Saturday, October 16, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Court upholds Wash. ban on voting by inmates
Case had charged that rule against inmate voting disproportionately disenfranchised minority voters
By Gene Johnson
The Associated Press
Related Article:
Va. debates essay requirement for felons seeking to vote
SEATTLE — A federal appeals court reversed course Thursday and upheld Washington state's ban on voting by prison inmates in a case that challenged the disproportionate effect it has on minority voters.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals caused a stir by ruling in January that Washington's inmates should be allowed to vote. That decision was expected to give momentum to other efforts to expand voting to inmates; only Maine and Vermont allow those behind bars to cast ballots.
But an 11-judge panel reconsidered the case at a hearing in San Francisco last month and came to a different conclusion.
The judges said that to challenge the ban under the Voting Rights Act, inmates would have to demonstrate intentional discrimination in the state's criminal justice system — not just a disparity in the racial make-up of the prison population.
The inmates suing in Washington made no such showing, they said.
"Felon disenfranchisement laws have a long history in the United States," the court said. "These laws predate the Jim Crow era and, with a few notable exceptions, have not been adopted based on racial considerations."
The suit against Washington's law — which dates to 1866, before statehood — was filed by Muhammad Shabazz Farrakhan, formerly of Bellevue. He was serving a three-year sentence at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla for a series of felony-theft convictions when he sued the state in 1996.
Five other inmates, all members of racial minority groups, later joined as plaintiffs. They argued the voting ban "results in a denial or abridgement of the right ... to vote on account of race," and thus violated the Voting Rights Act.
The first milestone ruling in the case came in 2003, when a 9th Circuit panel ruled 2-1 that inmates could challenge the voting ban by presenting evidence of racial disparities in the prison population.
The 9th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reconsider that ruling, but on Thursday the 11-judge panel backed away from it, saying it was too sweeping and ran counter to opinions from other federal appeals courts. Instead, they adopted the rule that inmates must show intentional racial discrimination.
"This ruling affirms the rights of states to withhold the right to vote from those who've committed the most serious crimes against society," Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said in a written statement.
By Gene Johnson
The Associated Press
Related Article:
Va. debates essay requirement for felons seeking to vote
SEATTLE — A federal appeals court reversed course Thursday and upheld Washington state's ban on voting by prison inmates in a case that challenged the disproportionate effect it has on minority voters.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals caused a stir by ruling in January that Washington's inmates should be allowed to vote. That decision was expected to give momentum to other efforts to expand voting to inmates; only Maine and Vermont allow those behind bars to cast ballots.
But an 11-judge panel reconsidered the case at a hearing in San Francisco last month and came to a different conclusion.
The judges said that to challenge the ban under the Voting Rights Act, inmates would have to demonstrate intentional discrimination in the state's criminal justice system — not just a disparity in the racial make-up of the prison population.
The inmates suing in Washington made no such showing, they said.
"Felon disenfranchisement laws have a long history in the United States," the court said. "These laws predate the Jim Crow era and, with a few notable exceptions, have not been adopted based on racial considerations."
The suit against Washington's law — which dates to 1866, before statehood — was filed by Muhammad Shabazz Farrakhan, formerly of Bellevue. He was serving a three-year sentence at the Washington State Penitentiary in Walla Walla for a series of felony-theft convictions when he sued the state in 1996.
Five other inmates, all members of racial minority groups, later joined as plaintiffs. They argued the voting ban "results in a denial or abridgement of the right ... to vote on account of race," and thus violated the Voting Rights Act.
The first milestone ruling in the case came in 2003, when a 9th Circuit panel ruled 2-1 that inmates could challenge the voting ban by presenting evidence of racial disparities in the prison population.
The 9th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to reconsider that ruling, but on Thursday the 11-judge panel backed away from it, saying it was too sweeping and ran counter to opinions from other federal appeals courts. Instead, they adopted the rule that inmates must show intentional racial discrimination.
"This ruling affirms the rights of states to withhold the right to vote from those who've committed the most serious crimes against society," Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna said in a written statement.
Ariz. sheriff uncovers inmate's murder-for-hire plot
Inmate allegedly convinced his girlfriend to hire a pair of hit men, who were undercover deputies
By myFOXphoenix
Trouble viewing the video? Download Flash player here
Related Article:
Inmate accused of plot to kill Dakota County prosecutor
PHOENIX — Sheriff's detectives have uncovered a murder-for-hire plot, orchestrated from inside the 4th Ave Jail.
An inmate and his girlfriend have been accused of conspiring to kill the key witness in a home invasion case.
Shawn Tonge allegedly convinced his girlfriend Shanna Lee Parent to hire a pair of hit men — and those hit men were undercover deputies.
The undercover investigation began when the sheriff received a tip that Tonge and his 24-year-old girlfriend set up a hit.
By myFOXphoenix
Trouble viewing the video? Download Flash player here
Related Article:
Inmate accused of plot to kill Dakota County prosecutor
PHOENIX — Sheriff's detectives have uncovered a murder-for-hire plot, orchestrated from inside the 4th Ave Jail.
An inmate and his girlfriend have been accused of conspiring to kill the key witness in a home invasion case.
Shawn Tonge allegedly convinced his girlfriend Shanna Lee Parent to hire a pair of hit men — and those hit men were undercover deputies.
The undercover investigation began when the sheriff received a tip that Tonge and his 24-year-old girlfriend set up a hit.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Thank You!!
I want to say thank you to everyone that has taken time to visit my blog! Trust me, I'm not blowin' the doors off of the internet world, but knowing that some of you care enough to read some of the stuff that is important to me means alot. Please feel free to join or follow the blog if it's not to much trouble. I'm going to try to post on a more regular basis, with a decent size post at least once a week. Again thank you so much and it means a lot!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Us 1 - Bad Guys 0
Calif. police TASER man on meth attempting murder
The man is being booked on suspicion of attempted murder, making terrorist threats, multiple attempts to assault officers, possession of explosive devices and burglary
By Greg Welter
Chico Enterprise-Record
WILLOWS, Calif. — A Willows man is at Glenn Medical Center under double guard today after allegedly threatening Wednesday morning to kill a Willows woman and harm police with an explosive device, while high on methamphetamine.
For authorities to take the man into custody, ending a tense 30-minute stand-off, they had to subdue him with two bean bag rounds, pepper spray bullets and a Taser stun gun.
Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones said the strange incident began when the suspect, Timothy J. Gurule, 44, called the 44-year-old woman early Wednesday morning, then shortly before 10 a.m. showed up at her home in the 500 block of Fourth Street in northwest Willows, armed with knives and a hammer.
She retreated inside her house, locked the door, and called 9-1-1.
When a Willows officer and a Glenn deputy arrived, they found Gurule allegedly attempting to pry open the woman's door with a claw hammer and reportedly yelling he was going to kill her. He had already broken windows in the home, attacked her car with the hammer, and slashed tires on several cars nearby.
Gurule fled but was spotted moments later outside his home in the 400 block of Garden Street. The first officer on the scene said he was waving a small propane tank wildly above his head.
A Willows officer and Sheriff Jones held the man at gunpoint as other officers arrived.
Jones said the man's pants pockets and waistband were jammed with knives. He was holding some knives in one hand, and a hammer.
The tank he held in his other hand had an ignition device attached to it and was wrapped in a gasoline soaked rag.
Jones said he was determined not to let Gurule retreat into the home, where innocent members of his family had taken shelter. He also ordered several streets in the area shut down, with residents advised to shelter in place.
After several minutes of talking with Gurule, during which he put down some of the knives, authorities became convinced he wasn't going to surrender. He reportedly continued to threaten to blow up the tank he was holding.
Jones had called for a shotgun to be brought to the scene loaded with bean bag rounds. A deputy fired at Gurule and hit him twice. Jones said the suspect staggered backwards, but didn't fall.
From his expression, Jones said he believed the man thought he had been shot with bullets.
Willows Police Chief Bill Spears next fired pepper spray rounds at the man, surrounding him in a cloud that should have incapacitated him, but didn't.
The suspect allegedly continued to resist and a Glenn County detective hit Gurule with a Taser round before a swarm of officers could move in and take him into custody.
Jones said Gurule is a large man nicknamed "Bear."
Jones said the victim appeared to have been picked completely at random. He said the two knew each other years ago when she managed a local apartment community, but hadn't seen him in years.
Gurule is a convicted felon, Jones said. He believes Gurule recently burglarized a local residence, where he obtained several of the knives.
A search of his residence turned up a second explosive device, a Molotov cocktail, which the suspect reportedly had ready to use.
About a month ago, Jones had to shelve his K-9 program due to budget cuts. "Ironically," he said "a police dog could have ended this stand-off before it got started."
After he is medically cleared, Jones said Gurule will be booked into the Glenn County Jail in Willows on suspicion of attempted murder, making terrorist threats, multiple attempts to assault officers, possession of explosive devices and burglary.
A man who was with Gurule but didn't participate in the violence, was also arrested. Johnnie Vivian Penn, 46, of Willows, was found in possession of drugs and was wanted on a warrant. Jones said Penn has 10 aliases and was found in possession of three drivers' licenses under different names.
Although the ordeal lasted only 30 minutes, Jones said officers from the Probation Department, Glenn Narcotics Task Force agents, several deputies and two Willows officers were on hand when it ended.
The Glenn County Arson and Bomb Task Force arrived to clean up the propane tank.
Jones said three crime scenes were involved and are being investigated.
The man is being booked on suspicion of attempted murder, making terrorist threats, multiple attempts to assault officers, possession of explosive devices and burglary
By Greg Welter
Chico Enterprise-Record
WILLOWS, Calif. — A Willows man is at Glenn Medical Center under double guard today after allegedly threatening Wednesday morning to kill a Willows woman and harm police with an explosive device, while high on methamphetamine.
For authorities to take the man into custody, ending a tense 30-minute stand-off, they had to subdue him with two bean bag rounds, pepper spray bullets and a Taser stun gun.
Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones said the strange incident began when the suspect, Timothy J. Gurule, 44, called the 44-year-old woman early Wednesday morning, then shortly before 10 a.m. showed up at her home in the 500 block of Fourth Street in northwest Willows, armed with knives and a hammer.
She retreated inside her house, locked the door, and called 9-1-1.
When a Willows officer and a Glenn deputy arrived, they found Gurule allegedly attempting to pry open the woman's door with a claw hammer and reportedly yelling he was going to kill her. He had already broken windows in the home, attacked her car with the hammer, and slashed tires on several cars nearby.
Gurule fled but was spotted moments later outside his home in the 400 block of Garden Street. The first officer on the scene said he was waving a small propane tank wildly above his head.
A Willows officer and Sheriff Jones held the man at gunpoint as other officers arrived.
Jones said the man's pants pockets and waistband were jammed with knives. He was holding some knives in one hand, and a hammer.
The tank he held in his other hand had an ignition device attached to it and was wrapped in a gasoline soaked rag.
Jones said he was determined not to let Gurule retreat into the home, where innocent members of his family had taken shelter. He also ordered several streets in the area shut down, with residents advised to shelter in place.
After several minutes of talking with Gurule, during which he put down some of the knives, authorities became convinced he wasn't going to surrender. He reportedly continued to threaten to blow up the tank he was holding.
Jones had called for a shotgun to be brought to the scene loaded with bean bag rounds. A deputy fired at Gurule and hit him twice. Jones said the suspect staggered backwards, but didn't fall.
From his expression, Jones said he believed the man thought he had been shot with bullets.
Willows Police Chief Bill Spears next fired pepper spray rounds at the man, surrounding him in a cloud that should have incapacitated him, but didn't.
The suspect allegedly continued to resist and a Glenn County detective hit Gurule with a Taser round before a swarm of officers could move in and take him into custody.
Jones said Gurule is a large man nicknamed "Bear."
Jones said the victim appeared to have been picked completely at random. He said the two knew each other years ago when she managed a local apartment community, but hadn't seen him in years.
Gurule is a convicted felon, Jones said. He believes Gurule recently burglarized a local residence, where he obtained several of the knives.
A search of his residence turned up a second explosive device, a Molotov cocktail, which the suspect reportedly had ready to use.
About a month ago, Jones had to shelve his K-9 program due to budget cuts. "Ironically," he said "a police dog could have ended this stand-off before it got started."
After he is medically cleared, Jones said Gurule will be booked into the Glenn County Jail in Willows on suspicion of attempted murder, making terrorist threats, multiple attempts to assault officers, possession of explosive devices and burglary.
A man who was with Gurule but didn't participate in the violence, was also arrested. Johnnie Vivian Penn, 46, of Willows, was found in possession of drugs and was wanted on a warrant. Jones said Penn has 10 aliases and was found in possession of three drivers' licenses under different names.
Although the ordeal lasted only 30 minutes, Jones said officers from the Probation Department, Glenn Narcotics Task Force agents, several deputies and two Willows officers were on hand when it ended.
The Glenn County Arson and Bomb Task Force arrived to clean up the propane tank.
Jones said three crime scenes were involved and are being investigated.
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
My Lovely Bride
My wife has decided to jump into the blog world by blogging about her passion.....Food. And not just any type of food. Food that is AWESOME! She just recently found out that she is hypoglycemic and needs to watch what she eats. So.....she has tweaked her recipes from more low fat and low cal to stuff she can eat and not feel terrible. I hope that you all decide to check it out. It's probably a lot more fun than mine. www.bacontimeforthehungryhypo.com Check it out!
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