Category: law enforcement

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Albuquerque Hossencofft KRQE law enforcement New Mexico News school shootings video

Retired police sergeant on school shootings, NRA, police body cams and unclaimed property

This week Beyond 90 Seconds interviewed retried Albuquerque police sergeant Dan Klein. 

These days, Klein writes opinion pieces for a New Mexico news blog.

Klein has been interviewed by Rolling Stone for a story about police body cameras.

He is also an expert concerning unclaimed property, and owns a business that specializes in putting unclaimed property back in the hands of its rightful owners.

Host Mark Horner has known Klein for about 20 years. They first met when Horner worked as television journalist in Albuquerque in the 1990’s.

This interview was streamed live on YouTube on Saturday, March 3, 2018.

 

NOTE: Interview begins at 5:13

Related links:

ABQreport

USA Locators LLC

 

Time Codes for topics in interview:

5:13  Introductory remarks

7:36   Klein talks about writing for Albuquerque Free Press and Albuquerque Reports

8:39   Klein talks about his latest column about gun violence & fear

9:14   Parkland, Florida shooting

10:23 Klein:  “fear response” and “overreaction”

10:55 Virginia Tech

12:42 International terrorism

13:32 Klein on TSA & Homeland Security “overreaction”

14:12 Michigan policeman & wife shot by son

14:40 Klein on MSM analysts who speculate

15:42 Horner uses University of Arizona’s Sean Miller as example

16:22 Klein on media & politician mentions of mental illness in shootings

19:33 Klein on the NRA & gun laws

20:53 Klein on school shootings

22:32 Police body cameras

23:29  Klein on ACLU

23:55 Can you ask police to turn off body cam in your home?

24:38 Body cam video is a public record & anyone can request it

25:03 Klein: But Feds won’t wear body cameras

25:59 James Boyd shooting caught on body cam

26:24 Klein on his interview with Rolling Stone re Boyd shooting

29:40 When the public attempts to video police

32:07 Horner on the vulnerable & wrongly accused

 33:29  Klein: Prosecutors focused on “wins & losses,” not justice

36:21 Klein: Rarely hear DA say, “That was a bad arrest…”

36:59 Klein: “Places like Ferguson, Missouri” where PD budget is funded by fines

38:57 Illegal to film farms?

40:03 Unclaimed property segment begins

41:53 Klein explains unclaimed property & his connection to it

43:10 Klein: NY, TX and CA each sits on $10 billion in unclaimed property

44:24 CA changed law to “drill out” safe deposit boxes earlier

45:37 Klein on insurance companies & unclaimed property

46:25 Klein says Colorado is “ignoring its own statute” re unclaimed property

47:18 Horner “paints a picture” of Klein’s job re unclaimed property

48:25 Klein explains extent of work done by his company, USA Locators LLC

49:53 Klein on finding about large sum that belonged to homeless man

50:28 Klein on difference between probate law in New York & New Mexico

52:53 Klein on connecting Gerber life insurance policy with man whose wife & daughter were killed

56:31 The “Andy Griffith” unclaimed property case

58:26 Klein says he’s a different person now than when a police sergeant

58:45 Klein on what it was like working for police union after retiring

59:58 Klein on if you get a letter from USA Locators LLC or USA Finders Services LLC

1:02:59 Klein on how much due diligence he feels states apply to finding owners of unclaimed property

1:04:15 Klein on the need for “baby steps” with gun legislation

1:05:18 Klein on Florida legislature & Parkland students

1:06:30 Klein quotes Winston Churchill re Americans

1:08:24 Klein says he’s not disparaging the Parkland students

1:10:32 Klein on Newtown, Connecticut Sandy Hook Elementary shooting

1:13:09 Klein on why Parkland remains on the “front burner” in news coverage

1:14:18 Klein on President Trump and NRA

1:15:38 Klein:  “Why aren’t we talking about Michigan?”

1:15:58 Klein cites numbers re violent deaths and suicides by guns

1:17:07 Horner on context, mentions Kent State shooting

1:18:00 Klein quizzes Horner, asking, How many school shootings have occurred this year?

1:18:39 Klein cites Everytown for Gun Safety’s definition of school shooting

1:20:18 Klein asks, What makes school shootings more important than thousands of other gun deaths?

1:20:47 Klein brings up Western Europe’s low homicide rate

1:22:14 Klein shares what he feels the first “baby step” should be re gun legislation

1:24:15 Klein on why the DUI / DWI issue will “solve itself”

1:24:58 Horner wonders where states will draw funding when there’s no longer much fuel tax revenue

1:26:09 Conversation now on technology & alternative transportation such as ride share, Uber

1:27:45 Horner recommends the book, The Inevitable by Kevin Kelly

1:28:10 Klein on number 1 reason APD officers are disciplined (says it concerns body cameras)

1:29:20 Klein on “the problem with Taser” (now Axon)

1:32:23 Klein on the “big money” with body cameras: cloud storage

1:32:43 Klein expresses concerns about evidence being stored on cloud via third party companies such as evidence.com (Klein says it’s owned by Taser)

1:37:20 Amazon Web Services cloud storage

1:38:16 Microsoft or Google in fight with federal government re servers in Ireland

1:38:50 On third party cloud, is there a chain of custody issue challenge?

1:41:11 Parting thoughts

Categories
Albuquerque firearms Grand Jury guns law enforcement New Mexico News police video

A tale of two shootings: Albuquerque and Ferguson

Guest Commentary

Daniel Klein
Guest columnist Daniel Klein is a retired Albuquerque (NM) police sergeant. He worked for APD for twenty years.

by Daniel Klein

Ferguson and Albuquerque: two nice towns that have been all over the news for reasons that would make their Chambers of Commerce cry.

ALBUQUERQUE

Albuquerque had the high-profile James Boyd police shooting. It was caught on video.

Boyd, a mentally ill homeless man, was killed by APD officers in March of 2014.

But the Boyd case is not the APD shooting that I think uniquely contrasts with Ferguson’s.

More on that in a moment.

FERGUSON

Ferguson had the Michael Brown police shooting in August. It was not caught on video.

In the Brown case, a grand jury investigation considered statements from several witnesses.

Some of those statements support the officer’s account.

Some do not.

So many “experts” (i.e. politicians, attorneys and media members) were quick to question how witnesses in the Brown case could tell such different versions of the same event; many  whom hold  expert opinions seemed to push forward a growing sentiment that a conspiracy was unfolding.

I understand that politicians, attorneys and journalists don’t have to take courses in crime scene investigation, but this lack of comprehension is outrageous and often reckless.

CAMERAS

Why do we have so many cameras watching every play in the NFL? Because each camera will tell a different story.

Why is it so hard for the media, attorneys, politicians and the public to understand this?

POINTS OF VIEW

The Ferguson shooting case should have witnesses with differing points of view. If it didn’t, then I would begin to wonder if some sort of grand conspiracy had been unleashed.

This strikes me as common sense.

But, so often, it seems lost in the rush to blast-out inflammatory headlines; an emblazoned path with oft-scorched truths and buried facts, its twists and turns primarily aimed at shaking loose the most advertising dollars.

So let me make a definitive statement regarding all of the witnesses of the Ferguson shooting: they are all probably correct in what they witnessed (unless they intentionally lied to the grand jury).

No two people are going to view the same incident exactly the same way.  That is why we have the grand jury review all of the information from witnesses. Just like NFL replay.

Back to the original point of this column.

MORE IN COMMON THAN MOST REALIZE

Albuquerque and Ferguson have far more in common concerning the Brown shooting than many likely realize.

Just five days before the Ferguson shooting—now famous for the “hands up, don’t shoot” slogan—the Albuquerque area had a police shooting that bears an eerie resemblance to the Ferguson’s.

This Albuquerque shooting began with a call to dispatch reporting road rage.

A man had rammed his ex-girlfriend’s car.

Once the car was disabled, the man tried to run the woman over, narrowly missing her.

As a Bernalillo County Deputy drove up to the scene, he was attacked while still inside his police vehicle.

Twice, the ex-boyfriend rammed his truck into the deputy’s police unit, pinning the deputy inside.

After the second ramming, the ex-boyfriend jumped out of this truck and was shot and killed by the deputy (who was injured and pinned inside his car).

At the moment he was shot, the ex-boyfriend had his hands up.

Does that mean he was surrendering?

Just because someone has their hands in the air, does that mean they are giving up?  That this violence they have brought to bear upon others has ended?

I don’t believe that’s always the case.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO

Just as in Ferguson, many witnesses will see the event from their own viewpoint, but this shooting in Albuquerque had one big difference.

It was recorded by a surveillance camera.

Everyone can see the incident from the viewpoint of the camera.

I would ask the reader to watch this video and then ask, Does hands up mean don’t shoot?

Do you think the ex-boyfriend was no longer a threat to the deputy who was injured and trapped inside his patrol car?

Watch this video and put yourself in the officer’s position.

See if you conclude that there was a lot more going on than just “hands up, don’t shoot.”

WHAT DO YOU SEE?

 

 

I think the entire nation should take a step back from making any decisions about Ferguson until we have thoroughly read the entire grand jury report.

I recognize that asking journalists, attorneys, politicians and citizens to take a step back and reasonably review the investigation won’t sell advertising and won’t stir the passions of civil discontent, but it might make all of us seem a bit more intelligent.

To those who do take pride in your reputation and don’t act hastily, I make one more request: demand that your friends, family and media do the same.

We will all be better off when we don’t blindly allow ourselves to be manipulated by the media, talking head politicians, our friends and family.

Research, review and think for yourself.

(Note: Additional video and information concerning last August’s shooting in Albuquerque can be found at KRQE-TV.)

Categories
law enforcement News police Washington weapons

Double shooting suspect shot after high-speed chase / Raw video, photos

Update:  Man shot by police last month in Mukilteo dies / The Herald (Everett), March 18, 2014

INVESTIGATORS

•Pursuit stretched from Camano Island to Mukilteo
•Speed topped 100mph

(Mukilteo, WA)  On a Sunday mid-afternoon in western Washington, a high-speed chase that covered parts of two counties was but one episode in a dramatic string of violent, dangerous acts that reportedly started—then ended—with gunfire.

First came the call around 3:15pm reporting that a man and woman had been shot on Camano Island.

In very short order, police were in pursuit of the suspect; a 34-year-old man driving a Toyota Camry.

The suspect reportedly put the pedal to the metal, reaching speeds above 100mph as he drove southbound on Interstate-5, and then on SR 526 as he  drove west toward the Mukilteo ferry dock.

The chase finally ended at 53rd Avenue West and 88th Street  Southwest in Mukilteo.

The (Everett) Herald reports that police bumped the suspect’s vehicle (PIT maneuver), causing it to spin out of control.

At least one neighbor has told local media that the suspect was shot after he pulled a gun on officers.

According to news reports, the wanted man was breathing when transported to a local hospital.

*note:  A medic vehicle was leaving the scene just as I arrived.  I rushed to get my camera and shot video of that vehicle leaving the scene (first 2 shots in video below).  While I have no confirmation, I think it’s probable that the wounded suspect was in that vehicle, en route to the hospital.

Raw Video


Scanner Audio (courtesy Daron Johnson)

*Special thanks to:

– Bill Gillam for his excellent tweeting about this pursuit (it’s what tipped me off to it).

– Daron Johnson (@SnoCo_Scanner) and Andrew Kim (@andrewkim101) for their support.

 

 

Categories
Albuquerque books Hossencofft law enforcement Mark Horner mysteries New Mexico News

Girly Chew Hossencofft remembered 10 years after her murder

AUDIO: Former prosecutor Paul Spiers shares memories of “no body” case (runs 53:07)

[hr]
Girly_1

(Text of audio’s introductory remarks)

Welcome to Beyond90Seconds.com.  I’m Mark Horner.

As I sit at my desk at home this evening…recording these words…I do so thinking about a murder that began to unfold exactly 10 years ago tonight.

For it was right around this time…on the evening of September 9, 1999…that a woman named Girly Chew Hossencofft was kidnapped from her Albuquerque apartment…

Her final breaths unfolding…along with the unspeakable acts that investigators believe led up to her death…and, in an even more grotesque fashion, the acts they say immediately followed Girly’s death.

You see…Girly Chew Hossencofft’s body…her remains, really…still have not been found.

Paul_Spiers_1

But the evidence…the bloodstained tarp…the ninja sward…the saliva mixed with her blood…well, the prosecution, the police…they say it speaks volumes.

The man Girly was divorcing—the diabolical, severely impish, Diazien Hossencofft… is doing life in prison…So is his girlfriend, Linda Henning…a believer in the teachings of David Icke…to include the belief that many of our world’s leaders are, in their view, shape-shifting, blood-thirsty reptilians…who prefer nothing more than the drink of “starfire”…found within the blood of a freshly killed menstruating woman.

A third person in this case…the guy investigators claimed was the muscle behind the murder…was never convicted of anything resembling the gravity of all of that.  Instead…Bill Miller pleaded guilty to a few misdemeanors related to the tampering of evidence.  He got credit for time served….about 7 weeks in jail.

In fact, Miller’s filed suit against three of the investigators, essentially claiming he was the victim of their “malicious prosecution.”

The suit struck-out in one court.  But the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals recently kicked it back for for another go-round…due to what you might say amounts to a technicality:  The lower court’s addressing the allegations (from Miller) separately…rather than collectively as a single claim.

But back to Girly…for it is all too often that we forget the victim in cases of murder…and other severely brutal crimes…but not tonight.  Not now.

And I assure you the significance of this night is not lost on many people.

To include the lead prosecutor in the case: Paul Spiers.

Earlier today…I spoke with Spiers by telephone.

Shortly after the 2002 Linda Henning trial…Spiers left the DA’s office in New Mexico and went to work for the United States Attorneys’ Office in Albuquerque.   That is where he continues to work to this day as an Assistant US Attorney.

I now share our recorded, unedited, conversation.

I won’t even begin to further lay-out the extremely widespread facts of the case…but feel free to google Hossencofft…H-O-DOUBLE-S-E-N-C-O-DOUBLE-F-T.  Or you might even choose to visit the website I started back in October of 1999…dedicated to this case.  You can find that website at septembersacrifice.com.  That’s H-O-S-S.  If you want even more information, you can feel free to look up my book, September Sacrifice. The book is also available on Amazon.

One disclaimer before we hear from Mr. Spiers:  The views he expresses during our conversation are not necessarily the views of the Department of Justice or the United States Attorneys’ Office. He was  speaking to me not as an Assistant US Attorney…rather,  he spoke to me in a personal capacity.

Now, with that said…I’ll share that our discussion began with my mention of this…the 10th anniversary of Girly’s disappearance.  Does Paul Spiers find this benchmark date especially meaningful?

(Please click “play” button at beginning of this post in order to hear the unedited interview with Paul Spiers).

Paul_Spiers_2

note:  Over the years that transpired during the Hossencofft case, I took hundreds of photographs during my time spent reporting on the investigation and court proceedings.  This all started before digital cameras were mainstream.  So, a typical day involved shooting film, then rushing to TJ’s Camera & One Hour Photo on Tramway Boulevard immediately after work at KRQE-TV (and, in later years, after work at KOB-TV).   I suppose that’s a long-winded way of saying that I also shot a lot of pictures of the large-scale search for Girly’s body conducted west of Magdalena, New Mexico on June 24 & 25, 2000.  You can find 50 of those pictures here.

Unlike that big search in June of 2000, another attempt to locate Girly’s body on the outskirts of Magdalena went undetected by the media.  I had recently become unemployed as my contract had not been renewed at KRQE.  But that didn’t stop me from showing-up at the small scale search on July 7, 2000. Please click here to see pictures from that day (I started work at KOB about a week or so after these pictures were taken).

Categories
Beyond 90 Seconds churches cults law enforcement New Mexico Strong City video Wayne Bent

Day 3: Reporter’s updates from Wayne Bent trial

NM vs. Wayne Bent / December 10, 2008

jojola_1KOB-TV Investigative Reporter Jeremy Jojola continues to make contributions here as a special correspondent to Beyond90Seconds.com. Jojola’s e-mails, text, pics and even some of his Twitter updates will appear below.  I’ll also include the time (MST) the information was sent to this blog.

9:03am (MST)

Trial is about to resume.  Audio recording of alleged victims will be allowed, but no video.  I’ll keep you updated with testimony.

9:21am (MST)

17 yr old alleged victim on stand.  Smiled at Bent when she walked in.

10:06am (MST)
(Jeremy Jojola just phoned to say that court is taking a five-minute recess after the alleged victim “Healed” began crying on the stand, ultimately proclaiming her love for “Michael”.  My conversation with Jojola was a short one, but I’ll post the audio of Jeremy’s report shortly.)

10:38am (MST)
(About 15 minutes ago, I posted a story about an ABC News “exclusive” with Wayne Bent.  I’ve already updated that post with some “analysis”.)

11:07am (MST)
(The following link is podcast featuring Jeremy Jojola’s phone report to Beyond90Seconds.com at 10:02 this morning (MST)).

Jeremy Jojola interview (3)

11:39am (MST)
(from Jeremy Jojola’s Twitter page.)

2nd alleged victim on stand. 4 minutes ago

Alleged Victim: Lying naked with Michael (Bent) gave me an anchor 21 minutes ago

Alleged victim: Nothing sexual w/ Michael (Bent), says naked encounter religious experience 39 minutes ago

Alleged victim remains on stand. Her journal introduced as evidence about 1 hour ago
Alleged victim cries on stand: “I love Michael,” claims she wanted to be naked w/ God about 1 hour ago

Alleged victim: I know in my heart what Michael (Bent) was saying was true about 2 hours ago

17 yr. old allleged victim on stand. Smiled at Bent in courtroom. about 2 hours ago

12:27pm (MST)
(Court has recessed for lunch. Just conducted phone interview with Jeremy Jojola that went about 10-minutes.  Will post it here shortly.  Jojola recaps this morning’s testimony from two alleged victims and much more.)

12:45 (MST)
(VIDEO:  Jeremy Jojola’s noon live report for KOB-TV appears below.  His audio interview w/Beyond90Seconds.com will be posted shortly.)

1:16pm (MST)

(AUDIO:  Jeremy Jojola’s phone report to Beyond90Seconds.com filed at 12:11pm MST can be heard by clicking on the the link below.)

Jeremy Jojola interview (4)

1:39pm (MST)
(Jeremy Jojola has just informed me that court just took a very brief recess after Bent’s attorney expressed concerns about “inaccurate” reporting.  Apparently, a juror has also raised a concern that he/she may have been shown in a news report.  Please stay tuned…)

1:42pm (MST)
(Thought some of you might find the coverage interesting from the Taos News:  Article, Gallery.)

2:04pm (MST)
(AUDIO:  Jeremy Jojola tells Beyond90Seconds.com that defense attorney Sarah Montoya has just voiced a few concerns about media coverage.)

Jeremy Jojola interview (5)

2:21pm (MST)
(Jeremy Jojola’s most recent Twitter post.)

Dr. Elizabeth Dinsmore: victims “groomed” by Bent in the same manner as a sexual predator 11 minutes ago

3:40pm (MST)
(AUDIO:  Jeremy Jojola files another interesting report about the Wayne Bent trial during an afternoon recess. The report was filed at 2:56pm MST.  Issues addressed include state’s expert witness who just finished testifying and media coverage; to include mention of interview defense attorney previously gave to Beyond90Seconds.com.)

Jeremy Jojola interview (6)

3:43pm (MST)

Benavidez is still here.  That young guy I talked about. His name is Emilio something. I’ll get it by end of Day.

3:59pm (MST)
(In Jojola’s most recent audio interview (above), he refers to my November 3, 2008 interview with Bent’s attorney, Sarah Montoya.  You can find a link to the audio interview with Ms. Montoya in my post headlined, “Wayne Bent’s attorney speaks out.” The unedited interview runs 39:09.)

4:28pm (MST)
(Just a note here to let you know that I’ve just added Jojola’s 12/9/08 6pm to yesterday’s post titled, “Day 2:  Reporter’s updates from Wayne Bent trial”.  The report features interviews with former members of Bent’s church; Johnny Miller and Allen Armstrong.

4:29pm (MST)

Emilio Chavez is his name.

5:05pm (MST)
(Jeremy Jojolo posted the following on Twitter about one hour ago.)

Bent’s attorney is asking court to dismiss charges. State says it has met it’s burden of proof. Update to come soon on this motion.

5:42pm (MST)
(Jeremy Jojola posted the following on Twitter three minutes ago.)

Judge does NOT grant motion to dismiss Bent’s charges. Today, sex abuse expert says Bent may have groomed teens like a sex predator.

6:31pm (MST)
(Jeremy Jojola posted the following on Twitter 38 minutes ago.)

Bent trial resumes tomorrow at 9 am sharp. Bent yet to testify.

12:54am (MST)
(AUDIO:  Shortly after the third day of the Wayne Bent trial concluded, Jeremy Jojola filed a report with Beyond90Seconds.com at 6:40pm MST. You can listen to it by clicking the link directly below).

Jeremy Jojola interview (7)

Day 1: Updates on Wayne Bent case from Taos courthouse
Day 2: Reporter’s updates from Wayne Bent trial
Day 3: Reporter’s updates from Wayne Bent trial
Day 4: Reporter’s updates from Wayne Bent trial
Day 5: Reporter’s updates from Wayne Bent trial

Categories
B.C. mystery feet British Columbia Canada forensics law enforcement mysteries mystery feet News RCMP Royal Canadian Mounted Police true crime unsolved unsolved mysteries

Foot found on Michigan beach

POLICE TURNING TO RCMP IN B.C. FOR HELP

(August 1)  A human foot encased in a sock and size 10 Reebok sandal was found washed-up on a Lake Huron (Michigan) beach this week.  Investigators already have a few missing persons cases that may, ultimately, help solve the mystery.

One of those cases, according to the globeandmail.com, concerns the “mysterious” drowning of a Detroit lawyer in August 2005.

Still, investigators are not ruling-out the possibility that the Michigan case is connected to the “mystery feet” that have washed ashore in British Columbia:

The Michigan foot joins five detached feet that have washed up in B.C. in the past year, sparking a police and forensic investigation and heated speculation as to their origins. Two of the feet belong to the same person, and a third belonged to a man who went missing from the Lower Mainland a few years ago.

“I’m not going to discount any possibilities at this point,” Det. Sgt. Harshberger said, “including that this has something to do with what’s happened up there in Canada. … We’ll certainly be looking to investigators there for some guidance on this one.”

The most likely source of the foot, he said, is Charles (Chuck) Rutherford, 35, who is presumed dead along with his girlfriend, Lana Ann Stempien, also 35. The couple reportedly drowned on a boat trip that started in Belle River, Ont., a lake community near Windsor, in August, 2005. –globeandmail.com

The Lake Huron foot has been taken to a Michigan State Police Crime Lab.  The foot’s DNA is expected to be compared to the DNA profiles of missing persons and unidentified bodies.

*To read the Beyond90Seconds.com archives concerning the B.C. mystery feet, please click here.

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