[Vision2020] Whitewash

Fri Apr 2 13:02:11 PDT 2010

[Vision2020]

Matt writes:  "Thompson has been a joke for years. But yet he keeps getting voted in."

Thompson and other shoddy public officials keep getting elected, in part, because, of less than stellar or even truly informative local media coverage.

Media coverage about events like crimes/trials/outcomes simply parrot the statements of public officials (and public records) without asking penetrating questions designed to either elicit clearer explanations or to test the truth of such statements.

For example, when Thompson tried to defend his plea bargain for killer and burner Silas Parks, he claimed that by not being able to introduce evidence of a two year old domestic violence incident prevented him from proving premeditation.  Why didn't the media ask:  "How could this be?  What is the relevance to premeditation of a murder is a two year old domestic abuse incident?"

Now that the plea bargain has been made, why hasn't the local media asked questions about the evidence, forensic and otherwise, the scope and intensity of the investigation, including, but not limited to those I raised below?

[Was the victim asleep when the strangulation began?
Was an accelerant used in the arson?  If so, when and where was it purchased?
Was there evidence that the victim intended to leave the murderer?
Etc.
Etc.]

Also, why hasn't the media asked the question that is on the lips of almost all who I have heard discussing this case:  "Why is a confessed murderer and body burner out on bail while awaiting sentencing?"  WTF!  [Both PA William Thompson and Judge Brudie should have been asked that question.]  Given that Parks is out on bail, why haven't we learned from the media if he is being electronically monitored or not?

In the Sitler case, why didn't the media ask the many questions raised by the extreme sweetheart plea bargain in that case?  Questions including, but limited to:

Why was Sitler allowed to stay at his parents home in Stevens County, Washington for six months after there was clear probable cause for his arrest here?

Why did PA Thompson, with the urging and assistance of Douglas Wilson, convince the Stevens County PA [Wetle] (since removed from office) to drop charges of a similar nature against Sitler there, as part of Thompson's sweetheart agreement here?

Why did Sitler do only seven months soft time for admissions of child molestations much more numerous (both in terms of victims and incidents) compared to those that get anywhere from 10 years to life hard time for similar child molestations?

In the Hawkins water matter, why didn't the media ask Walther Steed about his long/prior to becoming a city councilperson and ongoing personal relationship with the Hawkins family?  A relationship that Steed did not reveal (and has not revealed to the city council in session as far as I know) while he was negotiating allegedly on behalf of the City of Moscow with the Hawkins Corporation to produce that now infamous and invalid sweetheart agreement for Hawkins.

Until the local media does more than just parrot public officials and public records, until they actively investigate and test the officials' assertions, explanations, and excuses, and then report their findings wherever they lead, we citizens are left without sufficient information and/or outrage to do anything about becoming more active in the political process and/or becoming more active about casting an educated vote.

I didn't know Sarah Parks personally.  From accounts of her friends and associates, it is clear that she was a person with a charming, infectious smile, many very endearing traits and talents, and those touched by her, especially children, were much happier and better off for that contact.  She would have undoubtedly been a very nurturing, loving mother.  Now she is nothing but dead, disassociated chemicals, thanks to brutal, cowardly, and lying murderer.

If we want to live in a county where there are a lesser number of Sarah Parks type and similar tragedies, then all of must be more willing to expend a bit more time, energy and money to improve the criminal justice system and other parts of our society which may help cause such tragedies.

This means:

Demanding that the media be much more penetrating and informative in their reporting of crime, trials, outcomes, and other issues;
Be willing to openly criticize inept, lazy, and/or corrupt public officials;
Be willing to encourage, support, and vote for skilled and honest public officials;
Be willing to support and retain judges who have the wisdom and courage to reject questionable plea bargains;
Be willing to demand competent, complete investigations of major crimes, particularly crimes against persons;
Be willing to demand that competent, honest, dedicated persons are in positions of PAs, judges, investigators, etc;
And most of all, be willing to pay taxes sufficient enough to attract and to keep well trained such officials.

I didn't know Sarah Parks personally.  But her horrifying and brutal murder, and what her murder has cost our community in terms of what her contributions might have been has touched me greatly.

Wayne A. Fox
1009 Karen Lane
PO Box 9421
Moscow, ID  83843

waf at moscow.com
208 882-7975

----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Matt Decker 
  To: deco at moscow.com ; vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Thursday, April 01, 2010 6:55 PM
  Subject: RE: [Vision2020] Whitewash

  Thompson has been a joke for years. But yet he keeps getting voted in. 

  MD

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  From: deco at moscow.com
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com
  Date: Thu, 1 Apr 2010 11:41:45 -0700
  Subject: [Vision2020] Whitewash

  Below is a Daily News article wherein PA William Thompson attempts to justify the plea bargain in the Parks Kill and Burn case.

  Thompson argues that because Judge Brudie disallowed evidence of domestic violence occurring two years ago, Thompson was left without evidence of premeditation.

  What a whitewash!!!

  What happened two years ago may be evidence of Parks' propensity to use violence against his victim, but how is it evidence of premeditation of the actual murder that took place? Two years later?  What a disgusting prevaricator Thompson is!

  There were/are other ways to attempt to discover evidence of premeditation, both by interviewing, careful investigation, and forensic analysis, for example: 

  Was the victim asleep when the strangulation began?
  Was an accelerant used in the arson?  If so, when and where was it purchased?
  Was there evidence that the victim intended to leave the murderer?
  Etc.
  Etc.

  Note:  'Sgt. James Fry, the investigating Moscow Police Department officer for the case, also was present during the mediation.  He said the plea agreement "was the best deal for the evidence that we had at the time..."

  Very interesting.

  Thompson's explanation for his cop out, (one of many in serious felony cases), is about as believable as his claim that "he was unaware of any public criticism from local residents in relation to the agreement."  

  Thompson's career as a PA after the departure of Robin Eckmann is nauseating display of ineptitude, lack of energetic diligence, taking the path of least resistance, and catering to special friends and interests in my opinion.

  I said it elsewhere:  If you want to commit murder with the least consequences (if any), do it in Latah County and have Judge Brudie hear the case.

  I cannot look at a photo of Sarah Parks [http://media.klewtv.com/images/Sarah_Parks_Gfx_KLEW.jpg]
  without feeling deep sadness for her, her friends and family, and feeling great anger towards her cowardly murderer and the criminal justice system which has failed us all again, and especially failed past, present, future victims of domestic violence.

  Wayne A. Fox
  1009 Karen Lane
  PO Box 9421
  Moscow, ID  83843

  waf at moscow.com
  208 882-7975

  ___________________________________________

  Prosecutor defends Parks case plea deal
  By Christina Lords Daily News Staff Writer

  Posted on: Thursday, April 01, 2010

  The prosecution's inability to use evidence relating to Silas Parks' criminal background played an integral role in a plea agreement reached between Latah County Prosecutor Bill Thompson and Parks' attorneys, Thompson said Wednesday.

  On Tuesday, Parks, 26, pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges for killing his wife, Sarah Parks, and their unborn daughter, Lilly Ann Parks, on June 24. 

  He also pleaded guilty to one count of first degree arson for setting their Moscow apartment on fire the day of the killings.

  Second District Court Judge Jeff M. Brudie last week denied the prosecution's motion to admit evidence relating to Parks' 2006 domestic violence case.

  Parks was initially charged with domestic battery in the 2006 case, but the charge was later amended to disturbing the peace.

  Brudie wrote in his opinion that "the court is simply unable to find that the 2006 domestic battery charge is relevant" to the June 24 murder case. Any evidence related to that case would not have been admissible at trial.

  "We were told none of the evidence in relation to (Parks') conduct could be used," Thompson said. "Those were important decisions for us to have from court to be able to assess, then, what we were going to be able to go (with) at trial."

  Thompson said with Parks' character evidence from the 2006 case, he had a provable case for premeditated homicide.

  Without that evidence, "there would be no background information to put his conduct into context in terms of premediation [sic]," he said.

  Thompson said the cost to Latah County to conduct a murder trial was not considered while making the plea agreement.

  "It was never a factor," he said. "Cost is never a factor in a case like this."

  Thompson said he was unaware of any public criticism from local residents in relation to the agreement. 

  "He's pleaded guilty to homicide," he said. "Anyone who doesn't understand that just doesn't understand what has occurred and what the crime is. ... (Parks) is facing the prospect of a substantial sentence."

  People need to remember the statutes applied to voluntary manslaughter and maximum prison sentences that apply to the case are decided by the Idaho Legislature and not the prosecuting attorney, Thompson said.

  "This is a horrible crime, particularly because it was completed by arson, but that doesn't change the facts," he said. "We have to apply the facts to the law."

  Parks' plea agreement was finalized during a mediation hearing with Nez Perce County Magistrate Judge Kent J. Merica on Tuesday.

  Thompson said the mediation took the majority of the day, and Merica met with the prosecution and defense separately.

  Parks and his attorneys, D. Ray Barker and Charles E. Kovis, met with Merica around 10 a.m. Tuesday.

  Barker said while he didn't feel comfortable discussing certain aspects of the plea agreement, he did say he thought the agreement was fair.

  "I think it's fair because there is no evidence of any homicide other than manslaughter," he said. 

  Sarah Parks' mother was on a conference call from Alabama as a representative of the family for the prosecution's portion of the mediation, Thompson said.

  "The biggest thing the family wants to know, and rightfully so, is what happened, what really happened," he said. "That is part of the (plea) agreement." 

  Thompson said the sentencing range Parks is facing - up to 40 years in prison for the three charges - was "actually more than what Sarah's family was asking for themselves."

  Sgt. James Fry, the investigating Moscow Police Department officer for the case, also was present during the mediation.

  He said the plea agreement "was the best deal for the evidence that we had at the time," Fry said.

  Christina Lords can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 301, or by e-mail to clords at dnews.com.

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