LIP News

TWO DEFINING MOMENTS

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    There are two defining moments for me in the Roseboro case.  One is the above photo of Angela Funk.  It was sent to me by a poster on the Lancaster Online Talkback forum.

    The origin of the photo?  The Lancaster Newspapers LancMoms.com website.   That’s right.  The Lancaster Newspapers, who have never run a photo of Michael Roseboro’s mistress and now mother of his child, Angela Funk, in their print or online editions had this picture on their own website.

    And it reminds me of the day that Funk was publicly named in the police Affidavit of Probable Cause charging Roseboro with the murder of his wife, Jan.  A Talkbacker found her photo on the LancMoms site and linked to it on the forum.  The Lancaster Newspapers immediately took the photo down, closed all the Roseboro threads on their Talkback forum and deleted any links to my site.

     The incredible cover-up of the Roseboro murder case had begun and I realized there must be a hell of a story here.  A very smart Talkbacker captured the above photo before LNP took it down and sent it to me.  I was stunned as over two thousand six hundred people came to this site on one day last August to see this photograph of Angela Funk.

    I think those on the forum would be surprised by who sent me the photo – but that’s not my business to tell.  I simply thank them yet again.

    The second defining moment was my first conversation with someone whose email to me I almost ignored, thinking it was someone else. 

    In that August phone call, I was told in no uncertain terms that Angela Funk was pregnant and Roseboro had to be the father.  Not only was Funk telling people he was the father, but her husband, Randy, had a vasectomy after the birth of their second daughter. 

    I believe I’m generally a fairly good judge of people.  You have to be in this business.  Oh, I’ve been tricked, but that wouldn’t be the case here.  I published last August that Angela Funk was pregnant with Roseboro’s baby on this site and I stood by it for months until the absolute proof came with a photo of an obviously pregnant Funk on Christmas day. 

    Angela gave birth to Michael Roseboro’s baby on March 27 of this year and by naming him Matthew Rudy (the last name is her maiden name), she also gave her son the same initials as his father – Michael Roseboro.

    And my thanks go out once again to this person.

A DEADLY AFFAIR

    Michael Roseboro, a prominent, wealthy member of Lancaster County society was married for 19 years to the mother of his four children, Jan.  He had numerous affairs over the course of their marriage.

    Angela Funk was on her second marriage and living less than a block from the Roseboro Funeral Home in Denver when she met Roseboro.  Her first marriage ended in divorce within a year because she cheated on her husband with a married man.

    She dated many married men until she met her current husband, Randy.  He was a virgin who lived at home with his parents until his early thirties when he met Funk and they married.  He bought the house they are now living in on Walnut Street in Denver.  He and Angela have two daughters together.

    Michael Roseboro asked Angela Funk to lunch one day and Funk agreed.  They started a hot and heavy affair and shopped for a wedding dress and discussed how Angela would wear her hair for their wedding.

    And then Angela got pregnant – many think purposely.  And Jan Roseboro was brutally killed by her pool on July 22, 2008 while three of her children were in the house.   The only known other person present – her husband, Michael Roseboro.

    The trial of Michael Roseboro for killing his wife, Jan, begins Monday in the Lancaster County Courthouse.

    Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman is personally prosecuting the case.  If he fails to get a conviction, his career is over.

    LIP News will publish this afternoon and then go on July 4th break Saturday and Sunday.  Daily publishing will resume on Monday, July 6, as jury selection begins in the murder trail of Michael Roseboro.

Please check back later today…

“FEARFULL OF A

 MESSY DIVORCE?”

 WHO KNEW?

    This comment in from my friend, Hill.  Chill?  Say what?  Are you nuts?  Who can chill with a trial like this coming up?  I plan to have a blast while in Lancaster.  I owe you and two others emails.  I’m off tomorrow and will make it up to you all.  Chill?  I’m about as hyper as I’ve ever been!   Trying to chill….trying….trying…trying

Becky,
    Chill …the Roseboro  case starts on Monday!!
This was reported in the EPHRATA REVIEW THIS WEEK ..

    Roseboro Set To Face Jury…
    According to the county court schedule, the selection of jurors will begin July 6, and the trail will be presided over by Judge James P. Cullen.
    The trial is expected to last to three weeks, Lancaster County District Attorney Craig Stedman Said.
    Much of the prosecution’s motive rests on testimony provided by Roseboro’s alleged mistress, Angela Funk.
    Funk of Denver, told investigators that Roseboro told her repeatedly that he loved her and talked about plans to marry. She also said
    THAT HE WAS FEARFUL THAT A MESSY DIVORCE WOULD BE CERTIAN AND THAT HIS WIFE “COULD PROBABLY TAKE HIM FOR ALOT IF SHE FOUND OUT ABOUT US”
     Funk also admitted to investigators that at the time of Jan’s death’ she was pregnant with Roseboro’s child.
   

    Hope You Have fun while up here in Lancaster reporting this case… LNP MAY NOT EVEN GO…LOL..

AWFUL REPORTING!

    Apparently, it’s hazardous being a robber these days.

Today’s lead sentence by Cindy Stauffer in her front page article, “Alleged pizza bandit has tough time of it,” (click here).

    How does a sentence this stupid get by copy editors and editors?  Is this a newspaper or a joke?

    Instead of making fun of Elvin Perez Jr., Cindy, why don’t you tell us why the police haven’t captured him?  Why don’t you tell us why the police don’t know who the second individual involved in the three robberies is?  Why don’t you have a description of this person or persons?  This article focuses solely on Perez when there was a second person involved in all three robberies!  There is not a word about this person or persons.  This is terrible police work and awful reporting. 

    Go back and retake Journalism 101, Stauffer.  Can this paper get any worse?

HUMOR COLUMN?

    Which brings me to this column, as today I welcome New Era subscribers, including my stepmom, to our readership. Hi, Hilda!

Larry Alexander in his column today, “Some weeks are longer than others,” (click here).

    As I read this ridiculous, waste of time column, I thought many things.  One of them is that Larry Alexander, who describes his column as a “humor column,” did not bring one smile to my face while reading it.  The other fifteen thoughts are below:

1.  This man is paid a good salary.

2.  This man has worked for the Lancaster Newspapers for years.  How can that be?

3.  This man has all day to write his column.

4.  This man is sitting in a news room with reports of people being shot and

     stabbed coming in all day and he writes this trash?

5.  This column is just dreadful.

6.  Who reads this crap?  I bet not even his stepmom Hilda.

7.  This man has a legion of editors and co-workers who should tell him this is

     dreadful.

8.  I work at an unrelated job all day and have two hours or less to write my

     afternoon “piece.”

9.  I do not receive a good salary.

10.  I do not have a legion of editors and co-workers to check my work.

11.  This has been a long week and I need a vacation.

12.  Larry Alexander seems to have a vacation day every single day.

13.  Something is not right here.

14.  I am taking the day off today to mow my lawn.  If my grass gets any higher

        my neighbors may lodge a complaint.

15.  I am saying Hi to Hilda too!

    Even his stepmom didn’t buy his paper!  What a hoot!  Now the poor dear may be forced to read him.  This borders on criminal.

    Can you tell I’m getting antsy for the Roseboro trial or what?  This site will publish tomorrow and briefly on Friday and then take Saturday and Sunday off for the July 4 Holiday.  Yippee!

HARD HITTING NEWS?

    The Roseboro trial will make headlines unless someone else loses their hot water in E. Hempfield Twp, then it will be bumped to make way for this hard hitting news. Did anyone else think this story was in no way news worthy?

    The beginning of a comment I received yesterday under “THEY’RE COMING…”  This is referring to yesterday’s front page story with picture by Cindy Stauffer titled, “Water heater out for almost 4 days at East Hempfield apartment building” (click here).

    This most certainly was not front page news and with a headline like that who needs more?  It tells us all we need to know.  Is this Ernie Schreiber’s idea of investigative reporting?  What a joke!

Please check back later today…

~ Lights, Trolleys & Flowers ~

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE CC!

    Is it all about what the people staying at the convention center can see out of their windows at night? Everything they do from here on out is going to factor in that stinking CC and I’m so glad that out of towners are more important than the residents living here-lovely!

Posted on the Lancaster Online Talkback forum under yesterday’s article, “ Patriotic parking on Prince Street - State grant helps fund $60,000 project,” (click here).

    Yes, everything is about the convention center.  Everything.  The trolley project and the downtown beautification and the lights on the parking garage ramp!  They quote Mayor Gray in this amazingly stupid article saying this about other mayors visiting Lancaster who saw the lights:

    They all ooohed and aaahed, Gray said.

    You know Rick, you sound more and more every day like your predecessor and overall embarrassment for the city, Charlie (Cannonball) Smithgall.  And it seems as if people have had enough.  There was this posted under the article:

    Patriotic, because of colors? Where’s the language abuse police when you need them?
    Community development funds for pretty lights at the garage.
    Cement building goes from utilitarian, to oh gee, with addition of lights. Not sure what that says about the observers, but I think it disqualifies them from judging art contests.

    What a hoot!  Let’s not forget Rick Gray’s wife is an artist!  And there was this:

    Lancaster can find more stupid ways to pizz away taxpayers money and this has got to top the list.

    And this:

    Gray said the mayors all ooohed and ahhhhed-big freaking deal!!! OMG this pisses me off beyond belief!!!! 

    And this:
    $60,000.00 for a bunch of lights on a damn PARKING GARAGE. Why wasn’t that money used to fix some of the rotten streets in the city?? I am beginning to think King Rick has completely lost it.

    Yes, I think Rick has lost touch with reality.  And to think I used to believe this man had a conscience, a commitment to helping the downtrodden and a belief in justice.  It’s sad and discouraging to watch the emperor lose his clothes!

UPDATE

    What was Becky’s response, given that his sister testified that he’d beaten Angie?

This question was posted on the Talkback forum about the letter I received from Tedor Davido that is posted on this site (click here) and under the New Era article, “Death-sentence appeal focuses on gypsy life,” (click here).

    The answer to that question will come tomorrow.

Note:  Please read the great comments under “THEY’RE COMING…” below.  A new one just came in.

BRING ON THE COUGARS!

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    This comment in from my friend Hill yesterday:

Hey Becky,
    I too hope to see the price of the paper goes down… Geeze The LNP is looking alot like a small time newspaper. It reminds me a lot of my hometown paper the Johnstown Tribune Democrat.  Also wasn’t there a lot of coverage on that wild cougar running loose in southern Lancaster County,,,,Now That’s definitely something they would report in my little ole city of Johnstown …. What a Hoot!!!!

    Hey, stop stealing my line, Hill! Yep, the paper is really looking sorry – the same old New Era writers – Cindy Stauffer and Janet Kelley.  The two women who have written countless articles about all the unsolved murders in Lancaster County and yet think everything is just great with the police, the DA’s office, the judges and the courts.  Don’t get me started…

    Yep, the cougar made big headlines. Hill, and I’ve been told by numerous extremely reputable sources close to the situation that you may have some personal involvement with that poor Amish man being attacked.  Enough said!

    We need another cougar to get some excitement going and guess what – they are about to appear!  Michael Roseboro and Angie Funk take the stage front and center next week and I can’t wait.  The Roseboro murder trial is less than a week away!

    Please send any comments and thoughts you have and they will all be posted here.  Hill, don’t forget I need to borrow your notebook (please disregard the above whole cougar thing), Abby, I’m looking forward to iced tea around the pool and, Barb, I need your amazing analytical skills.

    Okay, I’ll try to remain calm until the trial begins.  Bring on the cougars!

~ Let’s Talk Money! ~

13 DOWN TO 7?

    Well, I’m not used to this.  I used to get home shortly after 3:00 pm and immediately pull up the eEditions of the New Era for the “latest” news.  You never knew what sicko editor Ernie Schreiber was going to do but he did have - how do I put this politely - a big penchant for animals.  So many dogs and doggie pictures graced the front page it could have been an American Kennel Club publication.  Remember the woman who had her three dogs stolen from her parked car in York and she was offering a $15,000 reward?  She made the front page several times but, sadly, we never heard the outcome of that one – it must not have had a happy ending. 

    And who can forget former Coroner Gary Kirchner and his guinea pigs on the front page?  That has to go down as one of the most vicious personal attacks by Schreiber against a public official ever – with the exception of his repeated attacks and lies about former Commissioner Molly Henderson. 

    But, I digress.  I was wondering today if the price of eEditions will come down?  I mean, I used to pay the same price to get six editions of the Intell, six of the New Era and one Sunday News – 13 in all per week.  I lost one edition when they combined for the Saturday edition.  But now, instead of 13 papers, I am getting only seven – for the same price!  Can this be?  Will they lower the price?  Have I been snookered?  What gives?  Are we all supposed to pretend that we didn’t notice?  Hmmm…I will do my best to find out.

    There’s a lot to catch up on.  Can you believe Charlie (Cannonball) Smithgall is running again?  I mean, the man is a bad comic strip. He cannot be serious.

    And the world’s stupidest idea besides the convention center, the streetcar in Lancaster, has reared its ugly head once again.  Unbelievable!

    And we have the security cameras, racism and Little Caesars to talk about.  And the Roseboro trial!  They will all come in the next several days.

    Today, I have some phone calls to make.  Hey, I’m going from 13 to 7 and paying the same price?  Do I look stupid?  If I bought the paper editions my price would go down – because there’s no afternoon paper to buy!  Why isn’t my price going down?  Let’s talk money, LNP!

LIAR, FRAUD & SICKO!

    The New Era’s new motto, which appears in the publisher’s box above, says it all: “The voice for Republicanism in the Garden Spot.”

From today’s “New Era” editorial by Ernie Schreiber, “New Era: Voice for Republicanism.”

    Maybe Schreiber should add:  “The voice for racism in the Garden Spot!”

    The Lancaster Newspapers finally got their eEidtions on line at about 7:30 am.  Yuck!  Billy Mays and Michael Jackson made the front page – Jackson with this bizarre headline, “In death, blacks embrace Jackson unreservedly.”  Say what?

     And don’t you love Ernie Schreiber’s editorial.  Yes, this man is a Quaker, a member of the Lancaster Friends Meeting.  You know, the people who are for peace above everything else.  The people that were early and outspoken abolitionists.  The church that is usually recognized for its liberal and progressive take on politics and society. 

    How does Schreiber reconcile the two?  Ummm…liar, fraud and sicko all come to mind!

Please check back later today…

    It’s 6:00 – where’s my eEdition of the Intell/New Era?  This is not a good way to start, boys!

TRACKING SMART?

    I think you’d feel differently if there were a camera in front of your quiet suburban house, and cameras along the way, tracking Gil Smart throughout the day.

Posted on the Lancaster Online Talkback forum.

Please check back later today…

“SHAME ON LITTLE CAESARS”

    This comment in today under “A LIP STRINGER VISITS LITTLE CAESAR’S!” below on this site.  Several notes:

1.  You do not have to provide a name or an email address to comment on this site.

2.  The comments do have to be approved by me before they show up on this site.

3.  I have no idea who anyone is but my webhost does provide IP information.  In this case it lists the IP as coming from PenTeleData, Inc. out of Palmerton, PA.  That is all it tells me.  I know this is a cable provider and I know they serve Lancaster County.  That is all I know about the person who sent this.

4.  I have placed repeated calls today for the owner of Little Caesar’s, Greg Hinkle. He was expected, he wasn’t expected, he wasn’t in, he was in but he ran to Walmart for a minute, etc.

5.  I left my name, number and who I am at about 2:00 pm today and asked for him to call me back.

6.  I will have much more on this on Monday.  Tomorrow I will have a news round-up.

7.  I am republishing the comment the way it was received.  I have made no changes.

8.  Yikes!  This is hard to read for old timers like me.  Could we get back to basic English and spelling and drop some of the internet slang/short cuts?

    I’m not to sure this was caise of racism cause I don’t know all the parties involed but it is a cause of management stupity first of all if u can c on the tape that he didn’t do it well then he should apologize n hv the employee come bk, as a former boss n now employee I ould think he would look in 2 the facts b4 the drastic move of firing but if he did do it then of course there is know telling how much in the future he will take later, I wonder if this boss never was young or better yet made a mistake that he was never was talked 2 about n even forgiven 4. come on now this case of firing the young man n not even giving him a chance u could hv atleast kept him in ur employment n maybe hv given him a day off without so he would of had time to think about what he did that is if he is guilty in which I doubt (cause of I read). Get real little Ceasears would u hv like 2 b fausely accused of something u didn’t do. I hope his mother takes it 2 next level 2 teach u a lesson especially if this has to do with racism. SHAME ON YOU LITTLE CEASEARS

WHITE, WHITE, WHITE…

    The Lancaster Newspaper’s have their new employee directory up for the combined Intell/New Era (click here).  Can anyone find a minority?  If so, please let me know!

Please check back later today…

THE TALE OF THE TAPE

    As evidenced by the Little Caesar’s receipt below, a friend of mine visited their Lititz store last evening after eighteen-year-old Malcolm Banks was fired yesterday afternoon for allegedly stealing a $.59 dipping sauce.  I spoke with Malcolm and his mother this afternoon by phone and I will have that, my friend’s interview with the owner, Greg Hinkle, and more on this tomorrow.  The alleged theft was captured on video – video the owner, Greg Hinkle, refused to let my friend view “on the advice of his attorney.”  Malcolm and his mother both reviewed the video several times and say it exonerates Malcolm from the theft of one buttery garlic dipping sauce.

*** BREAKING NEWS ***

    Manheim Township Police Officer Barto called Malcolm Banks today at 6:30 pm to question him about the dipping sauce and his return to Little Caesars with his mother this afternoon.  Unbelievable.  Please see “FIRED OVER A DIPPING SAUCE” immediately below. 

There will be much more tomorrow…

~ Racism Alleged ~

FIRED OVER A DIPPING SAUCE!

    I received a phone call today from an upset Irene Banks of Manheim Township.  Her son, Malcolm, was fired from Little Caesars Pizza in Lititz today after working his shift.  Malcolm, who graduated from Manheim Township High School, is eighteen and worked there for two days.  

    Yesterday, after his first shift was over, a friend joined him there and they ordered a pizza and crazy bread.  Irene Banks says she watched the tape three times and the friend took a small dipping sauce from the counter.  Her son chose a different sauce and handed the one his friend took back to the woman behind the counter.

    The owner, Greg Hinkle, fired Malcolm today at 2:00 when his shift ended saying he stole a dipping sauce yesterday.  Malcolm, his friend, and his mother, Irene, returned to the store to question the manager this afternoon.  Ms. Banks said the tape clearly shows the two young men leaving with one $.63 cent sauce.

    Malcolm Banks is black and was the only black employee working at Little Caesars. 

    I called Little Caesars after speaking with Irene Banks.  The owner was not available but I asked the woman who answered the phone about the incident.  She said they have had several black and Hispanic employees in the past since they opened on January 6th of this year.  She stated she had seen the tape and said the sauces are two for a dollar and the boys bought one and took another.  I asked her if she was an assistant manager and she said yes.  I told her who I was and asked for her name.  She hung up the phone.

    I will call Little Caesars tomorrow and attempt to speak with the owner.

There will be more tomorrow…

A DEADLY AFFAIR

                  -                             -                               

    Michael Roseboro goes on trial July 6 for the murder of his wife, Jan Roseboro.  Judge James P. Cullen has assigned three days - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - for jury selection with opening statements from the attorneys scheduled for Thursday, July 9. 

    Two important dates come even before the trial in July.  July 1 is Angela and Randy Funk’s wedding anniversary.  Angela Funk was Roseboro’s mistress and pregnant with his baby on July 22, 2008, the day Jan was murdered.  She gave birth on March 27 of this year to a baby boy who is named Matthew Rudy.  Rudy is Funk’s maiden name and the initials match those of Roseboro. 

    Angela. her husband Randy, their two daughters and the baby are still living together in a house they own on Walnut Street in Denver, less than a block from the Roseboro Funeral Home.

    July 2 is Jan Roseboro’s birthday.  She would have been forty-six years old.  She and Mike had four children.  Her sister, Susan, has been taking care of three of the children at the Roseboro’s home in Reinholds.

    I spoke to both Allan Sodomsky, Roseboro’s defense attorney, and Diana Weaver of the District Attorney’s office yesterday.  A pre-trial conference that appears on Roseboro’s docket for today will not take place.  It was scheduled on an “if needed” basis and according to Sodomsky “It’s not going to happen.”  Weaver, who is assisting District Attorney Craig Stedman who will prosecute Roseboro, said the next time Stedman plans to be in court will be Monday, July 6, as jury selection begins.

    LIP News will have full, daily coverage of the trial beginning with Stedman’s and Sodomsky’s opening statements on July 9

[Editor’s note:  I previously published that the trial would begin on July 17 based on erroneous information provided to me by the Clerk of Court’s office.  I apologize for the error.]

Please check back tomorrow for the Roseboro case.  There is just too much happening this afternoon to post.  Thank you.

~ Puppet Rick Gray! ~

NO JEWEL!

    Mary Catherine Roper, staff attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Pennsylvania, says the coalition’s role as a self-appointed, self-policed gatekeeper for blanket surveillance of an entire city is unique.
    “This is the first time, the only time, I’ve heard of it anywhere,” she said. “It is such a phenomenally bad idea that it is stunning to me.”
    She said the coalition structure provides no public oversight or accountability, and may be exempt from state laws governing release of public records.
    “When I hear people off the street can come in and apply to watch the camera on my street, now I’m terrified,” she added. “That could be my nosy neighbor, or my stalker ex-boyfriend, or a burglar stalking my home.”
    These amazing quotes are from the Los Angeles Times article, “Lancaster, Pa., keeps a close eye on itself,” (click here).

    Today, the Lancaster Newspapers finally picked up on this story that has the nation talking – please note that the Lancaster Newspapers are a major donor to this whole sickening fiasco – with the Intell story, “Keeping watch on the city’s cameras,” (click here).  There is this bit of complete crap, from a former defense attorney no less:

    Lancaster Mayor Rick Gray said it was good to have an outsider write a story that allows locals to step back and look at and debate the cameras. But he said he felt the article had a sense of “big-city condescension” for Lancaster.

    “I’ve been in Los Angeles, and that’s certainly no jewel,” Gray said.

    Oh, that’s a great answer, Rick!  You are no jewel, that’s for sure. 

    Yes, wait until outsiders write about the convention center/hotel and the Lancaster Newspaper’s involvement, the racism, the unsolved murders, and the corruption that is rampant in the police departments and the DA’s office.  The country is going to learn a lot more about this historic little town controlled by the Lancaster Newspapers and their latest puppet, Mayor Rick Gray.

Please check back later today…

~ A Very Busy Three Days! ~

FOOD FOR THOUGHT!

    It’s going to be a busy three days coming up.  The PA League of Cities comes in tomorrow for their 110th annual convention and the Lancaster Newspapers will have a field day.  I can’t wait to read all the awe inspiring quotes from lying Mayor Rick Gray they will publish!

    Thursday Michael Roseboro has his pre-trial conference for the murder of his wife, Jan.  It looks as if Roseboro may attend although it is not required.  He could also plea the case at the conference. The prosecution and defense attorneys must attend and the judge will rule on numerous important issues and motions and if Roseboro does not change his plea, the absolute trial date will be set.  There will be more on all of this tomorrow. 

    Friday will be the last day the Lancaster Newspapers publish an afternoon New Era.  It will mark a huge change in the way we obtain our local news.

SWEET TREATS & HOAXES!

    As I rest up for the busy days ahead, a little bit of Talkback humor.  This was posted under Marv Adam’s aptly named and incredibly stupid column this week titled, “The hoax is on you”:

    My wife asked me why I read Smart and Marv…….
    I told her because it feels so good when I stop……………   

    That is brilliant and so true!  I try to have a sweet treat ready every Sunday morning if I manage to finish both of their columns.  Believe me, I deserve it.

    And this question was asked of Artie See of LookingatLancaster.com under the same column:

    hey artie see..how many days left for the commisioners? i forgot since last sunday

    Yes, Artie must have slept in this week because normally he is the very first poster under Marv’s column week in and week out.  But Artie woke up and he immediately came back with:

    925 days left
    … in terms of County Commissioners Lehman, Martin, and Stuckey. 

    It is, of course, a little reminder of Marv’s weekly countdown of the prior commissioners the Lancaster Newspapers booted out of office.

GROCERY STORE ONLY!

    misleading title……

   Was the first post under today’s New Era story, “OUTDOORS: The thrill of mushrooming.”

As you can imagine, this headline perked people up!  No, it wasn’t that kind of mushrooms! 

    Now let me give you my take on this.  I love mushrooms but you will never find me “picking” them in the outdoors.  Oh, no!  I don’t care what kind of expert comes and declares them edible.  I know I will be poisoned.  What if the expert has a memory lapse?  What if they wrongly identify them?  What if the expert falls for the old look-alike mushroom!  I will not be tricked and poisoned - I only buy my mushrooms at the grocery store.  It’s always better to be safe and not sorry!

Now, I made myself hungry.  Please check back tomorrow…

THE LETTER FROM DAVIDO

    I received the following letter from Tedor Davido in January of 2009.  It came in a white envelope with “INMATE MAIL PA DEPT OF CORRECTIONS” stamped in red as part of the postmark.  The return address was preprinted – 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg, PA  15370.  Davido hand wrote below it “SCI Greene.”  SCI Greene is a maximum security prison located 40 miles south of Pittsburgh where Pennsylvania death row inmates are held.

    The letter is hand written in very neat handwriting on a yellow, legal size piece of paper.  A print out of my 2006 article about Davido was also enclosed (please see the story immediately below on this site).

January 12, 2009

Dear Mrs. Holzinger Lip News,

    I am Tedor Davido death row inmate here in Pennsylvania death row SCI Greene from Lancaster County, PA.  Your paper did an article about me in the year 2006 (see enclosed).  I just found the article and I am hoping you are still interested in my case.  It has come to light that Lancaster’s forensic pathologist Dr. Wayne K. Ross who conducted the autopsy on my girl friend and testified for the commonwealth falsified the cause and manner of the death of my girl friend and gave the very false testimony as to her cause of death.  Spahn and Gratton intentionally did not represent me properly and neglected evidence that proved my innocence.

    I have new lawyers and documentation that proves I did not rape nor murder my girl friend.  My attorneys here recently filed my PCRA – post collateral relief act in Lancaster Court and we are still searching for my girl friend’s medical records that will clearly without a doubt prove Ross falsified her cause of death, however, the evidence, physical evidence proves I did not rape nor kill nor cause Angelina’s death.  I have documents I could send you of course with my new lawyer’s advise first.

    I need to know if you’re still interested and God knows I need your help.  I couldn’t include a self addressed stamped envelope but I pray you are still interested and write me back as soon as possible.  I am innocent of murder and rape and I was denied due process and prosecuted with false testimony and evidence from Dr. Ross.  Please get back to me.

Sincerely,

Tedor Davido EW4765

“PLEASE GET BACK TO ME”

    I wrote the below in response to a February 14, 2006 New Era article by Janet Kelley titled, “April 11 execution slated for local killer” about Tedor Davido and it is permanently archived here.  He is, of course, in the news again today with Kelley’s article, “Killer blames violent father,” (click here).

    Davido found this article and mailed me a letter in January of 2009 with a copy of it printed out and enclosed.  It’s a handwritten letter on a sheet of yellow legal paper and I will publish his letter to me tomorrow.

~ Davido Should Not Be On Death-Row ~

APRIL 11 EXECUTION

WILL NOT HAPPEN

    “None,” was Attorney Merrill Spahn’s response to my question by phone this morning as to the odds of Tedor Davido being executed on April 11, 2006.  “He has a multitude of appeals,” he said.  Spahn said the only way he could theoretically be executed on April 11 is if Davido were to forgo all possible appeals and he said he found that “very unlikely.”

    Deputy Public Defender Spahn and Assistant Public Defender James Gratton were Davido’s attorneys in his murder trial in 2001.  They no longer represent him.  Spahn said his defense is now most likely being handled by the Capital Unit of Federal Appeals based in Philadelphia.

    There are many, many serious problems with this being a death penalty case.   

    To begin with, I am going to take you to two recent, “similar” incidents in which the men involved were not even charged with attempted homicide.  And, they were very “lucky” that their victims survived. 

    One was only two weeks ago.  On February 1, 2006 the Intell had this story, “Man accused of 2nd attack on ex-girlfriend.” (Click here.)   Akeem Washington, for the second time in less than a month, seriously assaulted his ex-girlfriend and this time was trying to kill her.  The article says, “Police say Washington sliced Perez’s throat with a knife, leaving a 3-inch cut.” 

    Was Washington charged with attempted homicide?  No. He was charged with, “aggravated assault, burglary, simple assault, terroristic threats, tampering with or fabricating evidence and intimidation of a victim.”

    If this woman had died he would have been charged with murder.  Would he get the death penalty?

    The second story is here – “Woman critically hurt in beating” from the New Era on September 5, 2005.  The article is in archives but the opening sentence is still there for you to read, “A 36-year-old Green Street man viciously beat his girlfriend with a small baseball bat early today and then threw the woman onto the street, rendering her unconscious, city police said.”  The article goes on to say she was in critical condition at Lancaster General Hospital. 

    Steven Morgan, the perpetrator, did this in front of witnesses.  The article says, “Several witnesses saw Morgan chase the woman down the 500 block of Green Street at about 2:20 a.m. today, Bernot  [Police Officer Phil Bernot] said.  When Morgan caught up with the woman, he struck her about four or five times on the head with a 16-inch wooden mini-bat, police said.  As the woman lay on her back, Morgan grabbed her by the front of her shirt and slammed her back and head down onto the street, the officer was told.”

     Was Morgan charged with attempted homicide?  No.  According to the article, he was charged with, “aggravated assault (domestic violence) and resisting arrest.”

    If this woman had died he would have been charged with murder.  Would he get the death penalty?

    Today’s Intell article on Davido, “Lancaster city man is slated for execution,” (click here)  says he “repeatedly refused to cooperate with his attorneys, Assistant Public Defender James Gratton and Deputy Defender Merrill Spahn.  Against their advice, Davido took the stand in his own defense.” 

    That doesn’t mean he should get the death penalty. 

    There is another very disturbing side to this story as relayed in the same article.  It says, “First Assistant District Attorney Heidi Eakin told jurors Davido had been arrested three years before Taylor’s murder for an unrelated violent crime.  In 1997, Davido was arrested for attempted murder, kidnapping, rape and weapons violations, Eakin said.  He served 2 years in an Ohio prison on a reduced charge of assault and was paroled in 2000.”

    There is something terribly wrong in that information.  If Eakin told his jurors he was arrested for attempted murder, kidnapping, rape and weapons violations then why did he only serve 2 years?  Were the jurors made aware of the final court sentence and what crimes he was actually convicted of?  Or were they only told what he was initially “arrested for”?  He only served two years.  This was highly incendiary and untruthful information that was provided to the jury.

    The death penalty in this case was arbitrary and groundless, based on erroneous information from the District Attorney’s Office.  This man should not be facing execution.  Yes, his crime was horrific.  Unfortunately, there are a lot of horrific crimes.  The two mentioned above in this article were horrific and yet neither of those men were even charged with attempted homicide.  Davido’s case is not a death penalty case.  He should not be on death-row.

    I will follow-up with the appeals unit mentioned in Philadelphia and I will have more on this story at a later date.

BIRD’S-EYE VIEW

    But poverty is double the state’s average, and public school records list more than 900 children as homeless. Police blame most of last year’s 3,638 felony crimes, chiefly thefts, on gangs that use Lancaster as a way station to move cocaine, heroin and other illegal drugs along the Eastern Seaboard.
From yesterday’s Los Angeles Times article, “Lancaster, Pa., keeps a close eye on itself,” (click here).

    A journalist’s mind is driven by a current of curiosity flowing from years of research and the demands of editors who expect us to have a deep pool of knowledge regarding whatever topic we cover. That current produces constant waves of hard questions and tides of focused listening in professional and private life.

Dave Pidgeon in his final Intell column,” You can never truly stop being a journalist,” (click here).

    You never started being a journalist, Dave. 

Please check back later today…