Kucinich calls ’em out — seriously: Mr. Kubulis of Lakewood [Letters, May 9] complains that the actions of Congressman Dennis Kucinich prove that he doesn’t represent his constituents — specifically, by initiating articles of impeachment against Vice President Dick Cheney. There’s more than enough to convict Cheney, Bush, and Rumsfeld. Kucinich is not toeing the line set by John Conyers and Nancy Pelosi, who reversed themselves after election and took impeachment off the table.
Evidence shows that the actions of these executives amount to treason — crimes against America — with malicious intent. The U.S. Constitution says that these severe breaches of public trust are punishable by prison or even a firing squad (upon firm and fair conviction, of course). Pardons should be off the table.
I will concede that even mere impeachment is a fantasy. It’s a long shot, because the Democratic Leadership Council and the Republican National Committee are incestuous slimeballs, and because politics trumps law. They work for the same bosses. This lack of serious contention between the two so-called opposing parties is obscured — it needs to be tested in public. Congressman Kucinich is shining a spotlight on both.
Many Americans realize that the Iraq War was a mistake. We are learning by dribbles what was known in 2003: that the principals (Cheney, Rumsfeld) blatantly lied to the American people about matters of life and death, and manipulated intelligence to launch a war they had been hyping for a decade. Bush is now holding the soldiers hostage until the Iraqis meet “benchmarks” (i.e., turn over their oil fields to Western companies).
Kubulis writes with a lot of flair, squeezing in about six allusions to Mr. Kucinich being a comic and “not serious.” He implies that the “rule of law” is a frivolous anachronism. So what if Bush orchestrated more killing than Charlie Manson? That’s how “loving America” works.
If anything, blame Congressman Kucinich for doing too little too late and for following public sentiment, rather than leading it.
Gary Goodman
Akron
Adjustment Disorders
Immigrants from every land face hardship: I read your story [“Say Uncle,” May 9] with considerable concern and interest. People who arrive on the shores of America seem to have much difficulty making adjustment to our land. The basic drives and significance of human respect and humane treatment are the same all over the world, though in some places more than others.
I wish Jagwinder and Gurbinder much sympathy. I am of Czechoslovakian-German ancestry, and every wave of immigrants has had to cope with a great number of unexpected challenges.
I wish them the best in coping with the spiritual, mental, physical, and emotional problems they have been encumbered with.
Jim Slavik
Kent
Meat Man of the Gods
Chef’s Choice Meats is a gift from heaven: Kris Kreiger [Side Dish, May 9] is truly an answer to a prayer. Finding another human being as anal and obsessive as myself, who has channeled his talents into the art of making exceptional food, is a rare gift. His shop, Chef’s Choice Meats, is a reflection of his warm and open personality. His mom’s influence is evident, from the potato pancakes to his great demeanor. Kris is an artisan and a gentleman. Go once and become a regular. Garonteed!
Chris Ihms
Rocky River
Mum’s the Word
Did church receive the “selectively silent” treatment? It seems that Lisa Rab hasn’t been to a church service such as ours [“God’s Disneyland,” May 9]. Unfortunately, she seems to think the doctrine is based on prosperity, which is totally false. We’re called The Word Church for a reason — all we preach, teach, and talk about is what God said in His word.
Funny how she didn’t mention the “Word Mart” event last summer, in which we gave away over 7,000 book bags to inner-city children. Or how we bought new basketball uniforms for East Tech’s basketball teams. Or how we donate bus tickets, so children don’t have to walk in the cold. How about our Victory House, which will take in hurting women who are seeking refuge?
Maybe she forgot to mention that you can go to The Word Church for a weekend service and find men in the pews who are taking back their families through the word of God.
Chris Davis
Cleveland
Protecting Innocence
False accusations impede justice: It is exactly because of this high number of inaccuracies that our legal system must be scrupulous in safeguarding the rights we all possess. The law stipulates that we must err on the side of the defendant rather than the accusers — and your narrative will corroborate that this is especially important with only a single diagnosis. Perhaps the answer is a required independent second opinion before charges can be made.
We cannot guarantee justice for children who suffer at the hands of pedophiles and child abusers until we rid the system of false and unfounded allegations of abuse. This is a difficult concept for people to accept, but this is the way our Constitution attacks the great evil of false convictions.
David Corsi
Northfield Center
This article appears in May 23-29, 2007.
Your lead letter by Gary Goodman of Akron that Cong. Conyers and Speaker Pelosi reversed themselves on impeavhment is flat out inaccurate. Before the election, as the attached detroit Free Press piece shows, both made the point that they opposed imnpeacment because it would divert the agenda anad stop attention to getting the truth of all the important issues relating to Iraq, electronic evesdropping, corruption, etc. I invite you to read, “September 21, 2006 — “The GOP Spins on Impeachment” — in Detroit Free Press, a piece I wrote myself after speaking with Congressman Conyers and listening to then Majority Leader Pelosi as well. Notice the date is six weeks before the election. Sincerely, Robert S. Weiner, former press secretary for Congressman John Conyers, Jr.
02/08/08 New Phila. Times Reporter
‘Jury lost its way’ – Mills attorneys say trial errors led to conviction
By RENEE BROWN, T-R Staff Writer
Attorneys for Marsha J. Mills have filed 30 pages of legal arguments they hope will convince the 5th District Court of Appeals to reverse Mills’ murder conviction.
Four alleged violations of Mills’ constitutional rights are included in the seven errors set forth by Mills’ defense team – attorneys Paula Brown, William Bluth and Richard Parsons of Columbus.
The trio studied the 1,500-plus page transcript and cited various errors they said were made by Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos, Assistant Prosecutor Michael Ernest and Public Defender Gerald A. Latanich during the 12-day jury trial in May and June.
Had the errors not been made, the outcome of the trial would have been different, defense attorneys argue in their brief.
After five hours of deliberations on June 15, jurors found Mills guilty of two counts of murder, one count of felonious assault and one count of child endangering as a result of the May 2006 death of 2-year-old Noah A. Shoup of New Philadelphia. Prosecutors maintained the boy died a violent death at the hands of his baby sitter, while Latanich tried to prove the boy fell down a short flight of outside steps and landed on concrete.
On June 22, the 56-year-old Dover grandmother was sentenced to life in prison with parole eligibility after 15 years are served. The appellate court later denied a request to allow Mills to remain free pending appeal.
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Several things contributed to how “the jury lost its way,” according to the defense. Chief among them were 72 gruesome photos repeatedly shown to the five-woman and seven-man jury, Thomakos’ “unwarranted restrictions” on defense experts, “unwarranted leeway” given to prosecution witnesses and the “failure of the treating pediatricians to stay current on the pathology of trauma to children.”
The photos were prejudicial to Mills because they showed numerous bruises, which occurred either prior to the alleged incident, during medical intervention or during organ harvesting, according to Mills’ attorneys. Those should have not been shown because they were irrelevant, the attorneys argued.
Defense attorneys also stated Thomakos limited the testimony of one of the defense witnesses by not allowing the witness to show a video made by a woman in which her grandchild fell a short distance onto concrete and died. Thomakos also is criticized for allowing a prosecution witness to talk about an experiment he did with Play-Doh without conducting a required hearing on the information’s admissibility.
The defense team also maintained the jury arrived at its guilty verdicts despite reasonable doubt having been established by Latanich.
“In the end, two forensic pathologists, Drs. Plunkett (defense) and Sterbenz (prosecution) testified and disagreed as to the cause of death, but both admitted that each other’s theory was plausible,” the defense document states. “The lead detective called the incident what it is, an accident.”
The Columbus attorneys criticized Thomakos for failing to record all of the proceedings in the case. They state that none of the multiple in-chambers discussions regarding objections were recorded and “months later, no one can remember what was said.”
The defense team also criticized Latanich’s representation of Mills at trial, claiming he failed to object to various pieces of evidence offered by the prosecution and failed to effectively cross-examine the prosecution’s expert witnesses.
Before deciding whether to vacate the conviction and possibly send the case back to Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Court at New Philadelphia, the appellate judges must consider Ernest’s legal analysis of the case. His brief must be filed by March 28. A reply brief on Mills’ behalf will be filed in early April.
A three-judge panel from the appellate court likely will hear oral arguments in the case this summer and issue their decision in writing later.