Humpday Happenings...
Here we are again, gang...middle of the working week. My how the time DOES fly, right? Your Midwest weather is going to be a bit warmer. (although it's still hovering around freezing at sun up).
And we're also staring into the Spring break time for the kids here in Ft. Wayne. (don't say anything, but the parents have already begun to hit the CVS and Walgreens for those "pain killers") Still, we are never at a loss for those news-worthy items...like these:
*** A semi-happy ending to a tragic story.
I brought this to you (here) WAY back on 3 December 2009 (with followups on 4 December and 9 December), and it concerns the MURDER of a Vito's pizza delivery man on (where else?) the SOUTHEAST side of the ghettohood. Anyone wishing to check the archives can feel free to do so...I'll wait.... (whistles the Jeopardy music...)
OK, finished reading?
Good.
(And if not...why not?...LOL)

Anyway, the final page (hopefully) to this story is here.
(( Published: March 30, 2011 3:00 a.m. 2 charged in driver's 2009 slaying FORT WAYNE – Two Fort Wayne men have been arrested in the 2009 slaying of a pizza delivery driver on the city’s southeast side. Andre A. Washington, 21, faces charges of robbery, murder and felony murder in the death of Ian Jacob Crace in the fall of 2009. Washington, of the 2600 block of Pittsburg Street, was being held without bail at the Allen County Lockup. Deangelo M. Bennett, 19, of the 1300 block of McKinnie Avenue, is charged with felony murder and robbery. He also was being held without bail. Both men were arrested Monday. Officers were called about 10:30 p.m. Nov. 29, 2009, to the 2800 block of Schele Avenue, near Wayne Trace and New Haven Avenue. Police found Crace, 32, dead on the side of the street, near McCormick Place Apartments. Police had said previously that Crace was a deliveryman for Pizza By Vito’s and had been shot as he arrived to make a delivery. Investigators identified Bennett as a person of interest less than a week later and asked for the public’s help in finding him. Washington and Bennett planned the robbery, ordering the pizza from the apartment of a woman who lived nearby, court documents said.
When Crace got out of his vehicle to deliver the pizza, Washington and Bennett told him to give them his money, but Crace refused. A struggle ensued, and Washington shot Crace, court documents claim. The two robbed Crace of the pizza, court records said. The documents did not say whether Washington and Bennett took money from Crace. ))
Funny thing...back on 9 December 2009, THIS story appeared in the paper: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20091209/LOCAL07/312099963 Now Washington was ARRESTED BACK THEN...but WTF happened? Sounds like SOMEONE dropped the prosecutorial BALL here, doesn't it? I pulled THIS from an article that was in the 3 January 2010 paper:
(( Case Status: Police have named two suspects in the case – Andre Washington, 20, and Deangelo Bennett, 18. Washington is being held on other charges. Bennett was questioned and released. Neither man has been charged in the slaying. ))
Yep, "someone" CUT these two thugs LOOSE when they were already ARRESTED for being suspect to the murder...wonder WHY?
Makes me question the efficacy of the prosecutor's office...or maybe they just let that SEVENTY TWO HOUR time period lapse, as they often seem to do? And I also wonder why it took damn near another YEAR before they were RE-arrested (for the umpteenth time)? Let's see what these two thugs have been up to, shall we? DEANGELO BENNETT - (now 19) was busted back in 2006 (he was 14 then, if my math is right) for minor tobacco.
2009 - disorderly conduct
2010 (where it begins to get REAL interesting) - pot possession, never received license, failure to use turn signal - P.C. residential entry, 2 counts battery *A* (Misdemeanor), 2 counts battery (class D felony) and residential entry. - Possession pot & resisting (MC) and felony *D*
2011 - MURDER, possession hash (MC), robbery resulting in serious bodily injury.
Wow...been a busy little buck, hasn't he?
Now, let's take a look at the OTHER thug. ANDRE WASHINGTON - (now 21) was first busted back in 2008 for P.C. robbery (misdemeanor)
2009 - P.C. robbery (misdemeanor), robbery (class *B* felony - pending), P.C. robbery, criminal confinement, battery (misc criminal & class *B* felony) 2010 - He was either behaving himself OR was (most likely) serving time.
2011 - MURDER 35-2-1-1(1) and 35-2-1-1(2) and robbery resulting in serious bodily injury - 35-2-1-1(1)F/A Yeah, a real "dynamic duo", right? Let's hope SOMEONE in the damn judicial system can toss these thugs in a very dark cell and forget where they placed the damn key, hmm? And let's hope the trial for these two doesn't turn into some "mistrial" when the system attempts to "get gamed", as is too often the case here. Be nice to see something we used to call JUSTICE being served for a change...and in ample supply!
Meanwhile, back at the ranch...
From the "They're Not Just for Air Raids These Days" files...comes THIS little gem:

((Police find underground pot operation - 150 to 200 marijuana plants found Updated: Tuesday, 29 Mar 2011, 11:31 PM EDT Published : Tuesday, 29 Mar 2011, 5:57 PM EDT ANDREWS, Ind. (WANE) - The Huntington County Sheriff's Department discovered a giant, underground marijuana growing operation near a home just south of Andrews. More than four police agencies, including the SWAT team from Fort Wayne, initially responded to the scene because of concerns that the underground bunker may have booby traps. "We had information that there were a lot of loaded guns in the house and also down into the bunker. We had no idea whether anything was booby-trapped," said Huntington County Sheriff Terry Stoffel. "It's always a concern when we execute this type of search warrant." After the descent down some stone steps, the sight of a sophisticated marijuana operation came into full view. "We could smell it when we got in the back yard. As soon as they popped the door there. We were 50 feet from it then," explained Stoffel. "I'd say we've got about 150 to 200 marijuana plants down there. It's a full blown operation."
Police later tracked down and arrested Shawn Karst. Officers found weapons inside his home. Outside, they uncovered signs that Karst knew what he was doing.
What looked like an ordinary tree was actually how Karst ventilated his underground weed operation. "We ended up finding three concrete reinforced rooms all underground so, we had no idea what we were getting into when we got down there. It's quite a setup down there," Sheriff Stoffel said. "We're on top of what the taxpayers are paying us for. Doing our job and keeping the meth and marijuana off the streets." ))
Now THAT, by God is some damn fine police work!
Goes to show that with some ingenuity, you can convert those cold-war era shelters into some SERIOUS dens of illegal activity. And get BUSTED for your troubles, too... ROFLMAO!
I LOVE a happy ending! How much would you wager that THIS Indiana county can make THOSE charges STICK (unlike here in Allen County)? Bet'cha THEY know what JUSTICE still means. (Allen County - take note)
*** Lastly today, I'm growing more unlikely to support this "Kinetic Military Action" (WTF did he call it?) in Libya, and it's because of the rebel factions there. It has been revealed that MANY of the upper echelon of rebel fighters have been (in the past) the EXACT SAME people our troops fought in AFGHANISTAN. And Obama is not ruling out the possibility of ARMING those same guys. (the aforementioned "rebels") This ain't the moon of Endor, the ice planet of Hoth, or even the battle of the Death Star, and we're certainly NOT the "evil Empire", so let's cut the crap and find out WHO these rebels REALLY are, 'cause they sure as hell are not the likes of Luke Han, Leia and Lando! There is a huge difference to supporting one faction over another, as long as you KNOW who the REAL enemy is. And many times, the enemy of your enemy is not really YOUR friend. He's still an ENEMY, kapeesh? Our intelligence services NEED to find out WHO is running this rebel dog & pony show over there... And we also NEED to know THEIR agenda...not what they "say" it is, but what it REALLY is, got it? Many have often said that "The first casualty of war is THE TRUTH", and they're quite right. We, as a major military power have GOT to ascertain the TRUTH. Not "their" truth,. or even OUR truth, but the honest-to-God TRUTH. If this action in Libya is not in our best interest as a nation, and will not further the cause of liberty and democracy in the world, then maybe we SHOULD just back the hell out of it, and leave to those who think less of such things. Let THEM kill off one another first. And by all means, we should not push aside our allies such as Israel (who has shown as much restraint when they get set upon as I do in my ghettohood). We can always go to "war"...somewhere...for some reason (or even an excuse) - war is always "good for business" (I believe that is the Ferengi rule of acquisition # 43 or # 44), so someone makes out well. Thing is, WE (our country) have to survive in the process, and not become dimnished in ANY way. And I think we all can agree on that, if nothing else. Have a great "rest of the week". Be well, make a difference to someone, and... Stay safe out there, America.