MY BLOG: In today's Sun-Herald

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

In today's Sun-Herald

FWIW, we knew this was coming. Whatever. I rarely think of Michael King. What's fascinating is I still run into people who have no idea who Michael King is. They know about Denise and the 9-1-1 debacle but not about King. Just yesterday a customer asked me if they caught "the guy" yet. Two weeks ago someone asked "did they catch the guys who did this?" There are so many people out there that don't read newspapers or blogs.

It's just like nails on a chalkboard. I guess it'll get worse. I'm not looking forward to it.

Here's the article:

Venue change requested in King trial

SARASOTA COUNTY -- With media coverage ranging from hundreds of local newspaper articles to an hour-long "Dateline NBC" TV broadcast, Michael King's name has been associated with Denise Amber Lee since police named him as a suspect in her kidnapping, rape and murder on Jan. 17, 2008.

Now King's attorneys are trying to have his upcoming trial, set for August at the Sarasota County Courthouse, moved because of the vast amount of media coverage of the case.

More than 75 pages of court documents were recently submitted by one of King's public defenders asking for the highly publicized trial to be moved out of the county.

However, according to Sarasota County Assistant State Attorney Lon Arend, the request will not be considered until the jury selection process beings.

"We don't really address it until we are trying to pick a jury," Arend said Monday. "If we tried to pick a jury and can't find enough people who are not familiar with the case, then it would be decided if the trial should be moved."

Arend said it's standard procedure for an attorney to ask for the trial to be moved if it generates massive media attention.

This isn't the first time King's attorneys have sought accommodations. Shortly after King was arrested last year, assistant public defender John Scotese asked a judge for a gag order banning everyone involved in the case from speaking to all news media.

In his motion, Scotese wrote that the more information reported about King, 37, would make it harder for a fair trial.

The motion requested attorneys, witnesses, law enforcement and court personnel, and the prosecution not give information to any news agencies. Scotese also requested a motion asking the judge to keep specific information secret until the trial ended.

The judge did not uphold the gag order request. A copy of a 911 tape from witness Jane Kowalski, who spotted King's green Camaro on the night of the murder, was released to the media. Police investigators held news conferences to brief the public about updates in the case, and some documents in King's file have been made public.

Since Denise Lee's murder, her widower Nathan has appeared on the "Dr. Phil Show" and "Primetime," and has been interviewed by a multitude of reporters throughout the nation.

Blogs and Web sites include postings from local citizens to residents of New Zealand who discuss all aspects of the King case, including police finding Denise's ring in King's Camaro, a DNA sample taken from Lee's body that matched King's, and strands of the 21-year-old's hair found at his North Port home.

"I expected this. I was warned that his attorney would be scrambling," Lee said Monday. "Evidence is evidence. Justice will prevail for Denise.

"I have to have faith in the State Attorney's Office. I hope (King) has the best defense so he has no chance to appeal it."

Earlier this month, Assistant Public Defender Carolyn Schlemmer filed a motion to block the death penalty for King, citing lethal injection, if not done properly would create "unnecessary pain."

She also asked that some evidence be banned from the trial, citing King's rights were violated on the night he was arrested. She said King was not read his rights before being questioned for hours.

However, in a series of taped interviews with King on the night Lee was abducted, released to the media, an officer read King his rights.

E-mail: eallen@sun-herald.com

By ELAINE ALLEN-EMRICH

North Port Community News Editor

Attn: Cell Phone Users

I'm adapting this from a pamphlet Mark picked up from the California NENA conference out in San Diego.

When Dialing 9-1-1 From Your Cell Phone

1. Call only for immediate emergency assistance - medical, fire, or police.

2. Be prepared to provide your location and any essential information the dispatcher may need.

3. Stay on the line until told to hang up. You may be transferred to another agency.

added edit

Cell phones cannot "text" 9-1-1. During the Virginia Tech massacre, many students tried texting 9-1-1 because they were afraid the killer would hear them.

Do not assume 9-1-1 can find you when using a cell phone. Cell phone signals go to the nearest "available" tower.

IMO, always call 9-1-1 in an emergency unless you are sure others have already called.

And, IMO, if you are distraught, if possible have a neighbor or other family member call 9-1-1 for you. They will most likely be able to listen and give clearer instructions.

Help Reduce Unnecessary Calls

Use non-emergency numbers for your local law enforcement agency when you do not need immediate assistance.

If medical, fire or police are already on scene, it is not necessary to call 9-1-1 again. Instead, call a non-emergency number if you have additional information and witnessed the incident.

Do not call 9-1-1 for non-emergecy incidents (i.e., requesting road conditions, asking why traffic is backed up, requesting driving directions, or other similar reasons). Be prepared; contact your local FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) office directly, using a non-emergency number.

Use or maintain a landline at home and at work for 9-1-1 calls, as the dispatcher is more likely to get accurate location information from a landline.

Using 9-1-1 in non-emergency situations prevents critical emergencies from being attended to.

DID YOU KNOW?

Almost everyone in the U.S. owns a cell phone and some households do not use a landline at all. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made daily nationwide.

Far too many cellular 9-1-1 phone calls, both non-emergency and repeat calls for the same incident, are tying up the 9-1-1 phone system. This results in unnecessary busy signals, disconnects, and delays in dispatch time for ture 9-1-1 emergency calls.

Not every 9-1-1 call is answered by your local law enforcement agency. Cell phone providers try to calculate you approximate location using cell towers or satellite positioning. If they cannot, the call will likely default to the Florida Highway Patrol and then be transferred to the appropriate agency. This means that non-emergency or repeat calls are wasting critical minutes or dispatchers' time.

If you call 9-1-1 from you cell phone or an inactive phone, your phone number and location information may not be available to the dispatcher. Know your surroundings (street address, landmarks, mileposts) when calling 9-1-1. This will save valuable seconds in an emergency.

Avoid accidental 9-1-1 calls

Accidental cell phone calls can congest the 9-1-1 phone system. Accidental calls occur when the phone is placed in a pocket, belt clip, or purse, and a pre-programmed emergency button is bumped. Even a locked phone can dial 9-1-1.

Help Avoid Accidental Calls With the Following Tips

Do not hang up on an accidental 9-1-1 call. Inform the dispatcher that the call was an accident before you hang up.

Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into your or your child's cell phone's speed dial. This can lead to accidental calls.

Teach your child how and when to dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone. Train them to press 9-1-1 and the "send" button only in an emergency.

Even cell phones without active service can dial 9-1-1. Take batteries out of cell phones before recycling them or giving them to a child to play with.

Don't call 9-1-1 to check to see if you cell phone works. 9-1-1 is to be used for emergency calls only.

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Tuesday, March 31, 2009

In today's Sun-Herald

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Attn: Cell Phone Users