Richard Finch of KC & The Sunshine Band Makes Lil Wayne Look Better In Comparison? Don't forget Tim Bachman...

An elderly lawyer peered over my shoulder glancing at an article about rapper Lil Wayne who was sent to Rikers Island jail after his conviction for felony gun charges and exclaimed,"Not only was the music better in my day, the musicians were better people too." A simple smile pursed my lips as I ironically continued to read about Richard Finch, who played in the 1970s pop music group KC & the Sunshine Band. (Finch played base and drums with the group. He left the band in 1980.) Richard appeared today in an Ohio court concerning an indictment on 16 sex charges involving "multiple male juveniles." Richard Finch's trouble began last month when a 17-year-old boy said they had sexual contact. This launched a search for other possible victims. This month a grand jury indicted Finch on 10 counts of sexual imposition. Assistant prosecutor Tracy Van Winkle said the charges are of a sexual nature. Finch also faces three counts of compelling prostitution and/or offering money to minors for sex.

While Finch is presumed innocent, he allegedly told police that he had "sexual contact" with the juvenile, along with other male teenage juveniles. (According to law enforcement personnel. Finch disputes any such statements.) Finch remains at the Licking County jail awaiting a trial date. Finch's lawyer accurately reminds all that "...these are just allegations and that Mr. Finch is presumed innocent." Truer words never spoken. But for the present time, the allegations against Richard Finch may be taking some of the attention off modern day artists such as Lil Wayne.

Update 6-16-10: Rock and Roller Tim Bachman joins the list of former musicians making bad headlines. Bachman one of the founding members of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, has been charged with allegedly committing sex crimes against a young girl. Abbotsford News. The 58-year-old Bachman was formally charged in an Abbotsford court. He is accused of sexual interference with a person under the age of 14, sexual assault and touching a young person for a sexual purpose. Bachman started the band in the early 1970s. The incidents supposedly began a decade ago when the alleged victim was just 11 years old. Bachman allegedly continued "the assault" for three years until she was 14. Bachman who apparently works as a local real estate agent turned himself into Abbotsford police on May 12, 2010. His next court date is July 5, 2010. Bachman needs to follow the advice of his famous song, 'Takin' Care of Business.' Tim Bachman who left the group in 1974, but rejoined for a 1984, 1987 and 1988 reunion tours, has denied all charges. He is to be presumed innocent unless otherwise proven in a court of law. an

Why Does The Geezer Bandit Rob Banks?

How old is too old to be a crook? At some point in the golden years of life, are you deserving of being labeled as entertaining, comical or even in need of services? The FBI claims that the "Geezer Bandit" recently robbed his seventh bank since August. The most recent bank was in northern San Diego County. The Geezer Bandit is 60 to 70 years old and typically wears a blue San Diego Padres baseball cap. He walked into the California Bank and Trust on Escondido Avenue in Vista and demanded money.

The 6 foot 190 lb Geezer Bandit wears thick prescription glasses and would appear to be totally lost without them. The Geezer approaches the teller and hands her a note saying that this is a robbery and that he is armed. The Geezer sports a black appointment book which houses a short-barreled revolver. Three different rewards totaling $16,000 have been offered for his capture. He should not be hard to apprehend in a chase. He slowly waddles out of the bank just like he did when he entered. The Geezer Bandit is a suspect in a Aug. 28, 2009, U.S. Bank, a Sept. 12, 2009, San Diego National Bank, a Oct. 9, 2009, U.S. Bank, a Oct. 26, 2009, Bank of America, a Nov. 16, 2009, Bank of America, a Jan. 27, 2010, San Diego National Bank, a April 20, 2010, California Bank and Trust robberies.

So if you see an old Geezer standing in line waiting on a teller, by all means cut in front of him. That way, you can make your withdrawal before he cleans out all of the cash. On a side note, do you think it might be time to raise the amount of social security benefits paid to the elderly? If we don't, our jails may become full with the elderly looking for ways to afford living outside of a state run nursing home. Perhaps the Geezer is robbing banks to pay for his wife's medicine or treatment not covered by medicare. Truth is we don't know yet. But when we do find out, let's see if we can solve the underlying problem and not just treat the symptom.

Darryl Durr's Legal Struggles End In Execution By Sodium Thiopental.

Ohio finally ended all the legal wrangling by executing 46 year-old Darryl Durr at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. Durr was executed by lethal injection as punishment for killing 16-year-old Angel Vincent in 1988. Vincent was abducted from her home on January 31, 1988. Her body was found stuffed into two traffic barrels at a park. Durr's girlfriend originally told Vincent's mother that Vincent must have run away. However, after Durr was arrested for two unrelated rapes in September 1988, she informed police of her belief that Durr was involved in the death of Vincent.

In 2009, Durr told the parole board "he wished to convey his apologies to the victims for their tragic loss" but maintained his innocence. The board voted 7-0 vote to deny Durr's clemency request. Governor Ted Strickland granted temporary reprieves in October amid confusion over the legality of the method of execution. (See the failed attempt to execute Romell Broom.) Ohio utilizes a one-drug method of lethal injection since December of 2009. The method uses a single injection of sodium thiopental. May the execution bring peace to all involved.

Did Teacher, Stephanie Ragusua Offer Tutoring In More Than Just Multiplication? Erin Baynard Stewart Commits Similar Misconduct?

Do you remember a time when a gentle hug from a school teacher was a good thing? Now such physical contact is likely an omen foreshadowing disaster. Stephanie Ragusa was a middle school math teacher. Her students say that she made math "fun." But when she tutored on multiplying, who knew that might include sexual reproduction? The administration, faculty and parents always claim suprise in these cases. But is such ignorance justified?

To be clear, 31 year-old Stephanie Ragusa pleaded guilty to inappropriate sexual contact with two underage students. She could be sentenced to as many as 10 years in prison. Sentencing will be heard on June 15. Specifically, Ragusa will be sentenced on her admission to three counts of lewd and lascivious battery on a 14-year-old boy and two counts of having unlawful sex with a 16-year-old student. According to prosecutor Rita Peters, Ragusa had intercourse with the teen on three occasions between October 2006 and May 2007. Why did she plea? The prosecution had a stacked deck. Evidence of her indiscretion included a recorded phone conversation with the teen. During the call, Ragusa told the boy to keep their relationship a secret. Ragusa was arrested in April 2008 as she was leaving a teen's home. Furhtermore, Ragusa wrote the teen letters and provided him with gifts. Ragusa's handwritten will even included the teen as the executor of her estate.

Ragusa entered her pleas just prior to jury selection. The victims and their families were satisfied with the plea. Robert Herce represented Ragusa who has been jailed since her April 2008 arrest. Ragusa has already spent more time in jail than several other Florida teachers with similar charges. Thus speculation is that she may be given house arrest with eventual probation after the June sentencing hearing. In the mean time, Legal Pub asks when will schools start doing a better job keeping pedophiles and cougars out of the teaching ranks? For other teachers see: Mclean Lafavre Peterson

Update 4-30-10: Erin Baynard Stewart, a Terre Haute, Indiana teacher, may soon join be added to the list of teachers who have exercised incredible poor judgment. Erin is facing charges for allegedly having sexual relations with a student that was 14 years old. Apparently, last year, the 30-year-old teacher allegedly had sexual relations with a boy. Ms. Stewart teaches Social Studies at Chauncey Rose Junior High in Terre Haute. Allegedly the sexual contact occurred
four times last December. One of the encounters allegedly occurred in the classroom.

Apparently the boy's mother called police after her son had been bragging about it to friends.
After word had spread around school, the boy decide to tell his mother. Stewart is on paid administrative leave. She has no criminal arrest history and is to be presumed innocent of all allegations unless otherwise proven in a court of law.

Update 5-3-10: Vigo County Prosecutor Terry Modesitt successfuly convinced Vigo County Judge Michael Lewis that there was probable cause for Stewart to be jailed until May 5 Stewart will face at least two counts of sexual misconduct with a minor, a class-B felony, Stewart is held on $75,000 bond with no 10 percent allowed. A “no contact order” between Stewart and the student is also in place.

Update 5-21-10: John Beatty, a 75 year old retired Illinois teacher has pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct with a minor. Beatty of Martinsville, Illinois signed a plea agreement that reduced three class-B felony charges of sexual misconduct with a minor to one class-C felony count of the same crime.He will be sentenced July 29 and his possible sentence ranges from two to eight years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine. Beatty was arrested in May 2008 after officers believed that he engaged in sex acts with a minor male. Beatty told police he believed the boy was 18 and not a minor at the time of the consensual acts.

Does Ryanair Airlines Illustrate Corporate Selfishness By Forcing Men to Hold It On Airplanes? ~by Tom .J.

Make no mistake about it. We are officially deep into an era dominated by narcissistic personalities and self centered individualism. Blame it on men. It started when fathers allowed spoiled little princesses to grow up to be spoiled self centered women. While mankind turned a blind eye to this transformation, the concept of manhood became severely diluted. Recognizing the weakness fostered by passive tolerance, corporations pursued a similar path to capitalize on the trend of passive acceptance. As selfishness spilled over into the corporate world, corporations garnered more and more wealth. With the wealth came an attitude of invincibility and self importance. From chairman Akio Toyoda of Toyota Motors (Did he really say in the wake of accusations of faulty brakes and sticking accelerators that "nothing can stop Toyota?") to the private contractors employed by the government in the middle east, arrogance, brashness and selfishness have become the order of the day. While numerous examples of self centered women such as Casey Anthony and corporate deities such as Kenneth Lay of Enron, could be written about in detail, the latest move by Ryanair Arilines is illustrative food for fodder.

In a move to maximize its profits, Ryanair Airlines said that passengers will now have to pay to use the airline's in-flight bathroom. (Now, unless the female stewardesses are throwing in free admission to the mile high club, I really doubt male passengers will take this move squatting down. It is one thing to be forced to wait on one's spousal queen or princess daughter to use the bathroom and it is an entirely another thing to "hold it" for a complete flight.) Can this company really be that arrogant and greedy? Two moves by the airline would indicate that the answer is yes. One, Ryanair has partnered with Boeing to reduce the number of bathrooms from three to one. Two, Ryanair is looking at the feasibility of installing coin-operated locks in their planes' bathroom doors.

Besides their selfish goal of maximizing their wealth, what else could Ryanair be after? Perhaps they feel sorry for the legal profession and want to create work. After all, consumers might be able to challenge the implementation of these changes under the 2009 amendments to the American with Disabilities Act. How so? Tens of millions of people in the U.S. suffer from bowl or bladder disorders. For purposes of an extended trip, this can in fact be a disability. International laws may also provide some protection to passengers. One may certainly argue that it is a human right to freely eliminate oneself... that is as long as you do it in a designated private place.

On a long flight, would one bathroom adequately serve the needs of the passengers? One would think not. But does it matter? In these days of self centered women and corporations all demanding that the world revolve around them, you can bet men are going to be standing around even longer waiting for the opportunity to use the bathroom. And guys, there is no one for us to blame but ourselves.

Was Franchesca Edwards Merely Wanting To See Things Go Up When She Rode A Hotel Elevator While Naked?

Humane behavior continues to provide a fertile source of amusement. Perhaps Franchesca Dominique Edwards did not want Senator Edwards to be the only "Edwards" caught with their pants down. Supposedly on March 26, police in Norfolk, Va., Dominique became the subject of a 911 call from a hotel employee. The hotel employee reported a "nude female" on the elevator, "screaming with [a] gun."Apparently, a hotel maintenance worker was the first to encounter the 25-year-old and her birthday suit. Franchesca Dominique Edwards.

According to the Henrico County Police Department, "When the doors opened, a lone female was standing in the elevator completely nude with her purse..." Police Lt. Eric D. Owens, reported that a staff member had requested that Edwards leave the premises, at which time she pulled out a toy "cap gun." (Just think, if Senator Edwards had been firing blanks, he would not have "produced" evidence of his inappropriate conduct.)

Franchesca Edwards was taken into custody without incident. She was charged with two misdemeanors, indecent exposure and brandishing a weapon. (Seems the weapon charge in bogus and depending upon how good Franchesca looks, the term "indecent" may be harsh.)

Edwards did not offer an explanation for her actions. Edwards must be presumed to be innocent of all charges until she is proven otherwise in a court of law.