The Gulf Coast Sur-Realist has obtained permission from Roger Shuler, a renowned investigative journalist, to reproduce his article here for your enlightenment. You can keep up with his writings on legalschnauzer which is a link off to the right. Now you will be able to see that I far from being alone in my opinions.
Henry Wingate: Portrait of a Corrupt Judge January 28, 2008
Let's return for a moment to the subject of U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate, who ramrodded the Paul Minor case in Mississippi.Scott Horton, of Harper's, recently completed a two-part series on the Minor case, focusing on former Mississippi state judge Wes Teel (one of three defendants in the Minor case). Horton's searing account reveals to a national audience what we have shown to our Legal Schnauzer audience--that Judge Wingate butchered the Minor case in a way that almost had to be intentional.Horton called some of Wingate's rulings "breathtaking" and "unconscionable." Given that three innocent men are in federal prison because of Wingate's actions, I would say Horton was being charitable. Terms such as "malicious," "despicable," "corrupt," and "wicked" might be a better fit. Give me time, and I will think of a few more adjectives.
But here is the point: Henry Wingate, because of his unlawful rulings in the Paul Minor case, has become a truly historic figure.I've been a professional journalist for almost 30 years, and before that, I was an inveterate newspaper reader. (OK, I admit my "pre-professional" newspaper-reading days consisted mostly of reading the sports section, the comics, and Ann Landers. But hey, that's a start, right?)I certainly don't claim to have perfect knowledge when it comes to news coverage of justice matters. But I don't ever recall reading a story where a judge has so clearly been shown to be corrupt in his actions on the bench.Oh sure, there have been cases where judges have been shown to be "on the take" in behind-the-scenes ways. The Operation Greylord case in Chicago comes to mind.But I don't recall another case where a judge was so clearly, and almost certainly so intentionally, committing fraud right there in the broad daylight of open court. And in a high-profile case, no less.
How did Wingate do it? By making unlawful rulings that essentially prevented defendants Minor, Teel, and John Whitfield from putting on a defense. And by giving jury instructions on bribery and honest-services mail fraud that did not even come close to reflecting what the law actually is. The end result? Paul Minor, Wes Teel, and John Whitfield are political prisoners--in the good ole US of A.Eventually, I think U.S. District Judge Mark Fuller, who oversaw/ramrodded the Don Siegelman case in Alabama, will be shown to be Wingate's equal when it comes to corruption. But so far, because no trial transcript exists, it's impossible to know just what hanky-panky Fuller might have pulled.Most of the criticism of Fuller has come because of his many apparent conflicts in the Siegelman case--and because the case had what appears to be an unlawful result. But I'm not aware of anyone showing that Fuller repeatedly made unlawful rulings throughout the trial. (Although I expect that will be shown.)
Wingate, though, is another matter. It's clear as day that he made mucho unlawful rulings. And we have a transcript to prove it. So just how profound is this? What does it mean that a federal judge would do this, under the supposedly bright lights of open court? I have a few thoughts:* It shows that Henry Wingate thinks the press, and the public in general, are a bunch of saps. In regards to the mainstream press, he might be right about that. Not that mainstream reporters are saps, actually. But the folks who run mainstream news outfits can be controlled these days. I think folks like Wingate and Fuller understand this all too well. A few pesky bloggers have not been so easily controlled. Just how much trouble those bloggers will wind up causing Wingate and Fuller remains to be seen.* Judges like Henry Wingate have utter disregard for our constitution, our form of government, our very way of life. What exactly is our form of government? Well, that has been a matter for debate for many years. Some call it a representative democracy. Others prefer the term constitutional republic. Whatever you call it, our system does not involve "king judges," judges who can do whatever they want. Our judges take an oath to uphold the law--law that is written by our elected representatives and interpreted by appellate courts. Trial-court judges such as Henry Wingate have a duty to follow the law that is passed down by those above them. They do not have endless discretion. In fact, in this country, we have a place for those who see themselves as "king judges." It's called federal prison.* Henry Wingate holds a place in history, and he also holds a key place here at Legal Schnauzer. For he is the first judge that we have clearly shown to be corrupt. And he is the first instance where we have shown exactly how a corrupt judge operates. But he will not be the last. Numerous Alabama state judges will be unmasked in the same way.* Finally, here is a truly disturbing thought about Henry Wingate. He duped the members of the jury in the Paul Minor case. The dictionary defines "dupe" as someone who is easily deceived or cheated. And that's exactly how Henry Wingate saw the Minor jurors. Wonder what those jurors would think if they knew that. In fact, you might try asking yourself this question: What if you had served on a jury and voted to convict, only to find out you did so based on unlawful instructions from the judge? Would you be horrified to learn that you had unlawfully put an innocent person in prison? I know I would be horrified to learn that. Wonder how the jurors in the Minor case would feel about it.
Posted by legalschnauzer at 6:40 PM (The Sur-Realist added the bold)
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Thought for the Day
The Gulf Coast Sur-Realist had the pleasure of speaking to Wes yesterday. He is back in the dorm, and his fellow inmates are being very helpful to him. Wes says that he still feels weak but continues to gain strength each day. Apparently his recovery will take some time. Hopefully, then he can look forward to better health. As his health permits, he will make his own entries on his blog. Now before you all go into a feeding frenzy over the latest news, here is your thought for the day which you might want to consider carrying with you in the form of a tattoo:
Keep custody of your Thoughts for they become your Words.
Keep custody of your Words for they become your Actions.
Keep custody of your Actions for they become your Habits.
Keep custody of your Habits for they become your Character.
Keep custody of your Character for it becomes your Destiny.
Keep custody of your Thoughts for they become your Words.
Keep custody of your Words for they become your Actions.
Keep custody of your Actions for they become your Habits.
Keep custody of your Habits for they become your Character.
Keep custody of your Character for it becomes your Destiny.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Housekeeping Issues for the Readers
The Gulf Coast Sur-Realist is happy to report that Wes is well enough to have been discharged from the hospital and is now back at the prison. A mixed blessing, that. Wes is making a recovery but, strangely, the prison has yet to notify the family of his heart attack or surgery.
In response to your comments:
msvet: Wes' parents would not be ashamed of him because, as astute people, they would have the sense to recognize that he is merely collateral damage in a war of politics. You may be able to come to the same conclusion if you would avail yourself of the facts by reading Legal Schnauzer on line -- his series on Mississippi Churning will explain the big picture quite clearly to you. Roger Shuler is an investigative journalist and has made an extensive investigation of the Minor, Whitfield, Teel case. Scott Horton, a law professor who writes for Harper's Magazine, has done the same thing and can be read at Harpers.org. Please read the facts before you opine.
To the person who asked for Ryan's address, here goes:
Ryan Teel # 08230043
USP Big Sandy
P. O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
Now let me correct something I wrote earlier. Apparently they don't allow you to send stamps and envelopes to the inmates. My bad. Thanks to an alert reader, we now know not to do that. Thank you, Anonymous, for your helpful input.
And to Anonymous, (presumably a different one), Mrs. Teel is not a crazy loon. God knows most of the rest of us would be babbling idiots drooling all over ourselves if we had endured the enormous stress she has borne for the past couple of years, especially while coping with an incurable disease that is directly exacerbated by stress. Despite that, Mrs. Teel has remained gracious, faithful to her family and her Lord, and somehow she has even kept her sense of humor. Crazy loons are those who speak without knowing the truth, and that well describes the aforementioned Anonymous much better than it describes Mrs. Teel. Now if you want to pick on someone, pick on someone who actually deserves it.
And now on to Mr. William E. Cameron: I salute your courage in posting your name with your letter. Obviously, I cannot speak for Wes, and I know nothing whatsoever about the circumstances of your custody case. But one thing I can address is the bitterness that you have harbored for so long. Most of us can understand your anguish at having lost custody of your daughter despite the efforts of a series of exceptionally fine lawyers such as Bobby Koon, Fred Lusk, and Ann Clark Lazarra. However, hitting a man when he is down is rarely a sign of integrity and character. You may want to read your own quote of Galatians 6:7 "A man reaps what he sows." Wishing two or three more heart attacks on a person along with additional pain may just come back home to roost. That would not help you or your daughter. Karma, like the law, seems to have a long arm.
In response to your comments:
msvet: Wes' parents would not be ashamed of him because, as astute people, they would have the sense to recognize that he is merely collateral damage in a war of politics. You may be able to come to the same conclusion if you would avail yourself of the facts by reading Legal Schnauzer on line -- his series on Mississippi Churning will explain the big picture quite clearly to you. Roger Shuler is an investigative journalist and has made an extensive investigation of the Minor, Whitfield, Teel case. Scott Horton, a law professor who writes for Harper's Magazine, has done the same thing and can be read at Harpers.org. Please read the facts before you opine.
To the person who asked for Ryan's address, here goes:
Ryan Teel # 08230043
USP Big Sandy
P. O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
Now let me correct something I wrote earlier. Apparently they don't allow you to send stamps and envelopes to the inmates. My bad. Thanks to an alert reader, we now know not to do that. Thank you, Anonymous, for your helpful input.
And to Anonymous, (presumably a different one), Mrs. Teel is not a crazy loon. God knows most of the rest of us would be babbling idiots drooling all over ourselves if we had endured the enormous stress she has borne for the past couple of years, especially while coping with an incurable disease that is directly exacerbated by stress. Despite that, Mrs. Teel has remained gracious, faithful to her family and her Lord, and somehow she has even kept her sense of humor. Crazy loons are those who speak without knowing the truth, and that well describes the aforementioned Anonymous much better than it describes Mrs. Teel. Now if you want to pick on someone, pick on someone who actually deserves it.
And now on to Mr. William E. Cameron: I salute your courage in posting your name with your letter. Obviously, I cannot speak for Wes, and I know nothing whatsoever about the circumstances of your custody case. But one thing I can address is the bitterness that you have harbored for so long. Most of us can understand your anguish at having lost custody of your daughter despite the efforts of a series of exceptionally fine lawyers such as Bobby Koon, Fred Lusk, and Ann Clark Lazarra. However, hitting a man when he is down is rarely a sign of integrity and character. You may want to read your own quote of Galatians 6:7 "A man reaps what he sows." Wishing two or three more heart attacks on a person along with additional pain may just come back home to roost. That would not help you or your daughter. Karma, like the law, seems to have a long arm.
And to the commenter who signed in as Cono: We don't need to vote for Wes for God because in the three Gulf Coast counties, God is running unopposed.
Just for the record, in the last election for District Attorney, in order to have a more palatable candidate than Carana or Tom Paine, some people wrote in Osama Bin Laudin.
I've tried to respond to all of your comments. Please, all of you Anonymice, at least give yourselves initials or numbers or some way to differentiate among yourselves.
Thank you for reading the blog, and thank you for responding.
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Sad News
The Gulf Coast Sur-Realist sadly reports that Wes Teel, the Gulf Coast Realist, suffered a heart attack in the prison camp the night of January 1st. Fortunately, when he reported his symptoms, the unit clerk responded promptly and called an ambulance. The paramedics gave him sublingual nitro tablets, quickly got him to a very good Atlanta hospital where excellent physicians successfully performed a triple bypass. I believe thereis more blockage but, for the life of me, I can't remember what was said would be done about it. Wes is doing fairly well but is quite weak and still in a lot of pain from the surgery. The doctors say his blood pressure is low and his cholesterol was only slightly elevated. It appeared that his heart attack was brought on by STRESS! Go figure.
This compassionate heart that held love for all and forgiveness for those who tortured him was damaged by The Evil One who could not be bothered to rule on a simple motion the week before Wes self-reported to the prison. That last week was filled with tremendous tension, waiting, hoping against hope for the reprieve of being allowed to stay out pending his appeal. Considering that The Evil One had allowed another public official that courtesy -- one convicted of a far more serious crime. And then Wes' hopes were dashed when The Evil One cancelled the long-standing appointment with George Lucas and continued to dodge him all week until the Courthouse closed for Christmas. No doubt The Evil One spent the week out looking for his balls. That was a tremendously high level of stress under which he was living during that period, never mind all that had come before it. So, congratulations, Judge! You have hurt his body. But guess what. No matter what you do to this man, you, like your original namesake, cannot break this man's faith or his indomitable spirit. Wes' faith in God is strong and unwavering no matter what trials (no pun intended) and tribulations he has to endure. As a matter of fact, as a scientist, I have studied him like a bug under a microscope and still could not figure out how he endured the emotional torments he has faced. Finally, I was forced to ask and Wes explained to me that:
(1) he relies on his faith in God;
(2) he uses a chest of drawers analogy and compartmentalizes his negative feelings and emotions in the bottom drawer for the moment. He says he keeps them there for future reference in case he has to revisit them, but for the most part he keeps his mind in positive drawers. That didn't sound quite right, did it.
(3) And most importantly, he literally does not harbor negative feelings/energy against other people. He strongly believes that hate hurts the hater, not the hate-ee. Wes feels that having any negativity within himself is toxic, so he discourages it by putting it in the bottom drawer, by praying to have it removed. He did let me know that it takes more than one prayer to remove it.
Please pray for the full and speedy recovery of this wonderful man. He is always grateful for your love and prayers. Also, send him cards, letters, cartoons, cheerful things. You might include a stamped, self-addressed envelope so he won't have to buy the supplies himself, just in case he is out of money. (My idea, not his -- just a suggestion. It wouldn't hurt to send a few bucks to his account, either.)
P.S. If someone has Scott Horton's email address, please send it to me via a comment at this blog.
This compassionate heart that held love for all and forgiveness for those who tortured him was damaged by The Evil One who could not be bothered to rule on a simple motion the week before Wes self-reported to the prison. That last week was filled with tremendous tension, waiting, hoping against hope for the reprieve of being allowed to stay out pending his appeal. Considering that The Evil One had allowed another public official that courtesy -- one convicted of a far more serious crime. And then Wes' hopes were dashed when The Evil One cancelled the long-standing appointment with George Lucas and continued to dodge him all week until the Courthouse closed for Christmas. No doubt The Evil One spent the week out looking for his balls. That was a tremendously high level of stress under which he was living during that period, never mind all that had come before it. So, congratulations, Judge! You have hurt his body. But guess what. No matter what you do to this man, you, like your original namesake, cannot break this man's faith or his indomitable spirit. Wes' faith in God is strong and unwavering no matter what trials (no pun intended) and tribulations he has to endure. As a matter of fact, as a scientist, I have studied him like a bug under a microscope and still could not figure out how he endured the emotional torments he has faced. Finally, I was forced to ask and Wes explained to me that:
(1) he relies on his faith in God;
(2) he uses a chest of drawers analogy and compartmentalizes his negative feelings and emotions in the bottom drawer for the moment. He says he keeps them there for future reference in case he has to revisit them, but for the most part he keeps his mind in positive drawers. That didn't sound quite right, did it.
(3) And most importantly, he literally does not harbor negative feelings/energy against other people. He strongly believes that hate hurts the hater, not the hate-ee. Wes feels that having any negativity within himself is toxic, so he discourages it by putting it in the bottom drawer, by praying to have it removed. He did let me know that it takes more than one prayer to remove it.
Please pray for the full and speedy recovery of this wonderful man. He is always grateful for your love and prayers. Also, send him cards, letters, cartoons, cheerful things. You might include a stamped, self-addressed envelope so he won't have to buy the supplies himself, just in case he is out of money. (My idea, not his -- just a suggestion. It wouldn't hurt to send a few bucks to his account, either.)
P.S. If someone has Scott Horton's email address, please send it to me via a comment at this blog.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
An Address for Wes
http://mail.google.com/mail/?um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wm#inbox
To those who want to know how to contact Wes by mail:
Walter W. Teel
#07708-043
Federal Prison Camp
USP
P. O. Box 15016
Atlanta, GA 30315
Please keep in mind that he has to pay for everything there, including paper, pens, stamps, personal care items, etc. I have included the instructions copied from the prison information on-line for anyone who cares enough to send money to his account to make his stay more bearable. Heaven knows his wife can't do it alone. Let's not forget about Wes and do for him what we can. (He'll kill me for putting this on his blog. Oh, well -- he'll have to catch me first.)
Funds may be sent to Federal inmates via the United States Postal Service or via the Western Union Quick Collect Program. In either case, the inmate must physically be housed at a Federal Bureau of Prisons' facility before funds can be received and posted. If the inmate is not physically in a Federal Bureau of Prisons' facility, the funds cannot be posted and will be returned or rejected.
U.S. Postal ServiceInmates' families and friends choosing to send inmates funds through the mail must send those funds to the following address and in accordance with the directions provided below:
Federal Bureau of PrisonsInsert Valid Committed Inmate NameInsert Inmate Eight Digit Register NumberPost Office Box 474701Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
The deposit must be in the form of a money order made out to the inmate's full committed name and complete eight digit register number. Effective December 1, 2007, all non-postal money orders and non-government checks processed through the National Lockbox will be placed on a 15 day hold. The Bureau of Prisons will return funds that do not have valid inmate information to the sender provided the envelope has an adequate return address. Personal checks and cash cannot be accepted for deposit.
The sender's name and return address must appear on the upper left hand corner of the envelope to ensure that the funds can be returned to the sender in the event that they cannot be posted to the inmate's account. The deposit envelope must not contain any items intended for delivery to the inmate. The Bureau of Prisons shall dispose of all items included with the funds.
In the event funds have been mailed but have not been received in the inmate's account and adequate time has passed for mail service to Des Moines, Iowa, the sender must initiate a tracer with the entity who sold them the money order to resolve any issues.
Western Union Quick Collect Program
Inmates' families and friends may also send inmates funds through Western Union's Quick Collect Program. All funds sent via Western Union's Quick Collect will be posted to the inmate's account within two to four hours, when those funds are sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST (seven days per week, including holidays). Funds received after 9:00 pm EST will be posted by 7:00 am EST the following morning. Funds sent to an inmate through the Quick Collect Program may be sent via one of the following ways:
1) At an agent location with cash: The inmate's family or friends must complete a Quick Collect Form. Click here to view a sample Quick Collect Form. To find the nearest agent, they may call 1-800-325-6000 or go to www.westernunion.com.
2) By phone using a credit/debit card: The inmate's family or friends may simply call 1-800-634-3422 and press option 2.
3) ONLINE using a credit/debit card: The inmate's family and friends may go to www.westernunion.com and select "Quick Collect".
For each Western Union Quick Collect transaction, the following information must be provided:
1) Valid Inmate Eight Digit Register Number (entered with no spaces or dashes and immediately followed by Inmate's Last Name)2) Committed Inmate Full Name entered on optional line3) Code City: FBOP4) State code: DC
Please note that the inmate's committed name and eight digit register number must be entered correctly. If the sender does not provide the correct information, the transaction cannot be completed. The Code City is always FBOP and the State Code is always DC.
Each transaction is accepted or rejected at the point of sale. The sender has the sole responsibility of sending the funds to the correct inmate. If an incorrect register number and/or name are used and accepted and posted to that inmate, funds may not be returned.
Any questions or concerns regarding Western Union transfers should be directed to Western Union by the sender (general public). Questions or concerns should not be directed to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
For additional information concerning inmate Commissary account deposit procedures, please see the Bureau of Prisons Trust Fund/Warehouse/Laundry Manual (PS 4500.04) or 28 CFR Parts 506 and 540. For information concerning a specific deposit, please contact Federal Bureau of Prisons' staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET.
To those who want to know how to contact Wes by mail:
Walter W. Teel
#07708-043
Federal Prison Camp
USP
P. O. Box 15016
Atlanta, GA 30315
Please keep in mind that he has to pay for everything there, including paper, pens, stamps, personal care items, etc. I have included the instructions copied from the prison information on-line for anyone who cares enough to send money to his account to make his stay more bearable. Heaven knows his wife can't do it alone. Let's not forget about Wes and do for him what we can. (He'll kill me for putting this on his blog. Oh, well -- he'll have to catch me first.)
Funds may be sent to Federal inmates via the United States Postal Service or via the Western Union Quick Collect Program. In either case, the inmate must physically be housed at a Federal Bureau of Prisons' facility before funds can be received and posted. If the inmate is not physically in a Federal Bureau of Prisons' facility, the funds cannot be posted and will be returned or rejected.
U.S. Postal ServiceInmates' families and friends choosing to send inmates funds through the mail must send those funds to the following address and in accordance with the directions provided below:
Federal Bureau of PrisonsInsert Valid Committed Inmate NameInsert Inmate Eight Digit Register NumberPost Office Box 474701Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001
The deposit must be in the form of a money order made out to the inmate's full committed name and complete eight digit register number. Effective December 1, 2007, all non-postal money orders and non-government checks processed through the National Lockbox will be placed on a 15 day hold. The Bureau of Prisons will return funds that do not have valid inmate information to the sender provided the envelope has an adequate return address. Personal checks and cash cannot be accepted for deposit.
The sender's name and return address must appear on the upper left hand corner of the envelope to ensure that the funds can be returned to the sender in the event that they cannot be posted to the inmate's account. The deposit envelope must not contain any items intended for delivery to the inmate. The Bureau of Prisons shall dispose of all items included with the funds.
In the event funds have been mailed but have not been received in the inmate's account and adequate time has passed for mail service to Des Moines, Iowa, the sender must initiate a tracer with the entity who sold them the money order to resolve any issues.
Western Union Quick Collect Program
Inmates' families and friends may also send inmates funds through Western Union's Quick Collect Program. All funds sent via Western Union's Quick Collect will be posted to the inmate's account within two to four hours, when those funds are sent between 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m. EST (seven days per week, including holidays). Funds received after 9:00 pm EST will be posted by 7:00 am EST the following morning. Funds sent to an inmate through the Quick Collect Program may be sent via one of the following ways:
1) At an agent location with cash: The inmate's family or friends must complete a Quick Collect Form. Click here to view a sample Quick Collect Form. To find the nearest agent, they may call 1-800-325-6000 or go to www.westernunion.com.
2) By phone using a credit/debit card: The inmate's family or friends may simply call 1-800-634-3422 and press option 2.
3) ONLINE using a credit/debit card: The inmate's family and friends may go to www.westernunion.com and select "Quick Collect".
For each Western Union Quick Collect transaction, the following information must be provided:
1) Valid Inmate Eight Digit Register Number (entered with no spaces or dashes and immediately followed by Inmate's Last Name)2) Committed Inmate Full Name entered on optional line3) Code City: FBOP4) State code: DC
Please note that the inmate's committed name and eight digit register number must be entered correctly. If the sender does not provide the correct information, the transaction cannot be completed. The Code City is always FBOP and the State Code is always DC.
Each transaction is accepted or rejected at the point of sale. The sender has the sole responsibility of sending the funds to the correct inmate. If an incorrect register number and/or name are used and accepted and posted to that inmate, funds may not be returned.
Any questions or concerns regarding Western Union transfers should be directed to Western Union by the sender (general public). Questions or concerns should not be directed to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
For additional information concerning inmate Commissary account deposit procedures, please see the Bureau of Prisons Trust Fund/Warehouse/Laundry Manual (PS 4500.04) or 28 CFR Parts 506 and 540. For information concerning a specific deposit, please contact Federal Bureau of Prisons' staff at 202-307-2712 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. ET.
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