Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of the brave officers who lost their lives while working to keep us safe.

Officer Michael Crain, 34

Riverside California Police Department

February 7, 2013 – Officer Michael Crain was shot and killed by ambush when he and his partner were stopped at a red light. Officer Crain’s partner was severely wounded in the attack.

Just prior to killing Officer Crain, the suspect had also shot and wounded an officer in Corona, California.

Officer Crain leaves behind a wife, son, and daughter.

Detective Jeremiah MacKay, 35

San Bernardino County California Sheriff’s Department

February 12, 2013 – Detective Jeremiah MacKay was shot and killed while he and other deputies attempted to apprehend the suspect wanted for murdering Officer Michael Crain. The suspect engaged in a shootout with deputies where hundreds of rounds were exchanged between he and the deputies. Another deputy was also wounded during the gunfire.

Detective MacKay leaves behind his wife and two children.

Detective Christopher Simpson, 56

Chesterfield Missouri Police Department

February 12, 2013 – Detective Christopher Simpson passed away after suffering a medical emergency while participating in a physical fitness exercise. He is survived by his wife.

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SouthLand: Bats And Hats – A Review

Southland: Bats and Hats

We hold cops to a higher standard because we give them a gun and a badge. The only trouble with that is they’re recruited from the human race.

Other than The Big Bang Theory and reruns of the Andy Griffith Show, there are few TV shows that receive my full, unwavering attention and devotion. SouthLand, however, is at the top of my favorites list, and it hit that spot for several reasons—it’s a true, honest-to-goodness depiction of what it’s like to be a cop, and the actors, cast, crew, writers, producers, and directors see to it that proper research is conducted and woven into their well-written scripts, actions, and dialog. And, most importantly, the actors deeply care for their fans and it shows.

The season opener, Bats and Hats (slang for cops in full riot gear, equipped with helmets and batons), delves into the personal disputes often faced by police officers. Yes, in addition to the possibility of gunfire, stabbings, and puking drunks, cops also have personal issues that can, and do, cause clashes with their professional partners—a second definition of “bats and hats.”

SouthLand is quite adept at weaving subplots and hidden meaning into each and every scene. And last night’s episode was a prime example.

– Lydia is a new mother who’s also a cop to the core. Her job has always been her entire world. It’s her friend and mental/emotional lover. Police work is always there for her, no matter what. It’s her rock. Her cornerstone. And it’s where she turns when there’s no other avenue of escape, including when the baby cries incessantly, allowing her very little sleep and more than a fair share of exhaustion. So, to go to work and return to a situation where she’s the boss who calls the shots, well, it’s a breath of fresh air for her.

However, Lydia’s an extremely private person, and when clear signs of motherhood show up (leaking breast milk), she temporarily exhibits embarrassment and vulnerability. Since her partner, Ruben, is the one who brought the situation to her attention, well, that made the trouble even more embarrassing. Still, her tough side springs back and she’s able to do whatever it takes to get a male rape victim to admit what happened to him. And, believe me, that’s an extremely delicate situation, considering the skyrocketing state of denial in cases of this nature. Lydia, though, handled it just as a real cop would have done in a similar situation. Again, though, it’s the true-to-life back-story that makes this scenario shine. Cops are people too, and they must deal with their personal issues while helping the public meander and duck and dodge through theirs.

Cooper has his hands full with a new rookie who really doesn’t give a rat’s derriere about being a cop. He’s a military vet who couldn’t find a job paying better than the LAPD offered. So he’s there for the paycheck, nothing more. As a former FTO (field training officer), I’ve seen similar situations time and time again. Those who go into police work for the wrong reasons—money, benefits, to wear a cool uniform and play with cool toys, to attract members of the opposite sex, nothing better to do, etc., rarely make it past the rookie stage. Your heart absolutely has to be in the job for it to work out. Former LAPD officer/author Kathy Bennett summed it up nicely, just yesterday, when discussing cop-killer Christopher Dorner. Bennett said, “Being a police officer is not for the faint of heart—some people, no matter how good their intentions, are not cut out to be cops.”

Cooper’s personal hats-and-bats situation also included dealing with an unsatisfied, arguing life partner who’s tired of being left alone while Cooper works a police officer’s demanding schedule. He wants more, but, as a committed police officer, Cooper doesn’t have much more to give. Like Lydia, Cooper is in it deep. The job is his life and his life is the job. It’s what he knows and he knows is well, which is why the new trainee’s attitude toward police work is already wearing on Cooper’s fragile nerve endings.

Sammy and Ben are an unlikely pair of police officer partners from the start. Sammy, of course, has mellowed a bit since his rogue-ish days. However, he has his ex to deal with, and she’s making his personal life a hell on earth. She’s trying to gain sole custody of their child, who by the way is a redhead. Neither Sammy nor Tammi have red hair, so maybe Ben had a point. The child may not be Sammi’s after all. Where Tammi’s concerned, who knows?

Sammy’s not at all happy with Ben, who’d just received a medal for bravery/heroism. Sammy’s not upset about the award, though. Instead, it’s that Ben is letting it stand in the way of common sense and the job. Like when Ben callously takes a personal phone call while standing in the middle of a gruesome homicide scene, where a traumatized elderly woman, a witness and also a victim of the crime, is within earshot of the conversation.

Shawn Hatosy as Sammy

Sammy chastises Ben about his actions, and, of course, Ben becomes defensive—their hats and bats moment. Oh, yeah, when Sammy goes back to see to it that the woman is okay and winds up scrubbing away the blood from the crime scene…you better believe that sort of thing happens all the time. Cops generally have huge, compassionate hearts, and truly care about people, especially the elderly, children, and those who cannot fend for themselves. Shawn Hatosy played a wonderful part in this episode.

Dewey is back this year, and he’s still the ever obnoxious “drunk-uncle-at-a-wedding-type” cop who gets on everyone’s nerves at times. He’s an old school cop who’s forgotten more about the job than the new recruits (boots) will probably ever hope to know. He’s tough as nails, and when the lead and fists start flying, he’s the first one to wade into the fight. He’s also a cop who’ll have your back no matter what. Dewey is obnoxious, sure, but he’d take a bullet for a fellow cop. But, to the new guy—Cooper’s boot—he’s hats and bats all day long.

So there you have it…everyone’s “hats and bats” moments. Now for the police work.

– Ben receives a medal for bravery, which brings several pats on the back. There’s also a bit of jealousy. Believe me, that happens. Some simply cannot bear to see another officer receive medals/awards, thinking that they deserve them more, for things they’d done that had gone unrecognized. It happens.

– At a pre-shift briefing, the sergeant tells of a fatal shooting(s) of an unarmed suspect(s). The teen reached for something in his waistband and the officers fired, fatally wounding the kid. Unfortunately, this happens, and here’s why. Officers have only mere seconds/milliseconds to make the decision whether to shoot or not. Doesn’t always make it justifiable. I’m merely offering the reason(s).

Basically, the split second shoot/don’t shoot decision-making boils down to what the officer perceives at the time—does he have a weapon, why is he running from me, what has he done to make him run, is he wanted, is he getting ready to shoot me, will he take a hostage if he pulls a gun from his waistband, I searched a guy just yesterday who had a 9mm tucked into his waistband, a fleeing felon shot and killed my partner just last year, people are shooting cops nearly every day, cops are shot and killed nearly every week. Imagine having to process all this and more, in a second or less. So this, as usual, was realistic.

– Sammy and Ben find themselves at fight where the two naked suspects are covered in blood. First of all, there’s nothing more uncomfortable than to arrest or struggle with a naked person of either sex. But it happens more often than you’d think. Clothing provides something for officers to grab. Bare flesh does not. And bloody or sweaty flesh is extremely difficult to grasp. So…what IS available to grab when the suspect is nude? Don’t even think it. Not in a million years. If ever there was a time for pepper spray, Tasers, or a long tree branch, this is it…

Michael Cudlitz as John Cooper

– Cooper’s boot/trainee elected to switch to wearing short sleeve uniform shirts before he’d received permission to do so, an obvious show of disrespect to his training officer and to the department. Tradition around the country is—the move to short sleeves isn’t done until the training officer allows it.

By the way, most departments set specific dates when to begin wearing long or short-sleeve uniform shirts, and it doesn’t matter if spring comes early bringing 90 degree temps, or an early winter blows in with temperatures dipping to the freezing mark. If the change date hasn’t rolled around, officers must continue to wear long sleeves and neckties (neckties always accompany long sleeves). Same thing in reverse.

– The scene in the store where the shopkeeper and his partner were testing out the stopping power of a Kevlar vest was actually realistic. You absolutely would not believe the truly stupid things people do, and, of course, police are often called to the scenes. I’ve left many calls shaking my head at the degree of stupidity I’d just witnessed. For example, the man having sex with a live pig comes to mind, with the female’s fellow oinkers looking on… No shame in that game.

– Sammy and Ben roll up on a gang shooting in progress, only to learn that Internal Affairs had staged the scene to test the integrity of undercover officers involved in the scenario. Sammy loses his cool, and takes his disdain for the situation straight to the IA detective in charge of the operation. Can’t say that I blame him. No cop likes the set-ups conducted by IA that are designed to catch officers doing something wrong or illegal. However, sometimes those things are necessary. I know, because I worked IA investigations. Not a pleasant assignment, but it was truly an eye-opener at times.

– Lydia’s handling of the male rape victim—she lied to him to get him to admit the truth—was truly believable. That’s how it happens in real life, folks. Cops sometimes have to lie to get to the truth.

Finally, we see Ben celebrating in a parking lot with strippers and a few of his rowdy buddies. Of course, alcohol was involved. Suddenly, one of the strippers stands on a car hood and begins firing a weapon into the air. Ben’s new buddy hits the woman with a blast from a Taser and then urges Ben to leave before responding officers discover that he, the medal-winning officer/LAPD’s newest poster boy, is caught up in a scandal. Ben walks away into the night, his reputation once again kept unblemished.

Roll the credits…

Much like the realism found between the covers of Joseph Wambaugh’s books, what you see on SouthLand is pretty much a decent depiction of the life of police officers. I’m not saying that every officer lives a life identical to these fictional characters. Not at all. What I am saying is, well, most of us have sort of been there and done that. So, if you really want to know what it’s like to wear a gun and badge, I urge you to watch SouthLand.

And, as always, my hat’s off to the cast and crew of SouthLand for taking the time to “learn it the right way.”

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Christopher Dorner: A Coward, Murderer…and a hero to some

Christopher Dorner: Murderer

The rapid staccato sound of gunfire was reminiscent of similar sounds accompanying film clips of the Vietnam war. Only this war unfolded on U.S. soil near Big Bear Lake, California. The shooters—police officers and a man believed to be former LAPD officer/fugitive Christopher Dorner.

You all know Dorner’s story, a tale where he described himself as a victim of the LAPD’s racist good ‘ol boy system. So I won’t go into those details. Instead, I want to focus on Dorner the murderer of innocent citizens and police officers. Dorner, a man angry at his former department, and, apparently anyone in law enforcement who didn’t let him have his way. A cold-blooded murderer of the worst kind.

And then there’s Christopher Dorner, a man many are calling …a hero. Someone who stood up to the LAPD and his superiors. A hero because he didn’t back down, taking his personal war straight to the enemy, facing them head-on, using guns and ammunition to murder his opponent(s). Dorner, a man who crept up on an innocent man and woman, murdering them in cold blood simply because the woman’s father represented Dorner in the proceedings that cost him his badge. Yeah, that’s a hero all right.

Back to the people who praise Dorner and his spree of murders. A quick search on the internet will lead you to Facebook pages in his honor, featuring comments of praise and encouragement. Urging him to kill more police officers. Comments such as:

“This guy is a HERO, someone to stand up against un-constitutional cops and to stop Tryanny. GOD SPEED DORNER!”

“…chris from me, take out as many as you can cause they have no plans on hearing your case, God Bless you brother, Do your thing son.”

“Keep fighting the good fight, man.”

“Keep fighting Christopher!”

“…If you Support the man’s Movement then good for you …”

“Mr Dorner I hope u see that as far as most of the citizens are concerned your name has been cleared. My only hope is that u flee the country and find a place to regain a life and live happily. It’ll b sad to see u die they’re not worth your life.”

“You shot a cop you do it again with out getting cought and i will tip my simbaro to you.”

“I don’t think he shot anyone!! I believe they set him up!! And now its on!! Good luck sir!!”

“i salute u and ya mission no innocent people i f u can help it goddess god bless”

“Very pathetic police force we have in the USA. Disarm these pathetic pigs now.”

“All police precincts are KKK organizations. I hope he gets away with it.”

“He is a hero.”

These comments are just a few of the thousands out there praising Dorner for killing police officers and anyone else who stands in his way. Many of the comments indicate the poster’s joy at the notion of police officers dying. Many express their own desire to have enough courage to kill a few officers.

I ask you, after seeing these comments, is there any solid reason to wonder why police officers are wary when approached by people they don’t know, especially during violent and/or confrontational situations?

Well, Christopher Dorner just may have met his end yesterday in that burning cabin on the side of the snow-covered mountain. Personally, I can only hope the charred body that was found inside is positively identified as Dorner. Besides, life in prison for him would have been grand. Many of his fellow thugs and killers would have seen him as a true hero for killing cops, and they would have catered to his every whim. He’d have had inmates cooking meals for him, cleaning his cell, washing his clothes, shining his shoes, and tending to his other “needs.”

I’m not a big fan of the death penalty, and it is normally my preference to see most killers sentenced to life in prison without parole. I say so because I believe life in prison is far worse than execution, which is a peaceful ending for someone who caused so much pain and grief to others.

As for Dorner, however, I say good riddance to someone who was nothing more than a murdering coward.

My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims in this case.

*Top photo – CNN

*     *     *

Don’t forget, the new season of Southland begins tonight!

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Castle: Reality Star Struck – A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

Castle: reality Star Struck

 

Back Stabbers. Now that would have been a perfect name for this episode of Castle. And, to set the mood for this review, please click on the video below before reading. Oh, and before you do, you might want to climb up into the attic to find your old bell bottoms and platform shoes…

 

Okay…take it away, Melanie.

Melanie Atkins

I didn’t pay much attention to the case this week because I was too caught up in wondering what would happen between Kate and Rick for Valentine’s day, and fearing I might be disappointed. For once, I wasn’t. I actually liked this episode, although I always want more on the romance front. Just sayin’.

Who will give the best gift on Rick and Kate’s first Valentine’s Day as a couple? They each try to guess what the other has gotten them, and suddenly… it’s a competition. Rick, of course, believes he has the best gift. Kate is smug but won’t give anything away. I liked this idea, but wanted more of it.

Rick shows Martha and Alexis the beautiful sapphire earrings he’s bought Kate, and his mother suggests he slide the gift into Kate’s pocket at the precinct to surprise her. He loves this idea, of course, being Rick. So in a sly move, he slips the earrings into Kate’s jacket pocket when it’s hanging on the back of a chair in the break room. Not brilliant, but it’s a very “Castle” thing to do.

Then Kate puts on her coat. The wrong coat. Rick calls her out on it, and learns it is her coat. Only, it’s not the same coat that holds her earrings. Gates slips on that coat. Yikes!

He tries to get them back, but keeps getting distracted by the case. Really? I thought he should just forget the silly case and go after the freaking earrings. I mean, seriously! We’re talking about Gates finding his gift for Kate. On several occasions, he tries to pick the captain’s pocket, but that strategy is an epic fail — even while he and Gates bond over the vapid reality show at the heart of the case. I found that extremely disturbing.

Then Rick tells Kate about the earrings! That surprised me, too. I thought he’d try harder to get them back before telling her what he got her. He didn’t, however, and Kate is terrified Gates will find the gift, read Rick’s lovey-dovey note, and realize they’re in a relationship. That will end his time at the precinct (she believes), and she doesn’t want that.

While they’re plotting to retrieve the earrings from Gates’ pocket, the captain finds the earrings. Her face lights up when she sees the beautiful jewelry, and then changes as she reads Castle’s note. I wasn’t sure which way they’d go with this… and I was startled when Gates thinks Rick gave them to her to try to gain favor. Really? Is she truly that blind?

I wish the note had been written “To Kate” so she’d know about them. I mean, give me a break. This “will she/won’t she catch them” game has been going on all season long, and frankly, I’m sick of it. Rick’s not an employee of the NYPD, so why does it matter if they’re dating? IMHO, the storyline is contrived, especially after so much time has passed. Gates is not that dumb.

Their gifts are more important than the forced story thread, however. Rick obviously isn’t going to give Kate the earrings now, after Gates opened them first and read the note, and he tells her he’ll get her “something else even more beautiful” later. I’d love to know what it is.

Kate, on the other hand, gives Rick an empty drawer in her apartment. A symbolic gift that lets him know she’s all in. That she wants him in her life and in her heart. I loved this! Then finally… finally… we get some kisses and romance. Not as intense as I wanted, but still… I’m doin’ a happy dance. Even better, after she kisses him, she says, “Now… take your clothes off, put them in your drawer, and meet me at the bed.”

I’ve been waiting weeks for this. Thank you, Andrew Marlowe, for that little bit o’ Valentine’s Day lovin’.

The two-parter coming up looks insane. Alexis is kidnapped, and Rick goes into a tailspin. I can’t wait!

Lee Lofland

A knife in the back…we’ve all been there, right? Well, maybe not an actual knife, but back-stabbers certainly are abundant in this world. I know I’ve seen more than my fair share. Hmm… Come to think of it, I’ve seen more than my fair share of actual stab wounds to the back. Also, wounds to the back caused by axes (inflicted by exes), gunshot wounds to the derriere, and so on. The combination of back-stabbers who kill with an actual stab to the back is, well, not so uncommon.

You see, to kill by fatally wounding someone from behind takes the personal aspect away from the act. These killers usually know their victims, and not having to look them in the eye while killing them seems to make the act a little easier to pull off. Anyway, let’s get on with the show, starting with…Lanie.

Last night, Lanie was, for the most part, on the mark. From the smokin’ hot red dress to her crime scene analysis of the murder victim. There were no crystal ball predictions. Instead, she stated the obvious… “I’ll run DNA when I get back to the lab.” There is ‘possible’ genetic material under the fingernails…” All good stuff. AND, her delivery of the lines was quite believable. I’m really liking this new and much-needed direction. Still, there was the moment where Lanie told Beckett that she’d identified the substance under the victim’s fingernails as alluaudia, a plant/tree from Madagascar. The wood from the tree is used in building, and in making charcoal (in case you were interested). There is no standard panel that would include alluaudia, therefore, Lanie would more than likely not have been able to learn this so quickly, if at all.

Now, however, we need to work on Gates, who is totally unbelievable in her new role as a goofy sort of blundering, stammering sidekick. I’ve never liked the character, but she was far better as an unsmiling piece of cold granite. Why not let her play the role as a real police captain should act…like a strong, caring person with responsibility. Not as Curly or Larry from The Three Stooges. Man, they fix Lanie and break Gates. Makes me wonder what’s next.

The case last night took a backseat to the playful romantic aspect of the show, finally. I was beginning to wonder if Beckett and Castle were two cold, dead fish. But, there were a few points to showcase. Like…

– The broken fingernail in the head, and I know someone will ask. So…yes it is possible to retrieve enough testable DNA from a fingernail.

– No, merely having a broken fingernail was not enough probable cause to arrest Penelope. Perhaps, a positive DNA match to the knife would have helped achieve that level, but not just the broken nail.

– Beckett showed Penelope a copy of an autorad, the result of DNA testing conducted using gel electrophoresis. Most modern-day labs, however, use computer analysis conducted using genetic analyzers, which produce results in graph-form (elctropherogram).

*Okay, time for a quick, abbreviated lesson in DNA testing.

inject-dna.JPG

In the beginning (gel electrophoresis), DNA was loaded into gels for testing

gel-and-elec.JPG

Electric current is introduced to gel, causing DNA to move across the gel. Larger, heavier bands remain behind, while smaller ones travel further (shown below on autorad).

gel-illuminator.JPG

Completed gel is removed and placed onto an illuminator for viewing

read-gel.JPG

 Gel on illuminator, used to see DNA bands

*My thanks to Dr. Stephanie Smith for allowing me to hang out in her lab to take the above photos.

DNA bands on gel

DNA bands shown on autorad (a “photo” of the image on the gel). This is what Beckett showed the suspect.

new-picture-1.jpg

Most modern-day labs use genetic analyzers for DNA testing, not gels.

new-picture-10.jpg

DNA results shown (above) on Electrophrogram.

This is what Beckett should have presented to the suspect. Although, she could have simply made a copy of an autorad from Google images and then offered it to Penelope as a ploy to get her to confess. Cops do things like that all the time. Remind me to tell you the story of the Bugs Bunny video I used to trick two jewel thieves into confessing. In short order, I had a confession, the jewelry in hand, and before they knew what hit them, it was, d’ dit, d’ dit, that’s all, folks…

All in all, this week’s show was a hit, as far as we are concerned. Writers took us back to the style fans adore, and the viewing audience was treated to a bit of believable (finally!) Caskett romance.

I wonder, though, how long it took Castle to get that shirt unbuttoned…

 

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Crank Up The Heat, Put On Shorts And Flip-Flops, And Come With Me!

Crank up the heat

 

We lived in Boston for a few years and, after shoveling and blowing mountains of snow while braving bitterly cold temperatures, we decided to head south, leaving many dear friends behind. Well, we’re thinking of all of you today as you dig out from Nemo’s wrath. Also, I thought I’d help out by giving you a few minutes away from the cold, drifting snow.

So, crank up the thermostats to 80, put on your best shorts, sunglasses, and flip-flops, and pretend you’re with me. Come on down!

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Friday’s Heroes: Remembering The Fallen

Friday's Heroes - Remembering the fallen officers

 

The Graveyard Shift extends our condolences to the families of the officers who sacrificed everything to keep us safe.

Officer William Michael McGary, 26

Conway Arkansas Police Department

February 1, 2013 – Officer William Michael McGary succumbed to injuries received when he was struck by an intoxicated driver while directing traffic at an accident scene. The suspect was found to be driving while under the influence of narcotics.

Sergeant Patrick Divers, 51

New York City Police Department

February 1, 2013 – Sgt. Patrick Divers suffered a fatal heart attack while participating in a drug operation. He is survived by his wife, son, and daughter.

Officer Patricia “Patty” Parete, 48

Buffalo New York Police Department

February 2, 2013 – Officer Patty Parete died due to complications resulting from gunshot wounds she’d received after confronting an armed suspect in 2006.

Deputy Sheriff Billy Ray Grimsley, 59

Portsmouth Virginia Sheriff’s Office

February 3, 2013 – Deputy Billy Ray Grimsley succumbed to injuries received in a December motorcycle accident. He is survived by his wife, daughter, son, sister, and brothers.

*We’d also like to mention the California officers, and civilians, who were killed or wounded this week during former LAPD officer Christopher Dorner’s shooting rampage. Dorner is still on the run and has vowed to kill more officers and their family members. Our thoughts and prayers go out to everyone involved in this situation. Some of you, we know, are good friends of this blog, and we urge you all to please use caution and do what it takes to stay safe while capturing Dorner.

As a safety measure, names of the fallen California officers and/or their family members have been withheld.

 

 

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Marvin The Martian Loses Control…And Elvis Returns

Elvis Lives

As police officers, we’re often presented with the opportunity to meet various celebrities and other important people. Sometimes, we’re even placed in the unfortunate position of having to arrest a few of those VIP’s.

For example, I once served as training officer to a rookie who stopped a large, fancy tour bus for speeding, and the officer was quite surprised to see one of his favorite musicians behind the wheel—a very famous musician. The singer/guitarist was quick to announce his identity, as if the verbal identification had been necessary, hoping his fame would be enough to satisfy the appetite of the officer’s squalling radar unit.

The still wet-behind-the-ears officer, totally starstruck, tongue-tied, and rubber-kneed in the presence of the legend of stage and Radioland, immediately knew what he had to do. That’s right, my babbling trainee, with the speed and grace of a wild cheetah, was quick to snag the driver’s autograph, and then send the celebrity and his bus on their way to the next concert on the tour. And, when the officer returned to our patrol car he was grinning from ear to ear, like a mule eating briars.

The rookie officer shoved the signature-clad paper into my hands so I, too, could have a look at his prize. Sure enough, scrawled across the bottom of the traffic summons was the signature of one of the all-time greats of the music world. A golden voice and fancy guitar, though, do not qualify as exemptions to posted speed limits, especially when driving 82mph in a 45mph zone. I’d taught the young officer well.

Of course, I’ve had my own share of encounters with well-known celebrities and other people of fame. Like the man from Mars who insisted his use of a rusty ax to hack his sister-in-law to death was a direct order from his superiors on the red planet.

“You see,” he told me, “she wouldn’t allow the mother ship to return to earth. I had no choice. She’s evil, you know.”

Then there was the time I responded to the call of a man walking in the median between the north and southbound lanes of a major interstate highway. When I finally located the man, I pulled my patrol car off the roadway and approached on foot. He stood waiting for me in the center of the median strip, in the soft light of a near full moon. My gaze was immediately drawn to his sandal-clad feet and long, wavy brown hair fluttering gently in the night breeze. He held out his right hand for me to shake, and, in an unusually soothing and calm voice, introduced himself as…

I must admit, I paused for a second before moving along to serious questions, like, “Do you have any identification?” Of course, when I did ask, he gave me that look. You know the one. The “Seriously, you need to see MY identification?” look. Well, as luck would have it, the guy wasn’t really Jesus after all. Instead, he was a slightly out of tune homeless man from Richmond who actually thought he was Jesus. And to think that I could have been the first in line to meet Him when He returned.

Of course, there was Elvis, whom I had to remove from an elderly lady’s refrigerator once or twice each month so she could watch TV. We all know how annoying it can be when Elvis slips in behind the cheesecake and starts stealing our radio and TV signals.

Things could have been worse, I suppose. At least I never encountered Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Charlie Sheen.

Still, if my handcuffs could talk…oh, the stories they could tell…

 

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Gracie Watson…Reincarnated?

Gracie Watson: Reincarnated

All alone, in a secluded section of Savannah’s Bonaventure Cemetery, is the grave of little Gracie Watson. Born in 1883 to W.J. and Francis Watson, formerly of Boston, Gracie, an only child, lived only 6 short years. During her short life, Gracie quickly became well-known and deeply loved by Savannah residents and tourists alike.

W.J. and Francis managed the Pulaski Hotel, catering to Savannah’s elite society, a group Francis longed to be a part of. Guests and visitors were often greeted and entertained at the Pulaski by little Gracie. She was a shining star in the lives of many.

In 1889, Gracie contracted a severe case of pneumonia, an illness from which she never recovered. Two days before Easter of that year, little Gracie succumbed to the sickness and departed her life on earth. Her parents were heartbroken, as were the residents of Savannah.

Gracie’s body was buried in Bonaventure Cemetery.

W.J. became deeply depressed and left the Pulaski Hotel for employment at the Desoto Hotel on Madison Square, but his term there was brief, as he and Francis decided to leave Savannah and return to Boston.

Before leaving town, the Watsons commissioned Savannah sculptor, John Walz, to sculpt a statue of Gracie out of Georgia marble. Today, the statue is surrounded by a black iron fence to protect it, and Gracie’s grave, from vandals.

It has been reported that Gracie is still seen and heard today, as she visits and plays at the graves of other children. Her laughter is often heard by employees of a bank that sits on the site where the Pulaski Hotel once stood. Visitors and residents alike have reported seeing Gracie playing near the bronze sundial located at Johnson Square. To this day, visitors to Bonaventure Cemetery still leave crayons, coins, and other items at Gracie’s grave-site.

I’ve visited Gracie’s grave site, and found myself drawn to it and the story of the little girl who once touched the lives of so many. I also found myself staring at the statue of Gracie, wondering what it was about the cute little girl that captivated me. Then it hit me, so I hurried home and began to search for one particular photo. I pawed through stack after stack until I found the one I sought. Holding it in my hand, well, I simply couldn’t believe what I saw. Was the photo I held a picture of Gracie Watson, the little girl who died in 1889? The person in the picture certainly bore a strong resemblance to her. The only problem, though, was the photo I held was taken sometime around 1982, or so.

I quickly placed the photo beside a photograph of Gracie Watson, and, well, you tell me. Is it a match close enough to be Gracie reincarnated?

I contacted the modern-day “Gracie” (she’s an adult now) to ask her opinion, and she was stunned when she saw the photos. “It’s like looking at…well, me. She looks like me when I was a child,” she said.

We continued to chat, reminiscing about the times when the early photo of her was taken, and about the days since. The conversation eventually turned to Gracie’s dress. I was reminded that the little girl in the photo above (right) had worn a blue outfit quite similar to the one in Gracie’s statue, when she’d posed for an elementary school class photo. To add a further twist to the story, her pose that day was identical to that of Gracie’s statue—no smile, facing slightly to the right.

I’m still searching for that second photo, and I should have it somewhere, because the little girl in it is my daughter. I remember that day as if it were yesterday…or was it a day in the 1800’s that I recall so vividly? Maybe I’ve been reincarnated, and not Gracie. I wonder…was I, in a former life, once the manager of a Savannah hotel? Was it I, a reincarnated W.J. Watson, who passed on historic genes. Or, does Gracie live on through my daughter?

Hmm… I wonder…

*By the way, I don’t know if you believe in reincarnation, or not. Or, if you’re into superstitions, voodoo, or crystal balls and numerology. If so, you might be interested in knowing that the above article consisted of exactly 666 words.

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Boo!

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Castle: Recoil – A Good Cop/Bad Cop Review

Castle: Recoil

 

Early in my childhood, my mother taught me a valuable lesson—if you don’t have something nice to say about someone, or something, then don’t say anything at all. So I’ll start this review off on a good note by saying…everyone on the show looked nice.

But, I really want to talk about the “he killed my mother” plot. I really do. I want to scream from the depths of my soul, “The FBI will find Jimmy Hoffa before the Castle writers stop beating this old and tired horse!”  What, you have no imagination, or an imagination that’s so limited you feel the need to replay this same story over and over again, just in a different form, sort of, but not really. But I won’t go there. I promise, Mom, I won’t say anything since I have nothing good to say. That’s right, I’ll keep my thoughts and feelings to myself. Not one bad word will escape my lips. I won’t even mention that I’ve seen kindergarteners show more affection toward one another than Castle and Beckett display. They’re a couple, right? Yeah, a couple of ice cubes…

Melanie, please jump in before I explode!

Melanie Atkins

This episode revisited Kate’s mother’s case and focused on a moral dilemma: Should Kate save the man responsible for her mom’s death, or suppress evidence and let him die. I love this idea, and it worked pretty well. I’m well aware that many people, including Lee, are so over this story line, but I enjoy it. I think it’s given us tons of meaty back story and provided us with great insight into Kate’s character. The deeper TV shows delve into that, IMHO, the better.

We’ve seen Kate evolve over time, and a lot of that change is the result of this story line. The other reason is Rick. She chose life for herself, because of him. She chose to celebrate with him on Christmas Eve because she loves him. She’s got a better outlook on life now. She laughs and enjoys living because of Rick Castle.

Then why, oh why, do we get such infrequent Caskett moments? I loved the few we got in this show, with them sharing some moments of quiet conversation and spending time together in Kate’s apartment, but we haven’t seen them hug or kiss since Christmas. Then tonight, at the end of the show, Kate was on the couch and Rick was sitting on chair or maybe an ottoman. Come on, Marlowe! Where’s the love? The lack of intimacy is killing me. I’m not talking about sex, although that would nice. Just cuddling and showing how much they care for each other.

Another beef I had was that Kate doesn’t turn to Rick at the height of her moral dilemma. Oh, no. She goes back to the therapist she used before coming to Rick that rainy night in May in a scene that seemed shoe-horned in. In my opinion, the writers would’ve much better served to have her talk to Rick and break down. Let him hold her. Act like a freaking couple, for crying out loud!

So the bottom line is, this episode frustrated me to no end. I want to see more moments of them acting like a couple. Nothing graphic, surely. Just let ’em hold hands and snuggle together on the couch. Kiss and reassure one another. We got a lot of great looks between them and the squeeze of a hand, but that was pretty much it in this episode.

Keep this plot thread going if you must, but please give us more Caskett! I’m hoping we’ll get some next week, for sure, since that is the Valentine’s Day episode.

I won’t hold my breath.

Lee Lofland

Gee, where do I start. Oh, yeah, Lanie. Well, I’ll say this about her…she’s better by leaps and bounds at making her character more believable. In fact, I think she’s been doing a great job. Fantastic, even. Especially with the crap the writers hand her each week.

I know, the Lanie character’s sole purpose is to dump a bunch of information on us that the writers are too lazy to write into the show. I get it. So now, instead of blaming Lanie for the voodoo forensics, let’s switch our disdain over to the writers. That whole, baloney-filled scene where Lanie pulls a screw from the jaw of the crispy/toasted victim, and was then able to instantly learn the victim’s ID from a serial number stamped into the fastener…well, there are better, more realistic ways to get this information to the viewers. Why not try one sometime, instead of having Lanie pull goofy rabbits from her hat each week.

– Remember the scene where Beckett had the FBI assist by conducting a voice analysis of the victim’s phone message? Well, that was realistic, and I say so from experience. I’ve called on the FBI in similar circumstances. I’ve also asked them to do the same with video enhancement. I joke all the time about the FBI, but they’ve never turned down any of my requests for assistance. But, the whole “finding the exact crane situated beside the exact parking garage” based on a recording taken somewhere in New York City?? And to do so as quickly as they did… Nah.

– Moving on to the scene where Beckett and team locate the suspect vehicle in the parking garage. Beckett opens the trunk, finds a bag…and opens it???? Would you open a bag found in the trunk of an abandoned car in New City, knowing that the car belonged to someone who wanted to kill a senator? Wouldn’t the slight notion cross your mind that the bag could contain an explosive device that would go BOOM the second you opened it?

– Gates was back this week. I’ll say nothing more than it would please me greatly if she’d stay away for good. Her character irks me, especially when people address her as “sir.”

– Castle was way out of character when he eagerly and quickly left Beckett to face her demons alone. A simple yawn in the precinct, and he left her sitting there. Castle would never do that. He’s too nosy for one thing. And, in any other episode, she couldn’t beat him off with a stick. Normally, he’d cling to her like Velcro.

– The Beckett character has changed quite a bit from the days when she was a tough-as-nails, take-charge detective. Nowadays she’s softhearted and a bit wimpy, and I’m not so sure the change is good for her. She let a suspected killer remove his own handcuffs. She missed a point blank shot, on purpose. Oh, and how about the justification of lethal force in that instance. Was she justified in shooting the unarmed, fleeing suspect, in the back? What do you think?

– The whole “suspect-trying-to-blow-up-a-senator-who-just-may-be-the-next-president-of-the-U.S.” seemed a bit like the plot lines from Homeland. Anyone else get that impression?

Finally, we get to the killer. The bad guy in the episode. I’ll have to admit, they stumped me this time. No predictable character this week, no sir. Couldn’t be, because they never introduced him to us. Instead of providing clues, they borrowed Lanie’s hat, reached way down, and pulled a great big old rabbit from it. A rabbit we hadn’t seen. And that’s cheating the audience, as far as I’m concerned.

Another big mistake this show makes is when they try to be serious, like last night’s episode. It just doesn’t work as well as the episodes featuring a bit of humor. The difference between the two is night and day.

For example, last night we saw Castle show up with the raid team as they were preparing to kick in a door. Of course, Castle wore his vest, the one with WRITER stamped across the front. Normally, that’s sort of funny. Last night, though, it was out of place. You know, should we chuckle, or not. After all, they were possibly facing extreme danger. Perhaps even death. Cute doesn’t work well when death is on the other side of the door.

Anyway, this episode didn’t work for me. Not at all. From the tired storyline to Beckett’s wimpy side, to the writers giving Lanie stupid things to say, to Castle’s out of character willingness to leave Beckett at a time when she needed him most, to the lack of emotional connection between two people who’ve finally established a relationship after years of longing for each other. And that, my friends, is not what I call believable make believe.

To me, this one was a bit squirrelly.

* Special note to our friends over at Television Without Pity – Someone there wrote: “It’s Hollywood. It’s all fictional. Things are twisted for storytelling purposes and time constraints. It’s not a real-world bible…To make it an issue after finding it out just seems like I’d want to find shortcomings.”

That’s my point, exactly. Believe me, as a fiction writer myself, I truly understand how it works. But this review is written at the requests of other fiction writers who don’t want to make the same glaring errors in their books as they so regularly see on Castle. I, like the viewers at TWoP, watch the show for enjoyment. Still, the show has taken a definite downturn lately, and that’s not due to the shoddy police procedure and forensics. And, thanks to the TWoP folks who stop by each week. You have a great forum.

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They See England, They See France, Cops Can See Your Underpants!

They see England, they see France

In the days of frequent “wardrobe malfunctions” that seemingly occur most often when paparazzi cameras are conveniently nearby, and when many people couldn’t care less that their pants hang low enough to expose more of their “Joe Boxer’s” than they cover, well, I ask you, who’d even for once pretend that modesty is an issue?

Yet, most of us have a problem with airport body scanners that transform our images into unattractive blobs of various shades of gray? Be for real, people. I mean, everywhere you look there are folks who willingly expose their unmentionables—plaid boxers, striped boxers, white thongs, blue thongs, polka-dotted thongs, and even no thongs, or boxers, just a good-size portion of a refrigerator repairman’s vertical smile. All out there for the world to see…whether we like it or not. And, the bare skin next to the exposed undergarments is displayed in full flesh-toned and natural living color.

Still, many of those people who think it’s their position in the world to showcase their granny panties, compression shorts, boxer and sports briefs, bikini and string panties, and jockstraps, instantly balk, scream, cry, and pout when it comes time to step in front of the full-body scanners at the airport.

No problem, though, when it comes to “lettin’ it all hang out” in the checkout line at the local Piggly Wiggly, where you and I are forced to view gargantuan moles, freckles, and unsightly warts in places only a fully-licensed and well-seasoned doctor who is, by many years of experience, numb to the horrible truths about those places that should forever remain beneath clothing.

Still, when it comes to body scanners…well, the public just does not like them. “They’re too intrusive. A stranger can see my privates. I don’t want those people to see beneath my clothing.”

Then there are the people who resist. hate, and balk at the alternative to the body scanners…head-to-toe pat-down searches. Even on the street, pat-downs by law enforcement are seen as offensive. No matter that the touchy-feely searches often produce illegal weapons of all types. You know, the weapons used to commit violent crimes, like rape and murder. But…nooo. Heaven forbid that cops try to stop violent crime before it happens.

Well, the days of stop and frisk may be ending. Officers in New York City are currently testing a new way to see if people are carrying concealed weapons. Remember the airport body scanners that people hate so much? Well…

Please allow me to introduce you to ThruVision TS4, a device that detects the human body’s natural radiation emissions (terahertz radiation). And, since the radiation doesn’t pass through things such as guns and knives, what’s left in its place is a clear-as-day outline of the weapon.

Of course,  convincing crooks to go out of their way to walk past the bulky unit may be a bit of a problem, but officials say the outlook for the future is promising.

You know, maybe a simple solution to the nation’s gun problem would be to ban all clothing, not weapons and extended magazines. On second thought, remembering my last trip to the Piggly Wiggly, I think I’ll stick with the scanners and cold hands.

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*ThruVision photos www.digitalbarriers.com

*Top photo – painting by Julie Opell, Fineartamerica.com

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