Public Safety

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Public Safety

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SAFE SENIOR CITIZENS

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Steve wants to improve the system by working within the system creating new more effective, efficient law enforcement methods that quickly -- justly resolve criminal cases. Steve demands justice for crimes against children, crimes against senior citizens, and white collar Crimes in The State of Idaho.

Murder Cold Cases come in Two separate classifications:

1) DNA Solvable cold cases. There have been huge advances in DNA technology in the last 18 months. Cold case murders containing the murderer's DNA are being justly solved. A major national, Idaho DNA database will quickly, efficiently, fairly, and justly convict the guilty and exclude the innocent. A large DNA database will be a deterrent to crime in Idaho.

Steve Pankey voluntarily uploaded his DNA to a database that is accessible to law enforcement. Steve urges everyone to upload their DNA to a database accessible to law enforcement. Steve opposes any and all forced taking DNA from law abiding citizens.
Giving or not giving your DNA is your own personal choice.

2) None--DNA cold cases. WE MUST FACE THE FACT THAT SOME NON--DNA COLD CASES WILL NEVER BE SOLVED. THE PROBLEM IS WITH NON--DNA COLD CASES. Non-DNA murder cold cases are being arbitrarily prosecuted, with many convictions later overturned in the interest of justice.
EXAMPLES:

A) Idaho Falls Police convicted Christopher Tapp of rape, murder through a Good Cop, Bad Cop coerced confession and without a shred of physical evidence. In later years, DNA cleared Tapp and clearly showed another man actually committed the crime.

B) Seven year old Maria Ridulph was murdered in 1957. John Tessier was arbitrarily convicted of her murder in 2012. Tessier's conviction was billed as the 'oldest cold case murder to be solved in the United States.' The conviction was justly dismissed in 2016.

C) Martha Moxley was murdered in 1975. In 2002 Michael Skakel was arbitrarily convicted in Moxley's murder. The Connecticut Supreme Court justly vacated Skakel's conviction in 2018. Skakel came from a well known political family. Rogue cops love to take down people who run for public office.

Decades old cold cases have near insurmountable problems: Old memories, vindictive 'witnesses.' Ex-wives can be vindictive, and remember past events selectively. Exculpatory witnesses die. Arbitrarily accusing men who had past criminal accusations did not solve 7 year old Maria Ridulph's murder; or 15 year old Martha Moxley's murder.

PROBLEM: GOOD COP, BAD COP POLICE INTERROGATIONS. LAW ENFORCEMENT CURRENTLY USING GOOD COP, BAD COP INTERROGATION METHODS ARE A DISGRACE TO ETHICAL MEN AND WOMEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. Many innocent people have gone to prison for crimes they have not committed because of Good Cop, Bad Cop interrogations. Intimidation, getting in someone's face, spitting, verbal rubber hose treatment. Old school interrogations often include Miranda Rights violations.

SOLUTION: Ban all 'interrogations,' interrogations lead to false confessions. Skilled Interviews get results. Skilled interviews by law enforcement results in A) Relevant, factual information, B) Admissible confessions. Fact based interviews lead to just convictions. Example: You can watch the YouTube video of Canadian Detective Jim Smith ethically getting a confession from serial killer Russel Williams. Detective Smith calmly presented the facts to Williams who knew police had evidence and confession was his best option. A serial killer was taken off the streets because of an ethical interview, not a Nazi type interrogation.

PROBLEM: Blaming Whistleblowers People who commit major crimes brag, tell their crimes to people who have criminal histories. Fear of arbitrary law enforcement keeps vital information secret. Without accurate crime information, murders become cold cases.

SOLUTION: Reward, protect individuals with real knowledge of real crimes. Deals lead to knowledge. Knowledge leads to just convictions.