Chester Politicians Calling for More Gun Laws

Gun Control.  Hot Topic.  Street Violence.  Hot Topic.  Chester City, Delaware County, has plenty of both hot topics to go around.  Earlier this week, Chester removed the city's temporary state of emergency  and curfew that forbade citizens to roam the streets after 9pm.  The same night that the curfew was lifted, there was another shooting in the city.  The same city that has the brand new multi-million dollar soccer stadium that was paid for in part by tax-paying citizens of the state, has a growing problem with gun violence.

Predictably, politicians, lead this time it seems by Thaddius Kirkland, the democratic state representative, are calling for more gun control laws.  Specifically, Kirkland wants the city to enact an ordinance that makes it an offense for gun owners not to report a stolen gun promptly.

I can't imagine how this will help curb the violence in the city.  Instead, I'd recommend hiring more police officers, and spending the time and money to train them to fight specific problems that promote a culture of street violence.   I think Chester has about 100 cops.  I say, hire 100 more, and commit to training them to clean up the streets.  If money is tight, start selling off bricks to that brand new soccer stadium to raise cash.

story from Daily Times linked here

Pilot Pleads Guilty

The Former US Airways pilot, Joseph Pereira, plead guilty to Invasion of Privacy for surreptitiously snapping a photo up the skirt of a 15 year old girl at the Philadelphia International Airport.  Full Story here.

By the way, what is it about mugshots that makes ordinary people look like dirty old men?

Despite Governor's Request, Rutgers University Won't Grow Pot

New Jersey Lawmakers, including Governor Chris Christie, have made it legal in the State of New Jersey, to use marijuana for specific medicinal purposes.  While the possession of marijuana remains a federal offense, New Jersey and a dozen other states have legalized "medical marijuana".  The problem for Christie and potential medical pot heads is going to be where to get their weed.  Today, Rutgers University denied the governor's request for them to be the sole legal grower of marijuana in the state, according to the New Jersey Star-Ledger.

I'm sure if Christie looked hard enough, it would only take him a few minutes to find another source of the state's marijuana supply.  Trouble is, it must be hard to tax a street corner, I guess.  While Governor Christie is doing a phenomenal job making cut-backs, and balancing a horribly inflated state budget, he will undoubtedly have a harder time getting institutions that rely strongly on financial support of the Federal Government to support a legalization plan that the feds are dead set against.  If officials at Rutgers change their mind, I have a feeling I'll be paying $50 tolls the next time I go to the beach via the AC expressway.

Another Coatesville Arsonist Sentenced, Barely

A few weeks ago, George Donkewicz, the waste of air that deliberately set the fatal fire that killed Irene Kempest, an elderly Coatesville resident and Holocaust survivor was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison.  A substantial sentence, and hardly a light one.  (Story HERE at the DailyLocal from back in June)  Indeed, even I agree that the punishment (almost) fit the crime in that case.  Of course, the victim was killed and the offender gets "three hots and a cot" for the next 30 to 60 years, so maybe the punishment doesn't quite fit.  But anyway...in today's paper, I read about another Coatesville arsonist.  This one was lucky enough not to kill anyone.  But it seems to me if you set a building on fire, or try to set a building on fire, you kind of do mean to kill people.  If not the people in or around the building, then you certainly are putting the firefighters at grave risk. 

Anyway, this arsonist, Mark Gilliam, was allowed to plea to 3 to 6 years in prison.  Seems like quite a lucky break for him. (story here) 

Tell Your Kids to SLOW DOWN

I have been a police officer for more than ten years and a volunteer firefighter for more than 15. In that time I've seen hundreds of car crashes. The majority of them are minor fender benders. Unfortunately however, some, indeed too many, are serious or even fatal crashes. I can distinctly remember the first fatal car crash that I was at. As a seventeen year old volunteer firefighter, I was on a crew that was called out to a single vehicle crash into a tree on a local road. There were five teenagers in the car. They were all my age. They were all from the area. All but two of them died from their injuries. The two who survived were seriously injured. And it was Mother's Day.

This scene would be repeated over and over several times over the next 10 years or so. Sometimes only one fatality. Sometimes involving more than one car. But the common thread, as I see it, in all of these fatal crashes involving teenagers is SPEED.

Today's newspaper cites speed as a factor in one of the area's most recent fatal crashes involving teens. It's all too familiar, yet just as disturbing. Teenagers think they know everything, and they think they are invincible. It in their nature, I guess. But as parents, let's do what we can to get our kids to slow down and save a life.

Three Police Officers Arresed in Drug Conspiracy

Sad day for  the good cops in the state.  Three horrible cops arrested by Feds.  Story here at Philly.com

Not much to say here, other than that I am ashamed and embarrassed by these pathetic (former) officers.  

Convicted Rapist Roman Polanski Set Free...Again

     In 1977, Roman Polanski, the actor / director who was more than 40 years old at the time raped a 3 year old girl.  Polanski fed the 13 year old booze and quaaludes, before performing oral, vaginal, and anal sex on her, against her will.  As if a drunk sedated 13 year old could consent to begin with.  Polanski plead guilty to rape, and then, like a coward, he fled the country before sentencing.
     Since his fleeing justice, Polanski has lived the luxurious life of a successful celebrity.  He has produced, directed, and acted in movies.  He has attended awards programs and won film-making awards.  He has moved about freely among countries in Europe, mocking the justice system here in The United States.  Then, finally, almost a year ago, after more than 30 years on the loose,  Swiss authorities arrested Polanski, and planned to extradite him to the U.S. 
     All of that came screeching to a halt yesterday, when Swiss authorities announced that they would release Polanski.  He would not be extradited. 
     So what the hell is wrong with the Swiss authorities?  Could they Europeans do more to undermine The U.S.? Why was Polanski released prior to sentencing in the first place?  Is our system really this f'd up?
     If Polanski wasn't a rich European celebrity would he be running free? Or would he have been sent to prison, and done his time like everyone else?

  On a side note, I saw The Pianist before I knew it was a Roman Polanski film, and I thought it SUCKED.  

     For anyone who cares to read more about this sickening story, its here on CNN.com 

Tragic Police Shooting Ends in Conviction of Officer

A California Transit Police Officer shot and killed a suspect by mistake, on January 1, 2009.  Apparently he meant to deploy his Taser, and mistakenly fired his firearm into the suspects back.  He has been convicted of Involuntary Manslaughter and is awaiting sentencing.  The story is HERE on at CNN.com

There is actual cell phone video of the shooting here at YouTube. 

Comments? Thoughts?

Our Neighbor to the South Bans Texting While Driving

If Delaware can do it, why doesn't Pennsylvania?  Del. Gov. Jack Markell signed a bill today that will prohibit drivers from texting or using hand held cell phones while driving.  (article here at DelcoTimes) Sounds like a great idea to me.  I see people reading and typing on their phone while driving all of the time, and I'm powerless to do anything about it.  At least in Delaware the police can enforce the potentially life-saving law.  While Delaware lawmakers are trying to make the highways safer, Pennsylvania lawmakers are dragging their feet.  (read here at DailyLocal)

A Reason Not to Legalize

The news story linked here from Philly.com might make you re-think your pro-legalization stance.

Technical Difficulties

For some reason, comments are slow to be published.  I don't know what the issue is, but I'm working on it.  Trust me, I'm not trying to censor apposing view points.

Accused Drug Dealer Acquitted, Entrapment Says the Judge

Last week, Judge Bortner found Kevin Clark not guilty of possessing drugs with the intent to sell them, saying that he was entrapped by the police and a police informant.  Defense attorney Fran Miller argued successfully that the informant enticed and encouraged Kevin Clark to commit an act that he otherwise would not have committed.  Entrapment is a rare defense, one I've not seen used successfully in more than 10 years in Law Enforcement. 

The Story is HERE at The DAILY LOCAL NEWS website.  The "Entrapment"section of the Pennsylvania Crimes Code is reprinted below for reference

18 PA CS 313 - Entrapment - A public law enforcement official, or a person action in cooperation with such an official, perpetrates an entrapment if for the purposes of obtaining evidence of the commission of an offense, he induces or encourages another person to engage in conduct constituting such offense by either:


1) by making knowingly false representations designed to induce the belief that such conduct is not prohibited, or;
2) employing methods of persuasion or inducement which create a substantial risk that such an offense will be committed by persons other than those who are ready to commit it.

One less drug dealer off the street, I guess. 

Happy Independance Day

Happy Fourth of July, Americans!

Part II: Cons of Legalization

Ok, how about some negative implications of legalizing drugs. When some proponents of legalization speak about it, they compare alcohol to illicit drugs, including marijuana. Often, they explain how alcohol is worse for the body than marijuana, which may very well be true. The problem I have with that argument is that two wrongs don't make a right. The government regulates the sale of alcohol, and alcohol hurts people. Should the government get into the business of regulating and profiting from even more drugs that hurt people? I say "no".

Alcohol is legal now and DUI is a growing problem. Drunk drivers kill too many people on the roads every year. Imagine if there were as many "high" drivers as there were drunk drivers. I'd have to start taking the train!

While drug related street violence would likely decline, would drug use increase drastically if it were legal and easy to get drugs? If a young person could buy heroin at the Wawa like they buy cigarettes now, would drug abuse skyrocket? I think that it might. If it did skyrocket, there'd be unthinkable fallout from the increased amounts of drug addicts roaming the streets.

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