The Missouri Supreme Court elected Tuesday to hear the Dade County prosecuting attorney's appeal of a Southern District Court of Appeals' decision to grant a convicted arsonist a new trial.
On Jan. 26, the appellate court agreed with Scott Baxter's contention that there was no written evidence that he had given up his right to a trial by jury. Baxter, 26, Greenfield, was found guilty by Judge James Bickel during his June 2, 2004, trial in Dade County Circuit Court. He was sentenced to six years in prison for assaulting Melinda Bennett and burning her apartment on Sept. 30, 2002, according to court records. During the trial, Baxter's lawyer said Baxter had waived his right to trial by jury, but the appellate court judges did not feel that was enough.
Friday, April 14, 2006
The treatment of religious news
The Carthage Press gave a fitting sendoff to religious columnist George Plagenz last Sunday, running Plagenz' last column, side-by-side with his wire service obituary.I hope some syndicate realizes the value of having a religious columnist. Plagenz was one of the few. It amazes me that newspapers can find space for columns about gardening, bridge, poker, celebrity gossip, fashion, etc., but few run columns that explain religious issues. Plagenz' columns, as I mentioned in my earlier tribute to him, were always insightful and shed light on areas of religion that are seldom explained in the media. I was always proud to run George Plagenz' columns on the Press editorial page and I was pleased that Ron Graber continued that tradition. As far as I know, The Press has been the only newspaper in this area which has provided editorial space to thought-provoking columnists like Mr. Plagenz, Charlie Reese, and Nat Hentoff. I have had about as much of Bill O'Reilly and Argus Hamilton as I can stomach.
***
Speaking of religion, check out Joplin Globe blogger Father Steve's most recent post, a thoughtful study of the recent headlines over the so-called Gospel of Judas.
***
Speaking of religion, check out Joplin Globe blogger Father Steve's most recent post, a thoughtful study of the recent headlines over the so-called Gospel of Judas.
Rodebush claiming he has not resigned
Word has been received at The Turner Report that John Rodebush is claiming he did not resign as Jasper mayor following last week's election of his political rivals Jim McCorkle and Vic Crazybear. I will keep an eye on this and let you know what develops.
Chart cleans up at Missouri College Media awards
Missouri Southern State University's newspaper, the Chart, captured numerous awards in the annual Missouri College Media Association awards.
However, the Chart's story had this unfortunate lead:
On April 8-9, The Chart staff attended the annual Missouri College Media Association convention in St. Louis.
It would seem the Chart writer thinks the fact that the staff went to the convention is more of a news story than winning the awards.
***
Pittsburg State University's newspaper, The Collegio, also did well in the Kansas awards and did a better job with its lead:
Pittsburg State University's Collegio newspaper and Kanza yearbook staffs won 84 individual awards at the annual spring conference on Sunday and Monday, April 9 and 10, of the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press in Wichita.
However, the Chart's story had this unfortunate lead:
On April 8-9, The Chart staff attended the annual Missouri College Media Association convention in St. Louis.
It would seem the Chart writer thinks the fact that the staff went to the convention is more of a news story than winning the awards.
***
Pittsburg State University's newspaper, The Collegio, also did well in the Kansas awards and did a better job with its lead:
Pittsburg State University's Collegio newspaper and Kanza yearbook staffs won 84 individual awards at the annual spring conference on Sunday and Monday, April 9 and 10, of the Kansas Associated Collegiate Press in Wichita.
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Documents indicate Law, Liebrecht failed to stop Bucher affairs
Monsignor Phillip Bucher's attorneys filed a motion earlier this week to prevent details of any affairs from being the focus of questioning during an April 20 deposition in Glenna McKitterick's sexual harassment suit against him.
In documents filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Ms. McKitterick's attorney, Harold Glass, Springfield, opposed the motion, which included citations based on cases involving a physician and a university president.
"Those cases are distinguishable," the court document says, "because, presumably, the physician and the university president did not proclaim to God and the world that they would remain celibate and chaste."
The motion also noted that one of Bucher's alleged affairs was already made public in the Dec. 8, 2002, Boston Globe story headlined "Former Law advisor says Missouri priest affair ignored."
The article, written during a time in which Cardinal Bernard Law was under fire for covering up affairs involving Boston priests, includes this passage:
"As documents emerge indicating Bernard Cardinal Law knew of improper relationships between Boston Archdiocese priests and adult women, a Missouri man alleges Law washed his hands of a similar situation in that state.
"A man who served as an informal advisor to Law on business issues says in the early 1980s he asked Law, then bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, to stop an affair between a high-ranking priest and a relative of the adviser.
The priest, Msgr. Philip Bucher, then Law's vicar general, had become involved with the adviser's mother-in-law, the man said, adding that at first Law acted decisively.
" 'I went to Bishop Law. He stopped it dead in in its tracks,' he said. The relationship broke off for two years but began again shortly after Law was appointed archbishop of Boston in 1984, he said."
" 'I called Law in Boston. He said, 'Well, you'll just have to take
that up with the (new) bishop,' '' the adviser said, adding he had
indeed taken his concern to Bishop John J. Leibrecht, both before and
after his second request to Law.
" 'Bishop Leibrecht just stonewalled. We had several meetings and he
did nothing,' he said, adding the affair has continued to the present
day and contributed to the breakup of his own marriage.
"Law's spokeswoman did not immediately comment on the case. Bucher, now
pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Branson, Mo., did not return
calls. Springfield diocese spokeswoman Marilyn Vydra called Bucher
'one of our most respected priests.'
"But real estate records show Bucher purchased a home in Albuquerque,
N.M., in the late 1990s with another Springfield woman.
" 'This is all news to me,' said Vydra, who said the second woman is a
former employee of the Springfield diocese."
***
Today's motion noted, "There is a distinction between relationships with women who are outside the scope of Father Bucher's ministry and women who were parishioners, volunteers or paid employees."
The motion concluded, "Father Bucher's motion is an effort to hide behind the church's familiar code of silence and stonewall evidence of a priest's sexual activities that may have probative value."
In documents filed today in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, Ms. McKitterick's attorney, Harold Glass, Springfield, opposed the motion, which included citations based on cases involving a physician and a university president.
"Those cases are distinguishable," the court document says, "because, presumably, the physician and the university president did not proclaim to God and the world that they would remain celibate and chaste."
The motion also noted that one of Bucher's alleged affairs was already made public in the Dec. 8, 2002, Boston Globe story headlined "Former Law advisor says Missouri priest affair ignored."
The article, written during a time in which Cardinal Bernard Law was under fire for covering up affairs involving Boston priests, includes this passage:
"As documents emerge indicating Bernard Cardinal Law knew of improper relationships between Boston Archdiocese priests and adult women, a Missouri man alleges Law washed his hands of a similar situation in that state.
"A man who served as an informal advisor to Law on business issues says in the early 1980s he asked Law, then bishop of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, to stop an affair between a high-ranking priest and a relative of the adviser.
The priest, Msgr. Philip Bucher, then Law's vicar general, had become involved with the adviser's mother-in-law, the man said, adding that at first Law acted decisively.
" 'I went to Bishop Law. He stopped it dead in in its tracks,' he said. The relationship broke off for two years but began again shortly after Law was appointed archbishop of Boston in 1984, he said."
" 'I called Law in Boston. He said, 'Well, you'll just have to take
that up with the (new) bishop,' '' the adviser said, adding he had
indeed taken his concern to Bishop John J. Leibrecht, both before and
after his second request to Law.
" 'Bishop Leibrecht just stonewalled. We had several meetings and he
did nothing,' he said, adding the affair has continued to the present
day and contributed to the breakup of his own marriage.
"Law's spokeswoman did not immediately comment on the case. Bucher, now
pastor of Our Lady of the Lake Parish in Branson, Mo., did not return
calls. Springfield diocese spokeswoman Marilyn Vydra called Bucher
'one of our most respected priests.'
"But real estate records show Bucher purchased a home in Albuquerque,
N.M., in the late 1990s with another Springfield woman.
" 'This is all news to me,' said Vydra, who said the second woman is a
former employee of the Springfield diocese."
***
Today's motion noted, "There is a distinction between relationships with women who are outside the scope of Father Bucher's ministry and women who were parishioners, volunteers or paid employees."
The motion concluded, "Father Bucher's motion is an effort to hide behind the church's familiar code of silence and stonewall evidence of a priest's sexual activities that may have probative value."
Star: FBI investigating Missouri lobbying practices
A report in today's Kansas City Star says the FBI is investing Missouri lobbying practices. I have no doubt the feds will have plenty to examine.
Amendment targets lobbyists acting as middlemen
A Washington Post editorial today praises an amendment offered by the House Judiciary Committee to proposed lobbying legislation which would call for clear disclosure when it comes to money donated to politicians by lobbyists and also money funneled to the politicians from special interest by way of lobbyists.
That practice is prevalent in Missouri as well as in Washington.
That practice is prevalent in Missouri as well as in Washington.
Congress not expected to do much to limit jet perks
It appears likely that the U. S. House of Representatives and Senate will do nothing to halt the practice employed by many of its members of allowing corporations to foot their travel costs. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Lynn Sweet addresses the problem.
Transsexual candidate legally changes name
Mitchell Potts, the transsexual who is opposing Seventh District Congressman Roy Blunt in the August Republican primary has now officially changed his name to Midge Potts, according to St. Louis Post-Dispatch political columnist Jo Mannies.
Now he/she can concentrate on serious problems such as immigration, according to the column.
Now he/she can concentrate on serious problems such as immigration, according to the column.
Emery to head immigration panel
House Speaker Rod Jetton, R-Marble Hill, has appointed Ed Emery, R-Lamar, to head a panel designed to study the immigration problem, according to a posting on the Joplin Independent.
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