2009-02-15
crime : famous murderers
Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio rode into power by running against a fellow Republican and incumbent Maricopa County Sheriff, Tom Agnos, by bad mouthing Agnos and arguing that the entire Maricopa County Sheriff's Department needed to be cleaned up. Five terms and seventeen years later, he has not accomplished his stated goal.
Instead, publicity hound Sheriff Arpaio has used his post to foster his own agenda, namely that of a bigoted, hostile yahoo now in power. Although his racist, anti-immigrant opinions are well known being in power, I suspect, is his most important priority, not serving the citizens of Maricopa County Arizona.
So I am heartened that members of the US House Judiciary Committee are calling investigation of his crimes, if not is ouster, just yet.
Now, in case you are wondering why I calls him as a "murderer" when he has not been found guilt of such an act, it's simple; because, while under his watch he and his minions took part in, and over saw the deaths of three unconvicted detainees, Scott Norberg, Charles Agster and Clint Yarborugh.
All died while in strapped into a restraint chair. In the case of Agster, a mentally retarded man arrested for trespassing. A report conducted by the US Department of Justice found that "...Detention officers at the Madison Street Jail pulled a hood over his head and slammed him into a medieval-looking restraint chair. The hood around Agster's throat smothered him to the point that he became brain dead."
The weblog Firedoglake stated
Maricopa County Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio rode into power by running against a fellow Republican and incumbent Maricopa County Sheriff, Tom Agnos, by bad mouthing Agnos and arguing that the entire Maricopa County Sheriff's Department needed to be cleaned up. Five terms and seventeen years later, he has not accomplished his stated goal.Instead, publicity hound Sheriff Arpaio has used his post to foster his own agenda, namely that of a bigoted, hostile yahoo now in power. Although his racist, anti-immigrant opinions are well known being in power, I suspect, is his most important priority, not serving the citizens of Maricopa County Arizona.
So I am heartened that members of the US House Judiciary Committee are calling investigation of his crimes, if not is ouster, just yet.
Now, in case you are wondering why I calls him as a "murderer" when he has not been found guilt of such an act, it's simple; because, while under his watch he and his minions took part in, and over saw the deaths of three unconvicted detainees, Scott Norberg, Charles Agster and Clint Yarborugh.
All died while in strapped into a restraint chair. In the case of Agster, a mentally retarded man arrested for trespassing. A report conducted by the US Department of Justice found that "...Detention officers at the Madison Street Jail pulled a hood over his head and slammed him into a medieval-looking restraint chair. The hood around Agster's throat smothered him to the point that he became brain dead."
The weblog Firedoglake stated
" It should be noted that neither Norberg, Agster, nor Yarbrough were ever tried or convicted for the charges they were arrested on; none of them lived to see their first court date and died innocent men under the law. Those are just the deaths associated with the medieval restraint chair, there have been numerous deaths from improper or complete lack of medical care, neglect and other perils."So I think of Arpaio the same way I regard the circumstances of Ronald Rajcok, the guy who drove Mary Ann Measles to her assault, gang rape and death, even though he didn't hold the weapon. Arpaio is complicit in the crime, and, as such, deserves time in the same institutions he should proudly and brazenly lords over.
Labels: arizona, joe arpaio, racism, vigilantes
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