Birdsong's Law Blog

Birdsong’s daughter Krystal was a very good writer.  After her death in September 2008, we found her journals where she posted writings of her thoughts, songs she wrote, musings, and drafts of articles she wrote for the Barry University  newspaper.  Here is part of one  the articles she  wrote for the newspaper in October 2005.

The Circumcision Debate

Many students here at Barry are of the age when thoughts of the future begin to creep in.  Beginning potential careers, buying new cars/houses, starting a family, and possibly having children begin to figure into these plans.

For those of you considering having  children, have you decided whether or not to get your future sons circumcised?  the issue might  have never popped into your mind, but this is a huge question that has sparked much debate within families as well as the world of social science today.

in the 1960′s the rate of male circumcision in the U.S. was about 95%.  Today it is around 60%  What has sparked this dramatic decrease?  paradigm shifts

Waterbury, CN: A female employee at at a Connecticut police academy got just what she asked for.  License and Applications analyst Rochelle Wyler got annoyed when a fellow worker, ex-Waterbury Police Captain Francis Woodruff, called her a “clerk,”  She responded, “Bite me!”  He did, police said.  On her arm.  He was charged with disorderly conduct.

CHOMP!

South Carolina:  Recently a  funeral director in this state  was stripped of his license after he came up with the creepiest solution to an unusual situation — a corpse too big to fit in the coffin. 

FROM HERO TO ZERO IN JUST THREE DAYS!

Date Line: June 3, 2009

Shirley, NY: A masked robber waving a baseball bat entered the Long Island convenience store of Mohammad Sohail and demanded money stating, “Give me your money, give me your money.”  Instead of giving the thief money Sohail told the man the money was behind the counter.  Once behind the counter Sohail pulled out his 9 mm rifle and demanded that the thief drop his bat and kneel on the ground.  Not knowing the rifle was unloaded the thief fell to his knees and began sobbing crying out:  ”I’m sorry, I’m sorry.  I  have no job.  I have no food.  My family is hungry.”  Feeling sorry for the man Sohail, a 47- year old immigrant from Pakistan asked the thief to promise he would never rob anyone again.  Sohail then went to the cash register and gave the man $40 and a loaf of bread.  He then went to get him a carton of milk.  By the time he returned the thief had left the store.  He took his baseball bat with him.

Date Line: June 4, 2009

Shirley, NY: Yes, kindness brings further kindness.   Upon hearing of  the Long Island convenience store owner who gave a would be robber $40 and a loaf of bread, dozens of well wishers called and visited Mohammad at his Shirley store.  One caller told Sohail he was sending him a check for the $40 he had given to the robber.  The day before Mohammad, faced with threats of a bat wielding robber, disarmed the man with his 9 mm rifle which he kept in the store.  The rifle was not loaded.  When the robber pleaded he had no money and could not feed his family Sohail gave the man $40 and a loaf of bread.  The story has spread across the world at the speed of the Internet.

Date Line June 5, 2009

Shirley, NY: The convenience owner who became an overnight, worldwide sensation for giving a would be robber money and a loaf of bread has been busted for selling bongs and other smoking paraphernalia.

Birdsong brings you a few more funny and weird crim law stories..

Detroit, MI:  As much as everyone dislikes the IRS this is still nasty.  An employee at the tax service’s Detroit office had been urinating in a freight elevator for months causing $4,600 in cleanup costs.  Treasury agents said Michael Hicks did it “because he felt he could get away with it.”  He has been charged with damaging federal property.

Imagine how much more it might’ve cost if he also had decided to poop…

Missouri: A soldier has gotten out of bigamy charges after claiming that he suffered post traumatic stress disorder in Iraq — and forgot that he was married when he got home.  William Rivera got a new bride in Missouri after the war — and his original wife found out about it when she saw a feature story about his second marriage on TV.  Rivera told officials he was so haunted by the war, he thought he had been divorced.  All charges against him were dropped.

Bet his new wife ain’t very happy!

Knoxville, TN: This just in for the upcoming Father’s Day.  Desmond Hatchett, a 29-year old in Knoxville  has fathered 21 children with 11 women — a probable U.S. record.  The children range in age from newborn to 11.  Hatchett’s extended family came to light recently when authorities took him to court for failing to pay child support.  He said 21 kids are enought, adding, I’m done!”

Gosh..we sure hope so.  What a lot of mouths to feed.

Pennsylvania:  This one is about heavy petting.  A 66 year old Pennsylvania man was arrested after he admitted to his relatives that he was having  a sexual relationship with the family dog.  Robert John Ward — a previously convicted sex offender — was jailed after Police performed a human rape kit exam on the canine to prove that she had been molested!

SICKO!

Vassalboro, ME:  A waitress at a topless doughnut shop in Maine was spotted “in uniform” — meaning out of her shirt — away from the business, authorities said.  A state trooper was sent to the Grand View Topless Coffee Shop in Vassalboro after someone called in a complaint.  No one was charged but the matter  has been turned over to the DA for review.

Sure!  The DA needs to examine the photographic evidence.