Court overturns convictions of Arizona woman on death row
Published March 15, 2013
Associated Press
PHOENIX – A federal appeals court on Thursday threw out the convictions of a woman sentenced to death in the notorious 1989 killing of her 4-year-old son, ruling that the case was tainted by a detective with a history of lying under oath.
The ruling marked a surprising turn in a case that made national headlines with the brazen and gruesome nature of the crime. Prosecutors said Debra Jean Milke dressed up her son Christopher in his favorite outfit and told him he was going to see Santa Claus at a mall during the holidays.
Instead, he was taken into the desert by her boyfriend and another man and shot three times in the back of the head as part of what prosecutors said was a plot by Milke and the two other defendants to collect a $50,000 life insurance policy.
Milke would have been the first woman executed in Arizona since the 1930s had her appeals run out. The Arizona Supreme Court had gone so far to issue a death warrant for Milke in 1997, but the execution was delayed because she had yet to exhaust federal appeals.
A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday that the prosecution failed to disclose information about a history of misconduct by a detective who testified that Milke confessed to plotting her son’s murder.
That record included multiple court rulings in other cases that former Detective Armando Saldate Jr. either lied under oath or violated suspects’ Miranda rights during interrogations.
Prosecutors are required to provide a defendant’s lawyers with material that might support a not guilty verdict, including material that could undermine the credibility of a prosecution witness.
There was no other witness or recording of the purported confession by Milke, who has proclaimed her innocence.
“No civilized system of justice should have to depend on such flimsy evidence, quite possibly tainted by dishonesty or overzealousness, to decide whether to take someone’s life or liberty,” Chief Justice Alex Kozinski wrote in the decision.
The trial amounted to “a swearing contest” in which the judge and jury ultimately believed the detective over Milke, but they didn’t know of his record of dishonesty and misconduct, Kozinski wrote.
The ruling reversed a U.S. District Court judge’s ruling and ordered the lower court to require Arizona authorities to turn over all relevant personnel records for the detective.
Once the material is produced and defense lawyers have time to review it, prosecutors will have 30 days to decide whether to retry her. If they don’t, she will be released from prison.
Maricopa County prosecutors had yet to read the ruling and had no immediate comment on the decision, spokesman Jerry Cobb said.
But the Arizona Attorney General’s Office said it was reviewing the case and will likely file an appeal.
Rick Romley, who was the county attorney from 1989-2004, said he remembers the fact were quite strong against Milke and there never was a question in his mind that she wasn’t guilty.
“If she walks, it’s a travesty of justice,” Romley told KPHO-TV. “You just can’t get around that.”
Milke defense lawyer Michael Kimerer was in trial and not immediately available for comment Thursday.
In 2009, Kimerer said his client maintains her innocence and was a loving mother who still grieves her son’s death.
“Our main concern is the fact that I have a client that never confessed and a police detective who said she gave a confession,” Kimerer said then. “There was no tape recorder, no witnesses, nothing. Just his word.”
Milke, 48, is one of three women on death row in Arizona. All three are imprisoned at the state prison for women in Goodyear.
The two men convicted in the Milke’s case, Roger Scott and former Milke roommate James Styers, are both on death row at a prison in Florence.
Scott confessed during a police interrogation and led detectives to the boy’s body.
But neither Scott or Styers would testify against Milke.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/03/15/court-overturns-convictions-arizona-woman-on-death-row/#ixzz2NZxQ8x00

The prophetess says her husband has become a threat to her life.

A 51-year-old woman on Wednesday pleaded with an Agege Customary Court to dissolve her 22-year-old marriage over alleged adultery and threat to life.

The petitioner, Titilayo Oluokun, a prophetess, who lives at 8, Aina Aladi Street, Agbado, Lagos, told the court that her husband, though a pastor, goes after “everything in skirt”.

“Four women had four children for my husband in the last three years and he also has numerous girl friends; I know some of them because they live on my street.

“I was in the church sometime in 2009 when a woman came with three children, claiming they belonged to my husband, who she said, had neglected her.

“It was a thing of shame because I am the founder of the church and also a prophetess, while my husband is one of the pastors.

“I gave the woman N20, 000 and begged her; I told her not to come to the church to disturb me again and when I told my husband, he only thanked me,” she said.

The mother of two children aged nine and 18, told the court that she once brought her husband before another customary court and the case was settled there.

She said in the other customary court in 2011, her husband was asked to write an undertaking that he would not impregnate any other woman again.

“To my surprise, he impregnated two women after that and I knew I had to call it quit with him.

“He beats me at every slight provocation and even threatens to kill me; he does not give the children money for feeding or pay their school fees.

“I got him arrested sometime last year because he wanted to stab me and at the police station, he was asked to move his things out of my house,” she said.

The prophetess told the court that her husband has been living in the house which she built.

She urged the court to dissolve the marriage and give her custody of the children.

Her husband, Adewale, did not appear in court and had also been absent in the last two sittings.

The Court President, Emmanuel Sokunle, adjourned the case to April 3 for further hearing.

(NAN)

Forgiveness and Healing

Sexual sin is so prevalent in our culture that there are many people who have committed and/or are committing sexual sin and are thus dealing with the consequences. Of course, there are also people who deny that sexual sin has consequences (at least many people live as if it had no consequences). Nevertheless, the Word of God, and usually life itself, testifies that all sin has consequences. Two reasons that some people deny the reality of the consequences of sexual sin are: first, there can be a long time between the sin and the consequence and, second, the same sin can have very different consequences. For example, a couple may have had sexual intercourse many times during a period of years with seemingly no consequence, but then the woman gets pregnant. Again, one person who has sexual intercourse outside of marriage might contract a sexually transmitted disease, while another person does not. One person may experience shame and bad memories after illicit sexual intercourse, and this may plague him for years, while another person feels no shame at all.

Sexual sin can have many and varied consequences, and the best way to deal with both the sin and its consequences is by obeying what God has set forth in His Word on the matter. It is not a good idea to ignore the consequences of sin or to think that the passage of time will automatically result in one forgetting and being healed. God has no desire that people should be hurting, or separated from Him, and He desires to draw everyone close to Himself, no matter what their past sins might be. Restoration, healing, and fellowship with God are all available. God always desires that a person turn from his or her sin and return to Him. He said so to the house of Israel thousands of years ago, and His heart has not changed.

Ezekiel 33:11
Say to them, “As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?”

God implores people to turn away from wickedness and death and turn to godliness and life. Although someone may be a sinner for a long time without physically dying, the effect of sin is the “death” of many things—the joy of the Lord in one’s life and peace of mind are two wonderful things that die very quickly in a person dominated by sin. Another thing that dies is a tender and responsive heart before the Lord. The first step in the process of forgiveness, restoration, and healing is to follow the advice in the verse above, which was given more than 2,500 years ago: “Turn! Turn from your evil ways!” It is important to stop any sinful behavior.

John 8 contains a record of a woman who was caught in the act of adultery. The religious leaders brought her to Jesus in order that they might trap him. The Law of Moses clearly taught that if a couple were caught in the act of adultery, both the man and the woman were to be brought before the judges—not just the woman. Jesus recognized the trap and, knowing that the Mosaic Law was being broken, said that the person without sin should cast the first stone. One by one, the people left the scene until only the woman was left with Jesus. He spoke words to her that, if she obeyed, would start her down the road to restoration and healing. He said, “Go now and leave your life of sin” (John 8:11). Jesus is alive today, and his advice of over 2000 years ago is still valid. The first step toward forgiveness, restoration, and healing is to “leave your life of sin,” i.e., stop sinning. It can be very difficult to stop sinning, but be assured that with God’s help you can.

The next step to forgiveness, restoration, and healing is to confess your sins to God and ask His forgiveness. Scripture is very clear that if we ask to be forgiven, God will forgive us:

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

It is important to remember that there is usually no “feeling” that accompanies forgiveness. Many people do not think they are forgiven if they still “feel” ashamed or guilty or because they are still dealing with the consequences of their sin. Be assured that the Bible is not lying and that if you ask God to forgive you, He does, but being forgiven by God does not mean that all the consequences of sin simply vanish.

Scripture often uses the word “repent.” True repentance includes stopping sinful behavior and asking God for forgiveness. Because sexual sin almost always involves another individual or individuals, asking for their forgiveness can be important too. Restoring godly fellowship with other people is very important, and ignoring sins that have been committed and just letting them fade into past memories is usually not the best way to deal with them. Often, confessing your sins to others who have been involved and hurt by your sin, and asking them to forgive you, is an important part of your healing. It is also often an important part of their healing as well.

Sin has consequences in the physical world as well as the spiritual world, and the physical consequences of sin can be difficult to deal with. Although the spiritual consequences are just as real, the physical consequences are usually much more tangible and concrete, and it is worth avoiding sin just to avoid the physical consequences that can befall you. God forgives us as soon as we ask, but long after God forgives us, the physical consequences can be only too real. Dealing with physical consequences (including mental/emotional problems) usually requires faith, prayer, patience and sometimes ministering healing or miracles. There may also be a need for counseling or getting the godly advice of other Christians. Some of the physical consequences of sexual sin are pregnancy, memories that cause distraction and heartache, fears about future relationships, difficulties in bonding with your spouse, sterility or problems with pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, demonic influences, and even perhaps an unwanted reputation. These are terrible things, but the good news is that there is healing and restoration available from God.

Condemnation over what has been done in the past can be more traumatic than the sin that was committed. The Bible speaks clearly: “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1). God does not want His children to wallow in self-pity and condemnation. He wants us to stop sinning, ask for forgiveness, and move forward with our lives into full deliverance in Christ. He wants to help us to turn the “lemons” of the world into “lemonade.” With God’s help, each person can find ways to strengthen weak areas and be a better and stronger Christian because of past experiences. If you have been involved in sexual sin, and especially if you are suffering consequences from that sin, do not allow the Adversary to beat you by causing you to be condemned, downcast, discouraged, and defeated. Go to God with faith and draw your strength from Him. Our God is a great God, who forgives, restores, and heals. [1] [For further study read Righteousness – Every Christian’s Gift from God.]

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THANKS

Federal Court Permanently Bars Michigan Woman from Preparing Tax Returns Claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit
Tax Preparer Allegedly Prepared Returns Claiming Bogus Dependents and with Fabricated Business Income to Falsely Maximize Earned Income Credits
A federal court has permanently barred Crystal Ireland, of Detroit, who does business as Master Mind Preparation, from preparing federal tax returns that claim the earned income tax credit, the Justice Department announced today. The civil injunction order, to which Ireland consented, was signed by Judge Bernard Friedman of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.

The complaint in the case alleged that Ireland failed to comply with due diligence requirements imposed by federal law on tax preparers who claim the earned income credit on customers’ returns. According to the complaint, Ireland fabricated businesses and reported fake business income on her customers’ tax returns in order to claim the maximum credit for them.

The complaint alleged that the Internal Revenue Service penalized Ireland in 2010 for failing to comply with federal law due diligence requirements, yet a 2011 follow-up investigation revealed ongoing failures and fraudulent claims. According to the complaint, Ireland prepared at least 2,300 returns from 2008 through 2011, with unusually high refund rates ranging from 97 to 99 percent for those years.

The permanent injunction order also bars Ireland from preparing forms Schedule C on which she knowingly fabricates income or expenses, preparing tax returns on which she knowingly claims a dependent that does not actually qualify as a dependent of the taxpayer, and preparing tax returns on which she fails to identify herself as the paid preparer or falsely identifies someone else as the paid preparer.

In the past decade the Justice Department’s Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of tax return preparers and tax-fraud promoters. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website.