April 30, 2009 video of AZ LD-6 House Rep. Sam Crump saying that he’s ALWAYS believed that speed camera streaming video should be used in criminal investigations. (Video courtesy of the Arizona Guardian’s YouTube site.) [Click HERE to see Crump’s interview with the AZ Guardian.]
Who’s stayin’ in that #1 spot?
Embattled Arizona Republican Party Executive Director Brett Mecum is – thanks to Arizona House Representative Sam Crump (R-Anthem).
Crump has been in a funk since none of his speed camera bills have gone anywhere this year and a Redflex speed camera operator was heinously MURDERED in cold blood on the soil of Crump’s very own Legislative District 6, just three weeks ago.
That’s all been bad for business.
However, last week, Rep. Sam Crump began experiencing a severe case of “mission creep” & suffered a relapse of his ego-driven maniacal behavior as he embarked on the second-half of his 2009 anti-speed camera media tour. Thursday, Crump saw a New York-style cheesecake and he dove right in.
The self-appointed leader of the Grey-Suit Club for Men got busy starting a faux-outrage over Wednesday’s brunch-time arrest of AZ GOP caddy, Brett Mecum, while giving sound-bites and interviews to whomever would listen.
Click HERE to read Howard Fischer's story in the East Valley Tribune.
Click HERE to read EV Trib's Le Templar's blog on Crump's gaffes.
The media coverage of “Mr. Mustang’s Midnight Ride @ 109 – The Movie” has been legendary. No doubt about that. However, Mecum’s high-profile arrest has done little more than help refuel Crump’slovehot-air tank while leaving his anti-speed camera message in an even more precarious position than before he stepped into pinch hit for Mecum.
Unfortunately for Brett, allowing Sam Crump to publicly exploit and excuse his videotaped 109 MPH criminal traffic violations - is the worst possible strategic error he and/or his M.I.A. attorney could make.
The last time Crump talked about speed cameras and videos…….it had to do with another kind of criminal investigation…….the one-eight-seven kind. (For all the old white guys: 187 is the section of the California Penal Code that defines murder & is a common slang term for it.)
That should be a bad omen.
On April 30, 2009, LD-6 Rep. Sam Crump gave a short video interview to the real journalists over at the Arizona Guardian. In the AZ Guardian video, Crump responds to a reporter’s question about whether the murder of a photo radar van operator would affect the bills he has introduced at the legislature that would ban and/or severely restrict their use.
At the very beginning of the video, Crump says, "I was feeling that anyway, for criminal investigations, even before that happened......that the video should be used - or should be allowed.”
Can we hold you to that statement, Sam?
Crump’s words to the AZ Guardian came just eleven days after LD-6 resident, Doug Georgianni, was MURDERED in COLD BLOOD in LD-6 by another LD-6 resident, Thomas Destories. Georgianni’s gruesome murder and Destories’ get-a-way were captured on the speed camera’s streaming video.
Ironically, on the night of the murder, DPS Lt. Mark Remsey watched the streaming video and immediately recognized Destories’ hillbilly-outlaw Suburban – since he had lived near Destories for many years. Destories was arrested just hours later.
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What does that mean for the trial of the Loop 101 murderer, Thomas Destories?
Will the Loop 101 murderer get evidence tossed out - just like Crump is suggesting for Brett Mecum?
Crump’s “defense” theory for Mecum must then apply to every criminal action caught on speed camera videotape, right?
A "get out of jail FREE" card is not just for the AZ GOP Executive Director, is it?
Think about this……..(Sam’s an attorney so I’m surprised this hasn’t crossed his mind yet)……
Point #1: If Sam Crump was telling the truth on the April 30th video, then Brett Mecum is obligated to face the criminal charges against him for driving 109 MPH on the Loop 101 and the videotape and/or stills of his crime can be used as legal evidence against him.
Point #2: If Sam Crump was telling the truth on the April 30th video, then Thomas Destories is obligated to face the criminal charges against him for murdering the operator of a mobile speed camera and the videotape and/or stills of his crime can be used as legal evidence against him.
Point #3: If Crump wants to play semantics with Mecum’s story by mocking the legality of any evidence of crimes caught on video……..doesn’t it follow that……..neither the video nor any stills showing the murder of Redflex employee Doug Georgianni would be allowed as evidence at the trial of Thomas Destories?
Point #4: Because Lt. Remsey watched the so-called illegal video of the Georgianni’s murder, recognized the killer’s vehicle and led Phoenix Police to the killer’s house………Destories might go free because his capture was a direct result of the illegal evidence taped by the Redflex cam?
I understand that thses are seriously different crimes (not even close) and I am stttrrreching to make a point.......but Crump's argument is based solely on the validity of the “evidence” & that "evidence" is on the same type of streaming video and stills. Each defendant's case depends on the admissibility of the same type of "evidence".
This is a problem we should all address now.
Before one of these bozos walks away.
There is another serious problem with Crump sticking his helmet-head into Brett Mecum’s situation. The life-long problem of GOP over-exposure. The ugly, self-righteous kind of over-exposure.
Last week, the AZ GOP picked the wrong preacher to petition mercy for Brett Mecum.
Rev. Crump Rep. Crump picked the wrong sermon and the wrong book to reference.Didn’t anyone ever tell you…..Jesus Saves, not Sam Crump? Even the choir refused to listen to this talking-head preacher’s heresy.
I suspect the AZ GOP figured Crump would function as a kind-of Republican Johnny Cochran who could rehabilitate its only connection to those under the age of 60: Brett Mecum.
Not a chance Randy Pullen.
Crump concocted the most stupid and arrogant “defense” for Mecum. Many of us watching the Brett Mecum spectacle were left slack-jawed at Crump’s outrageous claim to the Arizona Republic , that Mecum could have a reasonable explanation for driving so fast. [Click HERE to read the story in the AZ Republic.]
Sam Crump also told Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services, "Probably on the night he was speeding, a dozen other people were doing the same thing," Crump continued, "They just weren't caught on camera."
Fischer also wrote, “Aside from the inability of those photographed to confront their accuser, Crump said the system violates a state law which requires that anyone other than a law enforcement officer who gathers evidence for use in court must be a licensed private investigator. He said Redflex employees have no such licenses.”
What? Can you imagine if a murderer walks because of this???
We've just witnessed a Republican Patriot Extremist spewing the very building blocks of evil, liberal and humanistic “moral relativism” – oh the agony.
By allowing Sam Crump to speak for him, Brett Mecum has become the newest and youngest poster child for Republican Hypocrisy®. Mecum left the door wide-open to public ridicule and hostility……..until he’s gone.
I can live with that.
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1 comment:
Sam Crump is an arrogant douch bag. I know this from personal experience.
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