Lizzie's Acquittal

Lizzie freakin' Borden. Huh boy... where to start...
Nah, I'll make this quick.
- Whacks parents.. maybe.. probably.
- Gets away with it.. sort of.
- Also rode a white bronco? That's a rumor, but...

Originally published in the Gainesville Times, July 26, 1988, Prof. Alex Taylor introduces the Lizzie Borden family murder mystery.

It's an interesting sociology study from the stance of an acquittal. Not Guilty doesn't necessarily mean you're free to return to normal. If the public remains unconvinced, a true defense hasn't occurred. Why can't a society trust the judicial process? Hmm... might be an Occam's Razor in there.

Oh, if you ever wondered where the term "getting whacked" came from, this is a good place to start looking.

Preaching to the Choir?

Okay, cheesy headline once you read the column. Sometimes, I simply cannot resist. I'm beginning to see somewhat of a pattern with my father's articles. Media circuses, anyone? The Hall-Mills murder case is a prime example. All it takes is a grizzly murder scene (not talking about the bear; stop!), some juicy deception, the infidelity of the pious, and some remarkable beauty. Of course, tossing in some off-color nonsense by way of farm animals also helps ...pigs, in particular. Wait... don't read into that!

As it originally appeared in the Gainesville Times, July 12, 1988, by Sgt. Det. (Ret) Alex Taylor, Professor of Sociology, Criminology and Deviant Behavior.

Moral Certainty?

Photo credit: The Atlanta Constitution

Well, this one seems to be rife with an editorial viewpoint, perhaps rightfully so. Nothing makes a father and former policeman exhibit their berserk more than a child-murdering ex-cop. This case literally hit close to home for Prof. Alex Taylor, as the trial of Rudy Lee Bromley in Gainesville Georgia came to a close.

No spoilers.

Originally published July 5, 1988 in the Gainesville Times.

That's an interesting quote towards the end. Unfortunately, I couldn't locate its original author.
Tisk!