OLD COWBOY CHEATS THE HANGMAN

After nearly 80 years in prison, the last twenty-seven of which on death row, Viva Leroy Nash got the last laugh on the Arizona penal system, albeit, at the expense of the neediest cactus state citizens.

The 94 year Nash, known affectionately as the Old Cowboy by his jailers from his growing up when Arizona was still the wild west, died of natural causes even as Arizona prosecutors were appealing a federal ruling that Nash might not be competent enough to assist his appeals process. Just how incompetent? It seems that the Arizona death machine was oblivious to the fact that Nash was mentally ill since the 1940's when he shot a Connecticut policeman. At the time of his death, he was deaf, nearly blind, crippled and suffering from dementia. But what are a few minor personal issues and millions of dollars in legal fees when there is revenge to be extracted by politicians eager to promote their tough-on-crime bona fides?

Unfortunately, the money squandered these past twenty-seven years could have helped alleviate a huge Arizona budget deficit that has ended state sponsored health care for 310,000 low income adults and 47,000 low income children; ended employment for 2,000 state workers, and closed highway rest areas, state parks and motor vehicle offices.

Now that Viva Leroy Nash is gone, Arizona officials only have to waste their citizens' disappearing tax dollars on the endless legal maneuverings of the remaining 128 death row inmates. At the rate Arizona is spending to commit state sponsored homicide, bankruptcy may be their only ticket off death row.

Walt Zlotow
Glen Ellyn, IL

Originally published in Chicago Tribune Online, February 17, 2010
Also published in the Glen Ellyn News, February 24, 2010

HEAR! HEAR!

The ongoing hearing using hearsay evidence from seventy witnesses to determine which hearsay evidence can be used in Drew Peterson's upcoming murder trial, should send everyone following this sordid story to study the case of Cameron Todd Willingham, the Texas man executed in 2004 for the 1991 arson deaths of his three daughters. Willingham refused a life sentence in return for pleading guilty, maintaining his innocence for the entire thirteen years it took Texas to execute him. Willingham is now considered by most authorities to have been innocent after several post execution investigations refuted that the lethal fire Willingham was executed for setting, was arson. No arson, no murder.

At his sentencing hearing one prosecutor told the judge that Willingham's skull and serpent tattoo fit the profile of a "sociopath". As Willingham's death approached, Texas Governor Rick Perry, a ferocious death penalty advocate, made some unusual changes to the appeals board hearing Willingham's case which may have prevented a stay of execution to allow the arson investigation to be re-opened. From such wonderful evidence and maneuverings, Willingham is now pushing up daises.

Kathleen Savio died the same year as Cameron Todd Willingham. Her death remained an accident till Peterson's next wife vanished and the resulting exhumation and autopsy of Savio changed the result from accident to murder, as law enforcement sought to put away a man they assumed was a repetitive wife murderer. How, after five years they can say with certainty that marks on the body were inconsistent with an accident and therefore murder, is a stretch to this observer.

Drew Peterson may not have a skull and serpent tattoo but apparently that won't stop Will County prosecutors from painting him as a sociopath on their quest to have him do hard time without hard evidence.

The only thing Drew Peterson is certainly guilty of so far is alienating virtually every human being in his life.

Originally published in the Chicago Sun Times, February 15, 2010

ROVE UNFIT TO ADDRESS DUPAGE GOP

My state Senator Dan Cronin says "it is a privilege and honor to have Karl Rove come to DuPage County and speak at our 49th anniversary dinner". To paraphrase Sarah Palin during her vice presidential campaign, "Why is Sen. Dan Cronin pallin' around with war criminals?"

Karl Rove has spent the last two and a half years since he was forced out as Bush's chief advisor for his alleged role in outing the CIA wife of a Bush war critic, making millions as consultant, commentator and now author of the memoir he's promoting at the GOP dinner.

Rove avoided prosecution for his role in the CIA spy outing caper and will never be prosecuted or even investigated for his role as key propagandist for the Bush administration's march to criminal war which has left millions dead, injured or refugees in a trillion dollar war that was made up out of whole cloth.

Rove has no shame; nor apparently, does Sen. Cronin in bowing at the feet of a man who should be shunned by our political culture for the enormous damage he championed relentlessly for five years.

If Cronin can't disinvite Karl Rove, how about making him speak on the topic, "How I can atone for my role in launching and prosecuting our criminal Iraq war".

I'd even become a Republican for a night and pay the $150 to hear that one.

Also published in the Daily Herald, March 7, 2010