Some days you never forget. One was Oct. 3, 1995. I turned 40 years of age. I was a sergeant with the Hillsborough Sheriff's Office and that afternoon was traveling across the Howard Frankland Bridge on my way to a co-worker's sister's funeral. She had died tragically at a young age due to a botched simple medical procedure. It was not a good day and soon would get worst. ...more

October 25, 2008

A federal jury on Friday acquitted a white South Carolina state trooper who bragged about striking a fleeing black suspect with his cruiser in a collision captured on videotape. ...more

October 4, 2008

Landfill Impact ...more

August 28, 2008

FORT LAUDERDALE (AP) – More than 58,000 Broward County residents whose trees were cut down by the state to fight citrus canker want a new trial on damages. Homeowner attorney Robert Gilbert said in a motion filed Monday that the May 6 jury award of $11.5 million did not equal full compensation. The motion said state lawyers were allowed to present improper evidence and make arguments that unfairly influenced jurors to award less money. Gilbert said that amounted to a miscarriage of justice. ...more

May 19, 2008

A car dealer who escaped prosecution after making improper campaign contributions to a city council candidate now faces a possible investigation from the state Elections Commission. ...more

May 8, 2008

Talk about a travesty and miscarriage of justice! Let me see if I have this straight. Mr. Hunt was charged with negligent homicide, manslaughter, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and obstruction of justice. But, because of a plea deal, he was only charged with the manslaughter count. Prosecutor David Ward stated, "The plea was below (sentencing) guidelines." Dear God, may I ask you who obstructed justice? Did the Bemis family offer and agree to this plea? I was Bobby's spiritual leader and youth minister for many years. He was a troubled youth, but a day prior to his death, he had called me asking "Mr. P, you always said if I was ready to straighten my life out, you would help. Do you still mean that?" I responded that I did. Bobby's next question was "When is the next youth meeting?" I told him tomorrow and that we would pick him up. He was elated. Bobby's tomorrow came but was cut short as his untimely death occurred. Doing Bobby's funeral was a heartbreaking task for me. Now, I have questions for Mr. Hunt and Mr. Ward. Did Mr. Hunt give Bobby a "plea deal?" Did Mr. Hunt give Bobby a reduced sentence? Because of Mr. Hunt dastardly deed, will Bobby only serve seven and a half years? Will Bobby receive ten years probation? Who determined that Bobby's life only had a value of $5,000? Bobby had a lifetime ahead of him. Now, last but not least, I ask if justice was served? The answer is "no." Only obstruction and miscarriage of justice. ...more

November 13, 2007

SEBRING — A St. Petersburg woman was sentenced Monday afternoon to three and a half years in prison for attempting to pass counterfeit checks at area businesses last fall. Jessica Elena Garcia, 22, who entered a guilty plea last May to charges of grand theft, possession of counterfeit payment instruments and forgery, received the three-year sentence after prosecutors told Judge Peter Estrada that she was willing to cooperate with them if her co-defendant's case would've gone to trial. Michael Anthony Rosales, of Zolfo Springs, and Garcia were arrested last November after Sebring Police Cpl. Vivian Buck questioned them. Rosales allegedly supplied Garcia with a counterfeit check for $465 to cash at L & M Food Store, located at 1411 Roseland Ave. Garcia was previously in prison on grand theft and burglary charges in Hardee County, and had only been free for 28 days before her arrest with Rosales. Because of parole violations following her Sebring arrest, Garcia received a 44-month prison sentence in Hardee, which Estrada used to sentence her consecutively for the bogus check charges. Because of Garcia's willingness to cooperate with state attorneys, Rosales entered a guilty plea last week at the Highlands County Courthouse and received a 10-year prison sentence from Estrada. ...more

October 30, 2007