“PARENT KILL CHILD / CHILDREN: I object to killers going free!*”
Vol. 2, No. 11, July 17, 2011
TITLE: “PARENT KILL CHILD/CHILDREN: I object to killers going free!*”
INTRODUCTION
I can’t comprehend why anyone would murder a child. When it comes to a parent killing his or her child, I am dumbfounded. The facts of the case of Casey Anthony sickened me. The verdict was highly unsatisfactory. Caylee Marie is dead and Casey was today set free, This is so very wrong! I came across “The Atlanta Child Murders: the Night Stalker” (Paperback) by Jack Mallard (Author). It is my book of the week. Hence, my topic is a murderer of the child kind. (Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series on parents killing children.)
MY LIFE & TIMES*
My daughters were God sent for me. I always felt fortunate to have two healthy, beautiful daughters. My priority was my daughters – their well-being, their safety and health, their education, their comfort … anything that concerned them. They are my sun, moon and stars. For them and all of the other beautiful darlings out there, I want to shine the light of day on the horrific subject of the killing of babies and youngsters.
S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #1: Dodgy Defense
Ben Jonson was known for his fiery temper. “There is no arguing with Johnson,” Oliver Goldsmith once remarked, “for when his pistol misses fire, he knocks you down with the butt end of it.” While working as an actor and playwright in 1598, Jonson killed a fellow thespian in a duel. He was tried for murder, defended himself, and managed to escape the gallows. How? By forfeiting all of his worldly goods and chattels, proving that he could read and write – and pleading “benefit of clergy.”
[Sources: Isaac Asimov’s Book of Facts]
(Source: www.anecdotage.com) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=12616
S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #2: Spaghetti-O’s
In March 1995 Thomas J. Grasso was executed by lethal injection for his role in the murder of an elderly Tulsa woman. His last words? “I did not get my Spaghetti-O’s, I got spaghetti. I want the press to know this.”
[James French was electrocuted in Oklahoma in 1966. His last words? “How about this for a headline for tomorrow’s paper? French fries!” … George Appel was electrocuted in New York in 1928. His last words? “Well, gentlemen, you are about to see a baked Appel!”]
Grasso, Thomas J. (?-1995) American murderer
[Sources: theelectricchair.com; Sunday Times, Nov. 2003]
(Source: www.anecdotage.com) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=9207
S & R* CHOICE ANECDOTAGE #3: Victor Feuger’s Final Meal
Shortly before his execution for kidnapping and murder, Victor Feuger requested his final meal: “An olive, with a pit.” Feuger’s hope, he said, was for an oilve tree (which symbolizes peace) to sprout from his grave.
Feuger, Victor (?-1963) American murderer
(Source: www.anecdotage.com) – http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=12720
S & R* QUOTE #1: – Martin Luther King, Jr.
He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/injustice/
S & R* QUOTE #2: Buddha
All wrong-doing arises because of mind. If mind is transformed can wrong-doing remain?
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/injustice/
S & R* QUOTE #3: Letty Cottin Pogrebin
If family violence teaches children that might makes right at home, how will we hope to cure the futile impulse to solve worldly conflicts with force?
(Source: Wisdom Quotes) – http://www.wisdomquotes.com/topics/children/
THE AUTHOR: Jack Mallard
When it comes to American (penal) law, Jack Mallard is the real deal. After serving in the Air Force, he worked as a clerk and CI for the Fulton County Solicitor General. He graduated in law from Woodrow Wilson College and passed the Georgia State Bar in 1966.
He was appointed and served as an Assistant District Attorney in Fulton County, later as Chief Assistant District Attorney in Cobb County, and Special Prosecutor in Forsyth County during the period 1967-2007. He prosecuted felony cases: assault, kidnapping, rape, arson, burglary, robbery, theft, capital murder, etc. The ‘Missing and Murdered Children’s Cases of Atlanta’ took place during the years, 1979-1981. Wayne Bertram Williams was arrested. Mallard led a team versed in forensics and science and secured a conviction. (The Williams’ trial was recognized in “American Trials of the 20th Century” by Edward W. Knappman, Editor.) He is now retired in his home state of Georgia.
THE BOOK: “The Atlanta Child Murders: the Night Stalker” (Paperback) by Jack Mallard (Author)
This was no everyday story in the city. There was a serial killer, trolling for children and young people of the ”street.’ There were children fearful of going outdoors and being grabbed. The spree went on for two years – 28 people lost their lives. This was the case of the Atlanta ”Night Stalker’. Wayne Williams was the accused child killer. There was a nine-week trial, plus 25 years of appeals. Mallard was not “embedded” along with the prosecution team – he led it as lead prosecutor . He lived the trial from the inside. He wrote the book.
There are some answers; but questions remain. I still don’t understand. I probably never will!
CONCLUSION
A person who murders an infant or child is bad. A parent who kills his or her own child is worse. They should be thrown in jail and the key thrown away… the bigger the haystack or the deeper the bay …the better!
Personal Comments
An infant is a bundle of joy…so little and defenceless. A child is so innocent …so very … very precious. He or she can do no wrong. No child deserves to be assaulted or abused. For a child, a parent is someone that they can be trusted and expect protection from. To fear your own parents is very disturbing to a child. He or she is deserving of all the love and attention that a parent can give. Parenting is one of the most difficult and the most rewarding jobs a person can have. How can a parent hurt or mistreat a child? The thought makes me furious. Parents who kill children view them as their property – to do with as they wish with them. Most parents, who kill their kids, have an inability to feel remorse or empathy and fail to accept responsibly. There should be zero tolerance and no excuses for the killing of children. A parent that ends the life of their own child is evil and should be punished. Mental illness is the only condition that could be considered by a jury. But, being depressed or angry at your spouse does not qualify as being mentally ill.
The Point
Babies are gifts from heaven. These blessings grow into children. They must always be protected by parents, all members of society and by the State.
ANTOINETTE’S TIP SHEET*
Everyone should:
1. Love the child, whoever he or she is;
2. Protect the children – this is the duty of a parent and every other person;
3. Don’t wait – intervene straight away…stop the harm;
4. Report immediately, any abuse or violent behavior towards a child;
5. Petition your lawmakers to make harsher laws against offenders;
Let’s stand on guard on for each and every baby and child; it’s all of our business!
Take it out for a spin and tell me if you agree.
And that’s my thought of the week on books, what’s yours? *
ALP
“Books are life; and they make life better!*”
CREDITS
-Web Tech: richmediasound.com
The above is a new media production of Valente under its “United Author*” program.
*TM/© 2011 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.
——————————————————
SCHEDULE I
“IT WORDS FOR ME!*”
For today, my word/phrase(s) are: Child Abuse, Child Murder,`“Filicide”; “Honor Killing”; etc.
Child Abuse
Child abuse is the physical or psychological/emotional mistreatment of children. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or other caregiver that results in harm, potential for harm, or threat of harm to a child.[6] Most child abuse occurs in a child’s home, with a smaller amount occurring in the organizations, schools or communities the child interacts with. There are four major categories of child abuse: neglect, physical abuse, psychological/emotional abuse, and sexual abuse.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abuse#Child_abuse
Child Murder
The murder of children is considered an abhorrent crime in the entire World; they are perceived within their communities and the state at large as being vulnerable, and therefore especially susceptible to abduction and murder. The protection of children from abuse and possible death often involves disturbing the child’s family structure, as tenuous as this may be. In 2008, there were 1,494 child (under 18 years) homicides in the United States. Of those killed 1,035 were male, while 453 were female, .[1]
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child_murder
Filicide
Filicide is the deliberate act of a parent killing his or her own son or daughter. The word filicide derives from the Latin words filius meaning “son” or filia meaning daughter and the suffix -cide meaning to kill, murder, or cause death. “A filicide” may refer to the parent who killed his or her child as well as to the criminal act that the parent committed.
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filicide
S & R* BONUS FACT #1:Parenting News: Canadian moms combine their mother’s advice with research
Does it take a village to raise a child? Think mother knows best? The answer is both. According to a recent survey, 81% of Canadian moms say that when it comes to raising their children, they apply a combination of their mother’s advice with their own research and personal judgment. The study was commissioned on behalf of playtexmommyville.ca, a new online community for moms which combines expert advice, support and tips for women from the prenatal stage through the first few crucial years of motherhood.The mother of all surveys:When asked if they accept advice from their mother, Canadian moms responded: Yes mother knows best! I ask my mother for advice and accept unsolicited advice from her often (12%).Sometimes I listen to my mother’s advice but I also do my research and trust my own judgment (81%).No I don’t listen to my mother’s advice and I find it irritating when she imparts judgment and advice (4%). Canadian moms are savvier than ever, combining old world wisdom with new technology. While it’s natural to listen to their mother’s advice, our research has shown moms are doing their own research to make informed decisions they can feel confident about, says Helen Kargas, senior brand manager at Playtex Infant.
(Source) – More information can be found at www.playtexmommyville.ca.
www.newscanada.com
SCHEDULE II
STUDY/STATISTICS
1999 US Department of Justice study: Filicide
A 1999 US Department of Justice study concluded that between 1976 and 1997 in the United States, mothers were responsible for a higher share of children killed during infancy while fathers were more likely to have been responsible for the murders of children age 8 or older.[1] Furthermore, 52% of the children killed by their mothers were male (maternal filicide), while 57% of the children killed by their fathers were male (paternal filicide). 61% of children murdered under the age of five were murdered by their parents; filicide is the third leading cause of death amongst American children five to fourteen years old.[2]
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filicide
Statistics: Child killed by babysitter
Characteristic 2000 2005 2006 2007
Murders, total. . . . 13,230 14,965 15,087 14,831
CIRCUMSTANCES 1
Child killed by babysitter . . . . . . . . 30 26 27 34
(Source: U.S. Census Bureau) – http://www.census.gov/prod/2009pubs/10statab/law.pdf
SCHEDULE III
S & R* NEWS ALERT* #1: Death of Caylee Anthony
The disappearance and death of Caylee Anthony, a young child from Orlando, Florida, received significant media attention in the United States. The subsequent trial of her mother, Casey Anthony, on charges of murder drew even greater coverage in national and social media.
Caylee Marie Anthony (born August 9, 2005)[1] was last seen with her mother on June 16, 2008 and was reported missing by her grandmother, Cindy Anthony, on July 18, 2008.[2] Her skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area near the family home on December 11, 2008. Casey Anthony was indicted on charges of first degree murder and plead not guilty. The prosecution sought the death penalty and the trial lasted for six weeks. On July 5, 2011, the jury found Casey Anthony not guilty of murder, aggravated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child, but guilty of four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer. Anthony received a sentence of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine for each count. With credit for time served and good behavior, she was released on July 17, 2011 at 12:10 AM.[3][4][5]
In the United States, the case was called “one of the biggest ratings draws in recent memory” and “the social media trial of the century”.[6][7] Defense counsel charged that Anthony was being tried in the media to her great detriment while she was facing the death penalty.[8] The case has been cited as an example of the unfairness of prejudicial pretrial publicity with the potential for impacting the rights of defendants in the United States.[9][10][11]
…
On July 5, 2011, the jury found Casey Anthony not guilty of first-degree murder, aggravated manslaughter, and aggravated child abuse, but guilty on four misdemeanor counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer.[74] On July 7, 2011, Anthony was sentenced to one year in jail and $1,000 in fines for each of the four counts of providing false information to a law enforcement officer, the maximum penalty prescribed by law. The defense asked that the sentences be served concurrently, on the grounds that the offenses occurred as part of a single interview with police dealing with the same matter, the disappearance of her daughter. The judge found that they were “four distinct, separate lies” and ruled that the sentences would be served consecutively, noting “Law enforcement expended a great deal of time, energy and manpower looking for Caylee Marie Anthony. This search went on from July through December, over several months, trying to find Caylee Marie Anthony.”[75][76][77]
(Source: Wikipedia the free encyclopedia) – https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#drafts/13139de76288ce89
S & R* NEWS ALERT* #2: Keep Your Children Safe
(NC)—2011 is Canada’s Year of Road Safety so why not re–think road safety to keep your children as safe as possible?
Make sure your children are in the right stage of child restraint, the seat is installed correctly and the child is buckled up correctly.
Child seat installation tips
• Use the child seat instructions, and vehicle owner’s manual to help install the child seat. Make sure that all features of the child seat are adjusted as per the instructions.
• Once the child seat is installed, check that it’s secured. Grab the seat where the belts attach it to the vehicle. It should not move more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) in any direction.
Buckle up your child
• Front and rear facing child seats – Using the child seat instructions, make sure the harnesses are tightened so that they are snug on the child’s body.
• Boosters and seat belts – When using the vehicle seat belt, with or without a booster, the seat belt should sit on the hips (not on the stomach), and rest on the shoulder (not on the neck or off the shoulder). If the seat belt will not sit on the child correctly, then they may be in the wrong stage from the chart below.
Search “Keep Kids Safe” on the Transport Canada website, www.tc.gc.ca, for advice from experts on how to install child restraints safely and securely, and how to ensure your child is buckled up properly.
www.newscanada.com”
*TM/© 2011 Practitioners’ Press Inc. – All Rights Reserved.