Wednesday, May 5, 2010

LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM MY ANGELS


LOVE AND SUPPORT FROM MY ANGELS


On April 26, 2010, I received a wonderful email from CloudWriter. In this letter Lane and Patty Judson whose daughter Crystal was murdered by her husband over seven years ago. Crystal husband was Chief of Police in Tacoma,Washington. God bless Lane and Patty Judson.
To Lane and Patty Judson, thank you for all your love and support, God bless you! To you CLOUDWRITER, my friend and sister, thank you for all the love and support, I believe God has sent you to me. God bless!
Office of Attorney General
15th Floor, Strawberry Square
Harrisburg, PA 17120
Honorable Attorney General Tom Corbett:
A recent message from an excerpt in the Philadelphia Inquirer dated, January 7, 2010 by Sam Wood, stated that the Office of the Attorney General will be representing Ms. Leslie Fleisher as the prosecuting agency in the case of domestic abuse against officer Lewis B. Palmer. It is especially important that abused victims understand that domestic violence complaints against law enforcement officers are free of any bias during investigations. Victims should not be intimidated when filing domestic violence complaints against sworn police officers. As the top law enforcement officer for the state of PA., I commend you for your action, and more can be done.
My name is Lane Judson, and our daughter Crystal Judson-Brame was murdered by her estranged husband, Tacoma, WA. Police Chief David Brame, in a shopping center parking lot, with their two young children just feet away from this horrific tragedy. Since her murder and his suicide, leaving the children as orphans, we have been working to educate all states in the dynamics of Officer Involved Domestic Violence (OIDV), and its effect on communities, cities, states and at the federal level. With impressive support from citizens and leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, we achieved passage of federal legislation in our daughter's name, ear marking Department of Justice VAWA Stop Grant Funds for Officer involved Domestic Violence. This was a gift to all citizens of these United States, especially those in relationship with law enforcement.
OIDV is one of the deadliest crimes, and in my opinion, is a greater threat because the abused feel that they have nowhere to turn for help. Why is that? One says, "call the police". They are the police and it is so difficult for the abused to seek help from the police when the perpetrator of the crime is a commissioned officer. A friend or former partner may answer the call of domestic violence and may take sides with the accused when contacting the one seeking help. The accused could lose their badge and gun, be put on admin leave, and there is a potential of losing their job. The Blue Wall tends to take care of "their own and keep it in house". Protection of a fellow law enforcement officer is paramount. They usually investigate their own via internal affairs, and if the accused gets informed that things are not looking good for the officer, he/she often times resigns their job, and the investigation stops. There is nothing on their record, and they can apply for a new job at another jurisdiction and get hired. The losers in this domestic abuse are the jurisdiction that wasn't able to complete their investigation to either exonerate the accused, or to bless the accused with an early retirement if charges were found to be guilty by prosecution. But the saddest thing about this is, that the abuse continues, and the abuse gets worse. it may end up in a murder or murder/suicide with wrongful death charges sought.
Our current Governor, Christine Gregorie, (who was the Attorney General at the time of our daughters murder) told law enforcement agencies to "Clean up your act, or it will be done to you". And it was done. A new Washington State Law SB 6161 mandated that law enforcement agencies in the state of Washington have an OIDV policy in place by a specific date. This law was accomplished by an ad hoc team of 70 professional lawyers, law enforcement leaders, domestic violence advocates, and prominent judicial judges from our Supreme Court, and others.
Much is being done in other states to implement OIDV law, policies , and procedures similar to WA State. honorable Governor David A. Paterson has responded to my request to him to implement OIDV for New York, and their Honorable Attorney General Andrew Cuomo supports that position. The state of Wisconsin has a 99- page draft policy out on the same OIDV issue for their state. The city of Pittsburgh has implemented OIDV polcies and Mayor Luke Ravenstahl has just terminated a police sergeant for domestic violence. Michigan is being asked as well as a host of other states to consider doing what was done in the state of Washington. Our Attorney General Rob McKenna strongly supports OIDV.
Liabilities for cities, counties, and states are horrendous to have public servants who are in the very profession to protect citizen, to be the one(s) breaking that law. We filed a $75 million lawsuit against the city of Tacoma, WA. for wrongful death. It was settled out of court for the children only. Other cities, counties, & states do not want this to happen to them. OIDV tarnishes the image, badge, and credibility of outstanding law enforcement agencies. Citizens look up to their agencies as the ones to call for help. I encourage those who have loved ones suffering from our murdered due to OIDV to file litigation. Utica, New York is currently in that process.
Please Honorable Attorney General Tom Corbett, tear down that Blue Wall of silence; and consider mandating OIDV laws and polices for your state of Pennsylvania similar to Washington State. It goes hand in hand with the creed of Honorable Mayor Luke Ravenstahl of Pittsburgh to have Domestic Violence policies for all employees of Pittsburgh. My web site identifies more than 200 L.E. personnel from around the country that committed murder and murder/suicide of their spouse, children, girlfriend, significant other, family, friends, and even their dogs, as a result of domestic violence. Please help those calling out for your help. My web site is: http://www.lanejudson.com/ and it has the mandated OIDV law and copy of policies available for review as well as the amendment to VAWA under our daughter's name.
With greatest respect,
Just US (justice)
Lane & Patty Judson