Canibal Cop Case Closing (Sorry)

By BitcoDavid

(Photo: Sean MacEntee)

This case is so weird, I just had to write about it. Apparently, Gilberto Valle – a NYC cop – likes thinking about, writing about, talking about and even Web-surfing about eating Women – and not in that way, either. However, his attorney maintains that the closest he’s come to actually eating a woman, was a recent visit to McDonald’s. And since nobody really knows what’s in their food – we’re asked to give him a pass.

Mmmmm! Tastes like pork! Image: CantonFirst

According to the NYT – that stalwart bastion of American journalism, the Gray Lady – while the prosecution is charging that Vale conspired to commit kidnapping, and illegally gained access to a law enforcement database, his defense rests on the fact that no woman was ever kidnapped, and it isn’t illegal to fantasize.

Vale’s attorney acknowledges that his fantasies were a bit (ahem) off beat, but that, in and of itself is no crime.

The case has involved numerous instances of Vale breaking into tears, and so many grotesque and macabre videos and other evidence, that the judge had to rule to stop having them shown.

Face it. Innocent or guilty, the guy’s clearly a broken toaster – a couple of tacos shy of a combination plate.

The 28 year-old cop has been under suspension from the force and the trial has lasted for 2 weeks, thus far. If found guilty, he could serve anywhere from 5 years to life. The attorneys made their closing arguments yesterday, and the case is in the hands of the jury, now.

Welles in an iconic shot from Citizen Kane. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But wait. It gets better. The defense attorney likened his case to the Orson Welles radio classic, War of the Worlds, and the prosecution dredged up the old fire in a movie theater homily about freedom of speech. The jury, after asking for a flip chart to organize their thoughts, went home undecided.

I’m sure however, that stately and staid standard bearer of the 4th estate will keep us posted on this story. They might however file their updates in the cooking section.

My gratitude to the New York Times for this article.

BitcoDavid is a blogger and a blog site consultant. In former lives, he was an audio engineer, a videographer, a teacher – even a cab driver. He is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and a Pro/Am boxer. He has spent years working with diet and exercise to combat obesity and obesity related illness.

Related articles

• Cannibal cop jury deliberating fate of officer Gilberto Valle (abclocal.go.com)
• The Theft of Dignity by Pastor Mark Ehrlichmann (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• Case of N.Y. cop accused of cannibalism plot goes to jury (cnn.com)
• Wasted Lives – Our Children Die in Adult Jails (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• Macabre New York ‘Cannibal Cop’ Trial Underway (wctv.tv)
• Dueling views of NYC cop at cannibal-plot trial (khou.com)
• Cannibal Cop case now in hands of jury (pix11.com)
• Crying cannibal NYPD cop declines to testify, readies for jury deliberation (irishcentral.com)
• Disturbing video of woman being cooked played at cannibal cop’s trial (theprovince.com)
• “Cannibal Cop” kidnap plots were fantasy: defense lawyers (news.terra.com)

From H.E.A.R.D., a Tool for Tracking FCC Proceedings

By BitcoDavid

Telephone (Photo credit: plenty.r.)

Penal systems in all 50 states, as well as the Federal, tend to shuffle inmates around. Bed space, behavior, medical status, drug use, gang affiliation and race are only some of the factors that may go into these decisions. Nevertheless, it is not at all uncommon for inmates to be – suddenly, and with no explanation – removed from access to visiting family members and friends. Hence – in prison – little is as valuable as phone privileges.

But, like everything else in prison, the phone costs money. Phone time is charged by the minute, and either paid by the inmate or his family. The problem faced by the Deaf however, is that phone communications take much longer. Most prisons in the U.S. will not allow inmates to contact a Video Relay service. This is done – we’re told – for security reasons. That leaves the Deaf inmate with the far more archaic and cumbersome alternative of TTY. A TTY phone requires typing. In the time it takes you or me to say, “Hello mom. How’s Aunt Sadie?” a Deaf inmate struggling with a TTY keyboard may not even get in the first “H.”

Modern TTY Phone Image: E. Michigan Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Prison systems don’t have a problem with charging this inmate at the same – by the minute – rate, as they do the hearing prisoners, resulting in cases where Deaf inmates have been charged as much as 17 dollars for a local call.

The FCC has been alerted as to this iniquity, and the prison systems have been cited with violating the ADA. As you know, Talila Lewis and HEARD have been working diligently on correcting this issue. She recently sent out the following e-mail to members.

Friends,

My classmate created a very useful tool to help advocates and organizers keep up with comments that flow into the FCC during public comment periods.  He would like to ensure that disability rights advocates have access to his project and asked me to share the following information:

If you would like to receive a tidy email with a daily digest of filings in FCC Docket No. 12-375 (Implementation of the Pay Telephone Reclassification and Compensation Provisions of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 et al.  -AKA – What Should the FCC do Re Excessive Telephone Rates for Prisoners & their Families?), sign up here: http://bit.ly/WZlAXn

Alan’s Message to the Disability Rights Community about his project:  Dokket.com is a tool designed to make it easy to track proceedings at the FCC. The FCC’s current system, ECFS, is difficult and clunky even for experienced communications law professionals. Though I’m still figuring out if I would like to commercialize Dokket, seek grant money, or continue bootstrapping it, I’d like to offer these email alerts free of charge to the disability rights community. If you have any questions, email me at adelevie@gmail.com.

 

Have a great evening!

Best,

TL

P.O. Box 1160

Washington, D.C. 20013
www.behearddc.org

www.facebook.com/HEARDDC
www.twitter.com/behearddc

202.455.8076 voice
202.436.9278 VP

The bit.ly link will take you to an active Java applet that allows you to sign up for daily e-mails. Here’s the direct link to Dokket. com, as well.

And here’s an embedded and captioned video from HEARD, that explains this whole thing very well.

BitcoDavid is a blogger and a blog site consultant. In former lives, he was an audio engineer, a videographer, a teacher – even a cab driver. He is an avid health and fitness enthusiast and a Pro/Am boxer. He has spent years working with diet and exercise to combat obesity and obesity related illness.

Related articles

• FCC to Hear Case on Deaf Telephone Rate Inequity (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• FCC Eyes Prison Pay-Phone Rules to Protect Inmates (atlantablackstar.com)
• Deaf CCA Inmate Sues DC for Mistreatment (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• ADA ignored by Denver Law Enforcement (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• Texas SC to Study Wrongful Convictions (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• DeafInPrison rough in Britain, Too (deafinprison.wordpress.com)
• FCC May Regulate Prisoner Phone Service (blogs.wsj.com)
• For Police Officers: VRS, VRI or Live Interpreter? (deafinprison.wordpress.com)