Terri Patraw Blog #3
http://blog.terri-patraw.org
Terri Patraw Blog #3

Terri Patraw: More Retaliation

I received this message the other day . . .


Like you I am fighting the State. Now there's been more retaliation.  Thanks for keeping up the blog with all kinds of good info.


The Grand Jury on Public Corruption should put an end to some of these administrators illegal activity.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Other Links:             
Terri Patraw Blog #1 

                                  Terri Patraw Blog #2

Terri Patraw: Leaving Footprints

We have only one life to live and we must spend our lives trying to leave footprints ...

Terri Patraw: Manufacturing Accusations

DURHAM, N.C. -- The son of former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani now has the backing of Duke lacrosse athletes in his lawsuit against the university.

Andrew Giuliani sued Duke in July 2008, saying the school broke a contract with him when it dismissed him from the golf team. The News & Observer in Raleigh reported Saturday that members of Duke's 2006 lacrosse team filed a friend-of-the-court brief on Giuliani's behalf.

Last month, a federal magistrate recommended Giuliani's lawsuit be dismissed. Giuliani's attorney, Robert Ekstrand, opposes the magistrate's recommendation.

The younger Giuliani claimed that Duke's golf coach manufactured accusations against him to justify kicking him off the team in 2008, when he was a junior. He's seeking an unspecified amount of damages.

Terri Patraw: NCAA Cheating Scandal

The NCAA infractions committee intends to uphold sanctions against Florida State that would take away wins in 10 sports, including as many as 14 by football coach Bobby Bowden.

After a public records lawsuit and intervention by Florida's attorney general, the NCAA allowed Florida State to release the committee's June 2 response to FSU's appeal of the NCAA punishment that would strip the school of the victories.

The NCAA said 61 Florida State athletes cheated on an online test in a music history course from the fall of 2006 through summer 2007 or received improper help from staffers who provided them with answers to the exam and typed papers for them.

The NCAA called Florida State's staff involvement in the cheating "especially egregious because of their positions as individuals charged specifically with maintaining academic integrity within the athletics program."

Several media outlets, including the Associated Press, sued the school and NCAA on Monday to release the report.

Terri Patraw: NCAA Sanctions University

Alabama will vacate football victories from 2005 through 2007 in which ineligible athletes competed as a result of penalties levied by the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.

Other penalties include three years of probation and a $43,900 fine.

The violations include a failure to monitor by the university and impermissible benefits obtained by student-athletes through misuse of the university’s textbook distribution program. The total retail value of these impermissible benefits is about $40,000. More than $21,000 was obtained by student-athletes who were aware they were receiving impermissible benefits.

The penalties imposed by the committee are as follows:

    *  Public reprimand and censure.

    *  Three years of probation (June 11, 2009 to June 10, 2012).

    *  Vacation of all wins in which student-athletes identified by the university as "intentional wrongdoers"
        competed while ineligible. This includes regular-season contests, postseason contests and any NCAA 
        championship competition. 

    *  The university shall pay a fine of $43,900 to the NCAA. This figure represents an approximate value 
        of the benefits obtained by the “intentional wrongdoers” ($21,950) multiplied by a factor of two.

Terri Patraw: On Core Integrity

        Some people just do not have core integrity. It is not that they do not want it.  
                        It just does not exist for them.  It is a personality flaw.

Terri Patraw: Summary Judgment

My case was dismissed on a procedure called summary judgment.  It is a complex legal motion that is based on law and disputed facts.  

We will be appealing summary judgment on all claims in my case.  I believe I have 19 claims.  All we need is one claim reversed and we go to trial.  We believe every one of my claims has an excellent chance of being overturned on appeal.  I will explain more on this reasoning in an upcoming blog.  You will find this upcoming blog very, very interesting.

For now just know this:

It is not uncommon for
summary judgments of lower U.S. courts in complex cases to be overturned on appeal.  A grant of summary judgment is reviewed "de novo" (meaning, without deference to the views of the trial judge).
 
De novo means that the Nevada Supreme Court reviews the motions and the evidence from scratch.  What the lower court said does not matter.  It is a fresh set of eyes...actually three sets of eyes...as a panel of three Supreme Court Justices will review this case together.

The law and evidence are on my side.  We are very excited to get an impartial review of my claims.  See Blog #1 for an intitial clue...

Terri Patraw: The Next Step

The appeal process has started.  We are on our way to reverse this injustice.   Every person intimately involved in my case in both parties knows the law and evidence are overwhelmingly on my side

I cannot explain the injustice right now.  But I will in time. 

I look forward to the Nevada Supreme Court reviewing my case. 

To repeat a phrase I have used often over the past year plus...you would not believe me if I told you... 

I believe I am fighting some level of organized crime.  That is why there is an upcoming hearing to convene a Grand Jury on public corruption at UNR.  Several individuals involved in my case will be central figures in this criminal probe.

Keep the faith!  Justice will prevail...

Answering A Few Questions

I have been asked a few of questions that I thought I would answer:

1)  I have never been asked to remove a post.  Any post that has been removed has been done so simply to make more space for new posts. 

2)  I do not post people's names who write to me because I respect their support and their privacy. 

3)  There is only one person who has sent me a 'not-so-nice' message.  They work for MGA Insurance. 

4)  I only post truthful things.  I am involved in an ongoing lawsuit.  Why would I dare risk posting something false when I know the Defense attorneys (and even Mary Dugan's husband, Dan) read my blog?

Justice And Patience

Justice:

Practicing justice is being fair.

You don’t prejudge.

You see people as individuals.

You don’t accept it when someone acts like a bully, cheats or lies.

Being a champion for justice takes courage.

Sometimes when you stand for justice, you stand alone.


Patience:

Patience is quiet hope and trust that things will turn out right.

You wait without complaining.

You are tolerant and accepting of difficulties and mistakes.

You picture the end in the beginning and persevere to meet your goals.

To Get Something You Never Had...

'To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.'

When God takes something from your grasp, He's not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better. 

'The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you.'

Four Things You Cannot Recover

Four things you cannot recover:

The stone.........after the throw.  The word...........after it's said.

The occasion.........after it's missed.  The time.........after it's gone.

The Fraud Never Ends

Two days in a row I watched an unethical lawyer lie to a Judge.  I have seen direct evidence of falsification of documents.  There has been a conspiracy of fraudulent conduct.

If these unauthenticated documents were legitimate, truthful, or relevant, why did the Defense team resort to fraud?

If one has a legitimate defense why would they have to resort to Fraud?

A Needed Dose Of Education For Some Lawyers

Under the Rules of Professional Conduct, "[a] lawyer shall not knowingly: (1)make a false statement of fact or law to a tribunal or fail to correct a false statement of material fact or law previously made to a tribunal by the lawyer; (2) fail to disclose to the tribunal legal authority in the controlling jurisdiction known to the lawyer to be directly adverse to the position of the client and not disclosed by opposing counsel; or (3) offer evidence that the lawyer knows to be false."  Nev.R.Prof.Resp. 3.3.

Winston Churchill, October 29, 1941

"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."

Federal Judge: No Tolerance For Sleezy Lawyers

When a minor overbilling incident was discovered recently in this District, the Honorable Valerie P. Cooke stated:
 
Rule 3.3 of the Nevada Rule of Professional Conduct outlines a lawyer’s obligation to candor toward the tribunal. The court is deeply troubled that plaintiff’s counsel has lost sight of this very basic canon of professional ethics. Henceforth, this court will carefully scrutinize every paper, statement, and representation plaintiff’s counsel makes to this court. Should such conduct occur in the future, the court will act accordingly.

UNR Police Officer Leaves University

Scott Taylor, the University of Nevada, Reno police officer who has been under investigation for claims of police abuse and for allegedly beating his assigned police dog, no longer works at UNR, spokeswoman Jane Tors said today.

April 1961...Ethical Standards


The basis of effective government is public confidence, and that confidence is     
endangered when ethical standards falter or appear to falter.


        ~~April 1961, President John F. Kennedy~~

They envy the distinction I have won...



"They envy the distinction I have won; let them therefore, envy my toils, my honesty and the methods by which I gained it." 


                                                  -Sallust

Accountability In Leadership

Accountability is a concept in ethics with several meanings. It is often used synonymously with such concepts as responsibility, answerability, enforcement, blameworthiness, and liability.  As an aspect of governance, it has been central to discussions related to problems in both the public and private worlds.

Accountability is defined as "A is accountable to B when A is obliged to inform B about A’s actions and decisions, to justify them, and to suffer punishment in the case of eventual misconduct".

In leadership roles, accountability is the acknowledgment and assumption of responsibility for actions, products, decisions, and policies including the administration, governance and implementation within the scope of the role or employment position and encompassing the obligation to report, explain and be answerable for resulting consequences.

Liar Liar Pants On Fire

I ran across this column by Joe Santoro in the Nevada Appeal.

Sports fodder for a Friday morning ... Don’t be so quick to praise Alex Rodriguez for admitting he used performance enhancing drugs. OK, so he’s higher on the honesty food chain than Roger Clemens. Big deal. Clemens is only slightly below Richard Nixon, O.J. Simpson and Jon Lovitz’s Tommy Flanagan on the famous liars list. 

Rodriguez, who told Peter Gammons on ESPN that he only took PEDs from 2001-03, didn’t know exactly what he was taking and didn’t know until recently that he tested positive in 2003, must think that we are all fools. Well, A-Rod, A-Fraud, A-Roid, A-Jerk or whatever your nickname is now, we are not fools. We just want our game back.  And the sooner all of you cheating, overpaid liars and frauds leave the game, the better.


Mr. Santoro I have a couple of names I think you might want to add to your famous liars list.  I am certain you and your readers will find them very, very interesting...

Karma: "What Goes Around Comes Around"

Karma always catches up to those who deserve it.  As Alex Rodriguez is perhaps learning now, if you have a choice between playing fair and playing dirty, play fair.

Marion Jones, Martha Stewart, Roger Clemens, Barry Bonds, and many others have had their lies come back to bite them. 

Karma is affiliated with the law of return: the idea that the beneficial or harmful effects one has on the world will return to oneself.  Colloquially this may be summed up as "what goes around comes around."

Criminal Charges For MLB Player Caught Lying

All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada has been charged with lying to Congress about steroids. Tejada is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday where he is expected to plead guilty.

The charges against Tejada, who currently plays for the Houston Astros, were outlined in documents filed in Washington federal court on Tuesday.

The documents indicate that a plea agreement has been reached with Tejada.

The FBI also is investigating whether Roger Clemens, a seven-time Cy Young winner, lied to Congress last year when he denied using steroids or human growth hormone.

In the documents filed Tuesday, Tejada is charged with lying to investigators for the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in 2005 when he denied knowledge of an ex-teammate's use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The charges are contained in a six-page criminal information, a legal document used often when a defendant has struck a plea deal with prosecutors.

The criminal information charges Tejada with making misrepresentations to Congress.

Ex-Mayor Released From Jail After Perjury Conviction

Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick emerged from jail after serving a 99-day sentence, greeted in the cold by about two dozen reporters and a handful of onlookers. 

In September, Kilpatrick resigned and plead guilty to two felony charges.  Under an agreement with prosecutors, Kilpatrick plead guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and agreed to pay the city $1 million in restitution, give up his pension benefits and not seek elected office for five years.

"I lied under oath," Mr. Kilpatrick said in court, "with the intent to mislead the court and jury."

Kilpatrick and his ex-chief of staff admitted to lying during a 2007 whistle-blowers' trial about a romantic relationship and their role in a police official's firing.  Sexually explicit text messages contradicted their testimony.

Thou Shalt Not Lie To The Police

A Philadelphia man who says he was shot by Indianapolis Colts receiver Marvin Harrison has been convicted of a misdemeanor for giving police false information about the incident.

The April 28 shooting occurred near Harrison's car wash in North Philadelphia. Investigators said the shots came from a gun owned by Harrison, but said they have conflicting accounts of who fired it.

Dwight Dixon said he will appeal Tuesday's misdemeanor conviction for filing a fictitious report. Police said he initially gave them a fake name and told them two unknown men shot him during a robbery attempt.

One's Dignity...

"One's dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered."

                                    -Michael J. Fox

Analysis Of The Liar

Since perjury has been a hot bottom topic this past year I did some research on lying:

Lying is always a form of control. Some people are pathological liars, having learned that they get a rush from manipulating others with lies. But most people lie when they are afraid of the consequences of telling the truth.  Most people do not know how to handle another’s anger and judgment and may revert to being the child they were when they learned to lie to their parents to avoid punishment.

                    Margaret Paul, Ph.D. is the best-selling author and co-author of eight books


It boils down to the shifting sands of the self and trying to look good both to ourselves and others.
It's tied in with self-esteem.  We find that as soon as people feel that their self-esteem is threatened, they immediately begin to lie at higher levels.

                    University of Massachusetts psychologist Robert Feldman 


Basically, if one wanted a simple answer to the question why do people lie, it would probably be to avoid punishment or anger or a fear of reduction in social status; and, in some cases, to enhance one's social status. Some people lie to achieve recognition.

                    Margaret Paul, Ph.D.


The person, however, who seems to feel compelled to lie about both the small and large stuff has a problem. We often call these folks pathological liars. They lie to protect themselves, look good, gain financially or socially and avoid punishment.  

A much more troubling group is those who lie a lot — and knowingly — for personal gain. These people may have a diagnosis called antisocial personality disorder, also known as being a sociopath. Lying often gets worse with the passage of time. When you get away with a lie it often impels you to continue your deceptions. Also, liars often find themselves perpetrating more untruths to cover themselves.

If you lie all the time, even about unimportant things, you are likely to have a problem that will eventually -- if it hasn’t already -- cause you real relationship, financial or legal troubles.  Figuring out what is driving you to lie in the first place will help heal this self-destructive behavior. This may mean going into treatment with a therapist to discover why you feel the need to deceive.

                    Dr. Gail Saltz is a psychiatrist with New York Presbyterian Hospital

University Forfeits Championships Over NCAA Violations

The University of Arkansas is vacating two national championships in track and field.

The NCAA upheld sanctions against Arkansas in September, but the school hoped to keep the two national titles.

Arkansas said Thursday it must give up those championships. The school said the titles are vacated, meaning no other program will receive credit for them.

Arkansas self-reported violations committed by former assistant Lance Brauman, who was convicted in 2006 of embezzlement, theft and mail fraud. The convictions stemmed from his time at Barton County Community College in Kansas. Brauman was coaching Arkansas when he was convicted. He then resigned.

Sprint star Tyson Gay who won the world championship in 2007 at 100 and 200 meters, transferred from Barton County to Arkansas.

The university acknowledged that Brauman and his wife provided impermissible transportation for the athlete and helped arrange lodging for him during the summer of 2003, prior to his enrollment at Arkansas. The school also reported Brauman or his wife helped the student enroll in a correspondence course in a way that constituted improper assistance, and that Brauman asked his sister-in-law to tutor the student and helped arrange for two people to serve as proctors for tests in the correspondence course.

In 2007, the NCAA took away Arkansas' two titles and gave the school three years' probation. The school appealed, but last September the NCAA said meet results from when Gay competed should still be vacated.

Basketball Coach Fired Over NCAA Allegations

Southeast Missouri State fired basketball coach Scott Edgar, who has been on administrative leave since the fall because of possible NCAA violations.

Edgar was 23-39 in his first two seasons at the school, including 12-19 last year. Zac Roman has been the acting coach since Edgar went on leave.

The NCAA informed Southeast Missouri in October of possible major violations concerning the men's basketball team. Athletic Director Don Kaverman was fired three days later.

The governing body said the NCAA will take up the case at an April 17-18 meeting.

Terri Patraw: Thank You My Friend

God doesn't give you the people you want,

He gives
you the people you NEED -

To help you, to hurt you, to
leave you, to love you and to make you into the person you were meant to be.

The lady reading this is beautiful, classy and strong, and I love her.

Help her live her life to the fullest.

Please promote her and cause her to excel above her expectations.

Help her shine in the darkest places where it is impossible to love.

Protect her at all times, lift her up when she needs you the most, and let her know when she walks with you, She will always
be safe.

University Trustee Indicted

University of Akron Trustee Jack Morrison Jr. faces seven counts of allegedly violating Ohio's ethics laws for his role in the purchase of his son's home by the university.

Morrison, who is also chairman of the Summit County Board of Elections and a prominent local attorney, was indicted by a Summit County grand jury on the misdemeanors, authorities announced Wednesday.

Eric Fingerhut, chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, asked Morrison by letter late Wednesday afternoon to step down as a UA trustee. The regents oversee higher education statewide.

''Regardless of the outcome of the criminal matter . . . your continued service on the board of trustees jeopardizes the mission and critical ongoing work of the university,'' Fingerhut wrote.

The indictments followed an Ohio Ethics Commission investigation that Morrison and the university requested to eliminate questions about UA's purchase of the rental home.

Terri Patraw: Support From Someone Who Knows

Dear Terri!

I've been watching your story for a while now, and I've been meaning to get in touch with you to send you some encouragements.

I discovered your blog recently while looking up the "important" UNR people. I'm very glad that when one searches for Mary Dugan, Milton Glick, Lilley and the whole team, one ends up on your blog!

I'm also glad you're collecting a lot of info on various other cases. Your blog is really interesting, and unfortunately reveals a not-so-wonderful world...

Anyway, I would like to encourage you to keep up the fight and I wish you the best of luck! I hope that the truth comes out!

And that the University FINALLY learns a lesson...

The Amount Of Jealousy When You Are Successful Is Incredible

A message of support:

I hope you are well I visit your blog frequently.  Glad to hear that things are moving along, I'm sure all the "red tape' slows things down and must be frustrating. I'm positive that justice will be served.

I must admit I was not the least bit surprised to see Nevada struggle so much. What do they expect, get rid of a great winning coach and bring in someone with very little D1 experience... 

The amount of jealousy when you are successful is incredible...I guess when you do well people hate it and will try anything to put you down. I am a believer in what comes around goes around.  I hope all those liars at Nevada are proved guilty.

Convicted Alaskan Senator Loses Re-Election Bid

Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest serving Republican in Senate history, lost his re-election bid Tuesday, marking the downfall of a Washington political power and Alaska icon who couldn't survive a conviction on federal corruption charges. His defeat to Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich moves Senate Democrats closer to a filibuster-proof 60-vote majority.

Stevens' ouster on his 85th birthday marks an abrupt realignment in Alaska politics and will alter the power structure in the Senate, where he has served since the days of the Johnson administration while holding seats on some of the most influential committees in Congress.

Stevens, speaking earlier Tuesday in Washington, said he had no idea what his life would be like in January, when the 111th Congress convenes.  "I wouldn't wish what I'm going through on anyone, my worst enemy," he lamented to reporters. "I haven't had a night's sleep for almost four months."

Last month just days before the election, Stevens was convicted by a federal jury in Washington of lying on Senate disclosure forms to conceal more than $250,000 in gifts and home renovations from an oil field services company.

In a state where oil and politics have always mixed, the conviction came as part of a long-running investigation into government corruption.

Stevens' lawyer demanded a speedy trial, hoping for exoneration in time to fight the first serious threat to his seat in decades. But the trial in Washington not only left Stevens a felon, it deprived him of time to campaign in his home state.

Terri Patraw: Federal Law And A University's Responsibility

Title IX is a United States law enacted on June 23, 1972 that states: "No person in the United States shall on the basis of sex, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance."

Title IX requires the equal treatment of female and male student-athletes in the provisions of: (a) equipment and supplies; (b) scheduling of games and practice times; (c) travel and daily allowance/per diem; (d) access to tutoring; (e) coaching, (f) locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities; (g) medical and training facilities and services; (h) housing and dining facilities and services; (i) publicity and promotions; (j) support services and (k) recruitment of student-athletes.

A real life example: Denying female athletes access to their locker room on game day for the convenience  of male athletic teams and their storage needs is a clear violation of Title IX.

Terri Patraw: Oral Roberts University Settles With Professors

Oral Roberts University has settled with three faculty members who sued the institution a year ago, alleging breach of contract and wrongful discharge. The terms of the settlements were not disclosed.

Two professors — Tim Brooker and his wife, Paulita Brooker — and a third professor, John W. Swails, sued the university after leaving or being fired last year amid events that ultimately led to the resignation of its president, Richard L. Roberts.  Swails, was reinstated as part of his settlement.

The professors claim they were retaliated against for their role in exposing the alleged wrongdoing by former ORU President Roberts and his family.  The lawsuit brought to light allegations that ORU money had been misspent and that Roberts promoted a “culture of fear” on campus.

In their lawsuit, they accused Roberts of using university resources to intervene in local politics and to support an extravagant lifestyle for his family, even as the university struggled financially. 

Swails said he sued because he wanted “people to be held accountable for their actions.”

Yet Another Corrupt Individual Exposed, Facing Prison Time

Twin Cities businessman Tom Petters, thrust into the spotlight when his business and home were swarmed by federal agents, is the central figure in what authorities suspect is a multi-billion dollar fraud scheme that lured investors with empty promises, according to documents in federal court.

Petters is chief executive of Petters Group Worldwide, with holdings that include Sun Country Airlines, Petters Warehouse Direct, and Polaroid.

The government claims that Petters and a circle of associates played loose and free with investors' money by creating the impression of a successful business that bought and sold phantom goods for over 10 years.

Deanna Coleman learned to work hard, play hard and enjoy the finer things in life.  Coleman rose to become vice president for Petters Company, Inc. In the end, records show that Petters was paying her $330,000 a year. From 2004 until federal authorities stepped in, Coleman collected about $8 million in bonuses.

But that came crashing to an end in September. Coleman, apparently overwhelmed by the size of the alleged fraud and feeling guilty for her own role in it, walked into the sixth-floor suite of the U.S. Attorney's office in the Minneapolis federal building and agreed to become an informant against her mentor and employer of 15 years.

With Coleman working secretly as an informant, authorities moved quickly to arrest Petters and several cronies who, like Coleman, already have pleaded guilty in the case.

Coleman faces up to five years for her role in the fraud, but it's unlikely she'll get that much time. Prosecutors are expected to argue for leniency because of the key role she played in the case.  Petters faces up to life in prison and remains in federal custody without bail.

See The Woman Who Brought Down Tom Petters for more on the crumbling of this corrupt enterprise.


What I found most interesting about this ongoing story is how the scheme finally collapsed.  The truth always comes out.  The corrupt only hold hands and stick together until the going gets tough.  The current trial of Orange County sheriff Mike Carona (below) is another example of a one-time ally turning into an informant.  As the lies and cover-ups begin to unravel people always jump off the sinking ship.  The first to come clean gets the lightest sentence.

Terri Patraw: Another Public Corruption Trial Underway

Former Orange County sheriff Mike Carona – once called “America's Sheriff” – is charged with taking cash and bribes in exchange for favors. So began the trial of Michael S. Carona – the highest-profile public corruption case ever prosecuted in Orange County.

Last fall, the three-term sheriff was indicted by a federal grand jury.  If found guilty, he faces several years in prison.

The indictment accuses Carona of using his public office to enrich himself, his wife and his former mistress and co-defendant Debra Hoffman – a Newport Beach lawyer who told authorities she had an affair with Carona since 1998.

Most of the allegations revolve around Carona's relationship with Don Haidl, a wealthy businessman Carona appointed to the position of assistant sheriff. Haidl – whom prosecutors say gave Carona more than $35,000 in cash and bribes – has already pleaded guilty in the case and has aided prosecutors in their probe against Carona. The trial's key evidence was provided by Haidl: three secretly-taped recordings of Carona talking with Haidl about aligning stories regarding gifts and cash if interviewed by investigators.

Click on the Orange County Register for daily updates on this trial. 

This indictment and potential guilty verdict could be another victory against public corruption.  Yes, even "America's Sheriff" can be brought to his knees.

Terri Patraw: A Victory Against Public Corruption

The Senate's longest-serving Republican, Alaskan Ted Stevens, was convicted of corruption charges today.  A jury on Monday found Stevens guilty of seven corruption charges, throwing into limbo the 40-year career of Alaska's political patriarch. 

PRISON TIME?

Stevens, 84, was found guilty of lying about free home renovations and other gifts he received from a wealthy oil contractor.  He faces up to five years in prison on each count when he is sentenced. 

His conviction is the highlight of a lengthy FBI investigation into Alaska corruption, but prosecutors noted that it is not the end. Stevens' longtime Republican colleague, Rep. Don Young, remains under investigation for his ties to VECO. Stevens' son, Ben, a former Alaska lawmaker, is also under investigation.

In Alaska, the Democratic Party issued a statement calling for Stevens to resign immediately. "He knew what he was doing was wrong," the party said. "But he did it anyway and lied to Alaskans about it."


Credit the FBI for investigating the politically connected.  

Credit the jury for seeing who the liars are.

Terri Patraw: Halloween Murder Trial Begins November 3rd

The murder trial of Samisoni Taukitoku begins on November 3, 2008 in the 2nd Judicial District Court.

19 year-old Taukitoku has been charged with triple homicide in connection with the three shooting deaths at a 2007 weekend Halloween party.

19 year-old Saili Manu was arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and brandishing a firearm at the same party.  He has pleaded guilty and will be sentenced in December.  Manu's brother was a member of the Nevada football team from 2005-2007.

Several Nevada student-athletes were in attendance at the Reno party; including then Nevada basketball player Tyrone Hanson.  Hanson was severely beaten and robbed.  Hanson was dismissed from the team after this incident.

For more details see this article from ESPN.

Terri Patraw: Moral Standards And Cover-Ups

Questions on my mind of late...

What kind of moral standards does the university leadership have if they allow a student-athlete to remain on the team after he physically assaulted his girlfriend?

How would the coach feel if his daughter was the victim?

Does a student-athlete on full scholarship have the right to a free education and monthly stipend when he engaged in such conduct while a member of the university team?

Would he still be on the team if he wasn't a starter?

What kind of moral standards does the university leadership have if they retain an athletic director who committed perjury, who covered up allegations of NCAA violations, and who retained a coach who intentionally violated NCAA rules?

Terri Patraw: UNR Attorney Sanctioned By Federal Judge

University of Nevada, Reno Assistant General Counsel Charles Hilsabeck was sanctioned by Judge Pro in Federal Court.  Pro admonished Hilsabeck for his conduct in the case Hussein S. Hussein vs Mary Dugan and Leah Wilds.

Specifically, Pro's order said that Hilsabeck submitted affidavits and testimony that:
  • "do not square with what objectively occurred"
  • "so clearly at odds with the objective facts"
  • "inaccurate affidavits"

Judge Pro went on to say that "their persistence in advocating a position so clearly at odds with the objective facts..., warrants this Court's finding that Defendant Wilds reliance on her affidavit and those of her colleagues is completely inappropriate and sanctionable.  The Court therefore will strike the affidavits and will impose sanctions on defendant and her Counsel (Hilsabeck)."  Hilsabeck and Wilds were ordered to pay a monetary fine directly to Plaintiff Hussein.

Hilsabeck is the UNR attorney leading the defense in my lawsuit.  Mary Dugan is General Counsel at UNR and Hilsabeck's boss.  The submission of false affidavits and manufactured evidence has occurred in my case.

Terri Patraw: Instructions For Life

Take into account that great achievements involve great risk

When you lose, don't lose the lesson

Follow the three R's
    
    Respect for Self

    Respect for Others

    Responsibility for all your actions

Live a good honorable life.  Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

Mayor Resigns, Jailed After Pleading Guilty To Perjury Charges

Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick resigned, pleading guilty to two felony charges that will put him in jail for 120 days.  Under an agreement with prosecutors, Kilpatrick pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice and will pay the city $1 million in restitution, give up his pension benefits and not seek elected office for five years.

"I lied under oath," Mr. Kilpatrick said in court, "with the intent to mislead the court and jury."


See the Wall Street Journal article for more on this story...

Niece Callie - The Princess

Terri Patraw: Attorney General / UNR A Conflict of Interest?

At least three current University of Nevada, Reno attorneys were former employees of the Nevada Attorney General's Office.  Will the AG's Office prosecute their former colleagues and/or administrators that their former colleagues are charged with overseeing? 

As a citizen of this state I know for a fact that there are many crimes in the complaint submitted to the AG. The conflict of interest exists.  It will be very interesting to see how the Attorney General will handle it...

On that note, I have included links and important quotations from articles on the criminal prosecution of Detroit's Mayor for perjury, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and misconduct of office.  It is interesting to note that the Mayor was jailed for violating conditions of his bond. I hope the AG’s office has the courage to follow the lead of Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy.

Huffington Post

In announcing the charges, Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy delivered a 14-minute lecture on the oath that all the witnesses take, and how the criminal justice system relies on people to tell the truth. "Even children understand that lying is wrong," she said.

"If a witness lies, innocent people can go to jail or prison, people can literally get away with murder, civil litigants who deserve money may not get it or may get money they don't deserve," she said. "And lying cannot be tolerated even if a judge or jury sees through it."

Detroit Free Press

Lying under oath is one of the worst sins a lawyer can commit -- akin to stealing a client's money, legal experts said.

Terri Patraw: Attorney General Investigates the University


Attorney General's Office Looks into Allegations  (the link to this article is no longer available)


Plaintiffs in several lawsuits against the University of Nevada, Reno who met with the Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto on April 17 said all the allegations were brought to university officials' attention in 2006 and last year. They said those officials either took no action or attempted to cover up the alleged improprieties.

They left her with a 94-page summary of allegations and thousands of pages of exhibits.

The allegations include charges of fraud involving university grants and farm property, embezzlement, forgery, obstruction of justice and perjury.

Terri Patraw: A Tsunami Of Lawsuits

The Reno Gazette Journal ran several articles on Sunday. The links to these two articles are no longer available...


UNR outside Legal Fees hit $1.7 million

Employee who Won Jury Trial alleged further Abuse


The 74 employee-related lawsuits filed since 2000 involve 48 faculty members, staff or students.

University spokeswoman Jane Tors said the number of plaintiffs can be compared against a campus population of 20,000 staff and students and so "the numbers are not very great."

In comparison, UNLV, with about 31,000 students, faculty and staff is defending against six active lawsuits.

Terri Patraw: Earthquake Rumblings

Does anyone really think I would be putting myself in this position and suing a university (oh so publicly) if I was guilty of any wrongdoing?

The recent earthquakes in Reno are a metaphor to the rumbling going on under the UNR athletic department administration. You can only lie and cheat so long before you get caught.

The calm before the storm....

Terri Patraw: A Wonderful Message I Received

This is a message I received today from another victim of public corruption....

We can never thank you enough Terri for providing us the chance to make a wrong right. Until we found you, we felt so, so alone. No has been able to understand our pain, let alone our loss...no one. Bless you Terri for standing up, so we could have a voice in this mess....In the meantime I have added a new plaque to my hero wall, for without this one daring woman this would have never came to be.