It Is Sad

[R0cketer]

LPD, the thing is this. You yourself said the gambling issues have been going since you was a kid. That kind of stuff, going back and forth with lawyers who go back to their clients, see if they will deal, see if they give up someone else in the process, determining if this is someone actually giving up someone who is guilty or if this is someone trying to get attention off of them, etc takes time.

Grants are wonderful but what will keep Appy from getting them is not pending cases against people who used to be in power but not cleaning up the mess right. Think of it this way, we've all seen people out begging for money, be it standing at K-Mart, in another city, etc. No doubt that giving money to some would help them but we also know that there are tons who would take a dime and go straight to buy crack or booze. If we knew that someone was really just down on their luck, and would do right, I don't think there are too many people who would not help. That's the issue Appy faces right now. It all comes back to time. You're right, you are being redundant, everybody understands where your coming from, but you are wanting miracles and they don't happen.

Take for example Cooper, he was brought up in what the first or second batch? Intead of worrying about cleaning up Appy's image, he fought to keep his position. Does that sound like someone worrying about how Appy looks or does that sound like someone who is trying to protect themselves or their buddies? When there is supposedly so much evidence, a special prosecutor has to review that and prepare it, go look at statements, look at what they have, if they have proof, etc. You wanted arrests. These were not people hauled in for questioning, they had indictments, there was some who spent time behind bars. This isn't a simple civil case, this is criminal. Remember, OJ was found not guilty in his criminal case because procedure wasn't followed and there was questions, he was found guilty in the civil case though. They're different beasts. You're dealing with 20 something people, if not more. You have to go through each person, figure out how they tie, who they tie into and in a small community like this, then your lawyers have to decide if they have a conflict of interest with not just someone in the case maybe directly but indirectly. Even a special prosecutor isn't just sitting out there with his 'I'm a lawyer' button and no cases pending or that they are working on just waiting for a special prosecuting case. If they were, they wouldn't be a very successful lawyer.

I agree Rock and i know where your coming from. But the thing is. If there is evidence there, it needs to be gone through and things done more evenly. Not all this waiting 3 months or months and indictments. Some of these indictments seem more of others turning others in.
If that is to be the case with some just mad at each other this could drag on for years.
In that case all the revolving loans and developmental grants that are out there. Appy will never get. Because as i said, it seems it's a game of wait then spring it on folks.
My opinion if you can roll into a small town with a small army of state police to open up a case. Why can't you have half as much researching the case to bring it to trial. If it was as open and shut as it has been made to seem do something.
Yeah it needs to be done right but someone needs to do it right. Just like the recent drug bust. Sherriff Oakes and Mr. Dotson didn't go arrest 3 at a time. They arrest many involved at the root of the problem and im sure others will follow, but it won't drag out that long, the evidence is there, just like it is suppose to be in these two cases. And were talking major drugs they went after. Many around here as i read in the Coalfield don't even think of Loritab as a drug? Well funny many around here have a hydrocodone problem.
Back to Appy. If you can bring in an army to make arrest. Get a little bit of that army to researching files and piecing things together.
We need to let Mr. Luntsford and others do their job without having to be held up awaiting when someone decides it's time to tell on someone else. Or keep the game going.
And the gambling. Well yeah Appy, Wise, Coeburn, St. Paul, Big Stone Gap and all of WC has had illegal gambling at one time or another. How many don't know it? Honestly?
I don't condone it. But as i also said. It went on for how long. But just become an issue with the voter fraud case. Sound like maybe someone was mad trying to get even or maybe get a deal for themselves.
Again no one wants egg on their face. So well you indict me for voter fraud, why has nothing ever been done about the illegal gambling. Opps we've known about it for how long, but oh no. If we don't do something now, how bad will we look.
And the same in that. They have the evidence. Indict and have a case and check and see if the two are related.
If you can afford an army to start something. Keep some of that army functional to seek out and do what you need to do.
Mr. Luntsford and the rest in Appy wanting to see it go forward, as far as community development grants and loans, etc. will set for years, if the process in place keeps going the way it is. Those loans will be gone or higher in interest or maybe they won't be able to be applied for.
And it's not just that either. The evidence just needs to be gone over and indict whoever needs to be indicted, but don't do it one at a time. If they did that with the gambling and drugs in the area, they would have no arrest.
Twice Appy has looked like it was being invaded.
Big news stories of a small town. Months later 3 prosecutors later, numerous indictments later, their no closer to trial than they were, and in one case, well they seem to not have a clue.
What if one in the voter case wanted to change their plea to guilty, have a speedy trial and that be that. Could they. Or would that take 3 or 4 months with a guilty verdict entered.
Im all for justice. But i don't see this ending for several years myself. There will be to many deals and still to many others involved that will have to be investigated.
While Mr. Luntsford and others who want to see the town move forward. Wait till those playing this game of wait and see get done. And by that time. Well they may be able to apply for a loan of some type. Then Mr. Luntsford will be under fire because he couldn't act. And how can he. His hands is tied, because a case where they have the evidence, will take 4 times as long to go to trial.
If you can bring in an Army of officers to start a case. If it's that big of an issue, well i think i'd be doing some full time investigating, till i got the evidence i needed, and take the case to trial.
To be so open and shut. This may last 2-3 years.
Good bye loans and grants, unless Rick Boucher or others have mercy on Appy.
And it's not like after seeing the outcome of the GC situation that any involved are gonna get major time. May be some weekend time and pay some fines. Unless someone wants to send a signal. And if that is the case they should of done that also in the GC situation.