In a hurry?

Miami, FL

I could just ramble on about how even cops make dumb ass mistakes, but I won't.
We've all been in a position where we're running late for work and we speed. It's just that most people don't have the luxury of a Crown Vic police interceptor engine that we can utilize to put some distance behind us. If you find that people aren't moving out of your way any faster, you turn on those pretty blue lights and generally speaking, they move over. However, we don't really want to draw too much attention to the fact that we're travelling over 100 mph. We might draw the attention of another officer. You know.... like the state police.

It's one thing if your blues were on and you were in need of assistance chasing down a bad guy, but when you become the bad guy, reckless and moronic driver, the mutual respect thing might just go out the window.  Attempting to catch up and get close enough to identify what department the reckless driver is from also puts the pursuing officer's life in jeopardy. The 2 things that will go through my mind are; is the police car stolen or is the police officer that's driving in distress?

This 5 minute video is from the dashcam of a Florida State Trooper who went in pursuit of a City of Miami police car because that car was weaving through interstate traffic at speeds as high as 120 mph.  It's not until about 1:20 minutes in to the video that you can actually see the car the trooper is pursuing.

The P.O.P. Factor was pretty high on this one and that trooper didn't have much of a choice but to lock his ass up. Did you notice he put up no resistance or give much of an argument? The video doesn't lie.

TSA - Transporting Sexual Advice

Imagine, if you will, that you are a free lance writer, feminist blogger, and a law student, and you travel quite frequently. You know that the odds are high your bags will be thoroughly searched and you'll find one of those friendly "we were here" notes left in your suitcase by our friends at the TSA.

Jill Filipovic, is one such person. She is obviously a product of this new aged, share everything via a social media kind of person. She blogs, she twitters, she Facebooks. As far as I'm concerned, some people just have this desire to share too much with the world. Whatever happened to T.M.I.?  My own personal philosophy is that what goes on in my bedroom, however innocuous and boring that it my be, is totally my business and not for the world to know. I'm not sharing, dammit!

Our friend Jill here, flew out of Newark, NJ to Ireland not long ago. When she got to Ireland and opened her bag in her hotel room, she found one of those standard TSA cards tucked in her luggage. This particular card has a personal note written on it.

Apparently, a TSA agent by the name of Kawika Riley discoverd Ms. Filipovic's own TSA (Transportable Sexual Aid) and felt it necessary to leave her a written note of approval.
While Ms. Filipovic had a good sense of humor about the whole incident, she did something far more freakier than traveling with a vibrator.....She shared it with the world.
Ms. Filipovic posted this entire incident on her blog and Twitter accounts.
In her effort to bring the TSA's intrusive policies to the forefront, she assumed the world was ready for her personal confession.  Seriously, my life would have been totally complete without that knowledge.
Now known as the "Vibrator Blogger," Ms. Filipovic got an apology from the TSA and Agent Riley was undoubtedly dismissed from her job.

Most women that I've spoken with, have a varying degree of comments about this.  However, the over-whelming majority say that this is just too far out there to tell the world.
Eh, maybe it's us old folks that some may call prudish. I call it discretion.

Whatever it is, when I get my freak on...well, I want a little privacy thank-you-very-much.

The Naked Truth

Courtesy of the Buckeye State



Is there something in the water?
Is there some kind of airborne virus making its way across the country?
Is this the prelude to a naked zombie apocalypse?
What keeps making people do stupid shit while they're naked?
My highly honed investigative skills detect a pattern.


This story here is just too weird for words and it's one of those things that will be forever embedded in the mind of the arresting officer. The kind of call you just never forget. I'm just going to let you read the whole cut and paste thing as it was sent to me by a regular reader. 

Police in Ohio recently arrested a near-naked woman whose apparent need to reach speeds allegedly in excess of 120 mph left her wearing not much more than a set of stainless steel bracelets.

The events leading up to a high-speed chase occurred around 4 a.m. on Oct. 11. An officer was patrolling Route 422 in Bainbridge when he clocked 28-year-old Erin Holdsworth of Hiram, Ohio, driving her 2002 Mazda 626 at nearly twice the 65 mph speed limit. The officer attempted to make a traffic stop but Holdsworth refused to comply, according toBainbridge Police Chief Jon Bokovitz.

"There was a pursuit of about seven miles," Bokovitz told The Huffington Post. "An officer from the[Geauga County] Sheriff's Office was in the area, and he put down stop sticks."

Both of the left tires on Holdsworth's vehicle were punctured by metal barbs on the tire-deflation device, forcing her to pull her disabled vehicle over to the side of the road. It was at that point that the routine stop took a bizarre turn.

It's an epidemic, naked driving...

"Well, she got out of her car on her own and she had on just a white thong and a fishnet top that was completely see-through," Bokovitz said. He added, "She was obviously under the influence."

"She was not very forthcoming on where she was coming from, what she was doing or why she was dressed the way she was," Bokovitz said.

Holdsworth allegedly refused to submit to a blood alcohol test, and Bokovitz said she appeared to be too inebriated for officers to conduct a field sobriety test with her. "She was so unsure on her feet that she probably would have fell and hurt herself," the chief said.

Despite refusing the test, Holdsworth was compliant with the arresting officer. It was not until they got her in the back of the patrol car that the stoic female allegedly became agitated, according to police.

Police footage of the arrest shows what appears to be an enraged and near-naked Holdsworth attempting to break out windows in the police cruiser. Bokovitz said Holdsworth "kicked and beat her head on the glass and everything."

Holdsworth was eventually brought under control and charged in Chardon Municipal Court with one count each of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, refusing a blood alcohol content test, fleeing and eluding, criminal damaging, driving under a suspended license, speeding and reckless operation.

Authorities did not file any charges in regard to Bokovitz's revealing clothing -- or the apparent lack thereof.

"In the state of Ohio [public nudity] has to be a willful wanton act, which in this case she wasn't really walking around or displaying herself to the public," Bokovitz said.

Holdsworth pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. She has since been freed from the Geauga County Safety Center. Holdsworth is due back in court on November 2. Attempts to reach Holdsworth were unsuccessful and it is unclear whether she has an attorney.

"It is a unique case," Bokovitz said. "We don't know where she was in the state of dress she was in. It is kind of weird but you see a lot of stuff out here doing this job."

Honest Stupidity

Greenwich, NY


You gotta admire someone who is totally stupid and knows it. We deal with liars, thieves, career criminals and drunks just about every day. We've all had those comical drunks at least once in our career. The kinds of drunken fools who sound like they'd be a blast to party with, but drinking and driving is something we take rather seriously.  It's an undisputed fact that drunk drivers are more likely to kill or injure innocent people than they are to hurt themselves. If we arrest a drunk that has done such a thing, making light of their drunken condition and comical antics, isn't likely to happen.

We've also come a long way in our technology.  We now have videos in patrol cars and breathalyzer testing systems are literally foolproof and insanely accurate.  If we get lost, we have GPS. If someone stole our car, we might have LoJack. If we need roadside assistance, some might have OnStar.

It is rare that someone uses their OnStar system to report a drunk driver, especially if that drunk driver is behind the wheel of their own car. One such drunken idiot convinced himself he was a menace to other drivers so pulled over and called OnStar.  OnStar connected him to the local police department. Police responded to the scene only to find that the drunken driver was also too drunk to unlock the doors of his own vehicle. The driver called OnStar again for assistance on that.

Needless to say, Mr. Stupid was arrested for drunk driving and his BAC was .19.
If only the rest of crime fighting were so easy.

I have to thank a faithful reader for sending me this story. It was too good to pass up.

A Fire in the House

Florence Co., SC

If you've ever hung out with or have a family member who is a firefighter, then you know that fire houses all over produce some of the best amateur chefs.  Although I was wearing the blue, I'd often stop by my favorite house and they'd let me sit in for dinner, have coffee, use the restroom, etc. Even though some think that the finest and the bravest are arch enemies, they're not really. It's a relationship that's akin to a cousin you love to hate. We bust each other's balls, but deep down, we wouldn't hesitate to put our own lives in danger to rescue the other.

Just like all trained professionals, we preach fire safety and gun safety. It's funny how we don't always practice what we preach. How many cops do you know who have managed to discharge their weapon when they were cleaning it?  I know....you're not supposed to clean a loaded weapon. You're also not supposed to play quick draw with a loaded weapon and then shoot a fellow officer. That's sad, stupid and disgusting all at the same time.

As in the case of firefighters, they too are not without their faults. Did you know that more than half the arsonists in the US are actually active, former or volunteer firefighters?  Another case of sad, stupid and disgusting.  Unfortunately, in both cases, there's almost no way to foresee such reckless actions.

In this particular case , a firefighter puts something on the stove to cook, and then leaves it to speak with a visitor. Next thing you know, the stove and cabinets are on fire.

Quite the career blunder and something that firefighter will never, ever be allowed to forget.
Poor guy. I almost feel sorry for him.

Remember, October is fire prevention month.

Dispatch Duty

Yea, okay...my turn in the barrel. A little time in the communications division will give a person a fast reality check.

First, I'd like to say that dispatchers do not get paid enough money to tolerate the shit they take from both the public and even their friendly folks in blue. Yes, let's admit that cops can be arrogant little pricks sometimes, even to their co-workers. There's nothing like dysfunctional family love to bring out the best in all of us.  And that's precisely what we are.  One, big, not always so happy with your shit, kinda family.
The men and women who sit behind that computer screen, clacking away on a keyboard at better than 70 wpm, wearing a headset in one ear, and phone in the other, are valuable little saints who are virtually watching your back.

Bet you never realized that dispatchers do about 6 things at once and make it all look so easy? Then cops get a little impatient or snitty when dispatchers don't tell them what they want to hear, or send them on a crappy call, or they have to wait a few extra minutes for that paperwork check. The things they have to listen to on the other end of that phone line is enough to drive you to drink.  And quite frankly, after 3 nights, I did.  It's hell being in that dark little room, staring and flipping from one screen to the next at the speed of light and talking to the boys and girls that wear the red and the blue. Then....there's the adoring public...

People like to dial 911.  Whether it's just a pocket or purse dial, maybe your kids got a hold of your phone, your neighbors dogs are barking at 3 p.m., you have questions about paying your traffic ticket, you need directions, and the all time favorite....what's the number to....?  411 - 911, so close, right?
Then you have to give some people credit.  They are afraid that their problem doesn't constitute an emergency, so they call the direct line. Sometimes those are actual 911 situations.
Sometimes, you seriously wish you could reach out and bitch slap a few people. Dispatchers are not miracle workers.
I watched. I took calls. I entered calls. I listened to 3 different radio channels. You were doing nothing or you were doing everything all at once. It was hell.

Some of the calls I took....

Me:  911 what is your emergency?
Caller:  I don't really have an emergency but....(that's always a bad sign)
One little old lady, whom I could barely understand, and had a really high pitched, raspy kind of voice, went on about her dear departed husband. I asked if she needed EMS, Fire or police?  "No, don't need none of that."  I had to ask her to repeat things a couple of times and finally she said, with a bit of a giggle, "guess you could probably hear be better if'n I put my teeth in?" Well, I waited for her to put her teeth in and she proceeded to tell me about her probate needs. Yep, she was telling me how to dispense with her things after she was gone.  Meanwhile, while she's doing all the talking, the 911 operator is doing all the typing and a police officer has been dispatched to do what we call a, "welfare check."
Next call...

Me: 911 what is your emergency?
There's a man screaming on the other end, stating someone has been shot. He says, "get the fuckin' cops over here fast cause I'm  gonna have to break the door down and get to him."  About all I could get was that he was in some subdivision clubhouse, a man was down, he had to break in to rescue him, I was being stupid for asking too many questions, I needed to get someone over there....blah, blah...the more he talked, the more I was able to confirm that this is either a bogus call, or he's on drugs.  Once everyone got there, they find he's hallucinating from bath salts. And go figure,  he had a warrant.  Wow, productive.

Me: 911 what is your emergency?
Spacey female caller:  "ummmm...my boyfriend is bothering me."  After the many standard questions, they're in the same motel (the best hotel/motel there is) room, he's not threatening her but she's under extreme stress, on meds and he just won't shut up.  She wants a cop to get him to leave.  Oh yea, there's alcohol and drugs. Cops locate boyfriend hiding in bathroom.  He's got 2 outstanding felony warrants. Her wish came true.

Me: 911 what is your emergency?
"Those damn kids! They's a runnin' around here, making all kindsa noises, leavin' dare laundry all over da place, just a cussin' and disrespectin'...I want da poleece to come over and talk to dem. Well, they do and then... and elderly widower who lives alone, chases the cops off her porch while armed with a broom.

Me: 911 what is your emergency?
"Well, I think someone robbed my car."
Me: Robbed your car? You mean they broke in to it?
"What's the difference?"
I really played hell keeping a straight face on that one.
I asked if someone broke the window and stole stuff.
"yea, they robbed it."

Me: 911 what is your emergency?
My Mom is in ________nursing home and can't breathe.  She said that she called for assistance from nursing staff, but no one has arrived yet.  She's almost an hour away and someone needs to do something about it, NOW!  She's getting impatient with the fact that she has already been transferred twice and I am about to transfer her a 3rd time.  Look, people.  911 is not all knowing and all seeing.  If you call from a different city, county, even state....you will not be instantly put through to the jurisdiction you want. In fact, some jurisdictions are such a puzzle or haphazard splice of parceled out crap, that a roadway could be in one jurisdiction but the homes or businesses are in another.

Me: 911 what is your emergency?
Drunk dude:  "Hey....like my girlfriend, like, she says that, like, she took out a restraining order, like warrant, or like something on me and like, I want to know, like if that's true."  Well, you can't tell them that over the phone. They can come down to the nearest house, show ID to verify, and we can tell you then.  "Um, like, okay then..."

Me:  911 what is your emergency?
Screaming woman in the background who speaks some rough English, "Oh my God, Oh my God....I think dar's been a dog attack." I try to ask some questions.  She puts the phone down and I wait....Finally, turns out her neighbor's dogs had a fur fight in their own back yard and owner of dogs got her dander up.  "Oh, so sorry to bother you."

Some people call the police department believing that they are all knowing, all seeing and have all the answers. Sometimes people have a problem just getting to the point and then when you ask a direct question and actually push them for info, they feel indignant because you're pressed for time.  Well, DAH!

I had a number of callers who talk faster than the human hands could possibly type. I'm gettin' on in years and the memory ain't as good as it used to be so I was trying to memorize shit and type it later.  People were getting frustrated because I had to ask the question a number of times. Hey, imagine how frustrated I am. I surely want to help you, but you have to help me.

Here's some words of advice:

The dispatcher has a call screen in front of them that is set up to get the basics on the board, which is then sent to the other dispatcher, who in turn broadcasts it out to street units or enters it on the officer's computer aided dispatch screens. A simple, yet ingenious system, that saves more time than you can imagine.

So, when you call 911 or even the direct line, remember these basics...
WHAT is the nature of your call?  (police - fire - ems)
            then cut to the chase; "I was assaulted" "He's having a heart attack" "I heard shots."
WHERE:  Give the exact location of the incident. (Sometimes there's jurisdictional issues)
WHEN :  How long ago or is it happening right now?
WHO:    Who is calling the police?  Please give your name, address and phone number clearly and at a rate that is less than the speed of light.
WEAPONS:  Yea, funny thing about that.  We really don't like it when people have guns.  Makes us all kinda nervous and such. Even if you own it legally, please tell us.

Lastly, dispatchers will do their damndest to help you in any way, shape or form, but they really don't have time to listen to a long winded story about anything and everything.  They want the basics and they want to send it off to the officers.  After that....it's out of their hands. The end.

Oh, and if your dispatcher wants coffee or a donut, be a good sport. They really do give you so much.

Neighbors Nab Burglar

Lexington Co., SC

You have to truly appreciate the gun laws and the Protection of Persons and Property Act  of South Carolina.

To Wit:

You break in to my home or castle, you are in the commission of committing the felony crime of Burglary, also considered a violent crime.  I can use deadly force on you, the burglar, because you are committing this dangerous felony and because I have the right to stand my ground.  I have no duty to retreat in my own home.
I can basically shoot and and kill you, whether you are armed or not.
Truly one of the most gratifying pieces of legislation that came out of any statehouse.

2 would-be burglars enter a home illegally at about 3:45 p.m. They are confronted by the homeowners and the suspects flee the scene in two different directions. One of the suspects happens in to the right place at the just the right time. A neighbor captures one perp in his yard and holds him at gunpoint until the police arrive.
The second suspect was apprehended by police not too far from the scene of the crime.

Sylvester Rontrell Stepens, Jr., 19

Jaleel Traytwon Miller, 18

Now these 2 worthless pieces of shit will join the vast majority of their brethren by becoming just another worthless tenant of our over-crowded correctional system.

Both suspects were charged with Burglary and one was charged with Illegal Possession of a Weapon (under 21).  Seems one was carrying a concealed handgun and another confessed.
With a little luck, they'll plead and save the taxpayers some money.

Armadillo Assault

Dallas, TX

You know when times are so tough that you can't even get roadkill at a decent price.

A woman reportedly met a buyer to purchase a frozen armadillo and during a dispute over the price, the seller struck the woman in the chest and leg with the armadillo, leaving bruises on her body. He fled the scene.

Armadillo meat, also known as the 'poor man's pork' or 'Hoover Hogs', isn't as prevalent as it was during the Hoover administration, but is still quite popular south of the border. It is illegal to sell live armadillos, but they are often victims of road kill, traps, etc. and are still ingested by a select few in the US.

Armadillos carry a disease known as mycobacterial leprosy and the biggest hazard of a human getting infected is during the cleaning and dressing of the animal. If you've ever run over an armadillo, it's often possible for them to survive due to their extremely hard, protective shell.

Hmmm....are you sure it doesn't taste like chicken?

More Naked Stupidity

Kansas City, MO

About 2:00 a.m. a homeowner is awakened by the sound of his dogs barking. Having forgotten to lock his door that night, a naked 17 year old runs through the front door and then crawls in to bed with the homeowner's 6 year old daughter.
The wife calls 911 while the husband maintains a hold on the 17 year old.

Jared Solinger, 17 yoa

Shortly after police arrive and take the offender in to custody, 2 other teenagers approach the police explaining that they cannot find their missing cousin. They tell police that shortly after smoking some marijuana, Solinger became violent so they locked him in their basement. After taking off his clothes, Solinger escaped from the basement and went on a naked sprint straight to some stranger's house and in to a child's bed.

An ambulance took Solinger to the hospital where he was treated and released straight in to the arms of police who charged him with burglary.

What do they put in the drugs these days that makes so many people take off their clothes  and run amok?

A Night at the Museum

Charleston, SC

What's a guy to do?  Imagine you're out clubbing, pretty well buzzed and you come across this really hot chick who wants it as much as you do. You know what I mean.

You 2 leave the bar and, being the drunken 20-somethings you are, you are making total fools of yourselves as you walk down a tourist type downtown area laden with college students, historical buildings and of course, bars. It's after 2 o'clock in the morning. A hotel room in these parts is probably way out of budget and well, she's really hot.

So, just for drunken giggles, you rattle the doors of a few businesses. Ooops! We know that there's always some dumb ass business owners who quite often forget to lock a door when they close up.
You find the doors to a local museum  unlocked. You're both thinking this could be a daring little place for such an encounter and well, alcohol has made you very, very brave.

Next thing you know, you're both stripped down on the floor getting in to it and then....
the cops show up and spoil the party. Yep, you set off the silent alarm, my horny friends.

The cops don't have a whole lot of sympathy for you and most likely, they're giggling hysterically behind your back.
It was consensual sex and the couple were charged with trespassing.

So there's a moral to the story here....but I'm just laughing too much...

A FOLLOW UP ON ANOTHER NEWS SOURCE:

The highlight of a bad day;

Getting your mug shot  posted on various news media outlets because you were stupid enough to have sex with a total stranger in a closed museum.

Machete Madness

Beaufort, SC

Near Hilton Head Island and St. Helena Island, SC there are a number of migrant camps where illegals pass through during various times of the year, mostly picking tomatoes and okra. Oh hell, I don't know what they pick, and don't really care. What's important is that the illegals are probably making their way to FL this time of year, migrating to where the work is and the warmer weather.
They also like to get drunk and commit crimes, but that's another story.

The victim in this case; Raphael Solano-Silverio, was drinking with a bunch of other migrant workers at one of their little encampments. Raphael got in to a scuffle with 3 other men and a full-fledged fight broke out. Other people at the camp broke up the fight, separating them, and Raphael went home.
I'm guessing that wasn't enough for the other 3 little illegal bastards, so they went to Raphael's home.

At 4:30 a.m., the 3 knuckleheads broke in to the victim's house, dragging him outside and brutally assaulting him. In the midst of this mob violence, the victim manages to get his hands on a machete. An awkward weapon, but effective nonetheless. The victim began swinging the machete at his attackers.  One of the suspects got a nasty head wound and another had a finger sliced off.  A slice and dice ...always good for some blood and gore.

Everyone had a little trip to the hospital and the Sheriff's dept. says that Raphael will not be charged with any crime, since it was purely an act of self defense. The other 3 were or will be charged with Burglary, Assault and mob violence.

Who knows if any or all of them are indeed illegal, but we can thank Obama for making it difficult to deport these useless pieces of shit.

Geraldo Lopez, 23

Geraldo Lopez here was one of the 3 attackers, but he managed to walk away with relatively minor inuries so he was the first to go to jail. The other 2 are still in the hospital. Guess who's paying for all that?  Oh, yes. No wonder health insurance premiums and health care costs are rising exponentially. Because people like this are a drain on society and we have to feed and house the bastards....one way or another, we're stuck footing the bill.

When Involved in a Traffic Accident.....

.....you should do the following;

A. Notify the police
B. Call your insurance company
C. Get naked
D. All of the above


A 21 year old New Hampshire man didn't quite follow all the recommended steps.
After striking another vehicle, he got out of his vehicle and began pounding on the windows of the other car, scaring the woman driver. She remained in her locked car while he ranted on and she stayed on the phone with a 911 dispatcher.
This was not your basic, run of the mill fender-bender by any means.

Jared Hooper

Dimwit here decided to skip a post traffic accident procedural step, and he got nekked.
Yep, he took off all his clothes and was standing there in all his glory when police arrived.
Amazingly, there was no damage to the vehicles, but our nudist was arrested for driving under the influence, disorderly conduct and lewd behavior.
As any cop knows, arresting a naked person is kind of problematic. You see so much blood and guts in this occupation, but having to toss naked people in the back of your car and transport them is a gross feat. You have to go find a pair of pants for the stupid schmuck.

The moral of this story is...when involved in a traffic accident, follow the steps printed on your insurance card.


Made ya look!

The Arrest of a Super Hero

Seattle, WA

Until recently, little was known about this masked crusader. Referred to as "The Guardian of Seattle" and leader of "The Rain City Superhero Movement," he patrols the mean streets, assisting law enforcement in preventing and deterring crime.  Local law enforcement officials seem to have mixed feelings towards our superhero, known as "Phoenix Jones."

Phoenix Jones. Say it out loud. What does your mind conjure up? My mind conjures up an image of a few catty 'queens' bitching about a no talent cabaret singer. 

Our superhero's phone booth is an obscure comic book store back room where he often emerges fully adorned in his superhero body suit, mask and all. His true identity kept secret by a select few. Our beloved superhero has a Facebook fan page where he's married and his wife is a fellow crime fighter, known as "Purple Reign." (Seen below) He frequently does foot patrols on the streets with his sidekicks, "Ghost" and "Pitch Black." They are all undeterred in their attempts to fight for truth, justice and the American way.

Sadly, Phoenix just got arrested for assault. The video of the alleged assault  leaves some room for interpretation. It would seem that our crime fighter's intent was to break up what he thought was a fight. However, it turns out that this group may have been just one big drunken dance party. No one really knows yet, but the cops were not amused, arresting him and stripping him of his dignity. Yes, they took his mask and of course, all his crime fighting tools, revealing his true identity to some of the local street scum. Is that any way to treat a superhero? At least separate him from the general population and keep his real identity a secret. Will this be the end of our iconic crime fighters? No one knows yet. After all, these guardians of the streets accept no compensation for risking their lives...and for making a total fool of themselves in their grown up costumes.

About 4 months ago, some industrious and aspiring media journalists, compiled an investigative report that was printed in the Seattle Weekly News, titled "The Alleged Adventures of Phoenix Jones."

This was obviously a committed fact finding mission that was intended to peel back Jones' persona and determine what difference, if any, he has made in the Rainy city.

I took the 10 minutes to read the adventure story.  

"There is no need to fear. Underdog is here!"    

Case Law for the Castle Doctrine

As anyone that knows me will attest, I am an ardent supporter of the 2nd amendment and believe that the Castle Doctrine law was an awesome piece of work.
The law lays out in clear terms that you have no duty to retreat in your home, place of business, or car, and that you have the right to stand your ground and protect yourself and your property. It was developed primarily because of escalating violence and the need to protect innocent victims of violent crimes from being prosecuted for murder.  The edict codifies the law as prohibiting any civil action against a person who must use deadly force in protection of themselves or their property.
So, this prohibits the stupid ass thug's family from suing me because I shot him while he was trying to carjack me, break in to my home, or rob my business. One has no duty to retreat in their auto as you have a legal right to be there to protect yourself and your property. Simple and very sound reasoning.

South Carolina is a Castle Doctrine and a Concealed Weapons Permit state.
In SC, you do not need a permit to own a gun or have a gun in your home, place of business or in a closed compartment of your car. You need a permit if you want to carry it on or about your person and concealed from public view, while in the normal wear of clothing.
Now if I was working a night job that required me to drive around in some not so nice 'hoods, I'd have a gun with me too. And remember, I don't need a permit if it's in a closed compartment, console or trunk.

Case in point...a man who owns his own auto towing company drives around at night doing repos and towing cars from various places for whatever reasons, has a gun with him.

Story goes that on Christmas Eve 2010, Preston Oates booted a minivan that was parked outside a home in a modest neighborhood with one of those hateful homeowner's associations. Supposedly, Oates was contracted to tow illegal cars from the subdivision. However, the HOA will not confirm or deny this claim and has refused to speak with the news media. The owner of the minivan, Carlos Alberto Olivera, and several of his friends confronted Oates about the booting. Oates told Olivera that he would remove the boot for $300.00.

A crowd of neighbors and family gathered around Oates and things began to escalate. Olivera allegedly showed the tow truck driver that he had a concealed weapon. (Olivera also had a concealed carry permit)
Oates states he returned to his truck by way of the driver's side and made some futile attempts to calm people down. He supposedly removed his .40 cal from the glove box and put it on the seat beside him as a precaution.
Oates claims he heard someone in the crowd speak of getting a shotgun and that he heard a weapon cocking. Things are a little fuzzy from this point, but Oates shot Olivera a total of 6 times. 4 times in the back, once in the head and once in the arm. Olivera never had a chance to pull his own weapon and in fact, his gun was found some 18 feet from where his body lay. It is highly possible that the gun was moved before police arrived.

Law enforcement arrived to the scene of the shooting and Oates immediately claimed self defense and that his life was in jeopardy. He was separated from the crowd by officers at the scene and was quoted as sarcastically saying, "Feliz Navidad" to the crowd.

It wasn't until several days later that the local Solicitor's office and law enforcement decided on a course of action.They did not see a claim of self defense. Interestingly enough, one of the neighbors had a surveillance camera outside their home and much of it was recorded. This information had not been released to the public and was recently presented during his preliminary hearing.
Even though Oates had no duty to retreat while in his car, (tow truck) legal minds rejected Oates' claim of self defense. He was subsequently charged with Manslaughter and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon.

Oates was then incarcerated in the Beaufort County jail with no bond based on the Manslaughter charge.

Preston Oates, 27

This is his mug shot. He appears rather fiendish, don't you think?

In March of 2011, Oates must have gotten a bit stir crazy and tries  to escape from jail. A corrections officer caught him attempting to cut a small window with a door face plate.  He succeeded only in doing about $2000. worth of damage to the door. He's later charged with the damage to state property and attempted escape. He was moved to a higher security facility. Not the brightest bulb in the bunch, is he?

Let's compare some notes;

Olivera had a concealed weapon permit. He had taken an 8 hour gun safety course, passed both a written test and firearms qualifications test. His only criminal history was a seat belt violation, 1 moving violation and a  city ordinance fine for having a junked vehicle in his yard.

Oates, on the other hand, has an interesting history.  He was charged with Discharging a firearm in to a dwelling, assault and battery with intent to kill and, the manslaughter charge with the weapons violation, followed by damage to state property and attempted escape. The assault charge alone is enough to warrant or reject his eligibility for a permit. The discharging of a weapon is icing on the cake.
If he was convicted of the assault charge, classified as a violent crime, that would make him a convicted felon and he is prohibited under law from owning or possessing a firearm.

This is going to be an interesting precedent for the Castle Doctrine as Oates' attorney plans on using that as his primary defense. Shooting someone in the back just doesn't seem like self defense to me.

Just a Little Baby Daddy Mama Drama

Technology today is wondrous. We have made copious advances in the last 10 years alone that it just boggles the mind. These technological advances have often aided law enforcement in their duties, and on rare occasions, been their downfall. The use of facial recognition software and methods used by the TSA, and those other alphabetical agencies, has often laid questions to our privacy and the future of our Constitutional rights. When technology helps fight crime and close cases, law enforcement can't help feeling a little smug.

Police cars are outfitted with so many electronic devices these days, that it's almost an office on wheels.
You might never notice that police officer on patrol who could have a car equipped with a computerized software recognition system that can read license plates and detect if the car or the plate is stolen. Remember back in the day, when you had to get close enough to read the plate and then call someone on the radio to run it through the system for you? That procedure often wasted valuable time. The larger departments have budgets or obtain grant money that aids law enforcement with valuable tools such as this.

Imagine you're a uniformed officer on patrol in a very large urban area. Your computer is alerted to a stolen vehicle in the area and the screen displays the information right before your very eyes.  Lo and behold, there he is.  You turn around and start after him. Now the fun begins! If any cop tells you that they don't like a little adrenaline pump now and again is probably lying, or really, really lazy.

Well, the knucklehead driver sees you right away and panics. He pulls in to a driveway not far from where you first spotted him, flees on foot and abandons the car.  Police officers approach the stolen vehicle only to find  a 3 year old in the car who pulled a gun out of the car's console and showing it to the police officer says, "gun, gun."  Oh yea, thugs are being trained younger and younger these days. Naturally, the officer was able to take possession of the gun without anyone getting hurt. It was also just a BB gun....but a gun nonetheless.
The officers now have a stolen vehicle and an abandoned 3 year old.  The Dept. of Social Services is contacted to take the child into protective custody.

It's funny how word on the street travels so fast.  Even when there weren't cell phones, word of anything involving the police managed to travel like wildfire. Now it's a matter of minutes and about 20 people, most likely cousins and baby daddies, are rushing to the scene of the crime and they don't hesitate to annoy and harass the police with all kinds of theatrics. The primary taunt is that the police is harassing and persecuting the black folk again....but never mind he just happens to be driving a stolen car with a 3 year old and a gun inside of it.

2 women arrive at the scene with a story about picking up the child for the mother. The mother allegedly told her 2 friends to go get her child after she had received a call from the guy who ditched the car and ran.
Cops make the mother come to the scene so they can speak with her. This freakin' moron

Terrence Myers, 23 yoa

is not the baby daddy of the 3 year old, but Mama is pregnant and will soon have another baby from this baby Daddy. So the present baby daddy is going to jail for awhile. I'm betting that's where the other baby Daddy is.

Now this fine piece of shit  here is charged with Possession of a Stolen Motor Vehicle, Unlawful Conduct Towards a Child and Possession of Marijuana (2nd offense).  Magistrate Linda Lombard sets bail at a mere $25,000.00.  This is the same Judge who set bail at $50,000. against a great-grandmother who left her 2 great grandchildren and a dog locked in a hot car for an hour while she went in to the Wal-Mart.  The outside temperature that particular day hovered at 100 degs.

Myers was concerned only with himself and he flees the scene just so his punk ass won't get arrested.  Well he did get arrested and I think Judge Lombard was being too generous with the bond amount.

Follow the link above marked, "piece of shit." After you've read the news article, scroll down to the comments section and peruse through some hilariously true insights.

The Drug Dealing Dispatcher

Batesburg - Leesville, SC

A Batesburg - Leesville police department dispatcher was arrested at police headquarters this past Monday for aiding suspected drug dealers.

Deputies and other officers from a multi-jurisdictional narcotics investigative task force, busted up a large cocaine ring in the Columbia, SC area, arresting 20 people for charges related to possession, and conspiracy to distribute large quantities of cocaine and crack.

Shannon Gomez, 31 yoa

This lovely beauty contestant winner was accused of texting law enforcement information to the alleged ringleader during their investigation. The ringleader, identified as one Antonio Williams, was.....wait for it.....already a convicted drug dealer.  
Imagine that.

At least one of the suspects arrested is also accused of shooting at police when they raided his house.

Batesburg-Leesville Police Chief Wallace Oswald said his department cooperated fully with the investigation. "This was clearly an isolated incident involving one employee whose poor decisions do not reflect the actions of all officers or dispatchers of the Batesburg-Leesville Police Department," said Oswald.


Gomez was charged with Misconduct in Office and is now unemployed.

A Heinous Crime

This particular piece of shit

William Oliver Dickerson, Jr.

has a lengthy criminal record that is peppered with violent crimes. For instance, in 1996 two police officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on him when he ran from them.  During the pursuit, he produced a handgun from his waistband, pointing it at officers. He refused to drop the gun when ordered. The police officers each did a double tap on him and he was wounded in the shoulder and ear.
He was convicted of crimes related to this and the outstanding warrant.
Some ten years later, he's out of prison and back at it.

In March of 2006, a male acquaintance of Dickerson was found bludgeoned to death in an empty apartment of a government housing complex. Almost immediately, evidence pointed to him and an arrest warrant was issued.  A BOLO was put out that this shit head was armed and potentially dangerous. Like the idiot he is, he never made any attempt to flee the area and police apprehended him 2 days later. Police were very tight lipped about the nature of the victim's injuries, other than to say he was badly beaten and tortured.

In 2009, Dickerson went on trial for Kidnapping, Murder and Criminal Sexual Assault. It was during his trial that the gruesome details of this heinous crime came to light.
Dickerson was on trial for kidnapping the victim and forcibly dragging him to an empty apartment. He tied him up with cords and began an 18 hour monstrous torture of the victim by burning him, cutting him over 200 times, knocking out his teeth, and then sodomized him with 2 objects before he finally strangled him to death.
It took only 2 hours for the jury to find him guilty on all counts and sentenced him to the death penalty.

Naturally, Dickerson's attorney appealed these findings and yesterday it was heard before the SC State Supreme Court.  The highest court in the state upheld that conviction. The Justices state that "there was no indication that the proceedings were tainted in any way and that the sentence was anything other than a rational response to the evidence presented."
How long will it take for the actual execution, I wonder?  Will His Holiness the Pope call at the 11th hour pleading for mercy? If you ask me, giving this pathetic excuse for a human being the needle, is almost too good for him.

It must be some kind of twisted gene in his family.....His father, William Oliver Dickerson, is serving a life sentence without parole for the beating death of an elderly woman.