New book release of "Holding My Hand Through Hell" Available for Pre-Order

Holding My Hand Through Hell: Pre-Order Special from Ice Cube Press

POSTED BY ADMINISTRATOR ⋅ 03/10/2012 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT

FILED UNDER  BOOK SIGNING, HOLDING MY HAND THROUGH HELL, ICE CUBE PRESS, MEMOIR, PRE-ORDER, SUSAN MURPHY MILANO, TRUE CRIME AUTHOR

Holding My Hand Through Hell the latest book by Violence Prevention Specialist, Susan Murphy Milano, is slated for release on October 3, 2012.

To place your *order CLICK HERE

Ice Cube Press is offering a pre-order special to the first 100 orders. The first 100 orders will be immediately shipped directly from the publisher when the book is launched in October.  As an added bonus, each of the books will be signed by the author, Susan Murphy Milano.

Based on a true story, told with the flow of a novel, spiced with frank wisdom and wit, Holding My Hand Through Hell encourages the reader to immerse themselves into this family’s life and is an inspiration to become an advocate for change in this world we all share. This book will incite discussion, debate, and heightened awareness about hope, survival, abuse, murder, and its impact on our society. In the end, it will leave readers  both applauding this woman as well as wondering how she escaped, sometimes at the eleventh hour. Twenty years later, she has realized that God must have been holding her hand through hell, delivering her from the evils of her life in order to save others.

Includes a foreword by Diane Fanning, Edgar nominated award-winning, true crime author.

This poignant well-written book tells the story of a police officer’s family and one daughter’s quest for justice long after the heart-wrenching murder of her mother. Susan Murphy Milano embraces a legacy of unconditional love and faith to triumph over a life plagued with unspeakable abuse and pain.

Website: Holding My Hand Through Hell

Website: Susan Murphy Milano

Website: Ice Cube Press

                                                                                 Website: Pre-Order Amazon

Bernadette Avila Wife of a Chicago Police Officer is in Danger!

Bernadette Avila [pictured above] is the wife of a veteran Chicago Police Officer. Currently he is a patrol officer assigned to the 8th district.

On February 17, 2011, according to the police report: INCIDENT:Aggravated Assault Handgun.

The officer is charged, finger printed and is given an eye bond.

On February 18, 2011, at 555 W. Harrison, Bernadette Avila spends most of the day at the courthouse and is finally granted by a judge an "EMERGENCY" order of protection. The judge asks about weapons and where they are kept in the residence so that all weapons are removed when the officer is served with the court order of protection. Afterwards the information that the officer was properly served is entered in the L.E.A.D.S computer system. And if there are further problems of stalking, harassment, abuse etc Bernadette could then file police reports for violating the order of protection.

On February 19, 2011, Bernadette Avila completes the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit and video further describing other weapons, abuse and fear for her safety. In addition, she follows the other procedures that will continue to keep her safe. She mails me an original set notarized and signed of the "EAA" and video with a copy of the protection order, police report, and a photo of her officer husband.

On Saturday, February 26, 2011, she receives six text messages from her estranged officer husband cell phone. Per the order, it states:

1. With respect to all protected persons, Respondent (that means the officer) is prohibited from committing the following: Physical Abuse; Harassment; Interference with personal liberty; Stalking;

The texts are a clear violation of the order of protection. She returns Monday morning 2/28/2011, to 555 W. Harrison and waits to meet with the Assistant State's Attorney for violation of the order of protection. I inform Bernadette to call me from court if she has any problem. Although I am not a lawyer, I did work extensively on the stalking and domestic violence laws in Illinois and was responsible for the implementation and passage. I believed that after the murder of my own mother, the wife of a Chicago Police detective, gunned down because she ended the relationship with my father, there was hope for others. I wanted to believe the law would change the landscape of how these cases were handled. I have been wrong since 1989.

At 2:30 PM , a distraught, barely audible Bernadette calls me. "The State's Attorney laughed at me, the protection had never been entered in the L.E.A.D.S computer system. And he wasn't going to help me no way, no how anyway, he didn't have time for this nonsense because you can't prove he, himself, sent the text messages." Bernadette wanted to know why she even bothered and "no one cares, I'm gonna die, I'm not protected. My husband told me this would happen, he can get away with it and he is, what am I suppose to do?" I called Sheriff Tom Dart's office to see if the court order had been served and in the system. Within a few minutes a Cook County Lieutenant informed me that he was served but, it was not entered into the system. It was being entered as we spoke on the phone.

Bernadette Avila has been beaten, threatened, stalked and controlled by her abusive, controlling and dangerous officer husband, in my opinion. If her estranged husband loses his job after over 20 plus years on the force, he may feel as though he has nothing to lose. In my opinion, she will be killed. She knows it. Wives of officer related violence know firsthand their life hangs by a thread when they do anything to cause embarrassment to their husband or boyfriend.

Bernadette's close friend Nancy Rojo, the wife of Cook County Sheriff, also attempted to get help from a system that turned a deaf ear. On September 15, 2010, court records show that Nancy Rojo filed for an order of protection against her husband. She accused Alexander of attacking her, holding a gun to her head, and threatening to kill her. Six days later, she filed for divorce; after the filing, the two agreed not to see each other, and had their orders of protection dismissed. The only reason Nancy dropped the order was because she was threatened by him. She believed if she complied that her estranged husband would finally leave her alone and be able to keep his job as a Sheriff.

Nancy Rojo filed for divorce on Sept. 21 and six days later they had their protection orders dismissed and agreed to no contact. But according to sources co-workers knew Sheriff Rojo was obsessed with her. He placed tracking devices on her vehicle with the knowledge of 1 or 2 fellow co-workers, stalked and continued to threaten her life. Although dangerous, he was too well liked by those he worked with on a daily basis. Their marriage according to family members was violent. On Oct. 12, 2010, a witnesses watched as Sheriff Alexander Rojo pulled out a handgun and, without saying a word, shot his wife three times, stood over her and fired five more bullets, according to police. He then sat down on the street curb and shot himself.

Those married to law enforcement have no place to turn for help. When they do seek assistance they are ridiculed for claiming their church attending saint of a husband with a badge and a gun has threatened to kill them. Wives and girlfriends of police officers are not believed by the very system sworn to serve and protect our streets and community.

On March 11, 2011, at 9:00 a.m. Bernadette Avila has to return to the very courtroom where she was laughed at several hours ago by a Cook State's Attorney who is suppose to be representing her in this criminal and very serious matter.

Now, a plan of action must include various steps to keep Bernadette Avila, safe, no different than I have had to do for nearly 20 years.

One day the legal system will embrace the messenger utilizing proven strategies and implement the prescription for change that will enforce the laws while at the same reducing the number of murders without anyone's ego getting bruised. As always, and in confidence, I can be contacted via email at murphymilano@gmail.com

Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit by Susan Murphy Milano from the Book "Time's Up" from Courage Network on Vimeo.

Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is an expert on intimate partner violence and homicide crimes. For more information visithttp://www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com/ She is also in partnership with Pamela Chapman and iAscend Programs. http://pamelachapmanl.biz Susan is the author of "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and SurviveAbusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold. Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on Here Women Talkhttp://www.herewomentalk.com/and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr Laurie Roth

Invitation to Former Cop: Come on My Show!

A few months ago, I was invited to be interviewed on A&E Biography on Drew Peterson who they were profiling.  My initial reaction was outage.  How is it possible for a man who, in my opinion, took the lives of Kathleen Savio and Stacy Peterson, to be given such importance?  

When I learned who as not going to be included in the hour long show, I agreed to be interviewed.  In my opinion, someone had to speak out on intimate partner homicide, a subject few know, understand or have survived.  One thing many may not realize is when you are interviewed on a show such as this, you are not paid.  Not one red cent went into my pocket, and never does, when I speak out in defense of these women.  I always do my best to be the voice for those who were silenced.

Some in the public forget that I was the daughter of a Chicago Police Detective.  After years of similar games, no different than Peterson, my mother was unable to get anyone to listen or provide help, she was murdered. My hero father, loved and revered by so many, took a gun and murdered my mother in cold blood.   He, too, could have gotten away with murder and lived, but as so many other cowards, he took the easy way out.   From that moment at the crime scene, after discovering their bodies, I vowed to change the way society swept the lives of women and children victims of violence and homicide off to the side as if it never happened; somehow I was going to prevent others like my mother from being murdered.  The programs, media, radio shows, books, lectures, trainings and direct services have saved thousands of women and their children from ending up like my mother.  

A former Chicago Police Officer by the name of Paul Huebl, who, by the way knew my father, decided to write about the A& E show.   While I believe that everyone is entitled to their opinion of my work, and I also believe in the presumption of innocence, even for Drew Peterson, I don’t believe it warrants a personal attack or name calling.  To personally attack me is attacking all the women who stand behind me for protection.

A comment left on Mr. Huebl’s site reads:

“That Milano douchebag blogger would not stop canonizing any woman Peterson ever slept with as a saintly victim including that drug addict. Milano is out of touch and her blog is nothing but re-written Hosey stories.”

He has been invited to be a guest on a future radio show, we will see if he accepts the invitation to discuss this case from both sides. 

Susan Murphy Milano is with the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is an expert on intimate partner violence and homicide crimes. For more information visithttp://www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com/  She is the author of "Time's Up A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships," available for purchase at the Institute, Amazon.com and wherever books are sold.  

Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" on Here Women Talk http://www.herewomentalk.com/ and is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated The Roth Show with Dr. Laurie Roth  http://www.therothshow.com/ 

Skin Color Played A Major Role in Murder Case?

There appears to be a lot of excuses from law enforcement as to why Jahmeshia Connor's abduction case was given little attention, unless you call stapling flyers on a board near the bathroom of CPD's favorite donut shop an active investigation.

Chicago police insist there is a an age limit of ten years old and younger. But I know for a fact if it was a politician’s child or someone well known in the community an all points bulletin would have been issued.

The missing child was over the age of 10 and with so many kids who go missing each year for authorities despite the fact this is not a child who would just “vanish” they did not issue the Amber alert or contact the media. Perhaps it was because she lived in a part of town where criminal activity is commonplace. The fact is that like so many other missing African American children Jahmeshia was born with the wrong color skin.

She did not stand a chance at survival because no one was looking for her.

Chicago Police did not appear to take the report of this missing child seriously, even after family members pleaded with them to look for the girl, insisting she was not a runaway. Now there is a killer at large waiting for his next victim.


Sadly, it is cost prohibitive to wait until a body of an africian american child is discovered 15 days later, dumped like trash. The only expense to the city was the coroner and his assistant, a couple officers who draped a few hundred feet of canary yellow crime tape and spent two hours on the crime scene, an hour henpecking out a report, and the gas it took to drive over to the alley. Oh wait, the body bag- that is an expense isn’t it?

Legal System Receive's Failing Grade

Benito Casanova the biological father pictured below is sought in the abduction of three children; Oscar Casanova, 6; Karla Casanova, 7; and Fernando Casanova, 11.

Their mother, Sophia Garcia, was found dead in the 1700 block of North Harding Avenue about noon Monday with a plastic bag over her head. (Photo courtesy National Center for Missing & Exploited Children)

Benito Casanova-Wanted For Questioning

Police found Sophia Garcia dead in her apartment with a garbage bage tied over her face. She died from trauma to the head. No suprise, Sophia had an Order of Protection. As do a lot of these murder victims of late. All being slaughtered, for wanting out of their abusive relationships. You can go to court and seek a paper trail, but once you do, the victim must do everything in their power to move away as far as possible. Benito Casanova carefully thought and planned the crime. Including going over to the school on Friday like the "good parent" to pick up the children. He and the kids, no surpise, have not been seen since. Would A GPS tracking device have slowed the efforts of Benito and his plans? Yes. But he would have been a "good coward" until he met the obligations under the court order. Regardless, he would have followed through with his plans sooner or later. A lot of finger pointing will occur in the next couple of days as theDepartment of Human Services and the Children's school play the game of "we never received the call". The school was contacted when the two year order of protection was in place. But the school denies anyone ever contacted them. But, in fact the department of human services a city of Chicago agency made contact because they were providing services to the mother and kids. Must be a language barrier?

Benito also banked on the fact that Sophia had very little resouces to just pick up and go. She should have been directed to agencies such as Mujeres Latinas En Accion an agency in the community, dedicated to providing services to the Latino Community. They would have directed Sophia into a shelter. Assisted with legal services assisting in moving her far enough away, perhaps even out of the State and she would have been alive and I, would have no reason to write such a story.

Services for families in Illinois and across the country are being slashed in half. Agencies whose budgets are in crisis, holding in their palms, literally, thousands of women and children's lives, like placing a band aid on an infected area that never heals. Because the "system has tied" agencies hands.

What must happen is that everyone across the country, including those lovely politicians with whom we vote into office, sit at the table of reality. The mousetrap is broken. Now lets come to the table like grown-ups and fix it!

Link to the story-http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-amber-alert-webapr22,0,2876911.story

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