Showing posts with label USA Today. Show all posts
Showing posts with label USA Today. Show all posts

Friday, February 24, 2012

Chris Brown: A Tune No One Can Afford to Play


According to the site "E"On-Line, in what they hype as "exclusive," they claim Rihanna and Chris Brown may come together again to sign a duet during an "American Idol broadcast on the same stage?  There is also a quote from Rihanna's manager saying it's not true.  But is it true?

Are the powers that sell records and book concerts testing the waters to get a pulse on the public's reaction?

Remember, Chris Brown brutally beat Rihanna on February 15, 2009, just over three years ago.  The picture we all saw around the globe was horrifying. Rihanna did not surface much or give interviews with the exception of the hour long interview with Diane Sawyer on ABC's Prime Time to discuss what happened.  The beating was the first felony charge for Brown, he was sentenced to community service and probation until 2014.Since the beating, he's been in various altercations of sorts with his temper, but has so far remained free from a jail cell.

Although Chris Brown was not sentenced to jail time, he has been sentenced by the public court of opinion for his criminal behavior.  Just recently Brown performed at the Grammy's but not without public outcry.


There are a lot of fans asking to give Chris Brown another chance.  That Brown was only 19 years of age when he beat his then girlfriend Rihanna.  For someone like Chris Brown, it's not likely he will change anytime soon.  Once angry and violent, it always escalates into angrier and more dangerous.  This is a pot on a stove ready to boil over at any given time.

Teen Dating Expert and Columnist Susie Kroll said on her site earlier today, 

"about the rumors surrounding Chris Brown and Rihanna getting back together and the dangerous ramifications to our teens. We know that abused women and girls often return to the abuser several times, sometimes putting themselves in lethal danger. To do this while the public is watching sends extremely bad messages, and, yes, it comes with the territory of celebrity, just like the big black Bentley Brown drives. Chris Brown and Rihanna are role models to millions of teens and tweens all over the world, they could have made several responsible decisions after the incident, but neither seems to have done that."

There is a responsibility with being in the spotlight especially when the audience is made up of mostly teenagers.  There is also a responsibility from the media to not fuel this garbage in an attempt to get traffic or ratings to your sites.  Domestic Violence is a serious crime, not to be used on national stage, treated and promoted like a reuniting of a once popular circus act.

There is nothing entertaining about attempted murder!


Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Holding a Higher Standard in Officer Involved Intimate Partner Violence Cases


"This incident definitely tears us apart," Lauderhill Police Capt. Constance Stanley said, describing the effect on the force's 120 sworn officers. "There are a lot of mixed feelings because each of the officers has friends in the department." source The Palm Beach Post......

Officials in Broward County indicate this has never happened until now where a fellow officer empties their Glock into the vehicle of another. Why? Because Officer Brittny Skinner continued to reject him. They briefly dated when she joined the force in 2006, but the single mother broke it off.

Officer Kristopher John Bieger's pattern of conduct escalated during the years from excessive calling, texts and stalking. Did the department look away and not handle this as a serious crime because he was the son of a respected, retired cop? Is it possible that Officer Skinner was ignored by the department? Was she politely told "it is not in your best interest to make waves? How about a place outside of the department veil where Officer Skinner could have received assistance?

Is the Lauderhill Police Department unaware because "no official" record exists.? The statement by Police Captain Stanley "there are a lot of mixed emotions on both sides" incorrect response in my expert opinion. Officer Bieger emptied 10 rounds at Officer Skinner. The only reason she survived unharmed, Skinner was wearing her bullet proof vest. Afterwards, Officer Bieger fled the scene, followed by a stand-off for a couple hours outside a pizzeria until he surrendered to fellow officers.

This crime has nothing to do with whether officer Bieger was in his right mind at the time. The officer did not simply have a bad day and snap!

I hold law enforcement to a higher standard. I always have, despite the fact that I am a police officers daughter galvanized by a tragedy I would not wish on anyone. And not only do I respect law enforcement both on a professional and personal level, I expect those commissioned as sworn officers to know right from wrong when it relates to their personal relationships outside of the department. Extending and implementing policies at the State level on down to the rank and file within police departments.

What is the Lauderhill Police Department and others across the nation doing to prevent these types of intimate partner violence officer related crimes from escalating? Do they have training and continuing education in place? Is it effective?

Education and training has proven an effective solution within agencies of officer involved intimate partner and stalking crimes.

Susan Murphy Milano is a staff member of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education as a educator and specialist with intimate partner violence prevention strategies directing prevention for high risk situations and cases.
A national trainer to law enforcement, training officers, prosecutors, judges, legislators, social service providers, healthcare professionals, victim advocates and the faith based community. In partnership with Management Resources Ltd. of New York addressing prevention and solutions within the community to the workplace.
Online contributions: Forbes : Crime, She Writes providing commentary about the hottest topics on crime, justice, and law from a woman’s perspective, as well as Time's Up! a blog which searches for solutions (SOS) for victims of crime.
Radio Shows: Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" . She is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated "The Roth Show" with Dr Laurie Roth and a co-host on Crime Wire.

Books: Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships,Moving out, Moving on, and Defending Out Lives.


Monday, November 14, 2011

New Tool Provides Victims of Domestic Violence a Voice in the Courtroom- Series Part 2



What is the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit?

The Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit is documentation and information coming directly from the victim as it relates to domestic violence and stalking, providing the offender’s description, identity, behavior, and possible motivation.

In the past, victim’s voices were silenced. If the victim was missing or dead, testimony given on her behalf by others who knew of the violence, knew about threats made against her, or knew of possible motives for her murder, have been dismissed as hearsay. Now, with the Evidentiary Abuse Affidavit, the victim will have documented her abuse through video and other legal procedures that will allow it to be used in court as her words, should she disappear or be murdered.”

Hearsay is an out of court statement "offered for the truth of the matter asserted" and not subject to cross-examination, typically because the declarant or speaker is unavailable. This is important as it applies directly to women ending a relationship like Jacque Waller, Kelly Rothwell, Hope Meeks and others who have never been seen or heard from again and are currently missing. And she (the victim) is not "available." Such statements are deemed unreliable because of the obvious fact that they can easily be fabricated and can not be tested through cross examination.

One basic way to get around hearsay is to seek admission, not for the truth of the statement itself, but for another highly relevant purpose. For example, let's say I am charged with intentionally shooting my daughter's boyfriend (which is not beyond realm of reason) while the two of them are harmlessly playing tie-up. Prior to bursting in the room and firing, I was told by her ex-boyfriend that the new guy was in the process of raping her. My defense is not intentional murder, but rather manslaughter because I believed the ex who has fled to Costa Rica and is unavailable at trial. Here I would offer his statement of rape, not because it was true, but because of the effect it had on my mental state, a very relevant fact in the case. Again, I am not offering it for its truth and therefore, whether it was fabricated is not in issue. Whether the statement was made and whether my response was reasonable (based upon my credibility) can all be determined by the trier of fact at trial because I, not the ex would be subject to cross.

In any event, statements can be admissible solely for their impact upon the listener (if relevant in a case) and not for the truth of the statement.

Exceptions, which have literally swallowed up the general rule. Since the beginning of time, Courts have recognized certain fact patterns that contain such inherent elements of reliability so as to overcome the need for cross. All of this is based upon a notion of getting all relevant information to the jury subject to a prejudice to the defendant analysis -for the State this stuff is worth fighting over, it usually means "game over" for the defendant. Certain fact patterns below have crystallized into exceptions.

Dying Declaration- declarant unavailable says just before dying to witness "Mr. X shot me." Aadmissible based upon the notion that people who are dying do not typically have a motive to lie.Witness will testify as to demeanor of declarant.

Excited Utterrance-declarant screams "the plane is going to crash into the house" and witness doesn't see the plane. Here admission based on fact that when people are experiencing a startling event under stress they don't have time to fabricate.

Present sense Impression - same as above, except witness also experience the same event as the declarant and the declarant's statement is relevant.

The one used the most by prosecutor's and the one that is highly relevant for a person ending their relationship who has vanished is a "Statement Against Interest." For example if I told you that I did "dope and shit" the statment would be admissable based on the theory that people do not make up highly negative evidence against themselves, especially facts that would subject them to criminal prosecution.




This procedure currently provided in the book Time's Up has the capability of providing vital information that could aid in a suspect’s arrest and provide a solid criminal case for prosecutors.

Part 1 http://murphymilanojournal.blogspot.com/2011/11/new-tool-provides-victims-of-domestic.html

WGN - http://www.wgntv.com/news/coverstory/wgntv-evidentiary-abuse-affidavit-new-tool-gives-abused-women-a-voice-in-courtroom-20111109,0,2614298.story

Example of the video affidavit:





















Susan Murphy Milano is a staff member of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education as a educator and specialist with intimate partner violence prevention strategies directing prevention for high risk situations and cases.
Online contributions: Forbes : Crime, She Writes providing commentary about the hottest topics on crime, justice, and law from a woman’s perspective, as well as Time's Up! a blog which searches for solutions (SOS) for victims of crime.
Radio Shows: Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" . She is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated "The Roth Show" with Dr Laurie Roth and a co-host on Crime Wire.


Books: Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships,Moving out, Moving on, and Defending Out Lives

www.imaginepublicity.com

To schedule Susan Murphy Milano for your next event, seminar, or workshop, please contact ImaginePublicity:  Phone: 843.808.0859   Email:  contact@imaginepublicity.com

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

The Roth Show with Susan Murphy Milano : Fox News Reporter Phil Cross, The Ashley Taylor case Connecting The Dots to Murder 7:00 PM EST

Oklahoma Fox News Reporter Phil Cross has been covering the story on Ashley Taylor a victim of intimate partner homicide, and the Weleetka murders.


Michael and Faye Taylor, Father and Stepmother of Ashley Taylor, along with FOX News investigative reporter, Phil Cross will join the show to discuss the latest updates coming from Oklahoma, Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 7:00 PM EST. To Listen Live go to www.therothshow.com

On June 8, 2008 the tiny town of Weleetka, Oklahoma was rocked to it’s core when two young girls, Skyla

Whitaker, 11, and Taylor Placker, 13, best friends, were found shot to death while walking along County Line Rd. The tragic case brought immediate national media attention and an aggressive investigation, OSBI and FBI included. Hundreds of tips and suspects later, the case may be closer to a resolution as agents are honing in on a specific gun purchased at a gun show.

On July 15, 2011, Ashley Celeste Taylor, 23, was reported missing from Okmulgee, OK, a town near Weleetka, supposedly after an argument with her fiance, Kevin Sweat. Sweat was subsequently arrested and confessed to her murder, telling officials that her remains were buried off of Highway 75. In early August, 2011, searchers found human bone fragments, pieces of clothing and glasses consistent with Ashley’s on the property of Kevin Sweat’s father, near Weleetka.

The investigators are now turning a closer eye to the theory that Kevin Sweat could be responsible for the slaying of the young girls along with his fiance, Ashley Taylor. New information is being discovered daily.

Listeners will hear first hand information about the connections between these unsolved cases and the people surrounding them, in the hope that the pieces of the puzzle are fit together to bring resolution.

For more background information, read here:

A Cold Blooded Killers Connection to Skyla Whitaker & Taylor Paschal-Placker Murders?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Crime, She Writes: Connecting The Dots: Part 4


Ashley Taylor

Last week on a broadcast of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, “Time’s Up!”Faye Taylor, Michael Taylor and investigative reporter Phil Cross with FOX News discussed the case of missing Ashley Taylor as well as other murders in Weleetka, Oklahoma. (download podcast, for the show on Forbes.)

To Read more on the Story on Forbes Click Here

Phil Cross Investigative Reporter link above for continued coverage

Friday, October 28, 2011

Murder Mystery :Viridiana Maldonado Victim of Intimate Partner Violence


Viridiana Maldonado was a young mother. She had her first child at age 15 or 16. She married and had another child four years later. Her husband, Jorge, was in the Army stationed at Ft. Lewis near Tacoma, WA.

According to news accounts dating back to 2007, they had trouble in their marriage which led "Viri" to take out an Order of Protection against Jorge. Apparently she had had enough and moved back to her family in North Charleston, SC with her 2 children, leaving Jorge in WA.

She lived with her mother and sister in an apartment on Dunbar Ave., along with her children. She held a postition with a local restaurant, La Nortena, and her boss was a friend of the family. From all accounts she was making a go of it with the support of her family.

On the evening of Oct. 11, 2007 she came home, changed her clothes and said she was going out with her sister in law, Vicky Roberts, for the evening. Nothing unusual was said to her family, nothing unusual about her demeanor that night. Just a night out with friends.

At that time her family reports that approximately 2am they received text messages from her cell phone. This was odd, because Viridiana did not usually text message them. One said she was in downtown Charleston, drinking with a man named Miguel. The next message said she was on her way home to Mexico. That was the last activity on her cell phone....ever.

Six days later her bank account, with a balance of about $1000, was closed by telephone and a cashiers check was sent to Tacoma, WA. It has not been reported who made that phone call, who closed that account, and who received the money.

There are a slew of strange circumstances surrounding this disappearance.

Vicky Roberts, her sister in law, says she was not with her and had not seen her for 2 weeks prior to Oct. 11.

Viridiana's estranged husband, Jorge, left the Army, moved back to North Charleston and claimed his child. He is reported to have been cooperative with police in the investigation.

Who is Miguel? Her family states they never heard Viri speak about any man named Miguel. Did she just meet him somewhere that night, or did she know him beforehand?

It is now 2011, what is happening in this case now? Not a damn thing! The case is as cold as ice.
But why? Everything points to the only named "suspect" her estranged husband. According to sources they know he did it, yet Jorge has yet to be charged for her murder.

If you have any information on this case, please call Crime Stoppers at 554-1111.

On Saturday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina although this case remains open and unsolved, The Cue Center for Missing Persons will be including Viridiana Maldonado along with 127 other unsolved missing persons case's on their annual "Road To Remember Tour" raising not only awareness but voices for those silenced.

It is ironic, this also happens to be National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. With so many of the missing persons cases across the globe connected directly to Intimate Partner Homicide, The Cue Center reminds all of us, that when one life is lost, we all have lost!
See Below for information on how you can lend your voice!

Imagine Publicity Sponsors Tour Stop to Remember:

Missing Persons of South Carolina

On Saturday, October 29 at 10am family members of the missing, along with members of the community, law enforcement, media and speakers will gather at Chapin Park at 1400 North Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. South Carolina has approximately 125 known open missing persons cases, some recent and many that have gone cold. ImaginePublicity hopes to add to the awareness of each of them by hosting a stop along the CUE Center for Missing Persons’ Road to Remember Tour in Myrtle Beach.

Each year CUE Center for Missing Persons hits the road across several states in order to bring awareness to communities of the magnitude of a silent epidemic, missing persons. This year’s tour will cover the following states: NC, TN, SC, TX, MS, AL, FL, LA . Every year, Monica Caison and representatives from CUE travel a different route in order to bring needed attention in the media and each community.

The annual tour was created to generate new interest in cold cases of missing people across our nation. The inspiration came in 2004 from the case of North Carolina college student Leah Roberts, who had gone on a cross-country trip of self-exploration. Her wrecked and abandoned vehicle was found, but Leah is still missing. Leah’s case went cold and interest faded until CUE Center volunteers set out on a grueling 14-day trip to retrace her route and inform the media of all those who were missing in the path of the tour. In the years to follow, it only seemed right to keep hope alive after families across the country voiced the need for more help and supported the tour idea.

All families with missing loved ones in South Carolina are invited to participate. Please bring pictures, signs, banners, or whatever you like, to honor your missing loved one and bring more attention to your loved one’s case.

If you are planning to attend, please email contact@imaginepublicity to give us an idea of who will be in attendance. Your missing loved one will be honored regardless of attendance.

http://www.sciway.net/

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Susan Murphy Milano is a staff member of the Institute for Relational Harm Reduction and Public Pathology Education. She is a specialist with intimate partner violence prevention strategies and high risk cases and available for personal consultations through the Institute. She is also part of the team at Management Resources Limited of New York.

Susan is a contributor to Forbes : Crime, She Writes a powerhouse lineup of female true crime professionals, experts and authors providing commentary about the hottest topics on crime, justice, and law from a woman’s perspective.

Susan is the author of "Time's Up: A Guide on How to Leave and Survive Abusive and Stalking Relationships,"Moving out, Moving on, and Defending Out Lives. Susan is the host of The Susan Murphy Milano Show, "Time's Up!" . She is a regular contributor to the nationally syndicated "The Roth Show" with Dr Laurie Roth and a co-host on Crime Wire.

If you would like to schedule Susan Murphy Milano for training and interviews, please contact:ImaginePublicity PO BOX 14946 Surfside Beach, SC 29587 Phone: 843.808.0859 email- contact@imaginepublicity.com
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