Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Blount grand jury declares open season to murder bikers and cops on the Dragon


Photo by SCOTT KELLER. Family and friends of Dwight Woodard, killed in a collision with a tractor-trailer last August on the Dragon, have mounted a campaign to ban trucks longer than 30 feet from traveling this section of U.S. Highway 129. A request on this cross, placed in Woodard’s memory near the crash site on the Tail of the Dragon, requests support for that campaign.

Mother looks to make Dragon safer

By Wes Wade
Daily Times

MARYVILLE, TENN. -- The past year hasn’t been easy on Pat Thompson. It didn’t get any easier in August, a year after her son, Dwight Woodard, was killed in a traffic accident on “The Dragon.”

The state had presented a charge of vehicular homicide to a Blount County grand jury against the driver of the tractor-trailer that struck Woodard as he was riding his motorcycle Aug. 3, 2011.

On Aug. 5, 2012, the grand jury returned a “No Bill” against the driver, Bobby Frank Coleman, and the charge was dismissed. “I was not happy about it and am still not happy about it,” Thompson, a Wartrace resident, said.

According to the Tennessee Highway Patrol report, Coleman was coming around a curve and was in Woodard’s lane when the accident happened. Woodard died while en route to the hospital.

While Thompson didn’t agree with the grand jury’s findings, she said she’s focusing on trying to make roads like the Dragon a safer place for riders and drivers alike.


No traffic ticket nor arrest for trucker who murdered Ike Woodard, despite ban on all trucks on US129 at Deals Gap in NC

A safer dragon

Something she and her son, Kevin Woodard, who is a truck driver for Nabisco, have already done is attempt to persuade the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) to ban tractor-trailers longer than 30 feet length from using the Dragon. Citing a detrimental economic impact on commerce if a ban was placed, TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said in a letter to U.S. Rep. John Duncan Jr. dated Oct. 19 that the department would not do so.

Thompson said she plans to continue to push for Tennessee to place signs warning truck drivers that using the roadway could be dangerous. She said North Carolina already has signs up warning trucks of the dangerous curves and hopes Tennessee will follow.

Thompson said she’d also like for map makers such as Atlas to mark these roadways to warn truck drivers that roads like the Dragon are especially dangerous for tractor-trailer usage.

Thompson said if the highway was deemed a historic route, that trucks could be banned. She explained that she recently learned it was used heavily by Native Americans for trading purposes and that a historic designation might lead to a tractor-trailer ban.

“That’s what we’re hoping we can do,” Thompson said. “There’s several historic roads in Tennessee that trucks aren’t allowed to be on.”

Suit still pending

An engineering forensics group out of Knoxville that Thompson hired recently completed a reconstruction of the crash that killed her son. She said its findings in the crash closely mirrored that of state investigators, but was more detailed and showed proof that Coleman was taking up both lanes of travel. She has asked Blount County Assistant District Attorney Ryan Desmond to present it as new evidence in another grand jury indictment against Coleman. Yet since its findings essentially paralleled that of state investigators, she was told it likely could not be used, but has not yet heard back on a final decision.

Thompson has also spent the last year preparing for a lawsuit she and other family members of Dwight Woodard, including two daughters he left behind, have filed against Coleman and his employer, the Blackshear, Ga.-based Thom’s Transport Company, Inc. She said a hearing has been scheduled for April.

One aspect of comfort for Thompson during the last year has been two witnesses at the scene of her son’s crash that provided police with their account of what happened — specifically, that Coleman was taking up both lanes of the roadway.

“We all feel God sent them as Dwight’s Guardian Angels,” Thompson wrote in a letter to the Daily Times. “They talked with Dwight and comforted him until the ambulance arrived ... I feel we would have never known what really happened to Dwight and the truck had they not been there at the time of the accident.”

While her son can’t be brought back, Thompson said she hopes a similar tragedy can be avoided in the future.

“There’s a huge importance there (roadway safety),” she said. “We just can’t figure out what we need to do to get it done.”

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See also:

Trucker murders another biker on the Dragon

$14-Million Lawsuit Filed Against Killer Trucker on the Dragon

Jury says 'Not Guilty' in murder of Blount biker, no charge for trucker who murdered biker on Dragon

Blount sheriff on trial for murder of unarmed cop shot 5 times in the back


Man shot by bear hunters on the Dragon rips grand jury decision

By J.J. KINDRED
Daily Times

MARYVILLE, TENN. -- Ronnie Summey is disappointed in the Blount County judicial system.

After learning Sept. 10 that a Blount County grand jury had cleared a father and son who allegedly shot him in a hunting accident on Dec. 3 last year by returning two no bills, Summey was speechless.

Donnie Ray Radford, 60, Allegheny Loop Road, Maryville, and his son, Derek Ray Radford, 33, Old Railroad Bed Road, Maryville, were charged with reckless endangerment on Dec. 12 last year after the accident.

Arrest warrants said the Radfords shot at a black bear that was treed by dogs during a bear hunt near Calderwood Reservoir. Calderwood Highway was directly behind the tree that the bear was in. Summey and other hunters were standing along the highway.

Summey, 59, a former Maryville High School track coach and former Sequoyah High School head football coach, was reportedly hit in the groin area by one of the slugs from either Donnie Redford’s 12-gauge shotgun or Derek Radford’s .44-caliber Magnum rifle, which were fired toward the highway, according to the warrants.

Law enforcement located shell casings believed to be from the shotgun and rifle in the area.

The reckless endangerment charges were “an E felony that can result in prison time of one to two years,” according to the Blount County District Attorney’s office.

“Basically, I’m very, very frustrated,” Summey said during a recent interview with The Daily Times, expressing his displeasure with the grand jury results.

“I was bear hunting on Dec. 3 on a Saturday morning and a friend brought me back in my truck. We were out there on ‘the Dragon’ around the curve and there’s some commotion going on like it was in a car wreck. We stopped and we were standing in the road and were there for about 10-15 minutes, and these people were shooting at a bear, and the next thing I realized, I was shot in the groin area.

“My friend got me off the mountain to a country store, and the ambulance took me to the UT Medical Center,” he said.

Didn’t want plea

Summey said he was in the hospital for a few days and needed surgery and was recuperating. The first hearing was held on Jan. 27 in Blount County General Sessions Court in front of Judge Michael Gallegos, with the charges being addressed and another hearing scheduled for the Radfords to appoint attorneys.

Another hearing was held on April 13, where Summey retained Blount County Assistant District Attorney Shari Tayloe.

“I was the victim,” Summey said. “I wanted to pursue this in the courts. After they retained counsel, and after two to three hearings, Judge Gallegos heard these cases and the debate. The defense lawyers wanted to go through the TBI and see if they were eligible for judicial diversion. Their lawyers came to her and wanted to make a plea. The plea was put on the table, and they agreed to one year of revocation of their hunting license, and they agreed to pay out-of-pocket medical expenses at $3,000, and it could be more than that.

“I didn’t want the plea because I kept coming back saying I was the victim, and I didn’t want these characters spanked on the hand,” Summey continued. “So, they offered the plea, and I was encouraged to take it and refused. I stood by my position.”

Summey said that he told Blount County District Attorney Mike Flynn that he wanted to pursue the matter in court.

Roll of the dice

“I want these guys to pay for what they did and their reckless behavior,” he said. “(Flynn and Tayloe) did advise me about the possible scenarios if I didn’t accept the plea deal. They explained to me it’s a roll of the dice.

“I had the mind-set that was I wanted these people to pay. I was willing to put my faith in the Blount County judicial system and the grand jury. Apparently my decision to pursue this through the judicial system and the grand jury was a grave mistake.”

Summey explained that during the grand jury’s decision on Sept. 10, most of the evidence was presented by Clint Smith, an officer with the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA). Smith declined to comment on the case when contacted by The Daily Times.

“Common sense tells me coming off a plea deal that they were willing to step up to the plate and take responsibility, and admit guilt for their carelessness,” Summey said. “But apparently the grand jury said, ‘No, you guys just live your lives and we’ll just move on to the next case.’

“This ruling, in my opinion, sends a terrible message to the agents of the TWRA, as well as law enforcement,” Summey continued. “These people give hunters a bad name and put them in a false light. At this point in time, I will absorb my out-of-pocket money and deal with the long-term effects of this injury, while these two individuals are free to hunt and go about their daily lives with absolutely no punishment from the Blount County judicial system.”

May file suit

Summey said he is heavily leaning toward filing a civil suit.

“Only time will tell,” he said. “This thought came to my mind. If there was a VIP that suffered the same kind of injury that I did, would the grand jury have come up with the same ruling? I think not.

“For those people who might say, wrong place wrong time, I would ask for them to look at it from my point of view. There are people who couldn’t care less about what happened, but if they were in my shoes they would have similar feelings like I do. I want these guys to be held accountable.”

Flynn said Wednesday that he has had discussions with Summey to get a better understanding of why the grand jury made its decision.

“He didn’t understand what a grand jury does,” Flynn said. “The officer presents testimony, and the defendants and the attorney weren’t there and judge wasn’t there. The officer presented the evidence, answered questions and the grand jury deliberates and votes. They are not allowed to tell, but it takes 12 votes to return an indictment, and apparently there weren’t 12 votes.

“My guess would be legally the Radfords were charged with reckless endangerment, but if they acted recklessly, it was a question of whether they were reckless or negligent,” Flynn continued. “If they were negligent, it’s not a criminal case. The grand jury would have to find they acted recklessly. They obviously didn’t.”

Several phone calls to the Radfords for comment went unreturned. In the meantime, Summey said as the result of his injuries he has some disability, but it hasn’t halted him in his everyday life.

“I am walking and I am hunting again,” he said. “There could be some long-term damage, I don’t know. But the bottom line is there’s no accountability. I have a major problem with that and I am disappointed in the judicial system.”


Tennessee Police Officer Charged In Motorcyclist's Death

Motorcycle NewsWire

A Tennessee police officer has been charged with vehicular homicide for allegedly killing a motorcyclist by running him off the road with his patrol car. The police car reportedly swerved into the path of the approaching motorcycle. If convicted, the officer could face three-to-six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. September 3, 2001

Rockford, TN - A police officer in Tennessee has been charged with vehicular homicide for allegedly killing a motorcyclist by running him off the road with his patrol car, the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) reports.

A grand jury in Blount County, Tennessee, on August 29, 2001 indicted Rockford Police Sgt. James Ray Johnson on the criminal charge. If convicted, the officer could face three-to-six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.

Johnson is free on a $25,000 bond pending a September 10 court appearance when a trial date will be set.

On March 10, Johnson was patrolling old Knoxville Highway in the Rockford area just south of Knoxville when he got a report from a Blount County deputy sheriff that a speeding motorcyclist was coming up behind him. Johnson told investigators he turned on his emergency lights when he saw the motorcycle approaching, hoping to get the rider to slow down. Instead, Johnson said, the rider lost control of his machine, hit a guard rail and then slid into the police cruiser.

The motorcyclist, Philip Laton, 27, a father of three and a corrections officer at the Juvenile Detention Center in Knoxville, was killed instantly.

Later, a witness came forward to say that the police car had swerved into the path of the approaching motorcycle, killing Laton. The investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol included a review of videotape from a camera mounted on Johnson's cruiser, which, investigators said, confirmed the witness' account.

Johnson has been on paid administrative leave since the crash. Meanwhile, a $3 million wrongful death lawsuit has been filed against the Blount County Sheriff's Department and the Rockford Police Department.

See also:

"The Knoxville News Sentinel reported March 14th that Rockford Tennessee police officer Sgt. James R. Johnson has been suspended indefinitely with pay following an incident which claimed the life of a 27 year old motorcyclist identified as Phillip Layton [who was a police officer riding his sportbike to work at the Juvenile Jail in Knoxville]. The initial investigation into the accident by Tennessee State Trooper Ron McDonald reported that Layton struck the rear of Johnson's patrol car. Later however, witnesses reported that it appeared the police cruiser swerved into the motorcycle which sent it into the guardrail. Trooper McDonald said in a press release that 'after reviewing police video from the Rockford car, it appears the witnesses' account is true.' McDonald has since turned over the investigation to the Highway Patrol's Criminal Investigation Division and the Blount County District Attorney General. According to the News-Sentinel, a source close to the investigation and who has seen the police video says that Johnson received a radio call from a Blount Co. Deputy who told him that a motorcycle was approaching him at a high rate of speed. Johnson had just finished a traffic stop and turned off his blue lights which turned off his video camera. When the motorcyclist appeared, Johnson turned on his blue lights thereby reactivating the camera. As the motorcyclist approached the cruiser and attempted to pass in the left lane, Johnson allegedly moved his cruiser into the left lane. Moments later the tape shows the motorcycle going down the highway without the operator. Johnson first reported that the bike struck the rear of his patrol car, later when investigators arrived, Johnson said the motorcycle hit the guardrail and bounced into the side of his car. The officer had 2 prior suspensions and one involved failing to notify his superior officer that he was involved in a high speed chase. Family members of the victim have filed a $3 million dollar wrongful death suit. Rockford City attorney David Black refused to comment on the suit because the investigation by the Tennessee State Patrol is still incomplete. Black called the incident 'tragic' and confirmed that there is a grand jury investigation currently underway. Sgt. Johnson is a former deputy with the Blount County Sheriff's department. Blount County is home to at least part of the famous run known as 'The Dragon.' Deals Gap is known to motorcycle enthusiasts the world over as a thrilling road to ride. Many sportbike riders use the twisting, turning road to test the limits of their machines as well as their nerve and abilities. As a Blount County Deputy, Sgt. Johnson routinely patrolled this stretch of highway. A source who refused to be identified told Dixie Rider that Johnson may have had a grudge against motorcyclists after an incident in which he chased one particular rider down The Gap and was unable to catch him. Another deputy was waiting at the bottom of The Gap and stopped the individual. The source goes on to say that the motorcycle operator was a doctor ['Doc'] who had received an emergency page and was en-route to the hospital. After confirming the doctor's excuse, Johnson was forced to release him and this is the basis for the grudge. However, this incident could not be confirmed. Several motorcycle rights organizations, such as ABATE and the AMA (American Motorcyclist Assoc.) are conducting independent investigations into this incident."
—DixieRider.com, "Police Officer Kills Motorcyclist While Attempting Traffic Stop," May 2001 [The doctor - Doc Wooten - was later RADARed at an alleged 172mph, was arrested by Blount County Sheriff's deputies, and then tortured in the back seat of the patrol car - by leaving his full leathers on, turning the heater on high, and rolling up the windows on a hot sunny summer day. This might have murdered him by stroke or heart attack. The doctor was also responding to a page for surgery in the Emergency Room of Blount Memorial Hospital. It is not known if that was the same police officer who murdered police officer Micky Laton.]

"A Rockford police officer has been charged with a vehicular homicide in the death of a Knoxville [police officer] killed in a motorcycle crash on March 10, 2001. The charge against Sgt. James Ray 'J.R.' Johnson, 33, of Maryville, came in an indictment returned Aug. 28 by a Blount County Grand Jury sitting in special session. Laton was employed as a Corrections Officer at the Knox County Regional Juvenile Detention Center in Knoxville. Laton was divorced, but he had full custody of his three minor children. Soon after being notified of the indictment and the warrant for his arrest, Johnson surrendered to authorities at the Blount County Justice Center. Escorted by fellow Rockford police officer Bill Allen, Johnson entered the Justice Center through the sally port where people in custody are turned over to corrections officers. The accident report made at the scene by Tennessee Highway Patrol Officer Ronald McDonald, stated that Laton lost control of his 1997 Honda CR900 as he tried to pass Johnson's cruiser, hit the guardrail and skidded into Johnson's patrol car. McDonald said that two witnesses came forward two days after the accident and said Johnson swerxred his cruiser into tile path of the motorcycle, sending it careening into tile guardrail. Thc witnesses are reportedly Tennessee state highway troopers. Since the accident, Johnson's friends claim he has been labeled as a 'motorcyclist hater,' although Johnson owns a motorcycle and has ridden for over a decade. In addition to the criminal charges, he is named as a defendant in a $3 million lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court by Laton's ex-wife on behalf of her three minor children, ages 7, 8 and 9. Named in the same lawsuit are Rockford Police Chief Robert Simerly, City of Rockford, Blount County Sheriff James L. Berrong and Blount County. Johnson was released after posting a $25,000 surety bond. He awaits a 9 a.m., Sept. 10 appearance in Blount County Circuit Court."
—Teresa Helton-Garrett, Knoxville Journal, "Rockford police officer charged with vehicular homicide," September 6, 2001 [Note: the Rockford Police Department was terminated as a result of this homicide]

Super Streetbike Mag sells Police State propaganda, Killboy bans Dragonater on Facebook

This week Super Streetbike magazine posted a story about the Dragon, written by Darryl "Killboy" Cannon. Despite having the facts of law at his fingertips, and hearing the facts of law personally from the Dragonater, Killboy chose to lie to SSB's gentle readers. I wonder why? $$$$$$, threats or Slick Willie?

THE THREATS

Last month the Dragonater personally provided copies to Killboy and TOTD, of the TDOT report ordering THP to (illegally) arrest all photographers on the Dragon to put them out of business. That TDOT report featured a photo of Ron Johnson and the Dragonater making life-saving recommendations that were implemented at a cost of nearly $1-million. This report was personally requested by Ron Johnson, and was personally handed to an employee of Ron Johnson at TOTD store. This Top Secret report was obtained by the Dragonater under a TN Open Records Act request to the attorneys of TDOT HQ at Strawberry Plains. This illegal threat against Killboy from THP and TDOT is 5 years old, which is why it is only "enforced" by massive attack on all riders on the Dragon, not against the photojournalists and the First Amendment to the US Constitution.

"The speed limit along the entire 11-miles is a very boring 30 MPH. Prior to 1992 the speed limit was 55, but it was lowered in 1993 to 40 and again in 2002 to 30—possibly a move to collect more traffic tickets if not to curb crashes. there is no passing along the entire route. The LEOs (law enforcement officers) are known to patrol the entire Dragon but usually sit at the ends of the tail or shoot radar hidden within the short straights. For most of the year, except two cops patrolling during daylight hours on weekends and one during the week. Come the holidays, the cops come out in numbers. Fourth of July weekend can see as many as 10-50 officers lurking the route."
-Darryl Cannon, Super Streetbike mag, Deals Gap Revealed | Tail of the Dragon

The actual speed limit on the Dragon is 65 mph, according to TN Code, TN Dept of Transportation, TN Supreme Court, USDOT, Blount County General Sessions Court judges, Blount County district attorneys general, Blount County Public Defenders Office and The Dragonater. The posted "speed limit" is for sheeple and suckers too lazy to read The Law as posted by The Govt in law books and online.

At the time of the article, Super Streetbike TV star Killboy suddenly banned the Dragonater from his Facebook account.

Not so long ago, Killboy personally begged to pay the Dragonater to go undercover to expose Police State crimes against photographers and bikers on the Dragon. Just last month, Ron Johnson of TailOfTheDragon.com personally begged the Dragonator to investigate the federal Police State jailing bikers with long prison sentences for routine speeding tickets on Foothills Parkway in Blount County.


Chasin the Dragon 2012

While riding back from the Chasin The Dragon Hillclimb this Sunday at 6 pm, 3 little piggies with $100,000 salaries were harassing bikers on the Dragon with their bogus 30 mph "speed limit". 95% of the riders were not sportbikes, and 90% were ignoring the 77 pulls offs while crossing the centerline on a regular basis in blind curves.

If it was fear that motivated Killboy to lie by omission, beware that We The Sheeple will get exactly the government we deserve (and tolerate).

"I’ll burn your house down, set your dog on fire and there won’t be a member of your family left, do you understand me? I won’t hire it done, I will do it myself! Do you understand me?”
-Blount County Dragon sheriff James Berrong firing his secretary in the Blount County Justice Center, United States Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, Nuchols v. Berrong, No. 04-5645, July 11, 2005


Bill Clinton poses with porn stars Tasha Reign and Brooklyn Lee while Hillary was busy with her lesbian Arab lover Huma Abadain

THE MASTERS OF CHAOS ON THE DRAGON

Or was Killboy's original story censored by SSB's new masters, which have a long history of censoring all reporters in its publicans, and recently filed for bankruptcy and received billions of taxdollars in government welfare bailouts?

Disbarred impeached CIA president Bill Clinton, a/k/a William Blythe III, bastard son of a hooker and trillionaire jewish Arkansas governor Wintrhop Rockefeller, previously ran the board of the owner of Super Streetbike mag, with a salary of over $15-million.

Otherwise, Killboy's is a typical fluff story to promote tourism and the Police State, as if written by WBIR TV, the Maryville Daily Times or the Knoxville News Sentinel. Also typical is censorship of countersteering -- the lack thereof being the official cause of 95% of fatal motorcycle crashes according to USDOT, which is obviously the main problem with cruiser riders on the Dragon. SSB was also owned by billionaire bagboy manwhore Ronald Burkle, who ran Al "Sexpoodle" Gore's oil company and gave millions of dollars in kickbacks to Billary Clinton -- perhaps another CIA front laundering drug money for Iran Contra and Obama's Operation Fast & Furious.

Nothing to fear here -- move along -- or the NC National Guard will knock your entire house down in a no-knock drug raid, even if you live in Texas...according to govt workers at the 2012 Chasin The Dragon hillclimb who participated in the Police State raids in 2012 -- but are never allowed to deport the 50-million illegal aliens nor stop them from crossing the unguarded borders.

Chasin the Dragon 2012

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Sons of Anarchy actor murders granny and cat, kills self, spares Katy Perry


SOA star assassinated by Obama's dopedealing starwhackers in retaliation for Kurt Sutter's script on Operation Fast & Furious?

Johnny Lewis was reportedly driven insane by the hallucinogenic designer drug Smiles -- a drug invented by Uncle Sam's U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The Dragonater previously won a murder conviction for a drug-dealing government assassin with a false passport who traveled to Columbia and currently employed as a "confidential informant" by the US DEA (CIA). The Dragonater took a bullet during that murder trial, in retaliation for appearing on WBIR TV with the victim's family. The homicide prosecutor was then fired and the convicted killer secretly released from prison 3 years before his parole date, and is now working inside the Knox County District Attorney General's office, to the rage of assistant prosecutors...

Johnny Lewis and his family are members of the Scientology mind-kontrol cult run by homicidal FBI and CIA agents who enjoy assassinating US presidents and their families, worships Satan, deals drugs and sacrifices babies.

"sadly, yet, not surprisingly, johnny's story has become headline fodder; sycophants churning out the dirty details. their callous regurgitation is as disturbing as the truth that's being revealed. hopefully people will see beyond the titillating horror and understand the dangers of ignorance when dealing with drug addiction and mental illness -- perhaps a few weeks at "the ranch" wasn't enough. if you pray, say a few for his family. if you don't pray, try to glean some kind of lesson from this man's tragic fall. so glad katie holmes is out of the scientology marriage. feel like the evil empire's taken a blow and america has its sweetheart back."
-Kurt Sutter Twitter

"Let me just start, because I know people are going to be pissed off about the Half-Sack thing. I will tell you that I've been having conversations with Johnny Lewis all season, and Johnny wasn't happy on the show. Creatively, he really wanted out of his contract. We had ongoing conversations, and we decided we'd find some noble way for him to go. It wasn't my intent to try to be sensational and kill off a main character. People are going to have their reaction, but I don't want an actor that's not happy. It's not good for the actor, and it's not good for the show. I love Johnny. I'd work with him again in a heartbeat."
-Kurt Sutter, actor/writer/director/producer of SOA, Sons of Anarchy: Kurt Sutter season two Q&A

'Sons of Anarchy' Actor Suspect in BIZARRE L.A. Double Death

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... cops believe Johnny Lewis was on drugs-- either PCP or meth -- at the time he allegedly killed a woman and then fell to his death.

Sources tell us ... after allegedly killing the 81-year-old woman, Johnny had fought with two men for 3 to 4 minutes ... hurting at least one of them

We're told Johnny initially used a 2x4 to attack the men ... and then used his bare hands.

Law enforcement sources say the men he fought with say Johnny showed "super-human strength" and was "phenomenally strong."

We're told Johnny tried to break into the house of one of the men ... and it took 3 people to hold him back.

One source tells TMZ ... Johnny had gone to a neighbor's home to introduce himself earlier in the day.

Neighbors tell us Johnny had lived in that house before, moved away, and then came back.

Neighbors who knew Johnny say he was a "nice guy."


Johnny Lewis and singer Katy Perry

Johnny Lewis -- who had big roles on Sons of Anarchy (Half-Sack Epps) and "The O.C." and once dated Katy Perry -- was found dead yesterday ... and his body was discovered at the same L.A. property as an 81-year-old woman he's suspected of murdering ... TMZ has learned.

According to our law enforcement sources, 28-year-old Lewis was found in a driveway Wednesday morning in the Los Feliz neighborhood -- and the elderly woman who owned the home was found dead inside ... the victim of a homicide. Investigators say they believe Lewis beat the woman to death.

According to multiple reports, neighbors heard the 81-year-old woman screaming ... and then saw a young man outside her home attack 2 other people with a piece of wood ... before he climbed onto the roof and fell to his death.

Lewis was renting a room from the 81-year-old victim.

Law enforcement sources tell us Lewis is the sole suspect in the woman's murder, and they are not looking for other possible suspects.

Lewis dated Perry back in 2006 -- and attended numerous Hollywood events together.

Lewis played Kip 'Half-Sack' Epps on "Sons of Anarchy" for 2 seasons, and also had one-off roles on "Criminal Minds" ... "Bones" ... and "CSI."

Kurt Sutter's SOA scripts in Season 4 and 5 mirror Dictator Hussein Obama Soetoro's Operation Fast and Furious CIA dope and weapons dealing by the White House that murdered over 50,000 Mexicans and Americans so far.

Katy Perry Twit-ter -- No mention of her ex's sudden death

Kay Perry Facebook -- Billboard Woman of the Year by no mention of ex's sudden death

"Katy Perry is allegedly heartbroken over the death of her ex-boyfriend, 28-year-old Johnny Lewis, whose body was found in a driveway on September 26 after the troubled actor fell or jumped from a rooftop following a fight with his 81-year-old landlady, Catherine Davis. Perry, who dated the "Sons of Anarchy" star from 2005 to 2006, knew he was facing dark times, but never expected it to end in his death. A source close to the 27-year-old singer tells Us Weekly that she's "devastated." "She had to separate from him ... to get ahead and focus on her career," the source explains. "He was in trouble then and she couldn't help him." "A lot of her songs were partially inspired by him. I know 'The One That Got Away' and 'Circle the Drain' are partly about him, as well as Travis [McCoy of Gym Class Heroes]," the insider adds. "But she was young and it was a time in her life she cherishes. They had good times. It's really sad. She could never help him and couldn't [let herself] go in that direction."
-Huffington Post, Johnny Lewis, Katy Perry: Singer Distraught Over Ex-Boyfriend's Untimely Death


Sources: 'Sons of Anarchy' actor may have been on 'smiles' drug

"2C-I or 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenethylamine is a psychedelic phenethylamine of the 2C family. It was first synthesized by Alexander Shulgin. It was described in Shulgin’s book PiHKAL: A Chemical Love Story. The drug is used recreationally for its psychedelic and entactogenic effects. 2C-I is commonly sold in its hydrochloride salt form, which is a fluffy, sparkling-white powder, which has also been pressed into tablet form. As of July 9, 2012, in the United States 2C-I is a Schedule I substance under the Synthetic Drug Abuse Prevention Act of 2012, making possession, distribution and manufacture illegal."
-2C-I Wikipedia

"In 1965, Alexander Shulgin left Dow to pursue his own interests, and became a private consultant, also frequently teaching classes in the local universities and at the San Francisco General Hospital. Through his friend Bob Sager, head of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration's Western Laboratories, Shulgin formed a relationship with the DEA and began holding pharmacology seminars for the agents, supplying the DEA with samples of various compounds, and occasionally serving as an expert witness in court. He also authored a definitive law enforcement reference book on controlled substances and received several awards from the DEA. In order to carry out consulting work with the DEA, Shulgin obtained a DEA Schedule I license for an analytical laboratory, which allowed him to possess and synthesize any otherwise illicit drug. Shulgin set up a chemical synthesis laboratory in a small building behind his house, which gave him a great deal of career autonomy. Shulgin used this freedom to synthesize and test the effects of psychoactive drugs."
-Alexander Shulgin Wikipedia

Los Angeles Times

Investigators are looking into whether "Sons of Anarchy" actor Johnny Lewis may have been under the influence of drugs Wednesday when he allegedly fatally attacked an 81-year-old woman before falling to his own death.

Sources said detectives believe C2-I — a new designer drug known as "smiles" — might have played a role in the incident. The illegal drug causes hallucinogenic effects, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration, and was linked to the deaths of two North Dakota teenagers this summer.

The drug is usually sold in tablets or powder form, which users often mix with chocolate before eating.

Los Angeles police found the body of Lewis in a driveway in the 3600 block of Lowry Road on Wednesday morning, authorities said. Law enforcement sources said he fell on his head from a roof or balcony.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office identified the woman as Catherine Davis, 81, who police said Wednesday may have rented a room to Lewis. The sources said Davis and Lewis got into some kind of altercation.

Details of the incident were still not clear as the investigation continued, but authorities said it began about 10:40 a.m. Wednesday when police received several calls reporting a "screaming woman" and three men fighting.

Lewis allegedly climbed a wall and fought with a house painter at a neighboring residence before going back to Davis' home, police said. He then scaled the wall again to fight with the painter and the owner of the second house, Los Angeles police Sgt. Frank Preciado said.

The owner of the home said reports that Lewis showed “superhuman strength” were accurate. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, he said Lewis was hardly detered by the blows he took, that it was like “hitting him with a fly swatter.”

The neighbor, his wife and the painter ran into the house after managing to shake Lewis. It took all three barricaded against the door to keep him out, said the neighbor, who asked not to be identified.

When officers arrived, they found Lewis' body in the driveway about six feet from the wall. They later found Davis' body at the home. Investigators said they believe Davis died from blunt force trauma and that Lewis was the sole suspect.

Coroner's officials said no official causes of death had been determined.

The two men who fought with the suspect received minor injuries and were treated at the scene, Preciado said.

Best known for his two-season role as Kip "Half-Sack" Epps on "Sons of Anarchy," Lewis' list of credits include appearances on "Boston Public," "The O.C.," "Criminal Minds" and "The Guardian." The Los Angeles native also had several film roles, including a part in "The Runaways" and "Raise Your Voice," starring Hilary Duff.

He most recently played a prisoner in "186 Dollars to Freedom," released this month.


MK Ultra

by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

I spit my faith on the city pavement
To keep a smile
I bought my legs from the US Government
To keep me in line
We are the ones that keep you high
We are the ones that warm the sky
And you're burning bright

I filled my head with another replacement
To keep me high
I shot my soul when they wanted to take it
Your worst ain't mine
We are the ones that keep you down
We are the ones that warm the ground
While our arms surround

She's my river of sunshine, she's my girl
She can save the US, save the world
Yeah she's alright, I'll be fine
There's no US, save your mind
Save your mind come on

I'll give you nothin if you're just gonna waste it
But that's alright
I'll give you love if your wanting the taste that leaves you behind
We are the ones that keep you high
We are the ones that burn your pride
And you're burning bright

I've been waitin for the sun to come, lead me through the gates of Rome
Your gonna know they were never, never yours to kill
Oh no they were never, never yours to kill

I've been waitin for the sun to come, show you all what's being done
Your gonna know they were never, never yours to kill
Oh no they were never, never yours to kill


Johnny Lewis Had Scientology Ties, Took "Smiles" Drug Before Death?

"It is the ultimate vampirism, the ultimate mindfuk, instead of going for blood, you're going for their soul. And you take drugs in order to reach that state where you can, quite literally, like a psychic hammer, break their soul, and pull the power through. He designed his Scientology Operating Thetan techniques to do the same thing. But, of course, it takes a couple of hundred hours of auditing and mega-thousands of dollars for the privilege of having your head turned into a glass Humpty Dumpty --shattered into a million pieces. It may sound like incredible gibberish, but it made my father a fortune. Also, you've got to realize that my father did not worship Satan. He thought he was Satan. He was one with Satan. He had a direct pipeline of communication and power with him. My father wouldn't have worshiped anything. I mean, when you think you're the most powerful being in the universe, you have no respect for anything, let alone worship."
-L Ron Hubbard Jr, Penthouse, June 1983, California Superbike School's Church of $cientology $atanic $exslave Cult

US Magazine

After news broke of the Wednesday death of Sons of Anarchy star Johnny Lewis -- who was also named a murder suspect in the death of his landlady, Catherine Davis -- more details are emerging about the life of the actor, who was 28.

Back in 2004, Lewis (who also appeared on The OC, Alien Vs. Predator and American Dream) promoted Narcanon, an anti-drug program created by the Church of Scientology, the Daily News reports. The paper also writes that Lewis' parents were both active Scientologists, with his father, Michael Lewis, appearing in an instructional self-help video based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard, the Church's founder.

Although toxicology reports are pending, authorities are investigating whether Lewis was on a new, synthetic drug known as "Smiles" before the violent rampage at 81-year-old Davis' house in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles.

On Wednesday, Lewis got into a violent altercation with Davis, neighbor Daniel Blackburn and a handyman; police report that Davis was bludgeoned to death, and Lewis eventually jumped or fell off the roof, leading to his death.

"We still don't have a motive, whether this was just the random act of somebody acting crazy or whether there was some type of altercation or dispute," LAPD Commander Andrew Smith told the Daily News.

"There are several new drugs that are coming out after bath salts got outlawed," Smith said of the "Smiles" report. "We don't have any hard evidence that he was on anything."

Lewis, who dated Katy Perry back in 2005 and 2006, was arrested numerous times in 2012 for assault, breaking and entering and burglary -- spending time in court-ordered rehab as well as jail.

A recent report written by a probation officer gave a troubling warning sign about the star's state of mind.

"This officer is very concerned for the well being of not only the community but that of the defendant. It is apparent to this officer that the defendant suffers from some form of chemical dependency, mental health issue and a lack of permanent housing," writes the report, according to the Daily News.

His ex Katy Perry, a source told Us Weekly, is "devastated" by his death. "It's really sad. She could never help him and couldn't [let herself] go in that direction."


‘Sons of Anarchy’ Creator Kurt Sutter Not Surprised By Johnny Lewis Death

The Inquisitor

Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter says he’s not surprised by the death of Johnny Lewis. Sutter, who also plays Big Otto on the show tells TMZ that Lewis was on a “destructive path” in his life.

In a Twitter post following the grisly murder-suicide scene Sutter tweeted that the loss of Lewis is:

“A tragic end for an extremely talented guy, who unfortunately had lost his way.”

Sutter further wrote:

“I wish I could say that I was shocked by the events of last night, but I was not.”

The shows creator then added:

“I am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path. Yes, it’s day of mourning, but it’s also a day of awareness and gratitude. Sadly, some of us carry the message by dying.”

The crime and his death was not shocking to Sutter because Johnny Lewis had been arrested on several occasions for violent crimes before murdering his landlady on Wednesday morning.

The 28-year 0ld actor was released from jail on Sept. 21 after spending about six weeks behind bars for assault with a deadly weapon. Lewis had pled no contest to first degree burglary earlier this year, after his plea bargain was accepted he received 291 days in jail and three years probation for that felony count.

The coroners have not yet conducted a drug screen which could provide valuable information into the events leading up to the murder-suicide. A full drug panel usually takes several weeks to provide full results for investigation purposes.


Sons of Anarchy Creator Kurt Sutter: Johnny Lewis “Lost His Way” Before Death

Gossip Cop

The bizarre demise of actor Johnny Lewis, who either fell or jumped to his death after possibly murdering his elderly landlady, did not completely surprise his onetime “Sons of Anarchy” boss Kurt Sutter.

Sutter, the creator of the series on which Lewis starred for two seasons as Kip ‘Half Sack’ Epps, reacted to the tragic events in a WhoSay post on Thursday.

He wrote, “Not sure if folks know this yet, but johnny lewis (halfsack) died last night… it was a tragic end for an extremely talented guy, who unfortunately had lost his way.”

Sutter continued, “I wish i could say that i was shocked by the events last night, but i was not. i am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path.”

He added, “Yes, it’s [a] day [of] mourning, but it’s also a day of awareness and gratitude. sadly, some of us carry the message by dying.”

Lewis, who also appeared in the film The Runaways and in series like “The O.C.” and “Boston Public,” dated Katy Perry in 2006.

The singer has not yet commented on his death, but other stars have.

Perry’s friend, actress Shannon Woodward, tweeted, “Johnny Lewis, I love you deeply and madly and always. My heart is broken in a million little pieces. I will miss you every day.”

She added, “Johnny Lewis was one of my best friends. He was very, very ill. His actions were a despicable result of that. It was not who he was.”

Haylie Duff, whose sister Hilary starred with Lewis in Raise Your Voice, wrote on Twitter, “So sad to hear the news about Johnny Lewis. Such a nice and talented guy. RIP.”

Josh Schwartz, creator and executive producer of “The O.C.,” tweeted, “Sad news about Johnny Lewis.”

“Hadn’t seen him in years but back then he was a very sweet, nice, talented guy,” he wrote, adding, “Thoughts to his family.”

There are a number of rumors circulating about the circumstances surrounding Lewis’ death, his mental health, and the killing of 81-year-old landlady Catherine Davis.

Gossip Cop will have updates when more has been confirmed.


Johnny Lewis Might Have Taken Drug 'Smiles' Before Killings

ABC News

Police in Los Angeles suspect that Johnny Lewis, the "Sons of Anarchy" actor who allegedly beat to death his landlady and killed her cat before he plunged from a roof to his own death, might have been high on designer drugs, possibly a new drug called "smiles."

Police say they have found no evidence of drugs, pending the results of toxicology tests that could take several weeks, but the actor's behavior was consistent with the psychotic effects they've seen in other designer-drug users.

Lewis, 28, is believed to have attacked his landlady on Wednesday morning at the Writer's Villa, a bed and breakfast-style house for young people working in Hollywood. Officers responded at 10:40 a.m. to reports of a screaming woman and breaking glass.

As police arrived on the scene, Lewis' body was in the driveway and Catherine Davis, 81, was dead in her bedroom. The cause of death was blunt-force trauma and strangulation. She had been beaten to death, and her cat was found in the bathroom. Police say the cat's body was mutilated.

Lewis is the only suspect in the killings, and no one else fled the scene, according to police. Eyewitnesses told police that Lewis appeared to show "superhuman strength."

"Mr. Lewis at some point jumped over a fence into a neighbor's yard, and for some reason attacked the painter who was over there painting the house," LAPD Cmd. Andrew Smith told ABC News."The painter and the homeowner were able to get him away. He jumped back into his yard where he was staying and at some point shortly thereafter fell to his death."

Smith said that there is a strong possibility drugs were involved, but at this point investigators are unsure.

Police say they have not located any drugs, and won't know for sure whether Lewis had ingested any illicit substances before his death until his toxicology report comes back from his autopsy. But they suspect that he might have been on the newest hallucinogenic synthetic drug.

"The thing we are seeing lately here in Los Angeles and across the country are synthetic designer-type drugs, something like 'bath salts', or the new one we've heard around here called 'smiles,'" Cmd. Smith said.

Known on the street as "smiles," 2C-I is sold in a powder or pill form and has a psychedelic affect on the user. The federal Drug Enforcement Administration lists it as a schedule-I controlled substance, and it is therefore illegal to manufacture, sell or buy.

Lewis was arrested Aug. 8 and had been jailed on assault with a deadly weapon and burglary charges, according to KABC-TV. He was released less than a week before his alleged rampage in L.A.'s Los Feliz neighborhood, according to jail records.

Colleagues of Lewis' say he had been leading a troubled life. Kurt Sutter, the creator and executive producer of "Sons of Anarchy," tweeted that Lewis had "unfortunately lost his way."

"I wish I could say that I was shocked by the events last night, but I was not," he wrote.


‘Sons of Anarchy’ actor Johnny Lewis was 'out of control' before rampage, championed Scientology drug-treatment program before rampage

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

Actor Johnny Lewis helped promote Scientology's controversial drug rehab program before a downward spiral led him to jail, court-ordered rehab elsewhere, the murder of his landlady and possible suicide, documents show.

Lewis publicly promoted the Church of Scientology's drug program, Narconon, in 2004, saying his mom used Narconon materials to teach him to avoid drugs.

A photo of Lewis at a Narconon event was posted on the program's website until late Thursday. Lewis' parents are active members of the controversial church, and his father co-wrote a movie with founder L. Ron Hubbard, according to IMDB.

The dad also appears in a 2011 YouTube video lecturing about ways to deal with crisis using Hubbard's teachings.

Lewis spent two seasons playing Kip (Half Sack) Epps on the FX motorcycle-gang drama "Sons of Anarchy," but his life had steadily unraveled over the past 10 months as he struggled with drug and mental-health issues, according to court documents and Los Angeles probation officers.

The former paramour of singer Katy Perry had been arrested three times in 2012 and was only five days out of jail before the bizarre and violent rampage in Los Angeles on Wednesday that left him and his 81-year-old landlady, Catherine Davis, dead.

Catherine Davis was bludgeoned to death by Lewis, police said.

Investigators were probing whether Lewis had been on a popular new synthetic drug called Smiles, the Daily News reported Thursday.

Lewis was renting a room from Davis, who owned a sprawling hillside home that she advertised as a “villa” for actors and writers.

Johnny Lewis' father, Michael, lecturing on how to get through a crisis based on a video of L. Ron Hubbard's teachings.

On Wednesday morning, the troubled actor allegedly went berserk in Davis' living quarters, ransacking furniture and bludgeoning the elderly woman to death, police said.

She was also strangled and her cat dismembered, sources said.

Lewis then hopped an external privacy wall and attacked a house painter next door, reportedly using a 2-by-4 board and a paint roller, police said.

The house's owner, Daniel Blackburn, rushed to the painter's aid and was badly beaten.

He had deep red bruising around his eyes Thursday when he told The News he also sustained a chipped tooth in the melee.

Lewis climbed back over the wall as multiple neighbors called for help, traveled across Davis' property again and either fell or jumped to his death in her driveway.

The cause of death will be declared after toxicology results come in, Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter told The News.

Probation officials had warned Lewis' behavior was growing increasingly erratic in recent months, even as the actor continued to land movie roles.

"This officer is very concerned for the well being of not only the community but that of the defendant. It is apparent to this officer that the defendant suffers from some form of chemical dependency, mental health issue and a lack of permanent housing," a probation officer wrote in recent report.

Family and friends had made repeated attempts to get help for Lewis to address "drug abuse and mental illness," sources told the Los Angeles Times.

Both Perry and "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter expressed sorrow over his death. The tragic end did not come as a complete surprise, Sutter said on Twitter.

“I wish I could say that I was shocked by the events last night, but I was not," the tweet said. "I am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path."

Lewis had also become increasingly violent, court records indicate.

On Jan. 3, Lewis was arrested after breaking into a Los Angeles-area town home and beating two men over their heads with an empty Perrier bottle.

Lewis was taken into custody a month later for assault and then days later for trying to break into a woman's Santa Monica, Calif., home.

He was arrested in March for failing to appear in court and was jailed until late May.

A judge ordered the actor into a 30-day drug and mental-health treatment program.

He spent time at the Ridgeview Ranch Residential Treatment program and then represented himself in court Aug. 8 when he pleaded no contest to the Jan. 3 assault.

He was sentenced to 365 days in jail. He was convicted of the burglary Aug. 17, receiving 291 days in jail.

He was released Sept. 21 due to jail overcrowding and credit for his time behind bars earlier in the year.

Police said he rented his room from Davis in the last two weeks.

Her upscale home on a sleepy street was billed as a "Writer's Villa" online and lists celebrities Parker Posey, Paula Poundstone and "Hung" star Thomas Jane among its prior tenants.

Lewis' acting career spanned 12 years and included a star turn in 2007's "Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem," as well as recurring roles on the TV series "The O.C." and "American Dream."

Lewis grew up in Los Angeles and reportedly has a daughter from a prior relationship.

His father works at the Valley Life Improvement Center, which incorporates Scientology into its counseling.

"Johnny was the bright star of our lives. We always looked up to him, and now I guess we'll have to look up a little higher," dad Michael Lewis, 62, told The News as his voice cracked with emotion.

He declined to discuss the circumstances of his son's death. "That's all I can tell you," he said.

Davis was kind and generous, said neighbors who lived in her affluent Los Feliz community.

"Catherine was very friendly and lively and fun," recalled Barbara Angvire, her neighbor since the 1960s. "My son used to play with her daughter Margaret. I was so shocked to hear this happened. We've lived here since the 1960s. I feel so bad for her daughter."


Kurt Sutter tells who is going to die in next week's episode:

Kurt Sutter on why Opie had to die in this week's episode:

Malingering

Rider banned after feigning faint SNTV 3 A Grand Prix Moto Racer in Brazil has been banned from a local championship after pretending to faint during the race. The city of Santa Cruz do Sul in Southern Brazil witnessed one of the most bizarre scenes ever in Moto Racing. During the Rio Grande do Sul State Moto Grand Prix, competitor Marlinton dos Reis Teixeira - known by his nickname Kalunga - was unable to make a turn on the rainy track and slipped. He lost precious seconds trying to return to the race and decided to go for a red flag by pretending to faint in the middle of the track. Several racers passed by him and luckily Kalunga was not hit. Some of his fellow riders then stopped to help him. An ambulance and a safety car were sent to help the apparently stricken rider and paramedics took three minutes to remove him. Later, the MotoRacing Association of Rio Grande do Sul State found out about Kalunga's apparent faint and banned the rider from the championship.

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Chasin the Dragon roadrace this weekend

www.dragonhillclimb.com

Event news

Event rules

Riding motorcycles reduces suicide risk by 85%, cop jobs raise suicide by 200%


San Diego Trauma System Report 1999 - 2000

More Americans now commit suicide than are killed in motor vehicle crashes as miserable economy takes its toll - Deaths from suicide up 15% with fears more deaths go unaccounted, 22 September 2012


Causes of Law Enforcement Deaths 2002-2011

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund

723 killed by motor vehicle crashes

470 killed by car crashes

140 deaths struck by vehicle while sueing traffic tickets

77 killed by motorcycle crashes

29 killed by aircraft crashes

7 killed by train crashes

570 killed by gunshot, 65% wearing body armor

286 killed by alcoholism or drug addiction

7 killed by terrorists

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund censors the high rate of suicide by cops disgusted with their life of armed robbery, terrorism, treason, mayhem, murder and hooliganism.


2009 Police Suicide Statistics

Officer.com

The Badge of Life Organization recently released their preliminary 2009 police suicide statistics. There were 143 police suicides in 2009, a slight increase from 2008 police suicides of 141. In 2009 there were 127 in the line of duty deaths. Officer suicide rates are at least double of the general population. Any law enforcement suicide is one too many. World Suicide Prevention Day is observed on September 10 each year to promote worldwide action to prevent suicides. Various events and activities are held during this occasion to raise awareness that suicide is a major preventable cause of premature death.

The 2009 Badge of Life police suicide study provided additional demographic information:

•Ages 40-44 are at highest risk of suicide, representing 27% of all suicides.

•Service time at highest risk was twenty years plus.

•Officers with less than ten years on the job had a suicide rate of 17%.

•64% of suicides were a surprise.

There is no easy or full proof way to identify which officers are most at risk for taking their own lives. Every officer has his or her breaking point. The stresses of daily life, coupled with stresses from tragic/critical events, can push a police officer to end his/her life. Recognizing the signs and symptoms of stress and depression before an officer reaches that breaking point is essential.

The top predictors for suicide for anyone are: a diagnostic mental disorder, alcohol or substance use, loss of social or family support, and the availability and access to a firearm. 90% of officers commit suicide using a gun. Additionally, about 90% of the time, an officer is drinking heavily when he/she kills himself/herself. Statistically, most officers that commit suicide are white males, working patrol and are entering middle-age. They have experienced a recent loss, real or perceived. Most have no record of misconduct. Most shoot themselves while off duty.

The foremost researcher in stress in the world, Hans Selye, said that police work is the most stressful occupation. Officers witness life's most horrible scenes. Nothing can possibly prepare a police officer for what he or she might encounter on the job. They are first on scene when a child dies, a woman is raped, a senseless homicide, a teenager's suicide, a car ablaze with victims trapped, drug overdoses, and domestic violence calls. These calls have an effect on even the most seasoned officers. The calls add up. The job lacks balance. Most other professions experience more of a blend of the good with the bad, not so for an officer; it is frequently one heart wrenching call after another. Additionally, an officer's life is in danger every day, they can never let their guard down; never turn off the adrenaline pump. While officers generally operate well under stress, too much stress may have disastrous outcomes.

Officers often work 10-12 hour shifts, at hours most people could not conceive of. There is often disruption in their lives due to rotating shifts. Overtime is often mandatory, and a call to court for testimony can further disrupt an officer's sleep routine and requirements. Meals are often a luxury due to the demands of the beat. Family and other personal relationships are forced to the back seat. They want to protect their families from the horrors they have to deal with routinely, refusing to discuss their work with significant others. Family members may feel left out, confused, neglected. Resentments often build.

Other sources of officer stress are related to the ever present scrutiny by the command cadre as well as criticism from the public and media. There is an overwhelming sense of disappointment when an officer is not chosen for a promotion he/she felt was due. Couple this with frustration from the criminal justice system, despite the officer's best efforts, the bad guys get off. Cliques within a department can make an officer feel ostracized. Officers have an increased risk of contracting serious diseases, also adding to their stress. Emphasis on political correctness and cultural diversity also can create additional stress for any officer.

Most importantly, law enforcement officers are subject to repeated critical incident stress. Any critical incident can trigger a post traumatic stress disorder. PTSD can surface immediately or years after exposure to the traumatic event. PTSD frequently becomes a vicious cycle of despair that leads to the use of maladaptive coping skills including suicide. Depression, the most significant risk factor for suicide, is a hallmark symptom of PTSD. Untreated PTSD can also lead to flashbacks, phobias, anxiety and panic disorders. The effects of PTSD may be evidenced by an officer's decreased job performance, divorce and alcohol/substance abuse, and eventually by suicide. When alcohol or other chemicals are used in an attempt to relieve stress, suicide rates and other problems multiply.

Many obstacles may prevent an officer from seeking professional help for his or her depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts. There are concerns that if they tell their chain of command their careers will be ruined, they will be determined not fit for duty, their gun will be confiscated, they will they be viewed as weak and all hopes of advancement will be destroyed. They may fear being terminated. There is always a fear of confidentiality. The officer worries about the reactions, including further alienation and retribution from peers. The stigma of mental illness remains rampant among many law enforcement officers. The idea of needing help implies cowardice and an inability to fulfill the role of an officer. Officers with a history of depression or anxiety are identified as the weak-link, the guy who folds under pressure. So the officer tries to solve his problems personally and quietly, often with disastrous results.

Law enforcement officers are much more hesitant than average citizens to seek psychiatric treatment. Often they mistrust mental health professionals. Perceptions of clinicians as bleeding hearts who get criminals out of sentences and incarceration can fuel this mistrust. There are also frequent misperceptions of psychiatric evaluations and mental health treatment. An officer may perceive the help as a humiliating and emasculating experience: they have been fine all their lives; thus they can get through this stress without getting shrunk. There may also be an underlying fear that the psychiatrist may find something more or really wrong with him.

Virtually all suicides are preventable with appropriate intervention. Departments must do more to reduce the risk of one of their own taking his or her life. Departments should include suicide awareness training for officers and command focusing on identification of at risk officers, prevention programs and training. Departments also need to implement debriefing strategies after each critical incident. They must also debrief in the event that an officer succeeds in completing suicide. Officers are frequently referred to as brothers and sisters; survivors of the suicide of a family member are up to nine times more likely to commit suicide themselves in comparison with the average person.

The department should assist the officer in finding treatment where his or her needs are best met. A department psychiatrist may have more knowledge of the officer and his or her current pressures. However, the department's clinician may also be involved in evaluating the officer's mental status in regards for fitness for duty. An outside therapist, not involved in the police departmental process, may seem more trustworthy to the officer. Foremost, the officer, psychiatrist, and department need clarification related to the officer's confidentiality and the chain of command prior to initiating psychotherapy or psychopharmacology.

If you are an officer reading this, you may know a peer at risk. As an officer you are frequently called to check the welfare of a possibly suicidal citizen, to prevent a suicide. As a peer you must do the same for another officer. Be aware of signs that someone may be suicidal such as:

•talking about suicide
•making statements related to hopelessness or helplessness
•a preoccupation with death
•a loss of interest in things the officer once cared about
•making detailed arrangements related to insurance and finances
•giving away valued or prized possessions

Notice what is going on in his/her life.

•Is he/she recently separated or divorced, did he/she lose custody of a child?
•Has he/she been involved in a critical incident or under scrutiny by an internal affairs investigation?
•Is the officer pulling away from others, is job performance suffering?
• Is he having increased medical complaints, does he leave work or miss work frequently?
•Do you suspect he/she is abusing alcohol or other substances?
•Do you see a red flag or have a gut level concern?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, do something now. Ask the officer what is going on in his or her life. Ask if they are okay and how they are handling a current stressor. Ask them if they feel depressed, and ask them about suicidal thoughts. Help them get the help they need before they take a life - their own. If they won't seek help on their own go to a trusted supervisor with your concerns. Yes, this is one situation where you may have to break the code of silence. If something is still not being done, go to someone else: the chaplain, your union representative, the department clinician. You are willing to go to any lengths for an officer who needs assistance on a call; you are willing to risk your life for him at every scene. Do something today to prevent the loss of an officer by his or her own hands.

If you are an officer who is hurting and contemplating suicide, reach out now. There are many people who really do care about you, who really do want to help you, who don't want to attend your funeral. Seeking help is a sign of strength not of weakness. It is the first step in reestablishing control in your life. Always remember when there is life there is hope.

In Loving Memory to the fine men and women, who dedicated themselves to helping others and saving lives, yet tragically took their own. It's not how you died, but how you lived.

Monday, September 24, 2012

UT students shove beer pipe up their ass to protest underage Prohibition


So who's ready for sloppy seconds with your gay buds? No law against underage enemas. Johnny Knoxville got rich off this shit. GO VOLS!

beer enema - An act in which one lubricates the neck of a beer bottle then fully sits on it so it completely enters that person anally. They then lean forward, lifting the bottle upwards so the contents flow into their anal cavity. The bottle is then removed and the contents are sprayed from the anus. This also produces a quick alcohol buzz compared to drinking the beer. Also related to the term, "beer enema cocktail" in which someone drinks the beer after it has been used as an enema.
-Urban Dictionary

"Tyler Bray is no longer the biggest douchbag on campus woohoo!!!"
-Tyler Bray

"Does this beer bottle shoved up my ass make me look gay?"
-PKA pledge during Rush Hell Week

"We're not going to sit here and listen to you bad mouth the United States of America!"
-Johnny Quest, Animal House on trial for drunken debauchery at University of Tennessee Student Court


UT chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity suspended over alcohol incident

Sep 24, 2012

KNOXVILLE (WATE) - The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) chapter is administratively suspended, officials said Monday.

The UT Police Department is leading an investigation connected to alcohol incidents on Saturday that involved the fraternity's Zeta chapter.

Police say a 20-year-old, unresponsive man in critical condition was dropped off at UT Medical Center. Hospital staff said his blood alcohol content was well over .40.

At the Pike House, officers found several people passed out, including three men.

Investigators believe fraternity members were putting alcohol through rubber tubing into their rectums. This practice greatly heightens the level and speed of alcohol entering the blood stream because it bypasses filtering by the liver.

The suspension was put into effect by UT and the International Chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha. It will last for 30 days, or until a decision is made about the chapter's permanent status.

The fraternity cannot operate during this time, according to a letter released Monday from the Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity office.

A press release from fraternity headquarters says in part: "The fraternity has been in contact with the chapter leaders, local alumni, and the university and has requested all members cooperate fully with the ongoing police investigation. The international fraternity in no way condones this behavior and while this is disappointing and saddening to have learned of the inexcusable actions of these students, our thoughts and prayers are with them and their families during this difficult time."

The Knoxville Police Department is assisting UTPD as needed with this investigation.


UT student had blood-alcohol level over 0.40; fraternity chapter suspended

By Hayes Hickman
Knoxville News Sentinel
September 24, 2012

KNOXVILLE — A University of Tennessee fraternity has been suspended for 30 days while campus police investigate an incident in which a student was found to have a blood-alcohol level "well over 0.40" that left him in critical condition, according to reports and a police spokesman.

Officers responded about 1:30 a.m. Saturday to the University of Tennessee Medical Center emergency room after an unresponsive 20-year-old man was brought in by four young men, according to a University of Tennessee Police Department incident report.

The victim appeared to be "extremely intoxicated and showed signs of physical and possible sexual assault," the report states.

Investigators later determined that the student had received an alcohol enema at the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity house, 1820 Fraternity Park Drive, on campus. Police determined other students at the Pike house had engaged in that form of alcohol consumption.

One of the men who brought the victim to the emergency room described the incident to police investigators as "butt-chugging," or "inserting a tube into the anus and then funneling an alcoholic beverage rectally," according to the report.

Knoxville Police Department spokesman Darrell DeBusk identified the victim as Alexander P. Broughton of Memphis.

Broughton was transferred to the hospital's critical care unit. He was no longer listed as a patient at the hospital this evening, according to a nursing supervisor.

When officers later arrived at the fraternity house, they found several people inside, including three males who were passed out, DeBusk said this afternoon.

"Upon extensive questioning it is believed that members of the fraternity were using rubber tubing inserted into their rectums as a conduit for alcohol as the abundance of capillaries and blood vessels present greatly heightens the level and speed of the alcohol entering the blood stream as it bypasses the filtering by the liver," DeBusk states in a news release.

The fraternity's UT chapter has since been administratively suspended by Pi Kappa Alpha International, pending a decision regarding its permanent status, according to a statement release by UT spokeswoman Karen Ann Simsen.

UTPD is leading an investigation into the incident.

No criminal charges have been filed.

The fraternity's UT chapter previously was suspended for two weeks after three pledges were hospitalized following a January 2008 hazing incident. A family member told the News Sentinel that the students had developed staph infections after being made to do exercises on a bathroom floor.

An undisclosed number of chapter members later were expelled by PKA International.


2007 Darwin Award Winner

The 2007 winners have just been announced at the Darwin Awards web site. The Darwin Awards are "named in honor of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, [and] commemorate those who improve our gene pool by accidentally removing themselves from it."

Yesterday you read about the runners-up. Here is this year's big winner:

The Enema Within

Michael was an alcoholic. And not an ordinary alcoholic, but an alcoholic who liked to take his liquor... well, rectally.

His wife said he was "addicted to enemas" and often used alcohol in this manner. The result was the same: inebriation. The machine shop owner couldn't drink alcohol due to a painful throat ailment, so he elected to receive his favorite beverage via enema.

One May evening, Michael was in for one hell of a party. He convinced his wife to administer two 1.5 litre bottles of sherry, more than 100 fluid ounces, right up the old address! When the rest of us have had enough, we either stop drinking or pass out. When Michael had had enough (and subsequently passed out) the alcohol remaining in his rectal cavity continued to be absorbed.

The next morning, Michael was dead. The 58-year-old did a pretty good job of embalming himself. According to toxicology reports, his blood alcohol level was 0.47%, but his wife was arrested for administering the fatal enema.

In order to qualify for a Darwin Award, a person must remove himself from the gene pool via an "astounding misapplication of judgment." Three litres of sherry up the butt can only be described as astounding. (5/21/04, Texas; charges against wife were finally dropped in 2007)


London Daily Mail
25 September 2012

A student has almost died after being given an 'alcohol enema' at a college fraternity house.

Alexander Broughton, 20, was rushed to hospital unconscious after a rubber tube was inserted into his rectum and alcohol poured in.

The practice, known among students as 'butt chugging', took place during a party at the Pi Kappa Alpha House on the grounds of the University of Tennessee.

Using the enema speeds up the process of alcohol entering the blood stream because it bypasses the liver's filters.

The 20-year-old was found to have a dangerously-high blood alcohol level of 'well over' 0.4.

Hospital staff treating the unconscious student at first thought he was the victim of a sexual assault when they examined his body.

They later discovered from his friends that he had been given the crude alcohol enema at the frat house in Knoxville.

Doctors at the UT Medical Center said the student had ingested so much alcohol he could have died from alcohol poisoning.

Investigators who later went to the frat house found three other students passed out in their rooms from drinking. They also found boxes of empty boxes of wine strewn around the Pi Kappa Alpha House.

University officials have now suspended the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity while police investigate the drinking party.

Broughton, who is from Memphis, was taken to hospital by a friend in the early hours of Saturday morning, according to a police report.

The student appeared to be 'extremely intoxicated and showed signs of physical and possible sexual assault'.

He was transferred to the hospital's critical care unit after his blood alcohol reading was put at 'well over' 0.4.

Broughton was discharged from the hospital on Monday. Police discovered that the 20-year-old and others at the frat house had been taking part in 'butt chugging'.

Police spokesman Darrell DeBusk said: 'Upon extensive questioning it is believed that members of the fraternity were using rubber tubing inserted into their rectums as a conduit for alcohol as the abundance of capillaries and blood vessels present greatly heightens the level and speed of the alcohol entering the blood stream as it bypasses the filtering by the liver.'

A spokesman for the University of Tennessee said: 'University officials are currently conducting an investigation into allegations involving the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity chapter and incidents that occurred over the weekend.

'Due to the gravity of the allegations, interim sanctions have already been imposed upon the chapter and will remain in effect until the investigation is concluded and final reports are available.'

It is not the first time the PIKE chapter has been involved in trouble at the university.

In 2008, the chapter was placed on administrative suspension after a hazing incident where pledges were allegedly asked to do push-ups on broken glass.

Three students were later hospitalized with staph infections. A member of the fraternity said pledges were asked perform a 'lateral ab movement' known as 'bows and toes' on the bathroom floor.

The university's Office of Student Judicial Affairs charged the chapter with hazing and it pleaded guilty.

After completing its suspension, the chapter served several months of probation. The international PIKE organization investigated and kicked out 25 of the chapter's active members.


Fraternity demands right to beer enemas in UT Student Court

Will PKA appeal to the UT Student Court, to demand a Don't Ask Don't Tell Policy for beer enemas?

links

UT students use beer enemas to protest underage drinking laws

University of Tennessee students commit suicide by beer enemas to protest underage drinking laws

Friday, September 21, 2012