Hall of Shame

Charged with the task of continuing to make sure that new enshrinees are the worst public officials elected into public office, or serve as public servants, America's Wrongfully Convicted wants to bring attention to the worst behavior by these individuals or offices, and they have earned their permanent position in the Hall of Shame.

Enshrinees must face the public scrutiny and shame, as did the persons that have wrongfully convicted. Their actions have brought shame to their public office and family.

A public official, or public servant, can be posted onto the Hall of Shame, by submitting, and substantiating the story by providing documents, along with their picture, to the staff of America's Wrongfully Convicted.

The only way an enshrinee gets removed from the Hall of Shame, is to right the wrongs against the public. Until then, their faces and hideous acts will be displayed.

Enshrinees will be listed in alphabetical order, not by the severity of their shameful acts. But, let me say, if there is one that really stands out, we will be more than happy to headline them.

Was he smiling like this sitting in a patrol car when he was arrested for a DUI prior to becoming Governor?

"A jury convicted Otter in 1993 after he offered a laughable list of excuses for failing field sobriety tests: his stocking feet were stung by weeds and gravel; he'd run eight miles and his knee hurt; he was hungry; he'd soaked his chewing tobacco in Jack Daniels. On top of all that, the reason a Meridian police officer observed him swerving was he was reaching for his cowboy hat, which had been blown off by the wind in his open car.

Jurors didn't buy it, and Otter abandoned plans to run for governor, trying for re-election as lieutenant governor instead. He knew his career was in peril. "It may well be over," Otter told me after his tearful apology to the state Senate." (http://www.idahoptv.org/idreports/showEditorial.cfm?StoryID=14858)

Read the story of Michael Osborn, who Otter knew that the Idaho State Police altered the polygraph, and instead of investigating the situation, he advised Laura Osborn, Michael's mother, to hire an attorney. Why could he not investigate the matter himself instead of costing the family more money to do the job that he is very well paid to do? He should step up and straighten out the mess that his investigators made, that is his job.

Governor Rick Perry appointed this man to the temporary position of Harris County District Attorney (Houston, Texas). Magidson has made several statements to the press, such as:

"My main purpose in being here today is to address the people of Harris County and tell them that I expect, and this office expects us to uphold their trust and faith that they put in us," Magidson said. "We are going to run this office in a professional manner that will seek justice (and) we expect to provide quality legal representation while maintaining the integrity of the judicial system."

"We believe that criminals must be held accountable and that victims be treated with the dignity, compassion and justice they deserve. We strive to sort the innocent from the guilty, and seek justice not just convictions.

Let's see, he has had correspondence sent to him in two emails and then received a letter by courier service, none of which he responded, not even the courtesy of a phone call. I view his statements to the equivalent of "I never had sexual relations with that woman."

Frankly, I believe he is just keeping the seat warm for the person who will inherit it after the election because I don't know of anyone that has seen him do as he stated in any of the press releases. He had the chance and what was received in return? Nothing, absolutely nothing.

I am sure that he doesn't know the answer to the simple question "How many discrepancies in testimony before someone is charged with aggravated perjury?"

Magidson, we will all be glad when there is a real leader in that office and not someone who just makes counterfactual statements for the press just to look good.

UPDATE: He never responded. I sent requests to the investigators and received a letter back stating that they had diligently searched for records and could not find any. I then wrote them back, along with the Attorney General's office, along with several pages and a letter from the investigator stating the case was closed. I then received a phone call from their legal counsel, in fact, I've received many calls, stating that the records would be sent. Still no records. I have now sent a second complaint to the Attorney General's office. Talk about a blatant disregard for the law.

Hans, Lyn and Rifian, we want to know why you would not prosecute your own witness for aggravated perjury. There is 154 discrepancies in testimony and you let them keep right on lying in court, even though you had access to the Protective Order and trial transcripts, but hey, the D.A.'s office will surely prosecute a witness for the defense if they are caught lying. Isn't that kind of, should we say, one sided? We understand, if it does not benefit the D.A.'s office, then you won't prosecute.

The person who can't prosecute Carol Isbell for crimes committed UNTIL someone tells him she committed crimes, even though all the evidence has been presented, but he can prosecute a principal for not reporting to the police the actions of children, which she appropriately handled. (?)

Here is the story: (And we are not making this wild story up, it's actually TRUE!! What ever happened to common sense?)

Frivolous Case's Cost Criminal
By Susan Greene
Denver Post Columnist
Article Last Updated: 05/14/2008 11:10:14 PM MDT

Defending a school principal against a frivolous criminal charge: $62,000.
Paying an interim principal to run the school while the accused awaited her day in court: $32,000.
Denver's district attorney never having to say he's sorry: priceless.

Mitch Morrissey would have to hold the mother lode of bake sales to compensate taxpayers for the costs associated with prosecuting Nicole Veltze, principal of Skinner Middle School. Two seventh-graders inappropriately touched a girl in a Skinner computer class in December. Veltze promptly investigated, suspended the boys and reported the incident to the school district. Morrissey asserted that Veltze broke the law by not reporting what he deems to be a sexual assault to police. His office slapped her with a career-threatening criminal charge.

Morrissey ate crow Friday when a judge tossed the case, saying prosecutors proved no evidence of criminal wrongdoing and noting that Veltze rightly followed district rules on handling sexual harassment.
The ordeal came at great expense to Veltze. If convicted, she might never have worked again as a teacher, let alone a principal.

It came at the expense of the school, where teachers strained to explain to the kids and themselves how their principal could be arrested for simply acting out of common sense.
It also came at no small sum to taxpayers. Morrissey assigned two of his most-senior deputies to prosecute the class-3 misdemeanor, among the lowest of criminal charges. His office said it could not calculate the value in tax dollars of their work.

The case sent chills throughout Denver Public Schools, prompting nervous principals to report the most minor poking and name- calling, lest they too be charged as criminals. One school called to report such aberrance as two 5-year-olds stealing a kiss on the playground. Another felt compelled to report a 6-year-old telling a classmate, "You have a sexy booty."

Such calls caused a spike in the workload of Denver's already overburdened social workers. City brass say it's impossible to tally that cost. "It's been challenging," DPS chief Michael Bennet said of the case. "It's important that we have a shared understanding about what should be reported and when. That guidance is critical for our principals and teachers to do their job and avoid criminal prosecution."

Bennet stood up for Veltze. He kept her on salary in a job at the district while paying a substitute to run Skinner.
In a city strapped for cash, that sum $32,000 would have nearly paid a starting teacher for one year. The $62,000 the district paid Veltze's attorneys would have gone even further. Even in criminal cases as flimsy as this one, prosecutors don't have to compensate defendants for their legal fees.

And now, instead of backing off after its defeat Friday, Morrissey's office is forcing Veltze to dangle, threatening to appeal the case and run the taxpayers' tab even higher. Hey, why not? Morrissey faces re-election unopposed.
His website touts his work teaching "public school students about the law." So what do Denver's hardworking educators learn from the district attorney's witch hunt? Only to fear Morrissey and more of his lessons in bullheadedness and bullying.

Susan Greene writes Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. Reach her at 303-954-1989 or greene@denverpost.com.

(this is not a picture of David Lamos,) (picture from article of Wall Street Journal)