ZING!

The state's bingo battle is heating up again. Illegal gambling task force commander John Tyson is accusing Victoryland of 'hiding' the machines. From this morning's BHAM News.

Tyson said he believes Victory Land still has the machines and is trying to hide them from the task force. "The statute does not say they're illegal unless you put a wall around them," Tyson said.

VictoryLand attorney J. Mark White declined to say whether the machines still are at VictoryLand. "No citizen is obligated to discuss the private areas of their home and business with anyone," White said.

"I think Mr. Tyson has no respect for the law, no respect for a citizen's right to privacy .¤.¤. If I wanted to hide something from him, I would put it in a law book," White said.

That's the funniest thing I have heard in a while. He zinged the hell out of Tyson! Made my entire Monday.

"WHEW" That Was Close!

Troy King Announces Another Run for Attorney General after it is announced that he is under Federal investigation.

I'm just glad he isn't running for Governor. On the other hand why would a just God, if there is one, punish the good people of Alabama with four more years of this asshole? We've already had six and four more will be nearly unbearable not to mention two more than he would be eligible to serve and we would have to suffer through had he not been appointed by Riley in the first place. I think King's appointment to AG is the worst mistake Riley has ever made.

King is the laughing stock of the state. Not that I haven't had my fun yanking his spiked leather dog collar from time to time, but, as much fun as it has been to be his tormentor I'd be much happier to have a competent AG in Montgomery than a whipping boy for my blog.

So, aside from King who do my readers think should run for Attorney General? I predict that John Tyson will run again. Had it not been for Larry Darby then Tyson would probably have trounced King in the 2006 election. I'd personally like to see Charles Salvagio run for AG, but his practice brings him far more money and recognition than an AG post would. Will Luther Strange run? Rob Riley?

LIARS!

Remember a few days ago when I posted about the Prichard inmate who was beaten to death? Well, in the first couple of articles the cops at the jail said Mr. McDevitt died after he was punched once and hit his head when he fell. The hospital says otherwise....waaaaaaaaaaaaay otherwise.

Mobile Press-Register

Frank Travis McDevitt was treated for multiple brain injuries, a skull fracture, a dislocated rib and three crushed vertebrae after an Aug. 31 altercation in the Prichard jail, according to medical information provided by the man's mother.

Officials say that those injuries, which proved to be fatal, were caused when another inmate delivered a single punch to McDevitt's face that knocked him down and caused him to hit his head.

McDevitt's mother, Marie-Reine McDevitt, said she doesn't believe her 42-year-old son's injuries could have possibly been caused by a single punch.

"I just don't know what to think. But it just doesn't seem possible," said McDevitt, who showed a reporter a description of the injuries for which her son was treated at the University of South Alabama Medical Center.

I'm with mom. It would be near impossible to get those kinds of extensive injuries from a single punch and a fall...unless you fell down a flight of stairs. No stairs have been mentioned in connection with this death (MURDER).

And another interesting thing....

The current charge against Watson (the other inmate who supposedly delivered the fatal punch) is based on evidence presented by Prichard police, who reported that McDevitt was hit only once, Tyson said.

Prichard Chief Lawrence Battiste didn't return a call to his cell phone Thursday afternoon, nor did he respond to an e-mail asking him to explain what evidence he had to support the official "one punch" account of the altercation.

Tyson said Prichard didn't present any video evidence of the altercation.

So, the cops say that there was only one punch, but presented no video evidence of that and now the chief of Police won't return phone calls or emails asking him to explain this guys injuries. Hmmmmmmm.....one can't help but wonder if the cops didn't beat the guy and then offer the other inmate some sort of special treatment or favor to take the wrap...or perhaps they enjoyed watching Mr. McDevitt get beat to death and didn't do anything to break up the fight. Either way they are complicit in this mans death and I sincerely hope they get what is coming to them.

Unpaid traffic tickets and a few misdemeanors are not deserving of the death penalty.

The State Owns Your Children

In yet another attempt to assert that the government and public school system own the children of this state 2 people have been arrested in Mobile for truancy violations.

Parents arrested in truancy crackdown

Wednesday, March 14, 2007
By RENA HAVNER
Press Register Staff Reporter

Two Mobile County parents were arrested this week on charges of failing to appear at a court hearing where a judge was to hear accusations that they allowed their children to skip school.

Clinton Howard Upshaw, 37, and Barbara Bohannon Upshaw, 30, of Grand Bay were arrested Monday. The two are the first actual arrests stemming from newly elected Juvenile Judge Edmond Naman's effort to crack down on student truancy, according to Mobile County District Attorney John Tyson Jr.

Last month, Naman issued 30 warrants charging parents with not sending their children to school.

Naman, a former prosecutor who was sworn in as judge in January, said he may bring as many as 600 parents to court under those provisions.

(This equates to "We created another government position and now we must arrest someone to justify our existance")

Tyson said the Upshaws' arrests send an important message to the community: "If you're facing a court hearing, you better ought to get there."

(Well now....it's a damn shame that teachers and cops aren't also required to show up in court for a hearing or face arrest.)

After a child has five unexcused school absences, a letter is sent to the parent inviting them to an early warning truancy program sponsored by Tyson's office. Parents who do not show up for the program, offered weekly at downtown's Mobile Government Plaza, are automatically subject to prosecution, Naman has said.

(Ha...an 'invite' but if you decline you get arrested....that sounds more like mafia fire insurance to me)

The Upshaws were being held without bail Tuesday night at the Mobile County Metro Jail, according to the jail log.

(Is this really a 'crime' that deserves to have NO BAIL set? That's just crazy!!)