Crime

"Four others were acquitted of the crime...

She identified the men at their jury trial in December but because the lights were turned off after they came in, she could not say for certain who was on top of her other than to say she was certain that the men took turns assaulting her. The young woman required surgery for internal injuries she sustained in the attack."

Ok someone please explain to me how this makes sense.  Just because we don’t know for sure 100% that these young men physically participated they get off scott free?  At the very least, they sat by and “watched”.

Can these youths be tried again as accomplices or does that fall under double jeopardy?

A young woman will physically and emotionally never be the same.  One youth gets 26 years and the others nothing?  Where is the justice in that?  I understand that justice should be blind but ignorant as well?

Reliable sources tell me that today, the City of Champaign will release information about their "new" use of force policy, and will claim that the policy hasn't been substantially changed, was changed for accreditation purposes, and is nearly identical to the use of force policies used by the Urbana and UI police departments.

I'm on the road today, so I can't find the Urbana and UI policies, but if someone does, please post them in comments.  If I get any sort of statement out of the City, I'll of course share it.

In the aftermath of last night's standing-room only crowd at the Champaign City Council meeting:

Speakers chide police at Champaign Council meeting:

Dozens of voices cried for changes by the Champaign City Council on Tuesday night in the wake of the Oct. 9 fatal shooting of a 15-year-old boy.

Many people attending the council meeting called for the resignation or firing of Champaign Police Chief R.T. Finney.

Others called for repeal of a use-of-force policy clause that reportedly allows use of deadly force, if necessary, to prevent escape or resistance.

"If you try to escape the police, they can kill you," former Urbana City Council member Danielle Chynoweth said, adding that police can also use deadly force and harm someone who is deaf or has mental problems that prevent them from understanding police orders.

"Or if you are a young person, resistance can equal death," Chynoweth said.

And Champaign is taking a look at ending that policy:

Former Urbana council member Danielle Chynoweth and others said a change in the policy went into effect Oct. 1, giving officers the discretion to use deadly force to prevent someone from escaping or resisting arrest. Several people also complained about the policy allowing the use of Tasers.

La Due said he was unaware of those provisions and found them "troubling."

City Manager Steve Carter said the council request calls for a study session on the use of force within the next month. He said the council had previous sessions to talk about use of force, but that was several years ago.

Carter said the police department has been going through all policies in anticipation of an accreditation process.

"What the police department is doing now is trying to get all the policies consistent with national standards," Carter said.

Carter also said he has asked experts from the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Relations in Chicago to come help Champaign work on community relations.

It's going to take a lot more than that, I suspect.

http://emergepeoria.blogspot.com/2009/10/this-arsonist-is-gainfully-employed.html

So, is it better for your arsonist to be so gainfully employed that they can afford to spend $25.80 on gas and probably another $10 on a gas can?

I'm not saying the arsonist is a pro; I'm just saying they might want to do a better job of disposing of the evidence of their "hobby".

(Hint:  it's a semi-lighthearted pose on the original blog, I'm hoping we can do the same after a heavy couple of days here.  Everyone take care and hug your nearest teenager; the teen probably needs it as much or even more than you do.)

Three stories from the NG:

More questions, few answers in Champaign death

"Everybody is edgy. There are more questions than there are answers," said Champaign County NAACP President Jerome Chambers. "How do we stop our black boys from dying where the authorities are the ones in question?"

Activist Terry Townsend said relations between Champaign police and the black community were at a breaking point.

"Our relations are no good after today," Townsend said.

Home renter: 15-year-old who was shot lived there

On Monday, Thomas pointed out the spot where the scuffle took place. A few feet away was a plywood-covered back-door opening. The damage was done by Champaign police, not burglars, Thomas said. She said the boys were confronted by police in the backyard, before they could enter the house.

Thomas said a neighbor told her the police had used a battering ram on the back door. When she returned from a Parkland College class later that day, she said, Illinois State Police investigators said the damage had been done by Champaign police.

Champaign police Deputy Chief Troy Daniels did not return calls about the damage, and Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Reitz said she would not comment about any aspect of the investigation.

In the attic, two doors to unused storage spaces were also broken in by police, Thomas added.

"They pretty much ransacked the house," said Thomas, whose family had to vacate the home for two days during the investigation while the front door was sealed.

Separate investigation will look into officers' actions

Champaign Deputy Chief Troy Daniels told more than 40 people Monday at an emergency meeting of the Champaign Community and Police Partnership that the investigation of last week's incident is in the hands of the Champaign County Multi-Jurisdictional Investigative Team, which includes representatives from the state police, the University of Illinois, Urbana and Rantoul police and the Champaign County sheriff's office, with the state police serving as the lead agency.

Daniels told the partnership that he anticipates it will take 30 days for the team to send its final report to the Champaign County state's attorney's office.

"We hope they will act as quickly as they can, but we also want them to be as thorough as they can in the investigation," Nearing said.

State's Attorney Julia Rietz will determine when the report can be released to the public, Daniels said.

Daily Illini: Community left questioning death

During the press conference, family and community members said there has been a lack of communication between the Champaign Police Department and the family, despite many attempts by family members to gain information.

“We did have contact with some family members on the day of the incident,” said Troy Daniels, deputy chief for the department.

Those in attendance at the press conference said they are still waiting to hear the full story from the police department.

“These are the kinds of things that no family should have to endure. That your loved one has been murdered and you don’t have answers why,” said Terry Townsend, self-described community activist.

Townsend also said he believed the basis of the conflict was race.

“There’s something going wrong with the policing in this community that we don’t see in Urbana and we don’t see with the sheriff. We need to get at that,” he said.

After the incident on Friday the department released a statement saying that the “Champaign Police Department reached out to several African American community leaders.”

Welcome back 634th!

But I'm just a little curious, where was MG Dennis Celletti, CDR, Illinois Army National Guard, during all of the ceremonies for the return of the largest battalion in the state?

Next time anyone runs into him, ask General Celletti why, in 2006, a no-name security company based out of Chicago was awarded a contract to provide security for NG facilities around the state, strangely replacing Additional Duty soldiers who had been working directly for state security at each critical NG facility since 9/11/01. Also ask him why this company failed to provide weapons, training, or even conduct felony background checks on the personnel that it hired. Perhaps ask him why, at Marseilles Training Area, the largest training area in the state, with rugged off-road terrain, that security company provided only a SINGLE SEDAN that was up on a jack for months on end in full view of the front gate. Maybe ask why the employees of this company, spread out over the state, took their direct orders from their civilian supervisor in Springfield, instead of each local facilities' state security employee supervisor.

Finally, ask him why, after many complaints and questions, and no answers from the Puzzle Palace in Springfield, the company was quietly removed and replaced by a reputable, established security company.

The DI:

Following 25 arrests made by University police, 21 of which were University students, the Rho chapter of Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) at the University will be temporarily shut down, according to a press release from the fraternity's national office.

Four of the students arrested were members of the ZBT fraternity, according to University police reports.

This information comes during a drug investigation that spanned the past two semesters. Arrests began on Tuesday and police had no comment as to whether the arrests will continue.

And an editorial seems to argue that the arrests won't make much difference.

And while yes, we absolutely believe the law should be enforced, the underlying question really is whether these drug raids will change anything. Will they make Greek chapters crack down on alcohol and drugs in the houses? Will there be more Kolusis supervision? More strict punishments and consequences for illegal activities?

The drug investigation had been on-going for two semesters, said Lt. Roy Acree of the University police’s investigation team. After speaking with police, the timing of this raid probably was not done on a whim.

And if that’s the case, there may be more where that came from.

But with one more week left in the semester, it’s unlikely that we’ll see the ultimate outcome of these arrests.

If the students are convicted, it will probably be during the summer when University students are off campus. And in the fall, new students will move on to campus and it will almost seem like nothing happened.

Discuss.

Urbana is reauthorizing their Citizen's Police Review Board:

Whether or not ex-felons should be part of a Citizen Police Review Board in Urbana could be an issue as the city council decides whether to continue the program.

The Urbana council will meet as a committee of the whole for a study session at 7 p.m. Monday at the city building, 400 S. Vine St.

The agenda for the meeting includes an ordinance reauthorizing the Citizen Police Review Board.

Approved by the council in August 2008, the review board has seven members to hear appeals from citizens who are dissatisfied with rulings by the police chief on any complaints.

Tom Costello, assistant managing director of the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District and chairman of the review board, said the group is still in its first year of operation and, so far, does not have any citizen complaint cases.

Discuss.

American-in-Paris and Voltarian financial analyst Max Keiser of "The Oracle" on BBC-World has a huge following on BBC and the Internet.  Erudite, informed, passionate and cynical, Max has a no-holds-barred no-prisoner-taken, no-quarter approach to economics.

Max appeared this morning 23 March 09 on a Connecticut radio talk show which can be heard in its entirety at the link below.

Max Keiser on "Sebastian in the Morning"

*

For those interested in Max's view on hedge funds and the warning he gave in 2007, you might be interested in this 20 minute video from Al Jazeera-English which was never aired in the US:
Max Keiser - Rigging the Perversion of the Free Market

*****

Recent posts at Liberty4Urbana:

• Peter Schiff - Stimulus and Bailouts will Depress Economy.
• Knit together by the Creator, who knows them all by name...
• Fed Prints $300 Bn USD to buy Treasury Bonds. "Treasury Bond Market Bailout #1"
• Public Entrepreneurship
• Everyone Against Abortion - Please Raise Your Hand
• Urbana Ward 7 - Candidates answer questions from CCCC

From the Pantagraph:

The Unit 5 school district denied Tuesday that it intentionally misled Urbana school officials about the teaching record of a former Unit 5 teacher now serving 60 years in prison for sexual abuse of 10 students. | White's teacher experience form (PDF)

Jon White, a former teacher at Brigham Elementary School in Bloomington and Normal’s Colene Hoose Elementary, pleaded guilty last year to sexually abusing eight students at an Urbana school and two at Hoose. White, now 28, was sentenced in Champaign County to 48 years and an additional 12 years in the McLean County case.

In one of several civil complaints pending against White, Unit 5, and five current and past administrators, victims contend that false employment records were submitted to Urbana to cover up knowledge of White’s abuse of students in McLean County.

‘Verification of Teaching Experience’ form

James Kearns, the attorney representing Unit 5, said dates on a “Verification of Teaching Experience” reflected an agreement that called for White’s resignation from his teaching post. White left his classroom in April 2005 after a parent complained that White was following her fifth-grade daughter around the school and giving the child photos of an actress.

“The dates represent exactly when the agreement was reached with White,” said Kearns. Although White was replaced in April, his agreement with Unit 5 was effective through May 27, said Kearns.

Discuss.

Two NG articles today, following up on news from McLean County last week:

A lawsuit claims a Normal-based school district provided incorrect employment information to Urbana's district about a teacher convicted of molesting students in both places.

Attorney Ellyn Bullock filed the amended federal complaint on behalf of an Urbana student molested by Jon White.

The first:

The Normal school district may not have to pay any damages in a civil suit filed in federal court on behalf of one of the victims of former Urbana teacher Jon White.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Bernthal of Urbana recommended that the allegations from one of White's victims – called Jane Doe-2 to protect the minor's privacy – against McLean County Unit 5 school district, its board and several employees be dismissed.

Doe-2's mother, called Julie Doe-2, has already agreed to a settlement with the Urbana school district for $390,000. Champaign attorney Ellyn Bullock is representing the Doe-2s.

White taught in Normal schools before coming to Urbana schools. He has since been convicted of 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, including eight in Champaign County and two in McLean County, where Normal Unit 5 is located. White is serving a 60-year sentence.

In his Dec. 17 recommendation, Bernthal wrote that the Normal school district could not be held responsible for actions committed on another school district's property.

The second:

Bullock contends that White did not teach the full year since he was disciplined – including a suspension – for looking at pornography on his school computer in the fall of 2004. In the spring, after complaints about his conduct from parents, he agreed to resign with a recommendation from district administrators.

Bullock said that information shows "McLean made a false statement to Urbana," she said. "I want to show that McLean is responsible for its own bad act."

But Jim Kearns, the Urbana laywer representing the Normal school district, said that though White was not teaching 180 days, his interpretation of the document is that it only shows that White was employed for that full school year, not that he taught every day.

"What if he was sick three days?" Kearns said. "I interpret (the verification) to be he worked full time for the full year. Whether he was sick or suspended ... he was still employed."

Kearns said that as part of the agreement between White and Unit 5 administrators, "they said 'OK, you'll be employed until the end of the year, but you'll resign.'"

Discuss.

The Wall Street Journal continues to take the lead in exposing this circus:

Under Minnesota law, election officials are required to make a duplicate ballot if the original is damaged during Election Night counting. Officials are supposed to mark these as "duplicate" and segregate the original ballots. But it appears some officials may have failed to mark ballots as duplicates, which are now being counted in addition to the originals. This helps explain why more than 25 precincts now have more ballots than voters who signed in to vote. By some estimates this double counting has yielded Mr. Franken an additional 80 to 100 votes.

This disenfranchises Minnesotans whose vote counted only once. And one Canvassing Board member, State Supreme Court Justice G. Barry Anderson, has acknowledged that "very likely there was a double counting." Yet the board insists that it lacks the authority to question local officials and it is merely adding the inflated numbers to the totals.

[snip]

Minnesotans like to think that their state isn't like New Jersey or Louisiana, and typically it isn't. But we can't recall a similar recount involving optical scanning machines that has changed so many votes, and in which nearly every crucial decision worked to the advantage of the same candidate. The Coleman campaign clearly misjudged the politics here, and the apparent willingness of a partisan like Mr. Ritchie to help his preferred candidate, Mr. Franken. If the Canvassing Board certifies Mr. Franken as the winner based on the current count, it will be anointing a tainted and undeserving Senator.

Illinois is not the only Midwest state with a Senate seat sideshow.  The Wall Street Journal provides perspective.

Sorry Minnesota, but the sequel is never as good as the original.

For those who watched the Washington State governor's race recounts in 2004, the ongoing recount drama in Minnesota is just another rehash of the same script -- albeit for a U.S. Senate seat that might put Democrats one vote away from a filibuster-proof majority.

Four years ago in Washington, Democratic Party candidate Christine Gregoire lost the first count, lost the recount, and then won a second, highly dubious recount by 133 votes. In Minnesota, where Sen. Norm Coleman is defending his seat against comedian-turned-candidate Al Franken, the first count showed Mr. Coleman up 725 votes. Today, thanks to another dubious recount, Mr. Franken is apparently in the lead.

Razor-thin margins like these put election systems to the test. As the old proverb goes, they are a crisis and an opportunity. Yet the crises keep coming and the opportunities continue to be squandered. It's time to learn the lessons of the recount wars and address the systemic flaws in our election processes. Indeed, the price of a continued decline in voter confidence is too troubling for most Americans to comprehend.

Just for fun, let's see how they count ballots in Minnesota seven weeks after the election!

Ballot #28

Ballot #65

Ballot #171

Wasn't that surprising?  (If you said yes, you should get out more.)

Today's News-Gazette:

A retired Urbana school district administrator admitted Friday she failed to report her suspicions of child abuse by a teacher to state authorities as required by law.

Carmelita Thomas, 57, of Champaign will not suffer a conviction, however, under the terms of a plea agreement she entered into Friday morning before Champaign County Judge John Kennedy.

Thomas was the human resources director for Urbana District 116 when parents and students at Thomas Paine Elementary School in Urbana came forward in November 2006 with allegations that former teacher Jon White, 28, was conducting inappropriate "taste-testing games" with female students in his second-grade class.

And:

Thomas, who retired at the end of the 2006-2007 school year, was sentenced to 18 months of court supervision, fined $2,000, and ordered to perform 100 hours of public service in a year. If she successfully completes the period of supervision, Thomas will have no record of a conviction. Failure to report abuse allegations is a Class A misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of a year in the county jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

Neither Thomas nor her attorney, Dan Kennedy of Champaign, had any comment. Rietz said she felt it was a fair resolution.

A Mahomet man was on a short list of pardons handed down by Bush today.

Richard Micheal Culpepper of Mahomet, Ill., who was convicted of making false statements to the federal government.

Anyone have any recollection of this case?

Urbana's Mayor Prussing's proposal raises new issues about Property Rights in Urbana--

Article from today's News Gazette (link here) -

(EDITED by IP to remove full article.  Please link and excerpt to articles from other sites, rather than posting full articles.  The other sites depend on the traffic for ad revenues, for example, and sometimes charge for archives.)

The News-Gazette is reporting Robert Arnette was sentenced this morning, to 60 years for the murder of his wife, and 5 years for concealing a homicide.  Further, the NG states that Arnette will have to serve all of the murder sentence, while he may only serve a portion of the concealing a homicide sentencing.  That means he'll be over 90 years old if he's ever released...

HG

There are now six civil lawsuits in the Jon White case.

The suits against White were filed by Urbana lawyer Thomas Bruno on behalf of Jane Doe-5 and Jane Doe-6 as well as their parents.

Both suits also name the Urbana school district, former Superintendent Gene Amberg, former Human Resources Director Carmelita Thomas, former Principal Janice Bradley, teacher Kay Grabow and lunchroom and after-school supervisor Lamar Walker.

The suit brought by Jane Doe-5 also names former after-school supervisor Rhiannon Ross. The suit brought by Jane Doe-6 also names lunchroom supervisor Thelma McMillian.

Another one:

A third civil lawsuit related to former Urbana teacher Jon White, in effect seeking more than $1.5 million, was filed Tuesday in Champaign County Circuit Court.

The suit, filed by Mattoon lawyer Sean Britton, was brought by one of White's former Urbana students and her mother, referred to as Jane Doe-7 and Julie Doe-7.

White, who is named in two counts of the suit, taught in Normal and then Urbana elementary schools before his arrest. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse – eight in Champaign County and two in McLean County.

The suit filed by Britton closely mirrors two filed by Champaign lawyer Ellyn Bullock on behalf of two other Urbana girls and their mothers.

Discuss.