tagged w/ Lexington
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Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh and his attorneys, Arnold & Miller, have filed a civil suit in United States District Court Eastern District of Kentucky against the Lexington Police and the Lexington Urban County Government.
The lawsuit names Ronnie J. Bastin, former Detective Elizabeth Adams, Mayor Jim Gray, and any other officer or agent of the city who permitted, condoned, assisted in, or otherwise participated in the abuse and violation of Kavanaugh's civil rights.
Kavanaugh is asking for compensatory damages, punitive damages, court costs, attorney's fees and any other relief he may be etitled to. Kavanaugh is also asking for a trial by jury.
Pleas Kavanaugh has been dealing with false arrests at the hands of a few officers since 2004. I detailed two of his most recent arrests and court cases here Examiner.com. Links to those stories can be found below this article.
Kavanaugh has provided me with a copy of the court case:
Continue reading on Examiner.com Kavanaugh files civil suit against Lexington Police and LFUCG. - Lexington courts | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/kavanaugh-files-civil-suit-against-lexington-police-and-lfucg#ixzz1qGPqtEPgPleas Lucian Kavanaugh and his attorneys, Arnold & Miller, have filed a civil suit... more
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The American Bar Association has announced a study released Wednesday recommending that Kentucky suspend executions due to serious flaws in the legal system. Those flaws include low pay for public defenders, a lack of protections against executing the mentally ill, no rule to preserve evidence for future appeals, confusion amongst the jurors, prosecutorial misconduct and poor police work, especially involving false identifications and false confessions. A recent local case is a perfect example of this flawed and corrupt system.
Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh was charged with two crimes in a short period of time two years ago. Both cases were recently dismissed.
The first case involved the daughter of Detective William Persley, the partner of Detective Elizabeth Adams. Detective Adams had lost several cases in the past where she had charged Kavanaugh with a crime. Kavanaugh was found innocent of these charges after a trial determined many inconsistencies in the testimonies of Persley, Persley's daughter and former Detective Adams. Detective Adams was demoted to officer position after it was determined that she handled this and other cases questionably. Specifically, her procedure for witness identifications in some cases was flawed. It could be argued these flaws were done by choice.
One of the recommendations by the ABA was that videotaping should take place the entire time someone is questioned, not just part of the time. In the Kavanaugh case, Adams claims that the recorder just didn't work this time. The file seemed to be there but she can't get it to play. The defense asked for this file or access to the computer or to talk to the computer tech at the police department. All of these requests were ignored.
The second case was the infamous bus stop kidnapping that made all of the local news. Kavanaugh was announced on all of the local stations as the suspect. The police claimed that he was to be considered armed and dangerous. Kavanaugh turned himself in at a news station and then to the police station to ensure his safety.
After two years, Kavanuagh's defense team was put in contact with the witness or victim in this case. A short interview with her revealed why the prosecution did not want the defense to speak with her. She reveals more improper police work by Detectives Adams and Persley.
Adams, once again, decided in advance that she would pin this crime on Kavanaugh. Immediately while the victim is filing the report Adams tells her that she knows that Kavanaugh is the man they should be looking for. In order to make sure Kavanaugh is arrested she manipulated the eyewitness identification by first showing a drawing of Kavanaugh to her. She then returned with a group of pictures, one of them being Kavanaugh, and asks the victim to pick the assailant. Of course, she picks the one that looks like the drawing she had recently been shown. This was all done at the house of the victim rather than on videotape at the police station.
Days after this interview the prosecutor, Bobby Gullette, surprises everyone just weeks before the trial by dismissing the case at a status hearing with no explanation. No explanation was necessary. Should the case have been allowed to continue, Kavanaugh would surely have beat the charges and claimed his innocence. This would have also allowed the disciplinary file on Detective Persley to become public. Detective Adams' file had already came out in the previous case. Persley's is rumored to be even more damaging.
These two disciplinary files with two recent false arrests, previous false arrests and a witness testimony with damning information combine to set the stage for a costly civil case against the city.
Kavanaugh realized a few days ago that this case was dismissed 'without prejudice'.
Read the rest of the story at the link: http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/kentucky-justice-with-or-without-prejudice
Wikipedia explains with and without prejudice in a criminal case:The American Bar Association has announced a study released Wednesday recommending... more
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A recent interview with the victim of the attempted bus depot attack 2 years ago proves that Lexington detectives decided to 'pin' the attack on Kavanaugh from the very start. The interview was leaked to LexiLeaks and then passed on to me.
Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh has been dealing with false arrests for over ten years. Detective Elizabeth Adams was involved in Kavanaugh's early arrests a decade ago. Adams does not hide her contempt for Kavanaugh after her loss in those cases.
More recently, Kavanaugh was chosen by Adams' partner's daughter, Morgan Persley, as her attacker on October 24, 2009. Detective Adams and Detective Persley have both been demoted to officer after behavior in Persley's daughter's case and other cases showed lack of integrity. Kavanaugh was found not guilty at trial in the Persley case.
The bus depot incident happened just five weeks after the Persley incident. However, the victim in this case has been ignored by the prosecution and hidden from the defense for almost two years. Just prior to the upcoming trial in this case the defense was allowed to interview the victim, Laura Baker. Not long after this interview, the prosecution suddenly, after two years, dismissed the case at a status hearing. An investigation into this interview shows clearly why this case was dismissed.
I have taken the interview and divided it into sections to emphasize each piece of evidence proving that Adams decided to pin this on Kavanaugh from the start and did everything she could, regardless of the evidence, to try to convict Kavanaugh of a crime she knew he did not commit.
In order to show that this interview has not been edited in such a way to change the meaning you may listen to the full un-edited interview here. If you would like to listen to the edited version from beginning to end prior to reading you can listen here.
Continue reading on Examiner.com Leaked witness interview proves Lexington detectives set up Kavanaugh. - Lexington courts | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/leaked-witness-interview-proves-lexington-detectives-set-up-kavanaugh#ixzz1fDqHDk1ZA recent interview with the victim of the attempted bus depot attack 2 years ago... more
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Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh has been dealing with false arrests, violations of his rights, defamation of character and harassment from certain Lexington Police officers for a decade now. Most recently I chronicled the cases of the attempted bus stop kidnapping and the alledged assault on one of these officers daughters. Both cases were dismissed or dropped due to illegal tactics by the officers influencing witnesses during the photo lineup.
These officers have a history with Kavanaugh after he won cases in the past against them. Detective Elizabeth Adams and Detective William Persley have since been demoted to officer position after behavior in this and other cases showed lack of integrity.
Kavanaugh contacted attorney Johnathan Weatherby after his most recent encounters with these two officers which resulted in dismissals. Kavanaugh and Weatherby detail the information and ask to confidentially settle this case in a letter to Mayor Jim Gray dated October 26, 2011.
Here is that letter:
October 26, 2011
Address withheld for privacy
Lexington, Kentucky 40503
Honorable Jim Gray, Mayor
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government
200 East Main Street
Lexington, Kentucky 40507
Re: Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh
Dear Mayor Gray:
I have been authorized by Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh to negotiate a confidential resolution to his potential claims against Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. Mr. Kavanaugh is an African-American male who has been harassed by the Lexington Police Department for years. Specifically, and most recently, Mr. Kavanaugh has been subjected to a systematic and coordinated effort by the Lexington Police Department to wrongly convict him of crimes that would have caused him to serve up to twenty-five years in prison. This conspiracy, conducted primarily by former Detective Elizabeth Adams, among others, includes documented instances of perjury, witness tampering and evidence tampering. All of which were committed with the obvious goal of framing Mr. Kavanaugh and sending him to prison.
Former Detective Adams and her like-minded colleagues, through the use of the above-referenced illegal tactics, caused two different charges to be brought against Mr. Kavanaugh in 2010. One of these charges has been voluntarily dismissed and the other resulted in an acquittal after Judge Scorsone ruled that the witness identification could not be used at trial because the manner in which it was obtained was unduly suggestive. Prior to the voluntary dismissal in the other case, Special Prosecutor Robert Gullette approached Mr. Kavanaugh’s counsel and offered to dismiss the case in exchange for a stipulation that probable cause existed for Mr. Kavanaugh’s arrest. This offer could only have been made because Gullette became aware of the extreme and illegal police misconduct used to illegally arrest Mr. Kavanaugh.
Mr. Kavanaugh has obtained recordings of witness interviews, grand jury testimony and trial testimony that support the allegations made herein. This voluminous evidence documents perjury on the part of former Detective Adams in grand jury proceedings as well as in a preliminary hearing before Judge Scorsone. Additionally, Mr. Kavanaugh has made contact with at least two police officers who will testify under subpoena regarding the gross misconduct of former Detective Adams among others.
Mr. Kavanaugh knows that you have sought to address some of the issues within the Lexington Police Department and he is aware that I have a friendly professional relationship with you. He therefore has requested that I approach you in order to resolve this issue confidentially and without the necessity of filing suit. Mr. Kavanaugh spent two months in jail for offenses that he did not commit and for charges that were brought against him in bad faith and as a result of the illegal tactics employed former Detective Adams and her like-minded colleagues. Mr. Kavanaugh was forced to surrender to the police while news cameras were rolling. Local news reporters told the public that Mr. Kavanaugh had been twice convicted of sexual assault based upon information provided to them by former Detective Adams who was without question aware of the falsity of this information when she provided it.
Upon information and belief, former Detective Adams is no longer a detective because of other similar misconduct that came to light causing her demotion as well as that of her partner, former Detective William Persely. It would be an understatement to say that the employment files of these two former detectives will not be helpful to you in this matter should it result in litigation. Mr. Kavanaugh and others have been denied copies of these employment files after numerous requests. Litigation in this matter will make these files public record.
Mr. Kavanaugh is prepared to file a federal civil action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 to recover actual and punitive damages. I think you will find that similar cases have produced jury verdicts in excess of Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000.00). The evidence to support these claims is clear and devastating. It is also quite clear that additional supporting evidence would be revealed after sufficient discovery.
Mr. Kavanaugh would like to put his issues with the Lexington Police Department behind him and also seeks to leave this area largely because of the lies that were spread about him in the news media as a result of the misinformation provided to them described above. The damage to his reputation and his psyche cannot be overstated. Mr. Kavanaugh would agree to a full and confidential Release, Confidentiality Agreement and Covenant Not to Sue in exchange for the sum of $250,000.00. If you would like to speak to Mr. Kavanaugh or to review the evidence that he has collected, please call me and I will facilitate a meeting. Mr. Kavanaugh has also been approached by members of the news media who seek to publicize his story. He plans to take no action for two (2) weeks in order to give you an opportunity to respond to this correspondence.
Please do not hesitate to contact me regarding this matter at xxxxxxxxxxx. I look forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Weatherby, Esq.
The history of Mr. Kavanaugh's cases is detailed in the articles in the suggested links below.
If the demotion and subsequent denial of the employment files of these officers is any indication of the case the city plans to fight, our tax dollars would be better served with this settlement offer.
Kavanaugh and his attorney will now officially file a complaint and Rico case detailing the harassment he has endured. I will continue to update this case as new information comes out.
Copyright ©Christopher Hignite 2011 All Rights Reserved. This article cannot be copied for email or other websites.
The author grants permission to republish the title and first paragraph of this article provided they are linked to the original article on Examiner. He welcomes emails: Christopher@wearechangeky.com
http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/city-ignores-kavanaugh-s-request-to-settle-corruption-case-confidentiallyPleas Lucian Kavanaugh has been dealing with false arrests, violations of his rights,... more
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The economy is hurting everyone. Some more than others. In this series I will talk to the homeless about each individual situation and how they got there.The economy is hurting everyone. Some more than others. In this series I will talk to... more
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Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh has always claimed he was innocent of the two charges filed against him by the Lexington Police. He was able to prove his innocence on one charge. The second charge wreaked of the same corruption as the first.
After a long, expensive and drawn out fight, Kavanaugh's attorneys helped him win a verdict of not guilty on August 24 on the first charge. This case involved the daughter of the partner of the former detective who filed the case against Kavanaugh.
You might remember the second case as the infamous Lextran kidnapping attempt. Kavanaugh, out of fear for his safety, turned himself in to a news station prior to accompanying them down to the police station. The police had put out an announcement that Kavanaugh was to be considered 'armed and dangerous'.
Both detectives involved in these cases have now been demoted down to officer status.
Read the rest of the story at the link: http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/breaking-news-second-kavanaugh-case-dismissed-at-status-hearingPleas Lucian Kavanaugh has always claimed he was innocent of the two charges filed... more
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Before the Occupy Wall Street movement spurred Lexingtonians to start Occupy Lexington I had already been covering MoveOn.Org, U.S. Uncut and other groups protesting downtown and at Mitch McConnell's office. Then and now the Lexington Police have done an exemplary job of keeping the peace while respecting everyone's rights.
MoveOn.Org sponsored a rally downtown at Phoenix Park last Spring. Many people attended this rally. There were signs, chants and songs. The Lexington Police maintained a presence at a distance and never once interfered with the event. Compare that to videos circulating showing unnecessary violence against protesters in NYC.
Senator McConnell's office was the next time that the police attended a protest. This time it was not to watch but to order the protesters off of the property that McConnell's office occupies. However, unlike other cities, these officers never pushed, shoved, yelled, maced or arrested anyone. The building management's position was explained and options were offered to the protesters.
Follow the rest of the story at:
http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/lexington-police-set-example-for-nation-s-handling-of-protestsBefore the Occupy Wall Street movement spurred Lexingtonians to start Occupy Lexington... more
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Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh has been found not guilty in the assault case that took place on October 24, 2009. The alleged assault took place at 112 W. High St after 1AM. Many suspicious facts caught my attention after Mr. Kavanaugh contacted me and asked that I investigate and write about his case.
I wrote my first article about this case on August 13, 2010. Since then I have written several other articles detailing the shady tactics used by prosecutor Bobby Gullette and Officer Elizabeth Adams. Some of their actions took place prior to Kavanaugh's arrest and some have taken place in the courtrooms. Those articles are linked at the bottom if you'd like to follow the entire story.
Pleas' trial began on Wednesday and ended yesterday with a not guilty verdict by 1 PM.
The victim was Morgan Louise Persely and is the daughter of the partner of Officer Elizabeth Adams. During the trial Ms. Persely's story changed and made little sense. Her story differed from details she gave to the grand jury and changed again from statements given during evidentiary hearing 1 and evidentiary hearing 2.
Read the rest of the article at:
http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/not-guilty-pleas-lucian-kavanaugh-found-innocent-of-chargesPleas Lucian Kavanaugh has been found not guilty in the assault case that took place... more
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Law enforcement officials and prosecutors are concerned that a recent Mass. Supreme Court decision will hamper efforts to prosecute people for driving under the influence of drugs. Another concern is that marijuana drug busts will be harder to justify.
Defense lawyers, however, agree with the Supreme Court decision. Massachusetts, like Kentucky, passed a state ballot in 2008 decriminalizing possession of one ounce or less of marijuana. The court ruled the police need more cause than marijuana odor to order someone to exit a car. The odor of marijuana, the court found, is not indicative of criminal activity.
Worcester District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. said, “If a police officer smells the distinctive odor of marijuana, if their training and experience tells them something else is going on, they should be able to do their jobs.”
Continue reading on Examiner.com: What effect will Massachusetts Supreme Court pot ruling have in Kentucky? - Lexington courts | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/what-effect-will-massachusetts-supreme-court-pot-ruling-have-kentucky#ixzz1KvjkYfcTLaw enforcement officials and prosecutors are concerned that a recent Mass. Supreme... more
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This April 29th will be the one year anniversary of Officer Bryan Durman's tragic death in Lexington. Lexingtonians, friends, family and officers around the country will be honoring this young man on Friday.
The Officer Down Memorial Page describes the incident:
"Officer Bryan J. Durman was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver at the intersection of Limestone and Alabama Streets.
He was investigating a noise ordinance violation at approximately 10:00 pm. He had responded to the location to locate the driver of a vehicle that had been playing music too loudly.
After striking Officer Durman, the driver of the SUV fled to a nearby apartment, where he was taken into custody by members of the agency's ERU team. He was charged with murder and numerous additional charges in connection with the collision and previous warrants.
Officer Durman had served with the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Police Department for 2 ½ years."
I've discussed the case and the murder charge in previous articles but today is about Officer Durman.
Officer Durman was a family man, a friend, a son, a brother to his fellow officers and a good officer with a spotless career. Lexington will miss the service and fellowship of this young police officer.
Join others in honoring Officer Durman by joining the Facebook event, Honor Fallen Ofc. Bryan Durman and by changing your Facebook picture to Officer Durman's badge, available at the page, for Friday April 29, 2011.
Copyright ©Christopher Hignite 2010 All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Lexingtonians Honor Fallen Officer Bryan Durman on April 29, 2011 - Lexington courts | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/lexingtonians-honor-fallen-officer-bryan-durman-on-april-29-2011#ixzz1Ktjmq2mNThis April 29th will be the one year anniversary of Officer Bryan Durman's tragic... more
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So far we've dealt with some of the politicians, prostitutes and police officers that are involved in Lexington's sex trafficking industry. I've detailed my history and how I got involved in solving the murder of Deborah Wardlaw. Just prior to becoming an Examiner, I ran for city council in 2010 to bring attention to the corruption and government ties to the human trafficking industry. My campaign wound up being a catalyst to more information filling in the pieces of the puzzle. I will now introduce you to the members, the enablers and the customers of the Big Blue Mafia....
Let's re-cap.
* I made claims that the Lexington Police take payoffs from prostitutes and Deborah Wardlaw was murdered to cover this up.
* Deborah Wardlaw herself made these claims days before her murder and named individuals involved. The individuals named are placed on her case to investigate it.
* Those same officers are either convicted or proven to be corrupt in at least three cases around the same time.
* Those very individuals, the mayor, county attorney, and others at the time of the Wardlaw murder are implicated in covering up the pedophile case of Ron Berry and the Micro-City government.
* One defendant, when asked about the case, hurls a veiled threat in my direction.
* Finally, a city council member refuses to investigate the murder of Deborah Wardlaw.
* Then, he admits to not only being close friends but helping out legally a former escort agency owner with ties to local government.
* This former escort agency owner ran for mayor when he owned the prostitution based company and was currently running for mayor when this statement was made.
Some of the victims suing Micro-City Government allege Lexington Fayette Urban County Government Officials & Mayors ran a child sex-ring. The victims allege racketeering, interstate transport of minors for sex, etc.
This was the three judge panel's summary:
From 1969 until 2000, Lexington Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) provided funding for
Micro-City Government, a summer program founded by Ronald Berry. The purpose of the program was to
provide part-time summer employment for disadvantaged area youth.
According to many of the program’s participants, however, Berry physically, mentally, and sexually
abused them, with the latest acts of abuse occurring in May of 1995. Berry was subsequently convicted on 12
counts of sodomy and abuse of minors in criminal proceedings brought by the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The plaintiffs in the present case, 96 former Micro-City Government participants, claim that LFUCG
knowingly concealed and facilitated the abuse. Specifically, they allege that LFUCG officials were informed
of the abuse on a number of occasions, and that at least one LFUCG official actually witnessed “one of Berry’s
sexual outings.”
Nevertheless, LFUCG continued to fund Micro-City Government and is alleged to have actively
concealed Berry’s behavior. The plaintiffs further allege that LFUCG retained Berry as the director of the
program even after LFUCG officials were aware of the abuse, and that at least one Mayor of Lexington refused
to cut off funding or expose Berry because doing so would not have been “politically sustainable.”....
This latest news is the result of a two-year long federal investigation into the Jesters for prostitution, sex trafficking and child sex tourism after three Jesters pleaded guilty to violating or conspiring to violate the Mann Act for taking an illegal alien prostitute from Buffalo to a Jester weekend party in Kentucky. Former NY State Supreme Court Judge Ronald Tills admitted in his plea agreement to working with national Jester officers to make arrangements to transport the prostitutes from Buffalo to Ontario for a national Jester meeting.
Herbeck also reported today that an FBI agent wrote "Tills delegated that duty to Michael Lesinski, a member of the [Jesters] and then an active deputy sheriff with the Erie County Sheriff's Department."
Tills was sentenced in August, 2009 to a year and a half in federal prison for either transporting or arranging for the transportation of prostitutes to Jester meetings in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Florida, New York and Canada. He’s currently incarcerated at federal facilities in Lexington, Kentucky.
Tills and two other Jesters were caught in March, 2008 by the FBI in a human trafficking sting that targeted four massage parlors that were fronts for the prostitution of illegal alien Asian women.
As a result, Tills and retired police captain John Trowbridge pleaded guilty to violating the Mann Act. Tills' law clerk, Michael Stebick, admitted to driving the motor home that transported an illegal alien prostitute from Buffalo, NY to a Jester meeting in Lexington, Kentucky, and pleaded guilty to what Lesinski has been charged with, conspiring to violate the Mann Act.
Members of the Royal Order of Jesters are secretly invited Shriners, best known for their red fezzes and operating a network of 21 hospitals that provide free medical care to burned and crippled children.
This was also detailed in the Buffalo News.
Escort agencies, like Fantasy's Escorts, that are involved with the Masons will put Masonic symbols on their websites...
Much more to the story at the link:
http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/big-blue-mafia-part-2-on-human-trafficking-lexingtonSo far we've dealt with some of the politicians, prostitutes and police officers... more
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A few days after my most recent article; Politicians, prostitutes, priest and pedophiles: The Lexington Connection was published on Examiner.com it was referenced on another news site. A reader on that site pointed out an interesting fact. Googling Deborah Wardlaw only pulls up the articles that I have written about her. She does not appear on newspaper sites, cold case files for the Lexington police, Fayette County Attorney or the Kentucky State Police websites.
"Very engrossing article. I have a couple questions: was this written by your brother and, if so, can I please be linked to a newspaper article or something similar that chronicles the death of Deborah Wardlaw? I can only find articles involving the accused connection of corrupt cops and, ironically, a website for a shooting range owned by one Deborah Wardlaw. I would like to independently verify that she was indeed murdered."
I decided to click on the contact link for the Lexington Police Cold Case website and inquire about this:
From:calanphoto@aol.com [mailto:calanphoto@aol.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2011 3:06 AM
To: Detective
Subject: Unsolved murders
I am curious as to why the Deborah Wardlaw murder does not appear on this or the Commonwealth Attorney's cold case or unsolved files. If she is listed somewhere, could you please provide me a link to this information.
Sincerely,
Christopher Hignite
Lexington Courts Examiner
Examiner.com
The contact link was connected to Lieutenant James Curless. This was his response:
RE: Unsolved murdersFrom:James Curless To:calanphoto Date:Wed, Mar 23, 2011 10:15 am
Mr. Hignite,
We have just over 50 unsolved homicides from the past 35 years in Lexington. We do not post all of the unsolved homicide cases on our website; however, we do periodically rotate the unsolved homicide cases on our website. Most of our unsolved homicides, including the homicide of Ms. Deborah Wardlaw, are highlighted on our Cold Case Playing Cards which have been distributed to our local jail and state correctional facilities. Presently, there is no “link” to this case.
Unfortunately I can not answer your question as it pertains to the Commonwealth Attorney’s website. However, you may contact Mr. Ray Larson, Fayette County Commonwealth Attorney at telephone number 859-246-2060 for inquiry.
Sincerely,
Lieutenant James Curless
Lexington Police Department
150 East Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Office: 859.258.3743
FAX: 859.258.3781
E-Mail: jcurless@lexingtonky.gov
I then responded with:
From:calanphoto@aol.com [mailto:calanphoto@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2011 4:33 AM
To: James Curless
Subject: RE: Unsolved murders
Officer Curless,
Thank you for your quick reply. You mention that Deborah is on the unsolved crimes deck of cards. I checked the website, http://www.kentuckystatepolice.org/unsolved_cases.htm, and couldn't find her on the cards. Is there any where that I might obtain a copy of these cards, preferably the issue with her case? If they're not available to public would I be able to obtain one with an open records request?
My interest in her case is explained in my most recent article for the Examiner:
http://current.com/shows/upstream/93091658_politicians-prostitutes-priests-and-pedophiles-the-lexington-connection-lexington-courts-examiner-com.htm#93097750
The video attached to the article has a recording of Deborah Wardlaw naming six Lexington officers as threatening her life just days before her murder. Even with the victim's personal accusation, I have not been able to get the guns of these officers compared to the ballistics of the bullet found during the murder. The officers she mentioned were placed on the case to investigate it. Should her accusation be correct, the perpetrators of the murder were trusted to investigate the murder. In this case, it would be no wonder that the case has never made any progress.
I have been in contact with several current and former officers that have given me information in confidence that this particular group has a reputation for organized crime. (Section re-dacted due to the confidential nature and ongoing investigation) I have recorded admissions from three escort agency owners from the 90s, again fingering the same crew for taking payoffs from prostitutes.
Advertisement
My recording has been promoted and on YouTube since 2000 and I've written letters since 1997 making these claims prior to Deborah's murder and continuing until now. I made the recording an issue during the 2010 city council race and the local media mentioned it. Despite the recording not even a ballistics tests of the officers guns' who were mentioned has been done.
All of that considered. I have one question. Why haven't these officers been investigated for the murder of Deborah Wardlaw?
Sincerely,
Christopher Hignite
Lexington Courts Examiner
PS: You have been very helpful and my investigations in no way should be taken as an opinion on yourself or the department.
Lt. Curless was, again, quick to respond:
Unsolved murdersFrom:James Curless To:calanphoto Date:Fri, Mar 25, 2011 9:10 pm
Mr. Hignite,
I certainly appreciate your concern for this investigation. Typically we only discuss open homicide investigations with the public or media in very general and broad terms. As such, I will afford the same courtesy to you and respond to your points and questions from your email.
1: The Lexington Police Department produced and distributed cold case playing cards in 2009 which featured Ms. Wardlaw. On January 15, 2010 we held a press conference with our local media outlets and distributed cards to them. Although you may not have been at this event, if you provide an address I will mail a deck to you. With the assistance of the Department of Criminal Justice and the Lexington Police Department, the KY State Police were able to produce and distribute their cold case playing cards in December 2010. Their deck featured some of our cases; however, Ms. Wardlaw was not one of them.
2: In May 2010, we thoroughly reviewed the information you brought forward concerning the Deborah Wardlaw homicide investigation. As you know, these facts or the investigative follow-up information are not a matter for public disclosure. All the information you brought forward has appropriately been reviewed and investigated. Furthermore, this information has been incorporated into the Deborah Wardlaw Homicide Case File.
I assure you that our primary goal in this investigation is to place criminal charges against the culprit of this crime and provide some type of resolution to the Wardlaw family.
Lieutenant James Curless
Lexington Police Department
150 East Main Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Office: 859.258.3743
FAX: 859.258.3781
E-Mail: jcurless@lexingtonky.gov
You will note that even though I have been bringing these accusations since December 1999, the police department did not review my information or add it to the file until May of 2010.
How many people are involved? How far up the ladder does the conspiracy and the cover-up go? Why would the police, the city government, the local newspaper, politicians and even state government agencies ignore the information and turn a blind eye?
I will evaluate this information and show why the Big Blue Nation is the home of the Big Blue Mafia in Part 2 of this series on human trafficking, politicians and police departments.
Follow along and I'll explain in Part 3 how misplaced male misogyny, especially among the male elite, fuels this industry.
More at the link:
Copyright ©Christopher Hignite 2010 All Rights Reserved.A few days after my most recent article; Politicians, prostitutes, priest and... more
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Kentucky becomes the latest state to reign in corrections costs by enacting sentencing reforms. Not to be outdone, a Texas county has gotten creative with drug sentencing in the case of Willie Nelson.
Governor Steve Beshear signed Kentucky's HB 463 into law on March 3. "This overhaul of Kentucky's penal code is the result of a multi-year effort involving members of the executive, legislative and judicial branches," said Gov. Beshear. "Over the last three years, we've made headway with aggressive efforts to bring common sense to Kentucky's penal code, and our prison population has dropped each of the past three years. House Bill 463 helps us be tough on crime, while being smart on crime."
Kentucky's law calls for probation for small time drug possession charges. It also calls for drug treatment to be mad available. The law reduces penalties for small time drug dealing while increasing penalties for large-scale trafficking. It also decreases the drug free zone from 1000 yards to 1000 feet.
"Today, if you sell half a gram of rock cocaine, that's a Class C felony," said Van Ingram, director of the Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy. "When the new law goes into effect in 90 days, you will have to sell more than four grams to get Class C. That means instead of a five-to-ten-year sentence, you'll be looking at one-to-five," he told the Chronicle.
The new law lowers possession of less than an ounce of marijuana from a Class A misdemeanor worth up to a year in jail to a Class B misdemeanor with a maximum sentence of 45 days in jail, if any jail sentence is imposed.
In November, Willie Nelson was pulled over at a Border Patrol checkpoint in Hudspeth County, Texas. Officers smelled marijuana and when a search of the tour bus was performed, they found 6.2 ounces of weed.
According to the Big Bend Sentinel, the case is about to be resolved in a very creative way. The Hudspeth County attorney has decided to make a plea deal with Willie.
“I’m gonna let him plead, pay a small fine and he’s gotta sing “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” with his guitar right there in the courtroom,” County Attorney Kit Bramblett said this week. “You bet your ass I ain’t gonna be mean to Willie Nelson.”
Bramblett oversees 10 to 12 personal use case per month. The 6.24 ounces that Willie Nelson was caught with is above the amount Bramblett can handle in his jurisdiction. Bramblett has found a way around this...
“Between me and the sheriff, we threw out enough of it or smoked enough so that there’s only three ounces, which is within my jurisdiction,” Bramblett said.
I'm not sure how much of that was a joke or not but I know that our overcrowded prisons are no laughing matter. Kentucky's prison population has increased fourfold in the past two decades, from 5,000 in 1990 to more than 20,000 now. Drug offenders account for 25% of the prison population, but 38% of inmates admitted since 2000.
Maybe Gatewood Galbraith could represent Willie Nelson in Lexington and we'll all get treated to a duo of "The Green, Green Grass of Home". That's one concert I wouldn't want to miss.
Read more at the link: http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/kentucky-passes-hb-463-and-texas-passes-one-to-willie
Copyright 2011 All Rights Reserved. Christopher HigniteKentucky becomes the latest state to reign in corrections costs by enacting sentencing... more
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Have you seen me? That is the question posed by the missing children ads on milk cartons and on the walls of the post office. Have you ever stopped, read one of those ads and wondered, "What happened to this child?" We know that some are taken by non-custodial parents and others by criminals. What most people do not realize is that many children who disappear are victims of their very own government. This series of articles will take you around the world and end in your own back yard. From politicians to priests and from the Philippines to Philadelphia, I will show how the world of sexual slavery and politics go hand in hand.
Read more at the link:
http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/politicians-prostitutes-priests-and-pedophiles-the-lexington-connectionHave you seen me? That is the question posed by the missing children ads on milk... more
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It was a cold, overcast and rainy day in Lexington, Kentucky for the MoveOn.Org "Defend the Dream" rally. I couldn't help but thinking that it matched the mood of America and the World right now. The entire Middle-East is in turmoil, tens of thousands have rallied for worker's rights in Wisconsin and around the country in support of public workers' unions. If that wasn't enough, Japan has had an earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption and now six nuclear reactors are on the verge of meltdown. It seems that change is in the air and it's not the kind Obama promised just a few years ago.
Attendance at Lexington's "Defend the Dream" rally mirrored the weather and the mood of the World. The attendance was, in one word, depressing. You can see by the photos that only about 30-40 people attended during the peak of the rally. Some of those were transients and undercover police officers. I know this because my cameraman witnessed several of them sneaking off to report to bicycle officers and then return to the crowd dressed as homeless people.
MoveOn.Org sent out this message days before the event:
Republican attacks on workers and public programs are escalating in Wisconsin and in Washington, D.C. We have to stand up to Defend the Dream! So on Tuesday, we're getting together in Lexington. At the event, we'll stand in solidarity by wearing Wisconsin red and white, hear from local speakers impacted by Republican attacks, and be a show of community force to stop this onslaught on the American Dream. A big crowd is crucial please join us on Tuesday!
I don't believe in taking sides in American politics. It is my opinion that it is the middle class at war with the bankers and the corporations who control our politicians. These bankers and politicians keep us divided between Democrat and Republican lines in order to keep us arguing and divided. While we are distracted, both sides of the political isle do the bidding of the corporations and the banks who have stolen our country and replaced the Constitution with a Supreme Court that is bought and paid for.
"United we stand, Divided we fall" is a phrase that has been used in mottos, from nations and states to songs. The basic concept is that unless the people are united, it is easy to destroy them. This is a counter to the maxim divide and rule.
Wikipedia states:
Patrick Henry used the phrase in his last public speech, given in March 1799, in which he denounced The Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. Clasping his hands and swaying unsteadily, Henry declaimed, “Let us trust God, and our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.” At the end of his oration, Henry fell into the arms of bystanders and was carried almost lifeless into a nearby tavern. Two months afterward, he had died.
Kentucky's second governor, Isaac Shelby, was particularly fond of the stanza from the Liberty Song. Since 1942, this phrase is the official non-Latin state motto of Kentucky. (In 2002, the Kentucky legislature approved an official Latin motto, Deo gratiam habeamus, "Let us be grateful to God").
Kentucky, of all places, should know the meaning of this phrase. Kentucky, of all places, should stand together and "Defend the Dream". Where were the Kentuckians today when so much is at stake? Where were the Kentuckians today that agree with today's rally? Where were the Kentuckians today that disagree with the rally's points? When all of the World is either standing up for what they believe or for those in need, where were the Kentuckians today?
Rikka Wallin has tirelessly sponsored these events for MoveOn.Org. Some of the other Kentuckians that braved the cold were Melissa Jan Williamson, Vice President for KASE, David Smith, President KASE, Kathy Green who works for the state and Dr. Preston Elrod who also spoke at the event.
These Americans got involved along with a crowd of about 30 other patriotic people to "Defend the Dream". Where were you? Agree or disagree, it need not matter. Democracy requires the involvement of the people or it doesn't work.
In the early Twentieth Century Freud and his grandson, Edward Bernays, worked with politicians to use propaganda, the media, psychology and Pavlovian techniques to 'train' the American and European people into becoming ultra-consumers. These techniques have been continued and perfected over the years creating a society that is easily controlled by keeping our incomes low and our desires high.
From Wikipedia:
Edward Louis Bernays (November 22, 1891 – March 9, 1995), was an American pioneer in the field of public relations and propaganda along with Ivy Lee, referred to in his obituary as "the father of public relations".[1] Combining the ideas of Gustave Le Bon and Wilfred Trotter on crowd psychology with the psychoanalytical ideas of his uncle, Dr. Sigmund Freud, Bernays was one of the first to attempt to manipulate public opinion using the subconscious.
He felt this manipulation was necessary in society, which he regarded as irrational and dangerous as a result of the 'herd instinct' that Trotter had described.[citation needed] Adam Curtis's award-winning 2002 documentary for the BBC, The Century of the Self, pinpoints Bernays as the originator of modern public relations, and Bernays was named one of the 100 most influential Americans of the 20th century by Life magazine.[2]
America needs hippies. Yes, I said it, hippies, or at least the passion that drove the movement. We need a movement of people that refuse to be lab rats for Pennsylvania Avenue. We could also use some of the love, compassion and ideas of connectivity that drove the movement. What will it take to bring back the passion to America that brought our parents and grandparents into the streets?
I hope something happens soon in America because the turnout in Lexington proves Mark Twain to be right when he said, "I want to be in Kentucky when the end of the world comes, because it's always 20 years behind."
Of course, with the events around the World, that might not be such a bad thing.
Copyright ©Christopher Hignite 2010 All Rights Reserved.
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Kentuckians "Defend the Dream" at Lexington's Phoenix Park - Lexington courts | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/kentuckians-defend-the-dream-at-lexington-s-phoenix-park#ixzz1Gozpi1AoIt was a cold, overcast and rainy day in Lexington, Kentucky for the MoveOn.Org... more
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We've all heard it over and over again, "September 11th changed everything". The turmoil in the Middle East is about to make us eat those words. From that day forward America has been spiraling down a path of self destruction and "our chickens are coming home to roost". Wars that we entered over lies, taking from the poor and giving to the rich, psy-ops and propaganda on American citizens and dignitaries, mercenaries for hire and more wars that create more wars. All across the world people are saying "we've had enough". Protests and regime changes are happening all across the Middle East and now we're seeing the unrest in America. Gas prices will rise and as they rise so will the price of eveything else and so will the crime rates.
When we invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq we opened up a hornet's nest that is proving impossible to exterminate. Like dominoes, American and CIA supported dictators are toppling one after another. This is due to a combination of factors. First, our prescence alone and every insurgent or civilian death just creates more anger and more terrorism. Second, the expense of these wars caused the destruction of the American economy which then destroyed the World's economy. Greed is the reason for all of this.
In April 2010 I was hired as a roaming photographer for a J.P. Morgan Chase high roller meeting at Keeneland Race Track in Lexington. I was just supposed to take some pictures of the event. The decorations and then each person separatedly for a take home souvenir was supplied. None of the staff could speak English except for the bankers and their hosts.
I'm not sure if I was supposed to come in during the lecture but I stood in the back of the room and nobody seemed to pay any attention to me. Besides, I don't think they expected the photographer to understand what they were talking about. A man named Stu Schweitzer was the guest speaker for the day.
Mr. Schweitzer spoke for about an hour but the parts you'll be interested in will make you mad. He claimed that the bailout was unnecessary because the banks weren't in need of money. We took from the poor and gave to the rich. The "crash" was by design, he said, and the crowd all laughed. He also stated that the reason they are calling it a "jobless recovery" was that the banks were fine but the jobs would not return. Again, the room filled with laughter. He then asked a Texas banker to explain to everyone how his branch was now turning to large corporate loans because housing loans and the middle class would not return. You got it, plenty of laughter. He then talked about the yearly retreat and explained how it had to be moved from the normal five star resort out west to a hotel in Times Square. This was done so the American public wouldn't know they had been deceived, he stated. He noted, however, that it was still a five star hotel. This gained him the most laughter of the night.
Wiki-leaks recently announced that Saudi Arabia may have overstated their oil reserves by 40%. This caused an immediate rise in oil prices.
Yesterday, America announced that, after discussions with NATO, sanctions would be enforced on Libya. Again, prices of oil are spiking.
These higher gas prices will hamper the global economy. A bad economy doesn't always mean higher crime rates. The San Fernando Valley and others have seen some of the lowest crime rates in decades. Crime rates fell about one third between 1934 and 1938 while the nation was struggling to emerge from the Great Depression and weathering another severe economic downturn in 1937 and 1938. However, we are facing a tsunami of issues beyond gas prices, high food prices and the failing economy.
Read the rest of the story at the link: http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/turmoil-libya-will-increase-crime-rates-lexington-ky-and-more
MonkeyFilms aka Christopher HigniteWe've all heard it over and over again, "September 11th changed... more
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Riots, revolts and revolutions are the talk of all of the media outlets these days.Yemen, Cairo, Tehran, Tunisia, Algeria and before that in Greece, France and Great Britain saw protests of unfair conditions. While the Middle East demanded change from the dictatorships that created these conditions we are now seeing protests in America demanding better working conditions. Starting in Wisconsin and now in Ohio, Americans have started the spark that will eventually lead to real change in this country. Americans can affect change more easily than other countries by just getting involved in our political and legal processes. I suggest taking an interest in our broken court system.
Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh appears in court on Wednesday, February 23d at 8:00 AM in courtroom 2 in Fayette County, Kentucky. I've been following his case here on Examiner in previous articles. To summarize; his is a case of police retaliation. Join me at his trial and let's take baby steps in this American revolution by insuring that one man doesn't suffer at the hands of government corruption.
Mr. Kavanaugh has been arrested and found not guilty several times in Lexington. He then filed a civil case against the city and the police force for false arrest. The case was almost dropped and is still pending due to the extreme cost of taking on a city government in civil court. Due to this civil case Mr. Kavanaugh has been harassed repeatedly by members of the Lexington Police Department. Most recently resulting in charges of attempting to kidnap a woman at the main Lextran bus station.
This charge resulted solely upon a decision made by Detective Elizabeth D Adams. Kavanaugh's first encounter with the Lexington Police began with Detective Adams...
Detective Adams was recently suspened without pay for infractions that should bring her credibility into question. I have received, through the Freedom of Information Act, her administrative disciplinary case file. Her fellow officers made a list of complaints and allegations about her as follows:
Detective Admas has failed to adequately perform her duties as an investigator. During a review of her case assignments from 2008 to the present (May 18, 2010), several deficiencies were discovered to include:
* Failure to folow up investigative leads concerning suspects in custody for a series of robberies in Tennessee wherein the suspects confessed to similar crimes in Lexington.
* Retaining an evidenciary video recording of a robbery in her desk for over 1 year before booking.
* Failure to make contact with victims in many of her assigned cases.
* Failure to perform routine follow up in many of her assigned cases.
* Failure to file follow up reports documenting investigative actions taken in many of her assigned cases.
The panel and the Lexington City Council voted to suspend her without pay from November 29th through December 3d, 2010. She was relieved of all police credentials and division-owned equipment. Her right to carry a concealed weapon, make arrests and all other law enforcement duties were removed. She was also ordered to participate in an Employee Development Program.
You or I would be fired at our jobs for these types of infractions. Her credibility in accusing Pleas in this case is now offically zero. Is the video from her desk the missing video from the bus station? Some corrupt and incompetent police officers are handed down slaps on the wrist as they continue to abuse the rights of innocent people. Others do their best to keep us safe while defending themselves from the image that bad apples create. White collar criminals get probation for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars while the average man can hardly afford the legal fees to prove his innocence.
This system is broken unless we stand up and demand a better one. One way is to celebrate those in politics, government and our courtrooms that wish to do the will of the people. Another is to visit the courtrooms and show support for those falsely accused or harassed by police officers with a grudge to settle.
I've been in Mr. Kavanaugh's position before and the selfless support of friends and family was the miracle in my life that kept me going. Please help me support a U.S. citizen, Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh, on Wednesday at 8:00 AM in Lexington. If you cannot attend the trial, will you leave your support in the comments section? I hope to fill the courtroom with supporters and make a statement to a court system that is in need of a facelift.
I'm not calling for a revolution or all out riots in the streets. No, not yet, but I do think that we need to become more active in politics and our government. Over-zealous prosecutors and corrupt police officers are a big problem in this country and a great place to start if we want this country to return to the great symbol of freedom it once was.
Join me and the folks at We Are Change Ky and Lexi-Leaks as we start a silent protest by attending the trial of Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh on Wednesday, February 23d at 8:00 AM in courtroom 2.
Copyright ©Christopher Hignite 2011 All Rights Reserved. Feel free to copy and promote this article on any site. Please provide a link to the original article.
For more of the article:
Continue reading on Examiner.com: Ready to revolt? Start in the courtrooms. - Lexington courts | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/ready-to-revolt-start-the-courtrooms#ixzz1EafqrAqQRiots, revolts and revolutions are the talk of all of the media outlets these... more
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The snow came early this year. Just as the 25 days of the Christmas season had begun Kentucky got a blanket of white. More than usual I'm in the Christmas spirit this year. However, too many of us will sit in jail this Christmas. Worse, some will sit in jail even though they will later be found innocent of the charges.
I have followed the original arrest, subsequent hearings, blogs, and further arrests and hearings of Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh. Most recently his bond was revoked and he was ordered to jail until his court date on February 23d. Pleas will spend Christmas in jail for exercising his First Amendment right to voice his case and his concerns over his ongoing police harassment. It's Christmas in jail when they deny your bail.
Every time I look at my Christmas tree and work on decorating the house I can't help but thinking about Pleas. Pleas is a good man, an innocent man. Pleas has friends and family who are missing him right now. Stress and worry dominate their lives during a time meant for peace and love.
Pleas does not deserve to be punished for blogging about his situation. Prosecutor Gullette didn't like what Mr. Kavanaugh was saying and called a hearing on December 16th to do just that.
I can identify with Mr. Kavanaugh. While I was going through the heaviest of my police harassment, I was conveniently arrested and jailed for several years on falsified charges on the 23d of December. I was usually held until after midnight on the 24th. I could go all year without a false arrest but year after year I would get arrested on December 23d. In my case, December 23d is not just two days before Christmas, it is also my birthday. Stop a minute and think about everyone else who was affected by this harassment. My friends and family couldn't enjoy the holidays because they were worried and spending all of their money arranging bond. My attorneys were stressed out and my minister would try to continue believing his sermons and loving everyone regardless.
Lucian's friends and family feel the pain of his continued harassment by the Lexington Police Department. But even worse, they will have to spend Christmas without him. They will have to think of Lucian eating jail food and sleeping on cold concrete when they should be sharing the 'reason for the season'.
What is the reason for the season? All religions, races, creeds and types of people have varying ways to identify why they celebrate. However, I think we can all overwhelmingly agree that during this season we try to do what's right for others and think less about ourselves. We try to be nicer, to do what's right and to make other people happy.
Lucian's friends and family have been working hard to try to bring him home for the holidays. Defending yourself from a criminal accusation is expensive. I recently received a message from his friends informing me of his situation with attorney's fees. Here is a portion of that message:
"I managed to hire one of the best attorneys in Lexington to represent him however we need to raise funds to cover the attorney fees. I and his brother contributed almost 13 of the fees but it is not enough. We have a deadline which is the 15th of december and I was wondering if there is any chance you might be able to publish his paypal account information in your blog and support us by getting our fund raising heard by as many people as we can."
"It could have been any of us. We all Stand for freedom of speech, we are all against racism, brutality and cruelty. We all stand for human rights. A pack of cigarettes $4.29, Parking in downtown lexington $3.00, Beer $2.00-$3.00, we have hundreds of people in our friend lists. If everyone contributes few bucks, not much. $5.00-$10.00!!! you can help an innocent person to live his life freely...it could have been any of us"
You can follow along with the progress on this case here.
Please consider donating to Lucian's legal fund here.
I know that it's now uncool and politically incorrect to refer to Jesus and Christianity among intellectuals today but it's Christmas and if Linus can do it then I'll take that chance.
During the making of the animated Christmas classic A Charlie Brown Christmas, Peanuts creator Charles Schulz had a meeting with Lee Mendelson, the show's producer, and Bill Melendez, its lead animator. The discussion concerned Schulz's insistence about including a New Testament scripture reading of the Christmas story from the Bible. The scripture reading was to be spoken by Peanuts character Linus Van Pelt in response to Charlie Brown's lament, Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about? Mendelson and Melendez both voiced their concern about the reading, with Melendez telling Schulz, "It's very dangerous for us to start talking about religion now." Schulz answered him by saying, "Bill, if we don't, who will?" In the end, the scripture reading was retained, and the CBS special was the second-most watched show of the week when it debuted on December 9, 1965, just fourteen days before I was born.
Linus' King James' version scripture reading from Luke 2: 8-14, read:
And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this [shall be] a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
That's what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.
Whatever your "reason for the season" would you consider donating any amount no matter your ability. Any amount will help.
You could turn you head, fidget with something or distract yourself in some way. We've all seen others do it when they walk past the Salvation Army bell ringers. Maybe we're guilty of doing it ourselves. I try to remember to bring something for the kettle after catching myself doing it.
Lucian has a history of harassment by the Lexington Police Department and currently is working on a civil case against them. Much of his current trouble is a reaction to this. HIs current incarceration was merely a move to punish him for shedding light on his case.
In Joshua 10:8, 12, 13, Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy and if darkness fell they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the Sun stand still! Like Joshua, Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh felt concerned that if he did not shed light on his situation, he would be overpowered by the enemy. Lucian was protecting himself. For that, without our help, he will have to spend Christmas in jail. I'm not asking for the Sun to stand still. I'm merely asking for your prayers, support and, if you have the ability, your help with a small donation to his legal fund.
Will you please join his Facebook page and visit Paypal to donate whatever you can to his legal fund. Whatever your religion, it's the Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah thing to do.
If you cannot donate would you consider helping get the word out?
Visit original article for links regarding this article.
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=206434750876 Pleas Facebook page
Paypal link: https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_donations&business=XZS93JTW7SSQ4&lc=US&item_name=Pleas+Kavanaugh+Legal+Help%21¤cy_code=USD&bn=PP-DonationsBF%3Abtn_donateCC_LG.gif%3ANonHosted
Christopher@wearechangeky.comThe snow came early this year. Just as the 25 days of the Christmas season had begun... more
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A Lexington, Kentucky judge has placed a man in jail without bond for blogging about his current and most recent court case. Prosecutor, Bobby Gullette, from neighboring Nicholasville, spotted Lucian's blog and immediately filed for a hearing asking that Kavanaugh be detained and punished for expressing his right to freedom of speech. At issue, in addition, was a warrant for Lucian's arrest that was carefully arranged through creative scheduling and re-scheduling by Gullette.
Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh was falsely accused and acquitted of a crime in Lexington, Kentucky. Kavanaugh then filed a civil case against the city of Lexington. From that time Lucian has been keeping a careful watch and low profile due to constant harassment from the police department.
The most recent case is an obvious case of false arrest. The victim described a "6'4", light-skinned black dude with gold teeth, green eyes and hair". Lucian is about 5'10", medium tone skin, maintained natural teeth, brown eyes and bald. The officer who identified Lucian from this description was involved in previous cases regarding Lucian; and lost. She is currently being reprimanded for improper police work.
Here is the Motion to Revoke Bond from Prosecutor Gullette:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/44220894/Kavanaugh-Pleas-Motion-to-Revoke-Bond
It is clear by reading the motion that Gullette wishes to punish Kavanaugh for expressing his opinions about his re-occurring harassment by means of his blog and internet news sources such as Examiner.com.
Please read the First Amendment and subsequent Supreme Court decisions so you may understand why this is a dangerous precedent being set by Lexington Judge Ernesto Scorsone and Prosecutor Gullette.
CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW RESPECTING AN ESTABLISHMENT OF RELIGION, OR PROHIBITING THE FREE EXERCISE THEREOF; OR ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH, OR OF THE PRESS; OR THE RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE PEACEABLY TO ASSEMBLE, AND TO PETITION THE GOVERNMENT FOR A REDRESS OF GRIEVANCES.
The Bill of Rights to the U.S. Constitution was ratified on December 15, 1791
“Censorship reflects a society’s lack of confidence in itself. It is a hallmark of an authoritarian regime . . . .” — Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart, dissenting Ginzberg v. United States, 383 U.S. 463 (1966)
“The very purpose of a Bill of Rights was to withdraw certain subjects from the vicissitudes of political controversy, to place them beyond the reach of majorities and officials and to establish them as legal principles to be applied by the courts. One’s right to life, liberty, and property, to free speech, a free press, freedom of worship and assembly, and other fundamental rights may not be submitted to vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections.” — Supreme Court Justice Robert Jackson, West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette, 319 U.S. 624 (1943)
“First Amendment freedoms are most in danger when the government seeks to control thought or to justify its laws for that impermissible end. The right to think is the beginning of freedom, and speech must be protected from the government because speech is the beginning of thought.”—Supreme Court Justice Anthony M. Kennedy, Ashcroft V. Free Speech Coalition
“Men feared witches and burnt women. It is the function of speech to free men from the bondage of irrational fears.” — U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis D. Brandeis (1856–1941), Whitney v. California, 274 U. S. 357 (1927)
Lucian is being held without bond until February 23d, his court date, primarily for expressing his beliefs about his current and past encounters with the justice system online. Freedom of Speech extends to the internet equally the Supreme Court has ruled.
In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court extended the full protection of the First Amendment to the Internet in Reno v. ACLU, a decision which struck down portions of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, a law intended to outlaw so-called "indecent" online communication (that is, non-obscene material protected by the First Amendment). The court's decision extended the same Constitutional protections given to books, magazines, films, and spoken expression to materials published on the Internet. Congress tried a second time to regulate the content of the Internet with the Child Online Protection Act (COPA). The Court again ruled that any limitations on the internet were unconstitutional in American Civil Liberties Union v. Ashcroft (2002).
Kavanaugh's incarceration will cost the taxpayers about $60 per day or a total of $5640. In today's financial climate it is not only unnecessary but fiscally irresponsible to incarcerate those that pose no threat to society and are not a flight risk. Lucian's appearance November 19th at 1:00 PM for this hearing shows he had no intent to flee, evade or miss his court dates.
With this in mind it can only be concluded that Prosecutor Gullette's intent is not to ensure that Kavanaugh appears by revoking the bond and incarcerating him until his court date. Rather, it seems, Lucian is being punished for expressing his Freedom of Speech and publishing his story in his blog, Facebook and on various newsites. This effectively makes the First Amendment merely a piece of paper containing ideals that may or may not be followed by our current justice system.
The jail's website has Lucian listed without a release date. In order to view the inmate you must register, enter your name and e-mail address before you are allowed access. Then go to the Public Records link and click on the Current Population drop-down tab. Next, enter Kavanaugh in the search engine.
I assume this technology could be used to track visitors to inmates accused of crimes and then perform intel on their friends (associates). I assume this because I visited Lucian's page twice yesterday and attempted to perform a screenshot for my story. I have now been locked out of the inmate page on the site. This may be temporary but it sure caught my attention.
Lucian needs your help. America needs your help. Justice needs your help. We cannot sit idly by while our freedoms and rights are continually trampled on by a government gone astray.
Don't think this can't happen to you? It happened to me, Debbie Wardlaw, Glenn Doneghy and Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh to name just a few.
Please make your voice heard. I have contacted Rev. Al Sharpton, Rev. Jesse Jackson, the Rainbow Coalition and the NAACP. I will continue to contact civil rights organizations and legal representatives until justice is served.
Will you do your part and contact these organizations and others and let them know that the First Amendment must not be violated?
Freedom of Speech is essential in a free country and punishing the accused for voicing their case is a gross violation of this right.
“Almost all human beings have an infinite capacity for taking things for granted.” — Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World
Don't take your freedom for granted. We must stand up for our rights even when we are not directly involved. Make a call or write a letter and demand that Lucian be set free until he can prove his innocence in a courtroom.
Lexington City Council: councilmembers@lfucg.com
Judge Ernesto Scorsone: 859-246-2531 or write
Circuit Judge
Robert F. Stephens Circuit Courthouse
120 North Limestone
Lexington, KY 40507
Rev. Al Sharpton: email: info@nationalactionnetwork.net (on subject put: Attention Reverend Al Sharpton.)
Phone # 212-690-3070
Write a letter:
National Action Network
106 W. 145th St.,
Harlem, New York 10039
Rev. Jesse Jackson: Email: info@rainbowpush.org
Rainbow PUSH National Headquarters
Chicago
General: 773-373-3366
Constituent Services: 773-256-2723A Lexington, Kentucky judge has placed a man in jail without bond for blogging about... more
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I have been following the false arrests of Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh for some time now. I recently re-posted Lucian's blog detailing the shenanigans that he has dealt with in his most recent attempt at freedom. This has led to some interesting new developments.
The police officer that accused Lucian has been reprimanded. Detective Elizabeth Adams was charged with unsatisfactory performance and violation of DOP Gen. Order 73-2H Operational rule 1.11. Her punishment is 40 hours suspension without pay and an employee development program to be completed within 6 months. I don't know about you but that leads me to question the reliability of her testimony and decision to single out Mr. Kavanaugh.
Bobby Gullette just filed a motion to put Lucian in jail until trial (February 23) because of what he wrote in his blog and I re-posted. He even submitted a photocopy of his blog into the record. Lucian has court today, November 19, at 1pm to decide what Scorsone is going to do. Lucian has the right to air his case and/or write about it on the internet. Gullette's attempt to punish him for this should be considered a First Amendment violation.
What follows is a letter from Mr. Kavanaugh to the judge in this case, Ernesto Scorsone:
Wednesday, November 17, 2010A Letter to the Judge
While bias is understood to be an intrinsically human characteristic, that urge to presume on the basis of often erroneous information such as criminal history and passing innuendo, one can only hope that Lady Justice’s eyes remain shrouded as they should and implore that the prosecution and the defense be regarded equally so that no quarter be provided Mr. Gullette which isn’t summarily endowed upon myself as well. It seems a most humble and reasonable request; a mere reiteration of the most fundamental inherence of any worthwhile legal system.
Which isn’t to suggest that one good foul deserves another or any such twist of illogic, but only that in the totality of this specific circumstance, it is difficult to fathom how one could arrive at the conclusion that my incarceration is the proper remedy for an isolated incident of inconvenient scheduling by arbiters.
Furthermore, if the respective sides are to be held to an even remotely comparable standard, then it is noteworthy that Mr. Gullette has failed to appear at multiple appointments during the course of the last year without so much as a verbal reprimand or even an apology.
This most recent mishap, for which I am currently held responsible, is more accurately, a hybrid of both the prosecutor’s failure to appear on November 4th and a rather perplexing failure to acknowledge my lack of availability on November 8th.
If the court will pardon the insistence, I deliberately submitted that I would be out of town in order to avoid the very dilemma in which I presently find myself. That the point has gone unnoticed and that I came to be regarded as the primary culprit of this mishap contradicts even the most unrefined conception of fairness and alludes to a major point of concern in my mind—
It has been the experience that my extensive involvement with the Lexington Police Department has served to disrepute me among certain members of the local establishment.
Read the rest of the article at the following link: http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-lexington/open-letter-to-lexington-judge-ernesto-scorsoneI have been following the false arrests of Pleas Lucian Kavanaugh for some time now. I... more
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