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Post by CCADP on Jun 20, 2005 8:31:46 GMT -5
Tracy Lamourie and Dave Parkinson are the founders and Directors of the Canadian Coalition Against the Death Penalty (CCADP); founded in Toronto, Canada in 1998. The group maintains a web presence for nearly 1000 death row prisoners; and has been at the forefront of direct advocacy on behalf of condemned persons around the world. In 2002's 'CCADP v Stewart'; a precedent setting case, the court ruled the State of AZ did not have the right to restrict advocacy groups from posting information about prisoners on the internet.
*******
We try not to spend too much time watching American news networks anymore. Having just got Fox News in Canada it was a treat to see Geraldo and Greta Van Sustren again after all these years.
Remember Greta at CNN and Geraldo at MSNBC when both networks covered the exection of Gary Graham (Shaka Sankofa) in Huntsville Texas, back when Bush was still the Texecutioner.
At the time we were quite impressed with their coverage, both were quite adamant that case was flawed and demanded a new trial, and were both quite vocal in their opposition to the death penalty; at least in that case. .Oddly enough, not long after that both departed ways with their previous employers for a more "Fair and Balanced" approach to journalism....
Now Greta still talks about legal issues...Every week it seems they're following around another suspect in a disappearance or murder case, trying to be the first show/network to convict the perpetrator...Like the guy whose wife drowned a few months back, and Greta had a week of shows implying that the husband drowned her...until it was found that; she wasn't a victim of foul play.
How about the runaway bride ? All the media outlets were beiginning to imply that the husband was guilty of her murder. We saw him interviewed a few times and his demeanor certainly seemed questionable given the magnitude of the situation, when the media began speculating if he could be a possible suspect, we had to agree because the way he'd been portrayed so far made it appear that he might very well be guilty...
When Jessica Lumsford disappeared in Florida, and the media speculation began rolling in we were worried about her poor father, who we'd seen every night on TV pleading with the public for help finding his daughter. Commentators began talking about the grandparents, how they failed on some of the polygraph questions. Journalists and legal commentators alike were now talking about the family, the father and his extended family, his relationship with Jessica's mother, etc... We just hoped the Authorities would find the real culprit before the media's systematic dissection of the Lumsford family made Jessie' Father or Grandparents the next target of ridicule in the networks attempts to improve ratings and make this latest missing person story the new "Flavor of the Month".
We remember watching Nancy Grace on CNN's Larry King Live during the disappearance of Elizabeth Smart. Angela Ricci; the wife of Ricci, the man who was accused of abducting and killing her at the time was a guest on the program trying to defend her husband from Nancy's malicious attacks...Amazing Grace had been making inflammatory statements regarding her belief that Ricci was guilty of the abduction and murder of Elizabeth Smart from the moment he was considered a suspect by police up until his untimely death in police custody of a brain aneurysm, caused possibly by the stress of being falsely labeled a child killer in the National Spotlight thanks primarily to Nancy's rants. Needless to say Nancy repeatedly berated and demeaned Ricci's wife, attacking her credibility and refusing to allow her the opportunity to defend her husband without resorting to admonishing her attempts to vindicate his name.
Of course we all know now that Elizabeth Smart was actually not murdered at all, and Richard Ricci really was innocent...When will Nancy be having a show to invite Mrs. Ricci back to apologize profusely to her on national TV? Whenever we change the channel, another investigative journalist or so called legal expert is trying to get us upset about the latest murder they had coverage of and try to convince us to hate the prime suspect long before guilt or innocence is established...
The onus of responsibility is on the media and those who claim to be investigative journalists or those who claim to represent the legal profession to expose the injustices that occur in the justice system, not to systematically contribute to making matters worse. Is the media just afraid to expose the truth, and actually be somewhat objective in their coverage of the injustices taking place? Are they afraid that this will somehow undermine the p ublic's confidence in a justice system that has gone awry?
Tabloid news stories that sell are more important than justice, in the eyes of the American justice system. Unlike the Canadian system where we regularly face temporary media or publication bans to protect the judicial system from undue influence by outside sources such as the media.
How could the media be so irresponsible to publicly broadcast the location of Scott Petersons whereabouts on the day in question; before either Laci or Connor's bodies were even found. Doesn't this bring into question the integrity of the investigation into these areas? continued...
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Post by CCADP on Aug 17, 2005 6:30:24 GMT -5
connner....um; no...I wasn't suggesting anything at all. Just posted a news article.
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Post by CCADP on Aug 15, 2005 19:18:51 GMT -5
Witness in the Scott Peterson case passes away.
Written by: Lynda Dale MacLean
Vivian Mitchell, who was a defense witness for Scott Peterson, passed away early Wednesday morning due to natural causes, as told to reporters by Vivian's Husband, Bill.
Vivian Mitchell, 78, told authorities that she saw Laci Peterson walking her dog on the morning of December 24, 2002 around 10:15 and appeared to be in good health.
Mitchell, along with two others, told reporters that they saw Laci alive on December 24th.
Authorities have been questioning this, since it was said that Laci and her unborn son were killed either on the night of December 23rd or very early on December 24th.
Scott Peterson, who has maintained his innocence, will be heading to trial in Redwood City, CA later this month. If found guilty, Peterson could face the death penalty.
The tragedy of this story will continue on as it touches all our lives in many different ways. Vivian Mitchell, a lady that only family, friends, and neighbors in her hometown of Modesto, CA knew, has now brought a sense of loss to us as well because of the cruel and horrific nature of this crime on Laci and her baby.
I hope peace will soon be felt and the truth shown.
Talk to other readers about this story.
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Post by CCADP on Sept 1, 2005 6:23:41 GMT -5
Erick - I don't know whats up with you and the return of the nasty comments; but cut it out. This is an inappropriate forum- and you know it - for the comments you are making. Please tone it down and act like truth; dio; rain and the pros here that remember whose forum this is. tracy
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Post by CCADP on Aug 23, 2005 17:23:54 GMT -5
I'd bet he wants it to pay back some of what his parents have spent on his defense.
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Post by CCADP on Aug 16, 2005 6:07:00 GMT -5
thanks so much!
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Post by CCADP on Aug 15, 2005 13:03:26 GMT -5
Is there anyone who can burn the transcripts onto CD Roms for us? If so please let me know...
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Post by CCADP on Aug 13, 2005 12:24:48 GMT -5
Email me at info@ccadp.org if you'd like me to email you the MP3s to hear Dave on the John Oakley Show in Toronto; and Tracy on talk radio in Montreal; both regarding Scott Peterson's CCADP page.
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Post by CCADP on Aug 11, 2005 22:29:01 GMT -5
For Jackie and Lee- Remember there are many out there who you have never met who support you and admire your strength.
Tracy and Dave CCADP
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Post by CCADP on Aug 11, 2005 22:28:03 GMT -5
A lot of people have expressed support for Scott's parents; Lee and Jackie Peterson. Jackie particularly has garnered people's love and support; even with her health challenges she has been steadfast in support of her son and in her belief in his innocence; and also in her love for her daughter in law Laci; and the grandson they were waiting to welcome. We've created this thread so people can post messages to be forwarded to Scott's parents. People can also visit Mel's site to purchase SAVESCOTTSLIFE.COM bracelets for 5$ - funds to go to Petersons to assist them in their travel expenses in visiting their son.
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Post by CCADP on Sept 8, 2005 9:08:32 GMT -5
MH - tone it down. This is a support area; Maggie is a mod; and disrespect to the mods is not appropriate. If you don't like the rules here; there are lots of other boards. This is a support area for the Peterson's and people in their position; and thats not going to change.
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Post by CCADP on Aug 23, 2005 16:24:37 GMT -5
gjones; I don't understand. Typing? Umm; I cut and pasted the news article here; when I was posting it and all kinds of other news articles in the news section.
Is there a reason you feel the need to be rude? I don't think I have been rude to anyone.
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Post by CCADP on Aug 18, 2005 6:52:47 GMT -5
My Evening With Amber Frey Nothing you really wanted to know about Scott Peterson's paramour, presented tediously, for just $20 By Harmon Leon
Published: Wednesday, August 17, 2005
AP Wide World Photos Amber. My Amber.
Printer friendly version of this story Email Harmon Leon More stories by Harmon Leon Send a letter to the editor Send this story to a friend
Feature Suffer the Little Muslims A look at the appalling discrimination against Middle Eastern students countenanced by Bay Area public schools
Matt Smith Remote Controlled Will a new generation of curbside sensors end our parking problems -- or help the government monitor our every move?
Dog Bites The A's Have It Dog Bites proclaims the A's to be the official team of the Bay Area
Letters Letters to the Editor Week of Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Oh my God! She's coming! She's really coming for an entire evening. An evening with Amber Frey!! Didn't you hear me for Christ's sake? It's AN EVENING WITH AMBER FREY!!!
No seriously.
The Learning Annex (purveyors of "Stop Dreaming & Start Writing") is offering an event called "An Evening With Amber Frey," and no, it's not a one-on-one thing with a happy ending.
When you really think about it, an evening is a hell of a lot of time to fill. Sure, there was that thing of being "the other woman" in the Scott Peterson murder trial, but how the hell is she going to fill an entire evening? I hope it ends with tap dancing. Not just regular tap dancing, but big, full-on, Sammy Davis Jr. windmill tap dancing. Or maybe close-up magic. ("Was your card the three of diamonds?") Or perhaps, as in The Vagina Monologues, she'll sit on a stool dressed in black, telling little vignettes separated by theatrical blackouts.
Here's the twist, though: The evening with Amber Frey is toted as a self-help seminar. Seriously. In this one evening, you can learn "How to Change Stumbling Blocks Into Stepping Stones." Well f*ck me with the festering stump of a crusty sailor with scurvy -- who knew!
Yes, if you attend, you will learn to:
Transform adversity into opportunity.
Change direction and set new goals.
Have faith and courage in yourself.
All this for $20! And taught by -- Amber Frey!!
One problem: Every time I've seen Amber Frey on television -- on Dateline, say -- she's never really had anything to say. Not to mention that she always looks god-awfully, pee-in-your-pants nervous and uncomfortable. The video editors always blow her up in the frame, creating a tight, grainy shot that's supposed to make it seem as if she's saying something really significant. But she never is.
Don't get me wrong; I'm all for cashing in on a minor flash of fame. After all, Amber Frey is the William Hung of women-who-boned-guys-who-killed-their-wives. And hell, I'd pay top dollar if the Runaway Bride were teaching a course on how to toss a Russian kettleball.
Why?
Our country loves our pop-culture celebrities. We Americans love people who are on the happy TV. We Americans want to touch them and be near them and look at them with our eyes. It's like the emperor's new clothes; we Americans want to stare, hanging on their every word as if they were Buddhist monks teaching revelations on one-handed clapping. And I'm nothing if not American.
"Two more days until Amber Frey's coming! Two more days until Amber Frey's coming!" I find myself chanting two days before Amber Frey is coming.
Day turns to night, then back to day again. Finally I call to register for "An Evening With Amber Frey."
"Are you the guy who writes the Infiltrator column?" asks the Learning Annex representative after I give my credit card information over the phone.
"Absolutely not!" I reply. f*ck me; that's two columns in a row where I've been outed. (Mental note to self: Obtain credit card with different name.) I explain that I'm merely a guy who's fascinated by Amber Frey. "NOW LET'S GET ME SIGNED UP!"
I'm walking toward the Pan Pacific hotel in downtown San Francisco, and I'm wearing a tie. The reason? To impress my Amber. Yes, I've decided to pose as a rabid Amber Frey fan. She's got small-town Fresno values. And most of all, as everyone knows, she puts out on the first date!
I have no idea what the crowd will be like. What is Amber Frey's demographic? Will there be 300 people or 3,000?! Going to the hotel's second floor, I ask the older woman checking off registered names, "Has 'An Evening With Amber Frey' started yet?"
"No, but it's just about to," she replies.
"Do you know what she's wearing?" I ask, licking my dry lips.
She doesn't. Instead, she hands me a bullet-pointed sheet -- some sort of an outline, it seems -- and a notecard.
"You can jot down a few questions you have for her."
I make a dreamy look.
"I'd kill to go out with her," I say.
Inside, what I expected to be a large hall, perhaps with Inside the Actors Studio moderator James Lipton onstage, is instead rows of chairs inside a conference room, all facing toward a single lectern. (Amber's lectern!) Five minutes before the event commences, already more than 12 people have assembled.
At this point, the very white crowd consists of a row of desperate housewives, a middle-aged guy who brought his elderly mom (who has a cane), and a few scattered, lone men who look like they solve crimes in their spare time and post the results on their Web sites.
"She is gorgeous," exclaims one of two large women; she has just been handed, by her friend, a set of glamour photographs of a small dog, and is commenting as if the dog were a child. (I'm pretty sure the dog is wearing a sweater.)
"She got so excited about going downstairs yesterday," the other large woman elaborates. Then, in a major subject-change, she asks, "What's the other big discount store besides Ross?"
"Marshalls!" her friend answers.
Two elderly women from Alameda, who definitely emit the smell of old people, take seats right beside me.
"I just wanted to see her!" says the one closest to me -- let's call her Ethel -- mentioning that she's seen Amber Frey on TV. Ergo, now, she must see her in person.
"I heard she's single," I reply, with a guttural moan.
Ethel picks up the "How to Change Stumbling Blocks Into Stepping Stones" bullet-pointed sheet. She gives a long, confused look, and then makes a sour face.
"This isn't about her life. It's about emotions and how to handle things," she complains.
With another long, confused look she reads from this evening's agenda. "Choose your battles?! I thought she was going to be talking about her life!" Ethel says, shaking her head with perplexity.
"She's going to give us a course." [Pause] "Stepping stones?! She's not doing too good with that."
A Learning Annex representative appears in front of the crowd, which now tops 20 people ($400 in Amber Frey's pocket). In a large theatrical voice, she pimps us like a sideshow barker. "In just a few moments we'll bring out Amber Frey. She's just having a few words with the press."
There's a buzz of anticipation. "My Amber!" I mutter under my breath.
Ethel's still bewildered. "I thought she was going to tell about her life. I didn't think she would give a course," she says, still upset about the bullet-pointed agenda. "Have a positive attitude?!"
After a few minutes, the woman with the theatrical voice reappears and announces, "Good evening, I'd like to welcome you to 'An Evening With Amber Frey'!" (Girlish shrieking on my part.) It is explained that Amber Frey is a virtual Everyman. (You know, she is just like you and me.) "Think of her as someone you could have known; someone who could have been your next-door neighbor." (My neighbor is a transvestite stripper.) "But Amber had some bad relationships, just like you and I have been through. She was looking for romance, just like you and I have been through."
I turn to the elderly woman who smells like old people and say solemnly, "It's true, she could be me." [Pause] "Or she could be YOU!"
There's a smattering of applause, and in comes the woman of the evening -- Amber Frey. She's casually dressed and looks, well, like Amber Frey.
"Oh my God! It's her, it's really her," I exclaim, poking the old woman next to me in the ribs.
"She's taller than I thought," Ethel remarks.
"I like 'em tall!" I say, remoistening my dry lips.
An opening is always the most important part of the show; it breaks the ice. How will Amber Frey open "An Evening With Amber Frey"? Will there be a show tune with sequined gowns, and Amber Frey being lifted over the heads of two shirtless, hunky bodybuilders?
No, she opens with an awkward, "I see a lot more guys in the audience than in San Diego."
(Dead silence followed by the clumsy shuffling of notes.)
I flash Amber -- my Amber -- a smile, then straighten my tie. With more nervous shuffling, the evening's mission statement is woodenly laid out: "Life is a series of stepping stones followed with a series of stumbling blocks ...."
I've already learned one thing: Public speaking is not Amber Frey's forte.
"When the media came forward, I wondered why there was so much negativity about me ...."
To use a cliché, my Amber looks as scared as a deer in the headlights (or any other animal that happens to be in headlights, for that matter). Perhaps she herself needs to attend a Learning Annex seminar: "How to Be a Toastmaster." But her helplessness makes me want to hold her in my arms even more than before, lightly stroking her hair, telling my Amber, "There, there. It will all be OK."
But I'm knocked out of fantasyland with this clumsy transition: "OK, so you got a bunch of bullet points in front of you ...." With mild confusion, the roughly 20 of us look at sheets of paper that read, first, "Maintain a Positive Attitude Through Any Crisis. "
"There's things during the trial that were out of my control," my Amber says. "At times there's things in our lives that are out of control."
Her advice in regard to this? Remain positive!
Go figure.
Ten minutes into the presentation, and I'm already bored out of my mind. Where are the details of her sex romps with a coldblooded murderer? When will Amber (my Amber) describe what I would need to do to consummate our love on our first date? (I'm pretty sure it would involve strawberries, champagne, and perhaps a nice dinner at a budget restaurant located in a mall. But who could be certain?)
"OK, I'm going to move to the second bullet point ...."
We read, "Choose Your Battles and Change Adversity Into Opportunity."
"I've had to choose my battles ...," Amber says as the hearing aid of the woman sitting across from me starts momentarily buzzing. "Facing these battles head-on, I had to turn adversity into opportunity!" (I hope my Amber explains how to turn personal adversity into a book and movie deal, as well as a motivational speaking tour on the Learning Annex circuit.)
Now comes a personal confession: "I'd have to say, never in my life I thought I'd be speaking to a group of people. If I can impact one person's life in here today, then it's worth it.
"The opportunity to impact people's lives is due to the situation I've been in."
We learn of all the places Amber (my Amber) has spoken, which include Holland, a business expo for women in Ottawa, and some other places.
"I think the ability to be resilient will turn anything negative into something positive."
I nod my head. A woman with a large yellow legal pad feverishly takes notes.
"Let go of that negativity and be positive and move forward!" she says, and then adds the inevitable, "I choose to draw my strength from God. Always have faith and courage in yourself."
I pick at my arm, my impure thoughts turning to the Runaway Bride as Amber strongly recommends that if we're not satisfied with our diets or our jobs, then we should simply change them.
"Fifteen- and 18-year-old women e-mail me and say what an influence and impact I've had in their life," Amber states.
"I've dated a sociopath and liar, so I can relate," offers a desperate housewife in a green jacket.
Amber -- my Amber -- concludes woodenly with, "In the end, it all comes to choices to turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones."
There's light clapping, and I realize that I was wrong. Amber Frey isn't a horrible public speaker. Amber Frey is the Harriet Tubman of bland, predictable advice.
The notecard questions are read by the Learning Annex representative, who has a large theatrical voice but is, otherwise, a far cry from Inside the Actors Studio's James Lipton.
I'd hoped to ask Amber, "Is Scott Peterson hung like a Ringling Bros. circus elephant?" But I feel bad for everyone involved with this event. I feel bad for the folks who shelled out $20. I feel bad for the desperate housewives whose notion of a pillar of strength is Amber Frey. I feel bad for Amber Frey herself, displayed for the masses by some shady booking agent as if she were Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy. (I don't feel bad for the Learning Annex.)
At first the questions are predictable, and the answers reveal almost no personal insights.
Q: "Amber, were you in love with Scott Peterson?"
A: "I question what my emotions were at the time."
Q: "Amber, do you still think about him?"
A: "Yes and no, I guess."
"Hi Amber, no question. I just wanted to say how much I respect your strength."
Then the questions get weird ...
Q: "Amber, have you ever had an encounter with an angel?"
A: "I feel angels are messengers."
We get to my question now.
Q: "What would be a red flag for dating guys? How do you know if you've found Mr. Wrong?"
When it's read, I give Amber a firm thumbs-up.
A: "Listen to your intuition."
There is no tap dancing to close "An Evening With Amber Frey." Not even a card trick. ("Was your card the three of diamonds?") We're simply told she'll be signing copies of her book. It feels like the last minutes of a childhood Christmas when all you got for presents was socks.
"It sure ended early," remarks Ethel who smells like old people. "It was supposed to go until 9:30." She's a bit grumpy because her question didn't get read. "I was going to ask her," Ethel says, "'Why when all this was going on did you have a baby with another man?'"
A line forms for people to buy autographed copies of Witness ($28). A guy who works at the hotel asks if he can get a picture with Amber. I'm about to profess my undying love and to ask if she'll dine with me at Applebee's when I'm stopped by the Learning Annex guy.
"You're the guy who writes the Infiltrator?"
"No, I'm not. You must have me mistaken for somebody else."
"Are you sure?" the guy says with a Mr. Smarty-Pants smirk. "I did a Google image search on your name, and it looks just like you."
Balls! If this guy blows my cover in front of my Amber, I'll have no choice but to dump his body in the Berkeley Marina on my next Christmas Eve fishing trip.
At least someone learned something from this workshop.
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Post by CCADP on Aug 11, 2005 6:06:13 GMT -5
VIDEO: Amber Frey Offers Class on Life Lessons
Posted: August 10, 2005 at 10:08 p.m.
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Amber Frey, the woman who was the prosecution' star witness in the Scott Peterson trial is now telling her story about her transition from murder trial witness to teacher.
For the first time in the Bay Area, Amber Frey held a class for the public. People came to hear her speak about turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones.
From her first teary-eyed confession before cameras in 2003 to crucial recorded phone calls and court appearances that started this month one year ago, Frey has been at the center of a media storm.
Now after all of the appearances and book signings, Frey is back not only to tell her tale but to teach how all of this, she says, helped her move forward.
"I feel there's something I have to share and I feel almost like I need to," Frey said. "There are so many women who can relate. They're questioning how I got through this to where I am today."
And a very small group Wednesday night paid $19.99 to do just that.
"I think there are a lot of sociopaths out there, and she has a lot to share with women who run across unsavory characters," said Marti Gallagher.
The Learning Annex arranged Wednesday's class. It is the second time this week Frey has offered up a lesson on her life.
As for Scott Peterson, who sits at San Quentin awaiting his death sentence, Frey says he has not tried to contact her from death row. She still lives in Fresno and says she is just trying to get on with her life.
(Copyright 2005, KRON 4. All rights reserved.)
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Post by CCADP on Aug 29, 2005 7:01:11 GMT -5
Mh - I had JUST found out I was pregnant in December 2002; a few weeks before Laci went missing. So I remember when it was in the news that she was missing.
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