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This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the George Bush Presidential
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Record Group/Collection:
George H.W. Bush Presidential Records
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Speechwriting, White House Office of
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Speech File Backup Files
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Chron File, 1989-1993
OA/ID Number:
13835
Folder ID Number:
13835-007
Folder Title:
Crime--St. Louis, Missouri 9/28/92 [OA 7581][1]
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26
23
1
4
June 15, 1989 Crime Bill Submitted
Crime Statistics:
9/25/92
SOURCE:
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Dept. figures violent
crime in Fox Park [mid 89-8/31/92]
FORCIBLE
AGGRIVATED
DATE
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
1992
1
5
19
67
1991
2
9
85
94
1990
1
2
46
72
1989
0
1
35
67
7-12
TOTALS
4
17
185
300
SOURCE:
David Nemecek, Dir. National Crime Info Center [324-
2606] referred me to Vicky Major [324-5015]
*1992 numbers from St. Louis Metropolitan Police
St. Louis / Violent Crimes [1989-91]:
FORCIBLE
AGGRIVATED
OFFICERS
DATE
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
ASSAULTED
1992*
111
252
3,189
5,264
:
1991
260
342
5,294
8,180
715
1990
177
331
4,708
8,466
778
1989
83
188
2,308
4,253
360
7-12
TOTALS
631
1,113
15,499
26,163
1,853
SOURCE:
FBI //Uniform Crime Report // Carlos Davis [estimates]
324-3827
Vicky Major [324-5015]
*Estimated Violent Crime Offenses in the UNITED STATES [89-91]:
FORCIBLE
AGGRIVATED
DATE
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
1991
24,700
106,590
687,730
1,092,740
1990
23,440
102,560
639,270
1,054,860
1989
11,395
49,896
307,093
495,841 [July-Dec]*
TOTALS
59,535
259,046
1,634,093
2,643,441
(Askew/Bunton)
September 27, 1992
3:00 p.m.
CRIME
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DeSALES CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOX PARK, MISSOURI
SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
10:00 A.M.
Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning,
everybody.
It's delightful to be in Fox Park. St. Louis is such a
friendly city. It really warms my heart. So thank you for your
wonderful Missouri welcome.
FA. RICHARD BOSCHKOPF
ST. FRANCIS PESALES CATHOLIC CHURCH
I want to apologize to everyone who was counting on the
S
usual Sunday Bingo game last night. I hear the Secret Service
spoiled your fun when they had to check out the building. Well,
314- 771- 3100 314-771-3100
I'm sorry you missed the game, but it was smart to stay away.
Believe me, you don't want to be jumping up suddenly and yelling
"Bingo!" around these guys.//
I want to talk to you today about what I consider
government's first and most-basic function.
I know what you're thinking. You've been listening to that
other fellow. and all you can think about is taxes. Well, I'm
not going to talk about taxes today. But I think it's only fair
to warn you that for years down in Arkansas, my opponent has been
trying to declare April 15th a religious holiday./ /
But what I do want to talk about is the fundamental duty of
our government
to protect every American citizen from violence
-- at home, on the streets, and abroad.
1
Now
that's nothing new. Security is one big reason
government was created in the first place.
What's new are the terrible forms violence has taken
recently beyond anything our founding fathers could've
imagined.
A whole generation has grown up with the threat of nuclear
terror hanging like a sword over its head. And it's been
horrible. Our kids had nightmares. It seemed like it would
never end.
Well, it did end. And today I can stand up here and say
something no President could ever say before.
The Cold War is over. Freedom finished first. //
Now, we need to win the peace
right here at home and in
the streets of Fox Park.//
What's the point, after all
of winning a Cold War if our
grandparents and grandchildren lock themselves behind the bars on
their windows, afraid to come out from a jail called home?
Now, I'm not saying we haven't made progress against violent
crime. We certainly have. We've slowed it dramatically the past
twelve years. And we're beginning to turn the tide on the drugs
DAN LEVINE COS/A6 BARR
that so often fuel it.
But we got soft on crime in the 1960s, and we paid for it.
By the time we cracked down again in the 80s, violent crime had
514-3892
gone up 400% in twenty years. Since we cracked down, it's gone
up just 27% in a little over ten years, and the overall crime
index is actually down.
2
So we've stemmed the tide
prevented millions of crimes
but of course, that's not enough. It's never enough.
The face of crime is changing fast, and we need our laws to
react just as quickly so we can beat it.
Carjacking, for a timely example -- a brand-new word for a
brand-new crime. Someone figured out it's easy to steal a car
when it's already running, with the keys in the ignition. Of
course, the owner's behind the wheel. So they use a gun.
It makes me sick to think about it
but just a few weeks
btwn. Baltimore And washington
ago, in a nice neighborhood near Baltimore a woman was sitting
in her car at a stop sign. In broad daylight, two men forced her
out of her car and drove off.
arm was entangled (Newsday, P. 104; Wm. Raspbemy) and Atlanta Joumal chicago
But she hung onto her seat-belt from outside the car.
What Tribune
mother wouldn't? Because her baby was in the back seat. The 9/15/92 linda
mother was dragged for almost two miles. The thieves tried to Harrington
knock her off by banging into a fence. And she finally died.
And you know what they did with her little baby? They
tossed her out of the car like so much trash.
Miraculously, that baby survived.
And you know what? America's going to survive, too. We
don't have to put up with this kind of depravity. //
These people have no place in a decent society. And as far
as this President's concerned, they can go to jail
they can
stay in jail
and they can rot in jail. /
SAVAGE, HOWARD Co. MARYLAND
3
And for that to happen, we need tough laws that don't bend
over backwards protecting the criminal
while saying to the
victim, "Tough luck, buddy. "//
Now, my opponent has learned to talk tough on crime. But
let me tell you: When push comes to shove, what he really
believes is that same old hogwash that says it's society's fault
when someone gets mugged. And society should suffer.
POTUS REMARKS SPRINGFIELD Md. 9/22/92
Well,
maybe that's why most inmates in Arkansas serve less
than one-fifth of their sentence.
Maybe that's why violent crime
(more than 58)
in Arkansas went up almost 60 percent in the 80s -- over twice
POTIS REMARKS SPRINGFIELD, Mo. 9/22/92
the national average.
[Maybe that's why, in the 80s, Arkansas had
the nation's biggest increase in overall crime
--
and the third-
biggest in violent crime. DAN LEVINE COB/A6 BARR
If you don't believe me just ask the Fraternal Order of
9/22/92
Police in Little Rock, Arkansas. They're endorsing me for
SPRINGAELD, MO.
POTUS REMARKS
President. Because they know my record.
And because they know better than anyone
that we're all
vulnerable: Men, women, children; white, black, brown; young,
old; rich and poor. To a bullet or a blade -- we all look just
the same.
And Americans deserve a government that goes after the
problem -- that prevents and punishes crime, and helps victims. //
That's why I want to see America make a move at the Federal
level
to step forward and support state and local police
around the country -- in real, concrete ways. We need to help
them fight. /
4
CLER'S OFFICE
That's why, twelve-hundred and one days ago, on June 15,
1989 -- the same day Gorbachev first hinted the Berlin Wall might WASHINGTON
come down -- I sent a comprehensive crime bill to Capitol Hill.
POST, P.AI,
June 16,1989
I offered the hand of partnership to Congress, and asked it to
help me fight crime on a national level.
You know, since I first sent that bill to the Hill in 1989,
VICKY
here in the United States, we've had almost 60,000 murders,
MAJOR
FBI/UCR
260,000 rapes, 1,600,000 robberies and 2,600,000 assaults. 506 ST. LOUIS
METRO POLICE
324-3827
/
of those violent crimes took place right here in Fox Park.
CHIEF CLARENCE
HARMON
I know the numbers are staggering. I know that Americans 314-444-5624
sit down in front of their TVs at night
watch the news and
say why doesn't somebody do something about this incredible
mess? People are dying in the streets, for God's sake.
Well
twelve-hundred and one days later
Congress still
hasn't acted on my Bill.
I think if they had a glacier on Capitol Hill, they'd name
it "Speedy. "//
But frustrating as this crime bill has been for me... it's
still my job as President to get results. There are good people
on both sides of the issue, working in good faith for a
compromise and I will not rest until this matter is settled.
This very week, we're close to an agreement on a bill the
Congress could send me -- and I will sign. The comprehensive
bill could include, for example, a workable death-penalty
provision for horrible murders committed by terrorists,
assassins, drug lords and others of that nature.
5
But when it comes to crime, we always -- always -- have more
to do. We can never rest.
So I want you to know what's on my crime agenda. I'm not
asking for anything but common sense and reasonable justice
especially for women, children and elderly victims of crime.
Specifically, I want a crime bill that helps accomplish the
following eight things:
One, apprehend and severely punish carjackers, like the ones
I just described. I want to make carjacking a Federal offense
with harsh penalties. I want thugs who take cars at gunpoint to
stay in a cell so long that when they get out -- they're too old
to drive.//
Two, call deadbeat dads onto the carpet. Right now, a
single mother here in Missouri can be struggling to keep the kids
fed and clothed on her small salary
while their father's up in
Chicago, picking out a new Chevy truck with terrycloth pom-poms
and a gun rack. He could be a year behind in child-support, but
no one can touch him because he's over state lines. Well, I
think that's a disgrace, and it's about time the long arm of the
law reaches out over that state line
taps that deadbeat dad on
the shoulder and says loud and clear -- time to pay up, buddy.
Cough up the cash or go to jail.
Three, strengthen laws dealing with sexual and domestic
violence. For starters, we need to protect the victim. And I
want repeat sex and domestic-violence offenders behind bars until
trial. Today, even a repeat offender can get arrested and be out
6
on bond hours later
stalking his next victim
or beating his
wife and kids for turning him in. I want him detained until
trial, and I want the prosecution to be able to use past
convictions against him. Right now, so-called little details --
like the fact he's a three-time loser -- can't even be mentioned
in court. And that's wrong. Let him pay for what he's done. //
Four, crack down on gang violence. I want gangs to be
treated like the criminal enterprises they are. That way, we can
go after the leaders, and we can deal harshly with them, and we
can untie the hands of good cops so they can clean up decent
neighborhoods. I also want to toughen the penalties for using
juveniles in crimes. Gangs right now can send under-age kids out
to do their dirty work, because they're minors and they'll get
off if they're caught. I think the older gang members should be
punished harshly for treating these little kids like bullet
fodder. 11
Five, protection for the elderly. It's absurd that the
folks who've contributed to this society all through their lives
have to live in terror when they're old and frail, just because
some young punks see them as an easy target. They're as low as
the thugs who pick on children, and I want to beef up the laws
that put them behind bars so they're not on the streets mugging
grandmothers. Instead, they'd be in front of a police camera
mugging pictures for their criminal files. //
Six, Habeas Corpus reform. Habeas Corpus is a fancy way of
saying, if you're found guilty of something, you can challenge
7
the decision in court. It's supposed to protect the innocent,
but it's turned into a ridiculous perversion of the law.
Criminal lawyers use it to postpone justice. A guilty verdict
can mean seemingly endless appeals that choke our courts and
delay justice. It's about time we put a stop to this travesty.
Let them have one Habeas Corpus petition and be done with it.//
Seven, a Federal death penalty. I think certain acts of
violence deserve the ultimate penalty. I'm talking about
assassinations, murder for hire, terrorism and other depraved
acts. These people are merchants of death, who trade in death
so when they kill someone, let's complete the transaction. //
And eight, firearms. This one's short and sweet. I want
tougher penalties for any crime committed with a gun. Period./
(Brief pause.)
Now, I'm not saying that tougher laws are going to fix
everything. I'm a firm believer in justice, but I think
punishment is only part of the solution.
The other part has a more human face.
Tomorrow's criminals are still just kids today. And while I
believe in resources for law enforcement
and in reform for law
enforcement
I also believe that at some point early in life, a
youngster at a critical juncture can be steered to a life of
right
or a life of terrible wrong. It all depends on the kind
of soil you plant these kids in
and how you nourish them.
That's why I believe our weed-and-seed program is so very
crucial. Weed-and-seed means going into a rough neighborhood
8
eradicating the 'weeds' of violent crime that can choke a young
life
and replacing them with 'seeds' of social opportunity and
reform.
That's what Operation Crackdown in St. Louis is all about:
The Federal Government, working with local law enforcement,
reclaiming crack houses and giving them back to the community.
And that's what your COPS program, here in Fox Park, is all
about, too, on a local level. Real people making real changes in
your own neighborhood.
You know, just the other day, only a few blocks from here,
police officers raided a crack house on Ohio Avenue. And as
those officers came out of the house with those drug-dealers
handcuffed, the neighbors -- maybe some of you -- came out to
their porches and gave those police a standing ovation and a
cheer.
That's what this country's hungry for. Americans want to
take crime out of their neighborhoods and put the neighbors
back. We've got to weed the poison growth from the soil
and
in its place, plant the seeds of hope.
I know you just want to be able to walk down to Worth's
Market, or down to Fox Park for a stroll, or over to Bartlett's
Grocery Store for a newspaper or Mary's Restaurant for a cup of
coffee ( (even if she is a Democrat)) and you want to do it
knowing you're safe in your own neighborhood, that you've helped
build and kept alive.
9
I think John Mirgaux said it best. He lives near that old
crack house over on Ohio. And he said he and his wife Eleanor
had been thinking about selling their house and just moving away
from the drugs and all the ugly crime.
But you know
he's lived in Fox Hill his whole life. It's
his neighborhood.
And after the raid
he and Eleanor did some thinking. And
he put it this way. He said:
"You know, I've been waiting for this to happen. Now
we're going to make a stand. "
Please join us
join John and Eleanor
and Ohio
Avenue
and Fox Park
and St. Louis
and Missouri
and
this whole United States
and make a stand against crime today.
Because the people deserve it.
Thank you
thank you all for listening
God bless Fox
Park, Missouri
and God bless the United States of America.
10
Acks:
FACT CHECK
(Askew/Bunton)
September 27, 1992
1:00 p.m.
CRIME
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DeSALES CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOX PARK, MISSOURI
SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
10:00 A.M.
Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning,
everybody.
It's delightful to be in Fox Park. St. Louis is such a
friendly city. It really warms my heart. So thank you for your
wonderful Missouri welcome.
FA. RICHARD
I want to apologize to everyone who was counting on the
BOCHSKOPF
ST. FRANCIS
usual Sunday Bingo game last night. I hear the Secret Service
DESALES
CATHOLIC CHURCH
spoiled your fun when they had to check out the building. Well,
314-771-3100
I'm sorry you missed the game, but it was smart to stay away.
Believe me, you don't want to be jumping up suddenly and yelling
"Bingo!" around these guys. //
I want to talk to you today about what I consider
government's first and most-basic function.
I know what you're thinking. You've been listening to that
other fellow. and all you can think about is taxes. Well, I'm
not going to talk about taxes today. But I think it's only fair
to warn you that for years down in Arkansas, my opponent has been
trying to declare April 15th a religious holiday. //
But what I do want to talk about is the fundamental duty of
our government
to protect every American citizen from violence
-- at home, on the streets, and abroad.
1
Now
that's nothing new. Security is one big reason
government was created in the first place.
What's new are the terrible forms violence has taken
recently
beyond anything our founding fathers could've
imagined.
A whole generation has grown up with the threat of nuclear
terror hanging like a sword over its head. And it's been
horrible. Our kids had nightmares. It seemed like it would
never end.
Well, it did end. And today I can stand up here and say
something no President could ever say before.
The Cold War is over. Freedom finished first. //
Now, we need to win the peace right here at home and in
the streets of Fox Park. //
What's the point, after all
of winning a Cold War if our
grandparents and grandchildren lock themselves behind the bars on
their windows, afraid to come out from a jail called home?
Now, I'm not saying we haven't made progress against violent
crime. We certainly have. We've slowed it dramatically the past
PAN
LEVINE
twelve years. And we're beginning to turn the tide on the drugs
COS/AG
BAR
that so often fuel it.
574-3892
But we got soft on crime in the 1960s, and we paid for it.
PAN
LEVINE
By the time we cracked down again in the 80s, violent crime had
COFS
AG BARR
gone up 400% in twenty years. Since we cracked down, it's gone
514-3892
up just 27% in a little over ten years, and the overall crime
index is actually down.
2
So we've stemmed the tide
prevented millions of crimes
but of course, that's not enough. It's never enough.
The face of crime is changing fast, and we need our laws to
react just as quickly so we can beat it.
Carjacking, for a timely example -- a brand-new word for a
brand-new crime. Someone figured out it's easy to steal a car
when it's already running, with the keys in the ignition. Of
course, the owner's behind the wheel. So they use a gun.
It makes me sick to think about it but just a few weeks
SAVAGE, no. ISNOT A SUBURB OF WASHINGTON :
ago, in a comfortable suburb of Washington. D.C., a woman was
sitting in her car at a stop sign. In broad daylight, two men
stuck a gun in her face, pushed her out, and took off.
But she hung onto her seat-belt from outside the car. Her
THE MOTHER
baby was in the back seat. She was dragged for almost two miles.
The thieves tried to knock her off by banging into a fence. And
she finally fell off and died.
And you know what they did with her little baby? They
tossed her out of the car like so much trash.
Miraculously, that baby survived.
And you know what? America's going to survive, too. We
don't have to put up with this kind of depravity. //
These people have no place in a decent society. And as far
as this President's concerned, they can go to jail
they can
stay in jail
and they can rot in jail.//
3
And for that to happen, we need tough laws that don't bend
over backwards protecting the criminal
while saying to the
victim, "Tough luck, buddy. "//
Now, my opponent has learned to talk tough on crime. But
let me tell you: When push comes to shove, what he really
believes is that same old hogwash that says it's society's fault
when someone gets mugged. And society should suffer.
X
SPRINGFIELD POTUS/REEMALS
Well, maybe that's why most inmates in Arkansas serve less - Mo. 9/22/92
than one-fifth of their sentence. Maybe that's why violent crime
MORE THAN 58
two
in Arkansas went up a lmost 77 percent in the 80s -- three times
the national average. Maybe that's why in the 1980s, Arkansas
PONS
X
SPRINGFIELD,
X
had the nation's biggest increase in overall crime --
and the
Mo. 9/22/92
third-biggest in violent crime.
DAN LEVINE COS/A6 BARR
POTUS
If you don't believe me
just ask the Fraternal Order of
REMARKS
SPRING-
Police in Little Rock, Arkansas. They're endorsing me for
FIELD, MO
9/22/92
President. Because they know my record.
And because they know better than anyone
that we're all
vulnerable: Men, women, children; white, black, brown; young,
old; rich and poor. To a bullet or a blade -- we all look just
the same.
And Americans deserve a government that goes after the
problem -- that prevents and punishes crime, and helps victims. //
That why I want to see America make a move at the Federal
level
to step forward and support state and local police
around the country -- in real, concrete ways. We need to help
them fight. //
4
,CUERKS OFFICE
That's why, twelve-hundred and one days ago, on June 15,
1989 -- the same day Gorbachev first hinted the Berlin Wall might
Post, washington 41
June 16,1989
come down -- I sent a comprehensive Crime Bill to Capitol Hill.
I offered the hand of partnership to Congress, and asked it to
help me fight crime on a national level.
You know, since I first sent that bill to the Hill in 1989,
Vicky MAJDR/
FBI/UCR #5
here in the United States, we've had almost 60,000 murders,
324-3827
259,000
1,600,000
2,600,000
260,000 rapes, 1,700,000 robberies and 2,700,000 assaults. 506 ST. Louis
METRO POLICE
of those violent crimes took place right here in Fox Park.
CHEF CLARENCE HARMON
314-444-5624
I know the numbers are staggering. I know that Americans
sit down in front of their TVs at night.. watch the news and
say... why doesn't somebody do something about this incredible
mess? People are dying in the streets, for God's sake.
Well
twelve-hundred and one days later
Congress still
hasn't acted on my Bill.
I think if they had a glacier on Capitol Hill, they'd name
it "Speedy. "//
But frustrating as this Crime Bill has been for me... it's
still my job as President to get results. There are good people
on both sides of the issue, working in good faith for a
compromise. and I will not rest until this matter is settled.
This very week, we're close to an agreement on a bill the
Congress could send me -- and I will sign. The Comprehensive
Bill could include, for example, a workable death-penalty
provision for horrible murders. committed by terrorists,
assassins, drug lords and others of that nature.
5
But when it comes to crime, we always -- always -- have more
to do. We can never rest.
So I want you to know what's on my crime agenda. I'm not
asking for anything but common sense and reasonable justice
especially for women, children and elderly victims of crime.
Specifically, I want to offer Federal money and support to
NOT STATE
help States do the following eight things:
One, apprehend and severely punish carjackers, like the ones
I just described. I want to make carjacking a Federal offense
with harsh penalties. I want thugs who take cars at gunpoint to
stay in a cell so long that when they get out -- they're too old
to drive. / /
Two, call deadbeat dads onto the carpet. Right now, a
ONLY SOME OF THE PROGRAMS ARE OAILY AT FED. LEVEL
SAID MOST OF THIS DOES NOT INVOLVE MONEY; AND
BETSY ANDERSON (2774) /JANEHALE HAVE (3120)
single mother here in Missouri can be struggling to keep the kids
fed and clothed on her small salary
while their father's up in
Chicago, picking out a new Chevy truck with terrycloth pom-poms
and a gun rack. He could be six months behind in child-support,
but no one can touch him because he's over state lines. Well, I
think that's a disgrace, and it's about time the long arm of the
law reaches out over that state line
taps that deadbeat dad on
the shoulder and says loud and clear -- time to pay up, buddy.
Cough up the cash or go to jail.
Three, strengthen laws dealing with sexual and domestic
violence. To start with, we need to protect the victim's
privacy. It's cruel to put her in the spotlight. And I want
repeat sex and domestic-violence offenders behind bars until
6
trial. Today, even a repeat offender can get arrested and be out
on bond hours later
stalking his next victim
or beating his
wife and kids for turning him in. I want him detained until
trial, and I want the prosecution to be able to use past
convictions against him. Right now, so-called little details --
like the fact he's a three-time loser -- can't even be mentioned
in court. And that's wrong. Let him pay for what he's done. //
Four, crack down on gang violence. I want gangs to be
reclassified under the law as criminal enterprises, just like any
other organized crime. That way, we can go after the leaders,
and we can deal harshly with them, and we can untie the hands of
good cops so they can clean up decent neighborhoods. I also want
to toughen the penalties for using juveniles in crimes. Gangs
right now can send under-age kids out to do their dirty work,
because they're minors and they'll get off if they're caught. I
think the older gang members should be punished harshly for
treating these little kids like bullet fodder./
Five, protection for the elderly. It's absurd that the
folks who've contributed to this society all through their lives
have to live in terror when they're old and frail, just because
some young punks see them as an easy target. They're as low as
the thugs who pick on children, and I want to beef up the laws
that put them behind bars so they're not on the streets mugging
grandmothers. Instead, they'd be in front of a police camera
mugging pictures for their criminal files.//
7
Six, Habeas Corpus reform. Habeas Corpus is a fancy way of
saying, if you're found guilty of something, you can challenge
the decision in court. It's supposed to protect the innocent,
but it's turned into a ridiculous perversion of the law.
Criminal lawyers use it to postpone justice. A guilty verdict
can mean seemingly endless appeals that go on and on, choking our
courts and delaying justice. It's about time we put a stop to
this travesty of justice. Let them have one Habeas Corpus
petition and be done with it.//
Seven, a Federal death penalty. I think certain acts of
violence deserve the ultimate penalty. I'm talking about
assassinations, murder for hire, terrorism and other depraved
acts. These people are merchants of death, who trade in death
so when they kill someone, let's complete the transaction./
And eight, firearms. This one's short and sweet. I want
tougher penalties for any crime committed with a gun. Period./
(Brief pause.)
Now, I'm not saying that tougher laws are going to fix
everything. I'm a firm believer in justice, but I think
punishment is only part of the solution.
The other part has a more human face.
Tomorrow's criminals are still just kids today. And while I
believe in resources for law enforcement
and in reform for law
enforcement
I also believe that at some point early in life, a
youngster at a critical juncture can be steered to a life of
8
right or a life of terrible wrong. It all depends on the kind
of soil you plant these kids in
and how you nourish them.
That's why I believe our weed-and-seed program is so very
crucial. Weed-and-seed means going into a rough neighborhood
eradicating the 'weeds' of violent crime that can choke a young
life
and replacing them with 'seeds' of social opportunity and
reform.
That's what Operation Crackdown is all about: The Federal
Government, working with local law enforcement, reclaiming crack
houses and giving them back to the community.
And that's what your COPS program, here in Fox Park, is all
about, too, on a local level. Real people making real changes in
your own neighborhood.
You know, just the other day, only a few blocks from here,
police officers raided a crack house on Ohio Avenue. And as
those officers came out of the house with those drug-dealers
handcuffed, the neighbors -- maybe some of you -- came out to
their porches and gave those police a standing ovation and a
cheer.
That's what this country's hungry for. Americans want to
take crime out of their neighborhoods
and put the neighbors
back. We've got to weed the poison growth from the soil
and
in its place, plant the seeds of hope.
I know you want to just be able to walk down to Worth's
Market, or down to Fox Park for a stroll, or over to Bartlett's
Grocery Store for a newspaper and Mary's Restaurant for a cup of
Shis a bigtime Democrat
9
coffee and you want to do it knowing you're safe in your own
neighborhood, that you've helped build and kept alive.
near
stat
I think John Mirgaux said it best. He lives next to that
old crack house over on Ohio. And he said he and his wife
Eleanor had been thinking about selling their house and just
moving away from the drugs and all the ugly crime.
But you know
he's lived in Fox Hill his whole life. It's
his neighborhood.
And after the raid
he and Eleanor did some thinking. And
he put it this way. He said:
"You know, I've been waiting for this to happen. Now
we're going to make a stand. "
Please join us
join John and Eleanor
and Ohio
Avenue
and Fox Park
and St. Louis
and Missouri
and
this whole United States
and make a stand against crime today.
Because the people deserve it.
Thank you
thank you all for listening
God bless Fox
Park, Missouri
and God bless the United States of America.
10
Crime Statistics:
9/25/92
SOURCE:
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Dept. figures violent
crime in Fox Park [mid 89-8/31/92]
FORCIBLE
AGGRIVATED
DATE
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
1992
1
5
19
67
1991
2
9
85
94
1990
1
2
46
72
1989
0
1
35
67
7-12
TOTALS
4
17
185
300
506
SOURCE:
David Nemecek, Dir. National Crime Info Center [324-
2606] referred me to Vicky Major [324-5015]
*1992 numbers from St. Louis Metropolitan Police
St. Louis / Violent Crimes [1989-91]:
FORCIBLE
AGGRIVATED
OFFICERS
DATE
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
ASSAULTED
1992*
111
252
3,189
5,264
--
1991
260
342
5,294
8,180
715
1990
177
331
4,708
8,466
778
1989
83
188
2,308
4,253
360 7-12
TOTALS
631
1,113
15,499
26,163
1,853
SOURCE:
FBI //Uniform Crime Report // Carlos Davis [estimates]
324-3827
Vicky Major [324-5015]
*Estimated Violent Crime Offenses in the UNITED STATES [89-91]:
FORCIBLE
AGGRIVATED
DATE
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
1991
24,700
106,590
687,730
1,092,740
1990
23,440
102,560
639,270
1,054,860
1989
11,395
49,896
307,093
495,841 [July-Dec]*
TOTALS
59,535
259,046
1,634,093
2,643,441
SEP-25-1992 08:31 FROM FBI UCR
TO
92024566218 P.01/02
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
UNIFORM
FEDERAL BUREAU result OF INVES
CRIME
REPORTING
Date: 9-25-92
FAX: (202) 324-6495
From: Front Office
Crime Statistics Unit
Research and Analysis Unit
Training and Development Unit
User Services Unit x
Contact: CARLOS DAVIS
Phone: 324-3827 or 5015
Number of pages: 2 (including cover sheet)
To:
JEANNIE BUNTON (WHITE HOUSE)
ESTIMATED VIOLENT CRIMES FOR SPECIFIC TIME
FRAMES IN 1989
Estimated Violent Crime Offense Totals, United States, June 1989 and July - December 1989
Estimated
Estimated
Estimated
Violent
Estimated
Forcible
Estimated
Aggravated
Crime
Hurder
Rape
Robbery
Assault
Total
June
1,763
8,411
43,953
84,702
138,829
SEP-25-1992 08:32 FROM FBI UCR
July-Dec.
11,395
49,896
307,093
495,841
864,225
Total
21,500
94,500
578,330
951,710
1,646,040
01
92024566218 P.02/02
SEP-24-1992 16:00 FROM FBI UCR
TO
94566218 P.01/11
UNIVERSITY OF JUSTICE TICE
UNIFORM
FEDERAL BUREAU WISSED MASSACHUSETTS I
CRIME
OF
REPORTING
Date: 9/24/92
FAX: (202) 324-6495
From: Front Office
Crime Statistics Unit
Research and Analysis Unit
Training and Development Unit
User Services Unit
Contact: Vicka Major
Phone: (202)324-5015
Number of pages: 11 (including cover sheet)
To: Jeannie Bunton
white House
ENNE (4) CLB) 53 TOT-11'9
03:10
PA ORV
bown
(Box
9:921
Nath Crime Info. Ctr.
1
David He
Nemecek
NE
неллимер
AORE (Nem-i-check)
MIFE CVFD VOVIN
12 MVI.LMG 10 BEE AGN
TEVES ОНОЙЕ
324-2606 618
NOVOTUA
DE My
UCR
ACCOMERE CUTTED SA-
ACID MEBE лацев BA-
10:
06 Cyrr
MORION
NEWOBYWOOM
SEP-24-1992
16:01
FROM
FBI
UCR
TO
94566218
P.02/11
Table 1.-Index of Crime, United States, 1972-1991
Murder
Modified
Crime
and non-
Crime
Violent
Agera-
Motor
Property
Foreible
Population
Index
negligent
Burglary
Laroeny-
Robbery
vated
vehicle
Arson
Index
crime⁴
crime¹
total
rape
theft
man-
assault
theft
total'
slaughter
Number of Offenses
Population by year:
1972-208.230,000
8,248,800
834,900
7,413,900
18,670
46,850
376,290
393,090
2,375,500
4,151,200
887,200
1973-209,851,000
8,718,100
875,910
7,842,200
19,640
$1,400
384,220
420,650
2,565,500
4,347,900
928,800
1974-211,392,000
10,253,400
974,720
9,278,700
20,710
55,400
442,400
456,210
3,039,200
5,262,500
977,100
1975-213,124,000
11,292,400
1,039,710
10,252,700
20,510
56,090
470,500
492,620
3,265,300
5,977,700
1,009,600
1976-214,659,000
11,349,700
1,004,210
10,345,500
18,780
57,080
427,810
500,530
3,108,700
6,270,800
966,000
1977-216,332,000
10,984,500
1,029,580
9,955,000
19,120
63,500
412,610
534,350
3,071,500
5,905,700
977,700
1978-218,059,000
11,209,000
1,085,550
10,123,400
19,560
67,610
426,930
571,460
3,128,300
5,991,000
1,004,100
1979-220,099,000
12,249,500
1,208,030
11,041,500
21,460
76,390
480,700
629,480
3,327,700
6,601,000
1,112,800
1980-225,349.264
13,408,300
1,344,520
12,063,700
23,040
82,990
565,840
672,650
3,795,200
7,136,900
1,131,700
1981-229,146,000
13,423,800
1,361,820
12,061,900
22,520
82,500
$92,910
663,900
3,779,700
7,194,400
1,087,800
1982-231,534,000
12,974,400
1,322,390
11,652,000
21,010
78,770
553,130
669,480
3,447,100
7,142,500
1,062,400
1983-233,981,000
12,108,600
1,258,090
10,850,500
19,310
78,920
506,570
653,290
3,129,900
6,712,800
1,007,900
1984-236.158,000
11,881,800
1,273,280
10,608,500
18,690
84,230
485,010
685,350
2,984,400
6,591,900
1,032,200
1985-238,740,000
12,431,400
1,328,800
11,102,600
18,980
88,670
497,870
723,250
3,073,300
6,926,400
1,102,900
1986-241,077,000
13,211,900
1,489,170
11,722,700
20,610
91,460
542,780
834,320
3,241,400
7,257,200
1,224,100
1987-243,400,000
13,508,700
1,484,000
12,024,700
20,100
91,110
$17,700
855,090
3,236,200
7,499,900
1,288,700
1988-245,807,000
13,923,100
1,566,220
12,356,900
20,680
92,490
$42,970
910,090
3,218,100
7,705,900
1,432,900
1989-248,239,000
14,251,400
1,646,040
12,605,400
21,500
94,500
578,330
951,710
3,168,200
7,872,400
1,564,800
1990-248,709,873
14,475,600
1,820,130
12,655,500
23,440
102,560
639,270
1,054,860
3,073,900
7,945,700
1,635,900
1991-252,177,000
14,872,900
1,911,770
12,961,100
24,700
106,590
687,730
1,092,740
3,157,200
8,142,200
1,661,700
Percent change: number of
offenses:
1991/1990
+2.7
+5.0
+2.4
+5.4
+3.9
+7.6
+3.6
+2.7
+2.5
+1.6
1991/1987
+10.1
+28.8
47,8
+22.9
+17.0
+32.8
+27.8
-2.4
+8.6
+28.9
1991/1982
+14.6
+44.6
+11.2
+17.6
+35.3
+24.3
+63.2
-8.4
414.0
+56.4
Rate per 100,000 Inhabitants
Year:
1972
3,961.4
401.0
3,560.4
9.0
22.5
180.7
188.8
1,140.8
1,993.6
426.1
1973
4,154.4
417.4
3,737.0
9.4
24.5
183.1
200.5
1,222.5
2,071.9
442.6
1974
4,850.4
461.1
4,389.3
9.8
26.2
209.3
215.8
1,437.7
2,489.5
462.2
1975
5,298.5
487.8
4,810.7
9.6
26.3
220.8
231.1
1,532.1
2,804.8
473.7
1976
5,287.3
467.8
4,819.5
8.8
26.6
199.3
233.2
1,448.2
2,921.3
450.0
1977
5,077.6
475.9
4,601.7
8.8
29.4
190.7
247.0
1,419.8
2,729.9
451.9
1978
5,140.3
497.8
4,642.5
9.0
31.0
195.8
262.1
1,434.6
2,747.4
460.5
1979
5,565.5
548.9
5,016.6
9.7
34.7
218.4
286.0
1,511.9
2,999.1
505.6
1980
5,950.0
596.6
5,353.3
10.2
36.8
251.1
298.5
1,684.1
3,167.0
502.2
1981
5,858.2
594.3
5,263.9
9.8
36.0
258.7
289.7
1,649.5
3,139.7
474.7
1982
5,603.6
571.1
5,032.5
9.1
34.0
238.9
289.2
1,488.8
3,084.8
458.8
1983
5,175.0
537.7
4,637.4
8.3
33.7
216.5
279.2
1,337.7
2,868.9
430.8
1984
5,031.3
539.2
4,492.1
7.9
35.7
205.4
290.2
1,263.7
2,791.3
437.1
1985
5,207.1
556.6
4,650.5
7.9
37.1
203.5
302.9
1,287.3
2,901.2
462.0
1986
5,480.4
617.7
4,862.6
8.6
37.9
225.1
346.1
1,344.6
3,010.3
507.8
1987
5,550.0
609.7
4,940.3
8.3
37.4
212.7
351.3
1,329.6
3,081.3
529.4
1988
5,664.2
637.2
5,027.1
8.4
37.6
220.9
370.2
1,309.2
3,134.9
582.9
1989
5,741.0
663.1
5,077.9
8.7
38.1
233.0
383.4
1,276.3
3,171.3
630,4
1990
5,820.3
731.8
5,088.5
9.4
41.2
257.0
424,1
1,235.9
3.194.8
657.8
1991
5,897.8
758.1
5,139.7
9.8
42.3
272.7
433.3
1,252.0
3,228.8
659.0
Percent change: rate per 100,000
inhabitants:
1991/1990
+1.3
+3.6
+1.0
+4.3
+2.7
+6.1
+2.2
+1.3
+1.1
+.2
1991/1987
+6.3
+24.3
+4.1
+18.6
+13.1
+28.2
+23.3
-3.8
+4.8
+24.5
1991/1982
+5.3
432.7
+2.1
+7.6
+24,4
+14.1
+49.8
-15.9
+4.7
+43.6
Populations are Bureau of the Census provisional estimates as of July 1. except 1980 and 1990 which are the decennial census counts.
Because of rounding. the offenses may not add to totals.
Although arson data are included in the trend and clearance tables, sufficient data are not available to estimate totals for this offense.
*Violent crimes are offenses of murder, forcible rape, robbery, and aggrevated assault. Property crimes are offenses of burglary, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft. Data are not included
for the property crime of arson.
Ait rates were calculated on the offenses before rounding.
Date for 1991 were not available for the State of Iowa: therefore, it was necessary that their crime counts be estimated. See "Offense Estimation," page 377 for details.
58
RETURN A RECORD CARD
89
MO
SAINT LOUIS
754
MOSPDOO 1
4
405,066
YEAR
08/04/90
STATE
AGENCY
SMSA
ORI
GR DIV
POPULATION
DATE
f
2
3
4A-D
4E
5
6
7
8
MONTH
MOTOR
EXPANDED
POLICE OFFICERS
TOTAL
MURDER
FORCIBLE
ROBBERY
AGGRAVATED
SIMPLE
BURGLARY
LARCENY-
VEHICLE
1-7
INDEX
ARSON
RAPE
THEFT
THEFT
TOTAL
KILLED
ASSAULT
SEAULT
ASSAULTED
FEL
NEG
JANUARY
18
24
375
575
697
1253
2090
755
5090
51
5141
42
FEBRUARY
12
16
240
440
580
911
1774
725
4118
39
4157
52
MARCH
12
25
328
560
804
1072
2145
790
4932
45
4977
36
3MO. TOT
42
65
943
1575
2081
3236
6009
2270
14140
135
14275
130
APRIL
8
SEP-24-1992 16:08 FROM FBI UCR
26
332
702
352
1015
2145
646
4874
46
4920
41
MAY
A
15
25
301
703
351
1041
2247
692
5024
52
5076
65
A
JUNE
10
26
336
703
864
1181
2266
691
5213
50
5263
49
6MO. TOT
75
142
1912
3683
4748
6473
12667
4299
29251
283
29534
285
JULY
14
29
352
796
877
1238
2487
368
5784
73
5857
79
AUGUST
17
31
392
829
960
1417
2756
816
6258
64
6322
40
SEPTEMBER
11
37
354
738
1173
1206
2299
627
5272
32
5304
1
61
9MO. TOT
117
239
3010
6046
7750
10334
20209
6610
46565
452
47017
1
465
OCTOBER
13
26
444
836
1107
1244
2481
736
5780
63
5843
55
NOVEMBER A
16
38
414
590
923
1226
2243
786
5313
47
5360
63
A
DECEMBER
A
12
27
352
464
774
1033
1736
800
4424
39
4463
62
A
12MO. TOT
158
330
4220
7936
1056
13837
26669
8932
62082
601
62683
1
645
TOT CLEARED
145
224
1108
4583
7520
2111
4375
1165
13711
13711
JUV CLEARED
17
21
129
601
592
220
373
405
1766
1766
TO
RAPE
ROBBERY
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
BURGLARY
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
MONTH
FORCIBLE
ATTEMPT
GUN
OTHER
KNIFE
STRONG-
WEAPON
GUN
OTHER
XNIFE
PERSONAL
FORCIBLE
UNLAWFUL
ATTEMPTED
TRUCKS
ARM
WEAPON
WEAPON
ENTRY
ENTRY
AUTOS
ENTRY
OTHER
BUSES
JANUARY
19
5
118
24
42
191
235
128
198
14
869
265
119
647
103
5
FEBRUARY
11
5
85
16
21
118
198
73
144
25
665
178
68
654
65
6
MARCH
22
3
89
31
24
184
193
140
205
22
765
195
112
712
70
8
3MO. TOT
52
13
292
71
87
493
626
341
547
61
2299
638
299
2013
238
19
APRIL
20
6
71
37
42
182
224
152
304
22
684
246
85
565
73
8
MAY
A
21
4
92
27
26
156
247
125
308
23
683
270
88
605
78
9
JUNE
22
4
65
34
39
198
252
143
279
29
767
328
86
606
75
10
6MO. TOT
115
27
520
169
194
1029
1349
761
1438
135
4433
1482
558
3789
464
46
JULY
23
6
82
33
94566218
40
197
264
152
350
30
815
323
100
775
71
22
AUGUST
28
3
108
30
43
211
301
150
347
31
950
366
101
723
79
14
SEPTEMBER
30
7
97
30
40
187
277
136
291
34
783
310
113
546
69
12
9MO. TOT
196
43
807
262
317
1624
2191
1199
2426
230
6981
2481
872
5833
683
94
OCTOBER
25
1
156
46
43
199
337
179
301
19
819
302
123
651
78
7
NOVEMBER A
34
4
156
33
38
187
227
119
220
24
837
272
117
684
98
4
DECEMBER A
24
3
152
23
P.11/11
29
148
192
91
166
15
754
209
70
720
73
7
12MO. TOT
279
51
1271
364
427
2158
2947
1588
3113
288
9391
3264
1182
7888
932
112
T CLEARED
193
31
269
90
112
637
1569
1097
1758
159
1491
473
147
1067
85
13
J CLEARED
19
2
26
6
21
76
239
81
259
22
157
40
23
369
29
7
FORM X320 11/80)
RETURN A RECORD CARD
90
MO
SAINT LOUIS
754
MOSPDOO 1
4
YEAR
STATE
396,685
AGENCY
02/21/92
SMSA
ORI
GR DIV
POPULATION
DATE
1
2
3
4A-D
at
5
6
7
8
MONTH
MOTOR
EXPANDED
POLICE OFFICERS
MURDER
FORCIBLE
TOTAL
ROBBERY
AGGRAVATED
SIMPLE
BURGLARY
LARCENY-
VEHICLE
1-7
INDEX
RAPE
ARSON
ASSAULT
ASSAULT
THEFT
THEFT
TOTAL
KILLED
ASSAULTED
FEL
NEG
JANUARY
10
24
408
609
923
1073
2108
794
FEBRUARY
5026
51
16
5077
22
64
350
571
883
899
1794
MARCH
671
4323
45
4368
10
37
63
368
672
1034
856
1869
3MO. TOT
679
4491
33
36
4524
83
80
1126
1852
2840
2828
5771
2144
13840
129
13969
207
SEP-24-1992 16:05 FROM FBI UCR
APRIL
8
20
348
671
985
820
1789
MAY
500
4156
52
16
4208
32
48
354
868
1059
857
2021
617
JUNE
4765
63
16
4828
23
64
376
828
1021
817
2044
626
6MO. TOT
4730
46
76
4776
1
158
85
2204
4219
5905
5322
11625
3887
27491
290
27781
1
404
JULY
16
41
389
894
1105
996
2330
738
AUGUST
5404
74
15
5478
27
67
468
803
1015
1072
2237
775
SEPTEMBER
5397
68
5465
14
31
79
408
783
917
1077
2017
694
9MO. TOT
5024
73
5097
121
257
83
3469
6699
8942
8467
18209
6094
43316
505
43821
1
633
OCTOBER
17
21
413
690
921
1041
2198
736
NOVEMBER
5116
65
22
5181
23
47
415
571
855
961
2183
772
DECEMBER
4947
67
5014
17
30
56
411
506
675
1062
1974
820
12MO. TOT
4820
177
50
4870
331
42
4708
8466
11393
11531
24564
8422
58199
687
58886
1
778
TOT CLEARED
155
218
1220
4829
3142
1624
4061
1166
JUV CLEARED
13273
17
13273
30
168
591
719
233
346
361
1746
1746
TO
RAPE
ROBBERY
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
MONTH
BURGLARY
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
FORCIBLE
ATTEMPT
GUN
OTHER
KNIFE
STRONG-
GUN
OTHER
ARM
KNIFE
PERSONAL
FORCIBLE
UNLAWFUL
ATTEMPTED
WEAPON
WEAPON
ENTRY
ENTRY
ENTRY
AUTOS
TRUCKS
WEAPON
OTHER
JANUARY
BUSES
17
7
143
35
41
189
230
137
225
17
FEBRUARY
765
224
20
84
675
2
134
110
40
9
22
154
201
122
229
19
MARCH
634
179
31
86
588
6
80
114
3
39
37
178
232
143
281
16
3MO. TOT
591
196
68
69
617
15
391
58
4
114
100
521
663
402
735
52
1990
599
239
1880
248
16
APRIL
19
1;
104
38
34
172
286
129
233
23
MAY
540
214
30
66
443
2
47
145
29
10
46
134
400
138
303
27
JUNE
570
211
21
76
556
2
133
49
12
30
36
177
326
176
294
6MO. TOT
32
515
215
138
87
20
556
773
55
211
15
216
1004
1675
845
1565
134
3615
1239
468
3435
399
53
94566218
JULY
35
6
164
19
36
170
372
141
353
28
AUGUST
645
259
22
92
5
635
169
93
35
10
48
216
286
144
350
23
SEPTEMBER
713
264
24
95
7
690
154
69
16
32
38
184
315
135
309
9MO. TOT
24
728
262
219
87
38
614
1260
73
297
7
338
1574
2648
1265
2577
209
5701
2024
742
5374
634
86
OCTOBER
16
5
140
28
32
213
286
148
233
NOVEMBER
23
713
21
241
87
637
2
88
146
40
11
41
188
223
112
213
23
DECEMBER
649
24
219
93
6
672
P.08/11
179
89
11
34
26
172
219
104
165
12MO . TOT
18
775
280
205
82
51
706
109
1725
5
399
437
2147
3376
1629
3188
273
7838
2689
1004
7389
920
113
T CLEARED
185
33
383
107
100
630
1723
1158
1795
153
J CLEARED
1162
25
367
95
5
1059
90
58
9
17
16
85
260
109
210
12
176
46
11
324
31
€
FORM X320
RETURN A RECORD CARD
91
MO
SAINT LOUIS
754
MOSP000
1
4
399,858
07/30/92
YEAR
STATE
AGENCY
SMSA
ORI
GR DIV
POPULATION
DATE
1
2
3
4A-D
4E
5
6
7
S
EXPANDED
POLICE OFFICERS
MOTOR
TOTAL
INDEX
MONTH
MURDER
FORCIBLE
ROBBERY
AGGRAVATED
SIMPLE
BURGLARY
LARCENY-
VEHICLE
1-7
ARSON
KILLED
TOTAL
ASSAULTED
RAPE
ASSAULT
ASSAUCE
THEFT
THEFT
FEL
NEG
21
30
434
406
723
941
1898
713
4443
30
4473
57
JANUARY
FEBRUARY
12
17
353
464
219
927
1947
677
4397
58
4455
79
MARCH
20
24
423
604
873
1054
2208
716
5049
70
5119
44
6053
2106
13889
158
14047
180
3MO. TOT
53
71
1210
1474
2415
2922
SEP-24-1992 16:03 FROM FBI UCR
APRIL
17
31
430
669
958
963
2143
663
4916
71
4987
59
MAY
21
23
394
851
1101
1127
2396
686
5498
82
5580
74
JUNE
23
19
446
841
1145
1067
2259
810
5465
97
5562
56
6MO. TOT
114
144
2480
3835
5619
6079
12851
4265
29768
408
30176
369
1416
2749
916
6508
89
6597
57
JULY
27
35
477
888
1116
AUGUST
22
45
452
863
991
1424
2649
761
6216
76
6292
50
SEPTEMBER
35
19
461
840
942
1192
2325
753
5625
90
5715
61
537
9MO. TOT
198
243
3870
6426
8668
10111
20574
6695
48117
663
48780
OCTOBER
26
37
521
645
866
1102
2369
771
5471
76
5547
63
759
1033
2216
911
5142
59
5201
49
NOVEMBER
15
28
427
512
DECEMBER
A
21
34
476
597
712
1150
2222
873
5373
69
5442
66
A
12MO. TOT
260
342
5294
8180
11005
13396
27381
9250
64103
867
64970
715
TOT CLEARED
207
221
1285
4634
7876
1805
4596
1185
13933
13933
JUV CLEARED
24
26
135
554
608
224
312
340
1615
1615
TO
9405
anersov
AGGRAVATED ASSAULT
BURGLARY
MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT
FORCIBLE
UNLAWFUL
ATTEMPTED
TRUCKS
MONTH
OTHER
PERSONAL
FO
Jeannie-
GUN
KNIFE
AUTOS
OTHER
WEAPON
WEAPON
ENTRY
ENTRY
ENTRY
BUSES
JANUARY
180
92
123
11
680
186
75
615
94
4
170
17
663
169
95
586
85
6
FEBRUARY
176
101
MARCH
240
130
219
15
774
204
76
612
99
5
596
323
512
43
2117
559
246
1813
278
15
3MO. TOT
we need to
24
628
244
91
553
96
14
APRIL
300
120
225
MAY
338
164
316
33
733
286
108
582
93
11
325
169
317
30
702
282
83
702
87
21
JUNE
find out St.
1371
528
3650
554
61
6MO. TOT
1559
776
1370
130
4180
94566218
JULY
383
132
348
25
978
324
114
789
108
19
AUGUST
417
130
285
31
979
339
106
644
110
7
Louis METRO
99
633
108
12
SEPTEMBER
419
138
258
25
811
282
9MO. TOT
2778
1176
2261
211
6948
2316
847
5716
880
99
OCTOBER
295
124
209
17
747
257
98
685
78
8
105
9
NOVEMBER
population + get
224
86
180
22
718
230
85
797
P.05/11
DECEMBER A
268
112
197
20
837
225
88
754
119
12MO. TOT
3565
1498
2847
270
9250
3028
1118
7952
1182
116
1
100
4
T CLEARED
1702
1148
1651
133
1300
402
103
1081
J CLEARED
249
94
195
16
162
47
15
307
33
DRAFT
Crime
1992 Presidential Campaign
Asked if he favored the President's crime bill, Clinton told Larry King, "I favor
large parts of it. I'm for a lot of the tough law enforcement provisions that he talks
about, but I have to say once again, the President has on crime said one thing and done
another. He could have had the Brady Bill, a year ago, and he didn't want that. He
has actually cut back on aid to local law enforcement officials, the kind of things that
would enable us to hire more street police, to have community policing and do things
we know reduce crime. So, I'm for tougher penalties. I'm a supporter of capital
punishment. We have it here at home. I'm for stronger penalties for serious
offenders. I've built a lot more prison cells. But I also think the police on the street
need more help, and we ought to pass the Brady Bill, and that's where he ought to
direct his energy. So he's playing politics with the crime bill, too."¹
In his definitive "New Covenant" policy speech at Georgetown University on
October 23, 1991, Clinton referred only in passing to the problem of crime in America.
He offered no program for dealing with increasing crime, rather he challenged its
victims to "do the rest" once government has "offered them the chance to develop their
God-given abilities." Clinton proposed this anti-crime package: inner city young
people should "play by the rules, stay off drugs, stay in school, and keep out of the
streets, stop having children if they're not prepared to support them, and for those
young people who do get into trouble, we'll give them one chance to avoid prison, by
setting up community boot camps for first-time non-violent offenders -- where they can
learn discipline, get drug treatment if necessary, continue their education, and do useful
work for their community." He makes no mention of specific anti-drug programs,
sentencing reform, or any other major crime issues. Clinton's approach to stopping
crime was evident during the summer of 1991, when gang violence unexpectedly
erupted in Little Rock. Clinton, either unable or unwilling, took no decisive action; he
appointed a panel to make recommendations on possible solutions. After several
unproductive meetings and amid mounting criticism from local and state leaders,
Clinton attended a panel meeting and suggested, "Let's hear from the young people,
what the heck they want us to do."2 Little to no substantive state action was taken and
the violence has subsided, but Clinton since has been criticized for his response and
failure to supply meaningful state assistance.
Crime in Arkansas
A recent study by the New York City Police Department rated Little Rock first
on a list of 46 cities of comparable size for major crimes, with a crime rate increase of
73 percent from 1984 to 1990.3 This statistic fits into the larger picture of increasing
crime in Arkansas during Clinton's tenure.
According to a 1991 report by the Arkansas Crime Information Center (ACIC),
violent crime in Arkansas has nearly doubled in the last 10 years, increasing 95 percent
DRAFT
between 1981 and 1991.4 A similar report in 1990 showed a 10-year increase of 81
percent. The increase just since 1986 was 49 percent. And according to a U.S. Senate
Judiciary Committee report, Arkansas violent crime increased 8.9 percent from 1989 to
1990.5 However, a study by ACIC showed violent crime increasing 14 percent over
the same time period. Among the 15 rural states examined in the Senate Judiciary
Committee report, Arkansas ranked fifth in the total number of violent crimes.6 The
ACIC study also showed that, from 1989 to 1990, murder increased 12.6 percent and
rape 16.2 percent.⁷ And the figures for the first half of 1991 were up 8 percent
compared to the same period in 1990. In 1990, Arkansas saw a record number of both
murders, 239, and rapes, 1,009.8
The chart below summarizes the Uniform Crime Report figures compiled by the
FBI between 1975 and 1990. Note that under the Clinton administrations, 1979-81 and
1983 to the present, crime is trending upward. During the 1981-83 period while
Clinton was out of office, crime trends peaked and headed sharply downward. It is
also relevant to note that Clinton, as Arkansas Attorney General, was the state's chief
law enforcement officer from 1977 to 1979. Crime rose during that period after
dropping prior to his tenure.
Crime in Arkansas, 1975 to 1990
5000.0
4888.1
4800.0
4591.5
4600.0
UCR Index Crimes per 100,000
4400.0
4275.9
4267.2
4200.0
4088.8
population
3804.0
3850.1
3908.8
3949.1
3986.6
4000.0
3800.0
3528.5
3555.5
3681.6
3589.9
3622.8
3600.0
3422.1
3400.0
3200.0
3000.0
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
FBI Uniform Crime Report Year
Source: Crime In Arkansas, Arkansas Crime Information Center, various years.
Corrections in Arkansas
In the 1984 Democratic Governors' Association's "View from the States,"
Clinton wrote that the Arkansas strategy for meeting the challenge of effective prison
management can be decribed as: "Nobody should be held in maximum custody who can
be managed in less rigorous conditions. Nobody should be held in prison who can be
DRAFT
safely released to community supervision. And nobody should be supervised more
closely than safety requires." Clinton continues, writing that his "philosophy of prison
management is based on two sound principles. First, lowering supervision, where
appropriate, will help curtail the growing costs of building and staffing facilities.
Second, by offering prisoners the opportunity to enjoy greater freedom we increase the
incentives for rehabilitation.
Clinton has apparently followed this plan since then. Corrections Board
Chairman James Mason said in March 1991 that the average sentence for convicts in
Arkansas is "144 months, 12 years. I know of only two other states [Hawaii and Ohio]
that have longer ones." In December 1986, Clinton told the Adult Probation
Commission that inmates actually served an average of 44 months and that, in 1977,
when he was attorney general, inmates served an average of 27 months in prison. 10
State Board of Parole and Community Rehabilitation Chairman Mike Gaines said in
1991 that, "Arkansas prison inmates serve between six months and 18 months on
average, regardless of their original sentences, and numbers like that leave the public
with little confidence in the justice system. "11 Gaines also said one of the biggest
concerns is that almost no inmate serves a full sentence. One reason maybe lenient
plea bargaigning: during the first six months of operation in 1990, for example, one
state drug task force won convictions in 13 cases, but every defendent avoided a prison
sentence by "handing over money and cars. "12
Incarceration Statistics: The 1991 Arkansas Abstract reports the incarceration
rate in 1988 was 223.4 per 100,000 in population; this figure climbed to 262 in 1989.
Arkansas ranked 5th lowest among 15 southern states in this category in the latter year.
The racial make-up of the inmate population is as follows: 49.3 percent white, 50.3
percent black; 94.4 percent male, 5.6 percent female. 27 inmates were on death row in
1988; by 1991 the number had grown to 35.¹³ (See below for more information
concerning the death penalty in Arkansas.)
A 1990 survey of state corrections departments showed Arkansas has the lowest
per inmate spending per day in the country. And Arkansas ranked 8th in the least
inmate escapes. The same study showed Arkansas spends only two-thirds the national
average on a maximum security prison bed. Arkansas Department of Correction
spokesman David White said, "With regard to inmate spending much of the saving
comes from the department's farming operation. Of the 30 states that gave
corrections assistance to localities in 1987 (latest year of available data), Arkansas
ranked 27th, with Clinton sending a total of $848,000 to municipalities. In prior years,
Arkansas' ranks and amount of local aid were as follows:
1986 - 26th out of 33, $$1.322 million
1985 - 28th out of 31, $636,000
1984 - 25th out of 29, $409,000
1983 - 27th out of 28, $204,000
In early January 1992, Board of Corrections Chairman James Mason, whom
Clinton appointed in 1987, resigned amid reports of strained relations with Clinton.
Clinton had publicly criticized some of Mason's spending of publicly funded expense
accounts in the summer of 1990. Mason claimed Clinton was playing politics during
DRAFT
the gubernatorial election season, but Clinton denied the charges. Mason's replacement
is Janis McSpadden Walmsley, wife of former state Senator Bill Walmsley. Walmsley
is currently seeking an exclusive state contract to dispose of scrap tires under terms of a
recent and Clinton-backed revision of state contracting law.
Prison Conditions and Overcrowding: Darnell Stone, an inmate at the Tucker
unit of the Arkansas Department of Corrections serving a six-year sentence for battery,
died April 3, 1992 after suffering what prison officials called "a dramatic seizure."
Although Stone had suffered since childhood from and took medication for a condition
that did cause seizures, the state medical examiner, Dr. Charles Sturner, reported that
Stone's death was the result of complications from a "severe blow" in the abdominal
area: "[T]his is a homicide and it is under investigation." Apparently, Stone's small
intestine had ruptured and the infection led to peritonitis, which supposedly went
unnoticed by prison medical staff until Stone stumbled into the infirmary, apparently
went into a seizure, and died. (It was reported that a person with this disease shows
very clear and often dramatic symptoms.) Prison officials claim Stone had been
involved in a fight a few days prior to his death, but the medical examiner said the
blow which ruptured Stone's intestine occured well before the day of the fight. Prison
system spokesman David White said, "Our preliminary information is that it was
trauma-related It could have occured as the result of a fall. "15 An investigation by
the Arkansas State Police failed to identify the responsible party in the death. Jefferson
County Prosecuting Attorney Wayne Matthews said police were "not able to determine
anyone responsible. Matthews added, "The investigation did not address the reported
lack of treatment." Thus ended the investigation. 16
Arkansas, like many states around the nation, has experienced severe prison
overcrowding throughout much of Clinton's tenure. Gaines says the Arkansas
Department of Correction has been full for years, now responsible for 7,226 prisoners
but with only a 6,985-inmate capacity (as of August 1991). 17 A new prison has
recently been completed, but that will only temporarily relieve the longstanding
overcrowding. Correction Department Director A.L. Lockhart said in January 1992,
"We've got one more year before inmates start backing up (in county jails) again."
Lockhart said the prison population has been growing at a rate of more than 1,000
inmates a year. 18 The situation was worst during Clinton's first term when the prison
system was under federal supervision, imposed in 1978 due to its unconstitutional
overcrowding. The system was released from federal oversight in 1982, during the
White administration. However, Correction Department officials said in 1986 that the
system had been at or over full capacity every month since August 1983, shortly after
Clinton regained the state house. The prison population has nearly tripled since 1980,
from 2,811 to 7,508 in 1991. The Corrections budget has increased from $13.3
million in 1980 to $77 million in 1991.19 After the 1991 legislative session, Clinton
appointed one of his famous commissions to explore solutions to overcrowding which
did not require new prison construction. As yet, no report or other information is
available.
While Clinton was attorney general, Arkansas passed new sentencing laws that
required first time convicts to serve at least one-third of their sentences, second time
DRAFT
offenders at least half, and so on. This began to swell the inmate population. In
October 1986, state prisons were 180 inmates over their limit, and 341 convicts were
having to stay in county jails. As the gubernatorial election approached, Clinton was
criticized for what the Arkansas Gazette described as "the deaths, stabbings, and sexual
assaults" that were increasing in the overcrowded state prisons. The Correction Board
considered using a 1983 Clinton-enacted law allowing the governor to commute
sentences by 90 days in an overcrowding emergency upon the Board's request. 20
Clinton originally said it was up to the Board to make the request, but when they did in
January 1987, Clinton refused to invoke the law. Finally, in April 1987, Clinton did
invoke the law and one of the inmates released early, Larry Dean Robertson, later
stabbed a woman to death. 21
In May 1990 (another election year), "634 state inmates were backed up in
county jails. Another 95 prison inmates were 'farmed out' to counties to keep the
prison system within its 6,130-bed capacity." The emergency release law, which
Clinton did not use in 1986, has been invoked every month from June 1989 through
September 1991.²² Tom McRae, Clinton's 1990 Democratic primary opponent,
blamed the crisis on a lack of leadership from the governor. Using what has since
become a familiar refrain on the 1992 presidential campaign trail, Clinton said then that
the problem in Arkansas was no worse than in other states, claiming that the prisoner
backlog was only 7 to 8 percent of the inmate population.
The prison population in Arkansas' state facilities has been growing at a rate of
1,000 inmates each year recently. The system's 13 facilities currently can handle 7,335
inmates (as of January 1992) and a 600-bed facility currently under construction will
increase that to about 8,000. But, prison director A.L. Lockhart says, "[T]hose are our
last beds," and that "we've got one more year before inmates start backing up again."
The overflow is usually held in county jails, many of which are financially unable to
sustain the kinds of numbers that have consistently been required due to the lack of
beds in state prisons. With the help of state prosecutors, Clinton developed the Fast
Track plan, which attempts to get short-term inmates out of county jails and into the
state facilities so they will be out of the system quickly, making room for the longer
term inmates. The program has not been entirely sucessful, and many sheriffs are
against it. 23
Although Clinton has approved the building of new prisons over the years, not
all of them have been without controversy. The state Board of Correction considered
in 1986 building a new prison in Calico Rock, a small north-central Arkansas town
reliant on tourism (the area is near the Ozark National Forest) and the influx of
retirees. A public outcry arose when the Board chose Calico Rock for its new prison in
1987. The local citizens formed the Prison Opposition Committee to oppose its
construction, but, according to its members, were excluded from the decision-making
process by the state's politicians. Construction began in fall 1988 and was still under
construction as of May 1991.24
The Federal Bureau of Prisons is also considering building a prison complex,
including a 500-bed high-security facility, at Forrest City, Arkansas. As of a January
30, 1992 report, the decision had not been made and could be another year off, after an
environmental impact study is completed. Forrest City has an extremely high
DRAFT
unemployment rate, making the projected 150 local jobs very attractive. The complex
would bring some $32 million into the local economy.2
Boot Camps: One of Clinton's favorite prison reform ideas is boot camps for
first-time, non-violent offenders. He is advocating them in his presidential stump
speeches and he has instituted a boot camp program in Arkansas. In summer 1991,
however, the commander of the state Department of Correction boot camp program
resigned. 26 "I quit because the program is going backwards and I wasn't going to be a
part of that. It is slowly being chipped away," boot camp program director Capt. Tom
Matthews asserted. Matthews cited infighting within the Department of Corrections,
saying some want the boot camp program to fail. "I think the senior staff looks at it
like a threat because this place takes prisoners and rehabilitates them and puts them
back on the street. "27
Not everyone is sold on the success of the boot camps, however. "There's no
evidence anywhere that the boot camps work," says Jerry Miller, director of the
National Center on Institutions and Alternatives. The Center advocates prison reform
and runs correctional programs in Maryland. Dale Parent, a policy consultant with Abt
Associates in Cambridge, Mass., conducted a 1987-88 Justice Department study of
prison boot camps in eight states. He said, "My general understanding is that so far,
we haven't really shown that the boot camps are effective in changing post-release
behavior. "28 Yet, as Arkansas Corrections Department spokesman David White
pointed out in 1991, "The cost per prisoner per day is higher for boot camp than the
$26.60 average for the entire prison system. "29
Corrections Budget and Operations: The graph below shows the budget for the
Arkansas Department of Corrections (DoC) from 1979 to 1993. Note that budget
allocations for the remainder of fiscal year 1992 and 1993 may be changed due to
overall revenue shortfalls requiring budget cuts in certain departments. Information on
specific cuts in the Corrections Department is not yet available.
DRAFT
Arkansas Department of Corrections Budget
120
115.85
108.79
100
80
Millions of Dollors
66.95
62.12
63.73
62.64
60
53.28
54.75
54.72
48.45
40
31.87
26.48
20
18.17
15.46
0
1979
1980
1981-82
1982-83
1983-84
1984-85
1985-86
1986-87
1987-88
1988-89
1989-90
1990-91
1991-92
1992-93
Fiscal Years
Within the Department are various divisions which are designed to rehabilitate
prisoners and, in some cases, provide revenue-generating services to the Department
itself. The Agriculture Division uses prisoners to produce consumable foodstuffs for
the inmate population. (This program has also provided free food and goods to many
top-level Department employees, over and above their legislated salaries. This benefit
has recently come under fire. For more, see below.) The prison farms also turn a
profit helping to offset the operating expeditures of the department. Among the crops
produced on about 11,000 acres of department owned cropland are cotton, rice,
soybeans, wheat, and corn; a 4,000 acre beef ranch is also operated.
The Department of Corrections Industry Division is a self-supporting vocational
training program which consists of a duplicating plant and a sign shop, a graphic arts
program, a garment factory, and a mattress factory. The items are sold to other state
agencies at a minimal cost and, at the same time, provides job training for inmates. In
1985, a program in which inmates transcribe textbooks into Braille was started. The
Construction Division uses inmate labor to building new facilities and repair existing
ones. This use of prison labor saves the DoC an estimated 50 percent on labor costs.
The DoC School District was created in 1973. The inmates' curriculum is non-
graded, provides for continual progress, and operates on a 10-month scholastic year.
Students are given time off from their job assignments in order to take classes. The
typical yearly participation rate was around 600 to 700 inmates. In 1979, and similarly
in later years, the average participant's IQ was 96.4; the average education level was
fifth grade. The program seeks to graduate 10 percent of the inmates each year.
The vocational education program, which seeks to train inmates in skills which
will help them gain employment upon release, is partially funded through federal job
training programs.
DRAFT
The substance abuse program was initiated in 1980 to serve 300 inmates. The
program was begun to deal with the 75 to 80 percent of inmates whose crimes were
drug and alcohol related.
Clemency Record: In the January 19, 1992 Democratic debate, Clinton said
"no parole is appropriate for sex offenders." But during his first term as governor,
Clinton commuted the life sentences of five rapists as well as the lesser sentence of
another rapist. One of these six cases involved the rape of a 5-year-old girl. Frank
White, Clinton's Republican opponent in 1982, ran an ad criticizing Clinton for this
decision; Clinton responded at the time by saying, "[T]he man was 70 years old, had
served 15 years, was crippled with cancer and law enforcement officials hadn't
objected. "30
During his first two-year term as governor, Clinton commuted 70 prison
sentences, including 40 life sentences which had been imposed for murder or rape.
After losing the 1980 race, partly due to this record, Clinton won back the
governorship while promising "not to commute so many sentences if given another
chance"31 and that "he would never again commute the sentence of someone serving a
life term.' "32 Clinton's clemency policy reversal came, according to spokesman Mike
Gauldin, because "[h]e [Clinton] just felt like the policy he previously used was not in
line with what the people of Arkansas expected and wanted. "33 He lived up to his 1982
campaign promise until he commuted three life sentences in 1988 and another in 1991,
among a total of 7 commutations from 1983 through 1991 (one each in 1983, 1986 and
1991, and four in 1988).
One of the murderers whose sentence was commuted by Clinton in 1979 was
James L. Surridge. Surridge had been in jail since 1964 and was 73 years old and near
death when released. Surridge's sentence was commuted on November 28, 1979 and
he was released on February 13, 1980. Surridge later that year, shot and killed Russell
Ratliff, 61, in a robbery in Pine Bluff. Asked in a 1989 interview about the case,
Clinton said, "You always think about something like that. That old man was not as
sick as people thought he was. "34
More recently, Clinton refused to grant clemency to one death row inmate,
Rickey Ray Rector, who was brain-damaged. Rector was executed in January 1992
(see below). Clinton also delegated to Lt. Governor Jim Guy Tucker the decision of
whether to grant clemency to Wayne Dumond, convicted of rape and castrated in his
home by unidentified assailants while awaiting trial on bail. 35 Dumond's victim was a
relative of Clinton's and Clinton had refused to grant clemency since the 1985
emasculation.
Below is the clemency record of Governor Clinton from 1979 through 1985
(note: for comparison purposes, 1981-82 is Republican Governor Frank White's
record).
YEAR
Clemency referrals
Clemency granted
1979
93
37
1980
108
101
1981-82
143
20
DRAFT
1983-84
95
23
1984
41
0
1985
59
22
Extradition cases: In May 1985, Clinton refused to extradite Little Rock
resident Cathy Cowan who was wanted in New York on felony cocaine charges. The
reason: Clinton felt that New York's mandatory sentence for first time felony drug
offenders was too harsh and extraditing her would have been "unconscionable."36
Cowan was arrested at Kennedy International Airport on April 23, 1984 upon returning
from a cocaine-buying trip to Venezuela with her boyfriend. The two were students at
Choate Rosemary Hall prep school in Connecticut at the time. The cocaine they
purchased was allegedly being sold to other students. New York's minimum sentence
for this level of drug trafficking called for a 15 year to life without parole sentence.
Eventually the two were also charged by federal authorities. The most recent evidence
suggests that the state of New York would drop its charges as the federal counts would
be pre-emptive. The case was part of a 1984 "60 Minutes" segment.
Cowan's lawyer in Little Rock was a friend and campaign contributor of
Clinton's and worked at the same firm that represented Clinton's brother Roger when
he was brought up on cocaine trafficking charges in 1984.
On May 31, 1985, "a mildly agitated Governor Bill Clinton" said he would
agree to the extradition only if the state of New York would reduce the charges and the
possible prison sentence to between one and six years with early parole or probation.
In response, the Queen's district attorney stated he had entered plea bargaining offers
with Cowan's lawyer which had been publicly reported, adding that Clinton "is aware
of the plea negotiations process" and saying, "He [Clinton] should understand that we
in New York have compassion, even as we seek to enforce our laws against a common
danger to all states: The importation of dangerous drugs."
The same day, Clinton spoke to reporters about the case and, according to
reports, at one point told an argumentative radio reporter: "I made the decision, and
I'm the governor, and it was my decision to make. Perhaps you disagree with that
decision. If you disagree, then perhaps you should try to succeed me. "37
Clinton took a contradictory position when he was seeking the extradition from
California of an escaped convict in 1980. He was angry that another state would claim
jurisdiction over the case. The California Supreme Court blocked the extradition of
Jimmy Dean Walker (whose conviction was suspect to begin with) due to the conditions
of Arkansas prisons, which the California court claimed violated Walker's 8th
amendment rights to protection against cruel and unusual punishment. At the time,
Clinton made these statements: "I'm so angry. Who do they think they are? Are we
under their jurisdiction? This is a real affront to the integrity of this state. It's just
outrageous. We're going to fight until the last dog dies." Ultimately, Walker was
extradited but apparently the California high court's concerns were justified as the
federal court with jurisdiction decided Walker would be safer in a federal prison in
Oklahoma.
DRAFT
Arkansas Furlough Programs
The primary objective of the Work Release/Pre-release Program is to instill
good working habits, financial responsibility for themselves and their families, and an
understanding of the law in order to become law-abiding and productive citizens.
In April 1992, Clinton suspended good behavior furloughs after Charles Lloyd
Patterson, serving a 40-year prison sentence for soliciting to commit murder among
other charges, escaped while on furlough and hijacked a small plane and fled. Clinton
ordered state law enforcement agencies to cooperate with the FBI, which had
jurisdiction in the hijacking case. Patterson boarded the chartered plane and forced the
pilot at gunpoint to land in Carlisle. After forcing the pilot to leave the plane,
Patterson then flew himself to Sulphur Springs, Texas, where the plane, but not
Patterson, was found three days later. Patterson was also being sought for robbing a
Batesville, Arkansas couple of $700 the day he escaped. Clinton had asked for a
review of the furlough system in January. After this incident, Clinton again asked the
Corrections Board for an "immediate and thorough review" of the system. David
White, Corrections Board spokesman, said, "The number of problems as a result of
meritorious furloughs compared with the number granted is miniscule." Patterson was
formerly with the state Alcohol Beverage Control Department, but was fired in 1977
after being charged with bribery.³⁸
Reports that "[a]n inmate on a five-day furlough from the state Department of
Correction in August stabbed a Little Rock woman," surfaced in October 1991.
According to the reports, Travis Jones, 34, was released August 12 to go to Clark
County, where he has relatives. Although inmates on furlough are supposed to stay in
the county to which they are furloughed and report daily to authorities, on August 14,
Jones had his brother drive him to Little Rock to the home of Shirley Williams. Jones
was supposed to be there to pick up some clothing, but he stayed for an extended
period, the police said. Williams went to bed and awoke early in the morning to find
Jones in bed with her and her son. She made a comment to Jones and he responded by
going to the kitchen, retrieving a butcher knife and returning to stab Williams twice,
the police said. Jones took a gun from the home and fled, according to the police
report. He was arrested later in the day when he reported to parole officials in Hot
Springs. David White, Correction Department spokesman, said Jones' action, although
regrettable, won't affect the furlough program. 39 It is ironic that Clinton asked for an
immediate and thorough review of the furlough system after a prison stole an airplane,
as described above, but not after a prisoner assaulted a woman.
Finally, one furloughed prisoner, David Goff, actually is released each day to
work as a city dogcatcher. The system under which he is allowed to do so was signed
into law by Clinton in 1983 (Act 309). Though Goff cannot make arrests, he does
wear an official uniform, drives a city vehicle, and can write citations. He's paid $5 an
hour.
Arkansas Crime Lab Medical Examiner
DRAFT
In September 1991, Fahmy Malak, the Arkansas medical examiner, resigned at
the height of controversy concerning his performance in several murder cases. The
controversy arose after several families involved in these cases complained to the state
Crime Lab Board that Malak had failed to act competently. After the board began an
investigation, Clinton was besieged with requests to fire Malak, but he delayed and
took no action; his only public response was "that it might be best for Malak to
resign. "40 When Malak did finally resign in late 1991, Clinton publicly responded by
saying Malak had performed admirably under the circumstances but that he had been at
it a long time and thought it was the right decision (emphasis added). Then it was
learned, contrary to statements by Clinton, that the governor's staff had been involved
in negotiating Malak's transfer to another state job, at a salary of about $70,000, with
the Health Department. When asked about these events, Clinton declined to comment
further.
The day Malak reported to his new job, he was met by protesters who called for
his removal and one who carried a sign "Clinton for President. Malak for Surgeon
General. "41 Finally, an Arkansas Democrat story reported that Malak had been hired at
the Health Department despite a hiring freeze and that the job Malak got had not been
advertised as open.⁴² Investigations into the noted murder cases have been closed and
then reopened in a confusing attempt by the Crime Lab Board to end the controversy.
Revelations of mixed-up tissue samples and misidentified corpses have since been
reported and the Clinton administration remains aloof on the subject.
In May 1992, the NBC news show "Dateline" did a special report on the Malak
situation and the link to Clinton's mother, Virginia Kelley. According to the shows
report, Clinton's mother, a nurse anaesthetist, was involved in a controversial murder
case which Malak ruled on. A woman who had been hit in the face with a rock
(thrown by a black man who had been the target of racial slurs by a carload of people
including this woman) and gone to the hospital for treatment. When she entered the
hospital, the woman was cut and bruised on her face but otherwise okay. Since she
required minor surgery, she was put under anaesthesia. When it came time to perform
a specific procedure during the operation, Mrs. Kelley failed to accomplish the task
quickly enough and the woman fell into a coma and later died. Malak's determination
was that the woman died from beig struck by the rock and charges were filed against
the black man who was the target of the slurs. Clinton's mother was the subject at the
time of a malpractice suit and another incident surely would have jeopardized her job,
not to mention her finances. After serving time for a murder he thought he had
committed, the man was informed only by the NBC crew that in fact he was most
likely not the cause of the death. Charges of a Clinton cover-up have never been
absolutely proven. 43
Gun Control
During the 1990 gubernatorial campaign, Clinton was attacked as a proponent
of gun control. His response: "I'm not for gun control."⁴⁴ On NBC's "Today" show
in October 1991, Clinton was asked what he would promise Americans on the issue of
"greater gun control." Clinton said, "Well I was an early and strong supporter of the
DRAFT
Brady bill. I think the Brady bill, with a notice requirement and time to look into
people who are unstable mentally is absolutely critical to this country's future."
Clinton went on to advocate giving cities authority to restrict gun ownership when they
have "emergency conditions." "The main thing we've got to do is turn the streets back
over to the law abiding citizens and the police," Clinton said. "45 In February 1992,
Clinton said he supports a ban on semi-automatic weapons and waiting periods for
handgun purchasers.⁴⁶ Finally, while campaigning in the New York primary, Clinton
reportedly "acquiesc[ed] in gimmicks like gun 'buyback' programs. "47 Regarding his
NRA
own record in this realm, Clinton has proudly vetoed, on two occasions, legislation that
would prohibit local governments from adopting gun control measures. The first time
was in the 1989 legislative session, the second time in 1991. After the second veto, a
small grassroots Arkansas NRA split-off began airing TV ads saying, "If any honest
Arkansan loses his constitutional right [to bear arms], Governor Clinton will bear full
responsibility." Clinton said the reason he vetoed the bills was that it would prevent
local governments from addressing sudden outbreaks of crime.4⁸ Clinton also said
about the NRA's efforts to pass the bill, "I think it's sad that the NRA doesn't have
anything better to do with its time. "49
Death Penalty
In January 1992, just prior to the New Hampshire primary, Clinton left the
campaign trail to return to Arkansas to oversee the administering of the death penalty.
The case was controversial in that the criminal, Rickey Ray Rector (who is black), had
been lobotomized as treatment for self-inflicted gunshot wounds to his head. Anti-
death penalty activists claimed the convict was incompetent, but Clinton did not accede
to their requests for clemency. During this same time period, Clinton was criticizing
Democratic rival Sen. Paul Tsongas on his position on the death penalty: "I thought it
was a fudge, myself, trying to have it both ways." Tsongas had said he supported the
death penalty only for certain crimes against society, citing drug kingpins. 50 Clinton
contrasted his own position: "We do support the death penalty for cop killers, multiple
murderers, and drug kingpins. (The Arkansas capital crime statutes, see below,
include no reference to drug kingpins.) According to spokeman Mike Gauldin, Clinton
has never granted clemency to a death row inmate during his 11 years in office.52
Arkansas statutes define a capital offense as "Felony murder; arson causing
death; intentional murder of a law enforcement officer, murder of prison, jail, court, or
correctional personnel, or military personnel acting in the line of duty; multiple
murders; intentional murder of public officeholder or candidate; intentional murder
while under life sentence; contract murder. "53 On March 21, 1991 Clinton signed
legislation (Act 683) providing for the death penalty "where the victim [is] under the
age of 14 and the defendant [is] 18 years or older. "54
In response to opponents of the death penalty Clinton has said, "The appeals
process, although lengthy, provides many opportunities for the courts to review
sentences and that's where these decisions should be made. "55 However, shortly after
the execution of Ronald Gene Simmons was delayed by the U.S. Supreme Court after
DRAFT
receiving a petition from another convicted murderer, Jonas H. Whitmore, Clinton said
of the stay, "I think it was a mistake. It really bothers me. If we're going to have a
death penalty process it ought to have some integrity. "56 Simmons and John Edward
Swindler (both white) were both executed in June 1990, the first executions in
Arkansas since 1964.
Another death row inmate, Barry Lee Fairchild (also black), was scheduled for
execution in 1990 before winning a hearing seeking a new trial. The case was the
subject of a "20/20" episode in March 1991. Fairchild's attorney says his (Fairchild's)
confession was beaten out of him by Clinton-appointed (and former GOP
Congressman) sheriff Tommy Robinson. An Arkansas Gazette reporter who viewed
Fairchild's videotaped confession claims he paused and looked behind the camera for
guidance in answering questions. Also, a former policeman said he saw Fairchild
being beaten by deputies and attacked by a police dog, but this testimony was
suppressed since the officer had been fired previously. Apparently, Fairchild also
named an accomplice who was later proven to be in Colorado at the time of the
murder, further suggesting to some observers Fairchild was coerced into the statement.
Finally, Clinton must feel something akin to deja vu: Fairchild is retarded, which
makes this case similar to the above described case of Rickey Ray Rector. The
Fairchild hearing was held mid-April and the conviction and sentence stood.
Information on when the execution is scheduled was not available as of this writing.
Finally, Clinton oversaw the execution of Steven Douglas Hill, age 25, on May
7, 1992. Hill (who was white) was convicted in 1984 of killing a state police
investigator. Amnesty International spokesman told reporters after a clemency hearing
during the week of May 1, 1992 that Clinton is "not dying to be president, but he's
killing to be president. "57
Clinton released in October 1991 a $50,000 grant to the Death Penalty Resource
Center, a committee of lawyers and representatives of the federal courts and the state
Supreme Court which is reviewing the state's death penalty and seeking ways to reduce
the number of appeals death row inmates make to federal courts. 58
June 1992
60 MUNUTES
DATELINE
20/20
DRAFT
Endnotes
1 Larry King Live 6/4/92
2 AP, "Clinton, Others Discuss Problems," July 25, 1991.
3 Health Systems Review, 10-11/91, P 36.
4 AP, "Arkansas Today," September 19, 1991.
5 AP, June 18, 1991.
6 AP, June 18, 1991.
7 Arkansas Democrat, October 21, 1990.
8 AP, "Arkansas Today," September 19, 1991.
9 Facing the Facts: The Democratic Governors' View from the States, Democratic Governors'
Association, 1984, p. 43.
10 Gazette, 12/20/86
11 AP, "Arkansas Today," August 13, 1991.
12 AP, "Arkansas Today," July 5, 1991.
13 statistical abstract notebook, p. 110-115.
14 Arkansas Gazette, September 25, 1991.
15 Arkansas Times, 5/7/92
16 Arkansas Times, 5/28/92
17 AP, "Arkansas Today," August 13, 1991.
18 AP, "New Beds to Bring Prison Population to Nearly 8,000," January 22, 1991.
19 Gazette, 9/22/91
20 Arkansas Gazette, October 7, 1986.
21 Gazette, 9/22/91
22 Gazette, 9/22/91
23 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 25, 1992.
24 Arkansas Gazette, May 11, 1991.
25 Arkanas Democrat-Gazette, January 30, 1992.
26 Arkansas Democrat, August 3, 1991.
27 Harrison Daily Times, August 7, 1991.
28 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, November 4, 1991.
29 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, November 4, 1991.
30 Deborah Orin, New York Post, January 23, 1992.
31 As cited in note 26 of Cobb, Paul Whitlock, Jr., "Reviving Mercy in the Structure of Capital
Punishment," Yale Law Journal, November, 1989.
32 Spectrum Weekly, February 5-11, 1992, p. 7.
33 Spectrum Weekly, February 5-11, 1992, p. 7.
34 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 25, 1992.
35 Arkansas Times 5/14/92.
36 Arkansas Gazette, June 1, 1985.
37 Arkansas Gazette, June 1, 1985.
38 AP, April 10 and 13, 1992.
39 Arkansas Gazette, October 17, 1991.
40 AP, "Flurry of Phone Calls, Last-Minute Meeting Sealed Resignation," September 12, 1991.
41 AP, "Former Medical Examiner Draws Protesters as He Starts New Job," September 17, 1991.
42 Arkansas Democrat, "Health Department thawed hiring freeze to take Malak," September 12, 1991.
43 NBC's Dateline, 5/?/92
44 Arkansas Gazette, November 2, 1990.
45 NBC "Today" show, October 17, 1991.
46 Christian Science Monitor, February 13, 1992.
47 New York magazine, April 13, 1992.
48 Arkansas Times, March, 1992.
49 Arkansas Gazette, March 23, 1991.
DRAFT
50 AP, February 21, 1992.
51 AP, "The Issue: The Death Penalty," February 24, 1992.
52 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 24, 1992.
53 1991 Survey of State Legislation, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
54 1991 Survey of State Legislation, National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty.
55 Cobb, Paul Whitlock, Jr., "Reviving Mercy in the Structure of Capital Punishment," Yale Law
Journal, November, 1989.
56 Arkansas Gazette, May 6, 1989.
57 AP, May 6, 1992.
58 Arkansas Democrat, October 17, 1991.
23 September 1992
MEMORANDUM FOR KEN ASKEW
FROM:
J. BUNTON 85
SUBJECT:
CLINTON RECORD ON CRIME
Oct. 23 1991 New Covenant policy speech at Georgetown Univ.
referred only in passing to crime in America. He offered no
program ... rather challenged its victims to "do the rest" once
government has "offered them the chance to develop their God-
given abilities."
Clinton proposed this anti-crime package: inner city young people
should "play by the rules, stay off drugs, stay in school, and
keep out of the streets, stop having children it they're not
prepared to support them, and for those young people who do get
into trouble, we'll give them once change to avoid prison, by
setting up community boot camps for first-time offenders -- where
they can learn discipline, get drug treatment if necessary,
continue their education, and do useful work for their
community." He makes no mention of specific anti-drug programs,
sentencing reform, or any other major crime issues.
Summer 1991 gang violence erupted in Little Rock -- Clinton took
no decisive action; appointed a panel to make recommendations on
possible solutions. // Clinton attended a panel meeting said:
"Let's hear from the young people, what the heck they want us to
do."
Hunting dogs
Violent crime in Arkansas has nearly doubled in the last 10
years, increasing 95 percent between 1981 and 1991.
Clinton was Arkansas AG from 1977 to 1979 //
Clinton, "Nobody should be held in maximum custody who can be
managed in less rigorous conditions. Nobody should be held i
prison who can be safely released to community supervision. And
nobody would be supervised more closely than safety requires."
The prison population had nearly tripled since 1980, from 2,811
to 7,508 in 1991. The Corrections budget has increased from
$13.3 million in 1980 to $77 million in 1991.
In April 1987 Clinton invoked the law [commute sentences by 90
days in a prison overcrowding emergency]] and inmate Larry Dean
Robertson was released early -- two days after he was freed --
stabbed a 68 year-old woman to death.
Clinton is advocating boot camps -- boot camp director Capt. Tom
Matthews resigned in 1991; "I quit because the program is going
backwards and I wasn't going to be a part of that. It is slowly
being chipped away."
In Jan 92 debate Clinton said "No parole is appropriate for sex
offenders" -- during first term as Gov. he commuted the life
sentences of 5 rapists as well as the lesser sentence of another
rapist. One case involved the rape of a 5 year-old girl.
During first 2-year term as Gov. he commuted 70 prison sentences,
including 40 life sentences imposed for murder or rape. After
losing 80 race -- he won back office by promising "not to commute
so many sentences if given another chance" and that he
"would never again commute the sentence of someone serving a life
term. " He lived up this campaign promise until commuting 3 life
sentence in 1988 and one in 1991, among a total of 7 commutations
[sounds bad] from 1983 through 1991 [one in 83, 86, 91 and four
in 88.]
90 gov. race Clinton said "I'm not for gun control". Oct. 91 on
the Today Show Clinton stated support for Brady Bill and giving
cities the authority to restrict gun ownership when they have
"emergency conditions." Clinton has proudly vetoed, on 2
occasions, legislation that would prohibit local governments from
adopting gun control measures.
In 80 Clinton was furious when California would not grant
extradition of an escaped convict -- said "I'm so angry -- who do
they think they are
"
yet in 1985 he refuesed to extradite
Little Rock resident Cathy Cowan wanted in New York on felony
cocaine charges.
CRIME LANGUAGE
[Springfield, MO and Shreveport, LA Remarks]
9/22/92
POTUS:
During 80s nation's overall crime rate declined
CLINTON: biggest increase in overall crime rate in nation --
nearly 28 percent
CLINTON: violent crime rate went up more than 58 percent -- one
of the worst records in the nation
POTUS:
Since 1989 -- proposed a 59% increase in federal
spending to fight crime
POTUS:
increased federal spending by 43% over the last four
years
CLINTON: Arkansas ranks near rock bottom in every important per-
captia law enforcement expenditure:
prisons
46th;
judicial and legal systems
50th;
spending for police officers
49th.
POTUS:
Most federal inmates serve at least 85 percent of their
full sentence
CLINTON: most inmates in Arkansas serve less than one-fifth of
their sentence; the worst record in the nation [worse
than Mario Cuomo, Jim Florio, or Edwin Edwards]
POTUS:
Endoresed by Fraternal Order of Police in Little Rock
(Askew/Bunton)
September 25, 1992
12:00 p.m.
CRIME
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DeSALE CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOX PARK, MISSOURI
SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
10:00 A.M.
Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning,
everybody.
FOX PARK.
It's delightful to be in ist Louis such a friendly city.
It really warms my heart. So thank you for your wonderful
Missouri welcome.
And I'm afraid I have to apologize to everyone who was
counting on the usual Sunday-evening Bingo game last night)
I
lont
hear the Secret Service spoiled your fun when they had to check
setup
out the building. Well, I'm sorry you missed the game, but
believe me, it was smart to stay away. You don't want to be
shouting out or making sudden moves around these guys. ( ("Bingo"
could take on a whole new meaning. ))// Ive got B-G-92
I want to talk to you today about what I consider
government's most-basic and maybe its most -important function.
I know what you're thinking. You've been listening to that
other fellow and all you can think about is taxes. Well, I'm
not going to talk about taxes today. But I think it's only fair
to warn you that for years down in Arkansas, my opponent has been
trying to declare April 15th a religious holiday. 11V
But what I do want to talk about is the fundamental duty of
our government
to protect every American citizen from violence
-- at home, on the streets, and abroad.
X
Now
that's nothing new. Security's one big reason
government was created in the first place.
What's new are the terrible forms violence has taken
X
recently
beyond anything our founding fathers could've
X
imagined.
X
X
X
X
A whole generation has grown up with the threat of nuclear
terror hanging like a sword over its head. And it's been
X
X
horrible. Our kids had nightmares. It seemed like it would
never end.
X
Well, it did end. And today I can stand up here and say
something no President could ever say before.
The Cold War is over. Freedom finished first. //
Now, we need to win the peace
right here at home and in
the streets of Fox Park. //
Y
X
What's the point, after all of winning a Cold War if our
y
X
grandparents and grandchildren lock themselves behind the bars on
their windows, afraid to come out from a jáil called home?
Now, I'm not saying we haven't made progress against violent
crime. We certainly have. We've slowed it dramatically the past
X
twelve years. And we're beginning to turn the tide on the drugs
that often fuels it. ( (Insert brief description of our greatest
areas of progress. )
2
But the face of crime is changing fast, and we need our laws
to react just as fast, if we're ever going to beat it.
Carjacking, for a timely example -- a brand-new word for a
brand-new crime. Someone figured out it's easy to steal a car
when it's already running, with the keys in the ignition. of
course,
that means
the owner's behind the wheel. So they use a
gun.
It makes me sick to think about it
but just a few weeks
ago, in a middle-class suburb of Washington. D.C.,
a
Federal
employee -- she worked at (?) -- was sitting in her car at a red
light at (time of day). Two men stuck a gun in her face, pushed
her out, and took off.
But she hung on to the car. And you know why? Because her
baby was in the back seat.
She was dragged for miles. The thieves tried to knock her
TOO
off by banging into a guard rail. And finally, they did. She
MUCH
fell off. Dead.
DETAIL
And you know what they did with her ((X-month-old)) baby?
At forty miles an hour -- they threw her out the window like so
much trash. Never even slowed down.
The miracle is, that baby survived.
And you know what? America's going to survive, too. We
don't have to put up with this kind of depravity. //
AND TOSSED HER BABY OUT THE WINDOW
OF NURSERY SCHOOL. THEY DRAGGED THE WDMAN TO HER
WOMAN TAKING HER SMALL DAUGHTER TO HER FIRST DAY
JUST THIS MONTH, CARJACKERS STDIE THE CAR OF A
These people have no place in a decent society. And as far
as this President's concerned, they can go to jail
they can
stay in jail
and they can stew in jail.//
3
But how do we do it? How do we respond to these horrible
new forms of crime?
Well, we've had a comprehensive crime strategy in place for
some time now
and it's effective. But criminals are working
overtime. So it's time to dramatically step up our efforts and
stare down the realities of crime in 1992.
And so today I'm challenging Congress to action.
20-1
Twelve-hundred and fifteen days ago,
on June 15, 1989, back
CIERKS
OFFICE
when
notable occurrence on or around that day)
I sent a
2226
comprehensive Crime Bill to Congress.
It never came back.
I've followed up with new versions. tried to work
something out with Congress
and still -- nothing.
You know, since I first sent that bill to the Hill in 1989,
259,046
59,535
643,441
there have been
(IX number of rapes X number of murders,
X
FBI/UCF
L634,093
VICKYMATOR
number of assaults and X number of robberies)) in the United
324-5015
506
States.
X
number)
of those violent crimes took place right here
in Fox Park.
I know the numbers are staggering. I know that Americans
sit down in front of their TVs at night
watch the news and
say
why doesn't somebody do something about this incredible
mess? People are dying in the streets, for God's sake.
Well
you've heard me talk about the gridlock Congress.
It's a truly amazing phenomenon. If they had an iceberg over
ON CAPITOL HILL
there, they'd nickname it "Speedy.
"
4
And liberals in Congress like to say that George Bush won't
bend on this, won't bend on that. And I admit that I do stick to
my principles.
But it's still my job as President to get results.
So today I'm going to say something you don't hear very
often from Washington. I'm going to bend a little, for the good
of the country. GIVE THE CONGRESS A CHANCE R HELP OUR COUNTRY A 10T
Congress wants the Brady Bill. I don't. It calls for a
waiting period when someone wants to buy a gun
and I don't
think that kind of stuff slows a criminal down one bit.
But I do know that some people in Congress genuinely believe
the Brady Bill could save some innocent lives. And they won't
support my Crime Bill unless I support their Brady Bill.
So today, I'm prepared to break that logjam.
Congress, I sent over to you this morning eight points of
action I want included my Crime Bill. Some of them you've seen
before, and some of them are new. But I want to make sure they
all get into the Bill.
CRIMIC
You agree to all of them
you pass the comprehensive Bill
within the next thirty days you add the Brady Bill on to the
end
And I'll sign the whole package into law -- including Brady.
Fair enough? Thirty days doesn't seem too short a notice,
11201
in view of those twelve hundred and-fifteen that've gone by
already. I'll give you the Brady Bill wrapped with a ribbon.
5
Now, folks, in case you're wondering about those eight
points I sent over to Congress this morning
let me assure you
I'm not asking for anything but common sense and reasonable
justice. I want to offer Federal money and support to help
States do the following things:
One, apprehend and severely punish carjackers,
like the ones
I just described
I want to make carjacking a Federal offense
with harsh penalties. I want thugs who take cars at gunpoint to
stay in a cell so long that when they get out -- they've
forgotten how to drive. //
((Two, call deadbeat dads onto the carpet. Right now, a
single mother here in Missouri can be struggling to keep the kids
fed and clothed on her small salary while their father's over
Dick-up
a bedliner
in East St. Louis, picking out a new Chevy truck
with terrycloth
PORS
PONTSAY
pom-poms and a gun rack He could be six months behind in child-
support, but no one can touch him because he's over state lines.
Well, I think that's a disgrace, and it's about time the long arm
of the law reaches out over that state line taps that deadbeat
dad on the shoulder
and says loud and clear -- time to pay up,
buddy. Cough up the cash or go to jail.)) [Do we want to hold
this section until Wednesday?]
Three, strengthen laws dealing with sexual and domestic
violence. To start with, we need to protect the victim's
WHAT ABOUT
privacy. It's cruel to put her in the spotlight. And I want
repeat sex and domestic-violence offenders behind bars until
trial. Today, even a repeat offender can get arrested and be out
6
on bond hours later
stalking his next victim
or beating his
wife and kids for turning him in. I want him detained until
trial, and I want the prosecution to be able to use past
convictions against him. Right now, little details -- like the
fact he's a three-time loser -- can't even be mentioned in court.
And that's wrong. Let him pay for what he's done. 11
Four, crack down on gang violence. I want gangs to be
reclassified under the law as criminal enterprises, just like any
other organized crime. That way, we can go after the leaders,
and we can deal harshly with them, and we can untie the hands of
good cops so they can clean up decent neighborhoods. I also want
to toughen the penalties for using juveniles in crimes. Gangs
right now can send underage kids out to do their dirty work,
because they're minors and they'll get off if they're caught. I
think the older gang members should be punished harshly for
is
treating these little kids like personal slaves.//
THIS ONE THE KARP DAVIS DAVID To DROP
Five, protection for the elderly. It's absurd that the
who've contributed to this society all through their lives
have to live in terror when they're old and frail, just because
some young punks see them as an easy target. They're as low as
7 MORE 2AD # FROM
the thugs who pick on children, and I want to beef up the laws
that put them behind bars so they're not on the streets mugging
grandmothers. //
Six, Habeas Corpus reform. Habeas Corpus is a fancy way of
saying, if you're found guilty of something, you can appeal the
decision to a higher court. It's supposed to protect the
7
innocent, but it's turned into a rídiculous perversion of the
law. Criminal lawyers use it to postpone justice. A guilty
verdict means an automatic appeal. It goes on and on, sometimes
up to
ten??
appeals
keeping criminals on the streets and
choking our courts. It's about time we put a stop to this
travesty of justice. Let them appeal once and be done with it.//
Seven, a Federal death penalty. I think certain acts of
violence deserve the ultimate penalty. I'm talking about
assassinations, murder for hire, terrorism and other depraved
acts. They're an outrage, and should be treated as such.
And eight, firearms. I want tougher penalties for any crime
committed with a gun. Period. //
(Brief pause.)
Now, I'm not saying that tougher laws are going to fix
everything. I'm a firm believer in justice, but I think
punishment is only part of the solution.
The other part has a more human face.
Tomorrow's criminals are still just kids today. And while I
believe in resources for law enforcement
and in reform for law
enforcement
I also believe that at some point early in life, a
youngster at a critical juncture can be steered to a life of
right
or a life of terrible wrong. It all depends on the kind
of soil you plant these kids in and how you nourish them.
That's why I believe our weed-and-seed program is so very
crucial. Weed-and-seed means going into a rough neighborhood
eradicating the 'weeds' of violent crime that can choke a young
8
life
and replacing them with 'seeds' of social opportunity and
reform.
That's what Operation Crackdown is all about. Taking a
crack house and giving it back to the community.
THESE
You know, just the other day, only a few blocks from here,
ARE
police officers raided a crack house on Ohio Avenue. And as
those officers came out of the old (brownstone?)) with those
THINGS 2 DIFF.
drug-dealers handcuffed, the neighbors -- maybe some of you --
came out onto their porches and gave those police a standing
ovation and a cheer.
That's what this country's hungry for. Americans want to
take the hoods out of neighborhoods
and give 'em back to the
neighbors. We've got to weed the poison growth from the soil
and in its place, plant the seeds of hope.
worth's Market
I know you want to just be able to walk down to Whaley
5
Five Five and Dime or Mr. Grady S dry-cleaners down to Fox Park for
no nearly Cleaners
Bartlett's (gricing store)
Mary's Restaurant
a stroll, or over to Peaches and Rufus' for a newspaper and a sup (Mr.
of coffee
and you want to do it knowing you're safe in your
Dem)
own neighborhood, that you've helped build and kept alive.
I think John Mirgaux said it best. He lives next to that
old crack house over on Ohio. And he said he and his wife
Eleanor had been thinking about selling their house and just
moving away from the drugs and all the ugly crime.
But you know
he's lived in Fox Hill his whole life. It's
his neighborhood.
9
And after the raid
he and Eleanor did some thinking. And
he put it this way. He said:
"You know, I've been waiting for this to happen. Now
we're going to make a stand.' "
Congress -- do you hear me? It's time to make a stand.
Not next year. Not next month. Now.
Please join me
join John and Eleanor
and Ohio
Avenue
and Fox Park
and St. Louis
and Missouri
and
this whole United States
and make a stand against crime today.
Thank you thank you all for listening God bless Fox
Park, Missouri
and God bless the United States of America.
10
(Askew/Bunton)
September 24, 1992
8:00 p.m.
CRIME
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DeSALE CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOX PARK, MISSOURI
SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
10:00 A.M.
Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning,
everybody.
It's delightful to be in St. Louis, such a friendly city.
It really warms my heart. So thank you for your wonderful
Missouri welcome.
And I'm afraid I have to apologize to everyone who was
DELETE JOKE
counting on the usual Sunday-evening Bingo game last night. I
hear the Secret Service spoiled your fun when they had to check
out the building. I'm sorry you missed the game, but believe me,
it was smart to stay away. You don't want to be shouting out or
making sudden moves around these guys. (("Bingo" could take on a
whole new meaning.) )//
Folks, I want to talk to you today about what I consider
FIRST AND
government's h most-basic and maybe its most important function.
I know what you're thinking. You've been listening to that
other fellow
and all you can think about is taxes. Well, I'm
not going to talk about taxes today
but I think it's only fair
DEUETE
to warn you that for years down in Arkansas, my opponent has been
trying to declare April 15th a religious holiday.
1
PEOPLE
But what I do want to talk about is protecting every
American citizen from violence -- at home, on the streets, and
abroad.
RIGHTSECURE.
Now
that's nothing new. Security's one big reason the
Founding Fathers created government in the first place.
What's new
are the terrible forms violence has taken
recently
beyond anything our founding fathers could've
imagined.
A whole generation has grown up with the threat of nuclear
terror hanging like a sword over its head. And it's been
SET OF NCIPLES.
BELIEVE. SEGWAY.
horrible. Our kids had nightmares. It seemed like it would
never end.
Well, it did end. And today I can stand up here and say
something no President could ever say before.
The Cold War is over. Freedom finished first.
Now, we need to win the peace
right here at home.
What's the point, after all
of winning a Cold War if our
my STRATEGY I
grandparents and grandchildren lock themselves behind the bars on
HAVE WHAT DONE.
their windows, afraid to come out from a jail called home?
I'm not saying we haven't made progress against violent
PROGRESS ADE. WE
crime. We've slowed its growth considerably the past twelve
HAVE
years, and we're beginning to turn the tide on drugs. ((May want
to insert one or two sentences about our greatest areas of
progress.) )
But the face of crime is changing fast, and we need our laws
SOUNDSNSIVE.
to react just as fast, if we're ever going to beat it.
2
Carjacking, for a timely example -- a brand-new word for a
brand-new crime. Someone figured out it's easy to steal a car
when it's already running, with the keys in the ignition. Use a
gun -- and it's even easier.
It makes me sick to think about it but just a few weeks
ago, in a middle-class suburb of Washington. D.C., a Federal
employee -- she worked at (?) -- was sitting in her car at a red
light at (time of day). Two men stuck a gun in her face, pushed
her out, and took off.
But she hung on to the car. And you know why? Because her
baby was in the back seat.
She was dragged for miles. The thieves tried to knock her
off by banging into a guard rail. And finally, they did. She
fell off. Dead.
And you know what they did with her ((X-month-old)) baby?
At forty miles an hour -- they threw her out the window like so
much trash. Never even slowed down.
The miracle is, the baby survived.
And you know what? America's going to survive, too. We
don't have to put up with this. We don't have to put up with
UNDMUST of
these murdering animals. As far as this President's concerned,
BEHAVIOR AND.
they can go to jail
they can stay in jail
and they can stew
NOT
in jail. They have no place in a free and decent society.
But how do we do it? How do we respond to these horrible
new forms of crime?
3
Well, we've had a comprehensive crime strategy in place for
some time now
and it's working
but it's time to step it up
a notch, to stare down the realities of crime in 1992.
And so today I'm challenging Congress to action.
Twelve-hundred and fifteen days ago, on June 15, 1989, back
when ((notable occurrence on or around that day)), I sent a
comprehensive Crime Bill to Congress.
BILL
It never came back.
I've followed up with new versions
tried to work out a
FOCUS
compromise with Congress
and still -- nothing.
NEED DOSITIVE:
One of the sticking points has been the so-called Brady
Bill, named after Jim Brady, Ronald Reagan's press secretary.
You remember, he was hurt badly by gunfire when John Hinckley
tried to assassinate the President.
STATE
Well, the Brady Bill calls for ( (a background check??) ) and
NEED HIS TIVE IS ALTERNAT
waiting period whenever someone wants to buy a gun.
I've never been a big supporter of the bill, nor of any gun-
control legislation, because I don't think that this sort of
PREPARED ACCEDT. TO
regulation solves anything.
But I know that some people honestly believe the Brady Bill
could save some innocent lives. And they wouldn't support my
Crime Bill unless I supported their Brady Bill.
So we have a logjam. And today, I'm prepared to break that
logjam.
Please understand that even though it doesn't erode the Bill
of Rights, I'm still very skeptical of the Brady Bill.
4
But Congress, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt. If
you believe in it that much -- okay.
Here's my deal. I sent over to you this morning eight
THESE AU ARE
points of action I want to add to my Crime Bill.
ADDITIONS
You put them in
you pass the comprehensive Bill within
the next thirty days
you add the Brady Bill on to the end
And I'll sign the whole package into law -- including Brady.
Fair enough? Thirty days doesn't seem too short a notice,
in view of those twelve-hundred-and-fifteen that've gone by
already. I'll give you the Brady Bill wrapped with a ribbon.
Now, folks, in case you're wondering about those eight
points I sent over to Congress this morning
let me assure you
I'm not asking for anything but common sense and reasonable
justice. I want to offer Federal money and support to help the
states do the following things:
One, severely punish carjackers, like the ones I just
described. I want to make carjacking a Federal offense with
1
nuds.
harsh penalties, and I want to encourage joint research between
the police and private companies, so they can come up with better
anti-theft devices for cars. We need to do this quickly before
the nasty trend turns into a dangerous wave.
Two, call deadbeat dads onto the carpet. Right now, a.
single mother here in Missouri can be struggling to keep the kids
nuds charifying
fed and clothed on her small salary
while their father's over
in East St. Louis, picking out a new Chevy truck with terrycloth
pom-poms and a gun rack. He could be six months behind in child-
5
support, but no one can touch him because he's over state lines.
Well, I think that's a disgrace, and it's about time the long arm
of the law reaches out over that state line
taps that deadbeat
dad on the shoulder
and says loud and clear -- time to pay up,
buddy. Cough up the cash or go to jail.
Three, strengthen laws dealing with sexual and domestic
violence. To start with, we need to protect the victim's
privacy. She's subject to scrutiny right now, and that's cruel.
And I want repeat sex and domestic-violence offenders behind bars
need
details
until trial. Today, even a repeat offender can get arrested and
be out on bond hours later
stalking his next victim
or
beating his wife and kids for turning him in. I want him
detained until trial, and I want the prosecution to be able to
use past convictions against him. Right now, little details --
like the fact he's a three-time loser -- can't even be mentioned
in court. And that's wrong.
Four, crack down on gang violence. I want gangs to be
reclassified under the law as criminal enterprises, just like any
other organized crime. That way, we can go after the leaders,
and we can deal harshly with them, and we can untie the hands of
good cops so they can clean up decent neighborhoods. I also want
to toughen the penalties for using juveniles in crimes. Gangs
right now can send underage kids out to do their dirty work,
because they're minors and they'll get off if they're caught. I
think the older gang members should be punished for treating
these little kids like personal slaves.
6
Five, protection for the elderly. It's absurd that the
folks who've contributed to this society all through their lives
have to live in terror when they're old and frail, just because
needifis
some young punks see them as an easy target. They're as low as
the thugs who pick on children, and I want to beef up the laws
that put them in jail.
Six, Habeas Corpus reform. Habeas Corpus is a fancy way of
saying, if you're found guilty of something, you can appeal the
decision to a higher court. It's supposed to protect the
innocent, but it's turned into a ridiculous perversion of the
sie
law. Criminal lawyers use it to postpone justice. A guilty
verdict means an automatic appeal. It goes on and on, sometimes
up to ((ten??)) appeals keeping criminals on the streets and
choking our courts. It's about time we put a stop to this
travesty of justice. Let them appeal once and be done with it.
Seven, a Federal death penalty. I think certain acts of
violence deserve the ultimate penalty. I'm talking about
assassinations, murder for hire, terrorism and other depraved
acts. They're an outrage, and should be treated as such.
And eight, firearms. I want tougher penalties for any crime
committed with a gun. Period.
Which brings me back to the Brady Bill.
One of the most-frustrating experiences of my administration
so far has been the logjam in Congress holding up my Crime Bill.
You know, since I first sent that bill to the Hill in 1989, there
7
have been ((X number of rapes, X number of murders, X number of
assaults and X number of robberies)) in St. Louis.
Well, it's time to move. I hope my concession on Brady
today, and on other details in the Bill in months gone by, are
enough of a compromise to get this critical legislation passed.
Let's put the power in back in the hands of our state and local
law officers so they can get to work and do their jobs again.
Now, I'm not saying that tougher laws are going to fix
everything. I'm a firm believer in justice, but I think
punishment is only part of the solution.
The other part has a more human face.
Tomorrow's criminals are still just kids today. And while I
believe in resources for law enforcement
and in reform for law
enforcement
I also believe that at some point early in life, a
youngster at a critical juncture can be steered to a life of
right
or a life of terrible wrong. It all depends on the kind
of soil he or she's planted in
and how it's nourished.
That's why I believe our weed-and-seed program is so very
crucial. Weed-and-seed means going into a rough neighborhood
cracking down on the 'weeds' of violent crime that can choke a
young life
and replacing them with 'seeds' of social
opportunity and reform.
That's what Operation Crackdown is all about. Taking a
crack house and giving it back to the community.
You know, just the other day, only a few blocks from here,
policemen raided a crack house on Ohio Avenue. And as they came
8
out of the old ((brownstone?)) with those drug-dealers
handcuffed, the neighbors -- maybe some of you -- came out onto
their porches and gave those police a standing ovation and a
cheer.
That's what this country's hungry for. Americans want to
take the hoods out of neighborhoods
and give 'em back to the
neighbors. We've got to weed the poison from the soil and in
its place, plant the seeds of hope.
You want to be able to walk down to Whaley's Five and Dime,
or Mr. Grady's dry-cleaners, down to Fox Park for a stroll, or
over to or Peaches and Rufus' for a newspaper and a cup of
coffee... and you want to do it knowing you're safe in your own
neighborhood, that you helped and keep alive.
I think John Mirgaux said it best. He lives next to that
old crack house over on Ohio. And he said he and his wife
Eleanor had been thinking about selling their house and just
moving away from the drugs and the crime.
But you know
he's lived in Fox Hill his whole life. It's
his neighborhood.
And after the raid
he and Eleanor did some thinking. And
he put it this way. He said:
"You know, I've been waiting for this to happen. Now
we're going to make a stand."
Congress -- do you hear me? It's time to make a stand.
Not next year. Not next month. Now.
9
Please join me
join John and Eleanor
and Ohio
Avenue
and Fox Park
and St. Louis
and Missouri
and
this whole United States
and make a stand against crime today.
Thank you
thank you all for listening
God bless Fox
Park, Missouri
and God bless the United States of America.
10
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2
8TH STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright 1992 The Washington Post
The Washington Post
September 15, 1992, Tuesday, Final Edition
SECTION: OPINION EDITORIAL; PAGE A22
LENGTH: 459 words
HEADLINE: Taking Cars by Force
SERIES: Occasional
BODY:
FROM ALEXANDRIA'S Old Town to sections of Montgomery and Howard counties,
motorists are having their cars stolen by force. According to a Washington Post
study, nearly 250 carjackings occurred between Jan. 1 and Aug. 16 -- that's an
average of one a day. Since Friday morning, we've had seven more attempted or
successful armed car thefts in the area. Most are the work of young men with
guns who strike in the dead of night, primarily in high-crime areas or in
suburban shopping centers near highways. But the reach is much wider, with
carjackings now escalating into a region-wide, all-day fare, perpetrated by
people of all sizes, ages and, now, gender.
The nightmare that occurred a week ago for Pamela Basu, ending with her
horrible death and her infant daughter's being tossed from their stolen car,
began when they came to a stop sign near their home in Savage, Md. -- at 8:30
in the morning. Other carjackings have been committed by suspects as young as
13. And two suspected carjackers arrested Saturday morning reportedly were 14-
and 15-year-old girls armed with a fully loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun. It
doesn't matter whether all the thefts are the acts of impulsive copycats,
opportunists or hoodlums looking for a quick getaway from crimes they may have
committed or whether the suspects in the Basu case may actually have been
unarmed, as now reported. This crime, which is sending waves of fear throughout
the area, requires a tough, relentless, coordinated response from area
authorities.
It's good to see that the FBI and District police are setting up joint
operations using undercover vehicles and decoy units of officers and drivers to
catch carjackers in the act. Police from other area jurisdictions should be
included in the planning. But anticarjacking efforts by law enforcement, tougher
laws (as proposed by the American Automobile Association) and stiffer sentences
won't solve the problem by themselves -- though clearly some celebrated arrests
and jailings may send the message that this offense won't be tolerated. But
neither will instructions to the public on how to become better victims. This
kind of crime, which is too easily being chalked up to the urban condition, or
the new brazenness (or stupidity) of criminals or the success of antitheft
devices, which make unoccupied cars more difficult to steal, can be curtailed.
Large-scale police crackdowns have helped lower the rate of carjackings in Los
Angeles and Detroit, where they were taking a toll a year ago, local police say.
May we add a familiar pitch? As with the rest of the violence that is deforming
the lives of 50 many Americans, the carjackings illustrate the madness of making
concealable handguns 50 readily available in this country.
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The Washington Post, September 15, 1992
TYPE: EDITORIAL
SUBJECT: D.C. METROPOLITAN AREA; AUTOMOBILES AND VANS; BURGLARY AND THEFT AND
LARCENY; ROBBERY
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12TH STORY of Level 1 printed in FULL format.
Copyright 1992 News World Communications, Inc.
The Washington Times
September 10, 1992, Thursday, Final Edition
SECTION: Part B; METROPOLITAN; Pg. B1
LENGTH: 836 words
HEADLINE: Senseless crime sickens slain mother's friends
BYLINE: Kevin Bell and Darryl Lynette Figueroa; THE WASHINGTON TIMES
BODY:
The day after 34-year-old Pamela Basu was dragged more than a mile to her
death on a winding two-lane road near Savage, Md., her neighbors yesterday
responded with shock, fear and anger.
They are stunned by the 11 carjacking, = and surprised an act 50 violent and
random could have occurred in their tranquil patch of suburbia between Baltimore
and Washington.
Few of them wanted their names to appear in print. One feared that friends
of the young men who drove off in Mrs. Basu's car while she hung on outside a
rear door "might show up for someone else who talked."
"It could have been anyone who was waiting at that stop sign," said one
resident of the Bowling Brook Farms town houses, where Mrs. Basu and her family
lived. "It just says to me that you can't get away from everything."
Those sentiments were echoed by Lori Pedro, one of about 350 people who
packed the nearby Forest Ridge Elementary School last night to voice their
concerns about the killing.
Mrs. Pedro said she takes her 2-year-old son Alex to a baby sitter through
the same intersection where the incident began Tuesday.
"She was doing the same thing I do every morning. It could have happened to
me," said Mrs. Pedro.
Residents described Bowling Brook Farms as a haven for young professional
couples. The development itself is less than 5 years old, they said, and more
construction is going on nearby.
"This is a beautiful place for younger people who probably can't afford to
buy a large home but don't really want to live in the city," said one woman who
was out walking with her infant son. "There's 50 much grass and yard space
here, and it's better for raising kids than in a big city.
"We haven't figured out how to feel yet," the woman said. "People are just
in shock. It's not like they've ever seen this happen. We knew this woman.
#
You can't just accept it like it's an everyday thing."
Many Bowling Brook residents are parents of small children, like Mrs. Basu.
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The Washington Times, September 10, 1992
Cassie Puls, director of the Howard County police Victims' Assistance unit,
said neighbors are caring for Mrs. Basu's 22-month-old daughter Sarina, who was
tossed from the vehicle by the car thieves, still strapped in her car seat.
Sarina was not hurt.
Ms. Puls was stationed outside the Basu home yesterday, shielding the
family from reporters.
"I've been doing this for 13 years and there's no way to compare this to
anything.
You can't say if it's the worst thing you've ever seen because
there's nothing to compare it to. When these things happen, they're all
devastating," Ms. Puls said.
"I feel really sick about it," said Shanaz Khademi, 42, who lives with her
son, Amir, 22, near the Basu home on Horsham Drive.
The Basu family was often seen taking a late-afternoon stroll, said Mrs.
Khademi. She said Mrs. Basu and her husband, who has not been publicly
identified, would often walk arm in arm as they pushed their only child in a
stroller or let her run around them.
"She was a very kind woman," Mrs. Khademi said. "She had a very good
position, very educated woman.
Mrs. Basu was a senior research chemist at the W.R. Grace lab in Columbia.
"Everybody was 50 upset and sad that everyone stayed up and outside last
night," said Mrs. Khademi. "We don't much know what WE can do."
The helplessness Mrs. Khademi felt mingled with concern for herself and her
son. They moved to Bowling Brook Farms just two years ago from the District to
get away from crime, they said.
"One of the things the real estate agent said was that Howard County has the
lowest crime rate and that this area has the lowest rate of all," she said.
But like so many suburban communities that look safe, this neighborhood is
watching in growing alarm as crime makes its way in.
"It creeps up on you," Mr. Khademi said.
Some neighbors had pushed to get a neighborhood watch patrol system started,
he said, but not enough residents had been willing to participate. Still, he
felt it was tactless for a security company to have come to the area yesterday
passing out fliers about alarm systems.
Family and friends streamed in and out of the Basu home throughout yesterday
as television crews and photographers parked outside watched.
Another resident who asked not to be named said the nature of Mrs. Basu's
death has permanently shattered the neighborhood's serenity.
"It's definitely not going to be the way it was before," she said softly as
she pulled on her dog's leash.
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6
The Washington Times, September 10, 1992
"Pat was so quiet and so sweet, the whole family was. That was the last
family this should have happened to because they were SO good. It isn't doing
any good trying to figure it out because it just doesn't make any sense. I
mean, you can see this neighborhood. It just means the violence of the cities
15 spreading out."
*
Jim Keary contributed to this report.
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September 27, 1992
6:00 p.m.
CRIME
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
DeSALES CATHOLIC CHURCH
FOX PARK, MISSOURI
SEPTEMBER 28, 1992
10:00 A.M.
Thank you for that kind introduction, and good morning,
everybody.
It's delightful to be in Fox Park. St. Louis is such a
friendly city. It really warms my heart. So thank you for your
wonderful Missouri welcome.
I want to apologize to everyone who was counting on the
usual Sunday Bingo game last night. I hear the Secret Service
spoiled your fun when they had to check out the building. Well,
I'm sorry you missed the game, but it was smart to stay away.
Believe me, you don't want to be jumping up suddenly and yelling
"Bingo!" around these guys. //
I want to talk to you today about what I consider
government's first and most-basic function: to protect every
American citizen from violence -- at home and on the streets.
Now
that's nothing new. Security is one big reason
government was created in the first place.
What's is new
are the terrible forms violence has taken
recently
beyond anything our founding fathers could've
imagined.
A whole generation has grown up with the threat of nuclear
terror hanging like a sword over its head. And it's been
1
horrible. Our kids had nightmares. It seemed like it would
never end.
Well, it did end. And today I can stand up here and say
something no President could ever say before.
The Cold War is over. Freedom finished first. 11
Now, we need to win the peace
right here at home and in
the streets of Fox Park. //
What's the point, after all
of winning a Cold War if our
grandparents and grandchildren lock themselves behind the bars on
their windows, afraid to come out from a jail called home?
Now, I'm not saying we haven't made progress against violent
crime. We certainly have. We've slowed it dramatically the past
twelve years. And we're beginning to turn the tide on the drugs
that so often fuel it.
But we got soft on crime in the 1960s, and we paid for it.
By the time we cracked down again in the 80s, violent crime had
gone up 400% in twenty years. Since we cracked down, it's gone
up just 27% in a little over ten years, and the overall crime
index is actually down.
So we've stemmed the tide
prevented millions of crimes
but of course, that's not enough. It's never enough.
The face of crime is changing fast, and we need our laws to
react just as quickly
so we can beat it.
Let me give you a timely example. Carjacking -- a brand-
new word for a brand-new crime. Someone figured out it's easy to
steal a car when it's already running, with the keys in the
2
ignition. of course, the owner's behind the wheel. So the
criminal uses a gun.
I want to tell you a story that sickens me, but describes
what we're up against. Just a few weeks ago, in a nice
neighborhood near Baltimore, a woman was sitting in her car at a
stop sign. In broad daylight, two men forced her out of her car
and drove off.
But she hung onto her seat-belt from outside the car. What
mother wouldn't? Because her baby was in the back seat. The
mother was dragged for almost two miles. The thieves tried to
knock her off by banging into a fence. And tragically, she died.
And you know what they did with her little baby? They
tossed her out of the car like a piece of trash.
Miraculously, that baby survived.
And you know what? America is going to survive, too! We
cannot put up with this kind of animal behavior.//
These people have no place in a decent society. And as far
as this President's concerned, they can go to jail
they can
stay in jail
and they can rot in jail.//
For that to happen, we need tough laws that don't bend over
backwards protecting the criminal
while saying to the victim,
"Tough luck, buddy."
Now, my opponent has learned to talk tough on crime. But
let me tell you: When push comes to shove, what he really
believes is that same old hogwash that says it's society's fault
when someone gets mugged. And society should suffer.
3
Maybe that's why an average inmate in Arkansas served less
than one-fifth of his sentence last year. Maybe that's why
violent crime in Arkansas went up almost 60 percent in the 80s -
- over twice the national average. And maybe that's why Arkansas
in the 80s had the nation's biggest increase in overall crime --
and the third-biggest in violent crime.
If you don't believe me
just ask the Fraternal Order of
Police in Little Rock, Arkansas. They know Bill Clinton's record
best. And they're endorsing me for President.
The police know better than anyone
that we're all
vulnerable: Men, women, children. White, black, brown. Young,
and old. Rich and poor. To a bullet or a blade -- we all look
just the same.
Americans deserve a government that goes after the problem -
- that prevents and punishes crime, and helps victims.//
That's why I want to see America make a move at the Federal
level
to step forward and support state and local police
around the country -- in real, concrete ways. We need to help
them fight. //
That's why, twelve-hundred and one days ago, on June 15,
1989 -- the same day Mikhail Gorbachev first hinted the Berlin
Wall might someday fall -- I sent a comprehensive crime bill to
Capitol Hill. I offered the hand of partnership to Congress, and
asked it to help me fight crime on a national level.
Listen to this: Since I first sent that bill to the Hill in
1989, here in the United States, we've had almost 60,000 murders,
4
260,000 rapes, 1,600,000 robberies and 2,600,000 assaults. By
the way, 506 of those violent crimes took place right here in Fox
Park.
399, 399,858,pop. FBC UCE'91
Think about that. Enough people to fill the city of St.
Louis more than twice over were brutalized while that bill
languished on the Hill.
I know the numbers are staggering. I know that Americans
sit down in front of their TVs at night
watch the news and
say
why doesn't somebody do something about this incredible
mess? People are dying in the streets, for God's sake.
Well
twelve-hundred and one days later
Congress still
hasn't acted on my Bill.
I think if they had a glacier on Capitol Hill, they'd name
it "Speedy."//
But frustrating as this crime bill has been for me
it's
still my job as President to get results. There are good people
on both sides of the issue, working in good faith for a
compromise
and I will not rest until this matter is settled.
This very week, we're close to an agreement on a bill the
Congress could send me -- and I will sign. The compromise bill
could include, for example, a workable death-penalty provision
for horrible murders
committed by terrorists, assassins and
drug lords. And it would target the shocking violence we see on
TV -- the drive-by shootings and gang turf-wars. This deadly
behavior deserves deadly punishment.
5
It could include provisions recommended by Supreme Court
Justice Powell, to short-circuit an endless process of appeals
that make a mockery of justice.
There are other items prompting strong feelings on all
sides, but we're making a good-faith effort to reach a
compromise.
So I want you to know what's on my crime agenda. I'm not
asking for anything but common sense and reasonable justice
especially for women, children and elderly victims of crime.
I think I can get some of these items this year -- then,
I'll come back to get more.
First, apprehend and severely punish carjackers, like the
ones I just described. I want to make carjacking a Federal
offense with harsh penalties. I want thugs who take cars at
gunpoint to stay in a cell so long that when they get out --
they're too old to drive. //
Second, call deadbeat dads onto the carpet. Right now, a
single mother here in Missouri can be struggling to keep the kids
fed and clothed on her small salary while their father's up in
Chicago, picking out a new Chevy truck with terrycloth pom-poms
and a gun rack. He could be 'way behind in child-support, but no
one can touch him because he's over state lines. Well, I think
that's a disgrace, and it's about time the long arm of the law
reaches out over that state line
taps that deadbeat dad on the
shoulder
and says loud and clear -- time to pay up, buddy.
Cough up the cash or go to jail.
6
Third, strengthen laws dealing with sexual and domestic
violence. For starters, we need to protect the victim. It's bad
enough a rape victim is attacked in the first place. Then she
takes the stand and gets attacked by the rapist's lawyers. I say
that two too many attacks.
And I want repeat sex and domestic-violence offenders behind
bars until trial. Today, even a repeat offender can get arrested
and be out on bond hours later stalking his next victim
or
beating his wife and kids for turning him in. I want him
detained until trial, and I want the prosecution to be able to
use past convictions against him. Right now, certain details
can't even be mentioned in court. So-called little details --
like the fact that everyone and their dog within ten country
miles knows the guy acts this way pretty regularly. And that's
wrong. Let him pay for what he's done. //
Fourth, crack down on gang violence. I want gangs to be
treated like the criminal enterprises they are. That way, we can
go after the leaders, and we can deal harshly with them, and we
can untie the hands of good cops so they can clean up decent
neighborhoods. I also want to toughen the penalties for using
juveniles in crimes. Gangs right now can send under-age kids out
to do their dirty work, because they're minors and they'll get
off if they're caught. I think the older gang members should be
punished harshly for treating these little kids like bullet
fodder. //
7
Fifth, protection for the elderly. It's absurd that the
folks who've contributed to this society all through their lives
have to live in terror when they're old and frail, just because
some young punks see them as an easy target. They're as low as
the thugs who pick on children, and I want to beef up the laws
that put these thugs behind bars -- so instead of being on the
streets mugging grandmothers -- they're mugging for the police
camera and their criminal file./
Sixth, Habeas Corpus reform. Habeas Corpus is a fancy way
of saying, if you're found guilty of something, you can challenge
the decision in court. It's supposed to protect the innocent,
but it's turned into a ridiculous perversion of the law. Can you
believe that a lot of these petitions drag on for more than a
decade? Criminal lawyers use it to postpone justice. A guilty
verdict can mean seemingly endless appeals that choke our courts
and delay justice. It's about time we put a stop to this
travesty. Let them have one Habeas Corpus petition and be done
with it.//
Seventh, a Federal death penalty. I think certain acts of
violence deserve the ultimate penalty. I'm talking about
assassinations, murder for hire, terrorism and other depraved
acts. And add to that the new urban violence we see with gangs.
Drive-by shootings, random violence, gang massacres -- these
people are merchants of death, who trade in death
so when they
kill someone, let's complete the transaction./
8
And eighth, firearms. This one's short and sweet. I want
much-tougher penalties for criminal use of firearms. Period. //
(Brief pause.)
Now, I'm not saying that tougher laws are going to fix
everything. I'm a firm believer in justice, but I think
punishment is only part of the solution.
The other part has a more human face.
Tomorrow's criminals are still just kids today. And while I
believe in resources for law enforcement
and in reform for law
enforcement
I also believe that at some point early in life, a
youngster at a critical juncture can be steered to a life of
right
or a life of terrible wrong. It all depends on the kind
of soil you plant these kids in
and how you nourish them.
That's why I believe our weed-and-seed program is so very
crucial. Weed-and-seed means going into a rough neighborhood
eradicating the 'weeds' of violent crime that can choke a young
life
and replacing them with 'seeds' of social opportunity and
reform.
That's what Operation Crackdown in St. Louis is all about:
The Federal Government, working with local law enforcement,
reclaiming crack houses and giving them back to the community.
And that's what your COPS program, here in Fox Park, is all
about, too, on a local level. Real people making real changes in
your own neighborhood.
You know, just the other day, only a few blocks from here,
police officers raided a crack house on Ohio Avenue. And as
9
those officers came out of the house with those drug-dealers
handcuffed, the neighbors -- maybe some of you -- came out to
their porches and gave those police a standing ovation and a
cheer.
That's what this country's hungry for. Americans want to
take crime out of their neighborhoods
and put the neighbors
back. We've got to weed the poison growth from the soil
and
in its place, plant the seeds of hope.
I know you just want to be able to walk down to Worth's
Market, or down to Fox Park for a stroll, or over to Bartlett's
Grocery Store for a newspaper or Mary's Restaurant for a cup of
coffee ( (even if she is a Democrat))
and you want to do it
knowing you're safe in your own neighborhood, that you've helped
build and kept alive.
I think John Mirgaux said it best. He lives near that old
crack house over on Ohio. And he said he and his wife Eleanor
had been thinking about selling their house and just moving away
from the drugs and all the ugly crime.
But you know
he's lived in Fox Hill his whole life. It's
his neighborhood.
And after the raid
he and Eleanor did some thinking. And
he put it this way. He said:
"You know, I've been waiting for this to happen. Now
we're going to make a stand."
10
Please join us
join John and Eleanor
and Ohio
Avenue
and Fox Park
and St. Louis
and Missouri
and
this whole United States
and make a stand against crime today.
Because the people deserve it.
Thank you
thank you all for listening
God bless Fox
Park, Missouri
and God bless the United States of America.
11
SEP 24 '92 15:04
P.1
STATE OF MISSOURI
FACSIMILE TRANSMITTAL SHEET
DATE 9-24
Junniy TO Bustre
FROM
House
spuckwriting
FAX NUMBER
FAX
NUMBER 314-751-2128
RE
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS/REMARKS
ANY PROBLEMS WITH TRANSMITTAL, CALL 314-751-3222
TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES (INCLUDING TRANSMITTAL SHEET)
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CODE NAME ?
Raid Foreshadows
Future Drug Efforts
SEP 24 '92 15:04
Police Cooperate With City, State In Arrests
By Bilt Bryan
23, Loretta Robinson, 30, and Eliza-
H the Post-Dispatch Staff
beth Pearson, 30, all of the 2900 block
A coordinated effort by police and
of Obio; Anthony Brandon, 20, of the
ity agencies in a raid Tuesday of
2700 block of Shenandoab Avenue;
spartments alleged to be crack houses
and Timothy Brandon, IB, of the 4000
n the Fox Park neighborhood will
block of Lafayette Avenue.
become the model
or future dealings
Trevor Robinson
with problem areas,
was charged also
inlice said.
"T good people
with misdemeanor
Police officers
possession of
rom the Third Dis-
were very happy to
martjuana.
net. the mobile re-
see us. Many
Shawn Robinson, 18,
erve and narcotics
also of the 2909 block
clapped and
nits, together with
of Ohio, was charged
aspectors from the
cheered.
with felony posses-
ity's building and
sion of cocaine and
ealth divisions and
CAPT. EVERETT PAGE,
misdemeanor pos-
aseworkers with
Third District commander
session of marijuana.
he Missouri Divi-
Police also were
ION of Family Services, linked up In
seeking three other
people.
18 effort.
Police with search warrants raided
"We hope our actions can help sta-
our apartments ia the 2900 block of
bilize this particular neighborhood,"
hio Avenue and a fifth apartment in
said Capt. Everett Page, commander
of the Third District.
ie 3000 block of Obto about 8:30 a.m.
St. Louis police officers in the 2900 block of Ohio Avenue on Tuesday during a raid by pelice and
Karen Elshout/Post
"We've made a dozen undercover
"Now, it's up to the decent people
urchases ori this street during the
there to keep it stabilized," Page said.
city agencies of apartments alleged to be crack houses in the Fox Park neighborhood
"We'll help them, but they'll have to
ty," Page said.
BSI month," said LL Anton Wagner,
have zero tolerance for this drug
"We're attacking this problem on all
"Tve been waiting for this to happen
activity."
levels, and this coordinated effort will
for six months. I've lived here all my
men said police had no business
eputy commander of the narcotics-
ce division.
Page acknowledged that pressure
life and I've seen this neighborhood
breaking down her door
The area has become widely rec-
serve as a blueprint in the future.
change for the worse in recent years.
"My old man is no dealer," the
gnized BS the place to go to buy drugs
would be put on landlords. Building
"The good people were very happy
"This drug dealing goes on right aut
woman, named Shirley
1 the South Side."
and health code violations found Tues-
to see us," Page said. "Many ctapped
day will be reported to the building's
and cheered.
on the street and on the porches.'
"The police had no business arrest-
Four men and two women arrested
owners.
"That's what it's all about."
John Mirgaux, 57, said he and his
ing him. There are drug dealers using
the raid were charged Tuesday
ght with selling cocalne, a felony,
"The drug deating is coming from
wife had wanted to seli their house but
the rental property and these land-
Two residents of the area pleased
our front porch all the time, and we
couldn't get much for it. "Now we're
use the back door."
e circuit attorney's office said. They
with the raid were Eleanor and John
e Albert Page, 36, Trevor Robinson,
lords are going to have to get tough
about what's going on on their proper-
Mirgaux. "I think It's great," said El-
going to make a stand," John Mirgaux
sald.
Shirtey's boyfriend conducted nyed
eanor Mirgans, 49.
A girlfriend of one of the arrested said.
of the 12 drug transactions, Washin
COPS - philosophy.
St. Louis Post- Dispatch 9-13-92
Neighbors
the first to be donated to a neighborhood group.
The program is a Joint effort of federal and local law
enforcement, the city and neighborhood groups.
Reclaim
"At the heart of this is making neighborhoods safe." sailt
Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl Jr., who also attended the
ceremony. "You can't have a viable neighborhood when
you have a drug house openly operating
Drug Den
"The best weapon the city has against a drug dealer is a
committed neighborhood." Schoemehl said. "Drug dealem
hate neighborhoods that care about what's happening next
Seized Crack House
door and down the block. They hate neighbors who want to
make their own streets safer."
Will Go To Needy
Some neighbors and their children gathered around to
watch the proceedings, while others played down the block
By Margaret Gillerman
in the Seturday sunshine.
or the Post-Dispatch Staff
Sybil Canada, 29, had her 9-month-old son in tow, Cam
Last year, 4247 Pleasant Avenue
ada, who has seven children, said she welcomed any effort
was a "crack house" where drug traf-
to rid the neighborhoods of drugs.
fickers streamed in and out, menacing
"There is so much violence out there. you don't know
neighbors whose young children
what's going to happen," she said. "I try to keep my eye on
played on a nearby empty lot in the
all" of the children.
shadow of the city's old Water Tower.
John Webster. 37. & neighbor and father of two. sported a
On Saturday, the dilapidated house
Bart Simpson T-shirt that said "CRACK KILLS, BLACK
with bars on its windows was returned
POWER."
to the community. The keys were
Mavis Tessa Thompson, 8 board member of the ministry
handed over to a church group, the
and a neighborhood resident. said crack houses such as the
North Side Team Ministry, which
one on Pleasant breed fear and violence and provide
plans to rehabilitate the building and
terrible role models for children.
turn It over to a family needing a
"Neighborhoods are saying we're not going to take it any
home.
more," she said. "You want your place safe. You don't want
U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Higgins,
to feel like you're living behind bars and armor. You don't
who was instrumental in Operation
want to be afraid to go out of your house."
Crackdown. the program that turned
U.S. Marshal Willie Greason said the program gives
the house around. said Saturday that
people in neighborhoods "the opportunity to win the war on
be hoped the program could become a
drugs one neighborhood at a time."
model for the nation.
"One single house where drugs can
be bought can ultimately destroy an
entire neighborhood," Higgins said at
a ceremony at the bouse. "If we don't
act. people looking for drugs will con-
tinue to stream into neighbor-
boods. The communities need help,
and we intend to do everything we
can."
Authorities seized the house using
federal forfeiture laws that give them
the right to confiscate bouses where
drugs are sold or stored, Higgins said.
Ever since Operation Crackdown be-
gan a year ago, three houses in St.
Louis County and 12 in St. Louis have
been seized in drug raids, be said.
The house on Pleasant Avenue was
E'd
S0:ST 26. 24 d3S
THE WHITE HOUSE
washington
See. Chief Clavence Harmon
Potus/intro
John Danforth
Gov. John 95hcroft
*( Dave anderson)
Smiday aft. 4pm
SEP-25-1992 11:18 FROM ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE TO
12024566218
P.01
OFFICE OF
PRESIDENTIAL ADVANCE
COVER PAGE
JeANNie
TO:
DAUE
FROM:
8
TOTAL NUMBER OF PAGES:
(including cover page)
DATE:
TIME:
MESSAGE:
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION PLEASE CALL.
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
SER-25-1992 11:19 FROM ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE TO
12024566218
P.02
U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Eastern District of Missouri
US Court and Custom House
314-539-2200
1114 Market Street
St Louis, Missouri 63201
FAXI314-539-2309
September 24, 1992
Ms. Darlene Davis
office of Liaison Services
Department of Justice
Washington, D.C. 20530
RE: Expected Presidential Visit to
St. Louis, Missouri
Dear Darlene:
My understanding is that the President will visit a St.
Louis, Missouri neighborhood next week where local police
detectives recently executed drug search warrants. Since my
information about the visit is sketchy, I do not know the precise
purpose of the President's decision to visit this particular
neighborhood but for the reasons given below, 1 believe it would
be a mistake. If the purpose, however, is to highlight concern
for the problems of drugs and urban crime, I believe it is
imperative that the white House be told about "operation
Crackdown", a pilot project which we in the U.S. Attorneys office
initiated one year ago aimed at ridding neighborhoods of drug
houses, using federal asset forfeiture laws.
"crackdown" was officially launched in September, 1991
as a joint project of the U.S. Attorneys office for the Eastern
District of Missouri, st. Louis city government, the St. Louis
Police Department and two federal law enforcement agencies, the
DEA and the U.S. Marshal's Service. [see attached clipping] In
November, 1991, We formally expanded the program to include St.
Louis County government and the St. Louis County Police
Department. Since launching our program we have seized 15 drug
houses (12 of which were within St. Louis city) and have received
overwhelmingly favorable response to our efforts from community
organizations, neighborhood groups, and local elected officials.
Although we realize that this program will not alone solve the
drug problems facing those living in urban areas, in a powerfully
symbolic way it empowers neighbors to do something about the drug
problems plaguing their neighborhoods.
SEP-25-1992 11:19 FROM ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE TO
12024566218
P.03
Although "Crackdown" is not part of Weed and Seed, we
began its planning in August, 1990 and believe that we still have
the most organized program of its kind in the nation. A key
component of "crackdown" is the deeding back to the community of
seized drug houses, which was approved by the office of the
Deputy Attorney General in April, 1992.
To that end, on September 12, 1992--one year from the
day of its seizure+-we conducted a ceremony in front of a house
in North st. Louis wherein we deeded to a church group the first
crackhouse seized under "Operation Crackdown". I an enclosing a
newsclipping about this event, as well as other pertinent
articles.
Although I do not know what the White House intended in
its selection of ohio Street as at site for the President's visit,
if the purpose is to dramatize what is being done by law
enforcement at both the federal and local levels, working with
neighborhood groups, I believe most strongly that Operation
Crackdown should not only be mentioned, but highlighted in the
visit. Unlike the relatively isolated execution of search
warrants on Ohio Street last week by local police detectives
(working without any federal involvement) our program is ongoing
and involves neighborhood and community groups, local government,
local Police Departments and federal law enforcement. From my
many visits with neighborhood groups and leaders in St. Louis
city, I can tell you that it is just this type of program which
demonstrates that at the federal law enforcement level we do care
about the problems of urban crime and drugs and are doing
something. It would be a major mistake to then focus only on the
random efforts of local law enforcement, and, since the Ohio
Street drug arrests were made without federal help, a visit to
that location could very well backfire by (a) calling attention
to lack of federal involvement and (b) giving the appearance of
taking federal credit for what was simply a local effort.
For these reasons I strongly urge the President to
visit the property at 4247 Pleasant Avenue in North St. Louis and
to tell the nation about "Crackdown", rather than the proposed
ohio Street site.
-On another note, the President may also want to talk
about our "Gun-Free School zone Program", begun by us last
February in cooperation with the St. Louis Public School System,
the st. Louis Police Department and the DEA and under which we
recently obtained our first conviction and six year, no parole
sentence. This program uses a new federal law to preserve our
schools as gun-free sanctuaries from violence.
SEP,25-1992 11:20 FROM ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE TO
12024566218
P.04
Lastly, the President may want to mention our local
successes under "operation Triggerlock", the DOJ program which
uses the federal armed career criminal laws to put away the most
violent street criminals. As with our other programs,
"Triggerlock" is succeeding because of the full cooperation of
state and local law enforcement.
Please call if you have any questions.
Very
truly yours,
Stephen B. Higgins
United States Attorney
Eastern District of Missouri
SBH.j
P.05
Neighbors
Reclaim
12024566218
Drug Den
Seized Crack House
Will Go To Needy
Houses
9-6-92
By Margaret Gillerman
or the cat-Dispatch Bill
From page one
Last your, 6247 Pleasant Avenue
was a "creck drouse" where drug traf-
the first to be denated a unighborhood group.
fickers streemed in and out, meancing
The program 1s a joint effort of federal and local faw
neighbors whose young children
TO
enforcement, the city and neighborhood groups.
played on a nearty empty let in the
*At the heart of this is making heighborhoods safe,
shadow of the city's old Water Tower.
Mayor Vincent L. Scheement 3rd who also attended the
On Satarday, the dispidated house
caremony. "You past have a withle stelghborhood when
with bara or Sts windows THE returned
have à throuse openly operating.
to the community. The keys were
"The best signature the city has against a drug deller iss
handed over to a shurch group, the
contraited swighborhood," Schoomeh) mid. "Drug designs
North Side Team Ministry, which
plans to rehabilitate the building and
t
tate neighborheods that care about what's tieppening next
time 1 over to a family needing a
door and down the block. They hate neighbors who want to
make their own streets offer."
home.
U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Riggins;
Some neighbors and shols children gethered around 14
who was instrumental to Operation
watch the proceetings, while others played The block
ST MO
Crackdown, the program that turned
in the Suturday sunshise.
the house around, sald Saturday that
Sybil Canada, 28, that her sen In tow. Call-
he hoped the program could becomes
ada, who has seven children, will she walcomed say effort
model for the nation.
to rid the seighborhoods of drugs,
"One single thouse where drugs on
"There to so much violence and there, you don't im ON
be bought 180 altimately destroy an
what's going to happen," she said. eag try to keep my eye on
entire neigbborhood." Bliggina sald at
all" of the children.
FROM
a ceremony at the house. "It me don't
John Webster, 37, #: néighbor and father of two, eportede
act, people looking for drugs will CDR-
Bart Simpson Tehirt that sald "CRACK KILLS, BLACK
time 20 streem tate
neighbor-
POWER."
boods. The communities need help,
Movis Terms Thompson, a board member of the ministry
11:20
and we intend to do everything are
and B neighborhood resident, said crack houses such as the
can."
one on Pleasant breed fear and violence and provide
Authorities selsed the house using
terrible role models for children.
federal forteiture laws that give them
"Neighborho are enying we're not golag to take Hany
the right to confissate houses where
more, 'ahe said. "You want your place safe. You don't want
SEP-25-1992
drugs are sold or stored, Higgins said.
Lany Williams, Dispatch
BII Charlton (laft) and Mavis Tessa Thompson
to tell like you're living belind bars and annor. You don't
Ever state Operation Creckdown be.
of North Skie Team Ministry at the former
was to be afreid to go out of your house."
gan & year ago, three houses in St.
Louis County and 12 in St. Louis have
crack house at 4247 Pleasent Avenue that their
U.S. Mambel Willie Grenson said the program gives
been selzed in drug rales, he saki.
organization will be rehabilitating.
people in neighbor hoods "the opportunity to via WERE
drugs one neighber hout at a time."
The house on Pleasent Avenue was
agrees
USA
See HOUSES, Page 1
SEP,25-1992
11:21
FROM
ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE
TO
12024566218
P.06
SELDING POST-CISPATION
COMMENTARY
A Powerful Weapon Against Drug Suspects
Residents New Crack Houses Support Suisure of Assets By Authorities
By StepSion a
to mont cases. the owner of the property walks Sway and makes
Be discript at retrieval. Ass. $ most cases, It . Bot because the
o
5 Dec. 12 of such year. U.S. manuals and drug enteres-
order 19 We anive to Mrs m attorney. to B because the under
arent egable served refure papers prepared by the U.S.
that challenging the submit Will relatt la subjecting him
success office on given dope nonnes in St. Loss. Part
et net % the gerating of the legal process scretify that will
of Operades Creditions a program deligated & save
Any going da # the residence.
borhoods from the scoure of drut dealers - these states
For take the Boute as Menth setted on Pleasent
brought the total to one dentils check and diring holder street down
Avenue. to face White we amount the suching of Opera-
and taken away a the MR three member
don Creditions, BAN the preas conference in the street in
Even though R was early exerciting de $ may becauser
BOBE at that residence. Deliveries from the at Louis Police
day. neighbors 00 ose street went cuilide to appland # patien
Department put # under INVESTING and watched a standy
officers and reseral agents did then work. OR white blockt,
new of quick VISITS M the from door. The effice left without
residents Md TV reporters thing were hippy as BAG
Actually entering the home A sure without # executed
been selved. Cee then spose of AM designer. about
MR eight tes of due were discovered hidden M videogames.
how be didn't that her to be directed 1 estics house.
We selzed the Abd be other mid fine. Be didn't
No parent dues. The purpose of the program and the point of
contain M. He didn't question H the the for to return He
the laws # to you're drug dealers by taking
knew who any to the and Who ## detag wrong. The
away not only their profits. but anything that excultates meir
2020 at 4247 PHYMIX 3 - federal government property.
WORK Hearth and home Are précious to everyone - you, me,
or take the time is 1800 When the police @ a eatt from 4
even a man or workse traffication to stegos area But a
was who IN them MI 14-sear-old $60 and MIS friends had
who persints a using his real-
time benght a hirge amount of
dence M $ Meral drug more POLICY
marijoine from de men who
the righ: of tested Cast Bottle. At
onsed $ the in be 4100 block
the same the the
of Wybruce, in the City of at
gets 8 chance to to seved from
Louis she found some of the
the deterioration Inherent it
debt as & plastic bag to her seat
drug trafficking.
posset and when controsted, be
That #: was happined M Dec.
constited DO one details. The
12 On seven Moets tn 22 LOUIS,
EM $0 Wyoming charged him
seven houses from which drugs
$300 for & Quarter pound her son
were sold were under the
porketed My money over that
provisions at the rederal stret
The My also told bis mother
forfeiture Mrws. to $
now DO and Me friends watched
by slow proces, #: are trying to
the - on Wyoming weigh out
get drugs off our streets and out
about 20 petiods #
of our neighborhoods The exper-
ase count out more than $10,000
forfeiture saws pain,
to visa, THE JUNCE & live.
And the program too BEES
State and sound & Mage destity
welcomed with sup-
or hidden to $ Instease
port Operation Creditions has
the mem.
the futs backing and EMMIS-
This MAR See all the took of
meet of the W & Look
the a valance
the & Louis county reserve,
a MR N total readwich
the St. Loois chief of police, the
test @ 20-garge success, $ 2>
director of public entery. opera-
culler Doll-action fir
tion Safe Street, Consert.
fiel and à
Churches United for Cultinualty
124 - who the some
Action. eivie and colluments grotting - $ treat (5) - 58 due
mades am 15 as how be made his
bests, associties detectives, DEA 856 FST agents.
Will 48 PERIO eas $ lot : inclies tall, 270 goods and
These are Bee people was are "Dobbed on Be 4m #M. but
Md $ we EMUS. one NML Bora 16 Late.
who are borrified by eren - Date and TRAY dont bast
If we dob't DUE Has Birth out of besteen. we an teste.
to see their neighborhood deliveryes. They rould are to how
Operation CHECKOOWN as be town are tools
that the investment they more la their Sibtibe to the city was a
for receive and new authorizes to put and declare out of
sound one. Tuese are people who fell their children should be
business. Repotative as team on and to mano and
sole to Mde their birth and play obtside 00 the INSURED - and
weeks who U.S.A. they cca make carry month from a trade in
not run the risk of belog by warring drea desters
By. the protection a for Hill stating # they realize
These are people trap are concerned about as this of new
that once they are - home Will Be than away
families and our city,
by federal
The Aspet-forfellure laws have been the cubject of
the mayor. crustr executive: Bottos thist community and
erticles more the A dones a as seper Nine. Husdreds of
eivle Reason. treat and Into enforcement At Agril we
column Meties have details as negative expects of anles
5000 to protect Both children, our street, our Nocht and our
forgetture and aneged above of various forfeture property.
asignborhoods. Asset-forreiture M99 help us do that Centrary
Date and Redural
to wast 1 tear m the media view. these facts are
However, when as invistish day reporters to & 42b extities-
groving to 38 1 believe streetly this the Mills are yest.
Her on an actual seture - extended, % ** The BRAT
ARE B not $ game of (ddd carry that the
dr. $ Short story bused en $ years 1612000 with is the
federal and 10882 Anthorities are playing 60 tesseart people.
back pages. Secretary. that are
AIR INITEMENT D ONLY nore my for NW outsecement to Marm
ranted, welcomed by the commonly and wes when Be
as may dealt. M Gilber those the choose MA burden of
parameters of the Live (in short They should
GREEN druge.
There are entire Blocas in car any That are DELOS
as AND the e tool to Mm
by drugs. If Making M CARIAM state away from will But
The & first, act memory my spinion. There were
him out of business. thes $ Its. take that time twiy. AM take
Schole 60 60 their Streets before $ O'clock in the during @ è
away his cltr. Take any am jensis. THE Mi and AM
Ming M Creatly Statember day. clearing - the officers
destroy bis start of drigs.
carred the subm.
And If taking that Date gets en MM a ## force
AM: am AR the & Leuis effices H they void prefer
them to régiste that If by 0403 drops to that houses me? sun
the the kcil and federal Government M these drug home
the risk of lessing these avisis, I m. all the more for as
time $30 skit shut men down A&k date people on
program Every day our are by the
04 Card ass XMR MS Aldice ass Nete Taylor W
presence of drug desters. Children are put III construct risk.
Generalle and Twiy and Bet M MAIN and beyond. Quite
If the selsure to diviranted, the person to protected by
because, we believe they should be have
law, Be can file for return of @t property; e beartits $ held: a
jodge weight as eventure and decides whenever have or
Stephen & is U.S. Addressy for the address district of
car or jeweby or etch should be returned. in same cases. & to
Disaount
SEP-25-1992
11:23
FROM
ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE
TO
12024566218
P.07
SEP-24-1992
14:13
FROM
US
any
To Seize
Drug House
Government Will Give
Sites To Good Citizens
By Tim Aven
DM as
The mayor, the Police did at
Be U.S. extract from Priday on
mas 4 number THE ben
a as celled I @ and
MM and 4Md they were Malling
The di 4247 Street,
the das at the de gon-
employer surved D selse Pritty to
VIN du sec Reduct officies
VII be Rin et a program la which
Be
der
to
Police
Ohief
Clarches
Waving
IA street, Ensyer C
of
of
28.
our
the
program
Effor
a
prose
the
of
=
Piget
9/14/2
Seizures
Mayor Vincent c.
From page one
Schosmeht Jr. called
drug dealers and their
in which city and federal authorizes
can Take our neighborhoods back
accomptices human
from drug designs."
reaches.
"There is not going to be a safe
corner 10 St. Louis to dell drugs.
Schoement aNd. "St Louis B thed of
Ant IS the last two years
H. We're thing our streets back."
Drug raids were carried out recent-
City and federal officials of the
by at the other reddences. authorities
house, near Fairground Park. ep-
sald
planded. Mest of the 50 or SO beligibor-
to A statement. Schoemehi sald:
bood residents who bad gathered
"Drug dealers and their accountable
there stood quietly.
are auman reaches We're one to
Police Chief Clarence Harrish then
chast them out of the places they
stepped m) to the microphone and told
hide. périod."
the crowd: "We're getting tough. follow
Under the city and féderal plan.
See what's tappenite"
called Operation Creekdown, drug
U.S. Attorney Stephen 2 Hispins
housts seized through the federal #-
said be planned for such seizures to be
at forfetture program could Visa an
more than a gimmick Be skid be bed
to the bunds 40 the COT Conserv
worked 00 the program for $ year and
office.
boyed to persuade the Justice Depart.
That office could make the not
ment to make St. Lovis & pliot project
describe evaliable to $P-
to which drug houses seized by the
or individuals I
government would become the homes
shid the details 5f the program had yet
of good citizens
to be decided.
"We hope this is the start et as
E forféiture USA Blw, are
ongoing program." Higzins sald. "If
typically become at prodecty of the
the program ended with the secure of
U.S. Marshal. #80 fails them % the
these five houses, it would be usite
Manter bidder.
more than a publicity stunt"
in some cases. the twis Are the
Police made no arrests Friday. Bill-
drue dealers Who lived to the houses
gine sald the effort was to 201 the
houses away from drug design. reth-
previously.
er than put people in fell.
Meyer, the ambit U.S. automat
Suits were flied Friday in U.S. bis-
Who filed the forteiture suite Friday,
trict Court to seize the house or Pleas-
stid the residents could stay. tot now.
sust and residences at 5854-80 Teny
But the owners will be 02 notice that
Avenue, 4121 West Penrode Street,
see of drug on Blue 100.00
1638 Helen Avenue and 2853 Delt Ave.
due evictions.
DUE in at least two of the
As the officials. police care and
police suspect recente. rather this the
gens crews left the
owners of the house, of drug dealine.
Mary Doyle up to Each school 8
Owners who are BR suspleted of
block from the house 65 Pleasent.
deallog drugs are protected # they
While waiting to pick or ner two
can show that be were unsure of
Branddsughters froiti school the EAM
the drug desting, said Reymone
police should "just butt all there
Moyer, as district U.S. alterney.
Incurres Child are collier Brugs."
Authorities said police relded the
But the said could be
house 68 Pleasent to March and found
carried too fax.
creck a potent form of contine, bid-
"You shouldn't be able to take the
Wayns
den in video games in the besement.
home to the owner is insurent. she
U.S. Atterney Stephen e. Higgine (foreground) and St. Louis
Riguine sald police had evidence of 19
said. "A lot of people don't know
Mayor Vineant C. Schoemohi Jr. at a press conference called
drug deals in the 4200 bluck of Please
what's going on in their houses"
Priday to announce the closing of five reputed creck houses.
SER-25-1992
11:23
FROM
ST LOUIS MO STAFF OFFICE
TO
12024566218
P.08
Page 3
March, 1992
Our Fire Dept. Is Now Smokeless
Since 8 am. Sunday, March 1
emolong rely is hazardous to your
at the Headquarters, # not, there will
the City's Fire Department has been
health.
be plasses at the Dept of Per-
officially "smokeless."
Secondly, non-smokers need to
sonnel.
Smoking any and all forms of
be protected from the second hand
in the first several days after the
smoke of others he said. The
order became effective, there has
tobacco of other products in all Fire
harmful effects CI others tobacco
been fittle reaction. DI course, the
Dept. buildings and vehicles is pro-
use are well documented. and we
weather been nice and they can
hibited." acknowledged Fire Chief
Nell Svetanies. The ban applies to
can move to reduce or eleminate this
step outside very easily, be noted
30 City firehouses, two airport
unwanled hazard.
But everyone's been cooperative
Firsfighters are good people, and
houses, repair garage, storage
Third, careless smoking is the
they realize that we're interested in
warehouse, training tower and
number one cause at free the
their health and well-being
headquerters. "The only areas
United States By their taxes the
think WB all know the harmful
where smoking is allowed are yards,
citizens have returbished more than
affects of smoking on the body he
parking lots and sidewalks outside
hail of CHE firshouses, and we
cominued "And this job is hard
Department buildings." he added.
want to keep am that way.
enough without being in less than-
Chief Svetanics said he instituted
Chief Svetanics, who admitted
top physical condition."
the policy, on his own authority as
that he was a pack a day man
And what about wisecracks or
Chief. for three reasons.
until 10 years ago, said the Depart-
bad jokes about "smokeaters or
My first consideration is the
ment was planning classes to help
"igatherlungs?"
health and well-being of our Bill
smokers out 11 snough Firefighters
can handle that." he said wryly.
ployees." Chief Svetenics said.
and department employees are in
Ive been in this business 30 years,
The Surgeon General is right:
terested, classes might be offered
and I've heard 'em all,
197 Raided; 12 Seized in 1991
U.S. Attorney Pleased With Drug House Seizures
United States Attorney Stephen B.
certain houses.
Higgins told some 125 neighborhood
Applying asset forfeiture laws, the
leaders that he was pleased with the
government can take ownership of
beginning of "Operation Crackdown,"
some houses, Higgins said, "10 send
this City's first-of-its-kind effort to rid
the message to dealers that you can
neighborhoods of drug houses.
lose your house if you use it to sell
Higgins said that in 1991, City
drugs."
Police conducted 197 searches of
It took considerable persistence
houses being used as a base for drug
and persuasion to get the U.S. Justice
sales. They resulted in the Federal
Dept. to buy into "Crackdown's" no-
government seizing ownership of 12
tion of seizing houses, Higgins noted.
of those houses under the Federal
And they haven't yet OK'd the turno-
asset forfeiture laws.
ver of houses to neighborhood
"And, if we succeed in convincing
groups. "But, after a year and a half of
COMMON
the (U.S.) Attorney General, we will
pushing, we're almost there. And it will
begin turning over these houses to
be a pilot project for the whole country
Fees:
neighborhood organizations. to reha-
to see how a City can reclaim a
bilitate for the welfare of the neigh-
neighborhood from the dealers."
STATE
borhood," Higgins said.
Higgins gave strong acknowledge-
LITY OF
Addressing the latest in a series of
ment to Peter Sertino of Operation
Informational sessions for leaders of
ConServ. whose office suggested the
neighborhood groups in the City, Hig-
house seizure/tumover idea, and to
gins described his own personal expe-
Suzanne Hart and Kathleen Bech-
rience, as a City resident, watching
orer both of Operation SafeStreet, for
U.S. Attorney Higgins
drug buyers stream in and out of
promoting it.
TOTAL
DR
SEP 24 '92 17:11
P.1
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
RICHARD H. MC CLURE
Chief of Staff
Jeannie Brunter
White House Speechuriting
food 202/456-6218
The circled programs
are well worth highlighting
in the president's remarks -
Since they utilize federal
funds The School assistance
program that puts pulicemen
around Schools (release attached)
also should be mentional Since
It involves federal funds.
The U.S. itttorney, Steve
Higgins is an excellent source
of information. His no. is noted.
Rich Mcline
SEP-2.SEP 24
US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE-EDMO TO
83147512128
Although "Crackdown" is not part of Weed and Seed, we
began its planning in August, 1990 and believe that we still have
the most organized program of its kind in the nation. A key
component of "Crackdown" is the deeding back to the community of
seized drug houses, which was approved by the office of the
Deputy Attorney General in April, 1992.
To that end, on September 12, 1992-one year from the
day of its seizure--we conducted a ceremony in front of a house
in North St. Louis wherein we deeded to a church group the first
crackhouse seized under "Operation Crackdown". I am enclosing a
newsclipping about this event, as well as other pertinent
articles.
Although I do not know what the White House intended in
its selection of Ohio Street as a site for the President's visit,
if the purpose is to dramatize what is being done by law
enforcement at both the federal and local levels, working with
neighborhood groups, I believe most strongly that Operation
Crackdown should not only be mentioned, but highlighted in the
visit. Unlike the relatively isolated execution of search
warrants on Ohio Street last week by local police detectives
(working without any federal involvement) our program is ongoing
and involves neighborhood and community groups, local government,
(Thisis resolved)
local Police Departments and federal law enforcement. From my
many visits with neighborhood groups and leaders in St. Louis
city, I can tell you that it is just this type of program which
demonstrates that at the federal law enforcement level we do care
about the problems of urban crime and drugs and are doing
something. It would be a major mistake to then focus only on the
random efforts of local law enforcement, and, since the Ohio
Street drug arrests were made without federal help, a visit to
that location could very well backfire by (a) calling attention
to lack of federal involvement and (b) giving the appearance of
taking federal credit for what was simply a local effort.
For these reasons I strongly urge the President to
visit the property at 4247 Pleasant Avenue in North St. Louis and
to tell the nation about "Crackdown", rather than the proposed
Ohio Street site.
On another note, the President may also want to talk
about our "Gun-Free school Zone Program", begun by us last
February in cooperation with the St. Louis Public School System,
the St. Louis Police Department and the DEA and under which we
recently obtained our first conviction and six year, no parole
sentence. This program uses a new federal law to preserve our
schools as gun-free sanctuaries from violence.
SEP-24SEP 24 '92 17:12 IM US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE-EDMO TO
83147512128 P.03P.3
Lastly, the President may want to mention our local
successes under "Oparation Triggerlock", the DOJ program which
uses the federal armed career criminal laws to put away the most
violent street criminals. As with our other programs,
"Triggerlock" is succeeding because of the full cooperation of
state and local law enforcement.
Please call if you have any questions.
Very truly yours,
Stephen B. Higgins
United States Attorney
Eastern District of Missouri
SBH.j
314/539-2200
Neighbors
Reclaim
83147512128
Drug Den
Seized Crack House
Will Go To Needy
Houses
9-6-92
By Margaret Glüerman
or the et-Dispatch Staff
From page one
Last year, 4247 Pleasent Avenue
was a "crack house" where dreg traf-
the first to be dangled to a neighborhood group.
Nckers earned in and out, menacing
The program is a joint effort of federal and local law
neighbors whose young children
enforcement, the city and neighborhood groups.
played on a nearby empty lot in the
"At the heart of this is making neighborhoods sale," sales
shadow of the city's old Water Tower.
Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl Jr., who also attended the
On Saturday, the dilapidated house
cerentony. "You can't have a viable neighborhead when
with bass 00 its whidows was returned
you have a dring house openly operating.
to the commanity. The keys were
"The best weapon the city has against a drug dealer to a
kanded over to a church group, the
committed neighborhood," Schoemehl said. "Drug dealers
North State Team Ministry, which
hate neighborhoods that care about what's happening next
plans to rehabilitate the building and
doer and down the block. They bate neighbers who want to
turn It over to a family necding a
make their own streets sefer."
home.
Some neighbors and their children gathered around to
U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Higgins,
watch the proceedings, while others played down the block
who was Instrumental in Operation
in the Saturday susshine.
Crackdown, the program that turned
Syldl Canada, 29, had her 9-metis-old son in tow. Cafe
the house around, said Saturday that
ada, who has seven children, said she welcomed any effort
he hoped the program could become a
to rid the neighborhoods of drugs.
model for the nation.
"There is so much violence out there, you don't Snow
"One single beene where drags can
what's goling to happen," she said. "I try to keep my eye on
be bought can ultimately destroy as
all" of the children.
entire neighborhood," Higgins mid at
John Webster, 37, a néighber and father of two, sported
17:13
a ceremony at like house. "If we don't
Bart Simpson T-shirt that seld "CRACK KILLS, BLACK
act, people looking for drugs will con-
POWER."
TRUST
tinue to stream Into
neighbor-
Mavis Tessa Thompson, a board member of the ministry
hoods. The communities need help,
and a neighborhood resident, said crack houses such as the
and we Intend to do everything we
one on Pleasant breed fear and violence and provide
can."
terrible role models for children.
Authorities seized the house using
"Neigh borkneds are saying we're not going to take It may
federal forfeiture laws that give them
more," she sald. "You want your place este. You don't want
the right to confiscate houses where
Larry Post Dispatch
drugs are sold or stored, Biggins said.
to feel like you're living behind bars and armor. You don't
Ever since Operation Crackdown be-
DMI Chariton (left) and Mavis Tessa Thompson
want to be afraid to go out of your house."
- a year age, three houses is St.
of North Side Team Ministry at the former
U.S. Marshal Willie Greasue said the pregram gives
Louis County and 12 in St. Louis have
crack house at 4247 Pleasant Avenue that their
people In neighborhoods "The opportunity to Mia
been peixed in drug relds, be said.
organization will be rehabilitating.
drugs one neighborhood at a time.'
The house the Pleasent Avenue was
- 10AM less! weeke
See HOUSES, Page
SEP-24SEP
24
'92
17:14
IM
US ATTORI OFFICE-EDMO TO
83147512128
LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
COMMENTARY
A Powerful Weapon Against Drug Suspects
Residents Near Crack Houses Support Seisure of Assets By Authorities
By Stephen a Higgins
In most casts, the owner of the property walks away and makes
no attempt at retrieval. And in most CREDS, H is not because the
2 Dec. 12 of LAST year, U.S. marahals and drug enforce-
owner is too naive to hire an attorney. It is because the owner
ment ageals served salaure papers prepared by the U.S.
knows that challenging the seture will result to subjecting him
attorney's office on seven dops houses in St. Louis Part
or her to the scruting of the legal process - scrutify that will
of Operation Crackdown - a program designed to save peigh-
expose any Megal transactions going 05 at the residence.
borhoods from the scourge of drug dealers - those seizures
For example, take the house we recently suited on Phonent
brought the total to one dozen crack and drug houses shut down
Avenue. In fact when we autounced the launching of Opera-
and takes away in the past three months,
tion Crackdown we held the pross conference in the street in
Even though It was early morning on a dull rainy December
front of that residence. Detectives from the SL Lonis Police
day. deleabors OR one street went outside to applaud as police
Department put it under surveillance and watched 8 steady
officers and federal agents did their work. On other blocks,
now of quick visits to the front door. The callers left without
residents told TV reporters they were happy the houses had
socially entering the house. A search wastent was executed
been salsed. One TABE spoke of his 13-year-old daughter. shout
and eight begs of creck were discovered hidden in videogators.
how be didn't want her to be around $ creck house.
We selsed the house. ADd the owner said fine He didn't
No parent does The purpose of the program and the point of
ountest iL He didn't question it. He never filed for its return. Be
the asset-forfaiture this $ to punish drug design by taking
know who was in the right 1 and who was doing wrong. The
away not only their profits, but anything that facilitates their
Douse at 4247 Pleasant is DOW federal government preparty.
work. Hearth and home are precious to everyone - you, me,
Or take the time in 1989 when the police got R call from &
even 8 mas or women trafficking in Шеда! drugs. But a person
women who told tham her 14-year-old son and Ms friends the
who persists # using his THE
funt bonght a large amount of
dence B a literal drug store runs
martjuses from the man who
the risk of losing that home AI
owned a house is the 4100 block
the same drog, the naighborhood
of Wyoming in the city of &
gots 1 chance to be leved from
Louis. She found 'some of the
the deterioration inherent La
dope in & plastic bag in her son's
drug trafficing.
pocket and when confronted, be
That is what happened on Dec.
conformed be was dealing. The
12 On seven blocks in 2 Louis
man on Wyoming charged him
seven Address from which drugs
$300 for a quarter pennd; her see
were sold ware selsed under the
pocksted any money over that.
provisions of the federal amot
The boy also teld his mother
forfeiture laws. In & painstaking-
how be and his friends watched
by glow process, we are trying to
the mas on Wyoming weigh out
get drugs off our streets and out
about 10 pounds of martjuans
of our neighborhoods. The Reset-
and count out more than $10,000
forfeiture laws help.
is cash. The police went to inves-
And the program has been
tigate and found a large quantity
welcomed with widespread sup-
of marljuans hidden in a suitease
port. Operation Crackdown has
behind the freezer.
the full backing and endorse-
This man had all the tools of
ment of the mayor of St. Louis.
the trade: 8 triple-beam balance
the & Locis county axecutive,
scale, # lot of tip-lock Mandwich
the SL Louis chief of police, the
bags. a 20-gauge shotsun, a 22-
director of public natety, Opera-
callber boll-action single-shot ri-
tion Safe Street. Conserv,
no and a 12-gauge shotsun
Churches United for Community
The man who owned the house
Action. civic and community proups as well at copy on their
was unemployed, and setting grass to kids was how be made his
bosts, narcotics detectives, DEA and FBI agents.
living Eo was 46 years old, 0 foot 2 inches tall, 270 pounds and
There are not people who are "booked on the drug war." but
had cartoos on both arms. One read: Form to Loss.
who are horrified by drugs pare and simple They don't want
X we don't put people like him out of business. will all loss.
to see their neighborhoods destroyed. They would like to know
Operation Creckdown and the assat-forteiture Laws are tools
that the investment they made in their house is the city was a
for federal and local authorities to put drug desiers out of
sound one. These are people who feal their children should be
business. Hopefully, the laws will work to deter young men and
able to ride their bikes and play outside on the sidewalks and
women who think they can make easy money from A trade in,
not run the risk of being murdered by warring drug dealers.
say. cocaine. The profession # far less alluring If they realize
These are people who are concerned about the fate of their
that once they are discovered. their home will be taken away
families and our city.
by federal authorities.
The amet-forfeiture laws have been the subject of numerous
The mayor, county executive, police clief, community and
articles more than a dozen in this paper alone, Hundreds of
child leaders, local and federal law enforcement all agree wa
column inches have detailed the negative aspects of asset
need a protect our children. our streets, our blocks and our
forfaiture and alleged abuses of various forfeiture programs,
neighborhoods. Asset-forfeiture laws help 125 do that Centrary
state and federal.
to what 1 frar is the prevailing media view, these laws are
However, when as invitation for reporters to 80 with authori-
proving B be effective. I believe strongly that the laws are just.
time on as actual seizure was extended, It was igiored The next
Amot forfeiture is not a game of cash and carry that the
day, $ short story based on # press release was buried in the
federal and local authorities are playing on innocent people.
back pages. Seemingly, seisures forfeitures that are war-
AMOUNT forfeiture to one more way for law enforcement to harm
ranted. welcomed by the community and well within the
the drug dealer, to deter those who choose the business of
parameters of the laws get short shrin They shouldn't
dealing drugs
There are entire blocks in our city that are being decimated
Assel-In:falture laws are also a meaningful tool to seve
by drugs. If taking that dester's house away from hire will put
neighborhteds This b fact, not meraly my opinion There were
time out of business, then 1 Joy, take that house swey. And take
people out on their streets before 8 o'diock in the morning B a
away his car. Take away his jewels. Take away his cash. And
rainy and dreary December day, chearing as the officers
destroy bis steeh of drugs.
served are setzure papers.
And if taking that house sway will deter olders, will force
Ask them. Ask those & Louis citizens If they would prefer
them to remilar that If they deal drugs in their Somes, they res
that the local and federal government let those drug houses
the risk of losing those homes, I say, all the mo: N reason for the
stand - and not shut them down. Ask those people living DD
program. Every day our neighborhoods are jespardhed by the
Pleasant and Clara and Room and Aldine and North Taylor and
presence of drug dealers. Colldren are put at - risk.
Geraldine and Terry and Belt and Helen and beyond. Quite
If the seizure is unwarranted, the person b protected - by
honestly. we believe they should be heard.
law. He can file for return of the property, B bearing is held; a
judge weight the evidence and decides whether tbst home or
Steps 2. Riggins is U.S. allorney for the easters district of
car or jewelry. or cash should be returned in cases, H is
Missouri
SEP-24SEP
24
192.17:15 M
US ATTORNEY OFFICE-EDMS TO
83147512128
P.6
INVICE
To Seize
Drug House
Government Will Give
Sites To Good Citizens
By The Bryant
or the Post-Dimputs that
The mayor, the police claim and
the U.S. anorgey stand Friday out-
side a two-story residence with bars
or the windows. called k a crack
down. because and said they were shutting #
The house, at 4247 Pleasent Street,
was one of five residences the -
efficent moved to sense Priday in
what city and federal officials hope
was be past of a program EST which
"dape Rouses" will be intered over to
Hw-sbiding people.
Speaking over - -
Wayne Crossith/Post-Dispatch
to the street Mayor Vincent c
Police Chief Clarence Harmon talking with residents of the 4200 block of Pleasant Street on
Schormel Jr. called the program
Friday after a press conference called to announce the closing of five reputed orack houses.
as "eneration, Received partnersidp*
The
E
9/14/21
Seizures
Mayor Vincent C.
From page one
Schoemehi Jr. called
drug dealers and their
in which city and federal authorities
can "take our neighborhoods back
accomplices human
from drug desiers.
roaches.
"There is BOI going to be & safe
corner in St. Louis to deal drugs"
Schoemehl said. "St Louis to tired of
ant in the last two years.
it. We're taking our streets back."
Drug raids were curried out recent
City and federal officials at the
ly at the other residences. authorines
house. near Fairground Park, ap-
said.
plauded. Most of the 50 or #0 neighbor-
In R statement. Schoement said:
hood residents who bad gathered
"Drug dealers are their accomplices
there stood quietly.
are buman roaches. We're going to
Police Chief Clarence Harmon then
chase them out of the places they
stepped up to the microphone and told
hide. period."
the crowd: "We're getting tough, folks.
Under the city and federal plan.
See what's happening."
called Operation Crackdown, drug
U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Higgins
houses seized through the federal as-
said he planned for such seizures to be
set forfeiture program could wind up
more than a gimmlek He said be had
in the hands of the city's Conserv
worked on the program for & year and
office.
hoped to persuade the Justice Depart-
That office could make the rest-
ment to make SL Louis & pliot project
deaces available to neighborhood et.
in which drug houses seized by the
genizations or Individuals. Higgins
government would become the homes
said the details of ne program had yet
of good citizens.
to be decided.
"We hope this to the start of an
In forfeiture cases now, drug houses
ongoing program," Higgies said. "If
typically become the property of the
the program ended with the seizure of
U.S. Marshal, Who setis them to the
these five houses. It would be Little
highest bidder.
more than a publicity stunt"
is some cases, the buyers are the
Police made no arrests Friday. Rig-
drug dealers who lived in the houses
gins said the effort was to get the
bouses away from arug dealers. rath.
previously.
or than put people in jail.
Meyer. the assistant U.S. attorney
Suits were filed Friday in U.S. Dis-
who filed the forfeiture suits Friday.
triel Court to selve the house on Pleas-
said the residents could stay, for now.
ant and residences at 5854.56 Terry
But the owners Will be OD notice that
Avenue, 4121 West Penrose Street,
signs of QTUE dealing will mean imme-
1635 Helen Avenue and 2853 Balt Ave-
diste evictions.
nue. In at least two of the houses,
As the officials, police cars and
police suspect tenants, rather than the
news crews left the neighborhood,
owners of the house. of drug dealing
Mary Doyle drove up to Eliot School a
Owners who are not suspected of
block from the house on Planent.
dealing drugs are protected if they
While waiting to pick up her two
can show that they were unaware of
granddaughters from school. she said
the drug dealing. said Raymond
police should "rust bust all these
Meyer. an assistant U.S. attorney.
houses that are Deliging drugs."
Authorities said police raided the
But the said sching houses could be
house OR Pleasant in March and found
carried too far.
crack, a potest form of cocaine. hid-
'You shoulds't :4 able 16 ** the
Wayne Crossin/Post-Dissatch
den in video games in the basement.
home If the OWDER is innocent" she
U.S. Attorney Stephen B. Higgins (foreground) and St. Louis
Hightos said police had evidence of 18
tald. "A lot of people don't KDOW
Mayor Vincent C. Schoemehl Jr. at a press conference celled
drug déals in the 4200 block of Please
what's going on in their bouses."
Friday to announce the closing of five reputed creck houses.
SEP-24-SEP 24 '92 17:16 1
US ATTORNEY'S OFFICE-EDMO TO
83147512128
P.07P.7
rch, 1992
Page 3
Our Fire Dept. Is Now 'Smokeless
Since 8 a.m. Sunday, March
smoking really is hazardous to your
at the Headquarters. If not, there will
he City's Fire Department has been
health.
be classes at the Dept. of Per-
efficially "smokeless."
Secondly, non-smokers need to
sonnel.
"Smoking any and all forms of
be protected from the second-hand
in the first several days after the
obacco or other products in all Fire
smoke of others, he said. "The
order became effective, there has
Dept. buildings and vehicles is pro-
harmful effects of others' tobacco
been little reaction. "Of course, the
libited," acknowledged Fire Chief
use are wall documented, and we
weather's been nice and they can
lett Svetanics. The ben applies to
can move to reduce or eliminate this
step outside very easily, he noted
City firehouses, two airport
unwanted hazard."
"But everyone's been cooperative.
buses. repair garage, storage
Third, careless smoking is the
Firefighters are good people. and
varehouse, training tower and
number one cause of fires in the
they realize that we're interested in
eadquarters. "The only areas
United States. By their taxes, the
their health and well-being.
here smoking is allowed are yards,
citizens have refurbished more than
think we all know the harmful
arking lots and sidewalks outside
half of all our firehouses, and we
effects of smoking on the body, he
epartment buildings," he added.
want to keep 'em that way.
continued. "And this job la hard
Chief Svetanics said he instituted
enough without being In less-than-
Chief Systanics, who admitted
policy, on his own authority as
top physical condition.
that he was a two pack-a-day man
thief, for three reasons.
And what about wisecracks or
until 10 years ago, said the Depart-
bad jokes about "smokeaters" or
My first consideration is the
ment was planning classes to help
"leatherlungs?"
ealth and well-being of our em-
smokers quit. If enough Firefighters
can handle that." he said wryly
loyees," Chief Svetanics said.
and department employees are in-
I've been in this business 30 years,
The Surgeon General is right;
terasted, classes might be offered
and I've heard 'em all."
Raided; 12 Seized in 1991
.S. Attorney Pleased With Drug House Seizures
United States Attomey Stephen B.
certain houses.
Higgins told some 125 neighborhood
Applying asset forfeiture laws, the
leaders that he was pleased with the
government can take ownership of
beginning of "Operation Crackdown,"
some houses. Higgins said, "to send
this City's first-of-lts-kind effort to rid
the message to dealers that you can
neighborhoods of drug houses.
lose your house If you use It to sell
Higgins said that in 1991. City
drugs."
Police conducted 197 searches of
It took considerable persistence
houses being used as a base for drug
and persuasion to get the U.S. Justice
sales. They resulted in the Federal
Dept. to buy Into "Crackdown's" no-
government seizing ownership of 12
tion of seizing houses, Higgins noted.
of those houses under the Federal
And they haven't yet OK'd the turno-
asset forfeiture laws.
var of houses to neighborhood
"And, if we succeed in convincing
groups. "But, after a year and a half of
STATE
the (U.S.) Attorney General, we will
pushing, we're almost there. And It will
begin turning over these houses to
be a pilot project for the whole country
neighborhood organizations, to reha-
to see how a City can reclaim a
bilitate for the welfare of the neigh-
neighborhood from the dealers."
THE
SECURITY
borhood," Higgins said.
Higgins gave strong acknowledge-
(ITY OF
Addressing the latest in a series of
ment to Peter Sortino of Operation
informational sessions for leaders of
ConServ, whose office suggested the
neighborhood groups in the City, Hig-
house seizure/turnover idea, and to
gins described his own personal expe-
Suzanne Hart and Kathleen Bech-
rience, as a City resident, watching
erer both of Operation SafeStreet, for
U.S. Attorney Higgine
drug buyers stream in and out of
promoting it.
TOTAL
P
27
SEP 24 '92 17:17
Jeannie-
P.8
Additional info on a
VICTIMS OF CRIME FACT SHEET Missain Victims program.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice over one in four households is touched by crime Rech
every year. Millions of people are victims of violent crime each year.
Nationwide, billions of dollars are spent each year to identify, apprehend, prosecute,
incarcerate, and rehabilitate offenders. State government and local governments spend
millions of dollars on these activities each year in Missouri.
Yet, for all of these dollars spent on criminals relatively few resources are devoted to
assisting innocent victims. Criminals inflict as heavy toll, not only through physical assault
and the theft of property, but also through lasting emotional scars, especially when children
are involved.
Missouri has taken action to address the needs of innocent victims including:
Passage of the Victim Compensation and Victim Services Act (1981 and amended in
1985) which created the Crime Victims Compensation program.
The state budget includes:
$50,000 for the Department of Public Safety to provide grant seed money for up
to a three-year period for local public or private, not-for-profit agencies to
establish direct services, emergency services, crisis intervention counseling, and
other services to crime victims.
$1,243,000 for the Victims of Crime Act program that is passed on to
organizations for the purposes just noted and includes $775,000 for domestic
violence.
$1,035,000 from the State Services to Victims/Victims of Crime program,
including $753,200 for domestic violence. These funds are used for public and
private agencies to provide assistance to victims of crime through direct
services, emergency services, crisis intervention counseling, funding for
shelters, and victim advocacy.
$250,000 for the Emergency Shelter/Family Violence Prevention program
$4 million in state and federal funds for the Department of Labor and Industrial
Relations to provide payments to victims.
$1.9 million from the Children's Trust Fund for child abuse and neglect services,
many of them serving families at risk of domestic violence in Fiscal Year 1993,
including $36,032 specifically for shelters for victims of domestic violence.
Legislation signed by Governor Ashcroft to deal with victims of crime and also domestic
violence include:
HB 566 (1991) and HB 1471 (1992) authorize all counties and municipalities to levy a $1
court fee on each county and municipal ordinance violation. The proceeds are dedicated
exclusively to domestic violence shelters.
SEP 24 '92 17:17
P.9
HB 1370 (1990) requires counties to collect a $20 fee on each marriage license, $5 of
which must be deposited in special trust funds for services to victims of domestic
violence. Based upon 1991 data, this measure should generate approximately $231,000
annually.
HB 1195 (1989) created the State Services to Victims program to assist victims of
domestic violence and others. Court fees generate funds for the program.
HB 1069 (1982) permits counties and St. Louis City to charge $5 per marriage license
(over and above the mandatory HB 1370 fee) and $10 fee per divorce decree. The
proceeds are dedicated exclusively for shelters for victims of domestic violence. Based
upon 1991 data, this measure could potentially generate approximately $488,500
annually.
-
SB 420 (1989) known as the Adult Abuse Act contained many of the key
recommendations of the Governor's Task Force on Domestic Violence. This important
law provided new protection against domestic violence and new services and resources
for victims. It gave police new power and responsibility, empowered judges with new
authority, and streamlined procedures to obtain court-ordered protection for victims.
Other actions taken by Governor Ashcroft include:
Creation of the Domestic Violence Task Force in 1987 to conduct a comprehensive
review of domestic violence in Missouri and to research programs and services for
victims of abuse. The task force developed recommendations to reduce the occurrence
and severity of domestic violence through increased services, education, public
awareness, training, and statutory changes.
Proclaimed October 1989 as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The strong message
delivered to Missourians is that domestic violence is no longer a "private" matter.
People throughout the state need to become aware of the magnitude and severity of
domestic violence, and understand the needs of battered people and their children.
SEP 24 '92 17:18
P.10
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bob Ferguson
January 2, 1992
314/751-3222
ASHCROFT BACKS ST. LOUIS
CRIME PREVENTION PROJECT
(St. Louis) Gov. John Ashcroft today announced a pilot project to reduce crime in St. Louis
neighborhoods and schools.
The governor said violent crime in St. Louis City has increased dramatically, with the 1991 murder
rate up 47.3 percent over 1990 and robbery up 11.6 percent. He said the two-pronged project involving
Community-Oriented Policing (COPS) and a School Assistance Program can help return safety and civility to
the city's neighborhoods.
"I believe the regular presence of the same assigned officers in specific neighborhoods and around our
schools can instill the kind of community spirit and neighborly resolve that we need to renew," Ashcroft said.
"Community-Oriented Policing is an important program already supported by the St. Louis Police Board and
its department leadership.
"The COPS program enables the police department to assign specified officers to walk a particular
neighborhood or 'beat.' This concept from the past is regaining tremendous respect among criminal justice
professionals across the country. The COPS program already has proven to be effective here in St. Louis in
fostering a sense of community and partnership between the officer and the residents of a particular area," the
governor said.
Ashcroft said the School Assistance Program places uniformed peace officers in the city's 14 high
schools, 27 middle schools and 10 of the elementary schools that are located in high-crime areas, as well as in
"safety zones" spanning 1000 feet in every direction from the specified schools. The officers will serve as a
stabilizing force inside the school buildings at the beginning and end of each school day, he said.
"Under optimum conditions, we obviously wouldn't have police officers in our schools," Ashcroft said.
"But we will do what we must to provide a safe environment for our students where real learning and
achievement can occur."
Ashcroft made his announcement at Roosevelt High School, where 324 crimes occurred last year
within the 1000-foot safety zone. He said during a six-month period in 1988 and 1989, more than 400,000
students nationally were victims of violent crimes at school, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
"Our Sixth National Education Goal states that by the year 2000 every school in America will be free
of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning," Ashcroft said.
-more-
SEP 24 '92 17:18
P.11
Add One
Attainment of the sixth goal essentially is a prerequisite to achieving the other five education goals. Students,
parents and all taxpayers must be free from the fear of crime and drugs on our streets and in our schools."
Ashcroft said the project will cost $700,000 a year and will be funded through the federal Narcotics
Control Assistance Program administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. These funds are in
addition to the nearly $5 million made available for local drug enforcement and prevention programs, he said.
Federal regulations limit pilot projects to four years.
"Allocating these funds to St. Louis still will allow us to strengthen state support for anti-drug
initiatives in other parts of the state," Ashcroft said.
The governor said the U.S. Justice Department already is funding "Weed and Seed," a pilot project in
Kansas City. Under that program, law enforcement officers "weed out" crime problems in high-crime areas
and establish community partnerships to "seed" the affected neighborhoods with services and activities to
prevent crime problems from recurring.
"It must be made clear that neither the COPS program nor the School Assistance Program represent a
panacea to the multitude of challenges facing our inner-city neighborhoods," Ashcroft said. "But the presence
of familiar officers should give residents assurance and confidence that they are not alone in their fight against
violent crime."
St. Louis Police Chief Clarence Harmon and Police Board Chairman David Robbins joined Ashcroft
at the news conference.
"This is an example of the strong commitment Governor Ashcroft has shown for both quality education
and a safe learning environment," Harmon said. "We are likewise committed to providing the resources
necessary to make the program a success."
In addition, Ashcroft announced an initiative to further protect students by amending the existing
weapons law to extend present restrictions on weapons in schools to the school grounds and to any school bus.
Current law makes it a misdemeanor to bring any firearm or other lethal weapon into school buildings, with
appropriate exceptions. Current law, however, does not extend to school grounds or school buses.
"The unfortunate reality is that sometimes students and, frequently, non-students bring lethal weapons
into the school environment," Ashcroft said. "In a 1990 National Center for Educational Statistics survey of
25,000 eighth-graders from 1,000 public and private schools, 21 percent of the students said they had witnessed
weapons at school."
Under Ashcroft's proposal, appropriate exceptions would continue to apply, including weapons carried
by law enforcement and other specifically designated individuals whose positions legitimately involve the
possession of weapons.
"Lethal weapons have no place in the school environment," Ashcroft said. "Extending the restriction
on lethal weapons to school grounds and school buses will be one more step toward ensuring that our schools
can accomplish what we as citizens have a right to expect -- the education of our children."
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P.12
For Immediate Release
Contact: Bob Ferguson
January 2, 1992
314/751-3222
ASHCROFT ANNOUNCES INITIATIVE TO PROTECT STUDENTS;
BACKS ST. LOUIS CRIME PREVENTION PROJECT
Gov. John Ashcroft today announced an initiative to help protect Missouri students against violent
crime,
Ashcroft proposed that the state amend the existing weapons law to extend present restrictions on
weapons in schools to the school grounds and to any school bus. He said current law makes it a misdemeanor
to bring any firearm or other lethal weapon into school buildings, with appropriate exceptions; however, current
law does not extend to school grounds or school buses.
"The unfortunate reality is that sometimes students and, frequently, non-students bring lethal weapons
into the school environment," Ashcroft said. "In a 1990 National Center for Educational Statistics survey of
25,000 eighth-graders from 1,000 public and private schools, 21 percent of the students said they had witnessed
weapons at school."
Under Ashcroft's proposal, appropriate exceptions still would apply, including weapons carried by law
enforcement and other specifically designated individuals whose positions legitimately involve the possession
of weapons.
"Lethal weapons have no place in the school environment," Ashcroft said. "Extending the restriction
on lethal weapons to school grounds and school buses will be one more step toward ensuring that our schools
can accomplish what we as citizens have a right to expect -- the education of our children."
Ashcroft also announced a pilot project to reduce crime in St. Louis neighborhoods and schools.
The governor said violent crime in St. Louis City has increased dramatically, with the 1991 murder
rate up 47.3 percent over 1990 and robbery up 11.6 percent. He said the two-pronged project involving
Community-Oriented Policing (COPS) and a School Assistance Program can help return safety and civility to
the city's neighborhoods.
"I believe the regular presence of the same assigned officers in specific neighborhoods and around our
schools can instill the kind of community spirit and neighborly resolve that we need to renew," Ashcroft said.
"Community-Oriented Policing is an important program already supported by the St. Louis Police Board and
its department leadership.
"The COPS program enables the police department to assign specified officers to walk a particular
neighborhood or 'beat.' This concept from the past is regaining tremendous respect among criminal justice
professionals across the country. The COPS program already has proven to be effective here in St. Louis in
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SEP 24 '92 17:20
P.13
Add One
fostering a sense of community and partnership between the officer and the residents of a particular area," the
governor said.
Ashcroft said the School Assistance Program places uniformed peace officers in the city's 14 high
schools, 27 middle schools and 10 of the elementary schools that are located in high-crime areas, as well as in
"safety zones" spanning 1000 feet in every direction from the specified schools. The officers will serve as a
stabilizing force inside the school buildings at the beginning and end of each school day, he said.
"Under optimum conditions, we obviously wouldn't have police officers in our schools," Ashcroft said.
"But we will do what we must to provide a safe environment for our students where real learning and
achievement can occur."
Ashcroft made his announcement at Roosevelt High School, where 324 crimes occurred last year
within the 1000-foot safety zone. He said during a six-month period in 1988 and 1989, more than 400,000
students nationally were victims of violent crimes at school, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics.
"Our Sixth National Education Goal states that by the year 2000 every school in America will be free
of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning." Ashcroft said.
"Attainment of the sixth goal essentially is a prerequisite to achieving the other five education goals.
Students, parents and all taxpayers must be free from the fear of crime and drugs on our streets and in our
schools."
Ashcroft said the project will cost $700,000 a year and will be funded through the federal Narcotics
Control Assistance Program administered by the Missouri Department of Public Safety. These funds are in
addition to the nearly $5 million made available for local drug enforcement and prevention programs, he said.
Federal regulations limit pilot projects to four years.
"Allocating these funds to St. Louis still will allow us to strengthen state support for anti-drug
initiatives in other parts of the state," Ashcroft said.
The governor said the U.S. Justice Department already is funding "Weed and Seed," a pilot project in
Kansas City. Under that program, law enforcement officers "weed out" crime problems in high-crime areas
and establish community partnerships to "seed" the affected neighborhoods with services and activities to
prevent crime problems from recurring.
"It must be made clear that neither the COPS program nor the School Assistance Program represent a
panacea to the multitude of challenges facing our inner-city neighborhoods," Ashcroft said. "But the presence
of familiar officers should give residents assurance and confidence that they are not alone in their fight against
violent crime."
St. Louis Police Chief Clarence Harmon and Police Board Chairman David Robbins joined Ashcroft
at the news conference.
"This is an example of the strong commitment Governor Ashcroft has shown for both quality education
and a safe learning environment," Harmon said. "We are likewise committed to providing the resources
necessary to make the program a success."
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