Spork Over the Cash

Million Dollar Spork?

By Ben Briscoe
NewsChannel 10

PAMPA, TEXAS - An area jail is being sued by one of its inmates for one million dollars, but the merits of the complaint are raising concerns about wasting the court's time and your taxes.

The suit was filed in federal court against three gray county jail employees including Sheriff Don Copeland. In the complaint inmate Darren Hathcoat writes by hand that the three defendants ordered, "all the jailers and the civilian kitchen workers to feed me off of styrfoam tray with no utinsels. I had to eat with my bair hands for 11 months."

Because they did not let him use a spork like other inmates... Hathcoat writes the court should, "award me one million dollars for the demorilization and metal anguish."

District Judge John Board says the courts are flooded with civil suits from prisoners. There's so many, Texas has two separate statues on the books about these inmate complaints. If a judge thinks the claim from an inmate is frivolous - they can either dismiss it without a hearing or require the person in jail to pay money up front in case it ends up being a waste of time. But board says judges exercise extreme caution.

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Not for sure if the quote from the inmate is verbatim with the misspellings or slip-shod editing on the website's part.

impecunious

impecunious \im-pih-KYOO-nee-uhs\ , adjective;
1. Not having money; habitually without money; poor.

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I looked this one up in the dictionary and found my picture with the definition.

Anti-Police Dog

You've heard of police dogs? This is an anti-police dog.

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A Chattanooga Police officer, while running radar at 1410 Workman Road on Sunday night, had his patrol car attacked by a ferocious bulldog.

Officer Clayton Holmes said he had stopped to work on a report when he felt his car shaking. He got out to investigate and what he found was a bulldog chewing on his patrol car.

The dog chewed two tires and the entire front bumper off of the car.

Interview with Henry "Hank" Skinner

Another video (Two parts) of another interview (explicit language) at top of page, along with an interview with a friend of one of the victims.

Skinner Execution, Family Friend Speaks Out

Baked by Alice B. Toklas

You Are Brownies

You are outgoing and friendly. You don't let yourself stress too much - there's too much life to be enjoyed! You are easy on yourself and those around you. Even if you eat the whole pan of brownies, it's really not a big deal. Your friends can always count on you for a smile or a laugh. You rarely judge or criticize. You are sweet because you realize not everyone's perfect. You don't try to be perfect, and you love yourself even more for it.

What Bake Sale Favorite Are You?

Blogthings: Take a Quiz. Annoy Your Friends.

Alice B. Toklas

Tickling Slow Loris

What's a loris?

Supreme Court Intervenes in Skinner Case

High court blocks Texas execution

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the execution of a Texas man who says DNA testing could clear him of the triple slaying that has sent him to death row.

The justices' order Wednesday could allow Hank Skinner access to evidence that he says could demonstrate his innocence. The 47-year-old Skinner faced lethal injection for the bludgeoning and strangling of his girlfriend, 40-year-old Twila Jean Busby, and the stabbings of her two adult sons at their home in the Texas Panhandle town of Pampa on New Year's Eve in 1993.

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Just heard this on the news (and the Houston Chronicle article linked to above is less than ten minutes old at the time of this posting) Skinner was less than an hour away from being executed.

The death penalty has always held a gruesome fascination for me. I've read every thing the local library has on the subject, from factual novels such as Caryl Chessman's books, to Stephen King's fiction (made into a movie) The Green Mile. I also own a book with an article by Skinner, WRITING FOR THEIR LIVES: Death Row USA

I've extensively researched Skinner's case and while I think he is guilty of this crime, I also believe he should be afforded a new trial and that the DNA testing should be done. I hope this latest ruling by the SC will allow the testing to proceed.

More to follow as soon as more is known. For more information, The Skeptical Juror has a great series on Skinner's case.

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UPDATE: France claims their plea swayed the court

The US Supreme Court has suspended the execution of convicted murderer Hank Skinner after a plea from France and his defense lawyers to allow further DNA tests.

I KNOW this isn't true. Who the hell listens to the French on ANYTHING!!!

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Larry King interviews Skinner's wife and a man who was proven innocent by DNA testing.

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Down to His Final Meal, Hank Skinner Granted Stay of Execution in Texas Murder Case

Just as Hank Skinner was finishing his final meal on earth -- two chicken thighs, a double bacon cheeseburger, fried catfish, onion rings, French fries, a salad with ranch dressing and a milkshake -- he received the phone call he never thought was coming. His life had been spared by the United States Supreme Court.

Read more at previous link.