Horrible Crime, Lots of Repercussions:

As this posting is being composed, the big news story unfolding is the gruesome murder and dismemberment of Leiby Kletzky in Brooklyn as he was returning from day camp. There is a sufficient media feeding frenzy going on that there is no need to link to anything in this posting. Needless to say, the politicians are in on the feeding frenzy as well.

First and foremost, my condolences go out to Leiby's family. I cannot even imagine what they are going through.

In journalism school (not that I ever went to J-School), they teach that stories of a dog biting a man are not newsworthy, but when a man bites a dog, it's usually good for the front page. What is unusual about this story is that the suspect is from the same religious Jewish community as Leiby. Hey, when Gentiles kill one another, nobody makes a big deal about it (just ask the people of South Sudan or Rwanda or places like that), but when Jews kill one another it upsets the whole world!

My instincts tell me (and my friends and acquaintances in law enforcement seem to have similar gut hunches) that (A) Leiby and/or his family have/had some familiarity with the perp; and (B) the perp probably has some prior experience in this type of misdeed.


My observations:

1. In many insular Jewish circles, pains are taken to give the dead various honorifics in speech and writing. I myself, for example, will often (but not always) add a phrase such as "may they rest in peace" when speaking of my departed grandparents. But many blogs and newssites use the honorific "HY'D" which is the transliteration of the abbreviation for HaShem Yikom Damo, which is Hebrew for "May G-d avenge his blood." HY'D is commonly used in connection with those killed by Gentile enemies of the Jewish people (think victims of the Nazis). In the case of Leiby, it is now being used in connection with someone killed by a fellow Jew.


2. Everyone in Leiby's community seems to be trying to keep the true facts from the young children. Counseling experts are giving advice on how to break it to the children. Okay, I agree that there is a right way and a wrong way to break the news to the children, but keeping them in ignorance is the coward's way out. In such regard, when I was 5 years old, a 3-year-old playmate of mine was sexually molested and murdered, and her body stuffed in a cabinet in the basement of the teenage perp. I had just been over her house with my mom the week before. My dad was in the searching party, and my mom had gone to junior high with the assistant District Attorney on the case. My parents found a way to tell me that this young girl was killed, and though they didn't give all of the graphic details, neither did they deny that something terrible had happened to the playmate and that I would not be seeing her again. And they did it without having to engage the services of a counsellor or psychologist.

3. The Agudath Israel of America has released a public statement on Leiby's murder. It includes the sentence "We join the entire community in expressing our tremendous gratitude to the New York City Police Department, the FBI and local government officials for their round-the-clock efforts in leaving no stone unturned in their search; and we hope and trust that the perpetrator of this murder of an innocent boy will swiftly be brought to justice."

You will recall that the insular factions represented by Agudath Israel have, of late, been taking the attitude in deed if not in word that it is better to sweep child molestation under the rug and let the rabbis handle it, but one should not go report it to the authorities without sparingly-granted rabbinical permission. The irony of the Agudath Israel's statement about Leiby is not lost on many, including myself.


If it turns out that the perp had a record which was covered up by someone in the Agudath Israel constituency, then the Agudath Israel would have excellent reason to be concerned about its continued viability as an organization, what with its steadfast support of those who have covered up and continue to cover up the child molestation.

Methinks that the Agudath Israel's chickens may be coming home to roost!

The Rampage in Tucson

This shooting in Tucson has, of course, commandeered the front pages of the news media. My comments, in no particular order:

1. The media is making a big deal over the fact that a Congresswoman, Gabrielle Giffords, was seriously wounded. Relegated to the end of the story (if it is even in the story) is that there were six people actually killed -- including Judge John Roll, and a 9-year-old girl, Christina Green. But now, it looks as though Christina will start getting more ink, but only because she was the granddaughter of Dallas Green, who served as Manager of the Phillies, Yankees and Mets.


2. The MSM has been implicitly -- and sometimes, explicitly -- blaming it on the various right-wing political philosophies that have been expressed of late. But the shooter was connected with some anti-Semitic organizations whose party lines have had more in common with the far left. Why aren't those people blamed?

3. Amongst some of circles I frequent, much has been made of the fact that Congresswoman Giffords is the offspring of a non-Jewish mother, and therefore not technically Jewish. This, to me, is both accurate and irrelevant! This should not be about my philosophical disputes, or anyone else's, with the so-called Reform Judaism; nor even about my political differences (or anyone else's) with Gabrielle Giffords (of which I have many). I respect Ms. Giffords as an accomplished woman who, notwithstanding her political orientation, has displayed far more rationality than many at either extreme of the political spectrum. I wish her the very best.

4. Judge Roll's murder was a tremendous loss to America's judiciary. But even if he had been a lesser legal light, his murder would still strike a blow to law and order.

5. A number of pundits and commentators (many of whom do not merit such an honorific) have been blaming the shooting on Sarah Palin's public pronouncements using firearms metaphors. I am willing, to an extent, to find possible validity to the theory. After all, words and ideas do have consequences. But quite notably, one of these people who has been blaming the likes of Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck has been none other than Jane Fonda. I daresay that Hanoi Jane's extreme and public statements some years ago, before the Internet age enabled the quick and expeditious communication to the masses, contributed to the killing of far, far more Americans and South Vietnamese. Jane Fonda, no less than Sarah Palin, ought be held to the same standard, and called to account for her lethal statements.

Timoshenko Killer Trial

As posted on this Blog here and here on 15 July 2007, NYPD Detectives Russel Timoshenko and Herman Yan were shot, Timoshenko fatally, while arresting three suspects driving a stolen BMW. Now, as reported here, here here and here, the trial is now underway for the suspects.

Of course I share the sentiments of the other law-abiding citizenry who will be following the trial. But this Blog is not intended to be a "me, too" screed, so this posting will zero in on some issues which are not being hyped in the mainstream media and mainstream blogosphere. In no particular order:


A. The suspects are now taking conflicting positions against one another. Accordingtly, three juries have been seated, one for each suspect. This is a wise economy of judicial resources, provided that Judge Lott conducts the trial in such a way as to avoid reversible error. Even if each of the suspects were tried separately, it seems that 90+ % of the evidence would be common to all. But Judge Lott has been on the bench since 1991, and, before that, had ample occasion to sit at both the Defense and Prosecution tables in criminal trials. There is every reason to expect that His Honor will conduct the trial in a manner that should withstand the inevitable appeals that will follow.


B. The prior posts refer to "Officer" Timoshenko and "Officer" Yan. The late Russel Timoshenko was posthumously promoted to Detective, and Herman Yan, still serving on the force, was similarly promoted following the incident. Such promotions are common, and, all else being equal, are fitting and appropriate ways to recognize heroism in the line of duty. But, as a New York State taxpayer (fiscally speaking, the suburban and upstate counties subsidize New York City), I will note, against all political correctness, that promotions of police officers and firefighters who were injured or killed in the line of duty also serve to increase pension and/or death benefits paid out from the public fisc. Without in any way detracting from the significant heroism displayed by the two, I did think about this taboo aspect of their respective promotions.

But as information surfaced regarding Russel Timoshenko's personal life before the incident which claimed his life, my reservations dissipated. He, in all likelihood, would have achieved promotion to Detective had he continued to serve.

Amidst the public hype on Detective Timoshenko, Detective Yan cut a very low profile in the media, no doubt due in part to his proactive efforts to stay out of print. Accordingly, I continued to wonder about Detective Yan's promotion to that rank. But Detective Yan once again made the news when he testified at the trial, and, having read about his comporture as a witness, I now have no doubt that he fully merits his rank, and would not be surprised to see him merit further promotions in the future.

Accordingly, this Post (and any future ones on the subject) will refer to the two officers by their respective ranks of "Detective" (unless, of course, Detective Yan advances to Sergeant).

This does not in any way invalidate my concern for the possible misuse of promotions to game the pension system. Public sympathies are not a valid excuse for fiscal irresponsibility. The public finances must be responsibly managed. And, at the same time, police officers, firefighters, and, for that matter, all other public employees, must be responsibly rewarded for individual performance.


C. According to the prosecutor, ADA Anna-Sigga Nicolazzi, the three did not wish to get caught in a stolen car filled with illegal guns, particularly Dexter Bostic, the one accused of actually firing the shots that killed Detective Timoshenko. The three wished to avoid going back to prison.

It would seem to me that if one desires to stay out of prison, then one does not ride in a stolen car (particularly a high-profile stolen car such as a BMW), and one does not carry multiple illegal weapons. And firing a weapon at a police officer, as I understand it, is the diametric antithesis of behavior calculated to keep oneself out of prison.


D. Other heroes in this affair are Detective Timoshenko's parents, who are attending the trial and staring down the three suspects. This must be exceedingly difficult for them, but it needs to be done, and they are doing it.


E. The three suspects, it seems, have no regard for the lives of their fellow human beings, and had they not been apprehended, they, in all likelihood, would have continued in their lethal practices. Unfortunately, the capture operation temporarily cost society the services of Detective Yan as he recovered from his significant injuries, and permanently cost society the diligent services of Detective Timoshenko.

My second 15 July 2007 posting stated: "The alleged driver, Lee Woods, was captured very shortly after the shooting. He would be the logical guy with whom to work for a plea bargain in exchange for testimony."

While one really cannot tell for sure, it doesn't seem like Woods has gotten into any plea deal at this point. It now seems that ADA Nicolazzi is going for full convictions on accomplice liability for all three, probably on account of such overwhelming evidence that Woods was more than a clueless chauffeur. If so, then maybe he, too, will spend the remainder of his life behind bars (few would bet that Dexter Bostic or Robert Ellis will ever find freedom in their lifetimes). If Nicolazzi gets the hat trick on all of them, then that will bring Detective Russel Timoshenko as close as he can get to a peaceful repose.

Bostic, Woods and Ellis are headed for the Big House. I am concerned for the Corrections Officers who will be watching over them.