Jackson Jambalaya

One of the questions frequently asked about the Heather Spencer murder is why JPD reduced the charges against George Bell III after he savagely beat her in June, three months before he murdered her. In early June, Bell went to Spencer's house early in the morning and beat her head with a rubber mallet, while fracturing several bones. Ms. Spencer needed 57 staples in her head at UMC. The police reports are available online and list her injuries (kudos to the JFP for obtaining and publishing them. A flogging to The Clarion-Ledger for not doing the same), http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/print.php?id=14998_0_9_0. The reports appeared in a very well-written and thought provoking JFP story: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/print.php?id=14998_0_9_0

The police reports states she had 57 staples ( 3 rows), a finger splint, a spring wrap on her wrist, and that he tried to strangle her. Ms. Spencer also states in the report she had a fracture. The initial report was taken at the emergency room.

Since he used a rubber mallet, Mr. Bell was charged with Domestic Violence under Section 97-3-7 of the Mississippi Code. The charge is classified by JPD as Domestic Violence (Aggravated Assault), which is a felony.

It is at this point several questions about JPD's conduct are raised. The charge was reduced to Simple Domestic Violence, a misdemeanor, by Detective Daniels. This is the same Daniels who was assigned to be a bodyguard by Frank Melton for District Attorney-elect Robert Smith. This is also the same Daniels who is the investigating officer in the Elicia Hughes case ( Someone should look at the transcripts of the trial and read where Daniels interviewed Ms. Hughes. VERY interesting). He stated the reason was the assault was not life-threatening. Dear Officer Daniels: What if YOU were a small woman who was beaten repeatedly in the head with a rubber mallet, strangled, and had several bones fractured by a 230 lb man who can bench press 400 lbs? Would you think that is life-threatening?

The issue of whether the injuries were life-threatening should not have even been considered by Detective Daniels as Section 97-3-7 (2)of the Mississippi Code states: " A person is guilty of aggravated assault if he (a) attempts to cause serious bodily injury to another, or causes such injury purposely, knowingly or recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life; or (b) attempts to cause or purposely or knowingly causes bodily injury to another with a deadly weapon or other means likely to produce death or serious bodily harm.."

The statute does not say that an injury or attack has to be life-threatening for a successful proection of Aggravated Assault. It says there only has to be an attempt. The case law on this statute also says that the issue of whether the mallet was a deadly weapon was a question of fact for the jury, meaning NOT the police officer.

His stating that the attack was not life-threatening boggles the mind and makes one think this is more than an error in judgement. However, since that is not really an issue in the charge of Aggravated Assault, it is pretty clear that Mr. Bell attempted to cause serious bodily injury to Ms. Spencer. I don't know what type of training Mr. Daniels has received, but broken bones, severe lacerations, and repeated heavy blows to the head would be proof of an attempt to cause serious bodily injury to most people. One must really wonder what was going through Mr. Daniels' mind when he reduced the charges. It makes one think he is incompetent....or something else.

I am going to muddy the waters even more. Law enforcement personnel have informed me the reason the charges were reduced to a misdemeanor domestic violence charge was it was the only charge JPD could pursue against Mr. Bell without Ms. Spencer's consent.

Under Section 99-3-7 (3) of the Mississippi Code (warrantless arrests): "Any law enforcement officer shall arrest a person with or without a warrant when he has probable cause to believe that the person has, within twenty-four (24) hours of such arrest, knowingly committed a misdemeanor which is an act of domestic violence...".

Since Ms. Spencer sought to drop the charges against Mr. Bell (which required her to go before a judge, she couldn't just drop the charges), the simple domestic violence was the only charge under the law that allowed the JPD to prosecute Mr. Bell without the consent of Ms. Spencer. See previous post, http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/09/jpd-and-heather-spencer.html, for discussion of the warrant against Mr. Bell and why he was not arrested after Ms. Spencer filed charges against him.

Frankly, this explanation of why the charges were reduced is plausible and casts the JPD in a different light as to why the charges against Mr. Bell were reduced. Strong statements have been made in local publications and internet forums accusing the Mr. Bell's family of having strong political connections, the JPD of being incompetent or corrupt, and as well as other similar accusations. If the charges were reduced in order to keep the prosecution against Mr. Bell alive, then such an action by JPD is indeed commendable.

The JPD's failure to comment much on this case has opened the door to much speculation. Many people question the handling of this case and Shirlene's department has done a very poor job of communicating information to the public in regards to this tragedy. Some of the local media have barely covered this story. One hopes the reasons why some local media have not published the police reports is not because the JFP scooped them and they have a corporate policy against crediting the JFP. The murder of a bright, young woman who had so much to live for should trump any media turf battles.

However, the question still remains, why did Detective Daniels reduce the Aggravated Assault charge and state he was doing so because her injuries were not life-threatening? What exactly was going on with this case back in June?

Talk'n Dirty

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I TOLD YOU!!! When the Kingfish is on his game, no one in the local media can beat him. Just a little over 12 hours ago I called attention to a Clarion-Ledger story written last week about the much-delayed Harbor Walk project. The post stated that despite all the recent coverage about its so-called start date being October 8, there was a sentence reporting that Bumbling Burwell was still in the final stages of securing financing. The post then pointed out that was not the same thing as having financing and the start of the project should not be celebrated just yet (and that the reporterette was sloppy in not asking for documentation of the financing.).

Well, what do you think is posted on the CL website but the following story:
Harbor Walk construction has been delayed, yet again.
Developer John Burwell, manager of Main Harbor Development, said last week that the company was in the final stages of securing a loan to begin Phase One and construction was to begin today. But today, construction crews were non-existent and Main Harbor was still without the loan.
“We’re working on it,” Burwell said. “They’re going to start (construction) this week.”....
Harbor Walk was first pitched in 2004, but funding and legal issues caused delays for three years.
Burwell’s company was sued by Jubilee Capital LLC, Main Harbor Inc. and North Harbor Inc. in May for allegedly defaulting on a $4.5 million a loan, according to Madison County Chancery Court records.
“There was a note that was due in July 2008,” Burwell said. “They tried to accelerate it, and they claimed a default, which we said didn’t occur.”
Main Harbor paid the parties the full $4.5 million out of court, according to records...."
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071008/NEWS/71008033

Sadly enough, this is what I expected. Bumbling Burwell changed his story several times, repeatedly stating there was financing for the project, then later said each time that the financing had not materialized. This latest so-called delay is more of the same. Although the story discusses the calling in of his $4.5 million loan by the creditors, no comment will be made on this matter as it pretty much speaks for itself. What is clear is that there is still no financing, the story constantly changes, and the only sound coming from Main Harbor is still that of the water silently lapping against the banks.

Well, well, give Bumbling Burwell credit. It looks like Harborwalk will finally take off. It was the subject of an earlier post, http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/06/harborwalk-follies.html, as Mr. Burwell had given a variety of reasons as to why construction had not started.

However, Mr. Burwell announced last week that construction will start TODAY! Yes, the blessed day is finally here. He says it will be a 4.5 million square foot developement, will take 12 years to complete, and consists of six phases (October 1, 2007 edition of The Clarion-Ledger, http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200771003045). Very impressive and truly an accomplishment for the Jackson metro area when it is finished.

However, there is one small item in the story I wish to point out: We’re a little behind,” Burwell said. “But we are in the final process of securing a construction loan to start our first phase.”

Um, what exactly does he mean by the "final process" of securing financing? Its a shame the reporter did not ask this question (probably just got her cute little degree in journalism and didn't bother to actually learn anything in college) as it would have explained a great deal. The "final process" of securing financing means it is not a sure thing. He did not provide any documentation of financing. He has made similar claims before (see post linked above) about securing financing, failed to provide proof of financing, then lateradmitted it did not exist. If he has secured said financing, then great job for sticking with the project and overcoming all of these obstacles and I do mean that sincerely. However, based upon past history I'm not about to start popping champagne corks just yet.

Additional media coverage:
WAPT: http://www.wapt.com/news/14266195/detail.html

Marshall Ramsey has taken the day off so I am taking it upon myself to write a post reviewing the news today.

Employees caught stealing meters held without bond. http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071006/NEWS/710060363/1001/news Apparently some Jackson employees decided to start up a public-private sector partnership, but this time without the approval of Frank Melton or Sarah Evans-O'Reilly. They stole water meters worth over $147,000 and sold them for scrap metal. Frank requested that their bonds be increased to a million dollars and the judge denied bond for them.

One must wonder why Frank is so anxious to keep these two employees from posting bond when he tried soooooo hard to keep his soljah, the young Michael Taylor who was accused of armed robber and carjacking, out of jail while he terrorized Jackson residents while on the city payroll.
http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/07/meltons-protege-set-free-to-terrorize.html

The Clarion-Ledger Editorial Page for once gets it right: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071006/OPINION01/710060317/1008/OPINION in stating that Melton acted a fool in naming a bodyguard as assistant police chief. So after the newspaper publishes several stories (along with this blog) about the frustration crime victims have when dealing with JPD, Frank's idea of change is to appoint his bodyguard as assistant chief. He may not be qualified, he may not have ever been in administration before but damned if he doesn't look good with an HK MP-5 or busts his ass every time he fetches the mayor's slippers and newspaper. Its pretty sad when his own chief takes this kind of crap. If she had any amount of self-respect she would resign but she is either too stupid or weak to resign or else Frank has something on her.

Bear Bryant one time quit at the University of Maryland when the President fired one of his coaches without talking to him first. This was his first coaching job. Didn't matter, Bear was Bear and you were going to respect him. Apparently Shirlene really doesn't have any balls. Instead of standing up for herself and her department, she is perfectly willing to let someone with no law enforcement experience run her department for her. What a tool.

Meanwhile, The Jackson Free Press gives more coverage to Melton's promotion of his bodyguard to Assistant Police Chief:
"From Bodyguard to Big-time" reads the appropriate headline. http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=15086_0_27_0_C

If you click on the link and read the comments, Former Chief Robert Johnson makes some GREAT comments:
"I am really troubled by this latest stunt by the Mayor. As a career law enforcement professional I spent more than three decades trying to help garner recognition for and promoting police work as a profession. Professionalism requires those who occupy a position have the requisite skills, ability, training and education necessary to perform the job. Melton's promotion of an inexperienced, unqualified patrol officer to second in command of the largest police department in the state is antithetical to this notion and has further eroded confidence in the leadership of the department. The ramifications of this move are probably more far reaching than many lay persons will understand, but none of them are good. It sends a clear message to every member of JPD, particularly those having aspirations for advancement, that it really is about "who you know, who you blow or who you can snow". The sad part is that the Mayor just doesn't get it."

You people that used to slam Harvey for firing Johnson and voted for Frank, how do you reconcile this with your love for Frank? I was just curious.

More local branches of banks are opening on Saturdays:
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071006/BIZ/710060344/1005/biz

Story on domestic violence in Jackson:
http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=14998_0_9_0_C

Very good story about the Doris Shavers and Heather Spencer cases. The police reports, previously unreported by local media, are included in this story. Just the reports alone are worth reading. The rest of the story is simply brilliant writing by Ms. Ladd and her staff.

Sports:
Mississippi State tries to rebound from its loss to Spurrier against UAB. State should win this one.

Ole Miss, that is, I meant to write 1-4 Ole Miss tries to achieve an actual win in a football game today. The target of this sortie will be Louisiana Tech, which gave Fresno State hell last week. The way Ole Miss is playing, I would say the game is even money.

Southern Miss played earlier in the week and lost to RICE. I hate to say it as I like Coach Bower, but the Eagles have definitely lost something over the last few years. I'm starting to think it was Nix's leaving for South Carolina. The defense is not as tough as it used to be. The offense is inconsistent and the team no longer seems to be mentally tough. Bower's loyalty should be rewarded, however, one wonders if it is past time for him to leave.

Reading the Jackson Advocate about its recent trip to Zimbabwe.
If you want to know why the Tisdales supported Melton, read this story. Ms. Tisdale thinks Mugabe, the Stalin wannabe, is a GREAT guy. No mention of famines caused by Mugabe, the lack of democracy or freedom in Zimbabwe, or Mugabe's brutality against his own people. Ms. Tisdale's foolishness reminds one of George Bernard Shaw's praising Stalin's forced collectivization that starved Russia and killed millions of people. Is it any wonder the JA supports Melton when they think a brutal tyrant who commits genocide is wonderful?
http://www.jacksonadvocate.com/ (click on the Zimbabwe link on the left)

So who dropped the ball? Faye? JPD? Or was the suspect related to Credell Calhoun?

"Prosecutor's Mistake Allows Suspect to Go Free"
"In the spring of 2007, he is believed to have killed a man in Jackson with his S.U.V. Now, James Randy Goss of Magee is free. Tuesday he was released from Hinds County jail on Judge William Barnett's orders. Goss was facing vehicular homicide charges in the death of Jeffrey Hobson on Galilee Street. Police say Goss was driving a Chevy Blazer on May 31st when he drove over Hobson. But prosecutors have missed a deadline to present the case to a grand jury. The next grand jury meets next week, so Goss could be re-arrested then. "
http://www.wlbt.com/global/story.asp?s=7166089

See Comments at end of post.

How prescient this blog can be (especially after consuming massive quantities of melange). Yesterday I posted about JPD's failure to protect Belhaven from a local punk, http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/10/have-you-met-jason-no-rest-assured-half.html, and then The Clarion-Ledger publishes a story about the frustration crime victims experience when dealing with JPD. Today the newspaper reported a follow-up story after it was inundated with complaints from crime victims: http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071004/NEWS/710040375/1001/news.

Some of my favorite passages (sarcasm fully intended):
The only contact I've had (with Jackson police) was from the responding officer who took the initial report, and that was on the 10th," Tate, 49, said. "I understand they have a heavy caseload and they're busy, but at the same time, I am taking steps to at least find out the status of my vehicle."
On Sept. 28, Tate's insurance company notified him his car had been recovered by JPD a few days earlier. Tate began calling the detective assigned to his case but has not received a return phone call. Tate also called the police impound lot but was told paperwork had not been turned in that would allow the officer to locate his vehicle. He still has not been able to look at his car.
Police Chief Shirlene Anderson said people may not get results right away from the impound lot because it is inundated with phone calls."
Good job Shirlene. Innocent people have their cars stolen, their cars are recovered, and yet you can only say tough luck, you don't know when they can get their cars back. I forgot, you are the government and we exist to serve you, not the other way around.

My favorite: "Mayor Frank Melton said he is aware of the myriad complaints and plans to make changes to the Police Department today. He would not say what those changes will be." How many times have I heard Melton say he had a plan, was going to make a change, etc. and yet has offered no specifics and later we find out little, if anything happened? Remember the video cameras? Maybe if Melton would hire a real police chief and quit trying to micromanage the JPD or worrying about how to keep Michael Taylor out of jail, Jacksonians would not be complaining as much about the JPD.

Here's a goodie: "Clarke, 50, said she had trouble getting JPD to return her calls and ended up doing her own investigating. She contacted her credit card company, which told her where and when the charges were made on her cards.
"I had to call the police chief's office to get the detective to return my call. He called me back immediately and reprimanded me and told me not to go above him," she said.
Clarke said when she told the detective what she had learned, the detective told her he had no interest in interviewing the gas stations' clerks or checking to see if the businesses had caught the thieves on surveillance tape. Her truck was recovered three weeks after it was stolen, but so far, no one has been charged with the crime, she said.
"I just decided not to deal with them anymore. I just left it at that because it was just obvious they weren't going to do anything," Clarke said. "It was just like they were victimizing me again."
JPD does not return phone calls to someone who has been robbed and seen her life turned upside down. She calls the police chief's office and gets chewed out by the detective. Hey Jackass, if you pulled that crap in the private sector you would be FIRED!!! You wouldn't have some union and the EEOC protecting your sorry ass. You would be told by your boss, which Shirlene should've done (but everyone else ignores her, why shouldn't you), to call the customer back, apologize, and be very nice and resolve the problem. I'll give you a clue, keep your police job because you will not make it in the private sector.

Finally, there is this gem:
Harvey and Sid Collins, brothers who own a playground-building contracting business, say they won't do business in Jackson anymore after thieves stole $6,000 in tools from a construction site at Medgar Evers Boulevard and Forest Avenue Extension in August.......
Collins said the property crimes detective refused to review the security tapes of a nearby convenience store because the severity of the crime was not worth possibly getting a court order. But the Collins brothers said the loss of the tools put them out of work for weeks while they raised the money to replace them.
Collins said he called and left messages with a number of people, including the mayor's action line.
"We were promised we would get calls back," he said. "No one called us back. We've already told (our clients) in Jackson, 'Don't call us to Jackson.'
Does this passage or the story need any additional commentary?

If you have similar stories, feel free to email them to this blog at kingfish1935@gmail.com. Too often crime victims are ignored by the authorities and media.

Related note: Chris Joyner published on his blog the crime stats for Mississippi cities:
http://www.clarionledger.com/misc/blogs/firstamend/UCR4blog.xls

Have you met Jason? No? Rest assured, half the people in Belhaven have. Jason is a young, Black punk ( around 24, 5' 10", thin, goofy looking "fro", around 160 lbs ) that is becoming well known in the Belhaven area, specifically around the Fortification and North State Street area. Every business owner is familiar with Jason as he constantly panhandles customers. His favorite trick is to wait until someone is trapped in a drive-through line (especially McDonalds because that rail keeps one from pulling out or getting out of the car) and then he accosts the patrons for money. Every employee that works in the area for any length of time knows who Jason is when you ask about him.

One Sunday afternoon I saw a middle-aged woman pushing a stroller, accompanied by two small kids, back to Baptist Hospital. Sure enough, there was Jason accosting her for money. She was in no position to defend herself nor could she escape. It was obvious from her body language she was fearful. I stopped my car, got out, and made him leave. Sadly, this is normal behavior for him. Monday night I was in the drive-through at McDonalds and saw him once again pulling his crap. He crept up on the minivan in front of me (from the front), along with other vehicles, and sandwiched himself between the window (she was about to pay) and the building, trying to get money out of her. McDonald's did nothing and the employee just shook his head when I mentioned Jason.

He is banned from several area businesses. Kat's Wine Cellar has filed charges against him. The JPD will not pick him up. Yesterday morning, one of the employees at an area business told me he was passed out in the drive-through of the McDonalds, the JPD came, and would not take him in. It was rather infuriating as he is the subject of an arrest warrant yet JPD has done nothing.

What is even more outrageous is that Jason is suspected by many in the area for other activities. Jason served 5 years in Parchman for................BURGLARY!!! Since Jason has started panhandling and other forms of harassment against Belhaven residents, burglaries have increased in the area where I live. My neighbors live on Fortification Street. One night while at work, someone broke in to their house from the Fortification Street side (the front) by shattering a window, then took a dvd player along with video games and dvd's. He was really stupid because he ignored a laptop and other higher value items. He just wanted the toys. A few weeks before that, the neighbors across the street were the victims of an attempted break-in from the Fortification Street side of their house as well. A few nights later, someone tried to break into the house next door.

Needless to say, these incidents have changed things. My neighbors have now had to spend money on alarm systems. They live in fear somewhat. The people living in the house across the street were not home the night of the burglary attempt, as they were both working. However, "Sue's" mother was their watching their baby. Needless to say, she was terrified. They have since moved to Byram.

Jason is strongly suspected as being the burglar in these incidents since he served time for burglary and and these incidents began about the same time that he appeared in the area. They are in the same area he is known to frequent on a daily basis. It is stupid that someone would try to rob houses on such a busy street but Jason IS pretty stupid.

What is very outrageous is that JPD will DO NOTHING!!! He might have committed these burglaries, he might not have. However, there is no way to know if JPD will NOT PICK HIM UP, much less interrogate him. There are warrants for this punks arrest. Warrants ignored by JPD. The businesses that have tried to prosecute him are fed up as JPD has not assisted them and just chases him off when he is found. What does it take for them to do their jobs?

Meanwhile, there is a story in today's Clarion-Ledger about how crime victims are frustrated with JPD, http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071003/NEWS/710030373. One victim, Alicia Ashburn said, "Ashburn had a hard time ever getting answers, despite repeated calls to everyone from the precinct headquarters to the the mayor's office.
"It was like they were just bothered by me," she said."

I can assure you that is the attitude and reality, not perception, experienced by many people in Belhaven, as well as Jackson. JPD, get your heads out of your asses and start protecting us from these hoodlums.

note: Here is a previous post on this subject: http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/07/our-resident-tourist-editor-of-jackson.html

Higher than the highest mountain, higher than the highest airplane, lies the realm of the aurora. Aurora rarely reach below 60 kilometers, and can range up to 1000 kilometers. Aurora light results from solar shockwave causing energetic electrons and protons to striking molecules in the Earth's atmosphere. Frequently, when viewed from space, a complete aurora will appear as a circle around one of the Earth's magnetic poles. The above digitally enhanced photograph was taken in 2005 January shows a spectacular aurora borealis above the frozen landscape of Bear Lake, Alaska, USA. The above image was voted Wikipedia Commons Picture of the Year for 2006.
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070409.html

Many of the readers are in sales or employ salesmen. Everyone would agree sales training is always needed but is something that tends to fall by the wayside in the daily routine. Here are some online sales training websites as well as some in business etiquette (yes, I can hear it now, Kingfish, YOU need to take every one of those you can. ;-) Probably right. ) Enjoy.

Tom Hopkins Sales Training Website. One of the leading and best known sales trainers nationwide. Many of his materials can be found for a lower price on Ebay.
http://www.tomhopkins.com/

Jeffery Gitomer Website. Leading sales consultant. Publishes a weekly online newsletter and is a nationally syndicated columnist. Always makes good points and his site has kernels of useful information and tips. http://www.gitomer.com/. He also has a sales training site, http://www.trainone.com/

The Etiquette Police. The website states "Etiquette 101 is a free online Etiquette Training Course to upgrade your social skills. This training program is designed to improve your etiquette IQ so you can put your best foot forward in varied business and social situations. In today's fast-paced environment, there is a need for an awareness of what is socially acceptable. When people come in contact with highly educated and cultivated men and women our opinions about them are mostly formed by their refined manners. This course is aimed to teach finer etiquette points through concise notes and quizzes. You will then be able to measure this added knowledge by taking an online Final Exam." It offers a quick online quiz for fun: http://www.etiquettepolice.com/onlinequiz.asp
Website: http://www.etiquettepolice.com/

Businesstrainingworks.com. Very thorough business etiquette training website.
http://www.businesstrainingworks.com/Directories/etiquette.html

When George Bell, III returned to Jackson, MS, there was an outstanding warrant for his arrest. How is someone who is the subject of an outstanding arrest warrant able to get through Homeland Security and board a flight, even if the offense is a misdemeanor? Is this a flaw in our system?

Keep in mind the Son of Sam killer was discovered through the checking of parking tickets in the vicinity of the murders. Should there be an instant check for outstanding warrants when the no-fly list is accessed?

Coverage of Heather Spencer tragedy: http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-do-you-say.html

They have great comment threads containg some thought-provoking and heart-wrenching stories.

Domestic Violence and Divorce in Mississippi:
http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/09/domestic-violence-and-divorce-in.html

The JPD and Heather Spencer:
http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/09/jpd-and-heather-spencer.html

I wrote this story a few years ago for Planet Weekly. Since it is now deceased, I don't think anyone will mind if I post it. There have been some minor changes. Clearchannel sold SFX Entertainment and just approved a takeover offer. The ratings are dated but you get the idea upon reading them. This story was written in 2000 and the practices used by Clearchannel are followed throughout the industry today.

Hugh Henderson, a local attorney who travels frequently, no longer listens to music on the radio. Mr. Henderson, who likes classic rock, instead listens to his extensive CD collection or talk radio.
"Z106 and similar stations are playing the same music no matter where I travel. I hear the same songs that Madison Avenue uses to sell me hamburgers, cars, and tacos," he says. In a stinging rebuke of the radio industry, he says, "Rock used to be dangerous, now even rebellion is packaged."
Mr. Henderson is not alone in his criticism of the radio industry, which has grown since Congress substantially de-regulated ownership of radio stations in the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Prior to its passage, ownership of radio stations was limited to one station each on the FM and AM bands in each market. The new law eased these restrictions so that up to six (and even more depending on market share and FCC approval) stations in the Jackson area could have one owner with a limit of four on each band. The result has been much consolidation of ownership among local radio stations. The companies listed below now own 14 of 23 local commercial radio stations.

Clear Channel Communications: WMSI, WSTZ, WDBT, WJDX, WZRX,WQJQ
Inner City Communications: WJMI, WKXI(AM&FM), WOAD, WYJS
New South Communications:WYOY, WUSJ, WJKK

In the Jackson area, these companies have a total market share of 67% based upon Arbitron ratings. However, market share is even more lopsided in their favor when one examines the more popular and music- oriented FM radio stations. Of 16 local FM radio stations, 10 are owned by these three companies for a whopping 83% combined market share.
A good example of such consolidation is the path followed by Clear Channel Communications, which did not return phone calls seeking comment for this article. Clear Channel is the Goliath of the radio industry, owning almost 1200 radio stations nationwide (approximately 10% of U.S. radio stations) while earning 20% of industry revenue.
Clear Channel states that its mission is to "broadcast the best programming to the broadest possible audience providing the best value to its advertisers." (Clear Channel Web-site). It owns Premiere Radio Networks; the largest producer of syndicated radio programming with a stable of talent that includes Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, and Jim Rome. Clear Channel also owns SFX Entertainment, the largest concert promoter (The upcoming 'N Sync concert in Jackson is one such promotion.), and owns 120 live entertainment venues nationwide. So confident is Clear Channel of its success that on its web-site it brags "If we have anything to say about it, newspapers will soon be useful only for training puppies."
However, Clear Channels behavior as the industry leader has sparked much controversy. In Orlando and Tampa, Clear Channel moved talk radio programs it produces such as The Rush Limbaugh Show from non-Clear Channel affiliate stations to those it owned. Local industry insiders say that such actions will become the norm, leaving non-Clear Channel affiliate stations to scramble for a decreasing amount of popular programming not produced by Clear Channel. Others fear that stations not owned by Clear Channel will become de facto Clear Channel affiliates because Clear Channel will own a majority of the programming available to them while competing with them.
One critic of this trend is Benji Kurtz, Operations Manager for WYOY (which is owned by New South Communications in Meridian) in Jackson. He said "The biggest beneficiary of the major consolidation is the shareholder. The victim (of this trend) is the listener because the quality of the programming plummets. Attention to the local listener flies out the window."
One development of these mergers has been the standardization of playlists. With companies such as Clear Channel and Infinity owning hundreds of radio stations nationwide, some functions such as programming have become more centralized. Consequently, local control of programming is being replaced in favor of a Brand Manager that is responsible for several stations or regions that have the same format such as Country or Classic Rock resulting in playlists that vary little from market to market.
The days of the DJ selecting his own playlist have gone the way of fifty-cent movies and cars with tail fins. At many of these stations, every minute that is broadcast is accounted for and scripted with little room for deviation leaving the DJ with little time for listener requests and Public Service Announcements. In many stations, CD's have been replaced by computerized databases, sharply limiting the music available to the DJ. Some stations even go so far as to hire firms that monitor broadcasts so as to ensure that the DJ follows the playlist. Even the DJ has become a casualty in this era of de-regulation. Radio stations such as Miss103, Beat95, and Z106 (all Clear Channel stations) are increasingly using DJ's that broadcast from other states (not to be confused with syndicated DJ's). Syndicated radio shows such as "Open House Party" and "The John Boy and Billy Show" are replacing local programming as well. One station manager speculated that local DJ's will eventually disappear, leaving a single DJ for one format broadcasting to several markets. Such programming leads listeners such as Brenda Bullard, a local insurance agent, to complain that on a recent drive to Texas, "There was a 'Beat' station (referring to Beat95) no matter where I was, playing the same songs."
Some also fear that individual stations may suffer as well. "Companies may focus on overall market share instead of individual stations. Consequently, the quality of that individual station may suffer." said Stan Carter, Operations Manager of WJNT.
De-regulation of radio has been deemed a failure by Dr. Robert McChesney (Robert McChesney.com), a Media Professor at the University of Illinois and author of the critically acclaimed book, Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communication Politics in Dubious Times. He said substantial changes were made in telecommunications law in 1996 with little coverage by the media, leaving the public ill-informed on de-regulation. He said de-regulation has been great for Clear Channel, Infinity, and other major media corporations. "It gives them greater leverage with advertisers and record companies while enjoying lower costs. The advertisers like it (consolidation) because one customer offers them a variety of markets and formats. However, there has been no benefit to the consumer."
Paul Gallo, General Manager of WFMN, agreed that the airwaves are public property and agreed that they have been poorly managed. "Consolidation is one of the worst things to happen to radio if your goal is to serve the local area," said Mr. Gallo. He said that radio station are no longer required to serve the public by broadcasting PSA's. Prior to the Telecommunications Act of 1996, a radio station was required to broadcast a minimum number of PSA's in order to retain its license.
Some change may be occurring in the near future. While some people think Internet radio will change the radio industry, Dr. McChesney said there is no evidence it will work. However, some experts predict the future to be dominated by satellite radio. Satellite radio provides over a hundred channels through a quarter-sized receiver for a small monthly fee. Each channel plays only one format such as Irish or Alternative. It is projected that satellite radio will see widespread use within a few years.
While de-regulation has substantially changed the landscape of radio, it is not clear what the future of radio will be. Some expect a backlash against consolidation will occur. Mr. Gallo said "We have to return to serving the needs of the local communities, which is not being done by music radio stations." Others predict that new technology will mitigate some of the changed caused by de-regulation. Regardless of what the future holds for radio, it is quite clear that the radio we grew up listening to is in the past along with our memories.

(The replay official is Al Ford, an insurance salesman in Huntsville, Alabama whose daughter is on athletic scholarship at Auburn and a week later, made another very controversial call at the end of the game against Florida.)

He is an Auburn graduate.

Johnathon Patrick Graham. Charged with grand larceny and possession of paraphernalia. Prisoner is 18 years old.

Would anyone like to guess who Mr. Graham called next after his mother and where he claims to have resided in the past?

(Caption: PCI they call it. “Pre Combat Inspection.” After the PCI, the soldiers were ordered not to touch their gear until the mission, so that nothing would be taken off and forgotten, and no mistakes would be made with gear. )

Its my birthday and I am taking the day off. Enjoy the post.

* Must credit http://www.jacksonjambalaya.com/ *

Several players on the Brandon High School football team were arrested last Friday for stealing cellphones and money from members of the ninth grade football team. On September 4, the ninth grade team traveled to Terry to play Vicksburg and Byram in a pre-season jamboree. While they were at the game, members of the varsity team broke into their lockers, stealing cellphones and various amounts of money. The team returned at approximately 9:30. The coaches talked to all high school players the next day, then called the police. The players are unidentified (and will remain so) as they are minors. Brandon lost to Clinton Friday night 35-3.

Kingfish note: Kudos to the Brandon coaches who did not follow the example we see all too often where coaches brush player's troubles under the rug as long as they win.

U.S. Congressman Bobby Jindal will probably win the Louisiana governorship next month in a cakewalk. There is increasing speculation that he might win the primary outright, a feat unprecedented in Louisiana since the open primary system was instituted. The Wall Street Journal recently interviewed Congressman Jindal:
"Mr. Jindal's air of earnest proficiency makes for a sharp contrast with flamboyant past governors like Huey and Earl Long and Edwin Edwards. Yet while Louisiana has never had a reputation for good government, neither has it always been known as a failed state. Decades ago, Mr. Jindal says, "Louisiana was ahead of the South. . . . If you go back to the early '60s--if you'd gone back then and said Atlanta's going to be the capital of the New South, they would have laughed at you. . . . New Orleans was bigger than Miami. It wasn't that long ago that we were the gateway to Latin and Central America."......
http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110010576

This story is from Baton Rouge Business Report (a publication that runs rings around Mississippi Business Journal):
"Jindal, 36, has been leading in a range of polls for more than a year, but still campaigns like a hungry underdog and says he sleeps just a few hours each night. The proof of Jindal’s obsessive campaigning is validated by one of the more recent telephone surveys conducted this month by Baton Rouge-based Southern Media Research, which had Jindal clocking in at 63% in a four-person field....
It’s an old adage from Louisiana political consulting: When you don’t have anything else to talk about—or don’t want to talk about anything else—talk about ethics and corruption. But Jindal is serious about his core issue; the poor national rankings have to end somewhere, he says. “This isn’t campaign rhetoric,” Jindal pleads. “No longer can we accept being the butt of jokes around the country. Those jokes aren’t funny anymore.".....
http://www.businessreport.com/news/2007/aug/27/chosen-one/

This is an essay he wrote in The Wall Street Journal:
"I went in person to talk with a FEMA representative and still could not get a straight answer. Finally we told the company to avoid interfering with Coast Guard missions, but to proceed on its own. Sometimes, asking for forgiveness is better than asking for permission...."
http://www.opinionjournal.com/cc/?id=110007224

Note: There are some very good comments at the end of the post.

Living by the Reservoir, Beth was a loving housewife who doted on her family. Although she was a nurse, she chose to stay at home to raise her son, as she did not believe in placing him in daycare. Beth had dated Rick, her husband, for several years before they married. They were married for five years when Christian was born. As he earned a comfortable income operating his own business, they were able to live in a nice house and enjoy a fairly high standard of living. To any observer, they were truly the ideal family living the American Dream.

After Christian was born, Rick began to show signs of abusive behavior, which was surprising as he had always treated her very well. He became more demanding. He began to scream at her. He gave her a list of things she had to do every day. At night he would check the list, yelling at her if it was not completed. He refused to help with the child, telling her that since she didn't work, that was her job. While in public he projected the image of the clean-cut successful businessman, at home he became a monster. He began to frequent strip clubs while at surfing the internet for online porn (she found the credit card statements). He was diagnosed with having a bipolar disorder, but refused to take his medicine, a course of action that is all too often chosen by too many patients who self-medicate.

The abuse grew worse until it exploded one weekend when Mike, his best friend, and Lacy, his wife, spent the weekend at their house. Beth and Lacy, went out on Saturday night. Beth came home late that night to an angry husband (the night before the guys had gone out late for their Boys night out) who started yelling and cursing at her at the top of his lungs, accusing her of screwing around and embarrassing him. Rick began to beat Beth with his fists. He knocked her to the ground, jumping on top of her, beating her over and over while yelling at her. His friend refused to intervene, telling her that sometimes he had to straighten his wife out. Finally Rick grabbed her head, banging it repeatedly on the tile floor. Beth was a mess, bloody, bruised all over, completely scared as she entered a hell beyond comprehension. While Rick was banging her head on the floor, Mike finally said that's enough and Rick stopped, arose, and went to another room. Rick and Mike then left for awhile. Beth grabbed her sleeping child (he was two years old at this time), not even stopping to clean herself up, and ran to a the house of a friend who lived nearby.

One hopes that after suffering such brutality, Beth was able to get protection from the criminal justice system. Sadly enough, this was not the case as the system turned out to be a complete joke. Leaving her child with her friend's mom, Beth's friend took her to the Sheriff's office where she tried to file charges against her husband and get protection. Unfortunately, they would not let her press charges even though she was bruised all over. The two women then went to the hospital where the doctor performed a complete exam and pictures were taken. Bruises covered her head and body. When one sees the pictures, one sees a deadness in her eyes, as if a light was snuffed out completely. The doctor then called the Sheriff's office, who sent an officer to take the report. Oddly enough, the officer turned out to be the same one who refused to take her complaint at the police station. This time however, he was forced to take the complaint.

Things became even worse for Beth. As her knee had a torn meniscus, requiring surgery, she was unable to work and thus depended on her husband for support. Her pressing charges and subsequent filing for divorce against Rick angered him even more. He obtained the services of one of the most expensive and ruthless divorce lawyers in Jackson. He continually stalked her. She had the locks to her house changed, only to find out while she was gone, he would call a locksmith to come, show his identification, claim he had locked himself out of the house, and obtain a key. He would then enter the house of his own accord, terrorizing her even further. He followed her around. When he could not follow her, private detectives would take up the slack. Beth lost almost all privacy as she became the hunted. Every opportunity, even picking up the child for visitation, to harass her was taken. When such exchanges occurred, Rick would show up with his new girlfriend, who videotaped everything even though it made the child cry, in an effort to antagonize Beth.

Rick took full advantage of Beth's inability to work. He had planned his finances for years accordingly in case he ever got divorced. While he owned his own business, he had arranged his accounts so that they were actually serviced by one owned by his parents and thus he was paid by his parents (He had a Master's degree in Accounting.) Most of his assets such as his two corvettes, were on paper owned by his parents even though he had paid for them. Such methods are common among spouses who seek to shield their assets in a divorce, as it is very hard under Mississippi law for a spouse to document that those assets belong to the other spouse even when he has full use and custody of them. He quit paying all bills, causing Beth even more problems. He was unaffected by these changes in their financial situation since all of his assets were held by his parents. He would later walk away from a huge amount of debt by filing bankruptcy. He personally had her Chevy Tahoe repossessed, stranding her and her son at his pre-school.

Meanwhile the Civil and Criminal Courts made a further folly of her predicament as the lawyers weaved their webs of motions, discovery, harassment, and at times, incompetence. Rick was eventually convicted of domestic assault in Justice Court. Rick then appealed to the Circuit Court. Bogus charges were later filed against her. A call to check on her son became phone harassment and verbal assault. Rick filed a criminal complaint, signed an affidavit, and Beth was arrested although later bonding out (It is not hard to file charges against someone in Mississippi). Beth became a wreck as she wondered when the hell would end. She was the victim yet her husband was able to destroy her life even further with the help of the legal system in Mississippi. For daring to stand up for herself after being beaten on the floor of her own bathroom, she was now forced to sit in jail for several hours until she posted bail. "Where was the justice?" she screamed at times.

Beth, who was not sophisticated at all when it came to legal matters, was represented by a lawyer who never bothered to obtain a temporary maintenance order (This provides for support and custody arrangements until the divorce is final) during the divorce proceedings, thus for over six months, she received no child support or alimony. The lawyer charged her nearly ten thousand dollars (which she paid with what remaining money she had on her credit cards) even though he never once filed for a TMO. This lawyer, who later became well known for sexual hijinks, filed a motion with the court to withdraw from the case when she was unable to pay him any more money. The judge rejected her argument that she was unable to support herself, much less pay for another lawyer (her knee still required surgery; the operation required $1500 in out of pocket expenses) and would be indigent if the motion was approved and granted his request. Beth was forced to depend on the charity of friends and family as she struggled to find another lawyer. Eventually, Beth would be forced to go on welfare just so she and her son would have food to eat.

Beth was finally able to retain lawyer, who "sympathized" with her plight and only charged her $1500. The only way she could pay the fee was that as a friend of hers was buying a new refrigerator, she paid for it with her remaining credit while he gave her the cash. Things got worse for Beth, who while expecting justice, received a vicious kick in the teeth. Beth refused to settle her case as every offer made by her husband demanded full custody of their son. Beth was determined to not let her husband abuse her son the way he had abused her, regardless of the sacrifice involved.

Although she had won a conviction against her husband in justice court for her savage beating, her lawyer negotiated it away in her divorce settlement. As she was completely broke, Beth was at the mercy of her attorney. She had no way of earning a living and was forced to take what she could get as her lawyer was unable to sue for Rick's assets. In the divorce settlement, there was a clause inserted stating no simple assault occurred in the marriage (there was a pending charge against him for a later incident). Her lawyer assured her, telling her that as simple assault and domestic assault were two separate offenses, the clause did not apply to the domestic assault charges. Beth signed the divorce settlement, which ordered joint custody of their child, paid for her knee surgery, and gave her some temporary alimony. Her lawyer said it was in her best interest and that they were going to seek to get it modified in later proceedings. It turned out that her lawyer, while not an expert on civil law, was even less of an expert on criminal law. Her lawyer told her to sign the settlement or else she would withdraw from the case.

To say fate can be cruel is an understatement. Our system of justice is predicated upon the belief that eventually a victim will get her day in court to seek justice against those who harmed her. After teasing Beth with the hope that justice would be served upon Rick for his brutality, Fate hurt her even more as Rick filed a motion to dismiss, claiming that in the signed divorced settlement, Beth had stated that no assault had occurred during the marriage. The judge ruled that the simple assault applied to all assault, reversing the conviction for domestic assault and dismissing the case. Rick looked at her, smiled gloatingly, and then laughed loudly outside of the courtroom, making sure she heard his taunts. Beth was completely crushed as she felt betrayed by the legal system. Beth was a harmless victim who sought protection from a barbaric husband, only to find herself nothing but a toy, a symbol of justice for women who fear for their lives in their own homes. For Beth it was hard to tell which hurt worse: the bruises from her beating or the laughter from Rick, knowing that he beat her and was able to get away with it.

Unfortunately, the miscarriage of justice did not stop with the dismissal. Bullies are usually encouraged to be more abusive when they are not punished for their misdeeds. Just as Hitler was encouraged by Munich, so was Rick encouraged by his escape from justice. Beth struggled on, had her surgery, and was able to survive although at great cost to her as her son faced further trauma. Rick remarried within three days of his divorce being final (It doesn't take a genius to figure that one out).

Following the pattern of most wife-beaters, Rick began to abuse his new wife. Christian returned from visitation weekends with his father, talking about how the police had come to his house after he and his wife had a physical argument. The first time, Rick was not arrested even though he threw things at his wife. Finally, he punched his wife in the face while she was pregnant in their front yard. He was arrested for this assault but once again, nothing of consequence happened to Rick other than the fact that he had to spend a few hours in jail until posting bail. He completed an anger management class as ordered by the court, avoiding any jail time or fine. Rick and Beth would later go back to court, each of them seeking full custody of Christian. Both Rick and his wife denied in court that he had been arrested for assaulting her or that he had punched her. This was refuted by the testimony of the arresting officer, who was called to the stand by Beth's new lawyer. Beth won full custody of her son, thanks to her ex-husband's lying on the stand, finally obtaining some relief from her nightmare.

All the events related in this post are true, unfortunately. This is a real case that occurred in the Jackson Metro area during the last five years. It shows what too many women, who are victims of abuse, face when they try to do the right thing and seek protection from society. Too often the police do not take it seriously, the judges order "anger management" or sentences that offer little to no punishment, and the laws favor the perpetrator of the violence. It is nearly impossible to decide which was more criminal: Beth's beating by her husband or her treatment by the criminal justice and legal systems.

See comments below at end of post. There are some very good ones.

The JPD has caught hell, some of it from me, on its handling of the George Bell, III disaster, as Heather Spencer had filed assault charges against Bell in June after he savagely beat her with a rubber mallet. After Bell was finally arrested, the JPD released a copy of Ms. Spencer's notarized statement,
http://www.clarionledger.com/assets/pdf/D085309912.PDF, in which Ms. Spencer requests the charges be dismissed and that no further prosecution take place.

JPD has received much criticism in some forums as to why Bell was never arrested for the assault and never spent a day in jail until that tragic day several weeks ago. People are frustrated and outraged over the thought of a man beating his girlfriend within an inch of her life and never seeing a jail cell until he killed her three months later. However, some facts must be pointed out, as well as some further questions that need to be asked.

After beating Ms. Spencer, Bell immediately left the state and eventually went to Mexico. He later entered a treatment center, although it was out of state. It was pointed out to me the police never knew where he was so they could arrest him. He returned from treatment on a Saturday night and the murder occurred on the following Monday. The police never had much of an opportunity to find him in order to arrest him, as the total amount of time he spent in Mississippi between the beating and her death was 48-72 hours.

There is a question as to why there was even a notarized statement. I spoke to Court Services at JPD today and was told usually such a statement is not needed if someone is trying to dismiss a complaint. I was told if one wants charges dismissed that have been filed, then the victim has to go before the judge.

It was told to me by several people who know both the victim and the suspect that almost immediately after the beating and filing of charges, Ms. Spencer went to the judge to get them dropped. If the notarized statement is not necessary, then why did Ms. Spencer get one? I strongly suspect it is because the judge knew what he was looking at and required her to issue one in order to protect himself to some degree. It is also not clear if the charges were dismissed, as shortly after his arrest for killing Heather, he was charged with beating her in June. Thus one must ask if the judge ever did dismiss the charges as they might have still been pending against Bell. The judge might have wanted him picked up first before taking any further action. The law DOES allow for a prosecution if the police have probable cause, which they did in this case.

There are still questions to be answered, and for Heather's family and friends, justice can not move fast enough. However, keep in mind the criminal investigation is STILL ongoing and the case is STILL breaking. I have not made comment on this blog for the most part as I wanted to let things settle down some and see what facts came out before I started kingfishing. IF someone has answers to my questions, I will post them up here. There is not much information coming out from official sources, thus leaving much room for speculation, much of it justified. However, I am not prepared yet to throw JPD under the bus when Bell was not in the state and they did not have much, if any opportunity to take him into custody.

So the questions are:
1. Why did Ms. Spencer provide a notarized statement?
2. Were the charges still pending when Bell murdered Ms. Spencer?
3. Which judge did she see?

Here is some clarification from a comment below:

Anonymous said...
1. That was not an affidavit but a voluntary statement which Heather had apparently typed and got notarized in Rankin County and had no jurisdiction in Hinds County, (JPD)they can not drop charges for JPD and Vice versa.
2.Warrant was valid when he was arrested 9/11/073. Have no clue as to what judge she actual saw if she ever did....
because the warrant was still active when George Bell was arrested.

Correction: You are correct. I have changed the word "affidavit" to "notarized statement". Thanks for the correction. That is another reason I am making these posts and engaging in these discussions. There is alot of speculation and misinformation out there as people want to know the whole story and want to see justice done, but do not know what exactly the truth is. Thanks for the correction.

It was asked recently if Syria was trying to obtain nukes: http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/09/did-syria-have-nukes.html. While information is still very sketchy, a few more details or related stories have been reported in the media.

Glenn Kessler of The Washington Post reported that:
"North Korea may be cooperating with Syria on some sort of nuclear facility in Syria, according to new intelligence the United States has gathered over the past six months, sources said. The evidence, said to come primarily from Israel, includes dramatic satellite imagery that led some U.S. officials to believe that the facility could be used to produce material for nuclear weapons.
The new information, particularly images received in the past 30 days, has been restricted to a few senior officials under the instructions of national security adviser Stephen J. Hadley, leaving many in the intelligence community unaware of it or uncertain of its significance, said the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Some cautioned that initial reports of suspicious activity are frequently reevaluated over time and were skeptical that North Korea and Syria, which have cooperated on missile technology, would have a joint venture in the nuclear arena.....
Israel conducted a mysterious raid last week against targets in Syria. The Israeli government has refused to divulge any details, but a former Israeli official said he had been told that it was an attack against a facility capable of making unconventional weapons.
Others have speculated that Israel was testing Syria's air defenses in preparation for a raid on Iran or that Israel was targeting weapons destined for Hezbollah in Lebanon..."

The website, http://www.globalsecurity.org/, has constructed a timeline: http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/war/070906-airstrike.htm with some interesting info and imagery.

Johnathon Strong writes in http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/ :
"On September 16th, the Sunday Times reported that Syria had planned a “devastating surprise” for Israel in response to Israel’s attack on the nuclear shipment from North Korea to Syria.
“The paper reported that Israeli sources said planning for the strike began in late spring 2007 when Mossad director Meir Dagan presented Prime Minister Ehud Olmert with evidence that Syria was seeking to buy a nuclear weapon from North Korea.”
Then again on September 16th, military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin told the Israeli Foreign Affairs and Defense parliamentary committee that Israel had recovered its “deterrent capability” after the strike on Syria.
It is also revealing that both Israel and Syria have remained so silent on the subject. Syria certainly knows how to make a fuss in the United Nations when it wants to. Past Israeli strikes on militant camps in Syria have provoked a loud outcry among Arab and Islamic states against Israel. With Syria staying mum after a violation of its airspace by Israeli warplanes, it indicates clearly that Syria does not want to bring attention to itself. It is also likely that Turkey, or elements of the Turkish military, provided IAF jets with a flight corridor to the Syrian site. Drop tanks believed to be from IAF jets were found in Turkey who then asked Israel for clarification on the matter. Turkey and Israel have a longstanding intelligence and defense relationship despite their religious differences......"

So the question remains, was Syria trying to acquire nukes?

What exactly is Robert Bailey's mother driving?

What does she live in?

is on the previous post:
http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2007/09/please-help-spencer-family.html

I have added new stories to the listing for each media outlet. As some of the links are more than a week old, some may not work.

http://www.radioandrecords.com/RRRatings/DetailsPage.aspx?MID=121&RY=2007&RQ=3&MP=1&OTHER=2&MN=Jackson&MS=MS&MR=118&12P=405500&UP=8/30/2007&SU=CM&BPER=44.3&HPER=&OPER=&NSD=9/27/2007&CE=0

Update: Here is the link to The Jena Times reporting of the chronological order of the story:
http://www.thejenatimes.net/home_page_graphics/home.html

Here is another story that appeared in the Baton Rouge Advocate: http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/9889197.html

Two points. Does anyone remember there was a kid that was beaten pretty badly? Equating hanging a noose with beating a kid unconcious 3 months later is ridiculous. The U.S. Attorney, who is Black, also said there was no link between the two incidents. Naturally he is a racist right wing confederate flag waving extremist Republican who wants to reinstitute slavery. By the way, Mr. Bell (what is it with these Bells?) was convicted by an all-white jury. However, the Jena Times reports that none of the Black citizens who were called to jury duty reported.

What is even more interesting and is left out of most media coverage is the fact that Bell is nothing but a thug with a criminal record. The Advocate reported yesterday that:
"Bell’s father, Marcus Jones, 35, in an interview Tuesday, insisted there was a connection between the race baiting and the beating.
“The charges filed against my son and the others did not fit the crime,” he said.
Jones said his son, a 16-year-old star running back for the school’s football team who has been in jail since his December arrest on a $90,000 bond, is holding up well.
“He’s still getting letters of recruitment from colleges,” Jones said.
Jones acknowledged that his son was facing four charges in juvenile court before the incidents in 2006. Bell has been convicted on one of those charges; the others are still pending, Jones said.
“As long as he was playing football, he was putting this town on the map,” Jones said. “That’s why those other charges didn’t go to court. Then he gets in a fight with a white boy and that case goes to trial right away.”

First of all, he had been arrested before this incident for other crimes and had been convicted for one of them. It is unknown as to the status of the other charges. However, what really interests me is what his no good delinquent father says about him playing football. Hey Mr. Jones ( oh yes, your son doesn't even carry your name. Guess we can figure out that situation. Maybe if you had been around, he wouldn't have gotten in so much trouble repeatedly.), If I had gotten arrested several times, my father damn sure wouldn't have let me play football. My ass would've been on total lockdown for a very long time or he would have left me in jail. However, since you obviously do not believe in consequences for doing wrong, then maybe its no wonder your son has turned into such a model citizen. Hmmm....that might be why he has such a high bond.

Having said that, I think the sentence is way too harsh. I think a year or so is justified. This kid has several arrests and now will probably have two convictions. His father either does not believe in disciplining his son or can not control him. He needs a year or so in jail to teach him a lesson because one can already see him following a Michael Taylor-like path. I can understand where alot of the protestors are coming from because the sentence was extreme to say the least but someone needs to focus on some of the Jena 6 and how they keep getting in trouble. One suspects that noose or no noose, Mr. Bell would have probably done something else that was criminal.

Original Post:
What is the truth about the Jena 6? Here is a post on http://www.tigerdroppings.com/ where a poster cut and pastes the entire chronology from the Jena newspaper. Compare that to the story in The Jackson Free Press:

JFP story: http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/comments.php?id=14477_0_4_0_C

The Jena Times story: http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/messagetopic.asp?p=5437727

Update: Jane's Defence Weekly reporting that there was an accident in July at a plant for chemical weapons and missiles: http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2007/me_syria_09_19.asp . This accident, however, is not, the same incident as the attack reported below.

Original Post:
Israel recently struck Syria. Oddly enough, there has been little protest or outrage from Syria, suggesting that Syria was up to no good. It was conducted three days after a N. Korean ship arrived carrying "cement". The following articles make the case that Syria might have been acquiring nukes.

The New York Post:
"Israel "completely destroyed" a long-range-missile base in Syria, and Israeli leaders also suspect Syria and Iran are building nuclear arms with the help of North Korea, it was reported yesterday. ....
An Israeli-Arab newspaper, a-Sinara, said the Israeli air force blasted a joint Iranian-Syrian missile base in northern Syria.
The base, financed by Iran, appeared to be "completely destroyed," the newspaper said. .."
http://www.nypost.com/seven/09132007/news/worldnews/syrias_nuclear_threats.htm

Family Security Matters:
"Originally, it was believed the early-September raid by Israeli fighters was against an Iranian weapons shipment crossing Syria en route to Lebanon, where Hezbollah is rearming at a feverish pace since its 2006 war with Israel.
But speculation on the nature of the Israeli mission into Syria has spread like wildfire - thanks to official and unofficial chatter about the strike's real target.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates refused to comment on the Sunday morning news shows. But late last week a senior State Department official involved in nuclear-nonproliferation issues told The Associated Press: "There are indicators that they [Syria] do have something going on there [at the facility that was struck by the Israelis]. We do know that there are a number of foreign technicians that have been in Syria."
http://www.familysecuritymatters.org/global.php?id=1353853

This article is even more specific:
What really happened on September 6th, hours before daylight, when Israeli planes flew over Turkish airspace and crossed into Syria? The question is being asked almost obsessively by members of the intelligence and diplomatic communities, by military analysts and political analysts, by friends and foes of Israel, by those people concerned with the happenings in the Middle East.....
Intelligence from Turkey as well as from several non-official Israeli sources shows that this was more than a plan. Syria was actually in receipt of the weapons. In fact, a Kuwaiti newspaper asserts that Turkey officially pointed out to Israel the location of the warheads.
Missiles were sent to Syria by way of several ships flying North Korean flags. The vessels made their way first to Port Said, Egypt and then to Syria. Once they were in Syria the materials were unloaded and transported to the mountain region. That is where Israeli planes found and destroyed them.
Ronen Solomon, an Israeli researcher who watches the movement of ships using local port information and websites for tracking, has been quoted as saying that the ships arrived in Syria on September 3rd which would put the drop three days before the air strike. The cargo was listed as cement. The flags were North Korean.......
The most astounding piece of information to emerge about Israel's handling of this top secret operation is the report that Israeli ground troops were sent into the region days before the pre dawn flight gathering intelligence and specifying and confirming the projected targets. It seems that the ground soldiers literally used lasers to pinpoint the targets on the ground as markers for the pilots. Then the pilots went home and never said a word.."
http://www.frontpagemagazine.com/Articles/Read.aspx?GUID=3939718C-9492-4189-B39A-F48BEA6DD7BB

So were the North Koreans handing off nukes to Syria with Iranian financing?

( Kingfish note: Read fifth comment. )

This is not my usual post. I’ve read and heard events connected to Heather Spencer and George Bell III. I recently watched an episode of Montel with out of control kids hitting and hurting their parents and siblings. One weekend recently, I watched a movie about a son hitting his Mom, who covered it up for a long time, and she almost waited too late to seek help. I also have a family member who is seriously bipolar. I have hormonal teenage boys that some days drive me past crazy into the deranged zone.

I would say this to mothers who love their sons; it is not love to make excuses for, hide the facts, or cover up violent tendencies towards you or anyone else by your son; it is not love to simply take your son from one school and place him in another because the original school asks you to get help for your son; it is not love to feel offended when neighbors ask you to keep your son away from their children because of his fighting.

It IS love to take your son to a pediatrician or other physician, get a physical, and take all referrals to counselors and psychiatrists seriously. It IS love to work with school officials on best solutions to keep your son where he is and suffer consequences, then face those he harmed in the first place and get past it. This may take more than one or two times, but it’s worth it. It IS love to have your son apologize to neighbors and friends for their behavior and ask their forgiveness, and ask for a chance to come over again AFTER 30 days or so of suffering the consequences of being grounded or implementing behavior modification therapies.

Medication is not always the answer, but counseling and tighter discipline is. It is never easy, believe me, but if you can get your son to get either the medical help or counseling he needs, you may one day see a smiling young man who enjoys his life again and respects the sanctity of life and living.

For those Mothers who have sons with deeper medical and psychological problems, it’s not your fault. The Mothers who will discover your family problems may stare at you and whisper, but many times they are staring at you wishing they knew what to say to comfort you and their whispers are giving thanks they are not in your shoes, but they also may be whispering prayers on your behalf.

When I see the faces of my own young men smiling, I thank the powers that be for letting them work through all their problems and getting to the other side as healthy, athletic, productive teenagers. It’s not all over yet, but tough love sometimes is the best love there is, and the rewards to follow in the coming years will be better than any one thing I can ever imagine.

Email me: dwfinms@gmail.com

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