CRIME REPORT

WHAT'S WRONG WITH STONERS?

Couple videotaping an 18 month old toddler, forcibly making it smoke a marijuana pipe

Everyone in this video was arrested and charged. And that's something that might not have happened if the suspects had not videotaped their crime.

A Pataskala home was where prosecutors said the alarming event took place.

The tape and the crime were discovered when a camcorder was sold to a Columbus pawn shop. Hard to believe, it's harder to watch.

At first, it appeared a male was smoking marijuana through a pipe and a baby was playing nearby.

Then the unthinkable happens. The male, whom police said was 18-year-old Melvin Blevins, was seen passing the pipe to the baby. You see the 18-month-old little girl resist and video cut to black. But what was recorded next likely will stun you.

16-year-old Angel Dailey, identified by police, was seen holding the little girl. The male was seen placing the pipe in front of the child's mouth. Police believed the videotaped child to be Blevins' niece.

Police arrested 16-year-old Dailey. She was charged with child endangerment and corrupting another with drugs.

Blevins is in custody facing the federal charge of distributing narcotics to a person younger than 21.
Blevins was indicted with four other males -- including Angel's dad, Don Dailey --- on federal drug and weapons charges last month.

In March, Blevins was indicted in a drug bust that police said included more than $3 million in cash and more than a ton of marijuana.

The child is now 2 years old. Police believe the tape was recorded when she was 18 months old. Blevins will appear in federal court Friday to hear his charges and indictment.

Angel Dailey remains in a juvenile-detention center, Newsome reported. Earlier this month, she pleaded not guilty to charges of corrupting and endangering the child.

THEN THERE ARE THESE TWO...

Elizabeth Lyvers and John Robert Gray. The dimwitted Kentucky couple was arrested Sunday for felony child abuse after taking pictures of Lyvers's two-year-old son smoking pot. The pair was nabbed when an employee at the convenience store where Lyvers, 24, and Gray, 20, dropped off their film called cops after seeing the offending images. According to Bardstown police, one photo shows Gray holding a pipe to the child's mouth while an unidentified man--who is being sought--lights the pipe (after his arrest, Gray acknowledged that the device contained marijuana). Lyvers's son--and a one-year-old fathered by Gray--were removed from the couple's home by state child welfare officials. The below mug shots were taken by the Nelson County Sheriff's Department.

I SMELL WACO

Since when do we have the right to enter private property and by show of military type force remove over 400 children from their mothers on a warrant based on an anonymous phone call reportedly made by a 16 year old married woman complaining about mistreatment? Has "Sarah" even been identified? Has her 50 year old husband been charged with any crime?

I watched the situation developing around the recent government intervention into the alleged abuse of children belonging to the breakaway Mormon sect led by the Texas nutcase Warren Jeffs with growing interest.

I don't defend the teachings and practices of these religious extremists, nor do I condone the bizarre treatment of their children; however, this episode looks strangely like Act II of the Waco debacle.

Is not the very foundation of this country based on religious freedom? "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." Seems to me an overzealous government skipped the "free exercise thereof" part of the First Amendment rights of a whole lot of people in Texas.

What about parental rights? Where are the parental rights of the women whose children have been kidnapped by the Texas authorities? And since when do you have the authority to imprison a pregnant women because you suspect she may be the victim of a crime.

If you condone the heavy-handed treatment of this religious sect by the government, you must ask yourself what the government should do about the children of practitioners of voodoo, and San-teria, and others who have a direct conflict with Christian beliefs with their obvious sacrifices and allegiances to Satan. What about Judaism and Islam, where children's genitalia are ceremoniously surgically altered by the practice of circumcision, for both male and female? Should the government step in and be the advocate of those "abused" children?

Religious freedom doesn't mean it's all right and sanctioned by the government. It means that regardless of how foreign and distasteful someone's religious ideas are, they must be tolerated. The alternative is to have no religion, or government-sanctioned religion. Think about it, is this where we are headed in our push to a one world government?

If the same criminal charges (the sexual abuse of children) were leveled against a member of a Catholic Church as are levied against the individual in Texas, would the government take all of the children of the congregation into protective custody? I think not. What about a Hassidic community? There are gypsies in South Carolina called the Travelers have for generations basically auctioning off their daughters to sect members for marriage. Seventh Day Adventists for excusing incest and child rape. Where are the tanks and busses for these children whose parents participate in the congregation?

And let's not discuss the children growing up in drug infested communities and poor homes with single parents, whose enrollment in the local school system places their very lives in danger due to the gang influence. Let's not discuss how the country's infant mortality rate is higher than some third world counties.

The laws regarding any criminal conduct are pretty straightforward. There has to be a victim, there has to be an investigation, there has to be a charge, and finally a trial based on facts and findings, and a just punishment. Or I guess you could just round 'em up and burn the place down.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the 44th President of the United States of America

During rendition of the national anthem when the flag is displayed, all present except those in uniform should stand at attention facing the flag with the right hand over the heart. Men not in uniform should remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. — United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10, Sec. 171

Say Cheesecake

I read on the Wilmington Star News forum that the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office again won first place in "Best Uniforms" by some law enforcement magazine. The same magazine gave the award back 15-20 years ago when Marc was a skinny pup working for Sheriff Joe McQueen. (I promise I will dig up those pictures of him and David Stevenson) Marc was a coverboy for the magazine posing in what looks like the same uniforms, who knows, it could be.

There was a picture in the WSN Forum of the second place finishers and it made me smile about how ridiculous all this is. Serious, I looked at the application and the judges don't look at the fabric, the uniform, they look at pictures of the uniform. And it's not even the magazine that gives out the award it is the National Association of Uniform Manufacturers & Distributors.

In a press release from the NAUMD they said:

"New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, Castle Hayne, NC – Best Uniforms, supplier. New Hanover’s highly polished appearance aptly underscores the obvious pride they feel about the profession. Outfits are crisp, neat, and impeccable. Tan, the color choice for pants and shirts, easily identifies the wearer as a Sheriff's Office deputy. Brown, the color used for ties, pant stripe and Campaign hats, is a perfect outfit compliment."

I know the head of Best Uniforms was excited that his client, who I'm sure has choked him and pinned him against the wall at least once with stressful orders and demands, is now happy to hold in their hands the coveted trophy for best dressed county agency. Awesome!

But as Francis Weller pointed out to us all when WECT proudly gave the all important shoutout about this award, "The photos in the magazine were taken by WECT's very own news director, Raeford Brown." Well hells bells, that's exactly why they won. Francis was dead on when she gave a mention to her news director. As I mentioned earlier the judges selected the best (no pun intended) uniform by the photographs and Raeford was the photographer.

Now Raeford has quite the reputation as a photographer, especially around Carolina Beach because for years Raeford would work with teen models taking pictures of them in swimsuits, and those pictures I'm sure, were anxiously viewed by more than a couple of Pleasure Isle residents and vacationers.

So who better to take pictures of those people who proudly represent all those good men and women in law enforcement than the local master of cheesecake. It worked. Congratulations.

WRONG MOVE

Word on the street is that the "security" of Brogden Hall will cause more harm than good. 140 deputies, streets blocked off, helicopters, SWAT guys, ERT guys, dogs, UC officers in the mix. Imagine 3,000 excited 14-25 year olds standing in line for 45 minutes to get inside a show. Half of them leaving because of the hassle. The buzzkill will soon be amped back up once lights dim and the music starts. Thump, thump, thump, get ya hands up, ya hands up, hands up, holla, holla!

Overly anxious concert goers will stand up, dance about, egg people on. Pop, lock and drop girls will cause vulgar shouts from the testosterone pumped boys in the hood. It will all be in rowdy youth style fun, something us old farts forgot all about when we hit 30... or 50.

More and more people fill in empty seats finally after making their way through TSA grade anti-terrorist security. The crowd begins to shift. Creeping to better vantage points, filling halls and exits, pushing their way closer to the stage. An argument, an arrest or two, a wiff of reefer rolling thru the crowd, boooo's start up when the show slows silently then the lights come on. Show's over. Lil Wayne hasn't even left his tour bus yet and everyone has to go home.

The big money ticketsellers balk at the heavy fist coming down on this night of entertainment, my God it was a show featuring BET's MVP Artist of the Year, here in Wilmington and those tickets make money yo. Who would have thought putting on a show like this would have such financial risks.

Some angry youth want payback when their tickets become worthless. Promoters forced to sue anyone they can so that they can refund the ticket sales and pay Lil Wayne for stopping by and beeping the horn. What was hyped by the press and Causey, as a potential shootout at the gym, gang thug against gang thug turns deadly violent against the deputies, is a disappointment to those touting this show as a Stop the Violence rally.

But when all hell breaks loose, kids being kids, feeling ripped off a wrong move can set this tendebox a blaze in an instant. And when it does catch fire the only way for these law enforcement officers can stay safe is to go on the offensive. Pushing and moving the crowd deep into a pocket to be rounded up and controlled.

Possibly a few bandana wearing soldiers of fortune will break ranks and cause heartache for the community. Possibly, if someone makes the wrong move.

But if everyone survives the show, the "After Parties" (plural) will be held at the National Guard Armory and at the ILA Hall on Kidder Street. Do I need to say anymore? That is an entirely different box of matches.

Word on the street is that it will be a night to remember, one way or another.

Let's hope someone doesn't make a wrong move.

The right move was made by Cumberland County officials when Lil Wayne and Young Jeezy wowed a crowd of 6,000 at the FSU Homecoming held at the Arena. When I talked with officials with FSU Friday I was told that the university requested no added security for the concert.

"…most important hip hop album (Lil Wayne's newest release) of decade."
Rolling Stone
"He's (Lil Wayne) the perfect artist to own this time – the best rapper alive. Hear! Hear!"
VIBE MAGAZINE November Issue

Think about it, these rappers are businessmen. In this day and age artists make little money from record sales. They now make their big money from the shows. Lil Wayne will make something in the neighborhood of $50,000 for his one and a half hours of performance. $50,000! And that's not counting merchandising. A friend of mine who managed a small no-name touring band said they grossed $5,000 a show from t-shirt sales. Lil Wayne and his posse' might take in ten times that...net! This is business, BIG business. And Lil Wayne, his manager and his record label are not going to want headlines saying how he instigated a riot. The million dollar lawyer who will represent Weezy on his pending weapons and drug case does not want that sort of publicity. These guys are all about the DOLLAR. The "gang" stuff is a front. Sort of like Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley. So there is no need to panic, to bring out the 140 deputies, tax the citizens of the county $30,000 in overtime pay to have these deputies stand watch for a few hours. There was no need to over react. Had the folks been allowed to go to the Lil Wayne concert same as they did last year when it was at UNCW, there would have little to no violence. Certainly no more than has been at any Hoggard v. Hanover High School football game in recent memory.

But what gets me in all this is why the HYPE? What purpose does that serve? Do they have intelligence from snitches that a gang war was to start in the gym tonight? Or were they using their racially challenged mental intellect that just because a large group of predominantly black youth gathers in one spot it will automatically cause death and destruction? Tell that to Fayetteville State University. Newspaper headlines declared "No extra security planned for Lil Wayne concert Sunday, sheriff says" What was that all about? Everyone knew different. You can't call up 140 deputies and keep it a secret, so why lie to the public, to the media? Is Causey setting a trap? Is this a tactical strike against teenage rap fans that can afford $40 tickets?

Besides Causey being dosed up on some sort of medication causing irrational thought and paranoid delusions, what political statement is he trying to make? Is the idea to worsen racial tensions, and create a bonding with ALL gangs focusing on the police? Or is it just a brain damaged Manuel Noriga type of military wannabe waving his imaginary wand at the troops sending them into harm's way.

God bless all those men out there tonight. Keep them safe. They are just following orders. And Lord protect these kids, for they have no idea what they are walking into tonight.

Please, please nobody make a wrong move tonight!

*** Since the event turned out to be uneventful I thought about deleting this post but this was written 12 hours prior to the show and we even talked about it on the show Saturday, so I felt it should be left up to the reader to decide if this post is still relevant or not.***

HELPING THE STUPID

Woman Parked, On Phone As Train Approaches

GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. -- A Williamston woman is alive, thanks to the quick response of a police officer who got her out of her car seconds before an Amtrak train slammed into it -- and it was all caught on camera.
Every night, Greer police Officer Marcus O'Shields meets an officer from the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport to exchange information. Tuesday, just after midnight, O'Shields went to the meeting place near the Norfolk Southern tracks along Highway 80 near the Poinsett Bridge.
That's when he spotted a car driven by Betsy Devall stopped on the tracks.
Devall was on the phone with a friend. It took O'Shields nearly a minute and a half to convince Devall to get out of the car and away from the vehicle -- just 17 seconds before the train crashed into the car.
“You’ve seen the video,” O’Shields told News 4’s Mandy Gaither. “It tells the whole story. It's pretty graphic, and we don't see the rest of it, with the car catching on fire on down the track. It gets your nerves going pretty good.”
The Crescent Line train was headed to New York, and had just left the Greenville depot loaded with 180 passengers.
By the time it smashed into Devall's car, the 854-foot-long train was traveling more than 70 mph.
The incident was caught on camera by one of the officer's dashboard cameras. On tape, you can hear Devall thanking O'Shields for saving her life. She told him she wasn't familiar with the area.
Three passengers on the train were treated for minor injuries -- two for smoke inhalation and one for an ankle injury.
Devall said that she had been to visit a friend after work, and was on her way to another friend's house when she got lost and stopped to call for directions. She said she didn't realized that she had turned onto the tracks.
Doug Bryson with Spartanburg Emergency Management said that if Devall hadn't gotten out of the car, she wouldn't be alive.
"The condition of her car -- there's no way she should have survived that type of impact," Bryson said.
Bryson agreed that the officer ending up at his usual meeting place at the usual time made all the difference.
"He was in the right place at the right time," Bryson said, "Like I said, there would have been a much different outcome if he or any other witness had not been here to see that."
Police said the use of the cell phone was clearly a contributing factor in the crash, but at this time, no charges have been filed.

GAY BASHING & LIL WAYNE

What the hell is wrong with people?

Back in April Ron Tettaway tells a guy in an Atlanta bar that the guy reminded him of Lil Wayne. He might as well said the dude reminded him of a pile of shit. Needless to say those were fighting words and the kick ass drug out into the streets where the police came to break it up. Well, tough guy (and he really was) didn't want to stop and the cops shot and killed him where he stood. Brother Roy Pettaway saw what went down and ran over to take up where his brother ended and he got shot as well, but he faired better and lived.

The other night in Wilmington, members from two separate groups in the same neighborhood were outside at the same time. One group was white, one black. One of the white guys says something to one of the black guys one thing or another about "Lil Wayne" and all hell breaks loose. Twenty year old white kid Sam Flinn takes a punch to the jaw and dies.

What is it about Lil Wayne that causes punches to be thrown and people to die?

Lil Wayne the rapper is rumored to be gay.

She was 12

'A pure angel' is laid to rest

Bill Kirby

Emily Elizabeth Haddock was your typical little girl.

Her dark eyes danced.

Her brown locks were soft and long.

She was 12.

“She was a ‘Daddy’s Girl,’” says Kenny Decker, a family friend who choked back tears.

She had such fun just 10 days ago at the local speedway, watching the cars go round, and just being with her daddy.

It hasn’t been so long ago that Jeff Haddock, her father, built a deck on the family home in Moore County.

She was daddy’s little helper.

She was a “Daddy’s Girl.”

She was 12.

“She was just a pure angel,” Decker says. “Everybody would love to have a daughter like her.”

On Tuesday, Jeff Haddock, 44, said goodbye to his little girl — the apple of his eye. Joy Scott, 43, said goodbye to a daughter — the light of her life.

Nearly 400 mourners — from Mount Pleasant to Hope Mills — filed into the First Baptist Church sanctuary and its adjacent fellowship hall in Hope Mills to be by this family’s side.
A child’s dreams

Emily Elizabeth Haddock was full of life.

She always had a smile.

Once she came to know you, she was quick to smile that smile like only she could, then throws her arms tightly around your neck.

She was 12.

She didn’t have a favorite color.

She loved every hue.

She liked the red flip-flops as much as the green sandals and the blue ones near the foot of her bed.

She didn’t have a favorite teddy bear that adorned her bedroom. She loved ’em all.

She was 12.

She liked making new friends at New Century Middle School, where the flag flew at half staff Tuesday for this classmate who looked so forward to the volleyball season.

She liked playing basketball, and it took both hands to show off the trophies as testimony of her skills.

She was crazy about Ginger, her brown dachshund. She loved Pooch, her pit bull, just as much.

She liked to swim.

She liked to sing karaoke.

She liked to wear her hair in a ponytail.

She was 12.

She loved attending First Baptist Church in Hope Mills and throwing her arms around the neck of the Rev. Mike Sowers, her “Preacher Mike.”

“She came into my office one day and wanted to know the story behind everything on my bookshelf,” a tearful Sowers told the congregation. “I say Emily knew more about me than anyone in this church. She not only loved people. She wanted to know people.”

She liked Sunday school.

She liked vacation Bible school.

“She had so much energy,” Nancy Jackson, a Sunday school teacher, says. “She was like a little butterfly.”

She was 12.

She had dreams.

She looked forward to being a teenager and having sleep-overs with her girlfriends and talking about the dreamiest boy in school.

She would one day look forward to high school, her first date, her first prom, a class ring, graduation, college years, marriage ... and someday children of her own.

She was your typical girl.

She was 12.
‘Not the hand of God’

Tuesday, a father, a mother, a brother, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends and communities were broken-hearted as Emily Elizabeth Haddock was buried in the family cemetery.

Her life was taken Sept. 21 in her Moore County home by intruders who never gave a second thought to this child’s love of life or her dreams or the rays of sunshine she brought to so many.

She was 12.

“What was stolen away from Jeff and Joy was their daughter,” the Rev. Jim Everette told the congregation, “and their lives will never be the same. They say God has a purpose for everything. This was not the hand of God. What happened Friday was evil, and I believe God will concur.”

There is no rhyme.

There is no reason.

There is no excuse for taking the life of an innocent child.

She was 12.
‘Everything to me’

Emily Elizabeth Haddock was buried in an aqua dress with a brown lace V-neck and brown polka dots. A horse charm dangled from the necklace around her neck. A bracelet, with another horse charm, adorned her tiny wrist.

“She loved horses,” Kenny Decker says. “She was supposed to get a horse this Christmas.”

The dress was a gift.

A birthday present just this past Sept. 5.

She turned 12.

Emily Elizabeth Haddock was your typical little girl.

Her dark eyes danced.

Her brown locks were soft and long.

“She was everything to me,” her father says. “My little baby.”

She was, all will tell you, a splendid and adorable child with an infectious personality that could win your heart.

She was 12.

Now, bless her innocent heart, safe, secure and forever back in God’s great hands.

Bill Kirby can be reached at kirbyb@fayobserver.com or 323-4848, ext. 486.

PRAYER NEEDED

New Hanover County Deputy Bill Curry spilled his company Harley motorcycle today and is in critical care as a result. Bill should be close to retirement, he has been there a good while.

Bill's father served our area as a dedicated ALE agent. And our thoughts and prayers are with the entire family during this frightening time.

We don't know much right now but as we learn more we will keep you posted.

In the meantime we ask each of you to say a prayer for a full recovery.

WILL WE EVER LEARN?

UNCW escaped two similar situations when Curtis Dixon and John Peck were admitted to the university. Both had several complains against them and nothing was done which resulted in the deaths of Jessica Faulkner and Christen Naujoks.

The other day UNCW issued a press release regarding the safety measures the university has put into place to protect its students. Cynthia Lawson, the assistant to the UNCW Chancellor said that they are on the ahead of the curve with advanced methods in place. Most of these security measures are the result of the family of Jessica Faulker forcing the UNC system to implement a mandatory criminal background check on all applicants. The university refused and fought the Faulkners as recently as June of last year. The university's original idea on how to protect students against violence was to offer the female students self defense classes to teach a girl how to kick a boy in the nuts.

UNCW proudly claims their "early warning" protection system of emails and notices placed on the university's website. I guess that works when someone actually has their computer online and isn't sitting in some engineering classroom.

All of these shootings have one thing in common, every single one of these men who attacked and killed had heard from fellow students warning authorities to do something and the authorities failed to respond properly. That is what killed these students and teachers, ignorance and apathy. And so far it looks like UNCW has a failing grade, but a wonderful Public Relations office.