WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE LAND OF DAVY CROCKETT?
June 30, 2011
Dear Editor:
The following letter has been sent by certified mail to the addressee, a defense attorney acting as a public defender for Mr. Ralph O’Neal, a man incarcerated on what I believe to be false charges. The last I heard from Mr. O’Neal was in mid-June. Rumor has it that he is “locked down” inside Blount County Jail and not allowed to call out. If this is true, it would explain why he hasn’t called me. I am sure he would if he could to check up on the status of his recent correspondence to me. To be honest, I am a little worried about him. Wondering if he is safe. Please keep him in your prayers.
Editor’s Note: Corruption in Tennessee has been reported as rampant, with the courts and judges being complicit in railroading defendants to conviction without due process. Several cases have shown that the county grand juries which are charged with examining evidence of a crime and overseeing the conditions in the local jails are rigged with “repeat” jurors in violation of state law, as are the trial juries which issue convictions in the wake of obvious judicial malfeasance committed in the open.
A previous letter written by the same citizen to Attorney Shope regarding the same defendant is here. In that letter, name “O’Neil” should have been spelled “O’Neal,” as evidenced by letters received by the citizen advocate and The Post & Email with Mr. O’Neal’s signature indicate. The Post & Email contacted Atty. Shope’s office several weeks ago to inquire about obtaining a transcript of a court hearing following a 25-minute explanation from the owner of a private court-reporting company as to why it had not been prepared. Our call was never returned.
June 24, 2011
Ms. Steve Shope
Attorney At Law
620 West Hill Avenue
Knoxville, TN 37902
Reference: Your client, Ralph T. O’Neal III
Dear Mr. Shope:
Enclosed please find recent handwritten correspondence (2 pages) to you from your client, Ralph O’Neal who is currently being held in the Blount County Jail in Maryville, Tennessee awaiting transfer to Roane County to face a false murder charge. Those responsible for the false murder charge occupy the Roane County Sheriff’s Department. Therefore, this letter will include statements from the local citizens in Roane County regarding corruption in the Sheriff’s Department, the suspicious murder of “Ronnie Boone” Cofer in 2007 of which Mr. O’Neal was falsely accused in 2009/10, as well as the ongoing drug trafficking in Roane County of which Mr. O’Neal was charged in 200/08 and recently sentenced to 69 years in prison while his Constitutional Rights were grossly violated to secure that false conviction. Meanwhile, the rampant drug trafficking and suspicious murders in Roane County continue to no avail. What involvement, if any, do the police have regarding these crimes? Investigation into that matter I believe will exonerate Mr. O’Neal of these false charges. The results of such an investigation should be included as part of Mr. O’Neal’s appeal of which you are his legal counsel.
This letter will also include a few examples of many where corruption in local county governments is rampant and where local authorities appear to have no fear of accountability from higher state government officials. I am hard pressed to understand how you have been a defense attorney in Tennessee for over 30+ years and have no knowledge of this. A local public defender in my community indicated to me that he has told his children never to trust the police here. This speaks volumes into what he knows about the corruption. I suppose he doesn’t publically speak against it in fear that he would lose his job. This is the reality of those who don’t condone the corruption, but are forced to live with it. Perhaps this is the position that you are also in.
Now, with regard to your client, Mr. O’Neal, he asked me to send this letter to you via certified mail regarding his appeal. It was my intent to get his letter to you sooner, however that was not possible due to several factors, including the late receipt of this letter from the Blount County Jail. Therefore, I am respectfully requesting that you, as Mr. O’Neal’s public defender, accept his telephone calls and address the issues that he needs taken care of for his appeal. Delayed outgoing inmate mail with deadlines and unanswered telephone calls placed to your office by the defendant clearly impedes his due process. I hope you have since made contact with Mr. O’Neal and his appeal is underway. I pray for the unfortunate circumstances he faces in trying to exonerate himself of these charges while incarcerated under these and other similar circumstances
As stated in my June 2, 2011, letter to you (additional copy enclosed for reference), I wrote to you on Mr. O’Neal’s behalf solely as a concerned citizen. I have never met Mr. O’Neal, nor did I know of his unfortunate plight until he contacted me via telephone in May 2011 after having obtained my number from directory assistance though his girlfriend.
In my initial telephone conversation with Mr. O’Neal, he asked for help based on my Internet comments to a posting I had responded to regarding “Corruption in Tennessee”. Mr. O’Neal and/or his girlfriend had obviously been googling this topic as well. This is a topic that someone would be googling if they had been victimized by corruption in Tennessee or knew someone who had. References to the police corruption in Roane County will also be included in this letter as it relates to the charges against Mr. O’Neal and his defense.
As I stated in my June 2, 2011 letter to you, I had personally googled the topic “Corruption in Tennessee” on the Internet in May 2011 in response to some of my own experiences in recent years after moving to Tennessee from out of state. Although not nearly as serious as Mr. O’Neal, my husband and I have witnessed the corruption firsthand and have also read many accounts of it in Internet newspaper articles, on TV news networks, as well as online comments from local citizens that are consistent with what is being reported across the board. Mr. O’Neal is only one of many that have evidence of being victimized in this way by the authorities in Tennessee.
Mr. O’Neal mailed his enclosed correspondence to you via my P.O. Box on June 15, 2011. Please see enclosed copy of the envelope with the post marked date of June 15, 2011, his return address from the Blount County Jail, and the stamp on the envelope stating it is being mailed from a correctional facility. I trust you will recognize Mr. O’Neal’s handwriting and his signature on his enclosed correspondence. Clearly your client he is requesting my help to get a certified copy of his letter to his defense attorney where a record that you have received it is obtained.
Then, on June 17, 2011, Mr. O’Neal sent another letter to me (copy enclosed) which consist of work that needs to be done to exonerate him of the charges that he indicated were wrongly brought against him in Roane County several years ago, and of which he was later convicted. He asserts that this conviction was obtained as result of judicial corruption and the violation of his Constitutional Rights. As you are aware, Mr. O’Neal was sentenced to 69 years in prison on June 9, 2011 in Knoxville, and you were present for that sentencing as his legal representative. In this sentencing hearing, I have learned that you refused to file the Rule 33 motion for a new trial as Mr. O’Neal had requested you do on several occasions, and through me per my June 2, 2011 registered letter to you, as well as in the courtroom prior to his sentencing.
Several people were present to document that sentencing hearing of which I have been given statements from both. Mr. O’Neal also informed me of what took place in that hearing in a recent telephone conversation that I had with him. I asked him why you refused to file the Rule 33 Motion for a new trial as he had requested of you. Mr. O’Neal stated that you told him you thought such a motion would be perceived by the judge as “a slap in the face”. This response is consistent with the reasoning you gave to me in our telephone conversation prior to my June 2, 2011 letter. In response to Mr. O’Neal’s request to file the Rule 33 Motion prior to his June 9th sentencing date you stated to me “That is not the way we do things around here”. I assumed “around here” meant Knox County and/or Tennessee.
Then in my June 2, 2011 letter I quoted you as having said this to me during our phone conversation. The reason you gave to me is what influenced the content and tone of my letter to you. Clearly I was petitioning you to file the Rule 33 Motion as your client had requested even though “that is not the way they do it here”. In my June 2nd letter, I also laid out a couple of possible scenarios that might contribute to your not wanting to file the Rule 33 Motion.
Your June 9, 2011 response to Mr. O’Neal that the judge might view such a motion as “a slap in the face” is consistent with my questions to you on whether or not you “feared” the authorities.
Then during my brief telephone call to you on June 10, 2011 (after the sentencing hearing but before I was informed of the outcome) you referred to my June 2, 2011 letter as being “the most insulting thing you had ever read”. Then you hung up on me. This was the extent of our conversation. When I later found out that you ignored Mr. O’Neal’s request to file the Rule 33 Motion for a new trial because “that is not how it is done here” and your believe that the Judge would view such a motion as “as a slap in the face”, I was dumbfounded as to why you would find my letter “insulting”.
I believe my letter simply conveyed a concern that you would refuse to file the Rule 33 Motion, and thus violate Mr. O’Neal’s Constitutional Rights for due process under the law. The manner in which you handled Mr. O’Neal’s request stands on its own merits. You did not file the Rule 33 Motion and the reasons you gave are on record.
Clearly, my letter to you was not intended to insult you, but rather to advocate for Mr. O’Neal and his request for the Rule 33 Motion to be filed by his attorney which is you. When I made that call to you prior to my June 2nd letter, I naturally thought you and Mr. O’Neal would be on the same page with regard to his defense. Mr. O’Neal even provided you written documentation (via my June 2nd mailing to you) that supported his requests for the filing of a Rule 33 Motion for a new trial. Yet, this documentation and his request were ignored so as not to “offend” the judge. And thus Mr. O’Neal was sentenced to 69 years in prison on major drug trafficking charges of which he states he is innocent. Your concern about “offending” the judge with a Rule 33 Motion is consistent with your comment to me…, “that is not how we do things here” and that you “just needed to get the sentencing over with and then work on his appeal”.
Per Mr. O’Neal’s request as noted in his enclosed correspondence, I am sending you this 2nd correspondence with his repeated requests for affidavits and/or depositions to be obtained that he believes will prove his innocence on those drug trafficking charges. Since the affidavits and/or depositions were not obtained by you to support a Rule 33 Motion for a new trial, it certainly needs to be done as part of his appeal. Clearly, I do not have the expertise and credentials… or the good health to be working on such a case as this. Surely I would fail Mr. O’Neal in my ignorance about such legal matters and inability to get these things done in a timely manner, or even at all in some cases.
Most of what I have to offer Mr. O’Neal is the common sense to recognize how he has been judicially harassed, ill represented, and set-up to take the heat for crimes that his accusers can’t substantiate without forcing others with intimidation tactics to make false statements in exchange for freedom or plea bargains.
Clearly, Mr. O’Neal sincerely feels victimized by what he believes to have been a corrupt judicial process. From what I have learned, I concur. I feel sorry for anyone that has been victimized with judicial corruption that makes a mockery of our U.S. Constitution and the taking of one’s life without actually shooting them in the head. For me personally, the latter would be preferable vs. life in prison.
As Mr. O’Neal continues to identify the corruption imposed on him in these legal matters, I fear that the authorities may try to harm or kill him while in custody and make it look like someone else did it. Such is what the “locals” appear to believe about Roonie “Boone” Cofer who was murdered in Harriman, TN in August 2007, and of which the authorities then falsely charged Mr. O’Neal several years later. I will be addressing this matter later in this letter with a number of local statements obtained “off the street” via www.Topix.com, which I will copy and paste into this letter for your review. I believe what you read will perhaps give you some insight into the corruption in Roane County and just how utterly corrupt the charges against Mr. O’Neal are when looking at what really appears to be going on this county. It mirrors what is going on in other counties in Tennessee.
Please be advised that I have and will continue to copy my letters and supporting documentation to several organizations and media outlets that have shown an interest in this case and the outcome. Hopefully more light can be shed on what is happening in a number of counties in this state.
Mr. O’Neal. has asked me to contact several state agencies on his behalf. Therefore, I will also copy them on my correspondences regarding this matter. However, I currently believe this may be a waste of my time since the local authorities appear to have no fear of oversight or reprimand from anyone in higher government. Time will tell whom it is that seeks to continue with the corruption surrounding the charges that have been brought against Mr. O’Neal and the manner in which this process was allowed to occur. I am learning more about “how things are done here in Tennessee” than what I care to know… or find it safe knowing. Which is exactly why my correspondences are being signed “Concerned Citizen” until I no longer reside in this state and risk similar judicial harassment… or harm.
Also in Mr. O’Neal’s correspondence to me, he has requested that I do some research on pro bono attorneys. Therefore I will also be copying my correspondence to outside organizations that might be able to ensure that Mr. O’Neal has access to all the legal help available to him. While I don’t know for sure, I assume Mr. O’Neal’s requests for information on pro bono attorneys is based on his recent calls to your office where your assistant has indicated that you are too busy to talk with him. I hope that he has been able to make contact with you and that his request for an appeal to be filed is not being handled like his request for the Rule 33 Motion for a new trial. This would certainly be another violation of his Constitutional Right to due process just like the Court’s protocol in stonewalling a defendant’s ability to obtain copies of relevant court transcripts for his appeal.
I learned about this corrupt process when I called Miller and Miller in Knoxville, the company that was hired to do the court transcripts of Mr. O’Neal’s sentencing hearing. I learned from the owner of this company that is impossible for a defendant to obtain court transcripts without approval from the judge that sentenced Mr. O’Neal. I was also informed that there is a cost for the transcripts that can total up to several thousand dollars. I am wondering if this is true. And if so, I have to wonder if this is even legal. I thought court transcripts were public record and certainly available to the defendant in preparation for their appeals. Yet, I appear to be wrong in my understanding of this based on what I was told by the owner of the court reporting company that was hired by the court to do the transcripts.
I also found it interesting that the owner of this Knoxville based company told me that court transcripts are never 100% accurate, and that anyone that states otherwise would be lying. I can’t imagine why a defendant cannot count of his court transcription to be 100% accurate. Then I read stories on the Internet about court transcripts in other Tennessee courts being “doctored” and/or “unavailable” to defendants in preparation of their appeals. Both would be a violation of their Constitutional Rights, wouldn’t it? Yet this also appears to be going on in Tennessee.
I informed Mr. O’Neal about this and he wanted me to ask you to obtain copies of the transcripts as soon as possible. We fear that they are being doctored and/or will not be made available to Mr. O’Neal since an appeal of the Judges conviction may insult the Judge as you felt a Rule 33 Motion would. In that instance, I have to wonder if the Judge may not release the court transcripts for preparation of Mr. O’Neal’s appeal. It is my understanding the Judge has the power to do this in Tennessee based on the statement from the owner of Miller and Miller. Please let Mr. O’Neal know if this is true.
It is hard for me to accept that a Judges “feelings” could or would be allowed to interfere with ones right to due process. But I guess “that is how it is done here”.
Likewise, I want to provide you a birds-eye view into how things are done in Roane County, at least based on a number of the locals that live or have lived there.
As I am sure you are aware, any investigator or detective will obtain statements from locals in the community in the course of an investigation. Going “down on the street” and “from house to house” to obtain statements from the locals is an effective tool to gain information in the course of an investigation.
In recent years, the Internet has become another useful tool in which investigators and detectives are able to gain information from citizens or about citizens. Their utilization of these investigative options gives the process credibility. Though the information obtained may not always be accurate when someone inadvertently or deliberately makes false statements. However, those are usually weeded out as single occurrences of false reporting. But, when a number of statements obtained from different citizens are consistently similar, the statements clearly have some credibility. These statements are the ones the investigator or detective will then consider worthy of further investigation, which often leads to valuable information for the investigation.
It was with this understanding that I recently read nearly 300 statements made by Roane County residents posted over a period of several years (2007 – 2011) on www.topix.com regarding the murder of Ronnie “Boone” Cofer, drug trafficking in Roane County, and the involvement of the Roane County Sherriff’s Department on both issues. Some of the statements (and there were many) that I found relevant to the charges against Mr. O’Neal by the Roane County Sherriff’s Department for drug trafficking and the murder of Ronnie “Boone” Cofer, I cut and passed into this letter for your review if you should be the one representing him in this matter. If not, Mr. O’Neal’s family can forward this to that attorney.
Either way, I believe this information will also be very useful to you as Mr. O’Neal’s defense attorney in his appeal of the drug trafficking charge. These postings are just a small example of many more made by Roane County citizens that provides a birds-eye view of what really appears to be going on in Roane County. The facts on this matter support Mr. O’Neal’s statement that he is innocent of murdering Mr. Cofer and the drug trafficking charges that the Roane County Sherriff’s Department filed against him, and then secured a conviction with tactics involving known drug dealers that plea bargained their cases as well as intimidation tactics threatening to put Mr. O’Neal’s girlfriend in jail and/or take her kids away if she did tell say what they wanted her to say. As I indicated in my last letter, I have Mr. O’Neal’s girlfriend’s written statement regarding this matter of which I had sent you a copy. This was only one of several documents that were intended to support the filing of the Rule 33 Motion for a new trial of which you refused to do before the sentencing on June 9th.
Based on what I have learned from Mr. O’Neal and others closely associated with his case as well as the local citizens of Roane County. It is my belief that an investigation needs to be conducted into the activities of the Roane County Sherriff’s Department and the drug trafficking and murders there that are getting pinned on people that are innocent of these charges. Perhaps more laws have been broken in this regard than what Mr. O’Neal could ever think of breaking. Yet it is “he” that is facing 69 years in prison on what appears to be false charges, and an upcoming indictment that screams corruption within the agency that is pursuing these charges. What I mean by this will be revealed in the following postings from Roane County locals on www.topix.com.
But first, please read the Mission Statement of the Roan County Sherriff’s Department as posted on their website.
Roane County Sheriff’s Office Mission Statement
The mission of Roane County Sheriff’s Office is to maintain social order and provide professional law enforcement services to citizens in the community, within prescribed ethical, budgetary, and constitutional constraints. This department strives to enforce the law and maintain order in a fair and impartial manner, recognizing the need for justice, and consistent appearance of justice.
The Sheriff recognizes that no law enforcement agency can operate at its maximum potential without supportive input from the citizens it serves. This department actively solicits and encourages the cooperation of all citizens to reduce and limit the opportunities for crime and to assist in bringing to justice those that break the law.
Sheriff Jack Stockton
Clearly, this mission statement requests input from local citizens and claims to rely on that input in the investigation of crimes in Roane County. The input from local citizens, however, appears to have fallen on deaf ears. Let’s get some of the input from the local citizens obtained via www.topix.com, which is also available to the police…, and of which at least one of them appears to read or did several years ago after the murder of Boone. Unfortunately username “Omega”, who appears to be a member of the police department couldn’t resist posting his own comment. He appears to have impulsively done this when a family member of the murder victim stated that any idiot could solve this murder and suggested that the police were not investigating it at all when she stated that the real killer “is above the law”.
I will first begin with a comment from the daughter of the murder victim, Ronnie “Boone” Cofer, hereinafter referred to as “Boone”, the name he was most known for by friends and family. Though I did not know Boone or any members of his family, I consider myself a friend due to my being very interested in finding out who it was that really killed him. I do not believe it was Ralph O’Neal. Boone’s daughter does not believe it was Mr. O’Neal either. Boone’s daughter clearly believes the police “just needed someone to blame” for her Dad’s murder, and thus falsely accused Mr. O’Neal of it. Her statement on this matter (below) is dated April 18, 2011. The murder took place in August of 2007, and O’Neal was accused of this murder by the Roane County Sheriff’s Department in late 2009 or early 2010.
http://www.topix.com/forum/knoxville/TVUE88GO5AA5KKESG/p9
| Daughter
United States |
Reply » |Report Abuse Judge it! #15
Apr 18, 2011
Boone was my dad and me and my mom are still thinking about him. We miss him so much. We really don’t think 0 neil did it;that the police force just needed someone to blame. Thnx for your prayers and concerns. |
Now, most grieving family members will “cling” to any suspect as the “real” killer as their pain and suffering just wants some kind of justice for their lost loved one. While I am not posting his family’s many pleas for justice that are found on the topix website, I do recommend that you go there and read them. Clearly this family is begging for the police to find Boone’s killer and believe that the police are doing little to nothing to find the killer. Yet, nearly 3 years later when the police accused Mr. O’Neal with Boone’s murder, this family rejects the police’s choice on who to pin this murder on. So who did kill Boone? That is the question that has to be asked and investigated should the Roane County Sheriff’s Department continue to charge Mr. O’Neal with this murder.
Here is a posting dated January 1, 2008 from Boone’s daughter where rumor has it Boone was killed by someone other than Mr. O’Neal.
| Stace | Reply » Report Abuse | Judge it! | #161 Jan 1, 2008
Well, it’s the new year and we have not heard anything from law enforcement about Daddy’s murder. However, we have heard through the “jail grapevine” that the woman who was at Daddy’s house when he was found dead, is being held for her safety at an undisclosed jail. From the very start, rumor was that he was killed by her husband and son. I partly believe this. Any of you who truly knew Daddy, knows that he was kind hearted and would give anyone a place to stay. He always told any and everyone that Mom was his one true love, and this was true. I know he told her the last time they saw each other, Jute, you’er the only one I have ever loved! Well any how we sure have missed our Daddy, and we love all of you for remembering him, and thanks for ever thing! Stace and family |
Below is another posting from a family friend dated October 6, 2007, several months after the murder. What was all this about? Who is this Daniel Hampton and why did he confess to a murder that is now being pinned on Mr. O’Neal? Mr. O’Neal’s defense attorney on this case would want to look into this.
| About daniel hampton | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #128 Oct 6, 2007
Just had call, saying that daniel had confessed to Boone’s murder. Has anyone else heard anything? A family friend |
Below is another posting dated January 8, 2008, about six months after Boones murder. Stace is Boone’s daughter who later states in 2011 (see above) that she does not think Mr. O’Neal killed her Daddy. After reading this posting below, clearly someone else in 2008 became a suspect. This Tony Clough guy is mentioned on the topix website under the topic “Drug Dealers in Harriman”. There are varying opinions about Mr. Clough, who is a local businessman with low income rentals and various other businesses with a handful of employees. One posting from an ex- Roane County police officer shows that this police officer liked Mr. Clough. The new suspect for Boone’s murder appears to be the boyfriend of Pamela Smith who lived with Boone and who also worked for Mr. Clough. What this was all about requires more research. However, I am mentioning this here for obvious reasons. The murderer of Boone could have been committed by several other people. There are other suspects mentioned on the topix website, but nothing seems to have ever come of them. Have the police investigated these people and are those investigative reports available for review in Mr. O’Neal’s defense? This is something else Mr. O’Neal’s attorney on this case would want to look into.
| Stace | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #165 Jan 9, 2008
Thanks for caring. So many didn’t, and it was very painful for our family. So far, and this is rumor, we’ve heard that the woman at Daddy’s trailer; was Pamela Smith who worked for Tony Clough. Her boyfriend and son are the ones who shot Daddy. But this is just heresay. The authorities have not told us anything. We still hope they do find his killer, although it can never “fix” things for us. Please keep mentioning him so they won’t forget him, and his killers will be caught. Thanks to all who have responded and Happy New Year to you all. |
Based on the following postings on October 25, 2007, several months after the murder, it does not appear the public or the family believes that the police are investigating this murder. Additionally, the police don’t appear to be returning phone calls at the number they gave to the victim’s family and to the public for tips on this crime. The question is why not? This is not consistent with the Roane County Sheriff’s Department Mission Statement. Did the police already have their answers as to who committed this murder? If so, that might explain why they did not appear to be investigating it.
| Will not forget U | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #138 Oct 25, 2007
How about it, Roane County Sherrif’s office. Why no news about the Cofer case? Some of us would like to know. |
| Stormy | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #139 Oct 26, 2007
Will not forget U wrote: How about it, Roane County Sherrif’s office. Why no news about the Cofer case? Some of us would like to know. Somebody call the Sheriff’s Office and ask, all they do is “nothing”.:) |
| Will not forget U | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #140 Oct 26, 2007
you’re right Stormy. They gave us a # with the investagator, and he never returns a call. We can never find out anything. |
Following are more of the same types of postings. There are many other comments like these from the locals. It appears the locals are accustomed to being ignored not only by the Sheriff’s Department but also by higher state officials.
| Wanda | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #145 Oct 29, 2007
I don’t understand why there has been no further mention of Boone’s murder. Has he been forgotten because he was a “dealer”? No matter who they say he was, we know that he loved his family and was a good man. To Stacie, Dean and Steve, you are still in my prayers. |
| Stormy | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #146 Oct 29, 2007
Will not forget U wrote: Thanks, Stormy Call the District Attorney, the Gov., the Sheriff, and any body else you can think of. Not that you will get any return phone calls, but if you show up on their doorstep, someone will talk to you just to get rid of you. I did. |
| About Boone | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #147 Oct 31, 2007
Someone told us it could take as long as six months to hear from the DNA. We just have to go on what they tell us. Maybe before long? |
Per the above posting, what DNA? If it was Mr. O’Neal’s DNA he would have been identified as a suspect back in 2007 when this murder occurred since his DNA would have been in the database due to a prior arrest that resulted in him being placed on probation.
Following are additional postings from February 2008 that show other suspects, and then the cops returning the murder victim’s belongings to his family while telling her that no further investigation would be done. What investigation? The locals don’t think any real investigation ever took place. And I wonder what happened to the alleged DNA?
| Stace | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #180 Jan 25, 2008
I have no ideal. Have heard since that Pam Smith had nothing at all to do with the murder. Rumor has it that the responsible party works for ATT. We will see. Thanks for the inquiry. |
| Stace | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #195 Feb 13, 2008
I wanted to let all of you who have been so thoughtful to our family know, they returned Daddy’s personal things and basicly said that nothing else would be done. Too painful to write. Thanks, and love to you all. |
| Wanda | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #198 Feb 24, 2008
Stace, I just can’t believe that they’ve essentially closed the case. Just like when Eric passed, how many 17 year olds die that they won’t do an autopsy. I was so mad at the police, just another drug overdose. They were not even nice about it. I hope I never have to deal with the police around here again. We will not forget your dad and i hope that his killer never gets another nights sleep. They might not pay for their crime in this life that we know of but they will end up paying one way o ranother Don’t ever give up hope. Love and prayers |
Per the above posting, I have to wonder why is an autopsy’s not being performed on a 17 year kid dying in Roane County of an alleged drug overdose. Clearly Wanda, the poster, has inside information about this 17 year old boy named Eric. Consequently, she doesn’t appear to think highly of the Sheriff’s Department and for good reason if there is any truth to what she is implying here. I think there is.
| waiting in Roane County | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #42 Sep 2, 2007
Well it’s been almost one month since someone or more, decided that Roane County was the place to get away with murder. Looks like they might have been right. No mention to the family or the public about any news. What happened to the dna that they were so sure of? How can these matters be justified? This time it was Boone. Next time maybe someone you love. |
| ONE4JUSTICE | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #10 Apr 12, 2010
They may never solve this case with the clowns investigating it. You may want to seek outside help to solve this case. We are talking about Roane County Law under the leadership of one of the worst Sheriffs we have ever had. My heart goes to all those hurt by this murder and I do hope it is solved. God bless. |
Now, pay special attention to the following postings that depict an interesting and revealing dialog between the user name “Down in Roane County” and the respondent “Omega”. (Omega means “great” or “great one”. In my opinion, a typical view of an arrogant police officer’s opinion of himself is consistent with giving himself the username “Omega”. Since “Omega” is the only posting out of 100’s of postings on this forum that express confidence in the police, it appears he is a police officer himself. His arrogance displayed in his last posting is consistent with his username, “Omega. Read the next 5 postings and try to imagine anyone other than a police officer responding to “Down in Roane County” in this way.
| Down in Roane County | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #220
May 2, 2008
Just as I expected!! Nothing! An idiot could have solved this case, and Lord knows, we’ve got enough of them in Roane County. So………. |
| Omega | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #221 May 2, 2008
Down in Roane County wrote: Just as I expected!! Nothing! An idiot could have solved this case, and Lord knows, we’ve got enough of them in Roane County. So………. Do you know something the police don’t? |
| Down in Roane County | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #222
May 3, 2008
Evidently I do, seeing as to how it’s not been solved. Maybe I’ll ask to be put on the case, altho I’m just your ordinary Joe. |
| Omega | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #223 May 3, 2008
I’m not sure I follow your logic. Simply because it hasn’t been solved you say that you DO know something the police don’t? If you have information that would help solve this crime then why would you not share this with the police and help them solve it in the first place? |
| Down in Roane County | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #224 May 5, 2008
Well, what I know has already been shared. You know there are some people that are[above the law] as the old saying goes. I kept questioning a member of Mr Cofer’s family, and heard some remarkable things. You know, a body would think that the family would be the first ones the police would talk with. Not so, some members of the family finally volunteered to talk with the police. However, I do not think they listened too well. Who better than family would know lots of things about one’s activities. My first question was’ who stood to gain the most from his death? Answers, answers,answers! See what I mean, was that real hard to figure out! |
| Omega | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #225
May 5, 2008
Down in Roane County wrote: Well, what I know has already been shared. You know there are some people that are[above the law] as the old saying goes. I kept questioning a member of Mr Cofer’s family, and heard some remarkable things. You know, a body would think that the family would be the first ones the police would talk with. Not so, some members of the family finally volunteered to talk with the police. However, I do not think they listened too well. Who better than family would know lots of things about one’s activities. My first question was’ who stood to gain the most from his death? Answers, answers,answers! See what I mean, was that real hard to figure out! I think you have been watching too many TV cop shows. If you have information that could solve this murder then I guarantee you the police would be interested and would follow up on any viable leads. Contact the police and put your money where your mouth is if you really have information about this. |
Again, the above noted posting #220 – #225 suggest to me and my common sense that “Omega” works for the police department in Roane County and he possibly knows who Mr. Cofer’s murderer is. Study these 5 postings carefully.
First, “Omega” appears to be defensive about what “Down in Roane County” is saying about the police and also appears to be luring them into the police department to find out what they know or suspect about Mr. Cofer’s murder. Was this for “damage control”? We already know that the locals believe that the cops did little investigation into this murder case. If “Omega” is a police officer as I suspect, then why is he “all of a sudden” interested in advising this poster on the Internet to come into the police department and share what they might know about the murder. And he insults and badgers the family friend of the murder victim during these communications.
“Down in Roane County” explains to “Omega” (as Omega requested) the reason why they believe what they believe about the investigation. “Down in Roane County” explains that they already shared what they knew to the police and the police did not appear to be interested in it or even what the family members had to say about this murder case. Then, Omega appears to get “defensive” and advocate for the police in defense of what “Down in Roane County” is implying with the comment that “some people are just above the law”. Then…“Omega” attempts to discredit this poster by stating that they have been “watching too many cop shows on TV”.
The last two comments by Omega are very revealing. Omega is the only poster out of nearly 300 that come to defense of the Roane Country Sherriff’s Department with regard to the investigation of this murder and dealing with the drug trafficking in Roane County. Therefore, it appears to me that “Omega” is an officer with the Sherriff’s Department. It appears that “Down in Roane County” is a close friend of the family. Clearly, the poster has inside info into the fact that the family was basically ignored by the Roan County Sherriff’s Department after Mr. Cofer was murdered. They did not appear to want to interview the family much at all or keep them apprised of the investigation. Omega did not appear to appreciate the exposure of this being expressed by the family friend or the implication that perhaps the police were involved because “the killer is above the law”. At least that is what it appears to me that “Down in Roane County” was implying in comment #224.
“Omega” then mocks the family friend in an attempt to discredit their opinion by stating they are “watching too many cop shows on TV”. And then “Omega” appears to give credibility back to the family friend by luring them to the police with want they know about the murder, thus exposing their identity and possibly putting them in a comprising position with the cops. Omega’s comment that the family friend of the murder victim should “put their money where their mouth is” seems a rather odd response to a local citizen and family friend interested in the outcome of this case. It appears to me he he was challenging them to expose their identity to the cops. I wonder why?
It is important to note that “Omega” is in Harriman, Tennessee, which is where “Boone” was found dead in a ditch with a single gunshot wound to the head.
If someone were to find out who “Omega” is and ask him to agree to a lie detector test, I wonder if “Omega” would comply? There is something about “Omega’s” comments that are not consistent with a friend or a family member commenting on this topic, or even a local that cares about this case. One also has to wonder why is “Omega” even on this website looking at the comments of the locals about this murder, when he then appears to badger a grieving friend of the murder’s victim’s family about contacting the police when they clearly already had.
My apologies for beating a dead horse on the specific comments in these 5 consecutive postings, but I just wanted to provide some insight into what appears to be going on here. The important question is “does Omega work for the police department and does he know anything about Boone’s murder? Is “Boones” real killer above the law as this family friend believes? And what was “Omega’s agenda” during in his online postings. He also did not like the family friend’s comment that “some people are above the law.”
Prior to the above postings, I found only one posting that has the name “Omega” in it. It is posting #141 written by username “Citizen of Roane County” in October 2007, two months after the murder. “Citizen in Roane County” address “Omega” by name and then 3 question marks. Then they ask “Omega” if he has any info on this case. This posting followed posting #139 – 141 (below) where the friends and family of Boone appear upset that they have not heard anything from the Sheriff’s Department regarding Boone’s murder investigation. “Stormy” even states that all the Sheriff Department does is “nothing”. One family member was so upset that the Sheriff’s Department wouldn’t return their calls, she suggest someone call the Governor.
| Will not forget U | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #138 Oct 25, 2007
How about it, Roane County Sherrif’s office. Why no news about the Cofer case? Some of us would like to know. |
| Stormy | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #139 Oct 26, 2007 Will not forget U wrote:
How about it, Roane County Sherrif’s office. Why no news about the Cofer case? Some of us would like to know. Somebody call the Sheriff’s Office and ask, all they do is “nothing”.:) |
| Will not forget U | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #140 Oct 26, 2007
you’re right Stormy. They gave us a # with the investagator, and he never returns a call. We can never find out anything. |
| citizen of roane county | Reply » |Report Abuse| Judge it! |#141 Oct 26, 2007
OMEGA??? Got an info on this case? |
| Stormy | Reply » |0 Report Abuse | Judge it! #142 Oct 26, 2007 Will not forget U wrote:
you’re right Stormy. They gave us a # with the investagator, and he never returns a call. We can never find out anything. Call the Gov. |
Omega never answered the poster’s question in posting #141 in 2007 about whether he had news on the case. But the poster clearly knows “Omega” and that Omega might have info on the investigation…, and that Omega was visiting this site in 2007 without making any comments. So how did “Citizen in Roane County” know that an “Omega” could be communicated with via this forum? Clearly “Citizen in Roane County” would have never addressed someone who’s name had never appeared on the website before. Therefore, “Citizen in Roane County” appears to know who “Omega” is outside of this Internet forum. “Omega” never posted a comment on this forum until 2008 over a year after the murder and after he was addressed by his “username” in the above noted 2007 posting.
The 2008 comments made by “Omega” in his dialog with “Down in Roane County” is very odd if Omega is a member of the police force in Roane County. In that instance, I also find it odd that he would engage the murder’s victim’s friend of the family in the mocking and defensive way that he did. This mocking and belittling manner of engagement is consistent with a number of government authorities and others in positions of power intended to discredit accusations of corruption made by victims and or the family of theei victim.
Such was the case in the infamous Houston Brothers case where they were depicted as “nut cases” because they were so outraged at the corruption they endured by those who use the corrupt judicial system for their own personal agenda. If I were to fall victim to this kind of treatment in this country, I would be outraged too. And so would the corrupt officials if the tables were turned. Raising one’s voice in a court room filled with corrupt officials and one at the bench was not “manufactured outrage”. It was a very real and understandable response considering the powerlessness a defendant feels when victimized with such a corrupt system when we are suppose to be protected from such behavior with the U.S. Constitution.
Yet, those in charge of these kinds of corrupt arrests and court proceedings stand around with the “smug confidence” that can only comes from the “control” that they have from a well established and well funded corrupt system. To do this while appearing to almost laugh at the “legitimate outrage” of the defendant feels and expresses, if very troubling. The ones in power appear “calm, cool and collected” while the legitimate victim is depicted as a “nut case”. Clearly evil and dishonest people with the judicial tools readily available to them to inflict such injustice on a victim have nothing to be outraged about. It is easy to be calm, cool and collected when you have all the power and control. It is the victim that would be understandably outraged and for good reason. But, once again, the outraged victim is the one that is depicted to be a nut case.
Likewise, the locals in the Roane County as revealed in their statements on www.topix.com, are clearly outraged at the Roane County Sherriff’s Department with regard Boone’s murder investigation, or lack thereof. “Omega” found this worthy of “mocking”. I think it is obvious of who his employer is.
The above online statements from locals don’t appear to reflect a police department that was interested in solving this murder. Therefore, for a police officer, “Omega” to be posting defensive and arrogant comments to a friend of Boone’s family who just wants the crime solved is suspect. It is also suspect that Omega challenges the friend of Boone’s family to contact the police department to tell what they know…, while at the same time discrediting their statements about corruption by accusing them of watching too many cop shows on TV.
Clearly if “Omega” really believed that “Down in Roane County” had a vivid imagination he would not be trying to lure them into the police department for information. Comments such as “put your money where your mouth is” was very odd in comparison to the other posters who believed the cops were not investigating this crime.
The corrupt authorities “mocking” the messengers that call out the corruption, and mysterious murders with gunshot wounds to the head is also what has taken place in Monroe County based on stories coming out of that county. I have learned that Monroe County residents exposing the local government corruption are being referred to as “radicals” and eccentrics by the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department.
Mr. Jim Miller, the new elections commissioner in Monroe County was shot in the head and killed just before the most recent election for Sherriff. Then a lady with a history of petty drug use was later charged with this murder. She is currently awaiting trial on that murder charge. In the meantime, the locals in Monroe County have their own Internet postings that convey their suspicions that Mr. Miller’s murder was a result of his being the new election’s Commissioner and an honest man. Did the Monroe County Sherriff’s Department and/or the Sherriff’s loyal deputy view Mr. Miller as someone that would not allow election fraud to take place in order to seat Sherriff Bivens for another term? I don’t know. But I read that the FBI initially suspected one of Sheriff Biven’s deputies, Kenny Hope, of having something to do with Mr. Miller’s murder.
Then, that FBI investigation seemed to disappear. Was this a result of the “good-ole-boy system”? Interestingly, a woman that claims to be innocent was charged with Mr. Miller’s murder. The Sherriff’s Department claims she robbed him, shot him in the head, put him in the back of the trunk of his car, and set it afire. I am still trying to figure out how they are going to support their theory that this woman lifted Mr. Miller’s “heavy” and lifeless body into the trunk of his car given the much smaller stature of the accused woman.
Clearly, it is a far more believable theory that Mr. Miller was murdered for the reasons the Monroe County locals seemed to believe, and what the FBI appeared to also suspect at one time. But they soon moved in a different direction and charged the woman instead. Hmm. This is very eerily similar to what has happened to your client, Mr. O’Neal, in Roane County.
Mr. Miller in Monroe County did not oversee the election for Sheriff. He was dead by that time! Sherriff’s Bivens then went on to win re-election in spite of the allegations by the citizens in that county that he is corrupt. Are we to believe that the towns-people really wanted to have this guy as their Sherriff for another term? It is interesting to read the online postings about that. Theory has it that Mr. Miller would not have allowed any voter fraud to take place during the election for Sherriff. The locals state online that Mr. Miller was an honest man. It appears that Mr. Miller might have needed to be dealt with. It appears to me that he was.
Boone appears to have been dealt with also because of his honesty. Read the posting below about how Boone was living his last days after a recent history of drug use or possibly some drug dealing from what one local stated. It appears “Boone” got back in church and wouldn’t even let someone cuss in front of him.
Due to the following statement by a friend of Boone, I assume any drug use or drug dealing was also removed from Boone’s life.
| Friend | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #4 Oct 25, 2009
Boone had been back in church before they killed him and he wouldn’t even allow people to cuss around him, he also wasn’t kidding himself he knew he was going to prison and was going to die there. |
If the police were profiting from drug trafficking in Roane County, would they be intimidated by “Boones” new life in the church community vs. his alleged history of involvement with drugs? Would Boone’s new life cause him to expose any police involvement or profit from the local drug trafficking? These are questions that I ask based on the statement from the family friend who stated that whoever killed Boone “was above the law”. She also asked “Omega” the question “who would benefit most from Boone’s death? This appeared to suggest that the answer to that question would reveal who was the murderer, who ordered the murder, and/or who knew who the murderer was.
Since the law would have to be aware of who the killer was in order for the killer to be above the law, what the poster believed is self-explanatory. Which may explain why over 2 years after the murder no investigation appeared to be taking place per the opinion of many locals, and no arrests were made for the murder that I can confirm. Not, until 2009/10, many months after Mr. O’Neal was jailed on drug trafficking charges in Roane County. He states that he is not a drug trafficker or dealer.
Now, “Omega” could accuse me of watching too many cop shows on TV too. But I don’t watch much TV so using that tactic to discredit my common sense wouldn’t fly. Also, I am not a radical or eccentric as the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department might accuse me of if they were to read my opinion on what I believe happened to Jim Miller. We already know that those who call out the corruption in Monroe County are referred to as radicals for the purpose of discrediting them.
What I find “radical” is the fact that citizens are victimized with judicial harassment and corruption in this country while we have boots on the ground fighting for freedom in other countries. I say bring our soldiers home, and let them clean up our own police forces and communities. Our children need to be able to trust the cops and the judicial process that was put in place to protect and serve. I am a middle aged woman and have never been arrested. And I have little to no confidence or trust in the police or judicial process in the state of Tennessee based on what I am learning. I fear these people and cannot wait to get the out of this state and have joy and peace of mind back in my life once again. I fear being falsely accused or harmed every time I leave my house, which isn’t often these days.
Clearly, Boone was not killed by Mr. O’Neal to protect his so-called drug business that didn’t exist any more than the lady in Monroe County killed Mr. Miller to rob him for drug money. The police appear to have a list of motives for murder that they pull out of their hat when needed. Whichever one might appear to be the most believable on the surface, is the one they chose. The rest of the evidence is often manufactured and the whole process continues… even in some courts up to and including the sentencing.
Both of these murder victims (Boone and Mr. Miller) were shot in the head, one dumped in a ditch and the other in the trunk of his car and set afire. Then the cops pin the murder on an unlikely suspect months and years after the crime was committed with little to no evidence other than some drug related theory.
This reminds me of a concocted murder theory a prosecutor in Monroe county recently gave in his closing arguments during a murder trial there. Clearly murder theories are not given to the jury to ponder in the closing arguments without the theory having ever been brought up in the trial. The defense was never even given a chance to refute this theory since it took place in the Prosecution’s closing arguments. Any idiot knows better than that. Yet that is exactly what happened recently in Monroe County when the Prosecutor did to this to a defendant and the Judge allowed it! The man was then sentenced to life in prison for having killed someone while defending himself from the attacker who had repeatedly come after him with a knife. Self-defense is not murder. But it is if the jury is rigged via a corrupt judicial process that violates the Constitution of the state of Tennessee as well as the U.S. Constitution. In that instance, you don’t stand a chance. Many of these government and court officials are known to make-up the rules as the go along. That is what I believe, “the way we do it here” really means. This is what appears to have happened to Mr. O’Neal.
Per the following postings, these locals do not even know who O’Neal is. And these are only two of such postings. While these locals state they do not even know who O’Neal is, the poster ‘s comments in posting #4 on the previous page appears to have bought into the Sheriff’s allegation that he is guilty. Yet, even that poster stated that O’Neal is not the only one involved. “I hope they charge the rest of them” is what the posters states. Even though he does not know who O’Neal is, he seems to know that others were involved and are not being arrested. I wonder, who are these other men? Do the police know them? If so, why is O’Neal getting pinned for this murder?
| Look don’t touch | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #6 Oct 26, 2009
Friend wrote: Boone had been back in church before they killed him and he wouldn’t even allow people to cuss around him, he also wasn’t kidding himself he knew he was going to prison and was going to die there. Has there been arrest in Boone’s case? I hope so. This O’Neal, who is he and where is he from, I had never heard his name before. But I sure hope there will be justice for Boone. R.I.P. Boone, We miss you and think of you often. |
| Wondering | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #7 Nov 4, 2009
Friend wrote: Boone had been back in church before they killed him and he wouldn’t even allow people to cuss around him, he also wasn’t kidding himself he knew he was going to prison and was going to die there. Who is this O’Neal guy? and how many were involved? |
The following postings below show Roane County locals ‘naming’ local drug dealers. They clearly think some of these drug dealers are allowed to remain on the streets selling drugs because they are snitches for the cops. Are any of these men being used to make “false” statements in exchange for freedom or reduced sentences while others are sent to jail? It appears so to me. Police intimidation as what occurred with O’Neal’s girlfriend and “favors” given to others by the cops was the manner in which false statements were obtained to convict Mr. O’Neal from what I understand about his case. Meanwhile, drug dealing snitches remain on the street to do more harm to the community and the cops don’t touch them. These are only a few of the postings about this issue.
| point_blank | Reply »|Report Abuse| Judge it!|#54 Feb 13, 2011 kiss it wrote:
well harriman is not as bad as it used to be but the copers and mr. A edwards and a few others are gone for a while but how bout T. clough he never gets caught Thank god the cooper bros are gone…and btw…aaron edwards is in rockwodd doing the same drugs and selling them…hes a low life…he has like 15 resale for crack convictions and he’s never been to prison can u say SNITCH./…..he’s gotten way too many chances and Denise Wampler jus sends him to rehab over and over…No consequences! i hope he rots in jail….makes no sense…he reeks so much havoc! he is a thhreaat to society stay far away |
| point_blank | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #55 Feb 13, 2011
and will u cops pleas e lock Jockaree phillips up…another threat to society…he’s somehow still selling drugs and running the street…sthe police are corrupt here…i mean how does he have two armed robbery conv ictions since his releas from prison and and more drug convictions, dom. assault aon his pill heaed girlfriedn becky webb…what the hell….;…C |
Mr. Shope, I believe the statements made by the local people of Roane County speak volumes.
They have written hundreds of comments on Topix.com about the police corruption in Roane County. They have been recording this for years! It exposes exactly what has gone on in many other counties in Tennessee. Based upon online statements from the locals in Roane County, it appears that the police are “allowing” major drug trafficking to take place with little accountability for it. Citizens are complaining in these online postings that their tips and reports to the police about this illegal behavior are being ignored. A number of the “drug dealers” appear to be given a pass in exchange for favors to the police, including making false statements under the guise of snitching in order to convict innocent people of these crimes. Thus the real and profitable drug trafficking continues. I wonder how many of these cops are on the take?
Consequently, teenagers are dying from over doses and the authorities won’t even order an autopsy at the requests of the family. One has to wonder what that is all about. Money? I suppose most of what is going on in Roane County is about money. Which may explain why the many drug dealers are not being arrested and jailed? Does the Roane County Sherriff’s Department profit from this drug trafficking to such an extent that they “want” the drug dealers to remain on the street and conducting business as usual? This is what some of the locals are suggesting in their on line postings, and what appears to be obvious to me.
Phone calls of accountability from the locals on the ongoing drug trafficking and many other issues are routinely ignored by the authorities based on the written communications from the local citizens. This is not just a problem in Roane County, but seems to be a statewide problem. Phone calls and letters that contain questions of accountability and/or requests for the authorities to do their jobs as public servants are routinely ignored. I know this for a fact. I have experienced it and know many others who have as well. No one returns phone calls to the citizens asking for help! Or citizens get lied to and given the run-around until they just give up… or are falsely charged to shut them up…. and perhaps eventually shot in the head to shut them up.
What is written by the locals on Topix.com exposes an outlaw police department and judicial system that does not appear to be interested in stopping the drug trade at all in Roane County, which has been going on for a long time… and still is. If the police are not profiting from this major drug trafficking, then why won’t they clean it up by arresting the “real” drug dealers. That is the best way to keep users from staying addicted to this stuff. Also, one has to wonder why petty drug users are depicted as the major drug dealers and the major drug dealers are left on the street to keep dealing. If someone would follow the money, the answer might be clear.
In middle Tennessee the money is being confiscated by the police on the I-40 West bound heading out of Tennessee (for the police’s personal use) while they ignore the drugs coming in on the I-40 East bound. Hell, Channel 5 News even reported on this fact in May 2011 with actual video of it. I suppose Channel 5 News are radicals and eccentrics also in the eyes of the Monroe County Sherriff’s Department for calling out this police corruption. Perhaps Channel 5 news insulted them with questions about this well documented corruption. Surely the police must have felt that those questions were a “slap in the face” by the media. And clearly, it is this kind of manufactured outrage and name calling that is intended to shut everyone up.
I sat and watched that fat little Sheriff in middle Tennessee look right into the eyes of the Channel 5 news reporter and lie to him. Clearly he must think that the TBI, the FBI and the Governor in this state have his back. Otherwise he would have to be one of the most stupid and arrogant officials in Tennessee. I wonder if that behavior is still continuing on the I-40 Westbound while the drugs are allowed to freely come in on the Eastbound I-40…. all the way into Roane County. It sounds like it is based on the statements of the local citizens.
Mr. O’Neal’s fabricated indictment and the judicial corruption that took place for the authorities to pin him as a drug ring leader is suspect when the real drug dealers are still conducting business as usual on the streets of Harriman right under the cop’s noses. And the police routinely ignore this activity. The corruption in Roane County is the same kind of corruption that takes place in many counties in Tennessee. To read the comments by the locals reveals much about the police in Roane County. People don’t’ concoct these kinds of stories. Clearly if you are not one of the good-ole- boys or working in some capacity for the corrupt and well funded good-ole-boy system…, you will not escape injustice if you are targeted for it. The police in Roane County do not appear to be coming even close to their self stated “Mission Statement” noted earlier in this letter.
False charges, false arrests, and false convictions are nothing more than human trafficking for profit and cover-up. This is necessary when public pressure for the police to do their jobs exposes the fact that they are not doing their jobs at all. Thus was the implication of Mr. Boone’s daughter who stated that she did not think O’Neal killed her Daddy. She thinks that the cops just wanted to “blame somebody”. Given what I know and have read about, I would go so far as to add that I believe the cops are deliberating “covering-up” something by blaming Mr. O’Neal with Boone’s murder.
Anyone with half a brain looking at these indictments and court documents can see the dishonesty and the corruption. Clearly, this is what can happen to a black man in Roane County with a bit of a record and on probation. The same thing is happening to others in Tennessee, and to white men as well… even those with very clean records and honorable military service. What a tragedy after their many years of service to our country! Some police departments are very good at throwing “filth” on someone’s otherwise clean record for the purpose of discrediting them and judicially harassing them. Corruption has no boundaries with race, gender or religion. Political affiliation and/or a powerful government job appear to be the only safety net from prosecution in the state of Tennessee.
Luckily, my husband and I have very clean records and a good reputation. However, that doesn’t mean that we haven’t had several unsuccessful corrupt attempts made on our pocket books. The only reason these attempts were eventually rendered unsuccessful is due to our wisdom, knowledge and discernment that has served us well with God’s help. The people in Tennessee who have attempted to do corrupt things to us are not just corrupt, but they think everyone is afraid of them. Where do they get this confidence? The corrupt good-ole-boy system that has their backs is the answer to that question. This is self explanatory.
We are not “from here” and were not accustomed to living like many of the locals have been forced to live for most of their lives, “in fear”. We were accustomed to living in “freedom” and are outraged at what we have witnessed and endured in Tennessee. A beautiful state with many kind and honest folks, but one I hope to someday leave because of the hopeless government corruption as well as incompetence and corruption in a number of medical facilities and business that are a part of the corrupt good-ole-boy system.
Even elders at a local church were found to be too afraid to confront the good-ole-boy pastor about his many years of gossiping about the personal lives of his church members who have entrusted him with confidential information. After a year of witnessing this, they were privately addressed about this issue by a newer staff member in the church. Guess what? The gossiping pastor and his gossiping wife were insulted! Consequently, the newer staff member was basically fired. The elders who really liked the newer staff member did not like what happened and knew the pastor to be gossiper for years. Some of the Elders even joked about his reputation for gossip. Yet, at the end of the day fear of being shunned or gossiped about themselves rendered the Elders silent on their outrage at the firing of the newer staff member. Similar stories in the church regarding this pastor have happened throughout the years. Yet, it continues to this day because of the good-ole-boy system. This story is petty in comparison to government corruption, but I mention I here to make a point. The point is the good-ole-boy system is alive and well everywhere in Tennessee, even in places where one might not expect…. like some churches and…. some courtroom and everywhere in between.
There is also major corruption in business where consumers are defrauded because the good-ole-boys down at the local police department have their backs. Any local lawsuit filed against a business that is defrauding people will not get anywhere if that business owner has good-ole-boys in the police department and courts that can manipulate the civil suit to their advantage.
The many examples of the corruption in Tennessee are too great to ignore and it impacts every honest citizen in one way or another.
I simply don’t want to live here anymore because I have concluded the locals are too fearful to stand up for themselves. This battle needs to be fought by many, not just a few. The locals are going to have to consistently expose the corruption publically and not let up until things change for the better.
Every honest person needs to stand together and refuse to be intimidated by this corrupt system. This is their only hope. Otherwise, it will be too late for those that wait to be falsely charged and jailed themselves, as Mr. O’Neal has. Trying to save your life behind a jail cell with a defense attorney who says he is too busy to come to the phone must be the hopeless existence that results in the defendant seeking the help from a “transplant” from out-of-state who is perhaps too naïve to understand just how much of a risk speaking out against the corruption is. Clearly he must know that the locals have more sense than to lend any help to him when they could be next. This reality is how the cops are able to obtain false statements such as they victimized Mr. O’Neal from the very beginning.
Following is an example of what can happen if the law decides to file false charges.
| Anonamoose | Reply » Report Abuse Judge it! #12 May 18, 2010
Drug probe leads to murder indictment http://www.oakridger.com/localnews/x702344509… “According to a Roane County Sheriff’s Department press release, Sheriff’s detectives and TBI agents followed leads generated from the drug investigation. During those investigations, they determined that Cofer and O’Neal were long time associates in O’Neal’s drug business, and that Cofer was killed in order to protect O’Neal’s drug operation. Chief Deputy Tim Phillips said specific information about the murder of Cofer would not be released, and some aspects of the case are still being investigated. On federal charges |
To my knowledge, O’Neal was not sentenced on June 30, 2010 in Knoxville. He was not sentenced on any crime until June 9, 2011, and that was on the drug trafficking charges that resulted in 69 years in prison. A charge that he claims is false. It my understanding that the murder trial has not occurred as of this date, June 24, 2011. Therefore, it appears this June 30, 2010 date the police were referencing in their press release last year is incorrect. Clearly, it is not the only false statement they made in this press release. There have been several of these press releases put out by the Roane County Sherriff’s Department since 2008. The purpose of these press releases appears to be to make the public think they are doing their job. Clearly, they are seeking to change public opinion that they do nothing about the real drug trafficking in Roane County. If they did, the drug trafficking would still not be a major problem in their county.
Following is a link that provides access to the statements of many citizens about police corruption in Roane County just from July 2009 to December 2009. There are 64 comments from local citizens during this 6 month period alone. This does not include those who do not access or post on this public forum. Not all these locals are lying, nor are they all radicals or eccentrics as perhaps Monroe County might label them based on how they depict those who speak out against corruption in that county.
As for Roane County, they most likely would accuse these citizens of “watching too many cop shows on TV” as “Omega” did in his posting as previously mentioned. “Discredit the messenger” is the game the authorities appear to play in Tennessee to cover up their corruption. Copy and paste this link into your browser and read about the officers in Roane County that are behind the charges filed against Mr. O’Neal. Then tell me who should be spending the rest of their live in jail as Mr. O’Neal has been sentenced. And to think we pay for these officials’ paychecks and retirement benefits in amounts that most of the average citizens in Roane County will never see.
http://www.topix.com/forum/city/harriman-tn/TSPH2VTADKVT4MM77/p2#comments
It would be interesting to have a compilation of all the people murdered in Tennessee, with gunshots to the head, dump somewhere, and then found by the cops or a friend of the cops. Especially those cases where the citizens have their own suspicions about the police possibly being involved, and family member disagreeing with the police on who is charged with the crime. Clearly, Boone’s family and other Roane County locals have communicated their suspicions about the murder of Ronnie “Boone” Cofer in this regard.
And, if there are truth to these theories, then the Roane County Sherriff’s Department would be capable of what Mr. O’Neal alleges has happened to him thus far on the drug trafficking charge and the murder charge. This is the one of several points I would make if I were defending Mr. O’Neal on either charge.
As far as drug trafficking goes, I suspect the police in Tennessee is profiting from this in more ways than just seizing the large amounts of cash money for their personal use as reported by Channel 5 news in May 2011. The police are obviously profiting from the drug trafficking based on this news story.
So why would the police want to clean it up? If they don’t allow the drug dealers to operate these drug rings, the police’s cash flow from this book of business would be negatively impacted. The police in Middle Tennessee even admitted to profiting from this drug trafficking in their interview with Channel 5 News in May 2011, see link below for the story on this.
When viewing the Channel 5 News video of the corrupt police behavior of the I-40, clearly the police display far more interest in getting their hands on the drug money vs. keeping the drugs off the street and out of the hands of our children, which would require arresting the real drug traffickers not just someone to accuse so the police “look” as if they are doing their jobs. Their priorities with regard to the drug trafficking in Tennessee is clearly “profit” as depicted in the following recent Channel 5 News story.
Middle Tennessee Police Profiting Off Drug Trade? – NewsChannel5 …
May 13, 2011 – Read officers’ narrative about why money seized … In fact, Interstate 40 has become a major profit center for Tennessee law enforcement …
www.newschannel5.com/story/14643085/police-profiting-off-drug
I am wondering if the Middle Tennessee police departments in the above noted news story are not “kicking” some of the seized drug money back to the Roane County Sheriff’s Department for allowing the rampant and profitable drug trafficking to continue in Roane County. This is making a lot of money for the cops who seize it going out the state on the I-40 while literally ignoring the drugs coming in on the I-40 Eastbound….. right toward Roane County. Again, it is obvious that some poor soul needs to be arrested occasionally for being a major drug ring leader to make the public believe something other than the obvious. While the real drug traffickers are allowed to remain on the street while others are falsely accused, I consider the police partially responsible for all the addictions and drug related deaths that occur each year. And the nerve they have to then arrest the very addicts they depend on to fund these operations… and then collect their court costs and fines as a result of the arrest. Many of these people are just put “on probation” so they can go back out onto the street to buy more drugs that the police then profit from as depicted in the Channel 5 News story. This is consistent with the stories coming out of Roane County from the local citizens.
The police in Tennessee have a history of this corruption with regard to drug trafficking and letting the real drug traffickers go. The good-ole-boy system was found to be alive and well in the story found on http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=4288. This story reveals a major cover-up and lack of prosecution by the Tennessee authorities when family members of government officials are found to be at the root of the major drug trafficking in Tennessee. I will be including the entire story near the end of the letter because it is so powerful and relevant.
Perhaps this, Mr. Shope, is why low income minorities are targeted and set-up to be “drug ring leaders” and thrown into jail for the rest of their lives while people like Billy Wannyn, son-in-law of Sen. Jerry Cooper, a powerful Democratic state legislator in the 1990’s was not held accountable for his “real” involvement in drug trafficking. After all, if corruption takes place by the authorities to cover up the “real” drug kings such as Mr. Wannyn, someone along the way has to be arrested to at least make it appear to the public how serious the authorities are about drug trafficking in this state. LOL
Do the authorities really think that the citizens of Tennessee are really this stupid? Apparently the authorities must think so. However, the citizens are not stupid at all. They are just scared, and for good reason. Cleary, someone needs to seriously look into the activities of some of the authorities here so the people can have a safe state in which to work and raise their families. As for me, I hope to leave soon.
Now, it is like I said before, I am just a middle aged woman that does not have the ability or credentials to represent Mr. O’Neal with regard to the legal work he needs to have done to prove his innocence of these major charges that will keep him in jail for his entire life. While I might have the common sense to identify what appears to have gone on here as a result of some research and my love of the Constitution, I can only advocate for Mr. O’Neal in a limited capacity. I am not an attorney nor do I have the financial ability to fund his defense. I also do not have the expertise, etc. to do the work that needs to get done to exonerate him of these charges.
I feel very sorry for his plight and I don’t even know him. I wouldn’t do something like this to a dog, let alone a human being. I just can’t get my mind around how people can jail people on false charges while they go on enjoying their lives and profiting from ill gotten gain. Especially when it is “they” that appear to be guilty of the wrong doing. Don’t these corrupt people believe there is a God? Surely there is a place in hell for those who would bear false witness on someone and send them off to jail for the rest of their lives, or stand by and watch it happen and then look the other way. It’s like the Roane County local sated, “an idiot could see what is going on”, so I have to wonder why it is continually ignored by those who have the power to do something about it. Again, follow the money and there’s the answer. Perhaps some of the drug money is not only going back to Roane County, but also down to Nashville, if you get my meaning.
Hopefully someone at the NAACP, ACLU, and other organization that received this information will come together and advocate for Mr. O’Neal. This is obviously too big for me since being an advocate for Mr. O’Neal, also makes me a target for retaliation of false charges being brought against me… or worse… perhaps a gunshot to the head. “That”, I’ve learned is how things appear to be done around here when the heat is up. By “here” I mean “Tennessee”. Clearly Mr. O’Neal is also not safe since his appeal of the drug trafficking charge from 2007/08 and the 2009/2010 murder charge that was manufacture by the authorities while he was incarcerated requires the corruption in Roane County (and possibly other places in this state) to be exposed and addressed since this is relevant to his case.
Mr. O’Neal is in desperate need of sincere legal representation. Yet, his legal representation seems to be unmotivated and/or deterred from representing him as needed. I have expressed my opinions to him on this, and that is he would greatly benefit in finding another attorney. After failing to file that Rule 33 Motion for a new trial on June 9th for the reasons that you gave, I would be hard pressed to see your interest being anything other than what is in the best interest of the courts and the “feelings” of the judge, for whatever reason you were concerned about that.
I suppose you could change course at any time you decide to do so. Instead, I believe you will just find this letter insulting as you did my last one. Perhaps you will also continue to ignore Mr. O’Neal’s calls and his request for you to start working on his appeal. Perhaps you have already changed course and seriously working on his appeal. We’ll see.
To further support my allegation of corruption in Tennessee and the good-ole-boy system here and how long it has been going on, I have cut and pasted into this letter below a story that depicts the Tennessee’s good-ole-boy system at work. This story addresses the long standing corruption in Tennessee, and the drug charges filed on the relative of a politician by a one police officer that “thought” this was his job.
The inclusion of this particular story has no political motivation by me whatsoever. It just so happens that this story is a relevant one in which to support much of the content of this letter about the corruption in Tennessee of which Mr. O’Neal and others have been victimized.
Since the Governor in this story left office, the corruption has continued under a different political party. Corruption clearly has no political affiliation. Many Republicans are guilty of government corruption as is many Democrats. The corrupt good-ole-boy system exists in both. Most Tennesseans for some reason don’t appear to have the confidence or courage to strongly stand against it. But they will talk about it in places and forum in which they feel somewhat safe. Therefore, the corruption depicted in the story below…. continues.
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?pageId=4288
TENNESSEE UNDERWORLD
Al Gore protects local corruption?
Vice president’s home state ‘evil place,’ says investigator
Editor’s Note: The Post & Email encourages its readers to review the entire WorldNetDaily article which was cited in its entirely in the citizen’s letter; however, we will not reproduce it here in respect of copyright laws.
Mr. Shope, as the years have passed since the above noted story, not much seems to be changing in Tennessee. However, with a little hope and a lot courage…, I try to make whatever difference I can. I have little else to offer… other than prayer and perhaps the use of some God given common sense.
While you appear to be nearing the age of retirement, I hope you will consider what you have witnessed as a defense attorney and public defender in the state of Tennessee all these years. I would like to encourage you to consider exposing any judicial corruption that you are aware of that has taken place in the police departments and the courts. In that instance, you would be a hero for many law abiding citizens.
Doing this while residing in a different state would probably prevent you from being judicially harassed yourself by the state of Tennessee. Likewise, it would be very helpful if more defense attorneys and others would blow the whistle on the Tennessee judicial processes that violate the U.S. Constitution and in many cases, their own state laws. In this regard I extend my best wishes to you for much success in the years to come.
Lastly, I asked you in my June 2, 2011, letter to please give a copy of that letter to Mr. O’Neal when you saw him in court for his sentencing on June 9, 2011. Mr. O’Neal later informed me that you did not give him a copy. Therefore I am respectfully requesting that you do so. I would also appreciate your giving him a copy of this letter as well. I understand any mail sent or given to him by his attorney is not read by the jail officials. I have not mailed a copy of my letter to him in jail since that would obviously not be in his best interest. These letters need to be given to Mr. O’Neal by his attorney to ensure their confidentiality since they involve his case and his defense. Therefore, please make sure that Mr. O’Neal received a copy of both my correspondence via your contact with him either in person or by mail. Thank you.
Sincerely,
A Very Concerned Citizen