A letter of Safety from Japan

Hi Bob - thought you might be interested in the following facebook message I received from Sachie Hoshino, the Japanese student who lived with us back in 1996 from Gunma Prefecture. We've stayed in contact over the years and she sent this after I sent her a message to see if she was ok. -

Maggie Graefe

Thank you, mom! small earthquake is not unusual for us and we are well prepared for, just in case. but nobody expected such a big quake... The number of Dead and unidentified people has increase everytime turning on TV, it seems that over ten thousand, I can't believe the pics of screen... so terrible. It'll be start planned-blackout from tomorrow morning in my place, and not easy to get enough gas for car at present. but I think I'm lucky, all my family and friend are safe and i'm able to have almost same life in my house! My best friend lives in Sendai, which area is one of suffered heavy damage from Tsunami. Fortunately, she stayed in the hotel far from coast area for preparing her wedding party in next day, so she was saved. if earthquake happend in 12th, i would be going to visit her.

Sachie Hoshino

Why the Grand Jury can't see the forest through all the trees.

Why the Grand Jury can't see the forest through all the trees.


The Grand Jury can only hear what the District Attorney allows them to hear. There is no cross examination and no witnesses that testify that the District Attorney dose not allow. Once the police decide a person is guilty and convince the District Attorney indictment and a trial are sure to follow.

The police can cherry-pick the facts. Given two suspects they start to pick the facts that fit their personal prejudices. That is what happened in the murder of Viola Manville. Of the two suspects, Mark Christy and Frank Sterling, Frank Sterling became the police target and the facts surrounding Frank Sterling were presented to the Grand Jury. Frank Sterling spent the next 18 years of his life in jail for a crime he did not do. Mark Christy went on to murder again.

The best way to prevent cherry-picked facts from convicting an innocent person is to change who decides if a trial will take place. It should be decided by a judge in a hearing where the accused can have council and cross examine the police in how they conducted their investigation.

New York State should replace the Grand Jury as Britain did 78 year ago

Grant Dinehart Langdon