As time goes by . . . The tragic legacy of this corrupt local case becomes increasingly clear. Checkit: New sentencing likely for inmate in 1988 KC firefighter deaths
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I knew most of the players on both sides of the ball in this disaster and I really don't think there was "Corruption".
ReplyDeleteWhether or not the right guys are in jail and received the right sentences, I don't know. But the lawyers on both sides, the jury and the press, including the Kansas City Star all did yeoman's work dusk till dawn on this, with the best information that was available.
Yes, I do think there is a decent chance, that the Frank and Bryon were just South Kansas City fuck ups, who took the heat, when it was the Union that actually set the fire.
Chuck is probably right on this. But, don't judge the union too harshly. Sometimes workers have to play rough or be roughshodded themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe largest insurrection since the civil war was the Battle of Blair Mountain. (Someone is finally making a movie about this.) Striking coal miners fought back (with their hunting rifles) against the company thugs & the local authorities who were in the pocket of the coal companies. It is the only time Army Bombers were engaged against American Citizens.
This battle was front page news on the New York Times, at the time. More Americans will now be aware of this important event, & you will understand why a West Virginian might take up the red flag.
The problem is that power is more intoxicating and corruptive than heroin, and federal prosecutors have way too much power. They manufactured a case against a group of ragtag redneck dopers and bicycle thieves -- over eight years after the fact -- without stopping to think that they were constructing a case out of nothing but their own desire. They were blind to forms of bribery and coercion of witnesses that would -- if done by any private lawyer -- result in disbarment and imprisonment.
ReplyDeleteWhen you can offer a person his life back (instead of 35 years in prison, you get out of jail free) or threaten to effectively end it (file federal charges if you don't say what we want; die in prison if you refuse to plead guilty) you tend to get the "memory" you want to hear.
Remember: this case was a Godsend for an Organized Crime Strike Force that had run out of organized crime. By the middle of the 90's all the Mafioso were dead or in nursing homes. Gambling was not only legal, but respectable. This case gave them a new lease on life -- and a way to avoid transfers to more expensive cities.
Did the feds consciously send five innocent people to die in prison? Probably not -- but that is cold comfort to the five. And, unlike the State, the feds can -- and have -- kept the embarrassing truth secret. The victims do not receive justice when the wrong persons are punished.
The explosion in '88 really had 12 victims: Six firefighters who we rightly honor as heroes. Five poor patsies sent to prison for life.
And, not least, the truth.
This trial has gone through multiple appeals, time to put it to rest.
ReplyDeleteThe Avery trial is a good example how criminals milk the appeal system.
Time to let the Firefighters families have peace.
Did these individuals commit 1st degree murder with intent,probably not . They have been found guilty by a jury ,move on.
What people forget is the behavior of the Sheppards at the trial,mocking the families, the jury with zero remorse. Many years later, now they feel remorse, the youngest Sheppard was pretty cocky in the 90's, and now we have liberal idiots trying to reduce his sentence, not reclaim his innocence, that was decided by a Jury and himself a long time ago
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Word
ReplyDeleteGood comments here in my opinion.
ReplyDelete4:58
You are right. I didn't know Bryon very well at all, but I knew Frank. His family is Native American (Maybe Sioux, I can't remember for sure.) and racist or not, the truth is the truth, liquor made these guys crazy. Frank was, in High School, known for being a tough guy and later he would brawl in some bars, but, no way he was a killer. At least no way he was a premeditated killer. If he, or his brother would have known anyone was going to be hurt, they would never have done it.
This is just information, not an endorsement for their punishment or a plea for mercy. Again, I have been interested in this disaster for many years and I really don't know if they did it.
One more thing, by the time Frank went to trial, he was emaciated from drugs and alcohol. They hit it really hard and, again, this is no excuse for bad behavior and being a fuckin idiot at trial, but these guys are prototypical petty thieves and small time fuck ups.
ReplyDeleteJust information.
I wa young when this happened. Is there a documentary about it? I hear there is good evidence they didn't do it but I really know much about the case.
ReplyDeleteThe K C Star did a great job
ReplyDeletethere seems to be a good ammount of interest, i thought i was the only one still following it, and i was a toddler when the blast occurred. i still live in marlbo, the remnants of the po white trash hood.
ReplyDelete