July 24, 2008
I’ve been trying to find an embeddable link to the 911 calls made by Cindy Anthony and have not been able to find one. So I’ll give you the link. Cindy’s attitude seemed a good bit different when she first called…before she decided to cover for her daughter. All the way down to saying that it “smells like a dead body has been in the damned car”.
The call is eventually handed over to Casey Anthony, who says that her daughter has been missing for 31 days. She sounds completely calm. When asked why she hadn’t called 31 days ago, she says that she’s been looking for her herself, using “other resources”. WTF? Other resources?!
I still don’t understand why Cindy is covering for Casey. I understand that she’s her daughter, but….we’re talking about a missing child here. If it were me, I think I’d probably be in jail myself by now, because I would have wrung my daughter’s neck.
Anyway, here’s the 911 calls….you tell me what you think.
911 call #1
911 call #2
And just for the hell of it, here’s another video from Fox, of Cindy, defending her daughter. I just don’t get it.
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Posted by: Tammy
Posted in Missing Children, News, SW Florida news, crimes against children 
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July 23, 2008
Ok, this is a personal post, rather than an informative post. So please bear with me.
I know this story. I’ve been following it from the very first night, when we received an e-mail alert from a local news station. I watched the search. I work very close to where Denise was eventually found, and went through that Friday watching the helicopters fly over and the police everywhere. On Saturday, I saw the police out on horseback, out on boats, out everywhere. So yes, I know how the story ends. And yet, even watching the show tonight, I found myself praying for another outcome, even though I knew it wasn’t coming. I sat here crying, my daughter hugging me, my other daughter calling at every commercial to see how I was doing and tell me what she was thinking.
I’ve met Nathan, of course, and the boys, and Denise’s Mom and Dad. Maybe that makes it harder, I don’t know. But my heart remains broken, even 6 months after this happened in my little town. And if I found it hard, how on earth are Nathan, Peggy, Rick and Sue getting through this night?
Does it ever get easier? Sometimes I don’t think it does.
RIP, Denise. We all love you.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in 911 Reform, Crimes Against Women, Denise Amber Lee, News, SW Florida news 2 Comments »
July 23, 2008
Tonight, ABC is airing their show about Denise Amber Lee on Primetime:Crime. I went to their website to verify that it was on tonight. They have a long article with Denise’s story, along with a short video (that doesn’t seem to be embeddable). Even though I know this story inside out, I can’t seem to read about it without being brought to tears (which makes things interesting when you’re at work). There’s also information there that I had not read before, including the fact that several other people witnessed Denise struggling in the car, but did not call 911, thinking it was a domestic dispute and not wanting to get involved. I drive through that area all the time at right about the same time (during my many trips to WalMart). Would I have called 911 if I had witnessed it? I’d like to think so. I know now that I will never disregard something like that simply not wanting to get involved. It may look like a domestic dispute, but you just never know.
Anyway, go here to read the article….but be sure to have your Kleenex handy. You’ll need them. And please join me tonight in watching Denise’s story. And if you’d like to learn more about the family’s efforts to raise awareness of issues in the 911 system, please visit DeniseAmberLee.org.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in 911 Reform, Crimes Against Women, Denise Amber Lee, News, SW Florida news 7 Comments »
July 22, 2008
Until watching today’s bond hearing, I was truly holding out hope that Caylee Anthony was still alive. Now, I’m not so sure. One of the sheriff detectives questioned testified that there was a smell of decomposition coming from the car that Casey had been driving, along with hair that appeared similar to Caylee’s.
During testimony, new evidence was revealed in the case involving possible evidence in the woman’s car.
An attorney asked Orange County Sheriff’s Detective Yuri Melich what was found.
“I actually went into the car to smell what the smell smelled like,” Melich said. “Before, just before I came into (current position), I was a homicide detective for two years with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and in my experience, the smell that I smell inside that car was of decomposition.”
Melich said officers were told that there was a bag of trash in the car.
“The two smells were not the same,” Melich said.
Melich said dirt and a mystery stain are being checked in the trunk of the car.
“Because they found hair samples in the trunk of the car that are similar in color and length to that of Caylee and they also found a stain in the trunk that came up under black light that is questionable,” Melich said. “They also found some dirt inside the car that needs to be processed.”
“Based on the evidence of human decomposition, would it lead you to believe would it not that there is a possibility that this child is no longer alive?” an attorney asked.
“Yes, that could be concluded,” Melich said.
“Is Mrs. Anthony a suspect in that circumstance,” Melich said.
“I wouldn’t use the word suspect, I would use the word person of interest,” Melich said.
Deputy Sheriff Jason Forgey also testified that a K-9 cadaver dog alerted to human decomposition in the Anthony’s car.
“(The dog) put his head inside the vehicle and looked straight to the back seat,” Forgey said. “He alerted to the odor of human decomposition.”
This doesn’t sound good, and takes a lot of my hope away. I can’t wait to see how Grandma spins this one on the talk shows. Maybe this will finally cause her to confront her daughter and get the truth out of her. Although listening to her testify during the bond hearing, I heard a lot of the same attitude that has been coming out in her TV interviews. Doesn’t she know that this isn’t helping her case?
I just pray that the dogs were alerting on something else, and that Caylee is still out there somewhere. And until her mother decides to talk, I think her butt should stay right in jail. At least she was showing some emotion today (she appeared to be crying when they put her back into handcuffs, etc)…although whether those tears were for Caylee or for herself remains a big question in my mind.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, News, SW Florida news, crimes against children 3 Comments »
July 22, 2008
I’ve tried so hard to be sympathetic to this family….especially the grandmother, Cindy Anthony. But the more I watch her on video and listen to interviews with her, the harder time I’m having with it. What exactly does she mean, Casey has her reasons for not “blurting out everything she knows”? This is a child we’re talking about here, not a dog! There is NO excuse to not say where she is or who she’s with, if this is information that Casey has (and her mom sure seems to imply that she does). Instead of answering perfectly valid questions from reporters, Cindy seems more interested in telling us how we should be feeling sorry for her. Well, we do. But we feel sorrier for Caylee, who no one seems to want to really help to find. If Casey were my daughter, I’d be screaming for her to tell me where Caylee was, not making excuses for her.
Casey has a bond hearing today, she claims that if she were not in jail, she’d be able to help find her daughter. In my eyes, she had that chance last week when she was first questioned by law enforcement (after finally reporting her daughter missing, 5 weeks after she disappeared). Instead, she chose to tell what appears to be a bunch of lies. What’s to say that anything has changed?
I’m going to include a couple of videos from Fox News. The first one is with Greta Van Susteren. I’m the first to admit that Cindy Anthony looks exhausted. But rather than try to answer questions, she appears mostly argumentative. Greta showed alot more patience than I would have. The second is a telephone interview with Cindy, done by Megan Kelly (I think). My hat is off to Megan, she didn’t allow Cindy to avoid questions, and said exactly what I thought….that the rest of us seem to be more interested in finding Caylee than her family does. Watch, and you tell me.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, News, SW Florida news, crimes against children 13 Comments »
July 21, 2008
When the Brooke Bennett case first broke in the news, it was reported that she appeared to have gone off to meet someone she had met on Myspace. I don’t know about you, but that idea scared me to death. I have two girls in their early teens, and they more or less live on Myspace. The first thing I did was drag both of them to the computer and show them Brooke’s picture, along with the story.
Of course, we now know that Myspace had nothing to do with Brooke’s abduction and death….but it could have. So easily. Our kids are so trusting and gullible, even when we try to drill it into them that not everyone is who or what they appear on the computer.
On Wednesday, July 23rd, at 1pm EST, John Walsh of America’s Most Wanted will be taking part in a live webcast discussing what we as parents can do to make sure our kids are safe online. Here’s a bit about it.
Is Your Tween Safe Online?
Live Webcast
Wednesday, July 23, 2008 1:00 PM Eastern
John Walsh, children’s advocate and host of America’s Most Wanted, will discuss what parents and guardians can do to help protect and educate their children about the potential dangers of online predators and offer tips for safer surfing.
Millions of tweens and teens surf the Internet every day, and they often know more about the Web than their parents and guardians. Unfortunately, the ease and convenience of using the Internet as a primary form of communication is offset by its potential dangers. A recent survey from Cox Communications in partnership with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) reveals a compelling mix of encouraging and disturbing news about tweens and teens’ online behavior. While many tweens and teens are sharing personal info and putting themselves in potentially harmful situations, the survey shows that parents and guardians who talk to their tweens and teens about Internet safety help reduce youth exposure to potential threats and encourage safer online decisions.
We hope you can participate in this LIVE event webcast. You will also be able to ask questions via email of John Walsh during the webcast and potentially have them answered live!
You can go here to register for this event. Even though I’ll be at work, I’ll be listening. I’d strongly encourage you to do the same. It’s so important to keep our kids safe online….they think they know it all, but really, they don’t. It comes down to this….it’s our job, as parents, to do all we can to protect our kids. The more we learn about what they’re doing online, the better chances we can catch problems before they go too far.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, crimes against children No Comments »
July 19, 2008
This is from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. If you’re a blogger, please consider posting it yourself. The more exposure this gets, the better chance there is of bringing Caylee home safely.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, News, SW Florida news, crimes against children 7 Comments »
July 17, 2008
If you have any information or have seen Caylee Marie Anthony, please call
1-800-423-TIPS
This story is just bizarre, to say the least. At the center of it is 2 year old Caylee Marie Anthony, who has not been seen since June 9th. Her mother, for reasons I guess only known to her, did not report her missing. She says that she dropped her off at a babysitter, and when she returned, the sitter and her daughter were gone. Her story is that she began her own investigation, believing, based on TV shows she’s seen (at least this is what is in the news story I read), that Caylee could be harmed if she notified police of her disappearance. What TV shows she was watching I’m not sure, in pretty much every one I’ve seen involving a missing two year old, the parents called police, even if they were warned not to.
I’m not going to try to analyze the mom too much, I’m going to agree with Caylee’s grandfather here. The most important thing, and what should be receiving the most focus, is finding Caylee. I’m going to post a few pictures, along with the news story and the video from Fox News, which includes a bunch of other pictures. There’s also one Myspace page mentioned in the news story, and two other ones that I found linked to this one that appear to have been created by family members, I’ll include those links as well. If you’re a blogger, I’d encourage you to repost Caylee’s picture, if you’re a Myspacer, please consider posting a bulletin with Caylee’s picture. The more exposure this little girl gets, the better chance there is that she’ll be found safely and returned to her grandparents and other family members, who clearly love her.
Myspace pages that I have found for Caylee:
Caylee is missing~this one seems to be the most active, it’s being run by Caylee’s uncle
Caylee is missing~Lee Anthony’s Myspace, also seems very active
Caylee is missing
Caylee’s grandma’s Myspace
Casey Anthony’s Arrest Affidavit
Video from Fox News…there are a lot of pictures of Caylee on this video
The news story from Fox News:
‘Compulsive Liar’ Florida Mother Arrested in Toddler’s Disappearance Last Month
A Florida mother described by friends as a “habitual liar” was arrested in connection with the disappearance of her 2-year-old daughter, who has been missing since June 9.
Casey Marie Anthony showed no emotion Thursday as she was ordered held without bond at the Orange County Jail, MyFOXOrlando.com reported. She was charged with child neglect and providing false information to law enforcement.
Anthony claimed she dropped off her daughter, Caylee Marie Anthony, at a friend’s house but has since lost contact with the friend.
The judge scolded the mother, saying she had “no regret or concern for her actions,” The Orlando-Sentinel reported.
“You left your 2-year-old child with a person who does not exist at an apartment you cannot identify and you lied to your parents about your child’s whereabouts,” said Judge John Jordan. “You cared so little about your child.”
He ordered a mental health evaluation be done on Anthony, according to the newspaper.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department told FOXNews.com that they have no reason to belive the toddler is dead.
“[We are] still operating under the hope she is going to turn up alive,” said Deputy Sheriff Carlos Padilla. “[But] we are no closer today than we were yesterday.”
Padilla said Anthony claims the child’s father is not alive — something authorities are still looking into.
It was not clear why Anthony never reported the child missing. The girl’s grandparents decided to file the report on Tuesday after learning that Anthony’s car had been towed from a location that was nowhere near where she claimed to be staying.
“I’ve had the feeling the past couple of weeks that Casey’s been holding back,” the grandmother, Cindy Anthony, told MyFOXOrlando.com. “I’ve been asking to speak with my granddaughter and she’s been making excuses that I can’t talk to her because she’s with someone else or she’s swimming or napping.”
Anthony told her mother she was being sent to Tampa for work and would be back in a few days, but later changed her story and said she was going on a “mini-vacation,” according to The Orlando-Sentinel.
“I had no reason to believe they weren’t where they were supposed to be,” the newspaper quoted Cindy Anthony as saying. “I don’t know why she fabricated this.”
Casey Anthony told police her daughter wasn’t at the baby sitter’s house when she went to pick the child up, so she started to do her own investigation.
She went to clubs that the baby sitter frequented and identified her as Zenaida Gonzalez, police said. But when police went to the apartment Anthony said belonged to the alleged baby sitter, they learned it had been vacant for almost five months, the newspaper reported.
When detectives caught up with Gonzalez and showed her pictures of both Anthony and her daughter, she said she did not recognize them.
In what seemed to be the latest in a string of lies, Anthony also told authorities that she worked at Universal Studios, and gave names of people who could vouch for her, according to The Orlando-Sentinel. But officials later learned she never worked at the theme park — and neither did the people she mentioned.
Anthony’s father, George M. Anthony, said that his daughter is a good mother and would never hurt his grandchild.
“My daughter is a fantastic mother,” he told FOX News. “We never had any reason to believe she would not be a good mother. Our granddaughter’s in capable hands. She was nurturing, she always did the right thing. That was never, ever a question in our minds. I never once saw my daughter raise her voice.”
The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who has seen Caylee to call the crime line at 1-800-423-TIPS.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, News, SW Florida news, Uncategorized, crimes against children 55 Comments »
July 13, 2008
First off, I’d like to clarify a few things that I didn’t make clear in my last post.
I understand that having Jessica’s Law in effect would not have made a difference in Brooke Bennett’s case, because the person Michael Jacques was convicted of molesting back in ‘93 was not a child. Therefore, the 25 year mandatory sentencing would not have applied in his case. However, he WAS accused of molesting a child back in the ’80s, a case that never went to trial, apparently because the family would not let the teenager being abused testify. That’s a mistake that the FAMILY made, and I sincerely hope that they now realize what a horrible mistake it was.
Second of all, I’m not just some woman sitting here in Florida looking to bash Vermont, having no ties to the state. Far from it. I grew up in the Burlington area, and my family still lives in Vermont. My daughter is getting ready to go there on a visit to her Grandma’s….my mother. I have strong ties to Vermont, and it breaks my heart to keep seeing it in the news this way. Vermont is a beautiful state, and it would be a wonderful place to bring children up, in most circumstances.
Ok, having cleared those two issues up….so far, I’ve had two lawmakers in Vermont who have taken the time to write me back, Senator Jim Condos and Senator Mark McDonald. I’d like to say that I really, really appreciate the fact that they took the time to do this, I believe they both know that I do not live in Vermont, and therefore I have no bearing at all in their retaining their office (and they’re both Democrats, too, so I’d be no help to them even if I were still a resident of Vermont). They’ve both taken the time to try and explain some of the changes that Vermont has made in their sex offender laws….and I’ll give y’all credit, it does sound like Vermonters are trying to make changes to their laws. Is it enough? I don’t know.
Vermont is reluctant to bring in the 25 year mandatory sentencing guidelines, feeling that this makes it much harder in many cases to get a conviction. If you can plea bargain with them, apparently some pedophiles will talk, thereby making it more possible that they at least serve some jail time. In a sense, I guess I can understand this philosophy….but that’s just so sad.
These are some of the changes that Senator Jim Condos brought to my attention:
• An increase to 10 years as a minimum sentence for aggravated sexual
assault, unless the judge deems a lesser sentence to be appropriate and
goes on record with his reasoning. Now, anyone convicted of aggravated
sexual assault must spend at least 5 years in prison, and as much as
life in prison.
• Offenders must stay in jail until they successfully complete a
rehabilitation course, regardless of how much of their sentences they
have served.
• Vermont has expanded the sex offender registry, with stricter
guidelines for previous offenders. Sex offenders will now be under
supervision by the Department of Corrections, every day for the rest of
their lives.
• The public can now access the online sex offender registry without
having to login or provide personal information. All repeat sex
offenders will appear on the internet registry, as well as all high-risk
lewd and lascivious offenders.
• Special investigative unites specializing in sex crimes are now
expanded to serve every region of the state.
Ok, I guess the part of this that bothers me is this (the real sticking part I bolded):
An increase to 10 years as a minimum sentence for aggravated sexual
assault, unless the judge deems a lesser sentence to be appropriate and
goes on record with his reasoning. Now, anyone convicted of aggravated
sexual assault must spend at least 5 years in prison, and as much as
life in prison.
In my opinion (and that’s just what it is, my opinion), if it’s a mandatory minimum, there should be no room for a judge to decide to knock it down. What good is a mandatory sentence, if the judge just has to say, “oh well, I don’t agree, and here’s why”? Explain that reasoning to the child who was assaulted, something tells me he or she will not agree.
The other part I don’t find horribly comforting is that the offender has to stay in jail until they complete the sex offender treatment. I have serious questions about said treatment….as best I can figure from the dates available to me, Michael Jacques was assaulting his step daughter while receiving this treatment. I know everyone likes to think we can treat these people….but we can’t. Especially not pedophiles. They simply are not treatable. Locking them up for the rest of their lives seems to be the only possible way to keep our children safe from them.
All in all, it sounds to me like Vermont is trying. They may still have a ways to go, but they’re trying. Maybe if their governor would take the time to go on and talk to Bill O’Reilly or one of the other “talking heads”, people would take Vermont’s efforts to change more seriously.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Jessica's Law, News, Vermont, crimes against children, sex offenders 2 Comments »
July 12, 2008
This is a sticky, please scroll down for new posts!
Ok, the last post was supposed to be a sticky and stay at the top….and it fell down! So let’s try this again. If you’re in this area, please come! And if you’re interested in volunteering, please email me, Jenn or Jeanine. We need all the help we can get! We’re also still looking for bands, food vendors, etc. Booth space is free as long as you donate a portion of your proceeds to the Denise Amber Lee Foundation. Please visit the website for more information on the mission of our organization.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in 911 Reform, Denise Amber Lee 1 Comment »
July 12, 2008
OMG. Here’s a state that refuse to enact any form of Jessica’s Law, something that could help save their children (who are also their future). No, let’s worry about legalizing gay marriage instead!!??!
Vermonters Push For Marriage At Pride Fest
Two Gubernatorial Candidates Support Marriage Equity
POSTED: 6:21 pm EDT July 12, 2008
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Thousands gathered in Burlington on Saturday to support a controversial cause close to their hearts.
NewsChannel 5’s Mia Moran reported Vermont’s gay and lesbian community paraded down Church Street in downtown Burlington to the beat of loud drums and a desire for same-sex marriage in the state.
Two gubernatorial candidates took part in the annual Pride Fest, including House Speaker Gaye Symington, the Democratic candidate, and Anthony Pollina, the Progressive candidate.
Gay and lesbian couples have called for full marriage rights after reporting problems with Vermont’s civil union law that passed eight years ago.
Come this winter, same-sex marriage could be up for debate in the state Legislature. Both Symington and Pollina have said they would sign a marriage equity bill if elected.
“I believe that there should be no distinction between different committed couples whether they are same gender or heterosexual,” Symington said.
“My guess is if there is a debate that in fact gay marriage will pass the Legislature this year,” Pollina said. “I would look forward to signing such a bill if they do that.”
Pollina said much has changed since the state took up the civil union issue in 2000.
“The civil unions debate, as we all remember, was pretty harsh at times but I think we’ve learned a lot since then,” he said.
Christopher Neff, executive director of Outright Vermont, said the state has made great strides in equal rights for gays but he’d like to see lawmakers do more.
“There should be one set of laws for all Vermonters, period,” he said. “I think common sense Vermonters want one set of laws for everyone in the state.”
Republican incumbent Gov. Jim Douglas said Vermont’s civil union law should stay the way it is.
Once again, I guess I’m glad I live where I do, and not in Vermont, something it pains me to say. Where is the logic in this? Vermont just had a child murdered, murdered by a registered sex offender, one that they chose to put back on the streets. Why are people not marching in the streets, demanding laws that will protect their kids?! To me, this should be a much more pressing issue.
Those of you in Vermont (and even those not, who would like to get involved), here’s a ready-made letter that you can email to your lawmakers. It’s from WebSleuths, a wonderful online community, one who cares about protecting your children, even if your lawmakers do not.
Feel free to change the text and repost.
Dear Vermont Senator:
Brooke Bennett was killed by a previously convicted sex offender Michael Jacques. She was 12 years old and was apparently killed by her Uncle for sex. Michael Jacques was let out of prison after serving 4 years for kidnapping and rape, now he has committed murder against his 12 year old niece for sex. You’ve heard the news, seen the pictures. Do you have children? Are you ready to enact Jessica’s Law yet?
The law is named after Jessica Lunsford, a young Florida girl who was raped and murdered in February 2005 by John Couey, a previously convicted sex offender. Public outrage over this case spurred Florida officials to introduce this legislation. Among the key provisions of the law are a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison[2] and lifetime electronic monitoring[3] of adults convicted of lewd or lascivious acts against a victim less than 12 years old. In Florida, sexual battery or rape of a child less than twelve years old is a capital felony, punishable only by death or life imprisonment with no chance of parole. Taken from Wikipedia.
Please tell me your stance now on this law after this brutal killing of a 12 year old girl in your state by a previous sex offender and kidnapper. Can you tell me whose decision it was to let Michael Jacques out of prison after only serving 3 years for rape and kidnapping?
The country is looking at you to pass this law in your state now.
Hoping to hear from you.
Send this to:
The Vermont Legislature
Legislative Directory E-Mail Addresses for Senators
2007-2008 Legislative Session
cayer@leg.state.vt.us; sbartlett@leg.state.vt.us; jcampbell@leg.state.vt.us; vt13@aol.com; bcarris@leg.state.vt.us; bill.carris@carris.net; bill.carris@carris.net; dcollins@leg.state.vt.us; jcondos@leg.state.vt.us; gcoppenrath@leg.state.vt.us; george.coppenrath@gmail.com; acummings@leg.state.vt.us; wdoyle@leg.state.vt.us; EFlanagan@leg.state.vt.us; hgiard@leg.state.vt.us; rhartwell@leg.state.vt.us; hartlaw@sover.net; villuzzi@leg.state.vt.us; janek45@hotmail.com; skittell@leg.state.vt.us; vlyons@leg.state.vt.us; vvlyons@cs.com; mmacdonald@leg.state.vt.us; senatormark@aol.com; Hull@sover.net; rmccormack@leg.state.vt.us; dick@mccormack4vt.com; hmiller@leg.state.vt.us; hinda@deforestconcepts.com; kjmbjm@aol.com; anitka@leg.state.vt.us; alicenitka@comcast.net; dracine@leg.state.vt.us; pscott14@aol.com; rsears@leg.state.vt.us; senprespt@leg.state.vt.us; dsnelling@leg.state.vt.us; jwhite@leg.state.vt.us
And thanks to WebSleuther Beyond Belief, from here in Florida, who took the time to write this and track down the email addresses. Maybe if enough people write, we can knock some sense into the Vermont politicians.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Jessica's Law, News, Vermont, crimes against children, sex offenders 6 Comments »
July 12, 2008
This makes me feel so sad. I always liked Tony Snow. :(
Tony Snow, Former White House Press Secretary and FOX News Anchor, Dies at 53
Tony Snow, the former White House press secretary and conservative pundit who bedeviled the press corps and charmed millions as a FOX News television and radio host, has died after a long bout with cancer. He was 53.
A syndicated columnist, editor, TV anchor, radio show host and musician, Snow worked in nearly every medium in a career that spanned more than 30 years.
“The White House has lost a great friend and a great colleague,” said President Bush’s press secretary Dana Perino. “We all loved watching him at the podium, but most of all we learned how to love our families and treat each other.”
Snow joined FOX in 1996 as the original anchor of “FOX News Sunday” and hosted “Weekend Live” and a radio program, “The Tony Snow Show,” before departing in 2006. A sometime fill-in host for Rush Limbaugh, Snow said he loved the intimacy of his radio audience.
“It’s a tremendous loss for us who knew him, but it’s also a loss for the country,” Roger Ailes, chairman of FOX News, said Saturday morning about Snow, calling him a “renaissance man.”
As a TV pundit and commentator for FOX News, Snow was often critical of President Bush before he became Bush’s third press secretary in 2006, following Ari Fleischer and Scott McClellan. He was an instant study in the job, mastering the position — and the White House press corps — with apparent ease.
During a tenure marked by friendly jousting with journalists, Snow often danced around the press corps, occasionally correcting their grammar and speech even as he responded to their questions.
“Tony did his job with more flair than almost any press secretary before him,” said William McGurn, Bush’s former chief speechwriter. “He loved the give-and-take. But that was possible only because Tony was a man of substance who had real beliefs and principles that he was more than able to defend.”
As he announced Snow as his new press secretary in 2006, President Bush praised him as “a man of courage [and] a man of integrity.” Snow presided over some of the toughest fights of Bush’s presidency, defending the administration during the Iraq war and the CIA leak investigation.
Robert Anthony Snow was born June 1, 1955, in Berea, Ky., the son of a teacher and nurse. He graduated from Davidson College in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy, and he taught briefly in Kenya before embarking on his career as a journalist.
Because of his love for writing, Snow took a job as an editorial writer for the Greensboro Record in North Carolina and went on to run the editorial pages at the Newport News (Virginia) Daily Press, Detroit News and Washington Times. He became a nationally syndicated columnist, and in 1991 he became director of speechwriting for President George H.W. Bush.
Snow had his colon removed and underwent six months of chemotherapy after he was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2005. In 2007, he announced that his cancer had recurred and spread to his liver. He resigned from the White House weeks later and was replaced by his deputy, Dana Perino.
After taking time off to recuperate, Snow joined CNN as a conservative political correspondent early this year.
Snow is survived by his wife, Jill Ellen Walker, whom he married in 1987, and their son, Robbie, and daughters, Kendell and Christie.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in News 1 Comment »
July 9, 2008
Of course, I knew that today was the funeral for 12 year old Brooke Bennett. To be honest, I’ve been trying to stay away from the story a little bit the past few days….I get so emotionally involved, and all it really does is upset me. But when my friend Trish sent me the link to Brooke’s funeral, I found that I just had to go watch.
I couldn’t watch it all. It just broke my heart too much. Such a young girl, taken so damned NEEDLESSLY from her family. I’ll never understand these guys. I’ve said the same before, in regards to Denise Amber Lee, Jessica Lunsford, Coral Rose Fullwood….it’s bad enough these guys have to abduct and rape a girl….but why oh why, do they have to kill them? I just don’t get it. It’s even harder when it’s such a young girl. Brooke had her whole life ahead of her. She should be out at the mall, hanging with her friends, putting those dreaded purple streaks in her hair and whining to her mother that the world might end if she runs out of eye liner. She should not be dead, and her family should not be burying their child. It just isn’t right.
WCAX in Burlington has the video coverage of Brooke’s funeral. Watch it if you can. At least watch the beginning of part two, where first Brooke’s sister Savanna speaks, and then her little cousin Courtney. Have tissues handy, you’ll need them.
Brooke Bennett’s Funeral Part One
Brooke Bennett’s Funeral Part Two
Brooke Bennett’s Funeral Part Three
The Burlington Free Press has a beautiful slide show up as well. I’m sitting here crying (again) after watching it.
I also wanted to share a commentary I ran across. It’s the best one I’ve read regarding Brooke. This guy is saying EXACTLY what I wanted to, but couldn’t put into words.
Brooke’s blood stains Vermont
Posted: July 08, 2008
1:00 am Eastern
© 2008
The State of Vermont, its criminal justice system, its state legislators and the parents and family of 12-year-old Brooke Bennett have her blood on their hands.
Brooke Bennett is “alleged” (sometimes I really hate having to use that word) to have been murdered by her uncle, Michael Jacques. Jacques has a long history of sex crimes dating back to 1985 – when he was charged with sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl about 100 times. Prosecutors eventually dismissed the case. In 1993, he was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and kidnapping. The affidavit in said case states that Jacques bound the victim and threatened to kill her while assaulting her. He was given a 6 to 20-year sentence but was released after only four years, based on Vermont’s then “good time” policy.
As the former sex crimes prosecutor Wendy Murphy put it, “Vermont boasts the best sex treatment in the world – Jacques graduated in 2006 from their treatment program supposedly rehabilitated – but as we now tragically know, he was anything but.
Clinical psychologist Dr. George Zeo said, “there is a large body of research that says pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated.” He added that pedophilia is an addiction – and just as a drug addict can relapse after a sustained drug-free period, so it is with pedophiles. Medication and sentencing guidelines may be able to keep their urges in check, but said urges are always there – any treatment must include keeping the pedophile away from children. That said, I submit that, in an open society, the only way to accomplish that is by life imprisonment. When they are paroled, it should be to the cemetery.
Unimaginable parental dereliction, political correctness and clinical hubris run amuck are responsible for the evil done to Brooke. There are some things that, simply put, cannot be corrected with a pill and therapy. Evil exists amongst us – it is real – it is tangible.
I cannot comprehend the complexity of systemic evil that imbues pedophiles. Jacques used an unidentified 14-year-old girl to lure Brooke Bennett to her ultimate death – a 14 year-old who had, herself, been sexually molested by him since she was 9 years old. I pause to note: That means, at the very least, for the last 5 years he was continuously involved in child molestation. That said, with 16 years of parole hanging over his head, how did his parole officer, the police or someone else not discover him? But I get ahead of myself.
The unidentified teen said she had met three other men in the Breckenridge sex ring that Brooke was to be initiated into by having sex with adult males, and that two other girls were also in the “program.” During the sexual initiation, “the first who does it lives and the second gets her throat cut.” This is the human excrement that Vermont boasts they were able to rehabilitate.
Brooke’s father, Jim Bennett, and her stepmother, Janet, indicated that, while they knew Jacques’ history, they never saw any signs of trouble at family gatherings. To which I respond: Did they expect him to just assault her in front of them as they opened Christmas presents?
According to Dr. Zeo, “higher functioning male pedophiles look and act as concerned adults. They appear to be all-around good guys. Everyone likes them. They are involved in activities that bring them in direct contact with children, e.g. coaching, clergy, teaching assistants and mentoring programs such as Big Brothers.”
The lower functioning ones are awkward, loners and have difficulty with intrapersonal relationships with adults. Women are much more difficult to identify because they are naturally accepted as nurturing. So it becomes easier to overlook their aberrant actions.
The most incomprehensible statement Dr. Zeo made during our interview was that “pedophiles do not view their actions as being harmful. They view it as caring, helpful, and nurturing – a special kind of relationship. They also view it as mutual reciprocation.” He added, “It is hard for them to understand how their actions can be harmful.”
JoAnne Thomas wrote that, after researching pedophile websites, she found the “paedo’s” expressed concern about the welfare of Brooke’s uncle and stepfather – her alleged murderer and accomplice. “Their focus was not on the sadistic rape and murder of [a] precious 12-year-old. They saw only injustice to two men. (See: “Brooke Bennett is a pedophile victim”)
As parents, you cannot expect the courts, the schools, the legislature or police to protect your children from sick scum like Jacques and Ray Gagnon. It is your responsibility. If you are too busy or too timid to approach your child’s teacher, clergy, coaches or your own relatives – you are contributing to their potential brutalizing and even possible death. If you are too enlightened to believe it could happen to your child, you should be held out as contributing to child endangerment.
Brooke Bennett is dead because those who were supposed to protect her did the exact opposite. As for me – I will never apologize for telling my son’s coaches, “encouraging him doesn’t mean putting your hands on him.”
Mychal Massie
World Net Daily
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, News, Uncategorized, Vermont, crimes against children, sex offenders 2 Comments »
July 4, 2008
The Denise Amber Lee Foundation will be hosting a Family Fun Day on Saturday August 16th from 9 am – 4 pm at the Dallas White Park in North Port. This event will be geared around Safety, Family and Community. There will be games, prizes, food, Kids Safety, Police Department, Fire and Rescue Department, Florida Blood Center Mobile, Crafts, local businesses and much more. The cost for the event is $.50 per Ticket and $10.00 for 25 Tickets. The food is all being donated from local businesses in the community. If any local businesses would like to donate to this event please contact Jenn Singleton at Jenn@deniseamberlee.org . The Denise Amber Lee Foundation is set up through The Gulf Coast Community Foundation, the mission statement for the foundation is:
To raise awareness of 911 call center inefficiencies, promote improvements to 911 call center, and offer assistance to families of murder victims.
Please come out and enjoy a day in North Port for a great cause.
Also please visit the Foundations Website at www.deniseamberlee.org
Address for Dallas White Park:
5900 Greenwood Ave
North Port, FL 34287
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in 911 Reform, Denise Amber Lee, Family, SW Florida news 1 Comment »
July 2, 2008
I can’t even write anything right now.
Police Believe They Have Found Brooke’s Body
Posted: July 2, 2008 05:36 PM
Updated: July 2, 2008 06:29 PM
Bethel, Vermont - July 2, 2008
Police believe they have found the remains of Brooke Bennett, 12, of Braintree. Police say the remains were found on property on Crocker Road in Randolph near the home of Michael Jacques. Police found ground there that had been recently disturbed yesterday. Today, a search found the body there. Police say Brooke’s body was recovered at 4:45 p.m.
An autopsy will be performed in Burlington to confirm it is Brooke and to try to find the cause of death. Police do call the death suspicious.
Brooke’s family was notified of the discovery.
Brooke disappeared a week ago. She was last seen at a Randolph convenience store with her uncle, Michael Jacques. Police had previously called Jacques a person of interest in her disappearance and they had been searching his property in Randolph.
Late this afternoon, federal authorities also announced they will charge Jacques with kidnapping Brooke. The affidavit will not be released until the charges are filed in court Thursday morning.
Police plan to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday to update the case.
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Posted by: Tammy Posted in Missing Children, News, Vermont, crimes against children, sex offenders 12 Comments »
