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As a victim/survivor of crime, I am wondering how many others are 'out there' who are victim/survivors of crime and the system failed them; failed them by either not prosecuting a case; by not listening to a victim; by law enforcement and/or by prosecutors.
Perhaps, if we can use this forum to talk about some true crime cases, we can help others in some way.
One case that comes to mind is the Jane Alexander story - that was a true crime, for sure and it took this woman approximately 13 years to get justice done - for those who are not familiar with the case, you can go on line and read it about it - there was actually a movie that was made: Citizen Jane...
From the true crime books I've read, persistence/continual annoyance will more easily be rewarded. Call, call, call ad infinitum, go down there personally, if you have the time, and pester the detectives until there's some results or they get so annoyed with you they're ready to make you a murder victim yourself. I've read of these maddeningly persistent types, they never ever give up!
The way I look at the desk of a homicide detective, is there's a stack of slowly evolving progress on any number of cases. But, what happens when a high-profile case comes along, someone murdered in an upper middle class area of town, as opposed to a murder happening on the poor side of town?
Your case goes down one layer or two.
Politics may come into play. The chief hands the detective the most recent case, this high-profile case, and orders him to put a freeze on all the other cases until later. This one is more important: woman carjacked and shot in an exclusive residential neighborhood.
You? Your daughter was killed, but you're on the poor side of town. Your case can wait. And in the three weeks since your daughter was killed, you only called the detective twice.
That's just the way I see it, but maybe I'm wrong. Nationwide, only 65% of murder cases ever get solved.
The system is design to fail mnay times by its strong defenses against the ones doing the investiagtion and prosecution.Movie are often times not every accurate but a one way view. In the end the system is madeup of imperfect humans to include the graqnd jury and jury system.As to waht is the top priority that is often determined by public pressure like anything else in governamnt.again human reactions.You can only iognore the sqaeaky wheel so long in this age of media and political pressure.
There is a forty five year old crime that still haunts me. The Sylvia Likens torture murder. This was the torture slaying of a 16 year old girl by a wretched 38 year old woman named Gertrude Baniszewski and a few of her children and their friends.
The poor girl was beaten, starved, burned, branded , tatooed, forced to take scalding baths and eat excrement. And more.
For this, Gertrude Baniszewski got 20 years! Her daughter Paula who administered many of the cruel beatings and torture sessions is living incognito in Iowa. She has changed her name and went on to marry and have children.
The other sister Stephanie lives in Florida. She also went on to have a family.
Sylvia never got to grow up and to live her life. I wish someone would find these monsters and interview them. Justice was NOT served!
There is a forty five year old crime that still haunts me. The Sylvia Likens torture murder. This was the torture slaying of a 16 year old girl by a wretched 38 year old woman named Gertrude Baniszewski and a few of her children and their friends.
The poor girl was beaten, starved, burned, branded , tatooed, forced to take scalding baths and eat excrement. And more.
For this, Gertrude Baniszewski got 20 years! Her daughter Paula who administered many of the cruel beatings and torture sessions is living incognito in Iowa. She has changed her name and went on to marry and have children.
The other sister Stephanie lives in Florida. She also went on to have a family.
Sylvia never got to grow up and to live her life. I wish someone would find these monsters and interview them. Justice was NOT served!
I had never read about this case till it was posted here. It was beyond horrifying and gruesome. What kind of minds/souls are these people who do these crimes??
I too have never heard of this case until I just read this post; that is worse than egregious and outrageous and I actually cannot come up with an appropriate description either. I think, if it is all possible, it would be a real coup for one those shows, like Investigative Reports to research this case and find those other offenders and, I have no idea how it could be done; to compel them to be interviewed. When I initially started this thread, it was to discuss how the system too often fails - I do understand that it is the only one we have at this time and it is certainly better than not having a system at all; however, what, in my opinion, goes hand in hand with system failure(s), is also the need for accountability and that accountability not only extends to law enforcement, prosecutors but also to those who have offended, regardless of the crime, albeit, white collar crime, torture, cruelty, violent, etc....I also understand that there will be those who will say that if a person has 'done their time', they have paid their debt to society, etc....sometimes that debt is short; sometimes it is because the prisons are becoming too full; sometimes it is simply because a plea deal was made because it was easier -- regardless of all of those reasons, what I do not see happen enough is for that offender to have to truly be held accountable and to stand up to that victim or that victims' family(ies) and say.....and to have to really 'hear' what the victim says to them as well. I understand also that the victim/victim's family has the right to make a victim impact statement at sentencing --sometimes, even that is not the best arena either.
I wish a TV show would attempt to interview the perpetrators of this heinous crime also.
There is a book "House Of Evil" by John Dean, and a movie "An American Crime", starring actress Ellen Page in the role of Sylvia Likens.
Both are good but they do not even come close to the abject horror and cruelty inflicted upon this poor child.
The transcripts are almost unreadable because no detail is spared. But I have read it and it brought me to tears.
One night a friend and I were jumped on the street by a gang of teens. My friend was shot in the back right in front of me, and I was chased through the streets, bullets whizzing past my head. I managed to get away and find two cops sitting in a patrol car six blocks from the shooting. I told them what just happened. They each looked at me like I just told them my cat was stuck in the tree. One of them tells me it's not their precinct and the call will be handled by another precinct. I was outraged. I reminded them that it happened "just now" and that my friend is lying in a pool of his own blood screaming for help. They each shrugged and then said the call was coming in over the radio, then asked if I'd like to take a ride back to the scene. Like they were doing me a favor.
For the next couple of weeks detectives tried to get me to pin the shooting on two other guys they were holding on some other charge, but couldn't get the charges to stick and asked if I would testify that they were the shooters. I refused. I told them if they couldn't or wouldn't find the ones who did the shooting not to call me again. I never heard from them again.
One night a friend and I were jumped on the street by a gang of teens. My friend was shot in the back right in front of me, and I was chased through the streets, bullets whizzing past my head. I managed to get away and find two cops sitting in a patrol car six blocks from the shooting. I told them what just happened. They each looked at me like I just told them my cat was stuck in the tree. One of them tells me it's not their precinct and the call will be handled by another precinct. I was outraged. I reminded them that it happened "just now" and that my friend is lying in a pool of his own blood screaming for help. They each shrugged and then said the call was coming in over the radio, then asked if I'd like to take a ride back to the scene. Like they were doing me a favor.
For the next couple of weeks detectives tried to get me to pin the shooting on two other guys they were holding on some other charge, but couldn't get the charges to stick and asked if I would testify that they were the shooters. I refused. I told them if they couldn't or wouldn't find the ones who did the shooting not to call me again. I never heard from them again.
Wow is all I can say. Some experience to live through. Between the criminals and the cops--who could say which ones were worse?
In this case Pheonix lady makes a very good point!
Alas not much difference
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