Tampa Is…?

Well, he is free on $250 bail, but Walsh Ian Nichols, who likes to dress up like Batman and hang around clubs in Ybor City was arrested last week.  He was charged with “wearing hood on street” and not having a valid motorcycle license.

Wearing a hood in public has been a law on the books in Tampa since 1951, initially designed to thwart members of the Ku Kl ux Klan from sporting their regalia in public.  Similar to Elliott Ness finally nailing Al Capone on tax evasion, Tampa’s untouchables defeated ra cism once and for all by legislating hats. It’s still in effect today and is usually used against criminals who wear masks while committing felonies like armed robbery.

As far as Batman goes, Nichols resembles Adam West more than Christian Bale. He just doesn’t look like the relentless, grim vigilante who’s committed his life to the eradication of evil. But he also doesn’t look like a threat to public safety either.

Why does Nichols feel the need to dress up like Batman and patrol the streets of Ybor?

Who cares?

The point is, do we want to live in a city… a world, where there can’t be a Batman? There are plenty of warped individuals out there who follow their dark, twisted obsessions intent on doing us harm. Can’t we have just one who follows his with the intent of serving the public good, even if that just means high-fiving and posing for photos with tourists?

(Cross posted at Ridiculous trickle of consciousness)

In the name of SECURITY, you will now be groped at all Buccaneers games at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium, even though these pat-downs don’t work.

In the name of SECURITY, x-ray photos of you will be taken at the Tampa Airport beginning next Friday, even though these create images of you virtually nude.

Don’t that make you feel secure?

Former Polk County Sheriff’s Deputy Scott Lawson is in Vermont, serving a 15 year prison sentence for sexually abusing young men.  Lawson used his authority as a cop to “examine” his victims.  According to the St. Pete Times, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) knew Lawson was doing creepy things on May 16, 2002.

Between midnight and 2am on May 31, 2002, Deputy Lawson suggested to at least three people that he was looking for some car-chasing action.  A VW Passat passed by, and Lawson gave chase in his unmarked Crown Victoria.  Lawson chased the Passat for 15.8 miles, at speeds averaging 105 mph (one witness estimated 120 mph at one point).

The Passat left the road, and crashed into a tree, injuring 18 year old driver Adam Jacoby, and killing 16 year old passenger Miles White.  A local patrolman, Officer Robert Platts, pulled up and helped Lawson pull the injured Jacoby from the wreck.  Before accident investigators arrived, the Crown Vic was gone.

Seeing Lawson on news reports, someone recognized him as the cop that had done an “exam” on her son, and called PCSO.  Lawson was arrested, and he resigned from the force.

Meanwhile, PCSO accident investigators never really looked closely at Lawson’s possible role in the accident.  Polk County Commissioners asked if they could trust the PCSO to investigate itself, and you can guess how that worked out.

Thankfully, St. Pete Times reporter Meg Laughlin did not let this go.  She refused to  just accept the PCSO result as the truth.  Check out the multimedia special report:  Right By Miles:

Two teenage boys are in a car chase with a reckless, sexually perverted Polk County sheriff’s deputy. The boys crash, killing Miles White, 16. But the sheriff’s office does not investigate its deputy’s involvement. Why?

The St. Pete Times thinks that Lawson’s Crown Vic may have caught up to the Passat, and BUMPED it off the road.  In fact, a PCSO in-house newsletter states that Miles White was killed after being struck by a car driven by Lawson.  The Times also found several inconsistencies on various reports and investigations, including downright lies on Lawson’s report.

Furthermore, crash investigator Detective David Hooyman later testified that he “was instructed by my supervisors at the sheriff’s department not to conduct an interview with Lawson.”

In the end, the sheriff’s office determined that Lawson played no role in the accident but violated department policy by breaking traffic laws and not identifying himself as an officer.

In encourage you to read the entire story: Why didn’t Polk Co. Sheriff’s Office investigate deputy’s role in crash?

Oh, and wonder what kind of (and how many) coverups are going on with your local government agencies.

Tampa Police Chief Stephen Hogue says Tampa’s crime rate dropped 12 percent in the first six months of 2008 compared with last year.

During the first six months of this year, 9,126 offenses were reported in seven crime categories, 12 percent less than the 10,367 reported in these categories from January to June 2007.

The biggest statistical drop was in reported sex offenses, which declined 28.6 percent.

Murders declined 15.8 percent, motor-vehicle thefts fell 19.3 percent and aggravated assaults declined 18.6 percent, robberies dropped 16.1 percent, larcenies fell 11.1 percent and burglaries declined 5.1 percent.

Hogue credited the drop in crime not only to his officers, but to residents who join Neighborhood Crime Watch groups or perform independent “community policing” when they notice suspicious activity.

St. Pete cops call Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO):  Get this illegal immigrant guy, he’s a suspect in a rape in St. Pete.

HCSO Deputies get the guy on a misdemeanor.  Meanwhile, St. Pete cops called Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) asked for permission to hold the illegal immigrant further.  They get no response.

So the HCSO lets the guy go free.

Two weeks later, guy (allegedly) rapes girls in Apollo Beach.

HCSO catches the guy again, this time for rape.

Citizens want to know why Sheriffs let him go the first time.

Head Sheriff David Gee claims St. Pete cops never told HCSO he was a rape suspect.

US Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite wants to know how this happened, blasts Gee.

Gee defends Sheriffs office, loudly complains “St. Pete cops never told us the guy’s a rape suspect.”  Also points finger at Legislature, ICE, some guy standing nearby, and the blogosphere.

People are outraged and pointing their own fingers everywhere:

• SPTimes columnist Sue Carlton:  It’s a crime that politics has entered equation
• Tribune columnist Steve Otto:  Is anyone out there listening?
• SPT Editorial:  Immigration mess is Congress’ fault
• Tribune Editorial:  Search For Culprit In Immigrants’ Crime Spree Starts On Capitol Hill

To be sure, ICE and your US Legislators deserve some of the blame for basic stupidity.  But the HCSO makes ‘em look like geniuses.  Especially after what happened today.

Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office spokesman revealed the truth:  “Ohhhh THAT guy?  Yeah, St. Pete cops DID tell HCSO about him.”

Please tell me why the person used to demonstrate the new body scanning machines at Tampa International Airport - as seen on the Metro front in Friday’s St. Petersburg Times -

Why not an old fat guy?

is a buff young woman and not a fat old man?

Whomever she is - let’s call her Big Boobs Girl - certainly does not represent most of the people I see at TIA or at the mall or at the grocery store or in the mirror or at just about anyplace in America. Aren’t we having an epidemic of obesity?

But the larger question - not boobwise, but otherwise - is regarding the technology.  Is it an invasion of privacy?

Does it smack of Big Brother?

And who really believes that those images can’t be saved, reproduced, e-mailed around the world?

Have you been reading about the soap opera-like story of Winters & Yonker’s breakaway from long time bay area TV commercial lawyer Richard Mulholland?

The St. Pete Times points out it is “A case of money, deceit, sex and lawyers,” where W&Y were found liable for theft from their former boss. 

On the slow-loading Winters & Yonker website, you can find out that they are known for their “Attentive Personal Service,” their first priority is “Top-Quality Medical Evaluation and Care,” and they brag about their efficiency.

Nowhere does it mention that they would rip off their own mentor in order to increase the chance of business success.

But remember, not all attorneys are like this.  As the old saying goes, it’s that 99% of lawyers that give the profession a bad name.

No matter.  This isn’t really about Mulholland v. Winters & Yonker.  The real loser in all of this is Beltz & Ruth.  Well, them and Morgan & Morgan.  And Catania & Catania (no direct link, cuz Google don’t like the site).

With the wacky story being played out in the media, the names Winters, Yonker, and Mulholland have been all over the place, giving them all a bunch of free publicity. 

Now look for the others to counter with something just as crazy.  Come to think of it, forget the “soap opera” comment - this is more like rasslin’.  We ought to get Morgan, Ruth, Winters, Catania, Mulholland, Catania, Morgan, Beltz, & Yonker in a Battle Royal and crown one the King of Ambulance Chasers.

Sheriff Grady Judd has changed the menu at Polk County Jail:

The new menu, announced with much fanfare Wednesday, substitutes crackers, frozen egg patties and water for cornbread, fresh eggs and a variety of beverages, and will save an estimated $195,000, Sheriff Grady Judd said. He said he hopes to eventually cut $200,000 from the jail’s food services budget.

Detractors are upset, since county jail holds those awaiting a trial, so some inmates may not even be found guilty.