Politics or Problems?

Pollwatcher;

You haven't been watching too well. This was discussed quite extensively in a blog titled 'Unethical'. The comments on this 'news' item start on the 21st.

If they have a problem with the Sheriff on this one I think they may be looking in the wrong direction.

I still haven't heard why this memo might have been 'leaked' or who was responsible for it. Have you? Or would revealing that information not be in line with your agenda in posting this link? Just curious.

Mike Heemer

After almost 4 months of paid leave somebody should leak something so they can work this out.

I think another incident happened in the jail that took a long time to work it out too at the Sheriff's Dept.

Don't worry that's taxpayers money they are wasting.

Mike H.

The information I've been able to assimilate is that the Sheriff's internal affairs department has not had a chance to perform their work in this matter because the State has not completed its investigation. As soon as the State does complete it's investigation, the Sheriff will have some leeway into determining the innocence or guilt of the officer involved.

The "opposition" knew this and launched a nuclear attack prior to its report.

Look for the Clay County's Sheriff's Office to confirm the allegations against the officer.

Karen Lake

This situation has been around since Oct. 2007. Even a dummy could have checked this out in that time. How does a "secret' memo get passed to the SAO, then FDLE Tallahassee, then back to the SAO then back to the S.O. for months without someone having the "boys" to ask the hard questions?Do not jump to conclusions about politics too soon.Now we are expected to believe that the Sheriff is going to investigate himself (you see he could be accused of obstructing the investigation) such as when he told his subordinates to look elsewhere (avoid certain aspects) during the investigation.Seems like the last time he was faced with investigating a sheriff (as the Chief SAO investigator) his subordinate leaked documents and with some help from the media arranged for a Grand Jury. Why are we not hearing someone ask for a Grand Jury investigation here? How does a citizen get a Grand Jury investigation started.Sure, I would like the man replaced but do not talk the politics of the case. The case is the case and no amount of politics should enter into it. Lets see the cards on the table. Let these allegations be investigated in a timely manner. Beseler just bought himself another 60 days (stalling) by claiming that he is conducting an internal, see statute.The supervisors should begin eating each other any day.

Adiossheriff,

I appreciate your viewpoint. Time will tell the story. I'm a patient person and look forward to a full review of the facts.

That's the beauty of politics...it'll all play out, for everyone.

Karen Lake

Key..... I'm a patient person also, but 5 months..geesh! From what I read sure seems like a lot of wasted time and money, sorta like playing leap frog.  So, who is actually conducting the investigation now? 

Stryker

A friend of mine pointed out the myclaysun blogs.  Since I am new, I am surprised that I would be criticized for my "intentions" in sending this in.  If it was discussed under another blog than yes I missed it.  Also, since someone else obviously brought it up before me, why did I get accused through inuendo that I have an alterior motive?

I have a problem wtih the Sheriff in this story.  It seems that a deputy put their job in jeapoardy to write this letter (whether it is true or not).  So, I ask myself why would someone put their job in jeapoardy to tell a lie?  Makes me believe its probably true.

If the Sheriff really did cover this up, shame shame shame!  Why was the letter leaked? I dont know.  But, I simply cant believe that someone would risk losing their job by writing a letter and telling lies to leak it to the press and most certainly get fired.  So, I must admit it makes me think there is more truth to the letter than politics.  If the letter is true, it looks like a leak to make someone actually do an investigation that may have been stopped. 

I want to know what the state attoreny's office says.  The letter said the Sheriff stopped the investigation.  The Sheriff says he was looking for other avenues, but is waiting for the state.  That confuses me.  Which is it?  Are you looking for other avenues or are you waiting for someone else to do your investigation?

As I stated in the other blog. I would like to say I am very familiar with Jim Schoettler's work as a reporter. I find him to be a very credible reporter. An excellent investigative journalist and he has a history to draw from of issues he's tackled in this area. I respect his work.

I don't think he would have written the story if he didn't have enough credible evidence to go forward with the story.

I think you are asking very relevant questions concerning the matter.

When you are new on the blogs its easy to miss some things.

Adios the Sheriff will never investigate himself. Obstruction is a serious crime.

Link to a story concerning the Detroit Mayor

http://www.mlive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/03/update_1150_am_detroit_mayor_k.html

Jim Schoettler is without doubt the T.U 's best reporter and Clay owes him alot

From what I have been able to determine over the past week or so, this is only the tip of the iceberg.  I am looking forward to future reports.  If what I have heard is true, it looks like Sheriff Beseler may have his own grand jury investigation.

I've seen some public records that may indicate you are right. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Before the Sheriff’s Office can conduct its own internal investigation to determine if agency polices or procedures where violated the criminal investigation has to be resolved. Garrity vs. New Jersey. That’s why the deputy has been sitting at home for five months because the Sheriff’s Office is trying to get an independent investigation conducted on the criminal allegations.

U.S. Supreme CourtGARRITY v. NEW JERSEY, 385 U.S. 493 (1967) 385 U.S. 493 GARRITY ET AL. v. NEW JERSEY.
APPEAL FROM THE SUPREME COURT OF NEW JERSEY.
No. 13.
Argued November 10, 1966.
Decided January 16, 1967.

http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/printer_friendly.pl?page=us/385/493.html

Thanks Magnum for the information.

I was as pollwatcher wondering what Beseler's statements meant when he said:

Beseler said he never tried to obstruct the investigation. "We were looking for other avenues to pursue," he said.

What other avenues can there be other than you wait for the State Attorney's Office to complete the investigation and decide if criminal charges will be place on the person?

I have been keeping up with the Jax Journey and the committees they are having to work on the crime problems in Jax.

This story was in the TU today. Shorstein seemed offended for taking so long. There are some people with some good credentials on those committees.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/033008/met_263132477.shtml

This was another story because the State of Florida as a whole is having jail overcrowding problems. I do like the suggestions of more community services for drug treatment programs and mental health program versus just putting all these people in jail. They also have a device that can monitor people waiting for trial with lowers bails but requires the person on bail to pay for each day they are monitored.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/032808/met_262502212.shtml

It has been interesting watching this a lot of people with great credentials on the committees.

Magnum;

Again, thanks for the input. I'll take a chance of getting myself in trouble but it won't be the first time.

Anything I see from adiossheriff I almost always disregard or at least disagree with because it so anti Beseler as to be suspect at best.

There are a couple of others that come in a close second when the subject is Beseler.

I on the other hand sometimes sound like a total Beseler acolyte. This is not true but I can see how those that don't want to hear anything but praise for Taylor could think so.

My stance is not so much 'for' Beseler as it is 'against' people that can't come up with anything good to say about Taylor but they can spend pages trying to convince people how bad Beseler is.

I don't agree with that type of politics and if people read what I say and how I say it they could pretty much figure that out. Actually I think most have except those that don't want to. It is easier to call me a Taylor basher than it is to actually put some effort into answering some fairly easy questions.

As someone else said, I have yet to see anyone come on here and tell me what Taylor has done to make him a better choice than any other candidate.

They spend hundreds of words telling me how any other candidate (especially Beseler) is a worse choice than Taylor. Why is that? Is that the best they can come up with? Is that all there is to Taylor is that the others are a worse choice. That he is the lesser of all the evils?

What are Taylor's positives? Where is his substance? What can he provide that the others can't? Answer me these and I'll listen like any reasonable person. Until then mostly it is political clap trap that makes their candidate look bad.

Mike Heemer

Going through some old blogs and found the old Deputy Barber case.

Key2Life theorized that the S.O. would find him guilty of something. They did not.

Not because he is innocent but because admitting Barber did something illegal points a finger toward the Sheriff when he tried (and did) interfere with his own narcotics officers investigation.

The deputy is back to work.  Comforting huh?

So now two murders and one drug dealing deputy are free due to incompetence.