TheTrenchcoat Chronicles

Author: Trench Reynolds

  • Red Lake under lockdown

    FBI assisting Red Lake police in investigation:

    The schools in Red Lake have been under lockdown since Tuesday while the FBI and Red Lake police investigate threats made against the schools…

    Paul McCabe, spokesman for the FBI, said today that the agents are assisting Red Lake police but said he could not comment on the situation. McCabe referred a Herald reporter to the Red Lake police.

    Interim Police Chief Pat Graves said, through a spokeswoman, that he would not comment to the news media about the situation.

    Tribal Chairman Floyd “Buck” Jourdain Jr., is out of town and unavailable for comment, said a tribal spokeswoman.

    A school employee said the schools, including a separate building for kindergarten and Head Start about a mile from the high school and middle school, have been in “lockdown” since Tuesday because of the reported threats.

    Superintendent Stuart Desjarlaits said school was in session today but refused to comment on the reported threats.

    Employees of the school said that reported threats from several students involving violence at the school lead to the lockdown being imposed. The lockdown means students are not allowed to leave the school building during the day, including no recess outdoors for elementary students, an employee said.

    More on this if any more information becomes available.

  • The Answer?

    The answer to bullies:

    I almost passed this article by because I thought it was going to be just another “feel good” article about bullying with no real solutions. I was wrong…

    In this post-Columbine, zero-tolerance world, Izzy Kalman is something of a revolutionary. He agrees that bullying is a big problem. But he contends that getting rid of bullies is not the solution (and, in fact, is not even possible). What we have to do, he says, is get rid of victims.

    “People have a knee-jerk reaction when they hear that,” said Kalman over lunch last month, while he was in West Palm Beach leading a seminar for school counselors and other mental health professionals. “They say I’m blaming the victims. I’m not blaming the victims, but I am saying that they are the ones who have the problem. Bullies don’t have the problem. They aren’t the ones committing suicide and shooting up schools. Those are the victims, and those are the ones whose behavior we need to change.”

    Kalman, who spent 26 years as a school psychologist and private psychotherapist, wants to make something clear. He is not saying bullying is good. He’s saying it’s inevitable, a natural byproduct of human nature. He’s also saying that, to the extent it helps teach kids resilience and self-sufficiency, it’s useful. And he’s saying that, unless it causes physical harm, it’s also legal, protected under the Constitution.

    “Our Constitution guarantees the right to free speech,” he says. “And that means the right to tell someone they are a big, fat idiot if we want to. Kids today are growing up with the idea that nobody can ever say anything mean to them. We are raising a generation of emotional marshmallows. We’re promoting learned helplessness. And I am really concerned that when these kids grow up, they are going to be unable to handle adversity of any kind, because we learn to handle adversity from dealing with the fairly simple difficulties of childhood.”

    Like being called a big, fat idiot by the class bully.

    Read the rest of the article. It’s definitely worth it.

  • Remember the Victims

    Thursday marks the seventh anniversary of Columbine High School shootings:

    — Cassie Bernall, 17. A born-again Christian, she was active in church youth programs and Bible study groups. Had recently visited Britain and loved Mel Gibson’s “Braveheart.”

    — Steven Curnow, 14. A freshman, he dreamed of being a Navy top gun and piloting an F-16. Watched the “Star Wars” movies so often he could recite dialogue. Played soccer as a boy and refereed to earn pocket money.

    — Corey DePooter, 17. Loved to golf, hunt and fish. The former wrestler had taken a maintenance job at a golf club to save up for a boat with a friend. He had been frustrated to miss school because he had his wisdom teeth removed.

    — Kelly Fleming, 16. Aspiring songwriter and author. Wrote scores of poems and short stories based on her life experiences. A recent arrival in Colorado from Phoenix, she had been eager to get her driver’s license and a part-time job.

    — Matthew Kechter, 16. A junior with an A average, he had hoped to start for the football team. The year after the attack, the Columbine football team won the state championship after dedicating the season to him.

    — Daniel Mauser, 15. A sophomore, he excelled in math and science and earned straight A’s on his last report card. Ran cross country and joined the debate team. Had spent two weeks in Paris with French club.

    — Daniel Rohrbough, 15. Helped in his father’s electronics business and worked on family farms in Kansas during the summer. Enjoyed computer games, stereos and home theater systems. Shot while holding an exit door open for fleeing students.

    — William “Dave” Sanders, 47. Columbine teacher for 24 years, in business and science. Coached girls’ basketball and softball; in his first year as basketball coach, 1997-98, team posted winning record after finishing next to last the previous year. Married, three daughters and 10 grandchildren. Shot twice in the chest while directing students down hallway to safety.

    — Rachel Scott, 17. Played lead in a student-written play, “Smoke in the Room.” Active in Celebration Christian Fellowship church. Liked photography. In drama class the day of the attack, she drew in her journal thirteen tears falling from 13 victims in red blood drops to a rose. Her younger brother Craig, 16, played dead in school library and helped lead others to safety.

    — Isaiah Shoels, 18. Had been expected to graduate in May, just a few weeks after the attack. Suffered health problems as a child and had heart surgery twice. Wanted to attend an arts college and become a music executive. Small in stature, but lifted weights, played football and wrestled. Witnesses said he was shot in the head because he was black and an athlete.

    — John Tomlin, 16. Enjoyed driving off-road in his beat-up Chevy pickup. Worked after-school in a gardening store and belonged to a church youth group. Went on missionary trip to Mexico with family the year before the attack and built a house for the poor. Planned to enlist in the Army.

    — Lauren Townsend, 18. Senior, was captain of girls’ varsity volleyball team, coached by her mother. Other players said she was “consumed” by the sport. Member of the National Honor Society and candidate for valedictorian. Wanted to major in biology at Colorado State University.

    — Kyle Velasquez, 16. The sophomore was a gentle giant, growing to 6 feet by the time he was a sophomore. Loved his older brother, Daniel, ice cream and the Denver Broncos.

  • Correction of facts in Marshfield

    Teens tied up in court:

    This another article about how the trial of Tobin Kerns has been delayed yet again due to the immunity situation of the two witnesses Daniel Farley and Joseph Sullivan. Nothing new that we haven’t talked about already but I want to point out some things in the article…

    Kerns, 18, and another student, Joseph Nee, 20, were charged with promotion of anarchy, conspiracy to commit murder and threatened use of a deadly weapon in fall, 2004, after Marshfield Police found materials at Kerns’ home outlining a planned attack on Marshfield High School with a list targeting groups of students, teachers and administrators.

    Acting on a tip by Nee and other students, police found a binder and evidence that Kerns’ computer had been used to look at Web sites like the Anarchist’s Cookbook, which explains how to make explosives leading to Kerns’ arrest in September.

    According to a source that’s very close to the proceedings there was no list found at the Kerns’ house. The source says that the only list of names was the one Joe Nee gave verbally to police while trying to implicate Tobin. And lastly according to the source witnesses have stated that Nee, Farley, and Sullivan were still talking about their plan after Tobin Kerns had broken ties with them and was in Oregon. And let’s not forget that Joe Nee had stayed at the Kerns’ residence and the evidence seized could have belonged to Joe Nee himself.

    But as usual, let’s not let facts get in the way of journalism.

  • Center Grove suspects to be tried as juvenilles

    Adult charges not sought in Center Grove school plot:

    Following their psychiatric evaluations, all four suspects in the plot to attack Center Grove High School in Indiana will not be charged as adults…

    Johnson County Prosecutor Lance Hamner said today his decision not to seek moving the cases into adult court was based on the boys’ psychological evaluations and criminal histories.

    “The psychological evaluations came back a couple of days ago and based on the information in that report, it seems most appropriate to adjudicate the cases through the juvenile court system,” Hamner said today.

    Under Indiana law, a child must stay in the juvenile system unless the court orders the case moved to adult court, Hamner said.
    While the boys will face juvenile court charges, crimes that would be Class B felonies if brought against an adult, they face serious consequences.

    “In these cases, none of the kids had any significant juvenile record,” Hamner said.

    Although the psychological profiles are confidential, the information in them would impel a court to retain the cases in the juvenile system, he added.

    “Therefore, filing for adult court jurisdiction would not be appropriate under the circumstances,” Hamner said.

    In the juvenile system, a defendant could receive incarceration in the Johnson County Juvenile Detention Center or be sentenced to a state juvenile facility under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections.

    “If he’s sent to the Department of Corrections, he can be incarcerated up to age 21,” Hamner said.

    I think they’re making a mistake but only time will tell.

  • Underwood gag order issued

    Gag Order Issued in Murder Case:

    A gag order has been issued in the ongoing case of Kevin Ray Underwood who murdered 10-year-old Jamie Rose Bolin…

    A McClain County District Judge has ordered a gag order be put in place in the case against Kevin Ray Underwood.

    Underwood is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Jamie Rose Bolin.

    Special Judge Gary Barger met with attorney’s from both the defense and prosecution Monday and ordered them to refrain from making any statements regarding the case.

    In his order, the judge stated that both parties be prohibited from discussing evidence, potential evidence, anticipated evidence, opinions on evidence already obtained or evidence obtained in the future.

    The judge will allow all involved to discuss general information regarding procedure, hearing dates, and anticipated trial dates.

    The preliminary hearing for Underwood has not been set. Attorneys from both sides will meet on May 3, 2006, for a preliminary hearing conference, that’s when a preliminary hearing date will be set.

  • Underwood pleads not guilty

    1st Degree Murder: Kevin Ray Underwood in Jamie Rose Bolin Case:

    Everyone’s “favorite” scumbag du jour Kevin Ray Underwood appeared in court…

    Kevin Ray Underwood, 26, was led into McClain County Court with his hands and feet shackled and spoke softly as he told the judge he needed a public defender. Underwood has been formally charged in the case of the murder of Jamie Rose Bolin.

    Authorities believe Underwood killed Jamie Rose Bolin last week when she disappeared after going to a library. Her funeral was scheduled for Thursday.

    The body of Jamie Rose Bolin was found in a storage bin in the bedroom closet of Kevin Underwood, 26 – in Purcell about 40 miles (64 km) south of Oklahoma City – said Tim Kuykendall, district attorney for McClain County.

    During the arraignment, a man in the hall outside the courtroom yelled, “Let’s string him up. Let’s string him up, baby killer, and hang him.” Police led the man away.

    The man, identified as Bruce Shwartz, 48, was arrested on complaints of obstructing an officer and obstructing the peace.

    Prosecutors filed first-degree murder charges Monday in court. McClain County Judge Gary D. Barger entered a not guilty plea for Underwood and appointed an attorney for him, whose court-appointed attorneys requested a gag order. He has no criminal record nor any history of mental illness.

    Court-appointed attorneys for Underwood complained that officials had made “inflammatory, prejudicial and conclusory statements” to the media that had helped fuel widespread interest in the case, reports the AP. A hearing on the gag order was to be held Tuesday.

    A not guilty plea? I can’t wait to see the defense on this one. Maybe they’ll try to blame it on Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal. That’s not meant as a joke or disrespect towards Jamie Rose Bolin. It means that I can’t imagine a legitimate defense for Underwood. But since he did plead not guilty hopefully a jury will convict him and give him the death sentence.

  • Alvarado pleads not guilty to rape

    L.A. man pleads not guilty to sex charges with girl he met online:

    This is a follow-up to the story of Luis Alvarado, a 19-year-old kid from L.A. who is accused of raping a 13-year-old girl…

    VISTA A 19-year-old Los Angeles man, who allegedly molested a 13-year-old Oceanside girl he met through the Internet Web site MySpace.com, pleaded not guilty Monday to four counts of lewd acts upon a child.

    Vista Superior Court Judge Aaron Katz ordered Luis Freddy Alvarado to remain jailed in lieu of $250,000 bail pending a bail review on Thursday.

    Alvarado allegedly communicated with the victim on the social networking site, which is popular with teens, several times before traveling to Oceanside and assaulting the girl on March 12.

    Attached to the charges are allegations that Alvarado caused bodily injury, used force or violence, befriended the alleged victim of purposes of committing a felony and engaged in substantial sexual conduct.

    Detectives armed with warrants searched the home and vehicle of the defendant, a Hollywood High School student, seized a computer and other items, Oceanside police Sgt. Leonard Mata said last week.

    I’m sorry but when I was 19 I was trying to get with girls older than me not younger. What’s wrong with these kids?

  • The shy quiet type

    If you want excellent coverage on the murder of Jamie Rose Bolin by Kevin Ray Underwood please go to Look Who’s Tattling Now or Huff’s Crime Blog. If you want crappy coverage with a lot of loud-mouthed opinions keep it here.

    Suspect blogged about cannibalism:

    The article mainly deals with the fact that Underwood had blogged before about cannibalism, which is covered in detail in the previous two blogs I mentioned. However, I want to talk about the reaction from Underwood’s family and the people who knew him.

    I mean it’s the old “joke”, if you will, of when they catch a serial killer of some other usually white violent killer it’s always the same thing. “He was the shy, quiet type”. Kevin Ray Underwood was no exception.

    From his mother…

    Underwood’s family was shocked.

    “This is something that I don’t know where it came from,” Underwood’s mother, Connie, said through tears in a brief telephone interview Sunday with The Associated Press. “He was always a wonderful boy.

    “I would like to be able to tell her family how sorry we are. I just feel so terrible.”

    From his former employer…

    Underwood worked for nearly seven years at a Carl’s Jr. restaurant, where shift leader Bill Verdan described him as a quiet person who kept to himself. “He did a good job,” Verdan said Sunday.

    However, he said Underwood, who quit about a year ago, was a “boring” man who rarely smiled.

    “Just his tone of voice, he just sounded dull,” Verdan said. “Trying to get a smile out of him took an act of Congress.”

    Verdan said he and his wife and young daughters never suspected anything unusual.

    “He gave my wife rides home from work numerous times,” Verdan said. “We never felt uncomfortable. I talked to my girls after this happened, and they said they felt comfortable around him.”

    For those of us that live east of the Mississippi Carl Jr’s is the same as Hardee’s.

    From his current employer…

    His most recent job was as a stocker at a Griders Discount Foods grocery store in Oklahoma City, where he arrived early for his shift Friday, said a manager at the store, Jerry Castro.

    “He was the same as always,” Castro said. “He was quiet and kept to himself. He didn’t interact with people. It just didn’t dawn on you that this was something he’d do.”

    I really don’t have much of a point except maybe that these statements just go to show how cold and unemotional Underwood was. Because only someone who is dead inside like Underwood could commit such a heinous and brutal crime on such an undeserving victim.

    I said it before and I’ll say it again. My message to Kevin Underwood is still, rot in hell.

  • A student’s account

    I received an e-mail from a student at Winslow Township High School in South Jersey. The same high school where three kids were arrested for plotting an attack against their school. The fourth was from nearby Hammonton High. The student was really persistent in sharing his story. We’ll call him Jack.

    Jack said that he knows the 14-year-old and he states that the 14-year-old was picked on but nothing too severe. Jack also says that girlfriend of the 14-year-old knew about the plot but couldn’t keep it secret. Jack said that all three suspects were “goth” but explained that the ringleader was into satanism and believed he was, in fact, a vampire but that the other two were just “fashion-goths”. According to Jack, the 14-year-old had been suspended in the past for bringing knives to school and once threatened another student with a knife but that student never came forward.

    Normally I would not take information from a high school student as most of the info I receive from students are just rumors. However, there is a low degree of separation between Jack and the suspects.