Joe LaFratta jr. is alleged to have been a very active figure in the Boston crime scene. He makes no excuses for the life of true crime he lead here in the Boston area but after having been wrongfully convicted based entirely on false testimony given by a disgraced former attorney and local politician Christopher Rich of Georgetown,Ma. He has vowed to turn over a new leaf and make an honest living educating people like you on how to protect themselves from people like him.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The Law does not apply to everyone | Essex county DA |
In 2009 I was convicted of robbing disgraced attorney and Georgetown planning board member Christopher C. Rich of over $200,000. After serving 7 months of my 6 year sentence I found exculpatory evidence that my phones were tapped and that Chris Rich was on these taps talking to me about crimes he wanted to commit. The DA withheld this information and when the judge heard it he overturned my conviction and ordered me a new trial.
What I am wondering is this. Why hasn't the DA's office prosecuted Christopher C. Rich for any number of things he did that were against the law. He filed a false police report, he committed perjury on the witness stand a number of times and he also sued Eastern bank fauduletly and won? He won the case against the bank because I was convicted of stealing his checks even though evidence found later proved the checks were given to me.
I sure as hell know what would have happened to me if I committed any of these crimes. The one against the bank is actually bank fraud if you think about it. However, he is friends with the Essex County DA and several judges in the state so I guess the LAWS DO NOT APPLY TO EVERYONE.
Believe me, I don't think anyone should go to jail but If the courts are going to portray themselves as society's moral compass they should go after people that actually commit crime. This guy was a lawyer so he should have a pretty good understanding of the laws that he broke.
One more point I would like to make. Christopher C. Rich still has a license to carry a firearm in this state. How does that happen? He is on wire tap with an "alleged" member of organized crime (me) plotting crimes against innocent people.
If you would like to see more about this please click on the heading or copy the link below.
After watching the link if you would like to know how you can become a member of the LAWS DON'T APPLY TO ME CLUB you can call the ESSEX COUNTY DA'S OFFICE IN SALEM MA AT 978-745-6610 and ask for application.
http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/news/undercover/civic-leader-or-greedy-criminal-20110508
Monday, July 18, 2011
Mass DA's spending in all the wrong places
This is another fine example of Massachusetts DA's spending their budgets in all the wrong places.
This poor grandfather did what anyone with any balls would have done and cracked the guy in the head with a bat because he was molesting his granddaughter. Where is the crime in that? And the grandfather had already called the cops.
The DA's offices throughout Mass have been saying for a while that they don't have a big enough budget and that the DA's don't make enough money.
Well if they stopped prosecuting cases like this maybe they would have a little more money to spend on real crimes. I personally don't care if this grandfather hit this guy over the head or not. They guy raping the underage girl should get hit in the head with a bat because he sure isn't going to feel any pain when he goes to court. This state is still very lenient on these types of cases.
If you have a free minute today give this DA Michael O'Keefe a call and tell him how you feel about this. Their # is 508-362-8113 and please tell him you're a friend of mine.
This poor grandfather did what anyone with any balls would have done and cracked the guy in the head with a bat because he was molesting his granddaughter. Where is the crime in that? And the grandfather had already called the cops.
The DA's offices throughout Mass have been saying for a while that they don't have a big enough budget and that the DA's don't make enough money.
Well if they stopped prosecuting cases like this maybe they would have a little more money to spend on real crimes. I personally don't care if this grandfather hit this guy over the head or not. They guy raping the underage girl should get hit in the head with a bat because he sure isn't going to feel any pain when he goes to court. This state is still very lenient on these types of cases.
If you have a free minute today give this DA Michael O'Keefe a call and tell him how you feel about this. Their # is 508-362-8113 and please tell him you're a friend of mine.
Friday, July 15, 2011
Law Enforcement Mafia flexing their muscle in Revere MA
Boulevard Family Settles Suit with City, State in Overzealous Home Search
The City and State Police have recently settled a federal Civil Rights case with a family from Revere Beach Boulevard that came as a result of what appears to be an overzealous home search during the initial investigation following the Officer Dan Talbot murder.
The case involved two Revere Police Officers and two State Police Troopers and was arbitrated in federal court by a federal judge, concluding just this past March. The City agreed to pay the family $40,000 and the State Police also paid $40,000.
City Solicitor Paul Capizzi told the Journal that the case was handled by Attorney Gerry D’Ambrosio’s office.
D’Ambrosio was not immediately available for comment on the case, but Capizzi indicated that attorneys advised the City that the case might be favorable for the plaintiff.
“They told us our defenses were there, but maybe not adequate enough to meet a challenge,” he said.
So, instead of risking a jury trial in Federal Court, the City agreed to mediate the matter and arrived at a settlement. There was no wrongdoing admitted to and the matter was a Civil matter and not a criminal matter.
State Police Spokesman David Procopio indicated that the state preferred not to comment on the suit.
The case was handled rather quietly and was discovered this week by the media as it was disclosed during deficit spending discussions that were before the City Council.
Mayor Tom Ambrosino said it was a case that wasn’t out of the ordinary and something the City deals with from time to time.
That being said, the family’s attorney, John Day of Boston, laid out quite a set of allegations before the court.
In an amended complaint filed in Boston Federal Court last August, the alleged facts of the case are laid out in astonishing fashion.
On the Saturday morning after the Talbot murder, on Sept. 29, 2007, the family said they were relaxing in their Boulevard home when the mother heard voices in the backyard. She looked out the window and noticed police officers sneaking around their yard and trying to hide behind the garage.
She told her husband about the situation and they went outside to find out what was happening.
When they asked officers, the only comment was whether or not they had watched the news. When the family said they hadn’t, officers said they could not tell them what was happening.
The family alleged that they decided to go inside and call Revere Police. As they started to do so, the front doorbell rang and two officers began banging on the front door.
A Revere Police officer and a State Trooper were at the door, with the Trooper brandishing a long-barreled weapon. The father asked why they were there and he was allegedly told to “Open the [expletive deleted] door.”
Officers continued to be evasive as to why they were there and discussed the news coverage several times, of which the family alleged they had no knowledge of. They alleged that they had not heard any news yet and had no idea that Talbot had been murdered until some time after the entire incident unfolded.
Without invitation, officers allegedly entered the home and asked for the couple’s teen-age son. When officers allegedly learned that the son was upstairs showering, a Revere officer drew his weapon and ran upstairs to seek out the teen.
The family allegedly asked for a warrant repeatedly but were ignored.
When the father – who was quite concerned – tried to follow the armed officer upstairs, the State Trooper with the rifle stopped him.
The Trooper allegedly ordered the father to get down on the ground and told him that if he moved, he would be shot.
At that point, allegedly, a Revere Police officer and another State Trooper came running through the front door. They were allegedly the same officers that had been hiding in the backyard at the outset.
The Revere officer drew his weapon and also ran upstairs.
When the mother tried to follow the second armed officer upstairs, she was allegedly pushed down the stairs, allegedly injuring her elbow.
She allegedly called for help, but her husband was allegedly also still being held.
Police allegedly still refused to say why they were there.
When the mother made a second attempt to go upstairs, the Trooper subdued her with an arm grapple and put her to the wall – ordering her to get down on the floor.
To heighten the situation, the family’s dog – an even-tempered black Labrador – entered the area and Troopers allegedly threatened to shoot the dog unless it was removed immediately.
When the mother attempted to call Revere Police, in the midst of the recorded call the Trooper ended the call and allegedly threw the phone against the wall.
Upstairs, as the teen was getting dressed from his shower, armed police allegedly barged into his room and ordered him to the floor at gunpoint.
He was handcuffed and placed on the bed.
He pleaded with officers to tell him why they were there.
They only asked him if he watched the news, which he had not.
The two Revere officers made a few telephone calls, and after finishing those calls, they removed the handcuffs and left the residence.
All four officers allegedly left as quickly as they had come and allegedly without any explanation.
One Trooper is also alleged to have misidentified himself to the mother as he left. They were also alleged to be laughing and smiling as they left the family’s home.
While they were leaving, plainclothes Revere Police officers responded to the scene as a result of the recorded phone call that had been stopped.
The situation was explained and a superior officer from the Revere Police Station did end up apologizing for the entire incident.
The complaint indicates that police had identified the teen as a person of interest, but that he allegedly wasn’t supposed to be apprehended.
Two days later, after hearing fully about the Talbot murder, the family alleged that they called the Revere Police and offered to come in with their son to help the investigation.
None of those calls, they allege, were ever returned.
Attorney Day alleged that the son had no connection whatsoever to the shooting and that there was never any probable cause to believe any such connection existed.
There were no warrants for anyone in the house and the family indicated that they never gave consent for officers to enter or search the home.
Attorney Day did not immediately respond to a phone call.
Capizzi indicated that the matter appeared to be a miscommunication between officers about the urgency in which Police wanted to speak with the teen-age son.
PLEASE CONTACT REVERE POLICE AT 781-284-1212 AND ASK HOW THIS HAPPENED.
The City and State Police have recently settled a federal Civil Rights case with a family from Revere Beach Boulevard that came as a result of what appears to be an overzealous home search during the initial investigation following the Officer Dan Talbot murder.
The case involved two Revere Police Officers and two State Police Troopers and was arbitrated in federal court by a federal judge, concluding just this past March. The City agreed to pay the family $40,000 and the State Police also paid $40,000.
City Solicitor Paul Capizzi told the Journal that the case was handled by Attorney Gerry D’Ambrosio’s office.
D’Ambrosio was not immediately available for comment on the case, but Capizzi indicated that attorneys advised the City that the case might be favorable for the plaintiff.
“They told us our defenses were there, but maybe not adequate enough to meet a challenge,” he said.
So, instead of risking a jury trial in Federal Court, the City agreed to mediate the matter and arrived at a settlement. There was no wrongdoing admitted to and the matter was a Civil matter and not a criminal matter.
State Police Spokesman David Procopio indicated that the state preferred not to comment on the suit.
The case was handled rather quietly and was discovered this week by the media as it was disclosed during deficit spending discussions that were before the City Council.
Mayor Tom Ambrosino said it was a case that wasn’t out of the ordinary and something the City deals with from time to time.
That being said, the family’s attorney, John Day of Boston, laid out quite a set of allegations before the court.
In an amended complaint filed in Boston Federal Court last August, the alleged facts of the case are laid out in astonishing fashion.
On the Saturday morning after the Talbot murder, on Sept. 29, 2007, the family said they were relaxing in their Boulevard home when the mother heard voices in the backyard. She looked out the window and noticed police officers sneaking around their yard and trying to hide behind the garage.
She told her husband about the situation and they went outside to find out what was happening.
When they asked officers, the only comment was whether or not they had watched the news. When the family said they hadn’t, officers said they could not tell them what was happening.
The family alleged that they decided to go inside and call Revere Police. As they started to do so, the front doorbell rang and two officers began banging on the front door.
A Revere Police officer and a State Trooper were at the door, with the Trooper brandishing a long-barreled weapon. The father asked why they were there and he was allegedly told to “Open the [expletive deleted] door.”
Officers continued to be evasive as to why they were there and discussed the news coverage several times, of which the family alleged they had no knowledge of. They alleged that they had not heard any news yet and had no idea that Talbot had been murdered until some time after the entire incident unfolded.
Without invitation, officers allegedly entered the home and asked for the couple’s teen-age son. When officers allegedly learned that the son was upstairs showering, a Revere officer drew his weapon and ran upstairs to seek out the teen.
The family allegedly asked for a warrant repeatedly but were ignored.
When the father – who was quite concerned – tried to follow the armed officer upstairs, the State Trooper with the rifle stopped him.
The Trooper allegedly ordered the father to get down on the ground and told him that if he moved, he would be shot.
At that point, allegedly, a Revere Police officer and another State Trooper came running through the front door. They were allegedly the same officers that had been hiding in the backyard at the outset.
The Revere officer drew his weapon and also ran upstairs.
When the mother tried to follow the second armed officer upstairs, she was allegedly pushed down the stairs, allegedly injuring her elbow.
She allegedly called for help, but her husband was allegedly also still being held.
Police allegedly still refused to say why they were there.
When the mother made a second attempt to go upstairs, the Trooper subdued her with an arm grapple and put her to the wall – ordering her to get down on the floor.
To heighten the situation, the family’s dog – an even-tempered black Labrador – entered the area and Troopers allegedly threatened to shoot the dog unless it was removed immediately.
When the mother attempted to call Revere Police, in the midst of the recorded call the Trooper ended the call and allegedly threw the phone against the wall.
Upstairs, as the teen was getting dressed from his shower, armed police allegedly barged into his room and ordered him to the floor at gunpoint.
He was handcuffed and placed on the bed.
He pleaded with officers to tell him why they were there.
They only asked him if he watched the news, which he had not.
The two Revere officers made a few telephone calls, and after finishing those calls, they removed the handcuffs and left the residence.
All four officers allegedly left as quickly as they had come and allegedly without any explanation.
One Trooper is also alleged to have misidentified himself to the mother as he left. They were also alleged to be laughing and smiling as they left the family’s home.
While they were leaving, plainclothes Revere Police officers responded to the scene as a result of the recorded phone call that had been stopped.
The situation was explained and a superior officer from the Revere Police Station did end up apologizing for the entire incident.
The complaint indicates that police had identified the teen as a person of interest, but that he allegedly wasn’t supposed to be apprehended.
Two days later, after hearing fully about the Talbot murder, the family alleged that they called the Revere Police and offered to come in with their son to help the investigation.
None of those calls, they allege, were ever returned.
Attorney Day alleged that the son had no connection whatsoever to the shooting and that there was never any probable cause to believe any such connection existed.
There were no warrants for anyone in the house and the family indicated that they never gave consent for officers to enter or search the home.
Attorney Day did not immediately respond to a phone call.
Capizzi indicated that the matter appeared to be a miscommunication between officers about the urgency in which Police wanted to speak with the teen-age son.
PLEASE CONTACT REVERE POLICE AT 781-284-1212 AND ASK HOW THIS HAPPENED.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Massachusetts Law Enforcement Mafia at it again
Lowell police officer Arovanh Lakmany was indicted recently on extortion, 3 counts of rape and 3 counts of soliciting a prostitute but get this, he was released on PERSONAL RECOGNIZANCE. Which means he wasn't even given a bail.
Now call me crazy but this bail seems to be a little low. Actually its impossible to get your bail any lower unless they pay you to be charged with a crime. Oh wait a second that is most likely what is going to happen. I'm sure that this RAPIST will be suspended with pay, or as you and I like to call it, "given a paid vacation".
I know a thousand people that have been charged with crimes a lot less serious than this and were given huge bails. I wonder what the difference is between them and him. Oh, no I don't, he's a LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER so the "LAWS" DO NOT APPLY TO HIM.
This jerk actually said in an interview with detectives that "he felt like he was untouchable because, you know, were cops". THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP.
This is further proof that in this country if you are not a politician, a cop, a judge, a probation officer or any other jerk woking for the government or law enforcement THAN YOU ARE A SUCKER. They want you to shut up, follow the laws that they don't follow and just KEEP PAYING YOUR TAXES.
IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE CALL THE LOWELL MASS POLICE STATION AT 978-937-3200 AND ASK HOW YOU TOO CAN BECOME A PART OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT MAFIA, JUST LIKE AROVANH LAKMANY, and tell them JOE LAFRATTA ASKED YOU TO CALL!
Now call me crazy but this bail seems to be a little low. Actually its impossible to get your bail any lower unless they pay you to be charged with a crime. Oh wait a second that is most likely what is going to happen. I'm sure that this RAPIST will be suspended with pay, or as you and I like to call it, "given a paid vacation".
I know a thousand people that have been charged with crimes a lot less serious than this and were given huge bails. I wonder what the difference is between them and him. Oh, no I don't, he's a LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER so the "LAWS" DO NOT APPLY TO HIM.
This jerk actually said in an interview with detectives that "he felt like he was untouchable because, you know, were cops". THAT ABOUT SUMS IT UP.
This is further proof that in this country if you are not a politician, a cop, a judge, a probation officer or any other jerk woking for the government or law enforcement THAN YOU ARE A SUCKER. They want you to shut up, follow the laws that they don't follow and just KEEP PAYING YOUR TAXES.
IF YOU READ THIS PLEASE CALL THE LOWELL MASS POLICE STATION AT 978-937-3200 AND ASK HOW YOU TOO CAN BECOME A PART OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT MAFIA, JUST LIKE AROVANH LAKMANY, and tell them JOE LAFRATTA ASKED YOU TO CALL!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
FBI's arrest of Whitey Bulger publicity stunt | FAST AND FURIOUS | SHOULD MAKE YOU FURIOUS
In the FBI's long history of making bad decisions this has to be the worst. Forget about Whitey Bulger and Hoover wearing a dress. This trumps them all.
These morons actually thought it was a good idea to spend tax dollars on guns and give them to drug dealers so they could track them. Let us mull that over for a moment. I'm no criminologist but I think when you give a drug deal a high powered weapon most of the time someone gets hurt or killed and that is exactly what happened.
I honestly believe that the reason the FBI finally "found" Whitey Bulger is so they could divert some of the bad press from this story and have people talking about Whitey. Forget that rat Whitey, this story should make you FURIOUS WITH THE FBI. Your money paid for this mess and now they are trying to block the investigation.
I think they feds need to hire a PR guy....
FBI--THE REAL MAFIA IN AMERICA
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/06/justice-department-obstructing-fast-and-furious-gun-probe-atf-director-says/
These morons actually thought it was a good idea to spend tax dollars on guns and give them to drug dealers so they could track them. Let us mull that over for a moment. I'm no criminologist but I think when you give a drug deal a high powered weapon most of the time someone gets hurt or killed and that is exactly what happened.
I honestly believe that the reason the FBI finally "found" Whitey Bulger is so they could divert some of the bad press from this story and have people talking about Whitey. Forget that rat Whitey, this story should make you FURIOUS WITH THE FBI. Your money paid for this mess and now they are trying to block the investigation.
I think they feds need to hire a PR guy....
FBI--THE REAL MAFIA IN AMERICA
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/07/06/justice-department-obstructing-fast-and-furious-gun-probe-atf-director-says/
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Casey Anthony gets 4 years | Public Outraged |
I understand that people are upset that Casey Anthony got found NOT GUILTY and that they are upset with the Judicial system. What I don't understand is how these same people don't seem to care when the Judicial system CONVICTS some poor bastard of a crime he didn't commit.
Let's take Joe Salvati for instance. Joe was given the DEATH PENALTY for a crime he didn't commit and the government knew he didn't commit but tried him anyway. The DEATH PENALTY was abolished in Mass before the government could actually pull off its premeditated murder of Mr. Salvati but the poor bastard still ended up doing 27 years before he was released from prison.
He only got out because they actually could prove that the FBI with held exculpatory evidence in his case that proved he had no idea that the murder happened and was nowhere near the crime scene. And this was after years of losing appeals and the government repeatedly calling him a "mobster" when they were the ones in bed with the real homicidal maniac James Whitey Bulger.
This woman was found NOT GUILTY by a jury of her peers and that's that!
The system works but only if you own a fortune 500 company. The rest of us have NO SAY IN THE MATTER. DEAL WITH IT!
Let's take Joe Salvati for instance. Joe was given the DEATH PENALTY for a crime he didn't commit and the government knew he didn't commit but tried him anyway. The DEATH PENALTY was abolished in Mass before the government could actually pull off its premeditated murder of Mr. Salvati but the poor bastard still ended up doing 27 years before he was released from prison.
He only got out because they actually could prove that the FBI with held exculpatory evidence in his case that proved he had no idea that the murder happened and was nowhere near the crime scene. And this was after years of losing appeals and the government repeatedly calling him a "mobster" when they were the ones in bed with the real homicidal maniac James Whitey Bulger.
This woman was found NOT GUILTY by a jury of her peers and that's that!
The system works but only if you own a fortune 500 company. The rest of us have NO SAY IN THE MATTER. DEAL WITH IT!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Excerpt from my book | DIRTY MONEY | BOSTON MAFIA
THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE
Some criminals are certainly a waste of talent. Most of the really good ones would be great at anything they tried to do, but they gravitated toward crime because they were around it at an early age. Almost all of the stories they heard from people they looked up to… who happened to be lifelong criminals… were all about the good times.
No one ever tells stories about the misery that crime has caused them… at least the men don't. They were “nurtured” by crime.
This is true most of all with the Mafia. Where I come from, we were brought up thinking that life in the Mafia was the coolest life there was. I was born and raised in Revere, Massachusetts; a town near Boston with a large tight-knit Italian population. It was also a place where illegal gambling, loan sharking and drug dealing were a way of life. To be in the Mafia was considered a tremendous achievement… like having won a Super Bowl or having been elected to Congress.
I was born in in August, 1972, which makes me part of “Generation X”. My father, Joe LaFratta, Sr., is three-quarters Italian and one-fourth Greek. My mother is Irish and French.
When I was a little boy… I was about five years old… my family owned a summer cottage at Canobie Lake, New Hampshire, which is about a 45 minute drive from Boston. It was one of best places a young boy could be in the summer. We owned a cottage right next to the lake, we had a boat and there was an amusement park right down the street that had everything… including a roller coaster.
We would spend the whole summer there as a family. It never seemed odd to me that the other kid’s fathers were only there on the weekends, but my father was there all the time. He did not have to go to a nine-to-five job because he never had one. He would leave from time to time late at night, but he would always be there in the morning when we woke up. This was a great time in my life, and I will always look back fondly on it.
My fondest memory of those times, however, is not of the boat or of the amusement park. It is of my father and I driving to the closest farm stand, which was on a country road near our summer cottage. Whenever we went there, my dad would put a big bunch of ears of corn in a bag and place the bag in the car. He would then pick out whatever fruits or vegetables we needed for the night’s salad, put them in another bag and put that bag in the car as well. What I remember most about those shopping trips was when my father would walk back to the farm stand and go over to a coffee can that the customers would drop money in to pay for their merchandise. Like many small businesses in that rural area, the farm stand was on the “honor system”. My father, though, did things differently. He would give a quick look around, take all of the money out of the can and quickly put it in his pocket. He would then look at me, clasp his hands together, shake them up and down at the wrist in a gesture of exasperation and say: "When are they going to learn up here?"
It is important for you to know that my father definitely did not need the money that was in the coffee can… he just loved to get over on things like that. Even though he had what some would consider a warped sense of morality, my father was a good man. He has always loved me, and he would die for me without hesitation. I know for a fact that he never meant me any harm, and he did not want me to follow in his footsteps.
That said, the fact that I saw him do things that he knew were wrong and saw the smile on his face when he did them made it a lot easier for me to choose the same path when I got older. I found crime to be a means of making large sums of money in a way that also made me feel like I was in on a really funny practical joke. Dirty money is very appealing. If you are a true criminal, you see things very differently from other people. You are always watching for angles that lead to quick riches, if you’re willing to take a few risks. There is always a price to be paid, though. My father often told me: “A construction worker has to worry about getting hit in the head by a two by four, but a criminal has to worry about going to jail.”
My life is full of regrets, but it all happened in the past and no one can change the past. I had to learn from my mistakes and as it turns out, I'm a very bad student! It took me a long time to learn how to find true happiness.
Once I “got it”, though, I understood about the world we live in better than I have before, and I realized how anyone could still be happy, whether they were rich or poor or in the most miserable situations imaginable.
Some criminals are certainly a waste of talent. Most of the really good ones would be great at anything they tried to do, but they gravitated toward crime because they were around it at an early age. Almost all of the stories they heard from people they looked up to… who happened to be lifelong criminals… were all about the good times.
No one ever tells stories about the misery that crime has caused them… at least the men don't. They were “nurtured” by crime.
This is true most of all with the Mafia. Where I come from, we were brought up thinking that life in the Mafia was the coolest life there was. I was born and raised in Revere, Massachusetts; a town near Boston with a large tight-knit Italian population. It was also a place where illegal gambling, loan sharking and drug dealing were a way of life. To be in the Mafia was considered a tremendous achievement… like having won a Super Bowl or having been elected to Congress.
I was born in in August, 1972, which makes me part of “Generation X”. My father, Joe LaFratta, Sr., is three-quarters Italian and one-fourth Greek. My mother is Irish and French.
When I was a little boy… I was about five years old… my family owned a summer cottage at Canobie Lake, New Hampshire, which is about a 45 minute drive from Boston. It was one of best places a young boy could be in the summer. We owned a cottage right next to the lake, we had a boat and there was an amusement park right down the street that had everything… including a roller coaster.
We would spend the whole summer there as a family. It never seemed odd to me that the other kid’s fathers were only there on the weekends, but my father was there all the time. He did not have to go to a nine-to-five job because he never had one. He would leave from time to time late at night, but he would always be there in the morning when we woke up. This was a great time in my life, and I will always look back fondly on it.
My fondest memory of those times, however, is not of the boat or of the amusement park. It is of my father and I driving to the closest farm stand, which was on a country road near our summer cottage. Whenever we went there, my dad would put a big bunch of ears of corn in a bag and place the bag in the car. He would then pick out whatever fruits or vegetables we needed for the night’s salad, put them in another bag and put that bag in the car as well. What I remember most about those shopping trips was when my father would walk back to the farm stand and go over to a coffee can that the customers would drop money in to pay for their merchandise. Like many small businesses in that rural area, the farm stand was on the “honor system”. My father, though, did things differently. He would give a quick look around, take all of the money out of the can and quickly put it in his pocket. He would then look at me, clasp his hands together, shake them up and down at the wrist in a gesture of exasperation and say: "When are they going to learn up here?"
It is important for you to know that my father definitely did not need the money that was in the coffee can… he just loved to get over on things like that. Even though he had what some would consider a warped sense of morality, my father was a good man. He has always loved me, and he would die for me without hesitation. I know for a fact that he never meant me any harm, and he did not want me to follow in his footsteps.
That said, the fact that I saw him do things that he knew were wrong and saw the smile on his face when he did them made it a lot easier for me to choose the same path when I got older. I found crime to be a means of making large sums of money in a way that also made me feel like I was in on a really funny practical joke. Dirty money is very appealing. If you are a true criminal, you see things very differently from other people. You are always watching for angles that lead to quick riches, if you’re willing to take a few risks. There is always a price to be paid, though. My father often told me: “A construction worker has to worry about getting hit in the head by a two by four, but a criminal has to worry about going to jail.”
My life is full of regrets, but it all happened in the past and no one can change the past. I had to learn from my mistakes and as it turns out, I'm a very bad student! It took me a long time to learn how to find true happiness.
Once I “got it”, though, I understood about the world we live in better than I have before, and I realized how anyone could still be happy, whether they were rich or poor or in the most miserable situations imaginable.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Casey Anthony | Not Guilty | Whitey Bulger Next?
Casey Anthony was found not guilty today by a jury of her peers and people are all upset with the jury. The jury did what it "thought" was right and granted, they may have been wrong but the blame lies with the Prosecutors, not with the jury.
The prosecutor knew they had a weak case, even though they had almost 3 years to built it and they should have offered this woman a plea deal that she would have honestly considered. If she is guilty and they offered her 10 or 15 years anyone with a half of brain would have jumped all over it, not to mention that her lawyer would have told her to take it. That way at least the truth would have been told and she would not be able to profit off of her crime. Also the prosecutors should have given the jury other options than first degree murder. In their arrogance they only left the jury with 2 options, guilt or innocense of first degree murder, and in a weak case like this the jury did not believe it was premeditated and decided to find her not guilty. If they had other options such as manslaughter maybe they would have seen things in a different way. Unfortunatly we will never know.
I do not believe that people should be upset with the jurors. They have nothing to gain from finding her not guilty and I applaud them for doing what they thought was the right thing. No matter what my personal beliefs may be.
You do not have to agree with the outcome but this is our judicial system and 12 people that know a lot more about the case than any of you do thought she did not commit premeditated murder.
If you are looking for someone to blame, blame the DA's office and let them know how upset you are.
Lets all just hope that Whitey Bulger is not the next one to get "lucky" in court.
The prosecutor knew they had a weak case, even though they had almost 3 years to built it and they should have offered this woman a plea deal that she would have honestly considered. If she is guilty and they offered her 10 or 15 years anyone with a half of brain would have jumped all over it, not to mention that her lawyer would have told her to take it. That way at least the truth would have been told and she would not be able to profit off of her crime. Also the prosecutors should have given the jury other options than first degree murder. In their arrogance they only left the jury with 2 options, guilt or innocense of first degree murder, and in a weak case like this the jury did not believe it was premeditated and decided to find her not guilty. If they had other options such as manslaughter maybe they would have seen things in a different way. Unfortunatly we will never know.
I do not believe that people should be upset with the jurors. They have nothing to gain from finding her not guilty and I applaud them for doing what they thought was the right thing. No matter what my personal beliefs may be.
You do not have to agree with the outcome but this is our judicial system and 12 people that know a lot more about the case than any of you do thought she did not commit premeditated murder.
If you are looking for someone to blame, blame the DA's office and let them know how upset you are.
Lets all just hope that Whitey Bulger is not the next one to get "lucky" in court.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Not one of the signers of the DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE died fighting for the cause.
Enjoy your independece, just don't die for it. That was the sentiment of the founding fathers. Or at least that's how it would seem. Out of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence not one of them died fighting in the Revolution.
This may not mean anything to you or change the way you feel about them but when I see a statistic like this it reinforces my beliefs in this country.
I'm sure you can understand that my beliefs may be different form your own due to my upbringing. That said, when I see a fact like this it makes me think that the "Signers" believed in FREEDOM but not enough to risk their own necks for it. A lot like the politicians of today.
Please enjoy the holiday and have a safe weekend just try and remember why you are celebrating.
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/patriots.htm
This may not mean anything to you or change the way you feel about them but when I see a statistic like this it reinforces my beliefs in this country.
I'm sure you can understand that my beliefs may be different form your own due to my upbringing. That said, when I see a fact like this it makes me think that the "Signers" believed in FREEDOM but not enough to risk their own necks for it. A lot like the politicians of today.
Please enjoy the holiday and have a safe weekend just try and remember why you are celebrating.
http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/p/patriots.htm
Friday, July 1, 2011
Senator Scott Brown | Not Happy with Whitey Bulgers chopper ride
In a stinging rebuke, U.S. Senator Scott Brown today slammed accused serial killer James “Whitey” Bulger’s $14,000 taxpayer-funded helicopter ride to court yesterday.
“Speaking on behalf of the people of Massachusetts who, like myself, have sat in traffic on Route 3 coming to and from Boston, I too have imagined about how nice it would be to have a helicopter get me where I needed to go,” he said today. “I agreed with US Attorney Carmen Ortiz when she said Whitey Bulger would be ‘treated like every other defendant.’ So far, that does not seem to be the case.”
The cost of the chopper ride has come into dispute as angry U.S. Marshals sought to tamp down public outrage saying the round-trip helicopter ride only cost $1,500. The U.S. Coast Guard, which ferried the geezer gangster, is sticking by its original estimate of $13,800.
“The Marshal Service takes many considerations into account when moving federal prisoners and therefore regularly varies routes of travel based on weather, threat levels, traffic patterns and other significant events that may be happening in the area,” the Marshal service said in a statement sent to the Herald today.
The U.S. Coast Guard, however, stood by its number saying the $13,800 reflects the cost of fuel, manpower, and wear and tear on the aircraft, said Petty Officer Luke Clayton. The Coast Guard let marshals use their helicopter for Bulger’s ride to and from federal court in Boston yesterday. Brown urged the Marshal’s office to find a better way to move the elderly gangster.
“This seems to be far in excess of what the Marshals have provided in the past to federal detainees,” Brown said.
The Bay State Republican then called on federal prosecutors to find cheaper transportation for Bulger: “In the absence of an extraordinary and specific security concern that would render alternative transport options a threat to public safety, I strongly urge your office to explore less costly and less extravagant means to bring this person and all federal detainees to and from their court appearances.”
“Speaking on behalf of the people of Massachusetts who, like myself, have sat in traffic on Route 3 coming to and from Boston, I too have imagined about how nice it would be to have a helicopter get me where I needed to go,” he said today. “I agreed with US Attorney Carmen Ortiz when she said Whitey Bulger would be ‘treated like every other defendant.’ So far, that does not seem to be the case.”
The cost of the chopper ride has come into dispute as angry U.S. Marshals sought to tamp down public outrage saying the round-trip helicopter ride only cost $1,500. The U.S. Coast Guard, which ferried the geezer gangster, is sticking by its original estimate of $13,800.
“The Marshal Service takes many considerations into account when moving federal prisoners and therefore regularly varies routes of travel based on weather, threat levels, traffic patterns and other significant events that may be happening in the area,” the Marshal service said in a statement sent to the Herald today.
The U.S. Coast Guard, however, stood by its number saying the $13,800 reflects the cost of fuel, manpower, and wear and tear on the aircraft, said Petty Officer Luke Clayton. The Coast Guard let marshals use their helicopter for Bulger’s ride to and from federal court in Boston yesterday. Brown urged the Marshal’s office to find a better way to move the elderly gangster.
“This seems to be far in excess of what the Marshals have provided in the past to federal detainees,” Brown said.
The Bay State Republican then called on federal prosecutors to find cheaper transportation for Bulger: “In the absence of an extraordinary and specific security concern that would render alternative transport options a threat to public safety, I strongly urge your office to explore less costly and less extravagant means to bring this person and all federal detainees to and from their court appearances.”
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