THIS MESSAGE HAS BEEN POSTED AT HUMAN RIGHTS IN ACTION (GOOGLE GROUPS), VARIOUS TRIBE SITES, EFx2, FACE BOOK, MY SPACE, YAHOO, MS LIVE & BLOGGAR, ETC. I WRITE UNDER A COMMON CONTENTS LICENSE SO AS LONG AS YOU DON'T EDIT IT OR FORGET TO CREDIT THE AUTHOR PLEASE FEEL FREE TO POST THIS ANYWHERE YOU FEEL IT WILL HELP TIM CAFFREY. OH BOTHER IT! JUST DON'T EDIT IT FORGET MY NAME IF YOU WANT! emch
King George, VA
Achairde All:
Well, I survived the first half of the trip and it was just about as pleasant as one could imagine it to be. However, I have hoisted the EMERGENCY Flag because there is a man in South Dakota who is in dire need of our help. By that I mean a concentrated effort and not merely reading this and saying how horrible it is and moving on. I have placed this is its entirety so you can read it for yourselves. I have been in touch with Arnie Berkeland and Arnold Miller who is Governor Rounds Aide when it comes to Clemency & Pardons. I have obtained two experts willing to donate their time- one in Bi-racial Adoptions and the other is a Guardian Ad Litem Attorney who has worked on similar cases. Right now I am attempting to find a Psychiatrist or Psychologist who has the expertise in PTSD and Child Abuse we need to complete our efforts. The Oglala Sioux Nation passed a Resolution in Tim's favor on Friday, August 10th and when I spoke with Mr. Berkeland this past Monday, August 13th, he advised that a very respected retired Politician has also agreed to speak to the Governor on Tim's behalf.
Modblog refugees will remember the flaming I took when I reported an abused child to the Norman, OK Police Department after I read her postings at her Blog. I and some of my friends in Human Rights & Children's Rights work offered her our help and her answer was to take her pages down and pretend that she was just mad at her Mom. Folks, I appreciate a good vent as much as the next woman but I DO know the difference and so did the Norman Police because I took the precaution of printing out those pages BEFORE she could delete them. The result was that she and her mother received the help they needed. The saddest thing about Tim Caffrey is that a whole cadre of Adults KNEW about his abuse and NO ONE- NOT EVEN THEIR MINISTER AND HIS WIFE DID ANYTHING CONCRETE TO HELP HIM. When the Norman Detective asked why I had "bothered' to report the case my response was simply, 'IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO."
Tim Caffrey was originally charged with Murder One and it was changed to Manslaughter One when the Judge refused the charge. In every other state he would have received a maximum of 40 to 45 years. Done, on average, a third of that sentence or 14 years and been Paroled. He received Life WITHOUT Parole and has been incarcerated for twenty-seven years. Of course he didn't exactly get the most objective of trials. Everyday we read about some sexual predator who got twenty-five to Life and is out in five. Don't believe me? Check out your state's Sexual Offender List. The one that is supposed to let you know where they are so you can protect your kids. Since a large majority of them seem to want to move Florida I check the FDLE List once a month. There is a man who just moved in directly across from me who is not only listed as a Registered Sex Offender in big bold red letters it says:
THIS MAN IS ALSO REGISTERED AS A VIOLENT SEXUAL PREDATOR
NOW there is a comforting thought now isn't it? In his entire 'career' he has done less than a third of time that Tim Caffrey has done. We need to change that and we need your help to do it. I KNOW that I can count on you to do the right thing because we have made a difference on other issues. Jeb Bush may not be governor anymore but you can be he remembers the 11 days we shut his email down. 0;-) We can do it again- so please spread the word.
Keep the Faith mo Charan!
Slan leat,
Elaine
AKA Cabin Fever
CABIN FEVER ONLINE
PICTURE OF ABUSED CHILD CONTINUES TO HAUNT WOMAN
By Betty Adams Aitchison
Caldwell, Idaho
Published: August 7, 2007 - ARGUS
I am a voice from the faraway past of Timothy Sean Caffrey. I am Betty Adams Aitchison, whose husband pastored the little Faith Missionary Church in Martin, S.D., for 10 years. This was in the mid-1960s and 70s. The Bill and Olive Caffrey family attended our church. I knew them well.
Tim Caffrey is an Oglala Sioux, adopted by the Caffreys when he was less than a year old. I was a part of Tim's formative years. I taught him in Sunday School and vacation Bible school.
Bill Caffrey was a politically powerful man as South Dakota regional director of health and welfare. He also was an abusive alcoholic. I witnessed some of the abuse of Tim and tried to intervene but to no avail.
One particular incident has continued to haunt me through the years. It is a picture of a little 14-year-old Sioux Indian boy, sitting in the living room of Bill and Olive Caffrey's home, being disciplined for sharing marijuana with a friend.
I was living in Idaho at the time but visiting Martin. Olive asked me to basically act as a mediator when they addressed this issue.
Olive began the questioning. I still remember exactly how we were all seated. I was on the couch. Olive was across the room to my left, Tim, to my right, and Bill, pacing the floor. Olive asked Tim where he had gotten the marijuana, and Tim reluctantly told her. She asked, "Why didn't you just say 'no' and tell us what had happened?"
Tim replied, "I made a mistake, and I'm sorry."
At this point, Bill stomped toward Tim. "You made a mistake. We are the ones who made the mistake. The biggest mistake we ever made was when we adopted you, you stupid Indian," Bill said, cuffing Tim on the head.
Tim burst into convulsive sobs, and Bill walked away.
I got up from my seat and went to Tim. I said, "Timmie, you are a good boy who did a bad thing. You are not a stupid Indian. You are a brilliant boy with a right and powerful heritage."
Bill Caffrey was an overbearing, abusive alcoholic who often inflicted physical and emotional abuse on Tim. Olive worked at the Gordon hospital, 50 miles away, and left home at 2 p.m., not returning until after midnight, leaving Tim at the mercy of Bill's drunken outbursts and hostilities.
I have never, nor do I now, condone Tim's handling of this situation. However, almost 27 years have passed since I sat through the trial of a 17-year-old Indian boy, tried as an adult, by a white judge, 12 white jurors and a white attorney, and I heard the sentence of life without parole.
There is no question that the boy acted wrongfully when he shot and killed his adoptive father. However, many years of agonizing remorse have made Tim the man he is today. He is a well-rounded, gentle man who has worked hard to prepare himself for life outside the prison walls. He has mastered the art of welding and continues his education as much as is available to him.
Tim has a very strong support group. It is headed by Arnie Berkeland, a Sioux Falls businessman, who has visited Tim more than 1,200 times in the past 27 years. Tim will be provided with good employment and housing as well as spiritual and emotional support.
I urge you to please write Gov. Mike Rounds, asking him to sign the unanimous recommendation of the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Tim's sentence from life to time served. This is the third time the board has voted to reduce Tim's sentence.
Tim was never a 'murderer.' He was an abused child, pressed beyond measure and made a terrible mistake in dealing with his abuser. For this, I feel he has paid sufficiently.
White men charged with the same crime are walking free today. Please work for 'equal justice' in this case. -30-
Timothy S. Caffrey # 20483
S.D.S.P. Box 5911
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5911 USA
Date of birth: May 28-1963
Nation/tribal affiliation: Oglala Sioux
Release date: none
I would like a pen pal that would increase my intelligence based upon what
I've written. No gossip, no complaining, just learning and expanding.
Thank you!
Listening To: WALELA - TELL THEM THAT THEY LIE
I'm Feeling: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
Tags: abuse, bigotry, child, injustice, native, american and petition
King George, VA
Achairde All:
Well, I survived the first half of the trip and it was just about as pleasant as one could imagine it to be. However, I have hoisted the EMERGENCY Flag because there is a man in South Dakota who is in dire need of our help. By that I mean a concentrated effort and not merely reading this and saying how horrible it is and moving on. I have placed this is its entirety so you can read it for yourselves. I have been in touch with Arnie Berkeland and Arnold Miller who is Governor Rounds Aide when it comes to Clemency & Pardons. I have obtained two experts willing to donate their time- one in Bi-racial Adoptions and the other is a Guardian Ad Litem Attorney who has worked on similar cases. Right now I am attempting to find a Psychiatrist or Psychologist who has the expertise in PTSD and Child Abuse we need to complete our efforts. The Oglala Sioux Nation passed a Resolution in Tim's favor on Friday, August 10th and when I spoke with Mr. Berkeland this past Monday, August 13th, he advised that a very respected retired Politician has also agreed to speak to the Governor on Tim's behalf.
Modblog refugees will remember the flaming I took when I reported an abused child to the Norman, OK Police Department after I read her postings at her Blog. I and some of my friends in Human Rights & Children's Rights work offered her our help and her answer was to take her pages down and pretend that she was just mad at her Mom. Folks, I appreciate a good vent as much as the next woman but I DO know the difference and so did the Norman Police because I took the precaution of printing out those pages BEFORE she could delete them. The result was that she and her mother received the help they needed. The saddest thing about Tim Caffrey is that a whole cadre of Adults KNEW about his abuse and NO ONE- NOT EVEN THEIR MINISTER AND HIS WIFE DID ANYTHING CONCRETE TO HELP HIM. When the Norman Detective asked why I had "bothered' to report the case my response was simply, 'IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO."
Tim Caffrey was originally charged with Murder One and it was changed to Manslaughter One when the Judge refused the charge. In every other state he would have received a maximum of 40 to 45 years. Done, on average, a third of that sentence or 14 years and been Paroled. He received Life WITHOUT Parole and has been incarcerated for twenty-seven years. Of course he didn't exactly get the most objective of trials. Everyday we read about some sexual predator who got twenty-five to Life and is out in five. Don't believe me? Check out your state's Sexual Offender List. The one that is supposed to let you know where they are so you can protect your kids. Since a large majority of them seem to want to move Florida I check the FDLE List once a month. There is a man who just moved in directly across from me who is not only listed as a Registered Sex Offender in big bold red letters it says:
THIS MAN IS ALSO REGISTERED AS A VIOLENT SEXUAL PREDATOR
NOW there is a comforting thought now isn't it? In his entire 'career' he has done less than a third of time that Tim Caffrey has done. We need to change that and we need your help to do it. I KNOW that I can count on you to do the right thing because we have made a difference on other issues. Jeb Bush may not be governor anymore but you can be he remembers the 11 days we shut his email down. 0;-) We can do it again- so please spread the word.
Keep the Faith mo Charan!
Slan leat,
Elaine
AKA Cabin Fever
CABIN FEVER ONLINE
PICTURE OF ABUSED CHILD CONTINUES TO HAUNT WOMAN
By Betty Adams Aitchison
Caldwell, Idaho
Published: August 7, 2007 - ARGUS
I am a voice from the faraway past of Timothy Sean Caffrey. I am Betty Adams Aitchison, whose husband pastored the little Faith Missionary Church in Martin, S.D., for 10 years. This was in the mid-1960s and 70s. The Bill and Olive Caffrey family attended our church. I knew them well.
Tim Caffrey is an Oglala Sioux, adopted by the Caffreys when he was less than a year old. I was a part of Tim's formative years. I taught him in Sunday School and vacation Bible school.
Bill Caffrey was a politically powerful man as South Dakota regional director of health and welfare. He also was an abusive alcoholic. I witnessed some of the abuse of Tim and tried to intervene but to no avail.
One particular incident has continued to haunt me through the years. It is a picture of a little 14-year-old Sioux Indian boy, sitting in the living room of Bill and Olive Caffrey's home, being disciplined for sharing marijuana with a friend.
I was living in Idaho at the time but visiting Martin. Olive asked me to basically act as a mediator when they addressed this issue.
Olive began the questioning. I still remember exactly how we were all seated. I was on the couch. Olive was across the room to my left, Tim, to my right, and Bill, pacing the floor. Olive asked Tim where he had gotten the marijuana, and Tim reluctantly told her. She asked, "Why didn't you just say 'no' and tell us what had happened?"
Tim replied, "I made a mistake, and I'm sorry."
At this point, Bill stomped toward Tim. "You made a mistake. We are the ones who made the mistake. The biggest mistake we ever made was when we adopted you, you stupid Indian," Bill said, cuffing Tim on the head.
Tim burst into convulsive sobs, and Bill walked away.
I got up from my seat and went to Tim. I said, "Timmie, you are a good boy who did a bad thing. You are not a stupid Indian. You are a brilliant boy with a right and powerful heritage."
Bill Caffrey was an overbearing, abusive alcoholic who often inflicted physical and emotional abuse on Tim. Olive worked at the Gordon hospital, 50 miles away, and left home at 2 p.m., not returning until after midnight, leaving Tim at the mercy of Bill's drunken outbursts and hostilities.
I have never, nor do I now, condone Tim's handling of this situation. However, almost 27 years have passed since I sat through the trial of a 17-year-old Indian boy, tried as an adult, by a white judge, 12 white jurors and a white attorney, and I heard the sentence of life without parole.
There is no question that the boy acted wrongfully when he shot and killed his adoptive father. However, many years of agonizing remorse have made Tim the man he is today. He is a well-rounded, gentle man who has worked hard to prepare himself for life outside the prison walls. He has mastered the art of welding and continues his education as much as is available to him.
Tim has a very strong support group. It is headed by Arnie Berkeland, a Sioux Falls businessman, who has visited Tim more than 1,200 times in the past 27 years. Tim will be provided with good employment and housing as well as spiritual and emotional support.
I urge you to please write Gov. Mike Rounds, asking him to sign the unanimous recommendation of the South Dakota Board of Pardons and Paroles to commute Tim's sentence from life to time served. This is the third time the board has voted to reduce Tim's sentence.
Tim was never a 'murderer.' He was an abused child, pressed beyond measure and made a terrible mistake in dealing with his abuser. For this, I feel he has paid sufficiently.
White men charged with the same crime are walking free today. Please work for 'equal justice' in this case. -30-
Timothy S. Caffrey # 20483
S.D.S.P. Box 5911
Sioux Falls, SD 57117-5911 USA
Date of birth: May 28-1963
Nation/tribal affiliation: Oglala Sioux
Release date: none
I would like a pen pal that would increase my intelligence based upon what
I've written. No gossip, no complaining, just learning and expanding.
Thank you!
Listening To: WALELA - TELL THEM THAT THEY LIE
I'm Feeling: RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
Tags: abuse, bigotry, child, injustice, native, american and petition
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