I can find no evidence that anyone in KY was hanged by drug dealers/manufacturers.

[Barack_America]

In recent years.

There is no one currently on death row in Kentucky for such a crime. In fact there is no one on death row with drugs as an identified motive for murder. There are no current death row sentences for lynching.

http://www.corrections.ky.gov/inmateinfo/deathrow.htm
http://www.lexingtonprosecutor.com/death_row.htm


The most recent reference I can find of a lynching in Kentucky was the Obama effigy hung at the University of Kentucky a year ago.

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D944CKD01&show_article=1


Here is more information about drug use and enforcement in KY. Interesting note, seems like meth is on the decline.

http://www.whitehousedrugpolicy.gov/statelocal/KY/ky.pdf


I am interested in researching recent Clay County court records, but have been unable to access them online. Any tips would be appreciated.


Federal Law Enforcement Officials Killed and Assaulted in KY (rate appears to below average of all states for each year):
2005: 2 (not stated)
2006: 6 (3 firearm, 2 personal weapon, 1 vehicle)
2007: 0
2008: not yet available
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/ucr.htm


Does this prove that Bill Sparkman's murder was politically motivated? Absolutely not. It could be that people convicted of murder with drugs as a motive are not given death penalty sentences in Kentucky (the second death row link addresses this). Or it could be that drug murders are not generally reported, solved and/or convicted in KY. What seems clear to me, however, that it is not normal for murders, including drug murders, in KY to involve hanging. Kentucky is also not a recent hotbed for killings and assaults of federal officers (or any officers, for that matter). So regardless of the motive for Sparkman's murder, the murder itself was unusual.

[T Wolf]

1. THis is a red herring promoted by the reich (and some here) to excuse the murder

of Bill Sparkman.

We know why the pukes are celebrating his death.

But why those here - could it be that they love being martyrs and would prefer to "fight the good fight" and lose rather than actively and aggressively go against the enemy? Sometimes it seems that way.

[Barack_America]

4. I just wanted to look at the facts.

I'm not familiar with the area that others around here have described as a hotbed of drug murders and violence against anyone from the "gubment".

So I decided to do a quick analysis of murders, lynchings and violence against law enforcement officers.

It seems to be a myth (though I admit I can't find a source for all murders in the region, just exhaustive googling).

There is no precedent for what happened to Sparkman.

[kctim]

25. I haven't seen anybody excuse the murder

but I am curious as to how you "aggressively go against the enemy" on this, when the only enemy at this point is who you want or need it to be, rather than the enemy it is proven to be?

It's sad to see so many here go after people who believe differently, when its quite possible Mr. Sparkman was murdered because he believed differently.

[Barack_America]

30. It seems to be easier to identify what incites "the enemy"...

...rather than identify who "the enemy" is.

We're talking about a small percentage of the craziest who are capable of such things.

But even those who incite, what can be done about them? Shame them? Revoke their free speech? How could they even be made legally responsible for those who would act on their suggestions?

[Forkboy]

34. I'm getting the impression from these threads, and the ones after Dr. Tiller's murder...

...that there's a lot of people on the Left who would let their fear and anger dictate the law, just as we saw the whole country do with the Patriot Act. To me, this attitude is scarier than the people we're angry at, and it's a Hell of a lot more dangerous to the entire country.

And it's even sadder that some of the people standing up for free speech, on a LEFT WING site, are being called apologists and freepers. Welcome to the looking glass...let's all step inside.

[Barack_America]

35. It's the reactionary world we live in.

It's all about scandal and outrage, and the expense of common sense. Who can think about long term consequences when we have the outrage of the day to salivate over?

Sad.

[Forkboy]

36. Exactly...it's scary from the RW, even scarier when we engage in it.

We should know better.

[gatorboy]

2. Now let's not jump to conclusions...

Sure a Democratic party leader was murdered right here in Arkansas but I'm sure that was just a big misunderstanding.

Okay and there WAS that group of liberal churchgoers that were murdered in Tennessee and the killer did fear a "Liberal movement" but really, it could have been anybody, he was just crazy.....right?

Census worker murdered in Kentucky ...

Fuck it.

It's time to jump to conclusions. Just to be on the safe side.

[Barack_America]

5. There was a lot of discussion of long-standing anti-government sentiment...

...in the area and a history of violence against people representing the federal government. Also that murders such as this are often used by drug manufacturers in the area to "send a message".

So I went looking for evidence to back up their claims.

I could find none.

[Joanne98]

3. Here's an old article about voter fraud in Clay County

By Brad Friedman on 3/19/2009 4:59PM
KY Election Officials Arrested, Charged With 'Changing Votes at E-Voting Machines'
Circuit court judge, county clerk, and election officials among eight indicted for gaming elections in 2002, 2004, 2006
Used popular, unverifiable ES&S touch-screens to flip votes...


Those of us who have demanded transparent voting systems because we understand that only the ability for complete citizen oversight and transparency can effectively counter those who would game elections, have been disingenuously criticized over the years as somehow questioning the integrity of the hard-working, honest election officials out there.

The fact is, those who know anything about computer security understand that it is the insiders who are, by far, the greatest threat to security on such systems, as even the phony, GOP-operative-created Baker/Carter National Election Reform Commission determined in its final report: "There is no reason to trust insiders in the election industry any more than in other industries."

The best election officials in the country, however, will underscore that point, and agree that there is no reason any citizen should ever have to simply "trust" them.

Over the years, we've detailed the arrests and other unsavory behavior of many of the not-so-good election officials who, we were told, should simply have been trusted (our "favorite" has always been the case of Monterey CA's Tony Anchundo, who told us on air we should "trust" him, just a month or two before being arrested on 43 counts).

Well, now we've got a whole passel of still more crooked officials to add to the list. Moreover: The Kentucky officials arrested and indicted today, "including the circuit court judge, the county clerk, and election officers" of Clay County, have been charged with "chang votes at the voting machine" and showing others how to do it!

Hello?!...


From Lexington, Kentucky's NBC affiliate this afternoon:

Five Clay County officials, including the circuit court judge, the county clerk, and election officers were arrested Thursday after they were indicted on federal charges accusing them of using corrupt tactics to obtain political power and personal gain.

The 10-count indictment, unsealed Thursday, accused the defendants of a conspiracy from March 2002 until November 2006 that violated the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). RICO is a federal statute that prosecutors use to combat organized crime. The defendants were also indicted for extortion, mail fraud, obstruction of justice, conspiracy to injure voters' rights and conspiracy to commit voter fraud.

According to the indictment, these alleged criminal actions affected the outcome of federal, local, and state primary and general elections in 2002, 2004, and 2006.



The article goes on to list some of the criminal actions listed in the indictment. Among them :

•Clay County Clerk, Freddy Thompson, 45, allegedly provided money to election officers to be distributed by the officers to buy votes and he also instructed officers how to change votes at the voting machine.
...
•Election officer William E. Stivers, 56, allegedly marked votes or issued tickets to voters who had sold their votes and changed votes at the voting machine.
...
•Paul E. Bishop, 60, allegedly marked voters or issued tickets to voters who sold their votes and he also hosted alleged meetings at his home where money was pooled together by candidates and distributed to election officers, including himself. He was also accused of instructing the officers how to change votes at the voting machine.
In addition to the absurd charge that those of us who believe in transparency are unduly "attacking" election officials, the latest PR line from e-voting vendors, and election officials alike, is that there is no proof that any election has ever been manipulated electronically.

Setting aside that we disagree --- wholeheartedly --- with that oft-used bit of propaganda, the above indictments would seem to give us a very specific allegation of exactly that, manipulation of electronic votes.

Clay County uses the horrible ES&S iVotronic system for all of its votes at the polling place. The iVotronic is a touch-screen Direct Recording Electronic (DRE) device, offering no evidence, of any kind, that any vote has ever been recorded as per the voter's intent. If the allegations are correct here, there would likely have been no way to discover, via post-election examination of machines or election results, that votes had been manipulated on these machines.

ES&S is the largest distributor of voting systems in America and its iVotronic system --- which is well-documented to have lost and flipped votes on many occasions --- is likely the most widely-used DRE system in the nation. It's currently in use in some 419 jurisdictions in 18 states including Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.

We will certainly continue to follow this story as it develops...

UPDATE: Complete indictment now posted here ...
http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7001

[blueknight]

6. I POSTED THIS BEFORE

i have lived in ky all my life (over 50 years) and clay county ky is the most redneck, racist, right wing whacko county in the state. the county seat is MANCHESTER KY, commonly referred to as GUNCHESTER KY by the locals, because of their affection for guns. folks, we are talking DELIVERANCE like people here. this county will never leave the 40's 50's 60's mentality

[Barack_America]

7. Yes, but is there a history of violence against people representing the federal govt?

I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on the matter.

[katanalori]

32. connect the dots

Barack_America asks: "Is there a history of violence against people representing the federal govt?"

I ask: "Is there a history of government officials (Bachmann) and a major "news" network (Beck) inciting violence against people representing the federal govt?"

[Joanne98]

10. Where do we get more information on that?

[kickitup]

14. Exactly

You are exactly right. I live in Kentucky too - on the border of Eastern Kentucky and Clay County has quite a reputation. You folks who aren't familiar with local mentality need to go here: http://www.topix.com/forum/city/manchester-ky/TQGJ7TDNKODRGMB1G/p6 . Last time I was down near there folks were fuming over Obama and the coal issue. This coming on the tails of the federal investigation last spring which another poster has so kindly posted. Evidently some of these nuts think the census takers were going to implant chips or something. I think if this was drug related the body would never have been found; why would druggies take a chance by turning the spotlight on themselves?

[Treo]

38. What mentality did they have in the 30's? NT

[kentuck]

8. A little more information on the matter

http://www.kentucky.com/latest_news/story/948015.html

[Barack_America]

13. Thanks, I read that AP article earlier.

Obviously there is belief and fear of anti-federal government sentiment in that area. In fact, I'm sure it exists. I just can find no specific evidence that it has resulted in the widespread or well-publicized assault of federal officers in recent years.

[cali]

9. this is getting ridiculous. when there's evidence, we can look at it

until then, this is just pointless speculation.

[Barack_America]

11. Speculation? Exactly what did I speculate on?

The listed motives of current death row inmates?

The numbers of law enforcement officers assaulted or killed in KY?

The only conclusion I drew was that lynchings of federal officials is uncommon in KY. If you dispute this, please have the courtesy to back the claim up with research of your own.

[scheming daemons]

18. A) Message boards are FOR speculation, about all topics and B).....

...you are going to great lengths to spin this story as something other than what EVEN YOU, deep down, know it is.


I'm wondering what your motivation is...

[Barack_America]

21. To be contrary, of course. To play devil's advocate.

Cali often does that. And such a position can be useful, if you come to the table with evidence of your own.

[Joanne98]

12. Here's media links for Clay County

Media - Clay County

•Radio (1)
•Television (0)



Clay County News
Taking Clay County, Kentucky Around The World
Manchester, Kentucky - Clay County
http://www.clayconews.com/
Manchester Enterprise
The Manchester Enterprise is a small mountain newspaper serving the people of Manchester and Clay County KY since 1890
Manchester, Kentucky - Clay County
http://www.themanchesterenterprise.com/
WTBK - FM (Manchester)
Manchester, Kentucky - Clay County
http://wtbkradio.com/

[appamado amata padam]

15. Is it known

whether he died from hanging, or was killed first and strung up later? My hunch is the latter. That would tend to expand the possibilities of who/when/why/how.

[Barack_America]

19. Nope. And I agree with your hunch.

I'll tell you what my gut is telling me (but it is the sort of pure speculation that I would not put in an OP).

I think he got into an argument with someone he was assigned to interview. I think this argument resulted in his death. Why was his corpse in such awful shape? I think he was severely beaten. I think the person(s) who killed him understood that this would lead back to them quite easily (his assignment to visit their home would have been know). I furthermore think that the culprits decided to take advantage of the drug history in their region and set up his death in the "moonshiner" tradition of old. The location of the hanging and the "Fed" was likely to make sure officials thought "drugs" when they found the corpse. But, unfortunately, it's all a little too obvious and atypical for the region today. And the "Fed", of course, ensured that the feds would get involved. Given the AP leak, it seems that the "Feds" are less inclined to cover this up for the good ol' boys in Clay County.

This is what my gut tells me, but in my OP I really tried to focus on the discernible facts of drug murders, anti-government murders and lynchings in recent memory; assuming that the notion of drug growers stringing up a "meddling" federal official was true and would be supported by history.

It wasn't.

[appamado amata padam]

29. Thank you very much

for your prompt and thorough efforts. This poor man and whatever family he had deserves this, and not the political hype.

Peace.

[Ganja Ninja]

16. If the FBI wants to build a list of suspects they should start by

cross referencing a list of freerepublic members and Clay county residents.

[Joanne98]

17. Good idea.

[Barack_America]

20. Nah. They should just look for who he was scheduled to interview that day.

I would imagine they need look no further than the computer that was left in his truck.

[Ganja Ninja]

24. That's what I figure they're probably doing.

It shouldn't be too hard to follow his trail to the last place he visited. I can't imagine he would visit more than 20 places in a day.

[SIMPLYB1980]

22. Thanks for the research.

:thumbsup:

[SIMPLYB1980]

23. Had to post again.

Want to keep track of this. Stupid web bug.

[Wednesdays]

26. I think the correct term is "hanged"

People are "hanged" as a means of execution, for example.
Porn stars are "hung."

:evilgrin:

[Barack_America]

27. Thanks for that.

Double-checked everything but the title.

Damn.

[MineralMan]

28. Drug dealers or growers might kill someone, but

they would not want that discovered. They certainly would not hang the person and mark that person. Logic leads to the conclusion that someone killed over discovering drugs would be killed and buried. Likely as not, the body would never be discovered.

Personally, I completely dismiss the drug connection. I don't know who did this, but it was a crime designed to be discovered. That's the only reason someone would leave a victim hanging where the victim could be discovered.

The drug connection is a red herring, pure and simple.

[Barack_America]

31. Associated Content takes on the DU response.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2210009/census_taker_death_in_clay_county_kentucky.html?cat=8

Didn't see the point of starting a new OP for this.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

33. We should be so proud..............

:sarcasm:

[wickerwoman]

37. Associated Content is a glorified blog.

It exists only to sell advertising space.

Anyone can write for it. You just set up an account. They don't run background checks to verify credentials, they make no pretense of objectivity and most people writing there don't even pretend to be professional journalists.

[Barack_America]

39. Kicking.

For when the authorities who withheld the gruesome details of this case attempt to convince us it was "drug related".