Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Special New Year with a blue moon in the Americas and partial eclipse in Asia


right: full moon over the Prairie, from flicker.com
December 30, 2009

The blue moon has long been a subject of poetry and one of those phrases that are used without quite understanding the meaning, but its presence is a scientific marker for a rotating earth that runs by its own clock, ignoring man’s calendar...

Simply put, on Thursday, December 31, 2009, there will be second full moon in a calendar month of December, an occurrence called blue moon and on time for the New Year countdown.

Only once in every 20 years, the blue moon appears on New Year’s Eve, as it is going to do this year.

This New Year's Eve blue moon will be visible in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. In Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up until New Year's Day, making January a blue moon month for them...

Monday, December 28, 2009

Angry shopper uses Taser at Joliet store

December 28, 2009
Chicago Suntimes

SUN-TIMES MEDIA WIRE

...Juan Varges was asked to leave the Gonzales Supermarket in Joliet on Friday, then returned about 5 p.m. with a Taser gun and attacked the store's 33-year-old butcher.

Varges, 18, was arrested Friday and booked into Will County jail on charges of battery, criminal trespassing and unlawful use of a weapon, police said.

No injuries were reported. But it had to hurt. This is what all the taser abuse comes to. Pretty soon kids will be taking them to school.

I'm back...

The Prairie Chicken
December 28, 2009

I've been gone awhile. Thanks for staying with me and hope your having some swingin' holidays.
enjoy!

Friday, December 11, 2009

George Thomas in Nashville, ready to begin life sentence in torture-slayings


No big surprise here.

News Sentinel
knoxnews.com
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted December 10, 2009

KNOXVILLE - George Thomas arrived at a Nashville correctional center this afternoon, hours after a Knox County Criminal Court jury sentenced him to life in prison without parole for the January 2007 carjacking and torture-slayings of a West Knox County couple.
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Thomas is now at the Charles Bass Correctional Complex, an intake center for new inmates, where he will be evaluated before it's decided where he should serve out his sentence, said Dorinda Carter, Tennessee Department of Correction spokeswoman.
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That evaluation could take 30 to 60 days, she said...

Read entire article here.


Tuesday, December 8, 2009

George L. "G" Thomas: The murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom--Dec 8, 2009

The Prairie Chicken
December 8, 2009
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The jury returned a guilty verdict on the seventh day of the double-murder trial of George Thomas on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2009. Jurors shipped in from Hamilton County found Thomas guilty of multiple counts of first-degree murder and have convicted him on all 47 charges for the January 2007 torture/murder of Channon Christian and her boyfriend Christopher Newsom.
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Victim impact statements from members of the victims families were pre-approved by the judge and attorney's today, will be read to the jury tomorrow when George "G" Thomas is to be sentenced.

Read entire finding of the jury on all 47 convictions here, at News Sentinel, knoxnews.com

For other articles:
George Thomas guilty; Family: Thomas deserves death
Third of four Christian-Newsom suspects convicted of first degree murder
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Left: George showing all the emotion he could muster.
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I predict life without parole. Reading through his police statement (removing all the "you know what I mean" and the other stupid gangland Ebonics slang he uses) he obviously has the intelligence of a slug. Personally I think he was actively involved in every aspect of the crimes, but even if he WAS just a witness, what kind of mentality is it that can just dismiss such violence and cruelty by saying it was none of his business?
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Why is it more admirable in that culture to avoid being a snitch over any crime? It's ok to steal cars, kill someone, rape them, but not to snitch. It is sickening.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Curtis Lavell Vance Guilty of the rape, beating and murder of Anne Pressly, Little Rock TV Anchor


November 12, 2009

(CNN) -- After deliberating slightly more than two hours, a jury November 12, found a man guilty of capital murder and other charges in the October 2008 death of Arkansas television anchor Anne Pressly, according to CNN affiliate KARK-TV.

Curtis Lavelle Vance, 29, was convicted of capital murder, residential burglary, rape and theft of property, the station reported. A sentencing phase will determine whether he receives life in prison or the death penalty...

Vance had given several statements to police, including one saying he was at Pressly's home and another admitting to her murder...KARK reported that jurors heard recordings in which Vance apparently confessed to beating Pressly with a piece of wood...

Vance showed little reaction as the verdict was read...


also read:


Saturday, December 5, 2009

Melissa Huckaby--October trial date set in Sandra Cantu case


December 5, 2009
by Justin Lafferty
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STOCKTON — An Oct. 18, 2010, trial date was set Friday for the Tracy woman who faces the death penalty on charges that she kidnapped, raped and killed 8-year-old Sandra Cantu of Tracy.
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San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Linda Lofthus said the jury trial for Melissa Chantel Huckaby will start in the fall, even though prosecutor Thomas Testa has repeatedly asked for an earlier date because the memories of child witnesses might fade over time...
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Everyone is due back in court Feb. 16 to discuss a motion to suppress evidence and figure out a timeline for when changes must be made.
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The Mohler family--'Summers were the worst,' says woman in Missouri sex abuse case


By Emanuella Grinberg, CNN
November 20, 2009
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Lafayette County, Missouri -- Graphic details of bestiality, child rape and sodomy emerged in court documents filed in the case of a Missouri family accused of horrific crimes against their relatives.
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One of the alleged victims was about 7 years old when she and her sisters attempted to run away in 1988, after enduring years of sexual abuse at the hands of her male relatives, a complaint filed in Lafayette County Circuit Court states...
The girls made it to a neighbor's house before returning home, where, as punishment for running away, they were forced to watch a relative sodomize their brother, according to the complaint...
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The incident is just one of many...three men were each charged with use of a child in a sexual performance for allegedly forcing two girls to engage in bestiality in summer 1986.
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...The woman told police that "summers were the worst because the girls spent more time at their [relative's] farm," the complaint states...
Two other sons of Burrell Mohler Sr., David Mohler and Roland Mohler, are also in custody on various charges related to the abuse allegations...
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Dozens of family members attended a hearing for the suspects Tuesday, saying the allegations against the men have been fabricated, the station said...

The Murder of Meredith Kercher--The Conviction of Amanda Knox

The Prairie Chicken
December 5, 2009


The internet is full of news of the conviction in Italy of Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito yesterday, Dec 4, for the murder of student Meredith Kercher on November 1, 2007. Check out these sites:
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Right: The real victim of this crime, Meredith Kercher
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guardian.co.uk / The Observer
True Justice for Meredith Kercher
Friends of Amanda
CNN--Knox sobs as verdict read


Right: Meredith's parents. Meredith also has a sister and two brothers.

Friday, December 4, 2009

George L. "G" Thomas: The murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom--December 4, 2009


The Prairie Chicken
December 4, 2009
The carjack/torture/rape/murder trial against George L "G" Thomas continued today and was dominated by two tape recordings; one of Thomas' phone call to Stacy Lawson with the now infamous "should've would've could've, but didn't" statement Thomas made to Lawson, and also the interview of George Thomas when he was arrested on January 11, 2009 in Lebanon, Kentucky.

Read excerpts from the transcript of the Lawson phone call here.

Read the long-awaited transcript of the statement of George Thomas here.

both reported by knoxnews.com.

Also read this older article from knoxnews.com:

Amanda Knox and ex-boyfried Raffaele Sollecito found Guilty in Death of Knox roommate Meredith Kerchner

The Prairie Chicken
December 4, 2009




Minutes ago, Amanda Knox of Seattle Washington and Raffaele Sollecito of Italy were found guilty in the death of 20 year old Meredith Kercher. The jury of eight, including three judges, sentenced Knox to 26 years in prison and her ex-boyfriend Sollecito will spend 25 years in an Italian prison for the brutal murder on November 2, 2007.

Above, Knox and Sollecito on the day Meredith's body was found.

Right: Meredith shortly before her death.

Read articles here:

From CNN
From the Guardian
Komonews in Seattle

Thursday, December 3, 2009

Again, Deputies Shock 'Out Of Control' Child With Taser

December 3, 2009
wftv.com

PUEBLO, Colo. -- Colorado sheriff's deputies shocked an "out of control" 10-year-old child with a Taser and arrested him.

Pueblo Sheriff's Capt. Jeff Teschner said Wednesday that the boy was not hurt when deputies took action Monday after arriving at his foster home, where he was reportedly destroying property.

Teschner says deputies were justified in their use of force. The deputies say the youth threatened them with a pipe and a stick, and threw a piece of wood at them. The boy was arrested on suspicion of menacing with a deadly weapon...

read entire article here

Trial of Amanda Knox in Perugia, Italy--verdict due possibly tonight (tomorrow in Italy)

The Prairie Chicken
December 3, 2009

After a trial lasting a year, the verdict in the case against Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito could be announced at any time. Both have been accused of a gang murder of Meridith Kercher, Knox's roommate in early November, 2008. Rudolf Guede, an Italian citizen pleaded guilty to the crime in a fast-track trial and implicated both Knox and Sollecito in the crime.
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This week started with the Prosecution's closing statements followed by Sollecito and Knox's Attorney's closing statements and statements by the accused themselves, which is allowed in the Italian legal system.
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Meredith was a British student and Amanda a student from Seattle who shared space in the same four bedroom house whil attending college. Meredith was found in her locked bedroom on November 2; she had been raped, stabbed and her throat cut with a small knife (2 1/2 in). Amanda and Raffaele called the police later on that morning when they couldn't reach Meredith and there appeared to be blood in several parts of the house.
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For background information from both sides of the debate:
Amanda Knox Pleads With Jury: I'm No "Assassin"
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Leaning towards Amanda being guilty:
True Justice For Meredith Kercher
Meredith Kercher killed 'because sex game went too far' - Telegraph
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Leaning towards Amanda being innocent:
The real Amanda
CBS correspondent: 'Amanda Knox is innocent'

Anthony Sowell pleads not guilty by reason of insanity to killings


Right: Anthony Sowell. Don't know that I could say he is insane, but he sure is ugly.
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By Michael Sangiacomo
December 03, 2009
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CLEVELAND, Ohio — Suspected serial killer Anthony Sowell entered a surprise plea of not guilty by reason of insanity Thursday morning to charges accusing him of killing 11 women and assaulting three others at his Imperial Avenue home.
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Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Eileen Gallagher ordered Sowell, 50, to be held in jail without bond. Prosecutors had asked for a bond of $14 million -- $1 million for each victim...
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Judge Timothy McGinty will preside over the death penalty case...
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"Quite frankly, he's a psychopath, a person void of any human empathy," said Assistant County Prosecutor Rick Bombik. "That does not mean he is mentally ill. A psychopath is not insane, he's just a lousy, evil person with a personality disorder."
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Lewis Katz, who has taught law for 40 years at Case Western Reserve University, described it this way: "A sociopath, or psychopath, lives his life unaffected by the moral code and other concepts that guide the rest of us," Katz said. "It does not mean they are insane."
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George L. "G" Thomas: The murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom--Dec 3, 2009

The Prairie Chicken
December 3, 2009

Covering the last two days in the courtroom, all testimony is from repeat witnesses from the Cobbins and Davidson trials. Several of the victims family members testified to the last time Channon and Chris were seen by them. Stacy Lawson began her testimony yesterday in the late hour of the day and was then first up this morning, claiming to be nauseous (sic) and complained that she had been required to stay in Knoxville overnight. Guess it was better when she was sleeping on a blanket on the floor of a shack with Thomas. Who knows...

Several minor witnesses, a man with a new cell phone who obtained Davidson's phone number after he lost service testified to getting a lot of wrong number calls. Experts from phone service companies reported on all cell phones involved, Davidson's, Lawson's, Daphine Sutton's friends. One interesting point was that Thomas called Lawson in Lebanon, Kentucky about an hour after Chris was murdered.

Daphine Sutton was back on the stand and said that she had gone to the Chipman St. house on Sunday between 6 and 7 pm, that it was dark outside and raining. She stayed 3-4 minutes and left with Davidson's gift of Channon's "good-will" used clothing and her ring, but not the make-up she had come after. She said that Davidson came to her friends house later at about 10:30 pm to pick up the clothing after Daphine confronted him about them being used. No one mentioned whether or not she gave the ring back, but she did say he drove over in Channon's 4runner. On a side note, it appeared in the live feed from wbir.com that Daphine is again pregnant. It can't be Davidson's--he's been in jail since January. I hope she picked a more human baby-daddy this time. Does she know that condoms are cheap?

Ethel Freeman reared her ugly head again today. She testified in the original Grand Jury and the trials of Eric Boyd, Letalvis Cobbins, Lemaricus Davidson, and now George Thomas with her story a bit different in every case. She attempted to exonerate Davidson, he being her main drug dealer, but that didn't turn out well. Her different stories were exposed by Prosecution after a heated argument with Defense and a Judge ruling. She testified to knowing Thomas by sight and placed him at the Chipman St. house during the time Channon was there. She repeated her claim that Chris and Channon had been begging for gas money between 9:30 and 10:00 at a nearby gas station, but was much more vague about it--claiming the couple had resembled the victims, and this time couldn't remember what type of vehicle they were in. Of course, she's not trying to save her buddy this time around.

Several members of law enforcement also took the stand, one showing videotape of the Chipman St. house, which has since been torn down, another was an expert on guns and last up for today was an Officer Resig, who gave dimensions of the tiny house (less than 1000 sq ft.) My opinion is that this was done to show that Thomas could not have been unaware of the woman being restrained and brutalized in that tiny house and not know about it.

My opinion is that Thomas shot Chris and probably participated in his sexual assault. I also believe he took a few turns with Channon as well.

And a nagging question I have regarding both George Thomas AND Eric Boyd is; have either of them been tested to see if they are secretors or non-secretors? Yes, I know their DNA was sampled and tested, but was it checked for Secretor/non-secretor status? If Thomas is a non-secretor, then his DNA would not be identifiable in a mixed sample, as has been found both on Chris and Channon. The mix with the victim's body fluids would, in itself, ID a non-secretors semen as a negative match, let alone the victims plus up to four assailants. Just a thought--I have no expertise--only Google.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

George L. "G" Thomas: The murder of Channon Christian and Chris Newsom


The Prairie Chicken
December 1, 2009

This morning the trial of George L Thomas, aka “G”, began; Thomas being charged with the murder of Channon Christian and her boyfriend Chris Newsom, in Knoxville Tennessee on January 6/7, 2007. Among the charges are carjacking, rape, murder.
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Click on the Channon Christian or Chris Newsom label under this post to read the background of this horrendous crime, if you haven't heard about it.

In October, Thomas’ pal Letalvis Cobbins was convicted and sentenced to live with no parole. In November, Cobbins half-brother Lemaricus Davidson was sentenced to death on the same charges.
Witnesses called were both Chris and Channon’s best friends and Gary Christian, Channon’s father. Xavier Jenkins also appeared to tell about Eric Boyd’s borrowed car there at the house on January 6 and having seen four black men in Channon’s 4runner looking back at him in an intimidating manner.

Various experts for the State testified about finding Chris Newsom’s body, the cloth strips from the Chipman house and dog collar found beside Chris, and the use of accelerant to burn his body.
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Takisha Fitzgerld, one of the prosecuting District Court Attorney’s told the courtroom this morning that they would be hearing the hour-long interview Thomas gave to police. Personally I have been waiting long time to hear what he had to say for himself. Hoping the transcript will be available.

The guy who heard three gun-shots at 1:45 am on January 7, 2007 testified again. He had been watching reruns of “The Outer Limits” at the time. If Jamie Satterfield ever reads this, The Outer Limits was a sci-fi from the 1960’s, comparable to the Twilight Zone but a little edgier, lots of aliens, mind blowing or deep and thought-provoking, more-or-less the X-files of the 60’s. Or the Matrix.
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May have missed covering a witness or two. It is interesting that the defense attorneys asked no questions of most of the witnesses, and then only for clarification. In fact more than once, one of the defense atty’s stated that Channon and Chris were innocent victims and did not deserve what happened to them. They are obviously not going to try to trash the victims, as happened in the Davidson trial, eventually putting him on death row.

Stacy Lawson will take the stand tomorrow. We learned in Davidson’ trial that after the arrests for murder, Stacy, George’s girlfriend, wrote to Davidson in jail and told him she wanted to sleep with him and was sorry for a ‘missed opportunity’. And I wonder if George has ever heard that little bit of trivia. I think I’ll watch the live feed tomorrow as well as following the twitters, to see his reaction.
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Check out:
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Or Live feed:
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