Suspect's Death In Police Custody Ruled As Homicide In Revised Ruling By Milwaukee County Medical Examiner

Derek Williams in police squad begging for help.

Latest revised medical examiner's homicide ruling reopens death investigation into police negligence to rendering medical assistance to a suspect while in custody.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 24, 2012

Milwaukee, WI - The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office has revised their July 6, 2011 death determination of Derek Williams, 22, from a natural cause contributed by sickle cell complications while in Milwaukee police custody to a homicide. A ruling by a Assistant Medical Examiner Cristopher Poulos in 2011 indicated the examiner failed to review all of the evidence, including a police squad video showing Williams suffering problems from breathing before ruling that Williams had died from sickle cell complications. It was determined later, that Williams didn't have sickle cell disease.

The video showed Williams begging for medical attention after repeatedly telling an officer he couldn't breathe and was suffocating in the rear seat of a police vehicle. The officer told Williams that he was playing games, according to the audio in the video. 

The Williams case was reviewed after the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel contacted Assistant Medical Examiner Poulos of new evidence and a video released through an open records request that was excluded in 2011 to determine the death of Williams.

The Milwaukee County District Attorney's Office has reopen the Williams death investigation. Milwaukee Police Chief Edward Flynn doesn't believe an officer would be charged in Williams homicide.

In July 2011, Williams was arrested for attempted robbery shortly after being released from jail on a warrant for a child support violation. He ran and fled from police on N. Holton and E. Center, but was arrested by Officers Patrick Coe and Richard Ticcioni, who were two of five officers responding to the call. 

Williams was placed on Officer Jeffrey Cline's squad who initially responded to the call with Officer Zachary Thoms.

Williams, who is Black complained to Officer Cline that he couldn't breathe and the officer opened the windows. Then Cline left to finish his robbery investigation, while Officer Jason Bleichwehl questioned Williams in the squad. 

Williams had complained about his breathing problem for at least fifteen minutes before slumping over and stopped breathing. Officer Bleichwehl attempted to give CPR to Williams, but failed to resuscitate Williams.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Public Safety Plan Proposed For Local Police To Patrol Milwaukee County Parks

Local police departments in Milwaukee County to get stipends for patrolling parks.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 24, 2012

Milwaukee, WI - On Monday, both Chris Abele, Milwaukee County Executive and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett announced a public safety plan that would eliminate more than $1.6 Million from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department budget and transfer those funds to the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) and other local police departments to patrol and respond to emergencies at county parks. The three year plan would take effect in 2013 and would also transfer the 911 system from the sheriff's department to MPD. Abele said, the proposal would save money, provide better public safety and coordination of 911 calls in the city and county. 

Abele confirmed, that he tried to shared the proposal with Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke Jr., but Clarke hasn't responded. Clarke during a live interview with Charlie Sykes on 620 AM radio said, he was informed about the new public safety plan about fifteen minutes before Abele and Barrett made the proposal public.

County stipends of about $125,000 would be provided to local police departments in the county who already patrol and respond to county park emergencies. MPD would take over all of the county parks located within the city limits and would get $1.6 Million a year for patrolling parks and taking over the 911 county system.

The Milwaukee County Board and the Milwaukee Common Council would have to be approved the new safety plan.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Unique Piece Of Amber With Dragonfly Inside Offered On Chicago's Craigslist

Dragonfly trapped inside piece of amber.

September 22, 2012

Chicago, Illinois (HNNUSA) - A rare, genuine and unique piece of Amber with a Dragonfly trapped inside drawing interest from inquiring minds asking, if it is a genuine amber. YES, it's the real thing, the seller in Craigslist has confirmed. 

The piece had been posted numerous weeks in Chicago's Craigslist. The rare, awesome and brilliant piece of amber is a must to own by amber collectors and is just being offered for a mere $200k (PayPal).

The amber shows a desperate historic attempt of a dragonfly's last breaths in time by the air bubbles left trapped around it and other inclusions. The dragonfly was entombed for eternity in a nature casting of amber.

It is described in Craigslist as a unique piece of amber with a dragonfly captured inside by nature for a mere $200,000. The natural amber piece measures about 3 1/2″ in length, 2″ in width and 3/4″ in thickness, which comes with a heavy silver (925) bevel pendant. The silver content weights at 8 grams and the amber weight is 81.5 grams totaling 89.5 grams. The amber is yellow and brownish in nature color and includes other ojects inside. Only serious collectors, museums, art galleries and buyers should inquire.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Grupo Stampede Canceled Gig At Wild Willies Due To Accident

Members of the grupo Stampede are doing well after accident.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 21, 2012

Lufkin, Texas - On Friday, the popular Tejano group "Stampede" announced that they had canceled their presentation at Wild Willies in Lufkin due to an accident. An accident involving members of the grupo Stampede was reported from near Carrollton, Texas. They were scheduled to play at Wild Willies tonight, but the performance was canceled.

The Grupo Stampede on their Facebook page confirmed several hours ago that everyone was doing well and are expected to continue on their performance tours.

They will be playing next Friday at the New West in Dallas, Texas.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Milwaukee Police Identified Two Individuals Caught Passing Out Campaign Flyers Defaming Former Alderman Witkowiak

Juan Carlos Ruiz

Two individuals admitted they were paid to pass campaign flyers in Milwaukee's Southside deemed defamatory against Alderman James Witkowiak. In an effort to get Witkowiak ousted from office and elect José G. Pérez as Alderman in the 12th District.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 21, 2012

Milwaukee, WI - After an open records request by Hispanic News Network U.S.A. (HNNUSA), the Milwaukee Police Department (MPD) released a Memorandum filed by Second Police District Station Sergeant James Bunker regarding electioneering complaint in the last April elections. The memorandum by Sgt. Bunker stated, that he met up with Officer Doug Lemke on Monday, April 2, 2012 at 7:55 p.m. in 1300 block of W. Greenfield Ave. to investigate an electioneering complaint by several people who were allegedly placing illegal flyers on vehicles in the area.

The complainant was identified as Khaled A. Abidalrahim who worked for then Alderman James "Jim" Witkowiak. Witkowiak was running for re-election in the district. 

Two individuals, Richard N. Lopez and Anna Macias were identified by Sgt. Bunker who were passing out flyers for a group called Citizens for a Stronger South Side (CSSS) with an address of 523 W. Mitchell St. That address was not a listed address, according to Sgt. Bunker. But the address was a property belonging to Alderman Witkowiak, city records show. 

The literature in the flyers accused Alderman Witkowiak of taking money from business owners and also alleged corruption, which was deemed defamatory and untrue by the Witkowiak campaign.

Both Lopez and Macias admitted to Sgt. Bunker that Juan Carlos Ruiz, who was known to support Candidate for Alderman José G. Pérez had paid them to pass and place the questionable CSSS flyers on vehicles. Pérez had never admitted or commented to accusations that he actually knew the CSSS flyers were going to be distributed by Ruiz.

Neither Lopez, Macias or Ruiz were ever cited for passing out the CSSS flyers in April, according to Anne E. Schwartz, Communications Director for MPD.

In April, police confiscated about 120 orange flyers for inventory at District 2, after hundreds had already been distributed in the 12 Aldermanic District. The defamatory CSSS flyers might have cost Alderman Witkowiak his seat.

There are about 65,000 residents, including 15,000 registered voters in the 12th Aldermanic District. Pérez won by 1,290 votes compared to Witkowiak who received 1,204 votes.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

Morales-Rodriguez Found Guilty For The Ramirez-Cruz Homicides

Annette Morales-Rodriguez

Morales-Rodriguez was found guilty for the killing of a pregnant woman to get her unborn baby in 2011.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 20, 2012

Milwaukee, WI - On Thursday, Annette Morales-Rodriguez, 33, was found guilty by a jury for a double brutal homicide that involved a pregnant woman and her own unborn child. Morales-Rodriguez had been charged with two felony counts of first-degree intentional homicide in the deaths of Maritza Ramirez-Cruz, 23, and her unborn child last year. 

Morales-Rodriguez is facing two life terms in prison without the possibility of parole when she is sentenced.
On Oct. 6, 2011, Morales-Rodriguez met Ramirez-Cruz and offered her a ride. She lured Ramirez-Cruz to her house in Milwaukee's southside. Once inside her residence, Morales-Rodriguez beat Ramirez-Cruz with a baseball bat until she died and then used an exacto knife to extract Cruz' unborn child. The child also died when extracted from Ramirez-Cruz.
Morales-Rodriguez wanted a baby boy to keep her boyfriend, but she couldn't have one. 
Both Morales-Rodriguez and Ramirez-Cruz have three other children. Ramirez-Cruz did not know Morales-Rodriguez, according to the criminal complaint.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.

MC Multiservicios Tax Fraud Allegations Filed With IRS

Luis Urdaneta

Photos: HNG

Several community organizations are taking the lead in exposing tax refund fraud involving a Milwaukee tax prepaper that allegedly kept thousands from taxpayers.

By H. Nelson Goodson

September 18, 2012

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - On Tuesday, United We Stay (UWS), a Chicago and Michigan based non-profit organization filed an initial complaint against MC Multiservicios for tax refund fraud with the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Fresno, California, according to Luis Urdaneta, the Community Lead Organizer from the UWS-Chicago. Currently, numerous victims have come forward who discovered their original 2010 federal tax filings for 2009 tax refunds that were prepared by MC Multiservicios, a tax service preparer, 1010 S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive had discrepancies when they asked for copies of the original tax refund filings from the IRS in 2011 and 2012. The actual tax refund kept from the victims by MC Multiservicios range between $155.00 to $435.00 from each taxpayer, Urdaneta confirmed.

MC Multiservicios has their main office in Milwaukee and another in Waukesha.

Urdaneta says, his organization has filed a complaint for each taxpayer who was victimized by MC Multiservicios with the IRS and will be seeking the help of other community organizations "to form a local coalition to move forward with this issue." The coalition in the Milwaukee area will inform the public about the allegations made against MC Multiservicios and will be seeking those taxpayers who had their tax refunds prepared at MC Multiservicios to meet with the coalition to see, if they were taxpayer victims as well.

From my Android phone on T-Mobile. The first nationwide 4G network.