Gov. Matt Blunt has issued the following statement:
“Tonight our fellow Missourians in the city of Kirkwood were terrorized by a senseless and horrific crime at an open government meeting. We know at this hour that this crime has resulted in the loss of life and an investigation is under way. “The men and women of Highway Patrol Troop C responded to the reports of the shooting and were on the scene to assist the Kirkwood Police Department and St. Louis County law enforcement. I have directed the Highway Patrol to provide whatever resources are needed to assist local law enforcement in response to this horrific crime. “I join Missourians tonight in praying for the victims, their families and friends, and everyone in the community of Kirkwood.â€Â
February 24th, 2008 at 11:28 am
The interview with Charles Thorton (that was never published 18 months ago) gives
amazing insight to this story, pre Feb 7th.. Maybe they have been removed, but were posted at:
http://www.myfoxstl.com/myfox/pages/H
ome/Detail;jsessionid=1FEFD630E726DC1
F5D74C38FCF2E0F83?
contentId=5791693&version=1&locale=E
N-
US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg
=1
Mr. Thorton, with extreme detail describes the arrest, which was a mistake from the City of having the wrong address (verified, St. Louis American). I wonder when he left that note, “the truth” will come out if this is it?
Mr. Thorton states that he served on numerous Kirkwood City Hall Boards (which one fills out an application at the site below and why if he is a nut case does the City have him on a Board?) for 6-7 years and was honored (with a plaque he says) for his contribution from the City of Kirkwood. But mentions he resigned from some boards due to their actions.
Verified, this is a copy of Kirkwood City Halls website last Friday.
Kirkwood’s Boards and Commissions
LOCAL HOUSING AUTHORITY
http://www.ci.kirkwood.mo.us/no_search/
old/council/boardscommissions.htm
0. Provide and maintain facilities for low
income housing for elderly
0. Council Liaison: Paul Ward
Meets:
2nd Monday, 6:00 p.m., Kirkwood House,
385 S. Taylor
Current Roster: Glenn Appelbaum, Chair Betsy Brueggeman Tom Doyle Carole “Randy” DeGarmo (and ?) ****** Cookie Thornton******
For more
information call Kirkwood House at: 314-
966-5610
From the tapes, “Thornton claimed that he learned through a Missouri Sunshine Act
request that his legal battles with the city cost the city $500,000 in legal bills.
Lescher (the reporter) says Thornton, a demolition and construction contractor, was calm during the interview but was “very methodical†in how he’d compiled
records and photographs in his battle with city officials over parking and work permit
disputes involving his business.” The claim is that the City Attorney billed for this and the retainer fee? I do not know if this is true, these are in the tapes also. But if a Kirkwood is paying 500K, of my tax payer dollars and then offering the one who violated the law as reported on this site, see below, there is an issue. Waive 80-160K in fines (depending on the source) for 500k in billing income and 30K to prepare for the federal case? One report on a news station said the City Attorney said this was absolutely false. The City Attorney’s lawfirm may represent about every major newspaper and community paper in St. Louis? Is the newspaper press giving a full view of everything here? Maybe so, maybe this is the best it gets, maybe not, no journalism or reporter here, just you average person.
As stated on this site: “Earlier, John Hessel, city attorney, had approached Thornton offering to drop the thousands of dollars in fines if Charles would drop the lawsuit against the city.” “We don’t want to collect money from you,” Hessel had said. “We want you to let it be, and we’ll let it be,” to which Charles replied, “I’m never going to let this go.” Maybe an act of kindness actually? Why when there is long history of years of tickets and fines?
I am no attorney, I don’t know how to access the Sunshine law of Missouri or the
Freedom of information act, but Mr. Thorton did, why doesn’t the press check
these statements? These documents that he had copies of in the interview? This is
odd? Maybe its just me and I have seen to many movie’s?
Then two nights ago Feb 23, 208, the City Council has quite a heated argument with
the Citizens of Kirkwood (more attendance since the early 90’s) about the mayoral
election and press releases by the City Attorney were addressed by Franklin
McCallie (Kirkwood High schools retired principle for numerous years) as not quite
would he would expect in its wording as an effort to bring a community together after
such an horrific act, the comments were quite directed at the City Council and City
Attorney.
Mr. Thornten committed a horrendous, non-excusable act. This is not what this
post is about. This is not a justification post, so please don’t tag it as that.
He was a murderer, this is not the subject of the post. Again, this is not someone making this a race issue and this post as defending his actions. Again, this was a
horrendous act of murder that can never be justified. I have empathy for all the
family’s, victims, friends with prayers to God that this never happens again. Also for those who even witnessed such an act for I know that it will haunt them for the rest of their lives.
But does such a horrendous act of murder, erase everything that transpired before?
Was he stalked by people while on jobs. Did other contracters take out permits in
their name so he could work and the city would not harass him (in the tapes).
Was he more upset how he name, reputation, ability to volunteer and most of all address the issue in more than two 3 minute sessions a month tell us something?
Do we know if the above is true in these tapes, though posted on a website, were
never printed, aired on T.V. or I am sure listened to by very few. Not to many are
interested in hearing a murderer for 40 minutes, but I challenge those with any
interest to this case, those who have written and took time to make comments or report on it, take a listen.
Was this man a target? Whether white, black, hispanic, asian, etc.? He even
states, he can not figure it out and the only thing that he could reason, that it had
to be a race issue with this council. Was the tickets (150) a bit over-board
then comes an offer to drop all these fines? If one gets a speeding ticket for 8
mph over, no one offers to drop the ticket to “go away”. Do some of you get those
offers? 150 tickets and Mr. Thornten is given this offer?
Possibly some young journalism student or aspiring attorney knows how to look
into this case. Maybe there is nothing, maybe Mr. Thornten statements, the ones
I could verify, are all true are true and the other false, but if checked, one could
verify and this would be something that may reveal some insight.
Thanks for letting us have the freedom to write a post.