I found this current event as well.... hmmmm. Disturbing.
A suspect in police custody calls himself a "stewmaker" for a Mexican drug lord, saying he disposed of about 300 bodies by dissolving them in acid.
Santiago Meza Lopez has asked for forgiveness from the families of those he says he targeted.
Santiago Meza Lopez was arrested Thursday in Ensenada, Baja California, but it took police 24 hours to identify him. He says he works for drug lord Teodoro Garcia Simental, also known as "el Teo," a powerful drug trafficker.
Meza, who is shown handcuffed and flanked by guards in video released by the government, calls himself "Teo's stewmaker" and says he was paid $600 a week for his macabre duties. The victims, he said, were men who owed Garcia something or had betrayed him.
A native of Guamuchil, Sinaloa, Meza was arrested along with three other people, including a minor female who said she was contracted for a social event. Other people sought by police were in the area at the time but were able to escape, officials said.
Now, Meza is asking for forgiveness.
"To the families, please forgive me," he said in the video.
Mexican police have not specifically said whether they believe that all elements of Meza's story are credible.
He has told police where he buried some of the bodies.
Now authorities, along with citizens groups and the families of the disappeared, are searching for them.
They hope Meza could have information about the location of their friends and relatives.
Authorities say Garcia formed part of the Arellano Felix cartel but is currently said by intelligence sources to be operating with the Sinaloa cartel.
Officials say seven brothers and four sisters of the Arellano-Felix family inherited the Tijuana, Mexico-based drug cartel from Miguel Angel Felix Gallardo in 1989, after his arrest for drug trafficking.
Today, the notorious cartel is split into two factions that have engaged in brutal fighting that has accounted for nearly all the violence in Tijuana, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. More than 400 people were killed last year in drug-related violence.
Eduardo Arellano-Felix, who police said was the last remaining brother to have an active role in the cartel, was arrested in October.
I don't really know what to say about this one besides it may be one of the most disturbing ways i can think of to get rid of bodies and I really never would want this job you could never pay me enough. Well I hope I can sleep tonight!
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Mock Congresss
I thought that our experiment of pretending to be members of congress was interesting. It was a good way to better learn and understand how to make a bill a law and the extensive process it goes through. I was a representative from Colorado (D). I was also on the education committee and although my bill didn't make it to the final cutting block I think that during the senate discussion we passed some good bills. It was fun debating with others on why one bill should become a law or shooting down others. I liked this hands on approach to teaching much more than reading the process out of the book. Kate made a great Speaker of the House and I can see her as the next Nancy Pelosi! But what would be really awesome is if we could have this test in a couple days..... :)
Current Event - Murder confession!
I was looking around for a current event and found one i thought was pretty interesting! Read it for yourself.
-Two months before dying, a Virginia woman confessed to killing two women nearly 42 years ago, authorities said Friday, telling police she shot the women because they had taunted her for being a lesbian.
Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, was shot to death at an ice cream shop where she worked in 1967.
Sharron Diane Crawford Smith, 60, confessed in a November 28 interview to shooting the women at a Staunton ice cream store in 1967, authorities said.
"I was just pushed so far," Smith said, according to a transcript of a police interview.
Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, and Hevener's 20-year-old sister-in-law, Carolyn Hevener Perry, according to CNN affiliate WVIR.
But health problems forced a postponement of a December court date, WVIR said, and Smith, who had heart and kidney problems, died January 19.
Authorities on Friday said they consider Smith the guilty party and are working toward closing the case.
In a transcript of the police interview, Smith told police she and the women worked at High's Ice Cream. The night of the shooting, she went to the store to tell the women she could not work the next day and took her .25-caliber pistol with her.
"I was just going to tell them that I couldn't work and one thing led to another."
She acknowledged that teasing "about my lifestyle" had gone on for a while.
Asked how the victims knew about it, she said, "How do kids find out about anything? I mean, it was really unusual back then."
She also said her stepfather had sexually abused her, but refused to elaborate on whether that played a role in the shootings or helped push her "over the edge."
"I don't know. I'm not trying to psychoanalyze it," she said.
In other interviews with police, Smith said that she got into a physical altercation with Hevener at the store, which was consistent with evidence at the crime scene, Commonwealth Attorney Raymond Robertson said. Bruises on Hevener's body were inconsistent with injuries that would have resulted from a fall after being shot, he told reporters.
"She expressed shame in herself. I never saw any tears. She expressed her concern for the family members [of the victims], as to bringing closure to this case," police investigator Mike King said.
Smith told police she acted alone, authorities said. But Staunton Police Chief Jim Williams said questions about the case remain.
"There will likely be questions surrounding this case we will never be able to answer," he said.
One of those questions was the whereabouts of the murder weapon, but a late development Friday may have solved that mystery.
In the November interview, Smith told police she gave the weapon to a detective on the police force in 1967, David Bocock, and that he buried it.
"He just said that it was sort of dangerous to have a gun, you could hurt somebody," Smith said, according to the transcript. "He said, 'I'll fix it for you if you want.' I figured it was the best thing to do."
It was unclear whether Bocock, who died in 2006, knew of Smith's involvement in the murders. The two knew each other, as Bocock taught Smith to shoot, but authorities said they were still investigating the relationship and whether Bocock was trying to cover for Smith.
Later Friday, the Staunton News-Leader newspaper reported its circulation manager had turned over to police a .25-caliber automatic handgun.
Kathy Myers told the newspaper that Bocock gave the gun to her now-deceased husband, a former Staunton police officer, in 1981, telling him, "Don't let anybody know I gave this to you."
Myers said she forgot she had the gun until she saw the police news conference Friday, and turned it over to authorities.
I guess better to solve a case late than never. I think if I were the victims family I would be happy to finally have the answers but it would anger me that the murderer had kept that quiet until right before her death. Maybe she was ridding her mind of guilt before she passed. I just think it's really interesting when a case has to be put off and then it is finally solved someday in the future!
-Two months before dying, a Virginia woman confessed to killing two women nearly 42 years ago, authorities said Friday, telling police she shot the women because they had taunted her for being a lesbian.
Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, was shot to death at an ice cream shop where she worked in 1967.
Sharron Diane Crawford Smith, 60, confessed in a November 28 interview to shooting the women at a Staunton ice cream store in 1967, authorities said.
"I was just pushed so far," Smith said, according to a transcript of a police interview.
Smith was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Constance Smootz Hevener, 19, and Hevener's 20-year-old sister-in-law, Carolyn Hevener Perry, according to CNN affiliate WVIR.
But health problems forced a postponement of a December court date, WVIR said, and Smith, who had heart and kidney problems, died January 19.
Authorities on Friday said they consider Smith the guilty party and are working toward closing the case.
In a transcript of the police interview, Smith told police she and the women worked at High's Ice Cream. The night of the shooting, she went to the store to tell the women she could not work the next day and took her .25-caliber pistol with her.
"I was just going to tell them that I couldn't work and one thing led to another."
She acknowledged that teasing "about my lifestyle" had gone on for a while.
Asked how the victims knew about it, she said, "How do kids find out about anything? I mean, it was really unusual back then."
She also said her stepfather had sexually abused her, but refused to elaborate on whether that played a role in the shootings or helped push her "over the edge."
"I don't know. I'm not trying to psychoanalyze it," she said.
In other interviews with police, Smith said that she got into a physical altercation with Hevener at the store, which was consistent with evidence at the crime scene, Commonwealth Attorney Raymond Robertson said. Bruises on Hevener's body were inconsistent with injuries that would have resulted from a fall after being shot, he told reporters.
"She expressed shame in herself. I never saw any tears. She expressed her concern for the family members [of the victims], as to bringing closure to this case," police investigator Mike King said.
Smith told police she acted alone, authorities said. But Staunton Police Chief Jim Williams said questions about the case remain.
"There will likely be questions surrounding this case we will never be able to answer," he said.
One of those questions was the whereabouts of the murder weapon, but a late development Friday may have solved that mystery.
In the November interview, Smith told police she gave the weapon to a detective on the police force in 1967, David Bocock, and that he buried it.
"He just said that it was sort of dangerous to have a gun, you could hurt somebody," Smith said, according to the transcript. "He said, 'I'll fix it for you if you want.' I figured it was the best thing to do."
It was unclear whether Bocock, who died in 2006, knew of Smith's involvement in the murders. The two knew each other, as Bocock taught Smith to shoot, but authorities said they were still investigating the relationship and whether Bocock was trying to cover for Smith.
Later Friday, the Staunton News-Leader newspaper reported its circulation manager had turned over to police a .25-caliber automatic handgun.
Kathy Myers told the newspaper that Bocock gave the gun to her now-deceased husband, a former Staunton police officer, in 1981, telling him, "Don't let anybody know I gave this to you."
Myers said she forgot she had the gun until she saw the police news conference Friday, and turned it over to authorities.
I guess better to solve a case late than never. I think if I were the victims family I would be happy to finally have the answers but it would anger me that the murderer had kept that quiet until right before her death. Maybe she was ridding her mind of guilt before she passed. I just think it's really interesting when a case has to be put off and then it is finally solved someday in the future!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration of a Lifetime!
Today was a very historic and epic day. I was afraid that due to my educational duties I would miss the inauguration of President Barack Obama, but as luck would have it I found a way to watch it live. The short oath was incredibly exciting but I was in anticipation for the speech and what analyists have been calling "what will be, one of the greatest speeches of all time." When he gave his speech it was eloquent and perfectly delivered as was to be expected. He talked about the many hardships facing our country and the struggles our country will no doubt have in the next four years. I liked that he didn't try to sugar coat the situation our nation is in. Instead he instilled hope by recognizing our crisis and offering his new administration of hope and that the problems will be met. He said it may take time, but they will be met. Today really brought it home for me that times will change, I truly believe that this country will benefit from this term and there is no question he has been given a tough and trying time to become President of the United States, but I have full faith that he will rise to meet the challenge and get this country on the track to getting back on track. I don't expect miracles but this is a step towards better times. For my generation, who will have to deal with these problems this is a welcoming advance. YAY OBAMA!
Mr. Smith and the bill/law process!
Although I didn't watch the entire movie, "Mr Smith goes to Washington",I will do my best to explain the process of making a bill into a law in my interpretation from the movie.
-A bill was introduced by the senator Mr. Smith
-It was then discussed in senate in which Mr. Smith held the floor until the senators who were so quick to dismiss the bill listened to the reasoning behind his proposal of the bill.
This is the point in the movie in which I stopped watching so I'll explain the rest of the bill law process out of context of the movie.
Once a bill is refered to a committee, the committee considers the bill. If the bill makes it past the committees approval, they report it to the members of house or senate. It is read and amended and then read a third time in which the members vote on whether to veto the bill or not. If the bill passes this process, it then is sent to the second chamber, either the house or the senate and the process is repeated. If the bill then passes the second chamber it is then signed into law or vetoed by the Governer. If the Governer vetos the bill the legislature can override the veto and make it law.
BILLLLLLL LAW PROCCCCESSSSS
-A bill was introduced by the senator Mr. Smith
-It was then discussed in senate in which Mr. Smith held the floor until the senators who were so quick to dismiss the bill listened to the reasoning behind his proposal of the bill.
This is the point in the movie in which I stopped watching so I'll explain the rest of the bill law process out of context of the movie.
Once a bill is refered to a committee, the committee considers the bill. If the bill makes it past the committees approval, they report it to the members of house or senate. It is read and amended and then read a third time in which the members vote on whether to veto the bill or not. If the bill passes this process, it then is sent to the second chamber, either the house or the senate and the process is repeated. If the bill then passes the second chamber it is then signed into law or vetoed by the Governer. If the Governer vetos the bill the legislature can override the veto and make it law.
BILLLLLLL LAW PROCCCCESSSSS
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Pork: A Time Honored Tradition Lives On
In this article by Paul Starobin, pork is outlined and shown from two different sides of opinions on it. For me personally after reading this article, I would consider it wasteful. I believe that most pork-barrel spending is unnecessary and a waste of funding that could be contributing to more beneficial areas. It is dishonest and used to please people in order for self benefit. If there is a need for it in public services such as infrastructure or betterment for an area that is an entirely different issue all together. In a country drowned in debt, it is important that our national spending be spent on beneficial and necessary projects.
David Price
This is kind of out of order but in all fairness Coit I think you should give us some grace period since it didn't actually say blog after this reading. Anyway I thought this excerpt from the life of a Congressman, was actually a great inside look at the crazy hectic life that these people go through. I liked how personal the reading was, even including things about his kids and the journey he took to get where he became a congressman. His schedule made me cringe.... I'm sort of a lazy person by nature and the continuous line up of events would not be for me. This article gave a more in depth look at what the congressman do and the hoops they jump through to improve their districts. I still don't think i'll be one though.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Redistricting Game :(
I don't know if it was just me but I couldn't even make it past the first level of trying to pass my population changes. I would finally get it to where all the districts had the same range of population and then my proposal would be shot down unanimously. I finally got it to be passed by two of the three and then it was shot down again. If this game was that difficult to please everyone I have no idea the extent it would take to redistrict a state. I may have to give that game another shot though and figure it out....
Ritter's Senatorial Appointment!
In the article I found on the Denver Post by Karen Crummy, I found some interesting things about Bennet. I had really no idea who he was but after reading this I find him to be a seemingly suitable guy for Colorado's senate seat. I really liked his background in being the Denver public school's superintendent. He has had experience and is aware of the conditions of Colorado public schools. The article also said in addition to this that he is nationally known as an urban-education reformer and was even on Obama's short list for education secretary. In addition to his education background Bennet was also a lawyer at the U.S. Department of Justice so he has experience in that area as well. I think all too often education is overlooked in not only local levels but definitely national and I think it will be beneficial to have a man passionate about education in higher office. Good Choice in my book!
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