigger than most offices and cubicles. He's got a prison counselor assigned to him and a psychiatrist who could probably do him a lot more good if Hayes' defense team wasn't advising him not to talk to her, as Dr. Suzanne Ducate testified Tuesday.
And apparently her services aren't the only thing Hayes has declined. He's also declined exercise and, at times, showers and electric clippers, as evidenced by the scraggly beard he was sporting at the hearing.
Look, I understand the importance of due process. And as hard as it might be to swallow, we shouldn't torture prisoners — no matter how brutally and senselessly they've tortured their victims.
But what gets me is how twisted into knots the system gets to ensure that a prisoner such as Hayes isn't being mistreated, while endlessly torturing an innocent family with justice delayed.
Those lights, which have since been dimmed, kept coming up during the two-hour hearing that at times was somewhere between absurd and vulgar. Between those lights and the 15-minute checks by DOC staff, his lawyers claim, it's nearly impossible for Hayes to get any sleep.
But before these proceedings are delayed any longer, perhaps everyone should remember that Hayes isn't the only one with that problem.
Outside, Dr. William Petit Jr. reminded reporters how very little rest he and his family have had since his wife and two young daughters were brutally killed.
It really is about the delivery of justice for two cold blooded coward killers who stole the lives, raped, and abused an entire family. They had ample opportunity to stop and leave. But they didn't choose to do that, they had to take it to the ultimate end.
I don't care in the least about what kind of childhoods the cowards endured, that led to the execution of a good and loving family. Another words - don't tell me about the extenuating circumstances! Or the light in his eyes while he tries to sleep, or being in a safety smock - we want to keep you alive coward. We want to see justice done - not on your terms, on ours. And because you tried to exercise your cowardly rights via suicide, you now must be protected from yourself - thus the lights on and the physical restraints.
I truly wish that we could perform a memory transplant of the horrors they committed, from Dr. Petit, let's download it to the cowards' brain, if we could do that, I might settle for 'Life Without Parole'. But since that technology is currently unavailable, only the ULTIMATE sentence will allow Dr. Petit to possibly have some peace, at last.
Not a perfect solution, but better than knowing the cowards are working out in an exercise yard on a daily basis. Having 3 meals a day, and sleeping well...
www.courant.com/topic/hc-ubin...3680529.column/
Jul 8, 2010
Third Annual GE 5K Roadrace presented by NBC!
Only 18 days until the 3rd Annual GE 5k Roadrace presented by NBC, visit www.petitroadrace.com/ to register to run or walk, ages 7-18 at GE Woodford Ave Plainville Ct!
Jul 5, 2010
Vandersloot vows to "paralyze the process" re his Florez murder
This guy sure picked the right country to kill someone in - it turns out that there is no death penalty, nor even the possibility of a life sentence with no chance for parole for the crime of murder in Peru! What the heck is this about- don't they value human life?!
And for that matter what crimes do carry the possibility of life with no parole, if murder doesnt? What do you bet its reserved for crimes related to stealing ie the ever important MONEY, or betraying the GOVERNMENT, like robbing a bank or espionage. This certainly doesnt bode well for the government of Peru - we cannot blame the people however, any more than we would want to be blamed for our countries judicial system's flaws. Our justice system is bad enough, hijacked as it is by morally bankrupt defense attoenys, rationalizing all under the umbrella of the by now totally prostituted "every defendent has the right to a fair trial ".
And for that matter what crimes do carry the possibility of life with no parole, if murder doesnt? What do you bet its reserved for crimes related to stealing ie the ever important MONEY, or betraying the GOVERNMENT, like robbing a bank or espionage. This certainly doesnt bode well for the government of Peru - we cannot blame the people however, any more than we would want to be blamed for our countries judicial system's flaws. Our justice system is bad enough, hijacked as it is by morally bankrupt defense attoenys, rationalizing all under the umbrella of the by now totally prostituted "every defendent has the right to a fair trial ".
Triple murder courtroom to stay open: Hayes statements will not be sealed- The Register Citizen News - Northwest Connecticut's Daily Newspaper
Good. This issue regarding Hayes's statement is a big plus for the prosecution
Jul 2, 2010
Say NO UNITE AGAINST VIOLENCE ON WOMEN
Dear Friends,
Say NO - UNITE, a global web initiative of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is highlighting the daily violence faced by women in conflict zones this month. You often write on issues related to women’s lives, and have written about Say NO in the past. The issue of sexual violence impacts thousands of women across the world.
WHY: Women hardly ever fight the world's wars, but often suffer the most from it. Every day women and young girls are targets of sexual violence: in IDP camps, when they go to school; on the streets outside their own homes; and even when they step out to get water or firewood for daily survival. But they have little say when peace is negotiated! Less than 10 percent of people who negotiate peace deals are women.
YOU can help change this. Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign is highlighting the urgent need to make WOMEN COUNT FOR PEACE. You and your readers can help by signing the Petition and sharing this information through your blog, on Facebook and Twitter. See some sample messages that you can post!
Click below for news, photos and updates. If you use any of the photo materials, please credit them to the Photographer or UNIFEM.
·
www.saynotoviolence.org/say-no-around-world/news
Hear the voices of women affected by conflict
· See women peace activists at work
Please let me know if you would like more information about this initiative.
Sincerely,
Urjasi Rudra
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
Urjasi Rudra
Coordinator, Say NO - UNiTE to End Violence against Women
UNIFEM, New York
304 E 45 Street, NY
Email: urjasi.rudra@unifem.org
Say NO - UNITE, a global web initiative of the UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) is highlighting the daily violence faced by women in conflict zones this month. You often write on issues related to women’s lives, and have written about Say NO in the past. The issue of sexual violence impacts thousands of women across the world.
WHY: Women hardly ever fight the world's wars, but often suffer the most from it. Every day women and young girls are targets of sexual violence: in IDP camps, when they go to school; on the streets outside their own homes; and even when they step out to get water or firewood for daily survival. But they have little say when peace is negotiated! Less than 10 percent of people who negotiate peace deals are women.
YOU can help change this. Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign is highlighting the urgent need to make WOMEN COUNT FOR PEACE. You and your readers can help by signing the Petition and sharing this information through your blog, on Facebook and Twitter. See some sample messages that you can post!
Click below for news, photos and updates. If you use any of the photo materials, please credit them to the Photographer or UNIFEM.
·
www.saynotoviolence.org/say-no-around-world/news
Hear the voices of women affected by conflict
· See women peace activists at work
Please let me know if you would like more information about this initiative.
Sincerely,
Urjasi Rudra
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM)
Urjasi Rudra
Coordinator, Say NO - UNiTE to End Violence against Women
UNIFEM, New York
304 E 45 Street, NY
Email: urjasi.rudra@unifem.org
Jun 30, 2010
Jun 27, 2010
Jun 26, 2010
Jun 25, 2010
2010 Petit Family Foundation Golf Tournament- powered by SmugMug
Another great event helping raise money for victims of violence sponsored by the Petit Family Foundation!
Jun 19, 2010
EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTS;The Official Police File on Stepahnie Fiores murder
WARNING: The contents in the above link are not for children, those easily disturbed, or weak of heart.
The only reason that Chasing Justice is linking to this police file which contains private details of a young women's brutal murder, is an essential one; To raise awareness, to educate, particularly women and teenagers of a certain age, to understand what can lie behind a seemingly normal looking young-(or middle aged for that matter) man,
Clearly in the above mugshot photo of Joran Von Der Sloot - evil is clearly showing in all its abundence--But remember this picture was taken within mere hours after he beat and stabbed Stephanie Fiorez to death. We could thus expect such a recent horrific deed to be transparent upon his normally somewhat attarctive boyish young face. When you look at the photo of Vondersloot within the Post below - that Joran vondersloot is likely closer to the face that he first presented to Stephanie Fiores leading her to decide that he "seemed" and appeared well dressed, attractive, probably articulate educated....and thus trustworthy-at least trustworthy enough to have a nightcap in his Hotel room,
No doubt poor stephanie was given a ruse of some kind to lure her to vondersloots room I dont doubt this for a moment; There something he wanted to "show her -in his room, on his computer, something anything that sounded legit enough to steer this naive young girl into a position whereupon he could sexually assault her.and /or kill her .
And tragiclly that is exactly what he did.
I believe that this is not merely the second time that Von der Sloot has killed: I am certain that there have been other murders that the authorities may or may not presntly link him with or ever link hin to. And sadly, the outcome of these hypothertical crimes will likely depend on the victimology-ie her life profile; whether she was a prostitute or a schoolgirl, was she from a poor or middle class or well to do family? What country or jurisdiction did the rapes and or murders happen in, and lastly how inept, adept or even corrupt that local police department is/was in the area where any crimes might have occurred. While this is all admittedly supposition, all of the indicators point to an evolving serial killer of women and or girls.
Ler us jointly pray that any other murders rapes or abductions committed by this man, become revealed as soon as possible, and that Justice be served for the sake of the victims and their family and loved ones. And a prayer for Stephanies family to find comfort, strength and courage throughout their grieving and the ensuing judicial process which can be arduous here in the states though I am not yet as familiar as Id like to be regading Peruvian law. I do know that they do not have a death peanlty and I am certain that vondersloot was well aware of this fact and indeed chose this place for his next crime with this fact in the forefront of his predatorial self preserving psyche.
Evil in the form of predators does not typically announce itself as such-- In fact, the predator with a personality disorder is ever mindful of the need to pass themselves off as "normal".and indeed can often be superficially charming.
Subterfuge and manipulation is at their very core of their existance and What they all have in common is usually life- long patterns of lying, decption manipulation conning And
parasitic lifestyles.
Ironically many socio's will often play the victim, Even while being prosecuted for brutal murders rapes and other less severe but equally destructive crimes like stalking, assault, extortion, blackmail and a host of other crimes that almost always involve people thar are much more defenseless than themselves; the proverbial bully who wishes to control and demean women-and murder is of course the ultimate control:
him and flys into a rage when he cannot-this is also a classic feature of the personality diosorders-a group of mental deviations-not to be confused with mental illness as it is not mental illness and there is no "cure"
Our young women -and RN men for that matter- must become considerably
more educated about men that predate.; the personality disorders that always ccompany them , It is only within this knol edge that this infomration that will open the door of awareness, and with Gods grace -a HEALTHY vigilance will follow.
The ignorance about the issues surrounding violence agasinst women, has gone on far too long and cost too many senseless deaths-awful deaths, violent deaths that often involved protracted terror and awful oain pain and This includes predators that may be far less obvious, particularly at the begginning of the union, than someone like Joran Von der Sloot As I pointed out, these men come in many shapes and dizes
and the methods that they use and the qualities and behaviors to look for when sizing up a poential date or even the descison wheteher or not to give their phone unmber out to someone-for this might becoime the very way the predator slithers into your life flying beneath the radar so to speak. at hiding itself blending in ( it hides within an exterior it knows it must perfect in order to insure its ability to decieve potential victims, family, friends and later perhaps even the authoritites.
Despite these efforts which often become frantic shortly before and after a violent crime has been committed, those closest to these predators often know something isnt right-This is where CHANGE must begin-- at home
:
Jun 18, 2010
Natalee Holloway's mother consoles Flores family - CNN.com
Today I mourn Stephanie Ramirez Fiorez, a young women who was brutally beaten and stabbed to death in a hotel room in Peru. This is a murder that never should have never been allowed to happen.
Everytime I watch a video of this punk sociopath Von der sloot, I feel absolute and unadulterated rage: Yet another one of those situations where the authorities were given a major heads up regarding this perpetrators predatorial instincts, and they did nothing to protect the next victim . Indeed, criminal behavior-kidnapping, probable date-rape drugging and murder. Ther was no shortage of evidence. We all knew what happened. And yet like so many before him and since, the murderer of another human being, walked. He walked right out of that jail cell with daddy on his arm, mommy protectively showdowing them both and a smirk playing upon his face.
Worst of all, he went out feeling invincibile, and why no- he'd killed a girl practically in front of a nation and got away with it. He had the audacity within mere months of the crimes to seek out the United states media in a transparent attempt to throw suspicion off of himself and petulantly complain.
And soon enough, he killed again. And in a way, all of us let it happen.
This 21 year old woman, or girl really, likely suffered unimaginable terror and pain as her life energy was beaten out of her. Her skull was fractured, she bore severe bruising on her temples and face, and she was also stabbed. They say drug residue was found in a beverage she was drinking. This was the exact scenario many suspected in Natalee Holloways dissapearence when reports began coming out that she appeared uncharacteristiclly very drunk as she left the nightclub in aruba with Mr Von dersloot and friends.
Her family will of course never be the same, no murder victims family ever is. And many many many hearts are broken traversing multiple provinces and in this case once again- veritable countries mourn. As we here in the United States grieve for this crime it is made all the worse knowing that it could have been should have been stopped before it happened. But we are all too used to this.
A girl who was full of life love and promise is dead.
When are we as asociety and going to demand that violent predators who have been at least once intervened by the law, are dealt with responsibly, with the publics saftty as its primary concern. Swift justice the very first time that SOMEONE crosses the rules and laws of society regarding harming other human beings!
You know, It is difficult enough for police and authroties to accrue enough evidence to simply arrest, or in the case of lacodaisical misogynistic Aruban law-"detain" a person clearly involved in the murder or abduction of a woman or child. Few seem to understand that for every one of these predators that the police and courts manage to get thier hands on, never mind enough evidence to proceed to a prosecution, there are thousands upon thousands of predators committing violent crimes, that remain out there, untouched by the law, either shrewd enough to escape detection as was the BTK murderer Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy to name a few, or those simply thus far "lucky" and taking full advantage of overworked understaffed Police homicide and rape departments.
And then of course there are the rapists batterers child molesters abductors who waltz through our court systems having committed crimes perhaps one step short of murder but with all the indications for a propensity escalating violent crimes, and due to such ciited reasons as prison overcrowding which we here a lot about in Connecticut as reason for springing hundreds of such predators each year (we seem to have plenty of room in our prisons and jails however for thiose unfortunates arrested for little more than possession of small quantities of drugs thier only crime being addiction and the procurement of drugs to feed that usually physcial addiction. This seems especially the case for minorities who are unlucky enough to lack the solid middle class appearing families and relying on uninspired public defenders (and no not all Public defenders are uninspired nor bad lawyers-just some) these small time offenders that comprise a suprising percentage of our prison beds in Connecticut often have multiple similar non violent drug offenses on thier "records" These folks are locked up left and right every day in this and other states, while iour violent rapists, child molesters/ abductors and yes, even murderers , recieve plea bargains with reduced or zero priosn time and often suspended sentences with probation which equates to a get out of jail feree card for people who have shown the propensity for hurting other human beings. I say pluck them out of our societies the first time they committ a violent crime, if it is murder the sentence should be automaticlly a minimum of life with no parole this so that they may never again harm another human being. It really neednt be complicated It should be simple- a no brainer and yet, here in the states and clearly Aruba as well, the criminal authorities fail at it again and again and again.
I also feel strongly that Vond der sloots family is as guilty as he for both of these young women's murders. His now late father, Judge Von DER Sloot, was obviously complicit in his sons first crime, the murder of Natalee Holloway. It always seems to start at home with the same brand of parenting. Zero accountability thick thick denial and parents whose main concern is how things appear to the outside world re thier offspring, rather than being responsible parents and facing the behavioral issues that invariably show themselves early on in their criminal childs lives. Instead through often slick subterfuge they hide thier children be it adult children in thier forties or teens just begginning to show their criminal tendency stripes.
This syndrome harkens back to the 2007 Petit family HOME INVASION assaults and murders here in Cheshire Connecticut. The presumed ringleader and mastermind of these brutal rapes and murders, Joshua komisarjevsky and his reportedly "steeped in prominence family" (a quote taken from the New york times headlines shortly after the murders of Jennifer Hayley and Michaela Petit, had parents who apparently spent their sons entire criminal life bailing him out of his many many brushes with the law, propping him up, duisting him off and using thier family name to lend thier budding criminal son, credibility, which in turn allowed this clearly dangerous kid to escape culpability begginning with his very first crime- felony arson by the way, at the tender age of 14. He set an abandoned gasoline station on fire-for fun.
What should have been a major tip-off to the ridiculous Connecticut courts, arson at that age is one act of the "classic trilogy" behaviors of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder, the childhood/teenage precursors/equivalent to full blown sociopathology This has also been referred to as a psychopath. In other words when your "a kid" you are not yet ready to be deemed a sociopath, at least not according to the diagnostic statistical manual ( DSM ) simply due to ones chronological age, not behaviors or qualities that they are exhibiting nor the clarity of the psychiatric profile.
Instead The psychiatric community will diagnose a child or teen with conduct disorder and/or oppositional defiant disorder but this almost always, always results in an adult sociopath,with the rare exception. Sociopaths are considered un treatable for all intents and purposes, in fact its well known that they will often use therapy, in its traditional forms either child teen or adult sociopaths, as yet another person and place to be manipulated with the aim being to either throw the therapist off the track or to say all the "right things" to Convey false contrition or to play up the notion of themselves as victims"
Everytime I watch a video of this punk sociopath Von der sloot, I feel absolute and unadulterated rage: Yet another one of those situations where the authorities were given a major heads up regarding this perpetrators predatorial instincts, and they did nothing to protect the next victim . Indeed, criminal behavior-kidnapping, probable date-rape drugging and murder. Ther was no shortage of evidence. We all knew what happened. And yet like so many before him and since, the murderer of another human being, walked. He walked right out of that jail cell with daddy on his arm, mommy protectively showdowing them both and a smirk playing upon his face.Worst of all, he went out feeling invincibile, and why no- he'd killed a girl practically in front of a nation and got away with it. He had the audacity within mere months of the crimes to seek out the United states media in a transparent attempt to throw suspicion off of himself and petulantly complain.
And soon enough, he killed again. And in a way, all of us let it happen.
This 21 year old woman, or girl really, likely suffered unimaginable terror and pain as her life energy was beaten out of her. Her skull was fractured, she bore severe bruising on her temples and face, and she was also stabbed. They say drug residue was found in a beverage she was drinking. This was the exact scenario many suspected in Natalee Holloways dissapearence when reports began coming out that she appeared uncharacteristiclly very drunk as she left the nightclub in aruba with Mr Von dersloot and friends.
Her family will of course never be the same, no murder victims family ever is. And many many many hearts are broken traversing multiple provinces and in this case once again- veritable countries mourn. As we here in the United States grieve for this crime it is made all the worse knowing that it could have been should have been stopped before it happened. But we are all too used to this.
A girl who was full of life love and promise is dead.
When are we as asociety and going to demand that violent predators who have been at least once intervened by the law, are dealt with responsibly, with the publics saftty as its primary concern. Swift justice the very first time that SOMEONE crosses the rules and laws of society regarding harming other human beings!
You know, It is difficult enough for police and authroties to accrue enough evidence to simply arrest, or in the case of lacodaisical misogynistic Aruban law-"detain" a person clearly involved in the murder or abduction of a woman or child. Few seem to understand that for every one of these predators that the police and courts manage to get thier hands on, never mind enough evidence to proceed to a prosecution, there are thousands upon thousands of predators committing violent crimes, that remain out there, untouched by the law, either shrewd enough to escape detection as was the BTK murderer Jeffrey Dahmer, Ted Bundy to name a few, or those simply thus far "lucky" and taking full advantage of overworked understaffed Police homicide and rape departments.
And then of course there are the rapists batterers child molesters abductors who waltz through our court systems having committed crimes perhaps one step short of murder but with all the indications for a propensity escalating violent crimes, and due to such ciited reasons as prison overcrowding which we here a lot about in Connecticut as reason for springing hundreds of such predators each year (we seem to have plenty of room in our prisons and jails however for thiose unfortunates arrested for little more than possession of small quantities of drugs thier only crime being addiction and the procurement of drugs to feed that usually physcial addiction. This seems especially the case for minorities who are unlucky enough to lack the solid middle class appearing families and relying on uninspired public defenders (and no not all Public defenders are uninspired nor bad lawyers-just some) these small time offenders that comprise a suprising percentage of our prison beds in Connecticut often have multiple similar non violent drug offenses on thier "records" These folks are locked up left and right every day in this and other states, while iour violent rapists, child molesters/ abductors and yes, even murderers , recieve plea bargains with reduced or zero priosn time and often suspended sentences with probation which equates to a get out of jail feree card for people who have shown the propensity for hurting other human beings. I say pluck them out of our societies the first time they committ a violent crime, if it is murder the sentence should be automaticlly a minimum of life with no parole this so that they may never again harm another human being. It really neednt be complicated It should be simple- a no brainer and yet, here in the states and clearly Aruba as well, the criminal authorities fail at it again and again and again.
I also feel strongly that Vond der sloots family is as guilty as he for both of these young women's murders. His now late father, Judge Von DER Sloot, was obviously complicit in his sons first crime, the murder of Natalee Holloway. It always seems to start at home with the same brand of parenting. Zero accountability thick thick denial and parents whose main concern is how things appear to the outside world re thier offspring, rather than being responsible parents and facing the behavioral issues that invariably show themselves early on in their criminal childs lives. Instead through often slick subterfuge they hide thier children be it adult children in thier forties or teens just begginning to show their criminal tendency stripes.
This syndrome harkens back to the 2007 Petit family HOME INVASION assaults and murders here in Cheshire Connecticut. The presumed ringleader and mastermind of these brutal rapes and murders, Joshua komisarjevsky and his reportedly "steeped in prominence family" (a quote taken from the New york times headlines shortly after the murders of Jennifer Hayley and Michaela Petit, had parents who apparently spent their sons entire criminal life bailing him out of his many many brushes with the law, propping him up, duisting him off and using thier family name to lend thier budding criminal son, credibility, which in turn allowed this clearly dangerous kid to escape culpability begginning with his very first crime- felony arson by the way, at the tender age of 14. He set an abandoned gasoline station on fire-for fun.
What should have been a major tip-off to the ridiculous Connecticut courts, arson at that age is one act of the "classic trilogy" behaviors of oppositional defiant disorder and conduct disorder, the childhood/teenage precursors/equivalent to full blown sociopathology This has also been referred to as a psychopath. In other words when your "a kid" you are not yet ready to be deemed a sociopath, at least not according to the diagnostic statistical manual ( DSM ) simply due to ones chronological age, not behaviors or qualities that they are exhibiting nor the clarity of the psychiatric profile.
Instead The psychiatric community will diagnose a child or teen with conduct disorder and/or oppositional defiant disorder but this almost always, always results in an adult sociopath,with the rare exception. Sociopaths are considered un treatable for all intents and purposes, in fact its well known that they will often use therapy, in its traditional forms either child teen or adult sociopaths, as yet another person and place to be manipulated with the aim being to either throw the therapist off the track or to say all the "right things" to Convey false contrition or to play up the notion of themselves as victims"
The GE 5K Road Race
Lets all pitch in and make this the most succeassful GE 5K Raceday of all - July 2010 This will be the third such annual event since the home invasion that stole the lives of these three beautiful -people; Jennifer and her two daughters Hayley and 11 year old Michaela Petit.
All monies raised in the event day will go to the PETIT FAMILY FOUNDATION http://www.petitfamilyfoundation.org/ whose main missions include helping victims of violence.
It promises to be a great day with many activities for everyone; an aerobic walk accompanies the big race for those, like me, who either do not fancy themselves runners, or who might possess physical limitations that prohibit them from running a 5k course. There is a seperate race course for kids and lots and lots of food, refreshments activities, music and fun.
All monies raised in the event day will go to the PETIT FAMILY FOUNDATION http://www.petitfamilyfoundation.org/ whose main missions include helping victims of violence.
It promises to be a great day with many activities for everyone; an aerobic walk accompanies the big race for those, like me, who either do not fancy themselves runners, or who might possess physical limitations that prohibit them from running a 5k course. There is a seperate race course for kids and lots and lots of food, refreshments activities, music and fun.
Jun 17, 2010
Jun 12, 2010
Jun 9, 2010
Jun 7, 2010
Jun 5, 2010
ThePrudence Crandall benifit for domestic violence victims
This is the Third year in a row that the Petit family foundation
www.petitfamilyfoundation.org was the presenting sponsor for this huge fund raising event at The Prudence Crandall Center www.prudencecrandallcenter.org in New Britain Connecticut.
A Heartfelt thanks to Bill Petit, friends and family for thery're strength committment and hard work on behalf of victims of violence.
Pay attention to Holloway, Flores murders
Below is an excerpt from this must read Op-ed piece about the latest Von der sooot murder and violence against women in general. I am disgusted that Aruba officials handled Natalee Holloways dissapearence so poorly and now another young woman has paid for it with her life-and another family must be tormeened with thoughts of thier daughhters last moments.
"Too often, violence against women is, if not condoned, accepted. I still recall -- with shame -- the days when as an editor I would consign the murder of a woman to a few short paragraphs deep inside the paper because it was “just a domestic.” Never mind that if you tally up all the women who have been victim of domestic abuse, you would have a near epidemic. Sadly, it is too late for Holloway and Flores, but that shows why it is never wrong to make a big deal out of every instance in which a woman is brutalized."
"Too often, violence against women is, if not condoned, accepted. I still recall -- with shame -- the days when as an editor I would consign the murder of a woman to a few short paragraphs deep inside the paper because it was “just a domestic.” Never mind that if you tally up all the women who have been victim of domestic abuse, you would have a near epidemic. Sadly, it is too late for Holloway and Flores, but that shows why it is never wrong to make a big deal out of every instance in which a woman is brutalized."
Jun 3, 2010
Jury in place for triple-slaying trial of Hayes Trial scheduledto begin Sept 15th
Finally.
The beginning of the "judicial process" for the first of these two reprobates.
Two years and 10 months later A jury of 12 jurors and 6 alternates is finally picked for merely the first of the two defendants, both caught fleeing in the Victims family car the massacre sight where mother and two daughters had been kidnapped sexually assaulted tortured and their lives extinguished in the cruelest of fashions: tied to their beds alive and set afire after being doused with gasoline.
The terror that they must have felt is something that I think about every day. And Every time that I shop at my neighborhood stop and stop, I can not help but think of Jennifer and Michaela Petit, shopping themsleves on a disappearing summer evening, not unlike the warm summer evenings of late. And again, in a Connecticut suburb, not dissimilar from the one that I call home.
The difference is that I now no longer mindlessly wander these aisles with my old innate sense of security, ease nor even comfort anymore--lest I let my guard down and miss that one potential predator looking for a Good Victims looking person the would be predator, someone like Joshua Komisarjevsky the 28 year old man, a longtime cheshire resident, himself , who did not resemble the Bogeyman, but rather presented what I am sure was an unassuming but friendly enough countenence to most people passing him by in the store or parking lot. It was in the parking lot that he admittedly fixed upon Mrs Petit and more importantly as a veritable pedophile, (albeit unofficial by Connecticut criminal records standards) The attractive womens blonde eleven year old daughter Michaela a girl who had just experienced a summer growth spurt bringing her up to her moms shoulders.
I hazard a guess that many people in Connecticutt shop differently since these crimes happened.
The beginning of the "judicial process" for the first of these two reprobates.
Two years and 10 months later A jury of 12 jurors and 6 alternates is finally picked for merely the first of the two defendants, both caught fleeing in the Victims family car the massacre sight where mother and two daughters had been kidnapped sexually assaulted tortured and their lives extinguished in the cruelest of fashions: tied to their beds alive and set afire after being doused with gasoline.
The terror that they must have felt is something that I think about every day. And Every time that I shop at my neighborhood stop and stop, I can not help but think of Jennifer and Michaela Petit, shopping themsleves on a disappearing summer evening, not unlike the warm summer evenings of late. And again, in a Connecticut suburb, not dissimilar from the one that I call home.
The difference is that I now no longer mindlessly wander these aisles with my old innate sense of security, ease nor even comfort anymore--lest I let my guard down and miss that one potential predator looking for a Good Victims looking person the would be predator, someone like Joshua Komisarjevsky the 28 year old man, a longtime cheshire resident, himself , who did not resemble the Bogeyman, but rather presented what I am sure was an unassuming but friendly enough countenence to most people passing him by in the store or parking lot. It was in the parking lot that he admittedly fixed upon Mrs Petit and more importantly as a veritable pedophile, (albeit unofficial by Connecticut criminal records standards) The attractive womens blonde eleven year old daughter Michaela a girl who had just experienced a summer growth spurt bringing her up to her moms shoulders.
I hazard a guess that many people in Connecticutt shop differently since these crimes happened.
May 30, 2010
May 21, 2010
Five Years later Ross executed, but issue continues to stir debate
This article brings up a very timely issue; The Ross Death Penalty case is a perfect example of Connecticut's judicial system's utter failure to do its job.
Michael Ross was a serial killer of women and children. He was also the most recent criminal to be executed by lethal injection in Connecticut.He wound up having to sue the state in order to be given his well-deserved sentence.
The answer lies not in getting rid of the death penalty, but rather to reform it; From The current built- in limitless appeals system renders it impotent to the
absurd time period between actual sentencing and the carrying out of that sentence, which currently has no bounderies in the state of Connecticut.
From a practical standpoint, this means that any murder case where the death penalty has been sentenced by Judge or Jury (and a sentence of death for aggravated murder is quite rarely pursued here in thefirst place ) often drags on for decades upon decades, as the sentenced inmate or lawyer, file what has become obligatory appeal after appeal, on the governments dime, simply "buying thier client time, pushing any actual execution to some far away future date,which for all intents and purposes does not exist-not in Connecticut.
While the largely democratic judiciary committee would use theseexamplesofour broken system as a reason to simply get rid of the entire system I, (myself a registered democratic) say nonsense-fix it. Iam appalled that our "lawmakers" first thought is to throw it out with yesterdays garbage because they are seduced by the notion that it will save the state lots of money- and/or because these samelegislators fancy themselves proggresive minded heroes of some sort because they subscribe to the armchair philosophy that the death penalty is archaic and morally wrong .
Lets face it; The cold hard facts are that a percentage of Connecticuts legislators who are ultimately responsible for the immense decision of whether to keep or abolish the death penalty in this state, have personally never encountered the unabashed evil of sociopathology (IE anti-social personality disorder AS READ IN THE DSM) and the destruction of lives left in its wake. Formerly refferredto as "psychopaths" this personality disorder has a high incidence in our prison systems and our violent criminals (albeit diagnosed or undiagnosed) There are also a good number of sociopaths who are of the higher functioning ilk meaning they may in fact commit crimes, including horribly brutal violent crimes, yet they are rarely caught and if caught rarely properly prosecuted, as 'manipulative natures and often above articulkate self educated intelligence combine to fool those in the system who lack the experience or insight to recognize what theyre dealing with.
This disorder does not mean crazy; They know right from wrong, they simply have no conscience, and believe they're victims deserve theyre fate for allowing themselves to be victimized.
But as in the case of joshua komisarjevsky co-defendent in the Petit family murders, many sociopaths may feign consciences as they realize it is expected of them. Read his sentencing transcript from his last string of bome break ins prior to the Petit Family assaults and murders. In front of the judge and prosecutor, he offered up to the court tremendous remorse for his 28 break ins and robberies-which were almost all perpetrated at night while the homeowners were in bed sleeping, by his own admission.Weve since learned that komisarjevsky boasted of these exploits reffering to those home invasions as a form of "extreme sport" exciting him only if someone was in the home at the time, otherwise he was too "bored" by the robbery the robberies in my opinion incidental to the act of subterfuge and invasion of anothers privacy and space.
Michael Ross was a serial killer of women and children. He was also the most recent criminal to be executed by lethal injection in Connecticut.He wound up having to sue the state in order to be given his well-deserved sentence.
The answer lies not in getting rid of the death penalty, but rather to reform it; From The current built- in limitless appeals system renders it impotent to the
absurd time period between actual sentencing and the carrying out of that sentence, which currently has no bounderies in the state of Connecticut.
From a practical standpoint, this means that any murder case where the death penalty has been sentenced by Judge or Jury (and a sentence of death for aggravated murder is quite rarely pursued here in thefirst place ) often drags on for decades upon decades, as the sentenced inmate or lawyer, file what has become obligatory appeal after appeal, on the governments dime, simply "buying thier client time, pushing any actual execution to some far away future date,which for all intents and purposes does not exist-not in Connecticut.
While the largely democratic judiciary committee would use theseexamplesofour broken system as a reason to simply get rid of the entire system I, (myself a registered democratic) say nonsense-fix it. Iam appalled that our "lawmakers" first thought is to throw it out with yesterdays garbage because they are seduced by the notion that it will save the state lots of money- and/or because these samelegislators fancy themselves proggresive minded heroes of some sort because they subscribe to the armchair philosophy that the death penalty is archaic and morally wrong .
Lets face it; The cold hard facts are that a percentage of Connecticuts legislators who are ultimately responsible for the immense decision of whether to keep or abolish the death penalty in this state, have personally never encountered the unabashed evil of sociopathology (IE anti-social personality disorder AS READ IN THE DSM) and the destruction of lives left in its wake. Formerly refferredto as "psychopaths" this personality disorder has a high incidence in our prison systems and our violent criminals (albeit diagnosed or undiagnosed) There are also a good number of sociopaths who are of the higher functioning ilk meaning they may in fact commit crimes, including horribly brutal violent crimes, yet they are rarely caught and if caught rarely properly prosecuted, as 'manipulative natures and often above articulkate self educated intelligence combine to fool those in the system who lack the experience or insight to recognize what theyre dealing with.
This disorder does not mean crazy; They know right from wrong, they simply have no conscience, and believe they're victims deserve theyre fate for allowing themselves to be victimized.
But as in the case of joshua komisarjevsky co-defendent in the Petit family murders, many sociopaths may feign consciences as they realize it is expected of them. Read his sentencing transcript from his last string of bome break ins prior to the Petit Family assaults and murders. In front of the judge and prosecutor, he offered up to the court tremendous remorse for his 28 break ins and robberies-which were almost all perpetrated at night while the homeowners were in bed sleeping, by his own admission.Weve since learned that komisarjevsky boasted of these exploits reffering to those home invasions as a form of "extreme sport" exciting him only if someone was in the home at the time, otherwise he was too "bored" by the robbery the robberies in my opinion incidental to the act of subterfuge and invasion of anothers privacy and space.
Thus as our lawmakers would like to fancy themselves too "evolved" to support the notion of a state sponsered death penalty, even when reserved for only the absolute worst most brutal and aggravated of our states murder cases (Connecticut is reknown for its history of judiciuos use of pursuing its death penalty, with an extremely rare percentage of these cases compared to its overall murder cases) And thus our lawmakers lack of familiarity and awareness and education concerning the brand of criminal that would kill for thrill lust or simple greed without batting an eye, is really what is at the crux of the problem here. This Exremely important issue calls for the kind of awareness that transcends armchair philosophying and "bottomlines".
Michael Ross was apparently ready to accept accountability for the many kidnappings, rapes and murders that he'dcommitted over the ourse of his life (he alluded to only being caught and charged for a fraction of of the actual number of murders he was responsible for).
Connecticuts criminal-friendly justice system actually refused to allow this guy to plead guilty when wanted to, with the presiding judge citing whatever insane judicial rule that prohibits a guilty plea at that particular juncture. A situation not unlike the recent Petit murder case, where the first murder defendent being tried also wished to change his plea to guilty recently, as jury selection was just begginning - The New haven Superior court where the case is being tried, would not allow it-in fact they cite that technically they could not accept a guilty plea from a defendent in a Death penalty case.
As such the judge refused it and the plea stayed not guilty, as his lawyers had him plead originally. After much hullabaloo from those defense attorneys, who scrambled to tie thierclients hands once he admitted his guilt, they tried to have him declared incompetent among other things, in the end he was found competent to stand trial and assist in his own defense. although hayes was soon cajoled by his notorious anti-death penalty crusading public attorney to resort back to a sensible" Not Guilty Plea, at his next court appearence when the judge asked do you wish to keep your plea not guilty, there was a rather long pregnant pause from steven hayes before he finally said "no your honor'
Although every life is precious the murder of a child is doubly evil and tragic, and
yet... a good number of our Conn Legislators voted this past year to abolish the one thing that could serve as a deterrent to those that would prey upon children and others in defenseless situations. Had Governor Rell not vetoed the narrowly passed bill, the death penalty would be abolished in this state as we speak and replaced with a capital punishment that consists of life in prison with no parole.
With saving money the main reason cited by members of the Conn Judiciary committee for introducing the notion of abolishment-(ie due tothe costliness of its currently run amock appeals process among other things) This makes the actual longer term results of abolishment most ironic: With no threat of A possible death sentence looming over a murderers head-and remember only the worst of the worst murder cases are even considered for the death penalty here--defense attorneys left and right will encourage thier clients charged with capital crimes to go to trial rather than plead to lowered charges, for they will then have "nothing to lose" by trying the case. ie the worst case would still be life with no parole vs the possibility that they "rollthe dice" so to speak and possibly get life sentence with the possibility of parole via a trial.
This influx of trials and the preparations involved on cases that have been traditionally plea bargained for years, will cost the state millions upon millions of dollars, thereby defeating the original rationale for abolishment not to mention putting the lives of innocent citizens at risk as would be murderers child predators, rapists have significantly less to be afraid of if they are caught for thier crimes
May 13, 2010
"Silent No More Auction" Coming June 3 Prudence Crandall Center
The Prudence Crandall Center ( see link above) is one of the Main organizations supported by The Petit http://www.petitfamilyfoundation.org/ familyfoundation
who have contributed significantly towards Victims of Domestic violence via this center and other avenues, since PFF's early inception in 2007 following the murders of Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela Petit during a home invasion.
The case, in which the two defendants were caught fleeing the murder scene in the Petit family car, is just now in the mid stages of voire dire (Jury selection) for the first defendant, Steven Hayes. The other 'defendent" who initially targeted and followed Mrs Petit and her daughter from a neighborhood Stop and shop to their home in Cheshire, is twenty nine year old Joshua Komisarjevsk,y also from Cheshire. He will not be tried until Hayes's trial is completed, which will be quite some time.
In both cases the state is seeking the death penalty for multiple capital crimes including multiple aggravated sexual assault,assault in the first degree of Dr Petit and threecounts of murder one, including the murder of a child
Both men were on early release parole when these crimes occurred despite having been convicted of well over 25 felonies within their respective life times. Indeed, the two men met each other at a Hartford hallway house which serves as intermediary re-entry housing for prisonerssoon due for release. YTheearly release program was the brainchild of Mike lawlor and Co. Dem east haven and vice chair of Connecticuts judiciary commitee
The Connecticut Parole board made the decisions to release each man after less than half of their sentences were served, these decisions were made with both men in absentia and little to no paperwork re their criminal files which in Komisarjevskys case certainly would have given them much needed insight to decline early Parole, due to among other things, his dangerous habit of breaking into homes admittedly only when the homeowners were home for the thrill, using night vision goggles to stalk his victims before his break ins and often taking mementos of women who were living in those homes in which he was illegally breaking and entering into.
Anyone possessing even a cursory knowledge of criminal psychology knows that these habits are red flags - indicative of a budding (or fully engaged) sexual predator,: As this information was made available to Police and the Connecticut Courts involved with his former criminal cases, there was no excuse why this man was released with such a small portion of his actual sentence served thus sharply deviating from the last Judges final admonishment in sentencing hearing. He concluded aloud that despite komisarjevsky, his parents and his lawyers attempts to portray him as a troubled young man from a good religous middle class family gone astray, ( his family had even toted komisarjevskys 17 yr old girlfriend and newborn baby to court for sentencing day, no doubt hoping for whatever leniency being a new fathger might buy him, Komisarjevsky was a dangerous predator
In a recent book based on clandestine-and illegal ( a gag order was placedon the case very early on) jailhouse interviews with Komisarjevky at 27 years of age- he had admitted to committing hundreds of such break--ins "as a kind of extreme sport"and was only caught or prosecuted for only 30 or so by police in several Connecticut jurisdictions- including Cheshire and the surrounding environs. A fair number of those charges were dropped in subsequent plea bargains, the last of which was supposed to have kept komisarjevsky in prison for 9 plus years and special parole for another 5. The presiding judge in that case seemed well aware of the seriousness of komisarjevskys criminal habits and potential for violence, and he said so when declaring his sentencing decision. The Connecticut Parole Board never even saw komisarjevskys criminal history, let alone the court transcripts from his last sentencing hearing in which the judge proclaimed the reasons he considered him so dangerous.
It was later exposed that this lack of paperwork was not an unusual nor singular inclident but had been the norm for years due prosecutors offices refusing to pay for copying costs for parolees criminal files with the parole board basically giving in and continuing to make life and death parole descisions with next to no paperwork on the prisoners in question nor the prisoner even being present for questioning-this the state of Connecticut called "administrative parole" and was The manner of parole for many many years in Connecticut until the Petit murders and several others all committed by new parolees occurring within a one year period, finally exposed these dangerous and irresponsible practices to both the people of the state and even many legislators who were also unaware of the day to day
In response to the public outrage over these crimes and most significantly the fact that they should have been avoided with responsible follow through of the Conn criminal Judicial system, attempts was made by the Connecticut legislature to toughen Parole standards and votes were made to infuse more money into our criminal justice system. It remains to be seen if there has been any viable application of those funds, with the recent economical budgetary problems being cited as one prohibitive cause of this. In the year following this and several other violent crimes committed by career criminals recently released, Some Ct laws were amended and attempts to toughen so called home invasion laws were made among other things.
Bi-partisan disagreement within the mostly democratic legislature, with republican assemblymen and senators largely supporting tougher measures voted down by some but not all democratic leaders,made actual changes in our laws very difficult if not impossible.
And seemingly, to add insult to injury, while many people in the state were still traumatized and grieving over the Petit family rapes and murders, as well another rape murder home invasion involving two women in their 60's which occurred in Connecticut that same year, the Ct Judiciary committee, spear headed by Mike Lawlor andsenator McDonald, voted seemingly out of nowhere to abolish the death penalty. The proposal was reportedly brought up as an idea to " save money"for the statedueto the unwieldy Ct unlimited appeals process in Death penalty cases.
Needlessto say the descision and the furtive manner in which it was handled ie withheld from the local media and thus the citizens, caused an uproar particukarly as a recent quinnipiac poll proved that well over 68 percent of the people of the state were against abolishment.
The house and Senate proceeded to rather swiftly vote on the volatile issue with a very narrow margin result to abolish and with clear-cut divisiveness between republicans and democratic lawmakers, although in fairness some democrats voted against abolishment despite their parties obvious preference. Thus, the mostly democratic legislature narrowly "won" : Fortunately and thankfully, as she had implied, Governor Rell used a rare veto on the bill, citing the will of the people in this state was clearly against aboloishment and was she.
In the meantime those dedicated to helping victims of violent crime, carry on the good fight.
One of our states greatest warriors inthisfight has been Drwilliam Petit lone curvivor of the Petit crimes. The upcoming "Silent No More" Auction supported by the Prudence Crandall Center and the Petit Family foundation is animportant part of that fight. It is a major fund raiser for assisting victims of domestic/partner violence escape from dangerous environments and as importantly, getting new starts for battered women and thier children so that they may begin living a violent- free life with the help that is so greatly needed.
As we read in the papers and seeon the news each week many of these women die every year when they are unable to break out of the cycle of violence and abuse.. The Prudence Crandall Center's mission statement encompasses the concept of 'parallel Justice" for victims of violence in Connecticut and elsewhere through their strong example.
Please help by donating volunteering or getting involved in whatever way that you can
Every person supporting this noble cause is helping to quote" be the Change that you wish to see in the world" A quote of Muhamtma Gandhi that 11 year old Michaela Petit chose to put on her facebook page prior to her untimely death from violent crime
who have contributed significantly towards Victims of Domestic violence via this center and other avenues, since PFF's early inception in 2007 following the murders of Jennifer, Hayley and Michaela Petit during a home invasion.
The case, in which the two defendants were caught fleeing the murder scene in the Petit family car, is just now in the mid stages of voire dire (Jury selection) for the first defendant, Steven Hayes. The other 'defendent" who initially targeted and followed Mrs Petit and her daughter from a neighborhood Stop and shop to their home in Cheshire, is twenty nine year old Joshua Komisarjevsk,y also from Cheshire. He will not be tried until Hayes's trial is completed, which will be quite some time.
In both cases the state is seeking the death penalty for multiple capital crimes including multiple aggravated sexual assault,assault in the first degree of Dr Petit and threecounts of murder one, including the murder of a child
Both men were on early release parole when these crimes occurred despite having been convicted of well over 25 felonies within their respective life times. Indeed, the two men met each other at a Hartford hallway house which serves as intermediary re-entry housing for prisonerssoon due for release. YTheearly release program was the brainchild of Mike lawlor and Co. Dem east haven and vice chair of Connecticuts judiciary commitee
The Connecticut Parole board made the decisions to release each man after less than half of their sentences were served, these decisions were made with both men in absentia and little to no paperwork re their criminal files which in Komisarjevskys case certainly would have given them much needed insight to decline early Parole, due to among other things, his dangerous habit of breaking into homes admittedly only when the homeowners were home for the thrill, using night vision goggles to stalk his victims before his break ins and often taking mementos of women who were living in those homes in which he was illegally breaking and entering into.
Anyone possessing even a cursory knowledge of criminal psychology knows that these habits are red flags - indicative of a budding (or fully engaged) sexual predator,: As this information was made available to Police and the Connecticut Courts involved with his former criminal cases, there was no excuse why this man was released with such a small portion of his actual sentence served thus sharply deviating from the last Judges final admonishment in sentencing hearing. He concluded aloud that despite komisarjevsky, his parents and his lawyers attempts to portray him as a troubled young man from a good religous middle class family gone astray, ( his family had even toted komisarjevskys 17 yr old girlfriend and newborn baby to court for sentencing day, no doubt hoping for whatever leniency being a new fathger might buy him, Komisarjevsky was a dangerous predator
In a recent book based on clandestine-and illegal ( a gag order was placedon the case very early on) jailhouse interviews with Komisarjevky at 27 years of age- he had admitted to committing hundreds of such break--ins "as a kind of extreme sport"and was only caught or prosecuted for only 30 or so by police in several Connecticut jurisdictions- including Cheshire and the surrounding environs. A fair number of those charges were dropped in subsequent plea bargains, the last of which was supposed to have kept komisarjevsky in prison for 9 plus years and special parole for another 5. The presiding judge in that case seemed well aware of the seriousness of komisarjevskys criminal habits and potential for violence, and he said so when declaring his sentencing decision. The Connecticut Parole Board never even saw komisarjevskys criminal history, let alone the court transcripts from his last sentencing hearing in which the judge proclaimed the reasons he considered him so dangerous.
It was later exposed that this lack of paperwork was not an unusual nor singular inclident but had been the norm for years due prosecutors offices refusing to pay for copying costs for parolees criminal files with the parole board basically giving in and continuing to make life and death parole descisions with next to no paperwork on the prisoners in question nor the prisoner even being present for questioning-this the state of Connecticut called "administrative parole" and was The manner of parole for many many years in Connecticut until the Petit murders and several others all committed by new parolees occurring within a one year period, finally exposed these dangerous and irresponsible practices to both the people of the state and even many legislators who were also unaware of the day to day
In response to the public outrage over these crimes and most significantly the fact that they should have been avoided with responsible follow through of the Conn criminal Judicial system, attempts was made by the Connecticut legislature to toughen Parole standards and votes were made to infuse more money into our criminal justice system. It remains to be seen if there has been any viable application of those funds, with the recent economical budgetary problems being cited as one prohibitive cause of this. In the year following this and several other violent crimes committed by career criminals recently released, Some Ct laws were amended and attempts to toughen so called home invasion laws were made among other things.
Bi-partisan disagreement within the mostly democratic legislature, with republican assemblymen and senators largely supporting tougher measures voted down by some but not all democratic leaders,made actual changes in our laws very difficult if not impossible.
And seemingly, to add insult to injury, while many people in the state were still traumatized and grieving over the Petit family rapes and murders, as well another rape murder home invasion involving two women in their 60's which occurred in Connecticut that same year, the Ct Judiciary committee, spear headed by Mike Lawlor andsenator McDonald, voted seemingly out of nowhere to abolish the death penalty. The proposal was reportedly brought up as an idea to " save money"for the statedueto the unwieldy Ct unlimited appeals process in Death penalty cases.
Needlessto say the descision and the furtive manner in which it was handled ie withheld from the local media and thus the citizens, caused an uproar particukarly as a recent quinnipiac poll proved that well over 68 percent of the people of the state were against abolishment.
The house and Senate proceeded to rather swiftly vote on the volatile issue with a very narrow margin result to abolish and with clear-cut divisiveness between republicans and democratic lawmakers, although in fairness some democrats voted against abolishment despite their parties obvious preference. Thus, the mostly democratic legislature narrowly "won" : Fortunately and thankfully, as she had implied, Governor Rell used a rare veto on the bill, citing the will of the people in this state was clearly against aboloishment and was she.
In the meantime those dedicated to helping victims of violent crime, carry on the good fight.
One of our states greatest warriors inthisfight has been Drwilliam Petit lone curvivor of the Petit crimes. The upcoming "Silent No More" Auction supported by the Prudence Crandall Center and the Petit Family foundation is animportant part of that fight. It is a major fund raiser for assisting victims of domestic/partner violence escape from dangerous environments and as importantly, getting new starts for battered women and thier children so that they may begin living a violent- free life with the help that is so greatly needed.
As we read in the papers and seeon the news each week many of these women die every year when they are unable to break out of the cycle of violence and abuse.. The Prudence Crandall Center's mission statement encompasses the concept of 'parallel Justice" for victims of violence in Connecticut and elsewhere through their strong example.
Please help by donating volunteering or getting involved in whatever way that you can
Every person supporting this noble cause is helping to quote" be the Change that you wish to see in the world" A quote of Muhamtma Gandhi that 11 year old Michaela Petit chose to put on her facebook page prior to her untimely death from violent crime
May 11, 2010
Hayes Denied Request To No Longer Attend Jury Selection
Note; Older article/News Re The Petit family Case new Op-Ed Post;
Its good to see a presiding judge in this case finally show some judicial integrity and sound judgement,let's hope this is the beginning of a trend towards actual justice-with accountability being the watchword. Because as anyone following this case knows this has thus far glaringlynot been the case insofar as the courts oversight of these brutal crimes.
The seeming ever revolving-door succession of judges "presiding over the Petit case has certainly not helped matters from a practical legal and judicial standpoint,never mind how this lack of constancy has ill served the Petit and Hawke families as well the negative impact on the lone surviving victim Dr William Petit who was beaten so badly within the commission of these crimes that he still suffers daily from the Traumatic Brain injury inflicted by one of the two "defendants" caught fleeing the triple murder scene.
I have personally counted at least three judges hearing, and making major decisions regarding this case so far- and the case is for all intents and purposes, in its infancy; This, almost three years after the actual assaults and murders of Jennifer, Hayely and 11 year old Michaela Petit.
The New Haven court where this Cheshire murder case is being heard is less than halfway through the voire dire jury selection process for just the first of the two "defendants"- Steven Hayes. Knowing Connecticut's unwieldy and time consumptive voire dire process,the remaining jury selection could easily drag on for months upon months. The least that the court can do, in the name of what is right and just, and victim considerate, is ensure that Mr Hayes attend each and every step of his own State paid lawyers purposeful (and wasteful) procrastination of the onset of whatever is passing for "Justice" in Connecticut these days.
Its good to see a presiding judge in this case finally show some judicial integrity and sound judgement,let's hope this is the beginning of a trend towards actual justice-with accountability being the watchword. Because as anyone following this case knows this has thus far glaringlynot been the case insofar as the courts oversight of these brutal crimes.
The seeming ever revolving-door succession of judges "presiding over the Petit case has certainly not helped matters from a practical legal and judicial standpoint,never mind how this lack of constancy has ill served the Petit and Hawke families as well the negative impact on the lone surviving victim Dr William Petit who was beaten so badly within the commission of these crimes that he still suffers daily from the Traumatic Brain injury inflicted by one of the two "defendants" caught fleeing the triple murder scene.
I have personally counted at least three judges hearing, and making major decisions regarding this case so far- and the case is for all intents and purposes, in its infancy; This, almost three years after the actual assaults and murders of Jennifer, Hayely and 11 year old Michaela Petit.
The New Haven court where this Cheshire murder case is being heard is less than halfway through the voire dire jury selection process for just the first of the two "defendants"- Steven Hayes. Knowing Connecticut's unwieldy and time consumptive voire dire process,the remaining jury selection could easily drag on for months upon months. The least that the court can do, in the name of what is right and just, and victim considerate, is ensure that Mr Hayes attend each and every step of his own State paid lawyers purposeful (and wasteful) procrastination of the onset of whatever is passing for "Justice" in Connecticut these days.
May 10, 2010
May 7, 2010
George Huguely: University of Virginia Murder Suspect Once Threatened Female Cop - ABC News
The truth about the past history and the true nature of men like this always takes a bit longer to comeout but invariably\ its always there with the smallest amount of investigation...
May 5, 2010
Suspect in lax killing once deemed 'unflappable'
I cannot abide by these media articles that help perpetuate the notion that a female victim of intimate violence somehow caused an otherwise "reasonable"( in other words- non- violent type) to commit A brutal crime against said victim. (Note; the term intimate violence here is used very broad, meaning only that the Victim knew her attacker-not necessarily that there existed a sexual relationship between assailant and victim -
Most unfortunate for victim and families of that victim, a good deal of these cases will wind up inappropriately swept into the domestic violence realm,..EITHER within the actual court dockets (in more and more Ct larger city courts there are such specialized units' subsidized largely by grant monies federal and state, and thusly in the general mindset of the court that leans to wards a definite leniency in how these cases are handled and adjudicated.
This leniency and tolerance towards violence against women who knew their attackers oft times includes. amazingly enough the prosecutors who are indeed paid to be the voice for the victim, they the presumed purveyors of justice for that victim who are in fact the embodiment of those crimes. And in too many cases, like this tragic one, the victim herself has been permanently silenced.
Of course there are also judges juries and victims advocates involved in the periphery of most violent crime processing- as its truthfully become in Connecticut. But truth be told these folks rarely have much influence over how violent crime cases most involving multiple charges, are reconciled ie the sentence that the assailant winds up: 97 percent of all criminal cases in Connecticut are plea bargained this means that they do not result in a trial, instead
deals are made behind closed doors between the assigned prosecutor and the attorneys for the defendant. These"deals" have become the bane of our judicial system and in my opinion, the biggest perpetrator of violent crime in this state,
towards the end of
Most unfortunate for victim and families of that victim, a good deal of these cases will wind up inappropriately swept into the domestic violence realm,..EITHER within the actual court dockets (in more and more Ct larger city courts there are such specialized units' subsidized largely by grant monies federal and state, and thusly in the general mindset of the court that leans to wards a definite leniency in how these cases are handled and adjudicated.
This leniency and tolerance towards violence against women who knew their attackers oft times includes. amazingly enough the prosecutors who are indeed paid to be the voice for the victim, they the presumed purveyors of justice for that victim who are in fact the embodiment of those crimes. And in too many cases, like this tragic one, the victim herself has been permanently silenced.
Of course there are also judges juries and victims advocates involved in the periphery of most violent crime processing- as its truthfully become in Connecticut. But truth be told these folks rarely have much influence over how violent crime cases most involving multiple charges, are reconciled ie the sentence that the assailant winds up: 97 percent of all criminal cases in Connecticut are plea bargained this means that they do not result in a trial, instead
deals are made behind closed doors between the assigned prosecutor and the attorneys for the defendant. These"deals" have become the bane of our judicial system and in my opinion, the biggest perpetrator of violent crime in this state,
towards the end of
May 4, 2010
Apr 29, 2010
2010 Legislative Session Roundup: Connecticut | Progressive States ...
This is a good start but we still have along road ahead of us...
Apr 27, 2010
Apr 16, 2010
Family of beaten Deerfield Beach Middle School teen releases hospital photos - Sun Sentinel
This story appalls.
There are actually a fair amount of ignoramuses claiming that this young 15 yr old girl who was brutally stomped and beaten almost to death last month in Deerfeild beach Fla, while at her middle school, a male non-studentt sent to the young teen who very nearly killed after knocking her down and kicking her defenseless body with steel tipped boots as she lay on the ground in a semi conscious defenseless state.
The majority of the kicks were to her head face chest, any one of which could have killed her via brain injury-internal bleeding and never mind plain old blood loss. The number one area of the body that is injured during so called " intimate/domestic violence"(both dangerously broad definitions used to categorize certain types of violence against women and often misused by law enforcement the courts in the process. always to the detriment of the victim...( but that I'll address later) is the head and face region, often leaving women and girl victims with Traumatic brain injuries, AKA TBI'S which formerly were called concussions, if there was no fracture or inner bleed such as a hematoma--of which there are several kinds-depending on where the bleed is in relation to the brain ie subdural or epidural if you ll recall actress Natasha
died completely unexpectedly from just such an injury last year; consider that the insult to her brain was one single comparatively mild head impact when she fell in the snow during a begginner ski lesson(which meant it was taking place on a very gradual ski slope aka "bunny slope"
Some of you might recall that Natasha was speaking and walking normally just after she fell, even refusing the medical help that the instructor offerred which was protocal for that ski resort for any and all falls no matter how seemingly minor or the status of the client. as she felt "fine" in the minutes following the minor tumble. This is what emergency medical personell and Doctors call talking and they are most dangerous as the patient often seems perfectly lucid and verbally responsive - even chatty right after what can be a relatively innocuous seeming head bump or even a mere shaking of the head. (one does not have to have sustained a direct blow to head to receive life threatening brain damage-similar to shaken baby syndrome or in domestic violence shaken women another common practice anmong abuser,s if a person has there head merely shaken violently-as when a man grabs a woman and shakes her by the shoulders roughly causing her head to snap back and forth, this can cause serious damage and or death, The brain is like a ball of harderened jello and it is encased in our hard skull in order to proect it because itisdso vital to our survival
When someone is shaken or thier head struck into something hard like a wall or floor or like Rhianna a dashboard and windshield the brain literally bounces around inside the skull where there are bony prominances unfortunately that point inward as if very thick thorns almost; this causes several types of damage; one is the regular coup-contracoup injury, which means brain strikes the opposite side of skull that it has been struck into ie wall the floor or fist as it first strikes theone side it gets bruised called a contusion and then it bounces back and then hits the opposite side of the skull as ifin a bouce. Now the victim has two major areas of their brain that are vulnerable to at the very least damage and at the worst bleeding, the laTTER of which can quickly or slowly build up pressuere in the cranial cavity and cause death, coma and or brain damage. The last two are the lucky ones if you can fathom that.
The brain and the head are one of the most common areas of the body struck and damaged in attacks on women and girls both from men they know have dated are dating or sexual predators;As Ive ponited out many of these injuries result in death, coma, brain damage and at the very least, life changing symptoms such as: severe vertigo,(SENSATION of you or your world spinning or moving, when you/it is not) hearing loss, tinnitus, post traumatic headaches that resemble severe migraines (vascular originated) Memory problems aphasia-ie problems speaking or recalling words, tremors,
Then there are the conditions that may result immediately or take years to develop from the time of the attack or the last assault in a chronic domestic violence situation The list includes Parkinson's disease, a severe movement disorder, (think Mohammad ali the boxer and all of the many many blows to the head/face that he sustained over the years. seizures, hydrocephalus- a serious condition where-fluid builds and stays in the ventricles of the brain causing a myriad of symptoms such as severe balance problems, a shuffling gait severe memory impairment to the point where women as young as 28 have to be in nursing type homes for the remainder of their lives-The fortunate ones are able to have either temporary or usually permanent shunts installed outside the ventricles in the brain that continuouslu drain the fluid from that area down to a tube that leads to the outside of the stomach in order to lesson the symptoms which can also include severe issues with memory, learning disabilities, drastic personality changes and one of the scariest tome--dementia,
In fact there is a type of dementia that has been discovered to result years after assaults to the head or repeated years of abuse to face and head area; its actually similar to Alzheimer's disease though it can afflict young persons who have sustained head injury esp multipleones, justas easily -It is called dementia pugilistica ie (as in boxers) and it can occur from either multiple blows to the head and/or choking within an attack or years or simply months-of abuse involving the head and neck.
Choking causes anoxia- loss of blood flow to the brain and can then cause brain cells to die thereby causes similiar symptoms diseases and damage as direct blows to the head and or face. There is something called coup contracoup injury to the brain wgich sadly is also very coimmon in dimnestic violence victims as it results from the head being struck into a hard objectie like a wall a headboard windshield of car-think of Rhianna)
There are actually a fair amount of ignoramuses claiming that this young 15 yr old girl who was brutally stomped and beaten almost to death last month in Deerfeild beach Fla, while at her middle school, a male non-studentt sent to the young teen who very nearly killed after knocking her down and kicking her defenseless body with steel tipped boots as she lay on the ground in a semi conscious defenseless state.
The majority of the kicks were to her head face chest, any one of which could have killed her via brain injury-internal bleeding and never mind plain old blood loss. The number one area of the body that is injured during so called " intimate/domestic violence"(both dangerously broad definitions used to categorize certain types of violence against women and often misused by law enforcement the courts in the process. always to the detriment of the victim...( but that I'll address later) is the head and face region, often leaving women and girl victims with Traumatic brain injuries, AKA TBI'S which formerly were called concussions, if there was no fracture or inner bleed such as a hematoma--of which there are several kinds-depending on where the bleed is in relation to the brain ie subdural or epidural if you ll recall actress Natasha
died completely unexpectedly from just such an injury last year; consider that the insult to her brain was one single comparatively mild head impact when she fell in the snow during a begginner ski lesson(which meant it was taking place on a very gradual ski slope aka "bunny slope"
Some of you might recall that Natasha was speaking and walking normally just after she fell, even refusing the medical help that the instructor offerred which was protocal for that ski resort for any and all falls no matter how seemingly minor or the status of the client. as she felt "fine" in the minutes following the minor tumble. This is what emergency medical personell and Doctors call talking and they are most dangerous as the patient often seems perfectly lucid and verbally responsive - even chatty right after what can be a relatively innocuous seeming head bump or even a mere shaking of the head. (one does not have to have sustained a direct blow to head to receive life threatening brain damage-similar to shaken baby syndrome or in domestic violence shaken women another common practice anmong abuser,s if a person has there head merely shaken violently-as when a man grabs a woman and shakes her by the shoulders roughly causing her head to snap back and forth, this can cause serious damage and or death, The brain is like a ball of harderened jello and it is encased in our hard skull in order to proect it because itisdso vital to our survival
When someone is shaken or thier head struck into something hard like a wall or floor or like Rhianna a dashboard and windshield the brain literally bounces around inside the skull where there are bony prominances unfortunately that point inward as if very thick thorns almost; this causes several types of damage; one is the regular coup-contracoup injury, which means brain strikes the opposite side of skull that it has been struck into ie wall the floor or fist as it first strikes theone side it gets bruised called a contusion and then it bounces back and then hits the opposite side of the skull as ifin a bouce. Now the victim has two major areas of their brain that are vulnerable to at the very least damage and at the worst bleeding, the laTTER of which can quickly or slowly build up pressuere in the cranial cavity and cause death, coma and or brain damage. The last two are the lucky ones if you can fathom that.
The brain and the head are one of the most common areas of the body struck and damaged in attacks on women and girls both from men they know have dated are dating or sexual predators;As Ive ponited out many of these injuries result in death, coma, brain damage and at the very least, life changing symptoms such as: severe vertigo,(SENSATION of you or your world spinning or moving, when you/it is not) hearing loss, tinnitus, post traumatic headaches that resemble severe migraines (vascular originated) Memory problems aphasia-ie problems speaking or recalling words, tremors,
Then there are the conditions that may result immediately or take years to develop from the time of the attack or the last assault in a chronic domestic violence situation The list includes Parkinson's disease, a severe movement disorder, (think Mohammad ali the boxer and all of the many many blows to the head/face that he sustained over the years. seizures, hydrocephalus- a serious condition where-fluid builds and stays in the ventricles of the brain causing a myriad of symptoms such as severe balance problems, a shuffling gait severe memory impairment to the point where women as young as 28 have to be in nursing type homes for the remainder of their lives-The fortunate ones are able to have either temporary or usually permanent shunts installed outside the ventricles in the brain that continuouslu drain the fluid from that area down to a tube that leads to the outside of the stomach in order to lesson the symptoms which can also include severe issues with memory, learning disabilities, drastic personality changes and one of the scariest tome--dementia,
In fact there is a type of dementia that has been discovered to result years after assaults to the head or repeated years of abuse to face and head area; its actually similar to Alzheimer's disease though it can afflict young persons who have sustained head injury esp multipleones, justas easily -It is called dementia pugilistica ie (as in boxers) and it can occur from either multiple blows to the head and/or choking within an attack or years or simply months-of abuse involving the head and neck.
Choking causes anoxia- loss of blood flow to the brain and can then cause brain cells to die thereby causes similiar symptoms diseases and damage as direct blows to the head and or face. There is something called coup contracoup injury to the brain wgich sadly is also very coimmon in dimnestic violence victims as it results from the head being struck into a hard objectie like a wall a headboard windshield of car-think of Rhianna)
Apr 14, 2010
Core Energetics Support for Returning Veterans
A great assist to Vets with PTSD and even those who managed to escape this common response to exposure to violence and life threatening situations.
One step closer (maybe) to finding Billy Smolinski
Two articles that are a must read for everyone living in the state concerning new laws and procedures for missing persons largely affecting the crucial first days of the disappearances of any adult person.
Please familiarize yourself with the changes to these important laws, it could someday affect you or someone you care about.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100330/NEWS01/3300325
Please familiarize yourself with the changes to these important laws, it could someday affect you or someone you care about.
http://www.democratandchronicle.com/article/20100330/NEWS01/3300325
Apr 12, 2010
DON PESCI: Hayes’ guilty plea first on, then off -
Good commentery by Don Pesci regarding the recent reversal of co-"defendent" Steven Hayes' surprising- and subsequently- fleeting Guilty plea to the sexual assault and murder charges for Jennifer Hawke Petit and her daughters 17 year old Hayley and 11 year old Michaela.
Appropriately, the piece really speaks more to the absurdity of our Connecticut Judicial system rather than the issue of Mr Hayes's almost predictable recent flip flop of his plea back to his original NOT GUILTY - care of his state appointed attorney's near rabid opposition to criminal accountability especially when it originates from the client/defendent, no matter the hienous brutality of the crimes that he admits to committing. In fact Ive read about twenty articles in the paper and online citing hayes attorneys refferring to his change to a guilty plea last week as a "state assisted suicide" which they would do evry thing in thier powet to stop. And so they did-they obviously wore down hayes until he withdrew his admission of guilt.
When did telling the truth and taking acccountability become "crazy" and bad?
when did the right to a fair defense become THIS?
Appropriately, the piece really speaks more to the absurdity of our Connecticut Judicial system rather than the issue of Mr Hayes's almost predictable recent flip flop of his plea back to his original NOT GUILTY - care of his state appointed attorney's near rabid opposition to criminal accountability especially when it originates from the client/defendent, no matter the hienous brutality of the crimes that he admits to committing. In fact Ive read about twenty articles in the paper and online citing hayes attorneys refferring to his change to a guilty plea last week as a "state assisted suicide" which they would do evry thing in thier powet to stop. And so they did-they obviously wore down hayes until he withdrew his admission of guilt.
When did telling the truth and taking acccountability become "crazy" and bad?
when did the right to a fair defense become THIS?
Apr 7, 2010
Cheshire Home Invasion Suspect Hayes Changes Mind Again; Jury Selection To Resume - Courant.com
I suppose we should have seen this coming; Hayes lawyers obviously wore him down until he changed his plea back to not guilty.
I heard today on the news that after Hayes surprise change to a guilty plea in the Petit murders of 07 at last weeks hearing, his staeappomied satomedsslawyers vowed to do " anything and everything in their power to quote "stop Mr "Hayes from committing suicide"-- this, their notion of what pleading guilty to aggravated rape, robbery triple murde, arson and assault , crimes Mr Hayes is clearly guilty of, thereby acccountability for his actions, his crimes and save the surviving victim and thee families family further grief suffering not to mention the state of Connecticut a lot of money in a unappealed guilty plea/ probable eventual death penalty, albeit years and years after so,meomemhawayfromscuslly Yes in this state even when you don't want to appeal a much deserved death sentenc, it seems our system inflicts its very own auto-appeal process onto even its worst violent criminals, costing the family of the victims and any surviving victims unneccesary prolomged heartxhe and angst and the state millions of dollars in the process.
I heard today on the news that after Hayes surprise change to a guilty plea in the Petit murders of 07 at last weeks hearing, his staeappomied satomedsslawyers vowed to do " anything and everything in their power to quote "stop Mr "Hayes from committing suicide"-- this, their notion of what pleading guilty to aggravated rape, robbery triple murde, arson and assault , crimes Mr Hayes is clearly guilty of, thereby acccountability for his actions, his crimes and save the surviving victim and thee families family further grief suffering not to mention the state of Connecticut a lot of money in a unappealed guilty plea/ probable eventual death penalty, albeit years and years after so,meomemhawayfromscuslly Yes in this state even when you don't want to appeal a much deserved death sentenc, it seems our system inflicts its very own auto-appeal process onto even its worst violent criminals, costing the family of the victims and any surviving victims unneccesary prolomged heartxhe and angst and the state millions of dollars in the process.
Apr 6, 2010
Apr 3, 2010
Apr 2, 2010
Dr. Petit Calls Hayes Guilty Plea a "Moment of Honesty" | NBC Connecticut
This is Steven Hayes finally showing that he wants to do the right thing and it also explains why the competency hearing etc was probably ordered in the first place; he likely told his attorneys he wanted to admit what he'd done and get it over with and they immediately went into typical predictable auto pilot moral less criminal attorney mode and scrambled to have him proved incompetent before he got his chance to change his plea-which is his right as a defendant in a murder rape trial.
Now watch these lawyers do their absolute best to cost the system money and just like the Joseph Duncan case-Dylan Shasta Greene- immediately pounce on pursuing this ludicrous incompetency angle. When did getting a fair defense by the state when one cannot afford their own private attorney, turn into an excuse to throw accountability and human decency and justice out with the morning garbage?
The hijacking of our system by what is by now rote, cost consuming maneuverings, in the relatively rare cases where a defendant wants to actually take responsibility for harming killing raping and and or maiming another human being(s), has got to stop. All of us must become involved if we ever hope to change this complicated mess that has become our justice system.
This starts with availing ourselves with knowledge and awareness of our own states criminal justice system, how it really works, who makes the decisions that fuel it IE the influential state legislators, the influence, or lack thereof of the state judiciary committee, local power attorneys state appointed and otherwise judges prosecutors and thier records and reputations and much more.
I get that its unpleasent to talk or even think about but At the core of all of this lies the need to allow ourselves to truly ponder what the victims of these crimes experience-and put ouraselves and our loved ones in thier place, despite the obvious discomfiture this brings us.
To consider deeply the huge reaching effects of just one murder, rape, one assault one child abduction, molestation, home invasion kidnapping and any and all crimes with violence at the core. The victims must once again become the focal point and then justice, true justice may some day become a reality in our courts--- or at least the norm not the rare exception that it has become.
Now watch these lawyers do their absolute best to cost the system money and just like the Joseph Duncan case-Dylan Shasta Greene- immediately pounce on pursuing this ludicrous incompetency angle. When did getting a fair defense by the state when one cannot afford their own private attorney, turn into an excuse to throw accountability and human decency and justice out with the morning garbage?
The hijacking of our system by what is by now rote, cost consuming maneuverings, in the relatively rare cases where a defendant wants to actually take responsibility for harming killing raping and and or maiming another human being(s), has got to stop. All of us must become involved if we ever hope to change this complicated mess that has become our justice system.
This starts with availing ourselves with knowledge and awareness of our own states criminal justice system, how it really works, who makes the decisions that fuel it IE the influential state legislators, the influence, or lack thereof of the state judiciary committee, local power attorneys state appointed and otherwise judges prosecutors and thier records and reputations and much more.
I get that its unpleasent to talk or even think about but At the core of all of this lies the need to allow ourselves to truly ponder what the victims of these crimes experience-and put ouraselves and our loved ones in thier place, despite the obvious discomfiture this brings us.
To consider deeply the huge reaching effects of just one murder, rape, one assault one child abduction, molestation, home invasion kidnapping and any and all crimes with violence at the core. The victims must once again become the focal point and then justice, true justice may some day become a reality in our courts--- or at least the norm not the rare exception that it has become.
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