Why Lee must be freed! Thursday, Jun 4 2009

Where do we go from here?! -Email- – relative to intervening on the present system. Someone has to make the sacrifice on behalf of the speechless.  This is Louisiana. 

3rd official admits guilt
By JOE GYAN JR.
Advocate staff writer
Published: Nov 3, 2009
The longtime chief investigator for the local Public Defender’s Office admitted Monday to bribing a senior city prosecutor and other court officials to fix criminal and traffic cases in City Court and state District Court in Baton Rouge. Public Defense statewide should go on alert.  Especially so, since Jean Faria has admitted state public defense is still under-funded.  *Since, the La. AG is the de-facto defense attorney for state agencies, intervention is necessitated in the federal level.   

3Nov2009-Several Court appearances have been docketed for Lee, since the 2Aug post.  On August 19th from the OCC @ 9am via closed circuit.  On October 12th @ 9am, which was put-off to November 9th.  The attorney-of-record, a public defender, was in 4th District Court in Morehouse. In late October Lee was re-booked on a battery charge.  *Whatever the outcome of the original charges, now additional charges must be dealt with.

Ramifications?
Lee was attacked the last week of July by an inmate who has been incarcerated since January 2008, according to the inmate’s affadavit of pc. As of then, Lee had spoke with the court-appointed attorney only once- July 8th.

At the end of last week, Assistant District Attorney Mike Ruddick, who keeps up with the numbers, said pretrial detainees numbered 541. Of that number, only 51 inmates had been there for 11 months or more. Of that number, 36 are awaiting trials while the remainder have been found incompetent to proceed and are awaiting open beds at East Feliciana Forensic facility at Jackson.

4thJDC2Aug09
Lee is held currently in Ouachita Correctional Center, near Monroe, Louisiana.

A Public Defender has been assigned to Lee. However, as of today’s date June 16th 2009, that person assigned to assist Lee in his defense, has not talked with Lee. This is the norm! It was the norm in 2001 and it is the norm in 2009. Since the alledged reforms of the indigent defense apparatus in Louisiana; still, defendants wait. Lee’s next court date is 1 July 2009.  “What avenues must be pursued to access justice. Is it justice in play, when such a scenario as this can occur at this day and time. Still there must be a ‘revamping of the judicial process’ in Louisiana & America. How is ‘justice prevailing’ in a system such as this?” We shall see who will step in.

Will Lee receive ADEQUATE ASSISTANCE OF COUNSEL in the Criminal Justice System? Was there a set-up involved, seeing that the forty-two year-old suspect is attempting to lessen his penalty? Federal agents have questioned 19 year-old Lee!

Media intensity?-Why?

Lee was apprehended on the morning of May 8, 2009 with two individuals at a convenience store on US 165 South/MLK,Jr. Blvd in South Monroe. The affadavit of pc concerning Lee declares to the police, that he knew nothing of what the other two men with him had in mind.

Lee was the driver of the vehicle. The affadavit of probable cause cites video surveillance of the two suspects in the store. That video does not include Lee.

Was Lee a victim of circumstance? Did Lee drive away from the scene in fear of his life? Lee states under Miranda his not taking part in the robbery.

Lee, did not conspire with the other two men to commit armed robbery or any other crime. Lee went to S. Monroe to go clubbing. The nightclub FACES is directly across the four lane from the convenience store.

Will Lee be afforded – equal protection under the law – in the Indigent Defense System of Louisiana. Oh yes, the look on Lee’s face? The camera was hounding for his mug. Why?

Lee may be guilty of something, but it is not armed robbery -use of a firearm; or criminal conspiracy. And that’s final.
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News Story update June 23, 2009 | By Matthew Hamilton • mhamilton@monroe.gannett.com • May 14, 2009
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A Bastrop man charged with the armed robbery of a Shell gas station last week is a suspect in a string of armed robberies from Louisiana to the Arkansas line.

Maj. Don Bartley said Monroe police charged 43-year-old Benjamin B. Ware on Wednesday with the armed robbery of the Circle K convenience store at 1407 Sterlington Road. Bartley said a man came into the store May 5 with his face covered with a towel and brandished a black pistol. He demanded money and took an undetermined amount of cash.

The robbery victim later identified Ware in a photo lineup, and a search of Ware’s house revealed clothing identical to the suspect’s clothes in the store’s video surveillance, Bartley said.

Ware was already booked into the Ouachita Correctional Center in connection with an armed robbery that occurred at a Shell gas station near Wossman on Friday. He was charged with attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, armed robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit armed robbery when he was taken into custody.

Two other suspects were charged in the Friday robbery.

Ware may face still more charges as police departments in Bastrop and Crossett, Ark. investigate his involvement in other robberies.
Capt. Curtis Stephenson with the Bastrop police confirmed Ware is a person of interest in two armed robberies and a failed armed robbery that occurred last week.

On May 6, an armed robber struck the Check Into Cash payday loan center on 933 E Madison Ave., in Bastrop. On the same day, an armed robber took an undetermined amount of money from the EZ Mart convenience store on 1231 N. Washington St., Bastrop.

The day before, a gunman walked into the Shoe Show store at 2031 E. Madison Ave., Bastrop, but the store clerk left before the gunman could demand money, according to Stephenson.

He said the spate of robberies was unprecedented during his time with Bastrop police.

“We’ve never had anything like that happen here in that short a period of time,” Stephenson said.
Crossett Police Investigator Shelbi Hughes said Ware is the lead suspect in an armed robbery in the southern Arkansas town.
Hughes said an armed robber took money from the Factory Connection around 5:42 p.m. on May 7.
She said she soon expects to charge Ware with the armed robbery.
“We still have to do a few more things, but that’s where we’re headed,” Hughes said.

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May 8, 2009
Three from Bastrop arrested in connection with armed robbery at Wossman Shell
By Johnny Gunter
jgunter@thenewsstar.com
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Three Bastrop residents were arrested in connection with an armed robbery early Friday morning.

One of them is accused of attempted first-degree murder after the convenience store attendant was shot in the leg because he couldn’t open the store’s safe.

Benjamin B. Ware, 43, was booked into Ouachita Correctional Center on charges of attempted first-degree murder, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, armed robbery and criminal conspiracy to commit armed robbery.

Two others arrested for armed robbery and criminal conspiracy are Lee A. XXXXXXX, 19, and XXXXXXX E. XXXXXXXXX, 22. No bond had been set Friday.

Police received a call at 3:45 a.m. from the Wossman Shell convenience store at 1601 U.S. 165 South and a witness provided a description of the suspects and the pickup truck they were using that had temporary tags.

Maj. Don Bartley said the vehicle was stopped on U.S. 165 North headed toward Bastrop at the Brookshire’s grocery store where the three were apprehended. “Two guns and the money were recovered and other items tying them to the robbery,” Bartley said.

Bartley said the victim was carried to St. Francis Medical Center “where he appeared to be OK.” The victim’s name was not released.

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The Travesty that is Mychal Bell Friday, Dec 14 2007

Everyone must understand,  it wasn’t Mychal’s ultimate decision to take the plea.  It was evident that Mychal was in rough waters, when he in open court asked Judge J.P. Mauffray to explain the plea (deal) to him step by step.  This was, resignation by design.

Some of those who don’t understand, I pray they are in Mychal’s shoes real soon.  Court,  when you are the target; is a living, nightmarish hell.   Ask,  Robert Bailey, Jr.’s  former attorney  Sam Thomas of Tallulah; who recently received his own conviction in Donald Washington’s Western District of Louisiana Court in Monroe, Louisiana.

And this is the insanity of the Travesty.  The final road to Mychal’s plea begins with the dismissal of Sam Thomas by Caseptla Bailey the “Jena Six Parent” of Robert Bailey, Jr.   A grouped effort of the Color of Change, Friends of Justice,  ACLU & Left Turn.Org aided & abetted in the “intrusion of  Justice”,  that we have now.   Sam Thomas had the change of venue motion on the table in the 3rd Circuit.  But, on one hot “autumn dog’s day”  an injustice rebirth,  Caseptla Bailey was taken to New Orleans to meet a high powered lawyer, who turned out to be Attorney Jim Boren; of which lawyer the Sothern Poverty Law Center  described him as an,  SPLC retained lawyer of  Baton Rouge “as a cooperating SPLC attorney to assist the defense. ”   Splc goes on to say it is “working with other advocates at the grassroots and national levels that are deeply involved in the fight  and share a commitment to racial justice.”  

A commitment to racial justice.?  How Such?  The Travesty of injustice for Mychal Bell was in its infancy when Caseptla was escorted to meet Boren.  The week of November 4th, saw the plots and plans begin to play-out.  The families and there lawyers were duped, in some instances, while others were in secret collaboration with the forces (SPLC & Walters/Mauffray) of LaSalle court system to derail equal justice & maintain un-equal justice.  

The fact that Mychal took a plea deal is evident of the corrupt system that exist pervasively in Louisiana,  The poor huddled masses are browbeat & legally out maneuvered until they are so wearied, that they just give in.   This is “classic un-equal justice” in its bestest exhibition by a judicary and prosecution run amuck  in its own quest for power and avarice.   

Now comes the real test.  Will the powers that be, influence the truth of this matter.  Laws were violated by the dispensers and administrators of  criminal justice.  Judge Yeager let slide a clerk of court malfeasanace, in relations to the media litigants.  The actual filing of the Barker et al suit is suspect because of the actual & perceived dates.    Eventhough Mychal took a plea deal,  he was under duress & subtile coercion.  The outcomes were so well manaaged that the U S  Department of Justice held a  forum at 1st Baptist Church in Jena.  U S Attorney Donald Washington was in attendance.  It was December 6th 2007,  the day which would have been Mychal’s date for trial!  This Travesty is not over.  Open the Court’s Records, we pray,  so the light of Justice can shine through and through!             

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In light of Jena & Beyond Saturday, Jul 7 2007

Racism at root of segregated worship

The late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “Eleven o’clock on Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America.”If Dr. King were to ask today if Sunday were still segregated, our answer to that question would be yes because nothing has really changed, and Sunday morning still remains the most segregated time in America. We can work together, play together, shop together, eat together; but why can’t we worship the same God together?

The reason is racism, which is attributed to segregated Sunday and is a sin, and it is still very prevalent in the church today. Racism is a spiritual problem that has always thrived in the church for centuries, yet it is very important to remember that the founder of Christianity, Jesus Christ, never once advocated it. As a matter of fact, His summary of the Ten Commandments broke down very simply to love God with all your heart and soul and strength, and then to love your neighbor as yourself. He gave a perfect example about who is your neighbor in the parable of the Good Samaritan in St. Luke 10:30-37; Jesus showed beyond a shadow of a doubt that loving your neighbor is to transcend racial, social and status barriers. Jesus said in Matthew 7: 12, “Whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, even so do you also unto them: for this is the law and the prophets.” This rule was not given for the Jewish people alone but for all people of all races and nations. It is the perfect end toward which all the law and the teaching of the Lord are directed.

It requires that each one put himself in the place of the other. We do not want others to be prejudiced against us; we want them to understand us. Hence we are not to be prejudiced against others, but to try to understand them. No matter what position we may find ourselves, we want to be treated with consideration, fairness, kindness, love, sympathy and sometimes with compassion and mercy.

We are, therefore, to treat others in the same manner. This is a very simple principle and easy to understand. When Christians sincerely pray about this, we will see a difference.

This is where reconciliation begins in the heart of mankind and with people working together in an environment in which everyone has pledged their allegiance to Jesus Christ and allowing Him to speak to their hearts. If the church is going to provide a picture of reconciliation for the world to see, Christians of all colors have to be pro-active. It isn’t enough to walk one mile, however; it will take walking two miles to make a difference in this world of ours.

Jesus created the church out of love for us and it’s up to us to reach out with love to others. Moving forward means understanding that reconciliation stretches beyond integration or equality to a unity of spirit and purpose. Reconciliation begins with removing the “dividing wall of hostility” in one-on-one relationships.

We must be Christ-like by viewing the other person as one whom God loves dearly. The time has come for the Church (meaning us the believers) to strive to be a model of reconciliation in a world of bitterness and hatred between the different racial groups.

This world is big enough for all of us. God is big enough for all of us and God created diversity. If we can learn from nature about life, then we can learn from each other the importance of diversity. We as Christians, whether black or white, are to unite with one another, and we are to live in harmony with one another because of the fellowship we have in Christ.

The Rev. Christopher D. Handy is a pastor in Monroe.

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Home-The Place we’re headed Saturday, Jul 7 2007

Commonwealth for a Free Moral Society began in 2002 in rural east central Louisiana.  The concept is first century in its conceptual origin.  In order to continue an existing freedom from the corruption of this present world and the present world system; 

An ideal was formulated in the mind of the author.

Some Folks are tired of the shenanigans that ruling archetypes manipulate us with.  It is always about appearance and perceived notions given by those appearances.

But we say, “being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, and having no hope, and without God in the world.”

“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God.” 

In recent days, Spring 2008; society is concerned with a series of events that only reiterate the depravity that exists.  No one will face the facts and we find ourselves going in the same ring around the truth.  No one wants to get down to the truth.  In time we will find out the truth of our world, accept the fact of our deficiencies and come into the commonwealth.

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