** I spoke with a family member at 3:45 pm today. Karina has not been located. The York Police have been notified. Jeffrey Allen Reid, Jr. is the father of Karina’s daughter but they were not together as a couple. Karina has never been gone like this and not notified her family. Reid is extremely dangerous. He is wanted for murder in a shooting in York this Saturday and an arson on Monday (click here). Please share their photos everywhere you can and if you know or see anything call 911.
* See below for possible suspect – Jeffrey Allen Reid, Jr., 27, of York. If you see her or know anything about her whereabouts, please dial 911. Her family believes she may be in grave danger! She has three children.
On December 6, 2010, an arsonist killed Olga Sanchez-Reyes and critically injured two of her children. A year-and-a-half before, an arsonist also targeted a property owned by Sanchez-Reyes and her husband. This post will remain at the top of this site until an arrest is made in this horrific murder and also the horrific murder below added in July of this year. Click here for “Lancaster police chief vows to find arsonist.”
On May 16th of this year, 83-year-old Erma Kaylor was brutally stabbed to death in her home at 235 W. Vine Street. No arrest has been made.
Click here for “Chief says police will find killer of 83-year-old woman.”
Click on the “UNSOLVED MURDERS” tab above to see the names of the victims of the eleven unsolved murders since Keith Sadler became the Police Chief on April 23, 2008.
______________________________________________
This permanent box had been up for over a year when on July 29, 2012, I chanced upon Rosaura Torres-Sadler and her book detailing physical abuse by her ex-husband, the current Chief of the Lancaster Police, Keith Sadler (click here). The Lancaster Newspapers have not written one word about this and most citizens in Lancaster are unaware of his past. “Abuse Hidden Behind the Badge” is available from Amazon.com.
The Lancaster Police finally charged the woman who drove into the East Side Commercial Kitchens on Sunday (click here). She is Rasheda Melissa Glazier. It took the police four days to “find” and charge her. This is unacceptable. They knew her identity very early on! She was in the Lancaster Common Pleas Court System this March pleading guilty to assault. She has four pages of traffic tickets. She is known and has a bad reputation throughout the town. If the police had acted far more quickly and done their jobs, she should have been tested for drugs and alcohol immediately following the accident. And this woman was not hard to find. The police were lazy. They simply did not want to do their jobs. If not for pressure from WGAL, this site and certain individuals, this might well have gone down as another “cold case.” This is happening over and over again and it is obviously unacceptable and an outrage. There will be much more tomorrow.
Police departments breaking the law, failing to fingerprint
Richard Rivera, Jr., 18, who was shot by a still unnamed Lancaster Police Officer on Friday, July 11, was released from Lancaster General Hospital yesterday. According to the Lancaster County Prison website, he is housed in the “ADSEG” block, which stands for “Administrative Segregation,” but commonly means “solitary confinement.” According to his docket, he was scheduled for his preliminary hearing today at 2:15 pm in front of District Judge John C. Winters. Ms. Kim of Winters’ office, said this afternoon by phone that since he had only been released from the hospital yesterday, he has not had the opportunity to obtain legal counsel and today’s hearing was continued for that reason. LIP News will stay with this story until the public gets answers!
Police say the 33-year-old, whose name has not yet been released, drove her boyfriend’s Dodge Caravan through a wall of the East Side Community Kitchen on North Plum Street around noon, barely missing a man washing dishes inside. She then fled the scene. WGAL-TV, “Police to charge woman for ramming van into Lancaster business,” (click here). You’ve had three days, Lancaster Police! Could we know this woman’s name and the charges now? Please check back later today.
The above article was on page B-1 of today’s print edition. I have yet to see it go up on the Lancaster Newspaper’s website or Facebook page, so I’ll be brief today and come back to it when I can link to an article people can read. Maybe LNP is too embarrassed or too afraid of the outrage and backlash it will cause if they put it online! They sent a summer intern to do this story. (one of their four, white summer interns). Can you even imagine? A college kid who doesn’t have a clue that this is total hypocrisy on the part of the police. If you recall, I wrote a piece about this when Katelyn Smith of WGAL interviewed Lt. Todd Umstead about the camera registery program and it is reprinted below (click here for the original). The Lancaster Police have absolutely no idea how to use cameras for some strange reason. You see, Todd, in Philadelphia they release the videos to the public for their help in identifying the perpetrators so they can be arrested! And it works and they even have a YouTube channel to post them on. Do you understand that concept, Lt. Umstead? A man was shot at the McDonalds at 575 North Franklin Street on July 3rd. There were multiple witnesses and the fight inside and the shooting outside were caught on McDonald’s surveillance cameras. Yet, not one word of a description has been released to the public let alone video images of the shooter. And, needless to say, no one has been arrested so he is still on the street to shoot again. It has been 19 days! This is unacceptable, Lt. Umstead. This is not police work! You don’t receive a paycheck for “work” like this! Your job is to protect the public and arrest the shooter! Arrest the shooter or resign! DO YOUR DAMN JOB! ***************************************************************
Kate, this is Todd!
Todd, who?
Umstead, Kate! Your charming Lancaster Police spokesperson.
Oh, Todd, I’m sorry! It’s been a while since I talked to you. How is your handsome self?
I’m great! I have a story for you, Kate! Can you get your cameras down to the station right away?
Absolutely! We’ll be right there! Has there been a break in one of the unsolved murders?
No.
Has there been a break in one of the unsolved shootings? Some of those happened right under the cameras.
Um, no.
Has there been a break in one of the unsolved stabbings? Some of those happened right under the cameras.
No.
Has there been a break in one of the unsolved robberies. Some of those happened right under the cameras.
No.
Has there been a break…
Kate, no! It’s an exciting new program! We need more cameras! You know, the 161 cameras we already have on the street are always rotating so sometimes they don’t catch the crime.
I didn’t know that, Todd!
Yes, Kate. Now you understand. We need more eyes! We need those lazy citizens to help us out! I mean we’re at the station playing cards, oops, I mean working our butts off everyday, but these Lancaster criminals are smart – really smart.
Well, I guess so, Todd! You can’t seem to arrest any of them. So what’s the new program?
We want the citizens to register all their private security cameras with us. That way we’ll know where every camera in the city is. Our guys will know where they can rough up a street thug and where they can’t. They’ll know where they can plant evidence and where they can’t!
Todd!
That’s a little police humor! Seriously, this way we’ll know immediately if there’s a camera in the area and we can get the video right away.
Oh, Todd, you are so smart! I’m surprised you can’t solve more crimes.
Hey, we caught the guy who broke in and stole from Molly’s Pub.
I thought he turned himself into Molly’s after the owner posted his picture all over social media.
A minor detail, Kate! We’d prefer if you forgot about that. Are you coming?
Channel 8 is always on top of the news! We’ll be right there. Comb your hair so you look nice for our cameras, Todd!
You know I will, Kate. We love cameras here in the Lancaster Police Department.
This is one of the most disturbing videos I have seen in a long time. With the exception of one man of color, shown for one second in the opening seconds of this video, there are absolutely no “minorities” in this video. Since the City of Lancaster is over 50% minority, whoever commissioned this and approved it for use should resign. I posted the above on the Lancaster City Alliance Facebook page last evening with their “introduction” of this video (click here). This is purposeful, intentional racism by city “leaders” and is unacceptable! I repeat, whoever commissioned this and approved it should resign!
LNP’S ALLIANCES ARE OBVIOUS, DISGUSTING & HIGHLY DANGEROUS!
((((UPDATE: Police ID driver who crashed minivan through wall of city business))))””” DEAR LOL I would expect to see a NAME of the person if Police ID them as you POSTED and made an UPDATE about ?? When I was in 2nd Grade Current Events we were taught THE Who, What, Where, When and Why (thing)…….try to follow those 2nd grader news reporting skills and good luck. LOL=Lancaster On Line
This comment was posted on Lancaster Online under yet another absurd police story, “UPDATE: Police ID driver who crashed minivan through wall of city business,” (click here).
I couldn’t have said it better myself and no, I have no relationship with this poster whatsoever. This absurd reporting and the unholy alliance LNP has with the police department, the mayor, the DA’s office and local politicians is becoming obvious to everyone.
It literally is the most unethical and scary thing I have ever witnessed. And LNP’s silence on this latest “police involved shooting” is simply an outrage to every citizen of Lancaster County.
Please see the comments under this post for a conversation between new LNP President John Kirkpatrick III and Police Chief Keith Sadler that will be continued shortly on this site.
& A TOTAL MEDIA VOID!
Which Lancaster Police Officer shot 18-year-old Richard Rivera, Jr. on July 11th, 2014 (click here)? What is his medical condition? Is he paralyzed? Where is his mug shot? What was the “equipment violation” that caused the police to attempt to stop the car in the first place? What is the name of the other suspect and why hasn’t he been arrested? How did he manage to escape numerous pursuing police in the first place? Who owns the Hyundai Sonata he was driving? Which police officer crashed his cruiser into a home on his way to this “police involved shooting?” It has now been 10 days and the public has no answers to these vital questions! The Lancaster Newspapers have done exactly two stories and the last one was on July 14th, seven days ago, with the “recovery” of the Sonata (click here). This is beyond unacceptable, Mayor Rick Gray, City Council Members, Police Chief Keith Sadler, DA Craig Stedman, LNP President John Kirkpatrick III, Executive Editor Barbara Hough Roda and all the “journalists” and “editors” at LNP! Lancaster has reached a level of police lawlessness, because of a void of any media coverage whatsoever, that is absolutely shocking! Please check back later today.
* I have run out of time again. For anyone without access to today’s Sunday News, this is the front-page, top-of-the-fold. (I apologize for the poor quality!)
The investigation centered on Cedeno-Flores, Miller [Attorney Cory Miller] said — until police spoke with the girlfriend. She claimed the gun was hers. “The gun wasn’t hers,” Miller said this week. “But she created a factual problem based on her confession.” Police had no choice but to put the charge on Feliciano-Velez. Miller said plea agreements were reached for both defendants. He called the agreement for Feliciano-Velez a “proper compromised”[sic] based on her confession. From today’s LNP article by court reporter Brett Hambright titled, “ATTORNEY: Woman takes the fall for illegal gun for boyfriend, jailed 3 to 6 years,” (click here). There are so many incredibly serious errors with this story about a possible crucial injustice that it is hard to know where to begin: 1. The Judge is not named. The Judge should be named in every article about a court proceeding because they are extremely important and powerful; they work for the public and are very well paid, and most importantly, the public votes them into office so the public needs to know if they approve of the job they are doing on their behalf! According to both dockets, the Judge accepting the two plea agreements was Judge James P. Cullen. 2. The prosecutor is not named. Please see the above regarding Judges and apply the same here. According to both dockets, Assistant District Attorney Deborah Greathouse represented the Commonwealth. 3. Only one defense attorney is mentioned. The other attorney should be named so people are aware of his reputation and ability if they ever need a lawyer. Obviously attorney Cory Miller represented the girlfriend, Migdalia Feleciano-Velez. David Blanck of the Public Defender’s Office represented her boyfriend, Edward Cedeno-Flores. And for the record and a time frame, it would behoove Hambright to state that all of this played out in Cullen’s courtroom on June 23, 2014. Apparently Miller just recently decided to complain and for what purpose is unclear. All of this information is crucial, however, because Miller is alleging a huge misjustice took place in Cullen’s courtroom: Cullen, Greathouse and Miller all gave this woman time for a crime Miller is implying they knew she did not commit. It doesn’t get much worse than that! Both the defendants were facing identical charges of two felony counts and two misdemeanor counts regarding the drugs. She was also charged with an additional second degree felony for receiving stolen property – the gun. And Hambright states the police had no choice but to charge her. Wrong! Bring the charge against the person they really believe owned the gun and let his attorney argue otherwise the way they do in any other case. Or, just go out in the street and arrest a random person and charge them with owning the gun <sarcasm>. Or don’t bring the charge against anyone – that’s better than allowing an innocent to frame themselves. Lots of innocent people confess to murders and other crimes to the police all the time, but the police don’t arrest and charge them if they don’t believe they are the actual perpetrator. The police’s job is to arrest and charge the correct killer or wrong-doer, and that is a very good thing! So, why did Miller allow his client to accept the plea? Was the deal so good that he just said the heck with it and then decided to complain later? His complaint is extremely crucial if true. There are very serious breaches of ethics and the law here by multiple parties if all of this is, in fact, valid. If Greathouse believed or knew of facts that she was not the receiver of the stolen property, she should not have arranged a plea deal that included the charge for the woman, confession or no confession. If Judge Cullen believed or knew of facts that she was not the receiver of the stolen property, he should not have approved the plea deal. And her attorney, Cory Miller, besides complaining to the press, should be filing the appropriate motions to get justice for his client. This is really just all unbelievable! And Hambright’s reporting is totally dreadful. Did he approach Cullen and Greathouse for their side of this story? What about the police who charged her even if, as Hambright implies and Miller alleges, they knew and had facts that she was not guilty of this crime? Coming tomorrow – another totally outrageous story by Hambright today who yet again, covers for the police for their total ineptitude in arresting a robbery suspect who robbed convenience stores eleven times and should have been arrested after the very first one.
* LIP News will be back tomorrow and I suggest that everyone at the Lancaster Newspapers take cover because their total lack of any reporting on the “police involved shooting” one week ago today is one of the most shocking and despicable things this company has ever done. And that’s saying a hell of a lot! And every reporter and editor at that ridiculous and disgusting “news organization” has to personally own this!
IN ONE CASE AGAINST RYAN RIVERA, 16
Remember this story and the picture of Ryan Rivera, “Police arrest teen in shooting of 16-year-old in Lancaster city,” (click here)? All the charges in the case were dismissed at his preliminary hearing. Rivera is still charged in the shooting of a 14-year-old girl on High Street on January 28th of this year (click here). What in the world is going on? When the Lancaster Police do make an arrest in a shooting, they can’t make the charges stick! Unbelievable. Please check back later today.
OFFICER STILL NOT NAMED! RYAN RIVERA’S CHARGES DISMISSED IN ONE SHOOTING!
Richard Rivera, Jr.’s bail was increased by Judge David Ashworth yesterday from $100,000 cash to $250,000 cash according to a new entry on his docket made sometime today. Rivera is the 18-year-old who was shot by a Lancaster Police Officer last Friday night and his condition and whereabouts are unknown at this time. He is not showing up as an inmate in the Lancaster County Prison in their “Who’s in Jail” lookup. And why did the District Attorney request an increase in his bail amount? Did Stedman think he could make the $100,000 cash bail? There is far too much secrecy involving this whole incident – most particularly the name of the officer who shot him. As I stated this morning, the public has a right and a need to know for numerous reasons. It is unacceptable that the name of this officer is being withheld. And it is simply unbelievable that the Lancaster Newspapers have failed to follow-up on a single item on this story. What was the “equipment violation” that caused officers to try and stop the car? How did the driver of the Sonata get away after Rivera jumped from the Sonata with numerous police in pursuit? They now have the Sonata so who owns it and why hasn’t the driver been arrested? What is the relationship between this Rivera and Ryan Rivera, 16, who is in prison charged in one shooting (breaking news – all charges in the Crispus Attucks shooting were dismissed at his preliminary hearing– more tomorrow) and both gave an address in the 1700 block of Betz Farm Drive.
LANCASTER: A man told police he was walking in an alley east of Penn Square around 8:37 a.m. July 11 when he was approached by six men riding in a white sedan. The men jumped from the car and began kicking the victim in the head, face and rib areas. They took the victim’s cellphone, prepaid phone card, wallet, cash and backpack and ripped off his shorts before fleeing in the vehicle. Loss is $352.
AND WHERE IS HE?
Richard Rivera, Jr., 18, who was shot by a Lancaster Police Officer last Friday night, is still not showing up as an inmate at the Lancaster County Prison. Where is Rivera and how badly was he wounded? And who is the officer who shot him? The public has an absolute right and need to know! Please check back later today.
* There are not enough hours in the day! I will come back full-blast to the “police involved” shooting this past Friday night tomorrow (please see the story immediately below on this site).
A DESPERATE FIGHT TO STOP EQUALITY!
Further, defendant City of Lancaster and Police Chief Keith R. Sadler are directly liable and responsible for the acts of defendants Miller, Flurry and Smith because, upon information and belief, they repeatedly and knowingly failed to enforce the laws and guidelines of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and the regulations of the City of Lancaster Police Department pertaining to the use of force by police officers, wrongful arrest and malicious prosecution, thereby creating within the City of Lancaster and the Lancaster City Police Department an atmosphere of lawlessness in which police officers engage in misconduct in the belief that such acts would be condoned and justified by their superiors. From Nieves v. City of Lancaster (click here). This has been going on for years in Lancaster and the police have gotten away with it because the Lancaster Newspapers have intently and purposefully ignored, condoned and lied on behalf of the police. And it began at the same time as the Civil Rights movement in this country, because the Steinman family did not want their white world changed and segregation and discrimination to end. Please check back later today.
7-14-14 – 4:00 pm – The Lancaster Police have just released an update that the black Hyundai Sonata was found over the weekend in Lancaster Township (click here). It is the same car I ran a photo of on this site on Saturday and I’m running again below? The photo was taken Saturday morning at about 11:00 am and the car was parked away from any houses on Mill Pond Drive but less than a block from and directly behind the house on Betz Farm Drive in Lancaster Township!
LNP BURIES THE STORY!
7-14-2014 - This article is two days late and buried in today’s print edition on page B-2! The police are looking for a second, very dangerous man and a black Hyundai Sonata and LNP has hidden the article on page B-2. The fact that this man is wounded because he was shot by a police officer is also buried halfway down in the article (click here). This is simply unbelievable and disgraceful and a blatant failure by LNP to inform and protect the public. Please read below to learn everything this website has uncovered in the last two days and check back later today.
AN EERILY SIMILAR CRIME & A CHIEF AS A NEIGHBOR?
Richard Rivera, Jr., 18, who was shot by a Lancaster Police officer Friday night, had his bail revoked on July 7th – just four days before the police attempted to stop the car he was a passenger in for an “equipment violation.” On April 14th, 2014, Rivera was arrested and charged with fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, driving while his operating privilege was suspended or revoked and defiant trespass into a fenced or enclosed area. His bail was set at $5,000 cash and that was posted for him by a bail bondsman on June 5, 2014. Then, because he was not complying with bail administration, his bail was revoked on July 7th. Did the police know he was the passenger in the car? Did the police know who he was? There is so much more coming. What was the “equipment violation?” How did the driver get away from pursuing police and what is the status on his name and arrest? Which officer shot Rivera? What do the District Attorney, Mayor Gray and Police Chief Sadler have to say about all of this? Why hasn’t Rivera’s home been searched? As noted below, a 16-year-old, also with the last name of Rivera and also living in the 1700 block of Betz Farm Drive, was arrested this year for his involvement in two shootings. There are only 39 homes in the exclusive 1700 block of Betz Farm Drive – and 1755 is owned by William M. Heim, the former Lancaster Police Chief. While the county records indicate he no longer lives there and has moved back to Reading where he was from, he still owns a house on the block.
7-13-2014 – The tow truck parked at the Betz Farm Drive home yesterday morning. There will be much more later today.
*** FINAL UPDATE *** 3:20 pm – There is a tow truck “permanently parked” at the home on Betz Farm Drive. It’s a good bet they might also have a license plate or two…
CAR LOCATED?
There is a black Hyundai Sonata parked less than a block from the house on Betz Farm Drive with a different license plate. Perhaps the police should check it out. The photo was taken this morning.
THERE IS ONLY ONE BLOCK
OF BETZ FARM DRIVE!
There is only one block of Betz Farm Drive in Lancaster and that is the 1700 Block. It goes from 1701 to 1776 and encompasses 39 very nice, stand alone and well separated homes on a very attractive, well-kept block. There are some notable names among the homeowners.
And we now have two young men, both with the last name Rivera, being arrested for extremely serious, violent crimes this year and the police report in both cases their address is in the 1700 block of Betz Farm Drive.
So, why haven’t the police been to the home since they shot Richard Rivera, Jr. last night?
In addition, there are these huge questions:
1. How did the Hyundai get away? Agreed, the passenger jumped out and some cops followed him but there were reportedly a huge number of police cars so what happened to the ones following the Hyundai and how and when did he get away from the pursuing police?
2. The police say the passenger they shot had a stolen gun and cocaine. So why haven’t they searched the house where he lived for more stolen guns and cocaine? That is certainly probable cause to search his home. So why haven’t the police been there?
3. If the police have the plate number, then they know who owns the car. Or, quite possibly, the plate was a stolen plate and the plate has since been switched and the plate number they gave the public is no longer on the car.
*** BREAKING NEWS ***
16-year-old Ryan Rivera, arrested earlier this year for two shootings, also had a last known address in the 1700 block of Betz Farm Drive (click here). That is the same address given by the police for 18-year-old Richard Rivera Jr., who was shot last night by police and charged with multiple felonies.
** The police have just issued an update (click here). Richard Rivera, Jr. was shot. Detective Nate Nickel filed the charges.
You are a reporter for the Lancaster Newspapers. For the last three days, a horrific vehicle accident involving a drunk driver slamming head-on into a 18-year-old’s car and killing her has been your lead story (click here). There are close-up views of the completely mangled vehicles and side stories on the girl who recently graduated from high school and was heading to college in the fall.
LNP has recounted this man’s previous DUIs and criminal record repeatedly and District Attorney Craig Stedman has been grandstanding about DUIs and tough sentences and the charges in this case.
And you are writing up the police log for yesterday and state Randall Lee Pugliese has been charged for a DUI in May and he has been previously convicted of five DUIs (see the story immediately below on this site). And you don’t think a thing about it and you just keep writing your police log? Really? Seriously? That is horrendous journalism!
Actually, I only found four previous convictions but that may be because one was prior to 1998 or in another state. There are also simple assault convictions and an arrest in York County on March 13, 2013 for driving while his license was suspended, not having a valid inspection and no rear lights. That District Judge was harder on him than any Judge in Lancaster – he gave him 90 days of house arrest according to the York dockets.
Pugliese is not in jail. In fact, his docket says nothing about bail; he was apparently arrested on May 8th, released and mailed a summons a couple of days ago for this latest DUI charge. According to his docket he is awaiting a preliminary hearing on July 24th in front of District Judge Joshua R. Keller.
The charges on his docket for the 5-8-2014 arrest are:
DUI: Gen Imp/Inc of Driving Safely – 1st Off
DUI: High Rte of Alc (Bac.10 – .16) 1st Off
DUI: High Rte of Alc (Bac.10 – .16) 1st Off
BAC .02 or Higher – 3rd Offense
For his last and fourth DUI on 4-13-2008, with his bail set at $2,000 and being free on bail for over a year, in a negotiated plea deal with the District Attorney’s office, he plead guilty on August 26, 2009 and Judge Margaret Miller sentenced him to 1-2 years in prison (it looks like he actually served 183 days), three years probation, license suspension for 18 months, no alcohol, ignition interlock, work release and community service.
On April 3rd of this year – just over a month prior to his arrest, the docket indicates that the Clerk of Courts, Joshua G. Parsons, mailed a DL-38CCA to Penn Dot. That is a court ordered suspension of his drivers license for failure to pay fines and costs imposed.
This is all unbelievable! This man is free as a bird on his fifth (or sixth) DUI arrest! He could easily have killed someone that night in May or any of the other times he drove drunk.
District Attorney Craig Stedman and the Lancaster Judges need to crack down hard on these multiple offenders. This man should be in jail with a high bail amount awaiting trial!
[Editor's note: Randall's first name is spelled with both an "a," as in this article, and also with an "e," as in Randell, on the various dockets.]
MANOR TWP.: Randall Lee Pugliese, 48, of the 300 block of Pheasant Ridge Circle, was charged with DUI and DUI-related driving under suspension after a May 8 traffic stop near his home. Pugliese has five prior DUI convictions. From yesterday’s Police Log (click here). There’s been another horrific DUI and heroin involved vehicular death that’s been in the news for several days. But what about Pugliese? Is he in jail? Five prior DUI convictions? This happened on May 8th and he’s just now being charged? There are other bizarre, sad stories in the news and I will come back to them later today.
Late this afternoon the Lancaster Police put a press release regarding the arrest of two men with this clause in all caps and large print at the bottom (click here):
**THE BUREAU OF POLICE IS RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING THAT THE MEDIA LIMIT WHAT IS PUBLISHED TO THAT WHICH IS ON THIS NEWS RELEASE AND SHOULD THE MEDIA BECOME AWARE OF ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PARTICULARLY THE NAMES OF ANY WITNESSES OR LANCASTER RESIDENTS IN THIS CASE, IT IS REQUESTED THAT THEY REFRAIN FROM PUBLISHING THAT INFORMATION SO AS NOT TO JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF ANYONE NOR THIS ON GOING INVESTIGATION**
It is simply unbelievable that they post this – and they do it over and over again. It is not acceptable and the Lancaster Newspapers should be challenging them everyday on this clause. LNP’s own former columnist, Carol Petersen, posted this on the police Facebook page under one of their press releases with this clause (click here):
Read the Constitution, gentlemen. It is called Freedom of the Press. Period. End of sentence. The press exists to benefit the society at large — We the People. The press should not be an arm of nor a PR forum for any government or law enforcement agency.
Do you understand that, LNP President John Kirkpatrick III? Do you understand that the police do not tell you what and what not to print? Do you understand that your obligation is to the people?
In fact, in her last column for the Lancaster Newspapers, Petersen said this (click here):
“Good journalism isn’t an arm for any administration or political party. Good journalism isn’t an extension of the PR department of the police department or the mayor’s administration – no matter what party holds the office – and shouldn’t run interference for local Big Business’s ambitions”
“A good investigative reporter ferrets out information, follows their own leads, and doesn’t just take dictation from official spokesmen or regurgitate press releases. Investigative journalism should always be seeking out sources, should be the very essence of integrity for ‘We the People,’ not with the goal of giving us salacious tidbits or tabloid sensationalism, but to hold to the fire the feet of those whose jobs it is to serve and protect the citizens.”
Now, John Kirkpatrick III, why don’t you have your reporters demand information from the police about the shooting at the McDonalds at 575 North Franklin Street a week ago today – that’s right – on the eve of July 4th!
What is being done about these incidents beyond the police and mayor blaming lots of guns on the street?? Why are we the most watched city, yet the cameras NEVER lead to an arrest? Why was only one eyewitness to the E Ross St shooting interviewed, when multiple neighbors who witnessed the shooting from different angles and perspectives were readily available and willing to be interviewed?? How about a real police presence being established throughout ALL neighborhoods in the city?? And how does the mayor and police chief know drugs weren’t involved? We couldn’t get anyone to investigate the drug dealers across the street for over three years, after multiple complaints and phone calls from numerous neighbors-only reason that dealer left is because his girlfriend kicked him out. These are the reasons people move out of the city-god forbid a homeless man urinates where a tourist might find him but sure you can open fire feet away from homes!?!?!
A comment posted on Lancaster Online under the February 17, 2014 article, “Flurry of shootings despite the weather,” (click here).
No one at the Lancaster Newspapers has answered these excellent questions. Months have passed and the shootings just continue and no one is arrested time and time again. And the Lancaster Newspapers never question the police. The “reporters” at LNP move from one shooting to the next, never following-up or questioning why no arrests are made.
Why aren’t these shooters being removed from the streets? Why aren’t the Lancaster Newspapers demanding answers and accountability from the police? Why are they protecting the police and not the public?
The problem is that the chances of catching killers years after the crime, barring a confession, are almost zero. It is the evidence gathering and analysis that seem lacking in this town. These are small town cops with big city crimes happening that they have no idea how to deal with.
This comment in today.
I agree that these murders will never be solved without outside help but I disagree about the police. I reviewed information on Olga Sanchez-Reyes and Erma Kaylor today (see the above permanent box immediately above). These are not clever or sophisticated murders. These are not hard to solve or prove in court. In fact, in both cases, I have the names of their killers on this site.
And I realized today that instead of writing and writing and repeating myself day after day, what I need to concentrate on is getting outside agencies to come in and investigate these murders and why their obvious killers have not been arrested.
The permanent box is back at the top of this site – where it just sits – day after day and year and year. You don’t know how much I would love to be able to take it down. But until the Lancaster Police make the arrests Police Chief Keith Sadler promised the families and public in these two horrific murders, the box will remain. Crimes, including murder, are not being solved in Lancaster. In fact, the police barely lift a finger to solve them. It seems that surveillance cameras, including the 161 Lancaster Community Safety Coalition cameras the public pays for, are a mystery to the Lancaster City Police Department. So I feel the need to explain it to them. When a man is shot outside a McDonalds after fighting inside, what every other police department in this country does is get a description of the shooter from the many employees and customers inside the restaurant. And then they release it to the public so they can protect themselves and call the police if they know or see this individual. And on top of the written description, they release video from McDonald’s surveillance cameras, so the public can better protect themselves and help the police arrest the shooter and get him off the street. And that’s before we even discuss the victim in the shooting! If for some reason the victim is not cooperating, it doesn’t matter one bit because the police have him being shot on video. You don’t need a whole lot more than that in court. So, could someone explain to me why six days ago, a man was shot outside the McDonalds at 575 N. Franklin Street and the police have done absolutely nothing? Could someone explain how this can happen over and over again, directly under people’s noses, and no one says a word? Can someone explain to me why the Lancaster Newspapers turn a blind eye to this outrage over and over again, failing to protect and inform their readers? Can someone explain why Mayor Gray is allowing his citizens to be murdered, shot, stabbed and robbed and the criminals are being left on the street to repeat their crimes over and over again? Can anyone explain this to me? Coming later today – the simple lessons the Lancaster Police should have learned from the burglary at Molly’s Pub.
* Working on a project this afternoon. Back tomorrow.
A DEAD BEAR IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN 16 UNSOLVED MURDERS!
Sometime just before 4 p.m., the posting was removed by Facebook from Lancasteronline.com’s page.
A notice from Facebook to the administrators of Lancasteronline.com’s page stated the post contained content that did not meet with Facebook’s community standards.
Lancasteronline.com is seeking an explanation from Facebook on the removal of its post.
Check back later for more on this story.
From the article by LNP reporter P.J. Reilly, “Facebook bans photo and story about 12-year-old girl who shot a bear,” (click here).
So what has the folks at the Lancaster Newspapers all upset? Sixteen unsolved murders in the city under Mayor Gray? A 21-year-old shot outside McDonalds and there hasn’t been one description of the shooter released to the public? Four police officers who arrested a man for a bank robbery knowing he didn’t commit the crime? Numerous lawsuits against the Lancaster Police for excessive force and civil rights violations? A list of unsolved shootings, stabbings and robberies that makes your hair stand on end?
Hell, no! They’re upset because Facebook deleted their picture of a dead bear! Well, LNP’s content doesn’t begin to meet community standards – and it’s not because of a dead bear – it’s because they aren’t bearish on holding the police and other public officials accountable and protecting the citizens they are obligated to inform.
… And then I found the federal lawsuit (click here). It is against Officers Dickinson, De La Torre, Gary E. Mackley and Michael J. Gerace. It was filed on May 30, 2012 by Stuart V. Judd for violation of his civil rights. And it all began with the video above and this story that accompanies it.
The Fulton Bank in Penn Square was robbed on January 5th, 2011. Three days later, according to the complaint, Stuart Judd walked into the Lancaster Police Station to report an assault and was arrested for the robbery. All charges were dropped at his preliminary hearing.
Judd alleges he was purposely, falsely and maliciously arrested for the robbery which the officers knew he did not commit. There will be much more tomorrow.
I published the above on June 20th, 2013 (click here). Jose De La Torre is the Lancaster City Police Officer who shot and killed Gregory Bayne on June 10th of last year. Officer Todd Dickinson was fired by a unanimous vote of City Council several years ago and then apparently was secretly brought back by the union (follow the above link).
This case settled in February of this year, which means the plaintiff, Stuart V. Judd, received a settlement from the police’s insurance company, Traveler’s Insurance, and the Lancaster Police had to pay their deductible amount.
I am still trying to find out the settlement amount and will file a Right-To-Know request if it comes to that. Judge Perkin’s office sent me to Christine Munion of the Traveler’s Insurance Company who handled the case for the police. She told me by phone this afternoon that she cannot discuss any case she handles.
Judd’s attorney, Jeffrey R. Lessin of Philadelphia, said by phone this morning that he needs to get clearance from his client to reveal the amount. He did, however, say there is no confidentiality agreement so the amount paid is public. It’s just to actually get someone to state the amount.
The Lancaster Newspapers have never mentioned one word of this lawsuit. It is beyond comprehension and there are many other suits currently in Federal Court against the Lancaster Bureau of Police – some have been outlined on this site. I will continue to seek the answer to how much the actions of these officers cost the City of Lancaster and its citizens until I get the amount.
There will be more tomorrow on the McDonalds shooting and LNP and their run-in with Facebook (see immediately below).
Well, we all now know the real identity of the nasty, racist moderator “FDR” on what I will refer to as Lancaster’s “Klan Forum!” Yes, that would be Chad Hohenwarter whose 12-year-old daughter killed a bear and LNP’s article and photo have been banned by Facebook (click here). Oh, the irony! Please check back later today for more on this and a serious update on a lawsuit involving Lancaster Police Officer Jose De La Torre!
Chief Sadler is responsible for the protection of lives and property in the City through the organization and directing of all police functions. His duties involve the planning, directing and coordinating of patrol, traffic, juvenile, criminal investigation and related services and activities, and overseeing the training, assignment and discipline of all Bureau members. From the Lancaster Police website (click here).
Lancaster Police Chief Keith Sadler is not doing his job. A man was shot at the McDonalds at 575 North Franklin Street on Thursday night, July 3rd. Multiple employees and customers witnessed the two men fighting inside the McDonalds and then the shooting outside. A bullet broke one of the windows of the restaurant and customers and employees had to duck for cover. The entire incident was caught on McDonald’s surveillance cameras. The shooter has not been arrested and not one word of a description has been released by the police. The public is in danger and has been for days! This is inexplicable and unacceptable. Call or email Mayor Gray and the City Council members today! Demand that the Lancaster Police protect the public and release a description and image of the shooter to get him off street. Please check back later today.
And I realized today that instead of writing and writing and repeating myself day after day, what I need to concentrate on is getting outside agencies to come in and investigate these murders and why their obvious killers have not been arrested. 