Another reason to do Facebook (Jack Bog's Blog)

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This page contains a single entry from the blog posted on November 13, 2009 1:01 AM. The previous post in this blog was Zoo construction: "a train out of control". The next post in this blog is Next up for a bailout: the FHA. Many more can be found on the main index page or by looking through the archives.

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« Zoo construction: "a train out of control" | Main | Next up for a bailout: the FHA »

Friday, November 13, 2009

Another reason to do Facebook

It provides an air-tight alibi.

Posted at 1:01 AM | Permalink

Comments (11)

I just read a book about protecting innocents from criminal convictions -- not that anyone seems too interested in that. The Facebook thing will get all the attention but what really ought to be the key takehome message is that eyewitness identification usually -- meaning almost always -- isn't. Especially cross-racial.

This jibes with what the Innocence Project people have found -- time and again, the single biggest factor that leads innocent people to prison (or even death row) is a faulty "eyewitness ID." And this is leaving aside all the frame jobs, set ups and out and out police testilying -- just people being well-meaning but dead wrong.

That is one very lucky young man. Because despite all we know about the failures of "identification," courts have very little interest in the subject.

Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | November 13, 2009 1:20 AM

This story proves the old adage: "Make an IHOP joke, save a life."

Posted by Jack Bog | November 13, 2009 1:29 AM

This just proves that a competent investigation always brings out the truth.

Posted by Jon | November 13, 2009 6:33 AM

Unless the evidence is suppressed.

Posted by john rettig | November 13, 2009 7:39 AM

The eye witness should receive an all expense paid 12 day stay on Rykers Island for this mis- I.D.

Posted by genop | November 13, 2009 10:56 AM

Or unless the kid didn't happen to make a timely IHOP joke in a format that had an inarguable time stamp on it. Reread the story -- there were many other people corroborating his alibi while he sat in jail. None of that mattered to the cops or the system -- the "ID" by a guy who had presumably never seen him before in a metro area of 20+ million people carried all the weight.

And understand what would have happened to him had he not had a lucky IHOP joke -- he would have been charged so hard that his own lawyer (were he lucky enough to be able to afford one) would have strongly urged him to plead down to some lesser charge because the system is set up to absolutely hammer anyone who forces their case to go to trial, where they would find that the "presumption of innocence" is a joke.

Posted by George Anonymuncule Seldes | November 13, 2009 12:12 PM

It can also provide an "air tight" conviction and home detention.

Me: what are you doing on the computer?
Daughter: my homework!
Me: let's just look at your facebook page.
Daughter: ahh, oops....

Posted by Bad Brad | November 13, 2009 12:32 PM

about alibis? off topic or on time:

Today, until 15:00 talk with Randy Leonard on-air replacing LIARS Larson. 750 AM radio

Maybe for some, here, a chance to SHOUT at Randy on-air ....

Posted by Tenskwatawa | November 13, 2009 12:59 PM

I'll be sure to let my resident teens know, because they certainly don't spend enough time on Facebook as it is.

Posted by Doris | November 13, 2009 1:30 PM

Nooo! don't shout at Randy on-air. He will trace the call and find out who you are and then send his hit squad to your home or business!

Posted by notjustforlooks | November 13, 2009 2:04 PM

Can someone tape the highlights for me? I need to add to my reel of priceless Randy moments, which include his rant on the Chasse murder, clips of his inappropriate cavorting with Mayor Creepy and Storm Large, and a few red-faced blowups during city council meetings. And I can't wait until the soon-to-be ex-wife starts letting go of little tidbits...

Posted by RANZ | November 13, 2009 2:10 PM

In Vino Veritas

Charamba, Douro 2008
Horse Heaven Hills, Cabernet 2010
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills Pinot Grigio 2011
Avignonesi, Montepulciano 2004
Lorelle, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2011
Villa Antinori, Toscana 2007
Mercedes Eguren, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Lorelle, Columbia Valley Cabernet 2011
Purple Moon, Merlot 2011
Purple Moon, Chardonnnay 2011
Abacela, Vintner's Blend No. 12
Opula Red Blend 2010
Liberte, Pinot Noir 2010
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Indian Wells Red Blend 2010
Woodbridge, Chardonnay 2011
King Estate, Pinot Noir 2011
Famille Perrin, Cotes du Rhone Villages 2010
Columbia Crest, Les Chevaux Red 2010
14 Hands, Hot to Trot White Blend
Familia Bianchi, Malbec 2009
Terrapin Cellars, Pinot Gris 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2009
Campo Viejo, Rioja, Termpranillo 2010
Ravenswood, Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2010
Waterbrook, Reserve Merlot 2009
Lorelle, Horse Heaven Hills, Pinot Grigio 2011
Tarantas, Rose
Chateau Lajarre, Bordeaux 2009
La Vielle Ferme, Rose 2011
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio 2011
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir 2009
Lello, Douro Tinto 2009
Quinson Fils, Cotes de Provence Rose 2011
Anindor, Pinot Gris 2010
Buenas Ondas, Syrah Rose 2010
Les Fiefs d'Anglars, Malbec 2009
14 Hands, Pinot Gris 2011
Conundrum 2012
Condes de Albarei, Albariño 2011
Columbia Crest, Walter Clore Private Reserve 2007
Penelope Sanchez, Garnacha Syrah 2010
Canoe Ridge, Merlot 2007
Atalaya do Mar, Godello 2010
Vega Montan, Mencia
Benvolio, Pinot Grigio
Nobilo Icon, Pinot Noir, Marlborough 2009
Portuga, Rose 2011
Revelation, Chardonnay, Pays d'Oc 2010
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 2005
Monte Alto, Tinto Reserva 2005
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Cabernet, Indian Wells 2009
Espiral, Vinho Rose
Vin-Koru, Pinot Gris 2011
14 Hands, Hot to Trot Red 2009
Rodney Strong, Cabernet, Sonoma 2009
Abacela, Vintner's Blend #11
Portuga, White 2010
La Bourgeoisie, Red 2009
Januik, Red 2009
Three Rivers, River's Red 2008
Kirkland, Alexander Valley Merlot 2008
Muga, Rioja Rose 2010
Quinta das Amoras, Vinho Tinto 2009
Mauro Molino, Barbera d'Alba 2009
Garda Chiaretto Rose
Columbia Crest, Two Vines Vineyard 10 White
Chateau Ste. Michelle, Pinot Gris, Columbia Valley 2009
L'Hortus, Rose de Saignee 2010
Maculan, Pino & Toi 2008
McKinley Springs, Bombing Range Red 2008
Trader Joe's Pinot Gris 2009
Montes Alpha, Cabernet 2007
Gran Sasso, Sangiovese, Terre di Chieti 2009
Garda, Classico Chiaretto Rose
Beaulieu, Cabernet, Rutherford 1999
Picos del Montgo, Tempranillo 2008
Chateau de Montmirail, Vacqueyras 2008
La Granja 360, Syrah 2009
Montgras, Carmenere Reserva 2009
Lange, Pinot Gris 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet 2008
Kirkland, Pinot Grigio 2010
Trader Joe's Coastal Syrah 2009
Columbia Crest, Horse Heaven Hills Merlot 2008
Trader Joe's Coastal Chardonnay 2009
Vieux Papes Red
Domaine de l'Aujardiere, Chardonnay 2009
Santa Rita, Cabernet, Medalla Real 2007
Penfold's, Koonunga Hill Shiraz Cabernet 2008
Guild, Red, Lot #02 2008
Dievole, Dievolino Sangiovese 2008
Laforet, Burgogne Chardonnay 2009
Columbia Winery, Merlot 2007
Bonterra, Cabernet 2008
Elk Cove, Pinot Gris 2009
Maquis Lien 2006
Scott Paul, Pinot Noir, Le Paulee 2007

The Occasional Book

Neil Young - Waging Heavy Peace
Mark Bego - Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (2012 ed.)
Jenny Lawson - Let's Pretend This Never Happened
J.D. Salinger - Franny and Zooey
Charles Dickens - A Christmas Carol
Timothy Egan - The Big Burn
Deborah Eisenberg - Transactions in a Foreign Currency
Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
Cheryl Strayed - Wild
Fyodor Dostoyevsky - The Brothers Karamazov
Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
Jack Walker - The Extraordinary Rendition of Vincent Dellamaria
Colum McCann - Let the Great World Spin
Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
Harper Lee - To Kill a Mockingbird
Emma McLaughlin & Nicola Kraus - The Nanny Diaries
Brian Selznick - The Invention of Hugo Cabret
Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
Keith Richards - Life
F. Sionil Jose - Dusk
Natalie Babbitt - Tuck Everlasting
Justin Halpern - S#*t My Dad Says
Mark Herrmann - The Curmudgeon's Guide to Practicing Law
Barry Glassner - The Gospel of Food
Phil Stanford - The Peyton-Allan Files
Jesse Katz - The Opposite Field
Evelyn Waugh - Brideshead Revisited
J.K. Rowling - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
David Sedaris - Holidays on Ice
Donald Miller - A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Mitch Albom - Have a Little Faith
C.S. Lewis - The Magician's Nephew
F. Scott Fitzgerald - The Great Gatsby
William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream
Ivan Doig - Bucking the Sun
Penda Diakité - I Lost My Tooth in Africa
Grace Lin - The Year of the Rat
Oscar Hijuelos - Mr. Ives' Christmas
Madeline L'Engle - A Wrinkle in Time
Steven Hart - The Last Three Miles
David Sedaris - Me Talk Pretty One Day
Karen Armstrong - The Spiral Staircase
Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
Adrian Wojnarowski - The Miracle of St. Anthony
William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
Jonathan Schwartz - All in Good Time
David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
James McManus - Positively Fifth Street
Jeff Noon - Vurt

Road Work

Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
Total run in 2012: 129
In 2011: 113
In 2010: 125
In 2009: 67
In 2008: 28
In 2007: 113
In 2006: 100
In 2005: 149
In 2004: 204
In 2003: 269