Ethic Soup

Jailbird Conrad Murray in Same Cell Block as James DeBarge, Michael Jackson's Ex Brother-in-Law

 

Oh dear. It's awkward for the jailbirds. Doggone it.

There are about 4,000 inmates in L.A. County Men's Jail. Conrad Murray is one of them, except he is being housed in the administrative segregation unit. That's where they put the 'special' inmates -- those whose celebrity status might threaten their safety from other prisoners.

The former physician, convicted of manslaughter in the murder of icon Michael Jackson, is in a cell only feet away from James DeBarge, an ex brother-in-law of Jackson. And DeBarge is mad about that.

Poor Conrad Murray Can't Make Restitution: Michael Jackson's Family Says 'Forget It.'

 

Poor Conrad Murray, the former doctor who lost his license to practice medicine, is currently behind bars, serving a 4 year jail sentence for his role in killing Michael Jackson.

"Poor Conrad Murray," literally represents his finances. Jackson's family was seeking more than $100 million in restitution from Murray, but not any more. Murray has no money to pay. He is broke. 

Connecticut Mayor Shows Racial Bigotry While East Haven Police Officers Under Federal Indictment for Racial Hate Crimes

 

 

If the Italian-American mayor of East Haven, Connecticut, ordered a taco from an Hispanic restaurant and got spaghetti inside a taco shell, it would be a sign of racial bigotry.

Mayor Joseph Maturo showed how he feels about the Latino community of his town, where Ivy League school Yale University calls home. Currently, East Haven has four police officers under federal indictment for using "excessive force against undocumented immigrants and covering up abuses."

Asked by a television reporter "what are you going to do for the Latino community today?", Mayor Maturo responded:

 "I might have tacos when I go home, I'm not quite sure yet."

 

NTSB Calls for National Ban on Cell Phones and Text Massaging While Driving

Today, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended a full ban on the use of cellphones and text messaging devices while driving because it's simply too dangerous. Hallelujah! It's about time!

In the last 10 years, the NTSB has sought to limit the use of portable electronic devices while driving, including bans for beginning drivers, commercial truckers and school bus drivers.

SAFETY-CRITICAL EVENTS

In a study of commercial drivers, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found a "safety-critical event" is 163 times more likely if a driver is texting, e-mailing or accessing the Internet, reports CNN.

But, the newest recommendation would ban non-emergency phone calls and texting by drivers of every vehicle on the nation's roads and highways -- disallowing both hands-free as well as hand-held devices.

FAA Chief Babbitt Resigns: Good Riddance

  

      Randy Babbitt                                          Michael Huerta

   The Guy Who's Out                                The Guy Who's Now In

 

The Ethic Soup post yesterday was about FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt, 65, being put on a leave of absence by Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, following charges against Babbitt for driving while intoxicated -- on the wrong side of the road -- at night.

He was arrested and released, pending a February court appearance. Luckily, Randy Babbitt was stopped before he could kill someone.

Today's follow-up post is that Babbitt is out and Deputy Administrator Michael Huerta is in as FAA acting administrator.

 

FAA Boss Charged as Drunk Driver: Randy Babbitt Placed on Leave of Absence

               Police mug shot of Jerome "Randy" Babbitt

 

The police mug shot is of a veteran pilot who flew 25 years for Eastern Airlines and is now the Federal Aviation Administration's administrator Jerome "Randy" Babbitt. Looks like a picture of pride and defiance to me. Can't see any guilt, or even embarrassment. Instead, I see an expression that looks like a kind of bravado, a "smug mug."

I bet that he figured he was so damn important that he would be let off, free to go, records expunged once they realized who he was.  Instead, he was placed on a leave of absence.  

THERE YESTERDAY, GONE TODAY

The police mug shot is not the picture that used to be on the FAA bio page for Babbitt -- the one with him in a suit and tie, with the American flag behind him. The key official for the FAA no longer has his bio on the FAA official website. Oh, it was there yesterday. But, it was gone today: "We're sorry, the page you requested could not be found."

Thankfully, the cops got him off the road before he killed.

 

Jury Still Deliberating: Murder Trial of Dr. Conrad Murray in Michael Jackson's Death

CLOSING ARGUMENTS were made in the murder trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, last Thursday.

Judge Michael Pastor (pictured above) gave the jury long,trial-specific instructions to follow as they deliberate.

On Friday, the unsequestured jury began its deliberations. After working some seven hours Friday, no verdict was reached during the jury's first day behind closed doors. The jury of seven men and five women was released to go home for the weekend, to resume deliberations on Monday (tomorrow).

OVERWHELMING AMOUNT OF EVIDENCE

They have a lot of trial information to review. The jury listened to 49 witnesses over more than three weeks. That includes Conrad Murray's three young girlfriends and character witnesses including patients. Additionally, they heard from former employees of Jackson, investigators and medical experts for both the prosecution and defense teams.

"O Devil, Devil!" : Conrad Murray's Crocodile Tears

 

What are crocodile tears? They are used to show superficial sympathy -- a false or insincere display of emotion. They belong to hypocrites (one of whom is pictured above). 

Some people, and I include myself, might label Dr. Conrad Murray's show of crying -- waving his arm, asking for a tissue, then wiping at his eyes during his televised manslaughter trial -- as crocodile tears.

A couple of telling synonyms for crocodile tears are "psychological manipulation" and "shallow emotions". Take from this what you will, recognizing that Murray is on trial for causing the death of pop icon Michael Jackson and he needs to get some sympathy.

Poor, poor Conrad.

Barbie Loses to Bratz Doll: Mattel Needs $315 Million to Appeal Federal Ruling

 

I can hear the loud raspberries being blown from the Botox-pouty lips of the Bratz dolls (above) aimed at, and showing contempt for, the Barbie dolls.

MATTEL STOLE TRADE SECRETS

Surprisingly, that's what has happened when the world's biggest toy maker, Mattel, tried to ruin much smaller MGA Entertainment, the makers of the Bratz dolls. 

It's been a long legal battle, with a series of court cases beginning in 2004. That's the year that MGA attorneys introduced into evidence a Mattel memo that warned of a "rival-led Barbie genocide."

Whoa! Talk about doom! 

"This is war and sides must be taken: Barbie stands for good. All others stand for evil."

DOLLS MEAN BIG BUCK BILLIONS 

No, they were not talking about human beings. They were beating their chests about dolls. Actually, the chest-pounding was all about money, of course. Globally, Mattel sells $3 billion Barbie-branded (below left) merchandise annually, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

 

Want Extra Sugar, Sugar? Police Arrest Dunkin' Donuts Worker as Prostitute

Melissa Redmond, 29, got a job as an overnight employee at a New Jersey Dunkin' Donuts. Perfect! She didn't have to stand on a street corner in a 'tenderloin' neighborhood to make some extra cash.

QUICK PARKING LOT BREAKS

Instead, Melissa just took ten to fifteen minute breaks to make her money in the parking lot, after propositioning customers -- including a plain-clothes officer -- via the drive-thru window. 

"Cops cleverly dubbed their investigation "extra sugar," gathering info and watching over the premises for six weeks," according to New York Magazine, which asked: "But were they allowed to expense their late-night surveillance snacks?"