Category Archives: crime news

crime news

More on conviction …

Fascinating, yes, how some folks are reacting to the New York jury ‘s unanimous decision to convict the former POTUS for illegally paying hush money to an adult film actress regarding a tryst the two of them had before he sought the presidency.

One reaction came to me in the form of a question, followed by a commentary. It reads: At any rate, I was wondering if Trump wins in November, will you accept that outcome? On an interesting note, it seems the sham conviction is giving Trump quite the boost.

Well …

OK, my first reaction is to not engage anyone who calls the verdict a “sham.” It was nothing of the sort. Jurors reached their decision in accordance with the rule of law. Donald Trump was convicted on all 34 felony counts and faces a possible prison sentence. He has the right to appeal, which he said he will do.

Would I accept a Trump victory in November? I’ll just say: Yes, I would if it comes cleanly and without any hint of “rigging.” I accept Trump’s 2016 victory. He achieved it according to the rules laid out in the Constitution. He garnered fewer popular votes than Hillary Clinton but won enough Electoral College votes to take the oath of office.

This particular critic of High Plains Blogger, though, tosses aside any notion of dialogue with me if he insists that the verdict is a “sham.”

Get a grip, dude.

crime news

Run, felon, run!

Two dates are staring the next Republican Party presidential nominee in his orange-hued face.

July 11, 2024 is the first date. New York District Juan Merchan has set that date as the start of a sentencing hearing for the former POTUS, who on Thursday was convicted on all 34 felony counts related to the hush money payment he made to an adult film actress.

Then it gets even hairier for the former Philanderer in Chief. On July 15, 2024, Republicans are likely to nominate the felon as their party’s next presidential candidate.

It has come down to this. Republicans now are relying on a man convicted of 34 felony counts to carry their party banner in the next election against an incumbent who defeated him four years ago. The defeated GOP nominee never had the good grace to accept defeat and to pledge cooperation with the new president … which Barack Obama did in 2016 when the ex-Liar in Chief won the election.

Do we live in a topsy-turvy world … or what?

I suggest we all hang on with both hands, because the ride is going to get seriously wild.

crime news, legal news

Verdict is in: guilty!

Before we dance too far into the weeds of what Donald Trump’s conviction on all 34 felony counts of illegal campaign funding, I want to share a quick thought or two.

I accept the jury’s verdict. Second of all, the 45th POTUS — as predicted — called the trial a sham, a farce and said the fight is “far from over.”

Third, and this is most critical, the seven men and five women who today delivered their decision were all approved by the prosecutors and by Trump’s legal team. They were vetted carefully in accordance with New York state law,

For the 45th POTUS to suggest the trial was rigged against him means he doesn’t accept what I have just laid out … which is that his legal team approved the jurors right along with the prosecution.

So, there you have it. We have a convicted felon running for president of the United States.

Well done, jurors.

crime news

Accepting the outcome

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Believe it or not, but I am working hard at this moment to accept whatever decision the New York trial jury reaches in the trial to determine whether the former POTUS is guilty of campaign fraud.

It is my inherent belief in the American system of jurisprudence that drives me toward that end.

The former Liar in Chief is on trial for campaign fraud related to the $130,000 payment he made to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford — aka Stormy Daniels — to keep her quiet about the tumble the two of them allegedly took prior to his running for president in 2016.

POTUS No. 45 denies the event occurred, but he paid her the dough anyway. Go figure … eh?

The jury could convict the former Philanderer in Chief on all 34 counts. It could acquit him on all of them. It could convict on some of them, acquit on others. It could get hung up on the “reasonable doubt” issue and produce a mistrial.

I am just a mere spectator. None of us has been in the courtroom. We haven’t heard the evidence. We haven’t witnessed the former POTUS nodding off. We haven’t heard the judge scold the defense counsel for misbehavior.

I am left, therefore, to rely on the system that selected these 12 men and women. They were vetted thoroughly by prosecutors and defense counsel.

The court system is in many aspects our last avenue to learning the truth in high-profile and unprecedented cases such as this one.

You know what I want to occur. For those who don’t yet understand where I come down on this, I’ll just say it up front: I want a conviction. Then again, that’s must me, sitting in the peanut gallery … right along with the rest of the nation.

Whatever the jury decides, I’ll just have to accept it.

crime news

Don’t mess with this guy

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POTUS No. 45 is getting an object lesson on a fact of life, which is that he cannot control every single environment.

I haven’t been following this hush money trial too closely, but I have chuckled — sometimes out loud — at the examples of the judge not standing for the shenanigans that the former sexual assailant in chief has tried to pull in the courtroom.

And yesterday, Judge Juan Merchan told Robert Costello, a witness for the defense, to stop staring him down … or else face the consequence that the judge could level on him and the criminal defendant.

The former philanderer in chief is on trial for paying the adult film star known as Stormy Daniels 130 grand to keep quiet about a tumble that he denies occurred. Go figure … yes?

Now his future is in the hands of the judge and the jury impaneled to hear this tawdry case. As to the discomfort he might be feeling because he isn’t in charge of a damn thing, I don’t give a sh**.

The overfed crook will just have to suck it up.

crime news, local news

Tragedy recalled

One year ago, a lunatic with an AR-15 rifle opened fire at the Allen Premium Outlet mall, killing eight people.

A few moments later, an Allen Police Department officer arrived and killed the gunman. The officer ended what could have been an even more horrific incident. The officer ran full tilt toward the gunfire after counseling a woman and her young child.

The city and local media are honoring the heroism demonstrated that day. Make no mistake, the officer acted the only way a true hero could respond: he ran toward the gunfire, drew his weapon and fired.

What’s more, the officer remains anonymous to this very moment. He is still on the job with the Allen Police Department. It appears quite likely we’ll never know his name.

May the officer, though, feel the love and gratitude of a community that is giving thanks that the hero was in the right place at precisely the right time.

Indeed, his post-incident reaction — his desire to remain unknown to the rest of us — is exactly how a real hero would react.

crime news, Donald Trump, legal news, political news

First time for everything, yes?

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POTUS No. 45 keeps bitching out loud that “this is the first time” a former president has gone to court to face a criminal prosecution.

It’s as if he’s suggesting that the unprecedented nature of the trial is unjust.

Uhhh, no. It’s not unjust, Mr. Former Liar in Chief.

It’s just that this great nation has never been led by someone so inherently corrupt. The law just caught up with the ex-Philanderer in Chief.

He’s on trial in New York City on a 33-count indictment alleging that he spent campaign funds illegally to cover up a tryst he had with an adult film actress. He paid her hush money — get ready for this — to keep quiet about an event he denies ever occurred. 

Go figure that one out, folks.

Yeah, it’s the first time a former POTUS has gone on trial. I get it. I agree, too, that No, 45 has reason to worry.

It damn sure isn’t unjust, as the ex-POTUS seems to suggest.

crime news

This dude’s life about to get seriously uncomfy

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POTUS 45’s life is about to enter a world in which no man should have to visit …. but he’s got it coming to him.

The former Liar in Chief is going on trial beginning Monday in a New York state court on charges that he spent campaign money illegally by paying $130,000 to an adult film actress to keep her quiet about a one-night stand she alleges occurred between her and the future POTUS.

The former Philanderer in Chief denies it happened, but he paid her the money anyway. Go figure that one, folks.

The tryst allegedly occurred just as the ex-POTUS’s wife was caring for the couple’s then-infant son.

How long will this circus last? Some legal experts say it could be over in three weeks to a month once they seat a jury of the former Moron in Chief’s “peers.”

My favorite aspect of this is that because it’s a criminal trial, the defendant will be forced to sit through it all. He’ll get to watch the former alleged paramour tell jurors of what occurred in the hotel room that night. He’ll have to listen to his former lawyer/fixer/right-hand man tell them how the ex-POTUS ordered him to write the check.

Hey, it’ll be fun to watch.

crime news

OJ is gone … somewhere

Orenthal James Simpson has died of cancer, according to his family … whose members have asked for “privacy and grace” as they mourn his passing.

I am going to express terribly mixed feelings about this news.

We’ve all heard it said that we shouldn’t speak ill of the departed. So, I’ll just declare two things about the former football star.

First, I believe he committed the murders of his former wife and her friend. That’s the extent of the “speaking ill” I will offer.

Second, he hired the best damn legal team imaginable to engineer an acquittal. The trial dragged on for months on TV. Americans such as me were transfixed by the testimony, the theatrics and the melodrama.

The jury got the case and in four hours — just four measly hours! — returned a verdict that sent Simpson home a free man, To be clear, I didn’t necessarily disagree with what the jury decided. Simpson’s defense team planted plenty of seeds of doubt in jurors’ minds. The jurors saw and heard every shred of evidence, which is more than I can say for the rest of the nation watching on TV.

Simpson said he would spend the rest of his life looking for the “real killers” of his ex-wife and her friend., He didn’t need to do so.

Now he’s gone forever. I’m out.

crime news

Shooter’s parents get slammer time

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James and Jennifer Crumbley are headed to the big house after a Michigan judge today imposed a 10- to 15-year prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter.

The Crumbleys, though, are fairly unique in this regard: their son took a gun out of their house and killed four high school students. The son is serving a life term in prison after he pleaded guilty to the crime. The shooting took place at Oxford High School, about 40 miles from Detroit, Mich.

I watched on TV several parents of the victims of the shooting urge the judge to impose a maximum sentence allowed for the crime charged.

“These convictions were not about poor parenting,” said Judge Cheryl Matthews. “These convictions convey repeated acts or lack of acts that could have halted an oncoming runaway train.”

Parents of Michigan School Shooter Ethan Crumbley Sentenced to 10-15 Years in Prison (msn.com)

I get what the judge is saying. The Crumbleys no doubt love their son, but their inattention to what they might have seen in him contributed to the horrific crime that took the lives of four young people and inflicted permanent damage on the hearts of their loved ones.

The sentence is an appropriate punishment.