Casey, Michael, and Nancy

By Robin Sax  Casey Anthony, Michael Jackson, Nancy Grace … It sounds like the beginning of a bad joke, doesn’t it? I wish I could say it was. It’s not only not a joke but it’s crux of a legal argument.  Imagine this --The King of Pop -- now being mentioned in the same sentence as -- wait for it, ‘Tot Mom.'   That’s right, Casey Anthony is casting a giant shadow in a courtroom thousands of miles away from her Florida legal extravaganza. Lawyers representing the doctor accused in the Jackson drug overdose case, are demanding jurors be sequestered in this case. Why? Because, they say, interest in the upcoming Conrad Murray trial will be bigger than the Casey Anthony trial. Murray’s Lawyers have even gone on to say, “There is a reasonable expectation that Dr. Murray’s trial will be the most publicized trial in history."   Now, let me say I don’t disagree. Some of you may actually remember I left the Los Angeles County DA’s office because of this case. I knew on June 25, 2009 (the day Jackson died) what lawyers are arguing now. This case would receive gavel-to-gavel coverage. Now before you balk about my self-promotion, think about it, our society is obsessed with crime, obsessed with celebrity, obsessed with drama, characters, LA, so it’s the perfect story. Knowing this was going to be the biggest case of my time, I was NOT going to miss the opportunity to opine, as I actually have the skinny, the insight, and know the nuances of my former offiice. The LA District Attorney’s office -- the players, the case, the evidence, and strategies -- will all be under intense scrutiny. Who better to cut through the hype than a former DA like me?   OJ was called ‘the trial of the century,’ but that was before the world-wide-web. OJ was covered via good old fashion cameras, radio, and reporters. But that was before Nancy Grace, bloggers, tweets and status updates. And Casey proved it – minute-by minute coverage paid off with sky-high ratings.  And she wasn’t even famous. 

When everybody’s jaws finally returned to normal after the Anthony not guilty verdict, the experts began discussing what kind of impact this case would have on the jury system. I was one of them. Was I surprised by the Anthony verdict? Not really. I know what it’s like to stand up in front of a packed courtroom for a big trial. I know what it means to prove a case beyond a reasonable doubt, and never discount the burden of proof, something I think the Florida prosecutors did.   This one is going to be big. I just hope that the DA in LA doesn’t watch too much of its own press, drink too much of their own Kool-Aid, or get too cocky, like the Florida prosecutors did. This case, while seemingly easy on the surface, is actually tough. There are many legal nuances presented by a case involving a drug like Propofol. Then, there is the question of whether Michael was responsible for his own demise or not. And even with the best lawyers, a smart judge, and a good jury, the DAs will have to do their job. And they will have to do it even better than they think.   Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor has previously said he doesn’t believe round-the-clock isolation of jurors is going to be necessary. And whether you agree or not, one must ask how much does the analysis, the talk, and the hype affect the case. Was Casey Anthony acquitted because her case got too much attention? I mean her jurors were sequestered after all. Face it people, circumstances impact all cases. Rampart haunted LAPD for years. Kobe Bryant and the DSK cases affect all rape cases. We are a knowledgeable society, and we will weigh in. But are we weighing in fairly? I mean how crazy is it - the “People versus Dr. Conrad Murray” is being dubbed, ‘The Jackson Trial.’ Michael’s family will be seated in that courtroom day-in and day-out. His parents, siblings and his children will watch, as Michael is once again center stage. His health, use of drugs, odd behaviors, and yes, the condition of his body after death, will be exposed for all to hear. TV, analysis or not, these circumstances will affect the case just as much as a camera, and yes, even Nancy Grace.  

The prosecutor in this case, Deputy District Attorney David Walgren, is a darn good lawyer. He’s fair and hard working, but in this post-Casey Anthony era, does he stand a chance? The evidence as laid out so far, seems to put Murray in a heap of trouble. But we’ve all seen what reasonable doubt can do to a jury. After Casey, I called for professional juries. The idea isn’t a new one, but it may be worth looking at. With 24 hour, seven days a week coverage of a case like this one, what pressures will Murray and his defense team face? What about the DA and his team? Can justice prevail? I don’t know about you, but I’ll be watching, tweeting, and Facebooking just as I’ve planned since 2009.  Photo credit: ...ven y siente el RUIDO 

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Do the Media Have a Cafeteria Plan When Reporting About Missing Children?

by Stacy Dittrich

I’m guilty. The hundreds of radio, print and television reporters across the country are guilty. We are guilty of standing in the dessert line in the cafeteria, picking and choosing the more attractive dishes, while completely ignoring the entrée’s to our left that our screaming for our attention. You’re over Casey Anthony—the latest Crème Brulee. I get it. I’m over Casey Anthony. For 3 years I have been commenting on the case via radio, television, and print. I’m done. I know many of the other contributors here echo these sentiments. A brief scroll down the WCI archives shows that Casey, Caylee, Cindy and George Anthony, along with Zanny the Nanny, were mentioned an astounding 137 times.

In reflection, however, the case begs to open another discussion of why some incredibly emotional and horrific cases are ignored while others are literally blasting through every artery of the media on a daily basis. Why did we focus so intently on Casey Anthony and not others? I’ve actually heard some in the media blame Nancy Grace.

Riiiiiight.

If one woman wields that kind of power, than Nancy truly is an American superstar.

In my opinion, it’s not Nancy’s fault, but the American public’s obsession with seeing justice served—and rightly so. We’ve been dragged through so many senseless tragedies with little or no vindication (ahem, O.J.) that I truly believe the public has simply had enough and wants to start holding those responsible accountable. The problem with Casey Anthony started at the beginning. It seemed like an open and shut case; mother allegedly murders daughter, mother gets arrested, mother goes to prison for life. Unfortunately, I began to see many red flags in the beginning that made me nervous. As shallow as this sounds, Casey’s attractiveness was one of them. It may sound shallow but I have the experience to back it up. I can’t begin to count the number of jury trials I’ve attended where my attractive, female, suspect was found “not guilty.” Even more incredulous, as I spoke to jurors after, they held nothing back when telling me, “I’m sorry, but I just can’t look at that nice, sweet, girl and believe she really did that. I can’t.” (Hello, professional jurors, where are you?)

Some believe that race and religion are silent factors when bringing a horrific crime to the national forefront. I have been following a disturbing case that I’ve seen briefly touched on in the national news, but nowhere near other crimes. New York City local news has been covering it frequently, but other than that—zilch. It involves the disappearance and murder of an 8-year old Orthodox Jewish boy, Leiby Kletzky, and it is gruesome.

On July 11, 2011, the Brooklyn boy had begged and pleaded with his parents to walk home by himself from day camp–a first. The parents initially hesitated, but decided to allow Leiby (pictured left) to spread his wings a little. With obvious trepidation, Leiby’s parents not only memorized the route with him, a total of seven blocks, but they actually went through a dry run. Walking by himself for the first time, Leiby never came home. This defines a parent’s worst nightmare. Of course it gets worse; much, much, worse.

33 hours after intense searches and investigations, authorities were led to the home of Levi Aron, 35, a local hardware supply stock clerk. Nothing could have prepared them for what they found inside.

Inside Aron’s freezer, they found Leiby’s severed feet wrapped in plastic. Aron then led investigators to a Dumpster containing a red suitcase that held the remainder of Leiby’s dismembered body. Aron claimed he forgot about the feet in the freezer.

Through a series of bizarre interviews, Aron claimed that Leiby had become lost on his route home and approached him for a ride. Headed to a wedding, Aron claimed he took Leiby with him and, upon seeing the flyers for the missing boy the next day, panicked and killed him. Of course, investigators now know that Aron took Leiby back to his apartment where he supplied him with a cocktail of drugs, suffocated him, and dismembered his body. The answer to the perpetual question of why Aron committed such a heinous act is still unclear. However, investigators did remove numerous children’s items from Aron’s home including a blue child’s spoon and pink cup. Is it possible Aron had harmed more children? Police say that there is currently no evidence of that, but a look into Aron’s background screams red flags of violent behavior.

My point is, Levi Aron will never see the light of day again. He confessed, there is physical and circumstantial evidence to back up his confession, it’s a done deal. So, why should we care? I do, which is why I’m writing about it here. Do you think the media took a pass on this case because Leiby was an Orthodox Jew or was it because we know justice will be served?

Then there’s the case of Mariha Smith (pictured right), 5, an African American girl who was recently abducted and murdered in Detroit. On Sunday, July 31, 2011 Mariha was reported missing by her mother who said someone must have gone through Mariha’s bedroom window between 3 a.m. and noon while she slept. Mariha’s mother admitted to being heavily intoxicated and passed out when this occurred. Unfortunately, just hours later, Mariha’s burned body was found in an abandoned home just blocks from her own. Her skull had been crushed prior to her body being set on fire.

After investigators showed family members a surveillance video from a nearby gas station showing a man purchasing cans of gasoline, did they begin to suspect Darnell Cheatham, 20. Cheatam is the boyfriend of Mariha’s aunt. After executing a search warrant at Cheatam’s residence, investigators took him into custody, and subsequently charged him with Mariha’s murder. Justice served, but not much attention.

Are the cases chosen based on race, religion, or socioeconomic factors? Possibly, but to reiterate, I truly believe it’s about justice. In both of the above cases, it is rather clear that justice will prevail in each of these horrific and vile crimes. But, in Caylee Anthony’s case, it didn’t. What's the X factor here?

Justice certainly hasn’t prevailed in the case of missing Oregon boy, Kyron Horman, 7. The last person to see him, step-mother Terri Horman, has been investigated exhaustively but refuses to cooperate. Kyron (pictured left) still hasn’t been found and his parents continue to live in Hell. Now this is pure injustice and it’s downright appalling.

I have to submit that all of the above cases have been mentioned in the media, some more than others. The downside is that there are approximately 150-200 child stranger abductions every year across this country and the media couldn’t possibly cover them all. All races, religions, and socioeconomic factors are unfortunately covered here. Child abductions know no racism or bigotry and most of these children are probably deceased. Should a deranged lunatic walk into an elementary school and viciously murder 150 students in one mass murder the incident would scream across headlines worldwide, but spread each one out over a one year period and no one seems to pay attention to each and every one. Why?

It’s the nature of the media beast, our cafeteria mentality that picks those who will grab the public’s attention in a New York minute. Regardless of the how’s and why’s at least some of these cases are being brought to the national level. Even if it’s just one case where the life of a child is saved or we learn from it, it is truly worth it.

For those left behind, always keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

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Charlie Sheen's Body Language Says 'Crazy Like a Fox'

by Dr. Lillian Glass

After watching Charlie Sheen on his recent home videos and on CNN with Piers Morgan I am more convinced than ever that he has gotten over on everyone. Yes, there is no doubt that he appears as though he is in some type of manic phase with his constant movement, high level of anger and agitation, and pressured speech rate. But if you listen carefully between the lines, Charlie knows exactly what he is doing. And no doubt Charlie will come out ahead of this as far as making money goes and being even more popular than ever before. Having said that, if he is in his manic phase and if he is drinking and drugging along with it, there is a super high risk he may get even more angry and violent and either do himself in or do physical harm to others.

In my latest book Toxic Men, I write about Sheen being one of the most toxic men based on his alleged history of violence towards women. He was accused of beating a woman up back in the 90′s. He shot Kelly Preston, John Travolta’s wife, in the arm once when they were dating. He threatened and abused ex wife Denise Richards. His Christmas fiasco with holding a knife to Brook Mueller’s throat also shows his extreme violent tendencies .

So, based on this, there is a high probability that Charlie may physically harm or even kill someone out of his uncontrolled anger and rage. Another possibility is that he may accidentally kill himself by ingesting either too much of something or a combination of something. I say accidentally because there is no question that Charlie appears to have narcissistic tendencies. While delusions of grandeur often accompany a manic phase, what is really confusing is that Charlie’s delusions of grandeur are a reality.

He thinks he can get millions of followers to rally behind him, and guess what? He can! He thinks he can make million and millions from representing product, and guess what? He can! He thinks he will be a huge film star. And guess what? He will be! People will flock to see his movie just to see how he turned out. Can he get insured? Absolutely. He is so cleaver that before any physicals or drug tests are done he will make sure he is clean, just like he did when he recently took a test with cameras rolling.

The fact that he is in such great shape at his age, complete with ripped abs, and with all the partying he has done is also impressive to many fans as well as non fans.

Battle Against the CBS Suits

CBS absolutely knew who they hired when they hired Charlie. They knew he could do the role, but what he didn’t know was that he could do it so well and make the show such a hit and a cash cow for them.

That is why they let him get away with so much for so many years, turning a blind eye. They felt that his personal life was his personal life, and as long as he showed up on the set and did what he was supposed to do, it would be no problem. In fact, they were of that mindset when Charlie had his latest binge in New York City hotel and caused a public embarrassment. While most companies would immediately fire an employee after such a fiasco, or after the fiasco in Aspen at Christmas when Charlie put a knife to his wife’s throat and CBS turned a blind eye.

In show business, bad press may be good press. It keeps your name out there. His bad-boy behavior certainly didn’t hurt his image or CBS's ratings. So they kept him on. A long as he made money for them, they did not care what he did in his off-camera life. Charlie knew that, and he knew he was safe with his $2 million income an episode. So he had no worries.

During this last binge, the only reason he was given a break in production was that CBS knew Charlie was their cash cow and wanted him to take care of whatever ailed him. They were willing to wait until he sorted himself out. They were willing to give him 30 days or longer to dry out in a rehab facility and put the show on hiatus until he returned. Charlie was the show, so they were willing to wait for him.

But Charlie didn’t want to wait. He didn’t want to be in rehab. He didn’t think he needed to have anything rehabbed. He loved his life. He loved that he could get away with anything. He loved that he could have any woman or as many women as he wanted. He loved the hookers and prostitutes and having two women at once. He loved the fights and the high drama inside and outside of his life. He loved his his kids. He loved the drugs and drink. He loved getting whatever he wanted at the snap of a finger. And most of all he loved Charlie as we have all seen on his many interviews. The common theme is Charlie loves Charlie and considers himself omnipotent.

CBS knew he was getting out of control and believing his own press as being the greatest and even God-like, as we have all seen in his on-camera musings. When Charlie wanted to get back to work a day or so later instead of taking off the 30 days or whatever it took to get “well,” CBS for the first time in Charlie's life said "No!" They really wanted him to sort himself out and at the same time wanted to show they were the one who were in control and had the power, not Charlie.

So Charlie, like any spoiled child who doesn’t get his way, went on a tirade and threw a tantrum. He took his tantrum to the airwaves to tell everyone how bad and awful the producer Chuck Lorre was to him.

This no doubt freaked out my dear friend, public relations maven Stan Rosenfeld, who, no doubt, said "No way! You can’t do that! This is career suicide to trash your producer in public! I am having nothing to do with this! I am out of here!" This didn’t phase Charlie in the least, as he certainly didn’t need a PR person to get press. Everyone in the media clamored to get some airtime or press time with him. In a few day period he generated major league press all by himself by appearing on every major morning and entertainment show including CNN's Piers Morgan.

While he was an angry mess on every morning show and shocked viewers with his rhetoric and outrageous sayings, the ratings went through the roof. People never saw this Charlie Sheen before. They always saw a clean and funny watered down version of him on Two and a Half Men. Now, they saw him raw and angry. I even commented about him on CBS’s "The Insider" saying how angry and hostile he looked body language wise.

Charlie on CNN

When Charlie arrived at the CNN Studios to do Piers Morgan’s show, there was tension in the air. I was even at the CNN studio shooting the Nancy Grace Show and everything there seemed to be on lock down.

There was a heaviness and nervousness in the air, and people were walking on eggshells. You couldn’t roam around freely as usual and there were only certain rooms you could be in. Security was everywhere and in full force. It was because Charlie was on the loose, and no one knew what would happen. Would he fly off the handle? Would he harm someone? So as a precaution, they wanted to keep everyone away from him and out of his path.

When I walked out of the CNN studio to get into my limo, a throng of paparazzi three-feet deep were waiting outside for Charlie, to take his photo, as soon he emerged from doing Piers Morgan’s show. Because they were so anxious and camera-trigger happy, they immediately began flashing away at me when someone yelled out, "That’s Dr. Glass," Then, the multitude of questions and cameras came at me as I was asked what I thought about Charlie Sheen on CNN as I was getting into my limo. Since I didn't see the show at the time because I was busy filming the Nancy Grace show, I had nothing to say except that I didn’t get to see it.

I did manage to see the show while I was in an airport in Salt Lake City that Sunday. Charlie was not as angry on the show. In fact he was hilarious at times. He was bright and sharp, and clearly knew what he was doing and saying. He did not seem crazy at all. In fact, Peirce also remarked that he didn’t think Charlie was crazy and actually thought Charlie was great and charming.

The Cardinal Sin in Hollywood

But those who did not find Charlie's interview charming was CBS. Charlie committed the Cardinal sin in Hollywood, biting the hand that feeds him. He was discussing money, whether or not he would return, and the negotiation process. This is a huge no-no. That is why there are agents and lawyers. You cannot discuss this on the air. It made CBS look bad as well as all producers.

Because of Charlie's popularity, he used his forum to, in essence, badmouth his employers and put them in a bad light. They could have none of that, and rightfully so. So, they fired him last Monday. They clearly had enough of him making them look like the bad guy when all they did was give him a chance to sort himself out.

Charlie was shocked and no doubt went on a binger as he ranted and raved and looked even more out of control and manic than ever on his homemade reality show. He looked awful as he had no makeup or hairstylist to make him look good. It was just raw Charlie.

When his kids were taken away, it was sad and horrible, but the right thing to do as kids cannot be anywhere near this man now. He seemed to take it in stride, but when the reality sets in that he will not be seeing his kids when he wants to, it will no doubt have a huge emotional impact on him. Maybe that will be the catalyst for him to sort himself out. One thing is for certain: He truly loves those kids, and that was evident on the video.

Charlie will Fight his Firing and Will Probably Win

Charlie's legal battle with CBS is far from over and no doubt a settlement will take place. No one wants a drawn-out trial, which would keep this ugly situation alive. It won't look good for CBS as Charlie's growing popularity would make them look like the big, bad wolf, even though they were not. Marty Singer, a great contracts attorney who also specializes in defamation against celebrities, will make sure Charlie comes out ahead, and he will, from a financial point of view.

I think CBS would rather settle than see the likes of Charlie on the set of Two and a Half Men. I am sure that producers would rather stick hot coals in their eyes than see Charlie show up on the set again. There is talk of replacing him with Rob Lowe, whom I have known for years. That would be a great move, in my view. Besides being funny, Lowe is definitely easy on the eye and would attract a lot of female viewers.

Charlie Capitalizes on his Infamy

On his latest home reality show, he was funny. I even laughed out loud. He gets under the table and takes a swig of something and says he isn’t going to tell us what it is because he hasn’t gotten paid for it. So, now it is all about money as we hear how he is getting this offer and that offer. Charlie will probably make more money than ever and make more of a name and a brand for himself than ever before. He will probably make so much that he may end up producing his own movies and end up one of the biggest moguls and powerhouses in Hollywood. Since he is such a porn-star aficionado, perhaps he may even produce some porn as well.

The money machine has started the sound of ka-ching already. There is a winning T-shirt line and a Tiger’s Blood drink and "I'm on a Drug Called Charlie Sheen" T-shirts. “Pulling a Charlie Sheen” will no doubt become part of our vernacular. I am sure that "troll" T-shirts are on the way. Maybe there will even be a cartoon series and a reality show or even a film called “Charlie's Trolls." The point is that Charlie has reached the tipping point in a good way, and his money-making machine has become viral with his Charlieisms.

With social media and good old marketing, Charlie doesn’t need CBS. If he doesn’t kill himself with drugs or end up in prison for hurting or killing someone, Charlie has a lucrative future ahead of him. Even though CBS gave him the boot, Hollywood being what it is and seeing how much he can make will give him yet another chance. Someone else will offer him a show, either cable, NBC or ABC. No doubt it will be a hit. Film offers will come in, and people will flock to see train wreck, crazy Charlie.

But as I said, Charlie is not crazy. He may be manic and angry and hostile, but Charlie is still  a funny, talented, consummate actor, as we have even seen in his over-the-top ratings on his own reality show. Charlie clearly knows what he is doing. Charlie is bigger than ever and is here to stay, unless he does himself or someone else in.

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2011: Yea or Nay?

by Stacy Dittrich 

I can’t help but steal a fabulous quote from a journalist friend of mine, “Hey, 2010! Take your place in the history books and get lost.” Personally, it was the most wretched and god-awful year I’ve had in recent memory, business-wise.

But when the future seems hopeless, I look at my children and husband as reminders of just how lucky I am that they are with me and in good health. Regardless, if I could submerge 2010 in a vat of acid and toss it off a cliff, I would gladly do so. Since I have long tabooed the phrase “the next year couldn’t possibly be worse" (yeah, it can), I decided to play Positive Polly and give my predictions about the world of crime in 2011. 

Casey Anthony

Casey Anthony will marry her cellmate—a gal we know only as Pat, (pictured right with Casey). Although they only speak to each other through the small metal slits of their respective cell doors, their relationship will blossom faster than you can say "Thelma and Louise." Not to mention, Pat will think those pictures of Casey kissing another girl are pretty hot. Casey requests to have Zanny the Nanny as her maid-of-honor. Jose Baez will be Pat’s best man, and the televised nuptials will take place on the eve of Casey’s lethal injection.

George and Cindy will separate. George will take a job with Bates Amusement Company touring the country as a bona fide carnie. He’ll take great pride in his work as the Kiddie Kopter operator, commenting on how all of the little girls remind him of Caylee. Cindy will travel throughout the country in her search for Caylee who, as we all know, is still alive. 

Joran van der Sloot 

Joran’s reign of terror will end abruptly this year when he is murdered under an air of mystery inside his cell at Castro Castro prison. The last person to see Joran alive will be his cell mate, Rico, after giving Joran a full-body massage and pedicure. After the autopsy reveals that Joran had stage 4 anal cancer, officials will close the death investigation because they determined he would’ve died anyway. His body will be donated to the Peruvian Center for Maniacal Mass Murder Studies. 

Colton Harris-Moore, aka “The Barefoot Bandit” 

After caving in to pressure by the ACLU for unlawful prosecution, Moore gets a full pardon by President Obama. Moore will go on to write a best-selling book on his adventures. The book, titled Barefoot and Brainless, will be made into a mega-hit movie starring Ashton Kutcher, and Moore will land his own reality show. Finding himself with millions in the bank, Moore will eventually buy the Bahamian island where he was previously apprehended. 

Nancy Grace

Bombshell! Nancy’s star will continue to rise this year, culminating in her appointment by Obama as the new Crime TV Czar. She will obtain her concealed carry permit and will be offered her third television show, “Gunning Down the Bad Guys with Nancy Grace,” by ABC, for another $40 million. On the home front, John and Lucy will get two new English bulldog puppies for their birthdays. They name them Cleet and Roscoe. 

Jane Velez-Mitchell 

Jane will leave HLN this year. She has issues.

She will embark on a nationwide search and rescue of stray and farm animals. After being caught red-handed releasing chickens from their respective coops, Jane will be arrested, but the charges will eventually be dropped. PETA will name Jane their “Woman of the Year,” and she will be appointed as their CEO. Her platform will be to work alongside Michelle Obama in turning all school lunches vegan.

Me

My dreams will come true this year. My book sales will make Stephanie Meyers’ look like chump change, and I’ll make millions from the movie adaptations. I’ll get to buy my longed-for beachfront double-wide trailer in North Carolina where I’ll spend my days with a bad weave, driving a luxury Kia that I can now afford, and sipping red wine from a box. I’ll be offered a spot on the new show, “The Real Housewives of Bumpkin County,” and get caught up in a scandalous and sordid affair with my landscaper, Horatio (pictured below). 

Women in Crime Ink 

The fabulous alpha-women at the blog step up their game and get offered a television show. They instantly become bestsellers and knock the likes of Clancy and Patterson right off the list. Grisham who? Their television show becomes so successful, it leads to the demise of "Glee," which sparks riots nationwide. As indictments get handed down against the gals of Women in Crime Ink for inducing panic, they are given a full pardon and their taxes are doubled by President Obama. After appointing the WCI ladies to the head of the US Crime Commission, he promises not to run for president again in 2012. Obama appoints Dr. Lillian Glass as the Director of Homeland Security for her uncanny ability to read the terrorists’ body language.

Here at Women in Crime Ink, we frequently discuss disturbing and emotional topics. I’m glad we are able to deviate from that every so often and make our readers smile. I am humbled and honored to be surrounded by such an amazing group of women—and equally amazing readers. So here’s to 2011. I hope it turns out to be a wonderful year for everyone!

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Diane and Terri

by Anne Bremner

Remember Diane Downs? In 1984, she was convicted in the state of Oregon for the murder, attempted murder, and criminal assault ... of her own children. This was 1984, before Court TV, Nancy Grace, the saturation of cable news and true crime shows. In Diane’s case, it took the police nine months to make an arrest. She claimed that her car had been hijacked and that a “strange man” had shot her and her three children.

As it turned out, she was the one who shot her own children and herself. Alas, her story never held water. She behaved oddly, was caught in several lies, and after nine months of investigation, detectives were able to acquire enough evidence for prosecutors to indict. Who is to say how a person whose child has disappeared or has been murdered should behave?

Twenty-six years ago, we didn’t have the access to potential suspects we have today. Diane Downs didn’t have a Facebook page, so we weren’t able to peer into her comings and goings around the time of her crime. We didn’t tune in to Nancy Grace to check the latest developments, nor were we able to get online to chat about our suspicions with a worldwide audience. Had we been able to, I suspect we would have come to the same conclusions. That woman is lying! This is the same conclusion many have come to regarding Terri Horman. However, this time, we have had access to myriad websites, local news shows, social networking sites, and almost daily briefings from the father and biological mom of missing Kyron Horman.

Those of us who have followed Kyron's case from the beginning remember the odd behavior Terri Horman exhibited on the day her stepson disappeared; The Facebook posting about "hittin' the gym," the bizarre vacant look in Ms. Horman's eyes at the family news conference, and, most troubling, her refusal to engage the public at all. Her soon-to-be ex-husband, and his former wife (Kyron’s biological mother), have done countless press conferences and have made themselves accessible to the police for repeated questioning. But Ms. Horman has remained silent and uncooperative. The public therefore has been left to weed out information about this woman -- the last person to see Kyron -- on our own.

The similarities between Diane Downs and Terri Horman are striking indeed. Both women have children from numerous relationships, and both women appear to use sex as a tool to manipulate. In Terri’s case, it appears that she attempted to seduce a gardener in her employ in the hopes he would agree to murder her husband, Kaine.

As if that wasn’t enough, Ms. Horman was found to have sent lurid text messages and images of herself in various stages of undress to a man who was helping with the search for her stepson just weeks after the boy had gone missing. From the beginning, her story didn’t hold water. She claimed to have gone to school early for a science show but did not stay for the whole thing. Her husband claims she took his truck that day so she could bring home Kyron’s science project, which she never did. She claims to have been certain places during the several hours after leaving the school, yet her cell phone pings tell a different story.

As with Ms. Downs, people have a feeling they know she is not telling the truth but must wait for the wheels of justice to grind slowly and methodically. I wonder what would have been Diane Downs' Facebook status update on the day she did her deadly deed. “Hittin’ the salon and then off to the mall for a little retail therapy!” If it walks like a duck... .

Photos courtesy of Alate News and The Oregonian

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Oklahoma: Where Crime Blows Like the Wind

By Susan Murphy Milano

The adopted song for the state of Oklahoma originates from the 1950s Rogers and Hammerstein musical sung by Shirley Jones and Gordon McRae. A line from the song says: “Winds come sweeping down the plain, smells sweet.” I would like to add a verse of my own: "The sweeping murder down the plain, it smells foul, just the same,” new lyrics now sung by the families of Chanda Turner and Shiela Deviney.

In the state of Oklahoma, specifically Garvin County, justice has literally been removed, erased, whatever you would like to call it, for the families of Chanda Turner and Shiela Deviney. Both of these women lost their lives as a direct result of intimate partner homicide. The elected officials, law enforcement and political powers in the State of Oklahoma have decided never to investigate, bring forth charges and arrest the husband and boyfriend in these cases. Instead, they gave each of the suspects their blessings, allowing them to tamper with crime-scene evidence after each murder, right under the noses of Old West-mentality law enforcement.

The sheriff, in my opinion, has used everything in his corrupt and crooked magic bag to harass and personally threaten each of the families. It is likely the Garvin County Sheriff's Office is still operating under 1850s Old West procedures when it comes to the murder of a wife and a girlfriend. The current sheriff might want to change the language on the office's website, which reads: "The office of the sheriff is one of antiquity. It is the oldest law-enforcement known within the common-law system, and it has always been accorded great dignity and trust."

Chandra Turner (left), just 23 years old, was shot to death at her home in Paul's Valley on July 12, 2000. Her boyfriend claimed she shot herself while he slept through the sound of gunfire and later found her outside on the back steps after she was dead. Crime scene photos depict blood throughout the inside of the home, including on the mattress he claimed he was asleep on. The mattress had been stripped of sheets; no one asked where they went. There were more signs of cleanup in the bedroom, including a bottle of cleaning solution on the floor. The boyfriend had fresh scratches on his arms, and Chanda was covered in bruises. There were signs of a struggle in the living room, including broken furniture.

Shiela Deviney (right), 30, died on January 6, 2004, when her mobile home, located about one mile east and one mile south of Maysville, Oklahoma, burned to the ground. She was murdered. It should be no surprise that Sheila had been married to an abusive, controlling man. They had a court date over past-due child support scheduled the next day. According to eye witnesses, her ex-husband was at the home, although by law not allowed on the premises. He and another friend destroyed evidence and took items from the home.

Where are my manners? I forgot to mention that the "participation" (more like hawking into a spitoon) of the district attorney's office, both past and current administrations, has been non-existent. The office refuses to open the cases. They will not take calls from the families, who have important documents and information. They refuse to give a damn!

Perhaps it has something to do with the person who now heads up the investigations for the district attorney's office? Oh, wait, I remember now. He was an investigator on both the Chanda Turner and the Shiela Deviney cases.

Last month, Intimate Partner Homicide Investigation Radio, a new show about victims likely killed by a husband or a boyfriend, presented these two cases. The Blogtalk Radio show is hosted by "Cold Case" investigative research director Sheryl McCollum, former Atlanta prosecutor turned defense attorney Holly Hughes, and myself. Our broadcasts alone were, in our opinion, more than enough to actually have both the Turner and Deviney case re-opened. Calls burned up the show’s switchboard with folks calling in with information from witnesses of "who done it," and with locations of important evidence. Each caller stated they had never been contacted by law enforcement or the prosecutors office.

According to Sheryl McCollum, "Although we will never know what forensic evidence was present because the crime scene was not secured properly in either of the cases, other evidence provided is more than enough to investigate and demand each case be re-opened."

McCollum goes on to say, about Chanda Turner’s case: "We know from photographs that there was blood spatter evidence that was not considered, we know from forensic reports that there was primer residue evidence that was ignored."

Defense attorney Holly Hughes, the former Atlanta prosecutor, believes that the Gavin County prosecutor, by refusing to open both the Turner and Deviney cases, is covering up for those who did not properly do their jobs. It is clear from the photos of the fire in the Deviney case.

Within three weeks of the airing of Shiela Deviney’s case, a group of Oklahoma businessmen who heard the show and wish to remain anonymous posted a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the people responsible for Sheila’s murder.

Perhaps the prosecutor has a memory lapse, practicing his own version of "blue light special" justice, forgetting that he was elected by the people, taking an oath, placing his hand on the Bible, swearing to do a job and ensure justice.

To the elected officials in Oklahoma, as your song goes “it ain’t too early and it ain’t too late" to do your jobs and re-open the cases!

Many times we don't realize the impact of writing and posting blogs, or doing what some call silly radio shows for broadcast over the Internet; they do have an impact and people are listening and taking action. In addition, in Oklahoma, because of our show, a newly formed alliance of concerned and committed citizens was created and named the Eleventh Commandment. It was created to counter a growing plague of police corruption, political apathy and administrative malfeasance, all of which have played a part in the untimely and unsolved murders of a number of local citizens. The Eleventh Commandment reads, "Thou shall not get away with it!"

The Internet, in my opinion, can be an important tool if used correctly, specifically for cold cases, taking the lives of those buried and forgotten long ago and holding them under the light for justice!

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Fall from Grace?

by Donna Pendergast

September 7th, 2006, was a memorable date for me: it was my birthday (not saying which one). The date was less festive for 21-year-old Melinda Duckett, mother of a missing two-year-old toddler. Duckett later became a prime suspect in the child's disappearance. On September 7th, Duckett was questioned by the queen of tabloid talk, Nancy Grace, during what has been widely called an ambush interview. Within 24 hours, Duckett had killed herself with a shotgun at her grandfather's house. The missing child has never been found, but the legal saga ensuing from Duckett's death continues to wind its way through the courts. The crux of the lawsuit is whether Grace's confrontational style of interrogation interview was responsible for Duckett's subsequent suicide.

TROUBLE FROM THE START

Melinda and Joshua Duckett were high school sweethearts. Joshua's family history was troubled in the extreme. His father, James Duckett, was a police officer in Florida in 1987 when he was charged and later convicted for the rape, strangulation and drowning of an 11-year-old girl. For that crime, he sits on Death Row at Florida State Prison. Melinda's life was chaotic as well. Her troubled history included alleged involvement in an amateur on-line porn business.

The couple married in 2005, just before their son Trenton's first birthday. The marriage was brief and rocky. Melinda filed for divorce in June 2006. An ugly custody battle followed, with Melinda granted a temporary restraining order at one point after receiving a threatening e-mail that Joshua denies sending.

On August 27, 2006, while the couple was separated and living apart, Melinda Duckett reported Trenton missing around 9:00 pm. She claimed she discovered his disappearance during a break from watching movies with friends in another room. A cut in the window screen was the only clue left behind for police to follow.

During the investigation, police began to question the time-line Duckett gave them, noting no witnesses saw Trenton alive since he was picked up at day care on Friday, August 25th. Police later found some of Trenton's toys, photos of the child and a sonogram in the apartment complex trash bin. They began to focus on Melinda Duckett as a prime suspect.

AN ABUSIVE INTERROGATION?

On September 7th, Melinda Duckett was interviewed via telephone by Nancy Grace during a taping for the next day's show. The interview quickly became confrontational. With the subtlety of a jackal, Grace began pounding on the table, characteristically snarling and demanding that Duckett tell her where she was on the date of the disappearance and whether she had taken a polygraph. Grace also hammered on the inconsistencies in Duckett's story. The next day, Duckett killed herself after leaving a suicide note just hours before the show was to air. The show aired anyway, with a box at the bottom of the screen updating viewers that Melinda Duckett's body had been found at her grandparents' home.

In November 2006, Duckett's parents, Bethann and William Gerald Eubank, filed suit against CNN and Nancy Grace in the Lake County Florida Judicial Circuit alleging intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit claims the television show solicited an unsuspecting and emotionally unstable Duckett to appear under false pretenses. It alleges the show lured Duckett with promises and representations that her appearance would inform the public her child was missing and assist in generating tips. And it alleges there was a plan in place to surprise Duckett with accusations and verbal assaults intending to intimate that she murdered her child.

The legal theory behind the case is that Grace's aggressive questioning pushed Duckett over the edge, and that her producers had specific knowledge that Duckett was emotionally fragile to begin with. In 2007, the case was moved from the Florida state court into a federal district court, based on a jurisdictional issue. Despite the change of forum, the key issue remains whether Florida's wrongful death statute was violated. In an ironic turn, last month lawyers for Grace and CNN unsuccessfully argued to keep Grace's deposition from being videotaped, worried that the deposition might be leaked to the media -- which could then "cut and splice" and manipulate her words to alter their meaning.

The lawsuit has highlighted issues of media responsibility weighed against the talk show industry's right to free speech. But this is far from a case of first impression, and the issues raised are hardly new.

In 1995 Jonathan Schmitz (pictured left) shot and killed openly gay Scott Amedure, hunting him down two days after Amedure professed a secret crush on him during a taping of the Jenny Jones show. As the prosecutor in the criminal trial of the case, I kept up with developments in the civil trial. I watched a large portion of it after the Amedure family sued Warner Brothers, Jenny Jones and the Jenny Jones show alleging negligence and improper screening of the emotionally unstable Schmitz. Under oath in the civil trial, Jones admitted that the show didn't want Schmitz to know in advance that his admirer was a man.

A jury awarded $25 million to the Amedure family in a verdict called "chilling" by the defense and "a blow for freedom" by the plaintiffs. The verdict was later reversed by the Michigan Court of Appeals, which found that the Jenny Jones show had no duty to protect Amedure and no duty to anticipate and prevent an act of murder by Schmitz. Strangely enough, I was interviewed by Nancy Grace, then a Court TV anchor, several times after the verdict in criminal trial which followed the civil trial.

The cause of action in the lawsuit against Nancy Grace is different than in the Jenny Jones case. In the Duckett case, the alleged wrong-doing is the intentional infliction of emotional distress, rather than a negligence cause of action like that alleged by the Amedure suit. One key aspect remains the same: a celebrity and her show are the subjects of a lawsuit brought after a guest meets a violent death in the aftermath of an exploitive and humiliating on-air confrontation.

A CNN spokesman says that Nancy Grace and the show the show were providing a vital public service, bringing attention to the case for the greater good of finding Trenton Duckett. Other defenders of Grace's confrontational on-air style argue that perhaps Duckett killed herself out of guilt for killing her child rather than humiliation in an exploitive interview. They allege that Duckett went on the show willingly, and that Grace had the right to ask those questions and dig for the truth. Those critical of the ambush interview technique argue that maybe Duckett committed suicide because she was insane with grief, and Grace drove her over the edge.

Humiliating a guest for the entertainment of a nation is the key ingredient in the volatile formula of talk show amusement, devoured in millions of living rooms every day. Since TV is a mass-entertainment medium, networks have a huge incentive to satisfy their audiences' appetites. There's no shortage of participants who willingly agree to appear on sensationalist and tawdry shows. Time after time, we've seen people compromise their reputations and quality of life to be on TV. Do those who are so eager for their 15 minutes of fame ever realize it could kill them? Perhaps the saddest commentary of all is the viewing audience's seemingly insatiable appetite for cruel and sadistic voyeurism.

And the biggest irony of all? Now the ever talking head, Nancy Grace, has become the story.

Statements made in this post are my own and are not intended to reflect the views, opinion or position of the Michigan Attorney General or the Michigan Department of Attorney General.

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