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04/08/2011 9:47:00 AM
Making a claim for fatal accident compensation is always best done with the support and assistance of a specialised personal injury claims solicitor.
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ned taylor 04/30/2009 5:29:00 AM
thom a** is as crooked and partial as they come , like his partner in crime arp ie O saying he wasnt going to treat Charles Barkley any different, he hung around him like a turd hanging on, charles couldnt get away from the slug.
This is a tragety for this young man it raises questions is daddy dial bought candy dandy off??? promised him a little treat if he does good by him a little vote for atty gen??? yep.!
this wont be the lst time 20 /20 has reported this county.
selfish bas*a*ds!!!! keep this article to show the kids . Only in Maricopa county does this horse sh*t go on
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Concerned Citizen 04/14/2009 5:48:00 PM
The question remains - what is it that Arizona is all about? It's certainly not about fair justice. Could it be about money and power? People be damned, you are used for your money only, then discarded if you cross their paths.
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Arizona Criminal justice Hell- 04/14/2009 5:40:00 PM
Once started in the criminal justice system this is where it leads.
Senator McCain should step in and help those in Arizona who have suffered under the injustice in this county and state which violates an individuals rights and ignored the Constitution. With Senator Kyle in Senate Judiciary writing and proposing draconian laws to eliminate the Writ of Habeas Corpus, no wonder Arizona is such a Hell-hole of injustice and they prosper in building their mass industrial prison complex. McCain should know better having been warehoused in a prison in Vietnam. His own state is subject to inhumane and cruel treatment of human beings.
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K. Williams 04/13/2009 11:32:00 PM
It's unfortunate but true that many white folks, including police, are afraid of black people, especially black men, just because of the color. If police/white folk treated people of color the same as the treat their own -- right or wrong -- and talk to us with respect, a lot of misunderstandings and profiling would not happen. White folks/police (YOU KNOW WHO YOUR ARE) get a grip - YOU ARE THE RACE PROBLEM.
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Letters to the Editor 04/09/2009 9:08:00 PM
From Letters to the Editor:
Great story! Just shows that racism and injustice are alive and well John McCain�s Arizona. If he�s such a good guy, why doesn�t Senator McCain himself step in and help this young black man?!
David Preston, San Francisco
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Letters to the Editor 04/09/2009 9:08:00 PM
From Letters to the Editor:
I can�t believe this is happening in the Unites States of America! Is Arizona even a real state?! Where are the civil rights organizations regarding this?
Something needs to be done. The public officials involved need to be made to account for this gross miscarriage of justice. Are there no decent people in Phoenix, besides reporter Sarah Fenske?
Ray Pendergast, Las Vegas
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Letters to the Editor 04/09/2009 9:07:00 PM
From Letters to the Editor:
Too bad Bryant Wilkerson isn�t an illegal alien. He might just get kicked out of the country for what he�s done. Seriously, this is unbelievable!
I�ve thought of moving to Phoenix for years, to get out of Yuma, which truly has little to say for itself. But I�d much rather stay put these days, after reading in New Times what�s going on over there with Joe Arpaio and Andrew Thomas. Though, I�m a citizen, I�m sure I�d wind up with an ICE hold and probably get the crap kicked out of me, to boot.
Sure, Wilkerson shouldn�t have left the scene, but decades in jail for a death caused by a rich, drunken, white teenager?! If he�d been a well-off, middle-age white man, this wouldn�t be happening to him.
And I think the argument that booked because he knows how minorities are treated by county cops is valid. Arpaio is famous for his racism these days!
People of color will never catch a break as long as Arpaio and Thomas rule. I hope the U.S. Justice Department takes care of Joe Arpaio. Too bad, the feds can�t find a reason to go after his pal, Andrew.
Raul Urrea, Yuma
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Letters to the Editor 04/09/2009 9:06:00 PM
From Letters to the Editor:
I�m so glad I moved out of Maricopa County when I did. Because it was only a matter of time until I violated some minor law and spent time in one of Joe Arpaio�s gulags. It doesn�t take much, as Sarah Fenske�s article proves.
Must be nice to have connected parents who can get you out of trouble at the expense of a man, who (while not totally innocent) certainly is less guilty than a drunken teenager driving recklessly.
Just another outrage by the MCSO and County Attorney Andrew Thomas. Par for the frickin� course.
Terry Gentille, Tucson
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Letters to the Editor 04/09/2009 9:05:00 PM
From Letters to the Editor:
Kafkaesque indeed! This story should be sent out to anybody even thinking of moving to Maricopa County, especially if [he or she is] a minority.
This county is filled with racists who elect racists as sheriff and county attorney. Why should we expect anything else to happen to Bryant Wilkerson? Of course, they are going to nail the N-word for the crime instead of the pretty white young thing with affluent parents!
For a minority like myself, this story is terrifying. With the bad economy it won�t be for a while, because I�m stuck like everybody else, but I�m going to move away from this hellhole as soon as I can.
Millicent Jones, Tempe
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david saint 03/31/2009 9:41:00 PM
LOL, i knew you wouldnt have much to say in rebuttal...thanks for playing though...
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david saint 03/30/2009 10:03:00 PM
steve your an idiot...and by the way, its SEE NOT SHE...lol, you did that twice from what i glanced at.
now idiot, my point is not your crap grammer or spelling, its the simple fact that she WAS CHARGED WITH DUI after the fact..so guess what, IT WASNT .009 AS YOU CLAIM..no doubt your either a member of the Varker family or a friend, and your bias clearly shows. Little Laura is not the little princess you claim she is, she is still underage, she still was driving while intoxicated, there were beer cans in her vehicle, and she rode someones ass and couldnt stop in time.
Even if she wasnt right on his bumper its HER RESPONSIBILITY to make sure she has enough room between her and the vehicle in front of her (this goes for everyone by the way, check out the law) to have enough time to stop no matter the circumstance. Hence why there is a law that you need to be certain distance from the car in front of you. Now, ive pointed out 4 different facts (between this and the other comments)that any judge would likely use to determine that she WAS AT FAULT for the accident...im ready for your rebuttal genius...
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Brent 03/30/2009 12:55:00 AM
I may be a little bias because i personally know Bryant but the way i see it Ms Varker should have never of on the road or have a passenger, she's the reason this tragic accident
happened
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Coz 03/28/2009 7:43:00 AM
Were you born stupid or do you practice at it ?
>>Comment by Steve W from Glendale
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MCAO Standard Operating Proced 03/28/2009 4:06:00 AM
Read the Jim Rix book, "Jingle Jangle" about the corrupt Maricopa County criminal justice system. This will give great insight as to what is going to happen to this young man. This is standard operating procedure in the Maricopa County Attorney's office. Injustice prevails.
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Jingle Jangle in Maricopa Coun 03/28/2009 1:40:00 AM
David Saint - you hit the nail on the head! Will boycott Dial products. Enough said. The corporations control the state and the elected officials.
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Steve W 03/28/2009 12:52:00 AM
DavidSaint, your #1 argument against what I said was me making a fucking typo. That sums it up. You people HAVE NO ARGUMENT. Is it illegal to drink if you're not 21? Yes. Does that have a damn thing to do with him pulling in front of her SUV causing her to hit him and killing an occupant of the vehicle before driving off? NO.
WAKE THE HELL UP. She through the New Times' smoke screen. Her fake ID had nothing to do with the accident. I guess you morons think it should be legal to smash your car into a car that has an expired license plate, killing the driver. After all, it is ILLEGAL to drive a vehicle that doesn't have a current registration.
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Arizona Hell-holes 03/28/2009 12:31:00 AM
Postal workers do not fair well at trial in Maricopa County. Ray Krone an innocent man, postal worker, first offense was falsely accused, wrongfully convicted and imprisoned for a crime he did not do.
Visit his website: www.raykrone.com
Read the book about the corrupt Maricopa County Courts and what they did to an innocent man, "JIngle Jangle" by Jim Rix. Everyone should read this book if they want to understand the broken criminal justice system in Arizona. Should be required reading for all college students.
Our prayers go out to this young man and his family as we know he is in the middle of a Maricopa County kangaroo court and a County Attorney looking for his next conviction and career point.
We will watch this case closely and it will not be swept under the rug like hundreds of others had been while the officials "move on".
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david saint 03/28/2009 12:30:00 AM
well then steve w, in YOUR infinite wisdom explain why she got charged with DUI then..it sure wasnt .009 moron...it was more like .09...nice try though..and by the way genius, ITS ILLEGAL TO DRINK PERIOD UNTIL THE AGE OF 21...she also had wrecked just months prior to this, so its not like shes an earnhardt behind the wheel. Just face the facts, MCSO screwed up and now instead of doing the right thing and admitting it they just proceed to charge him with manslaughter..ive never heard of someone being charged for manslaughter because someone hit THEM from behind and killed their own passenger..you obviously dont know the law either, because if you hit someone from behind its YOUR fault anyways...
this is a tragic case, but one that should have been resolved a long time ago with him getting time served (3 months he was in jail) with probation, and Laura Varker shouldnt have a license...much less get off for DUI, underage consumption, minor in possession, possession of a fake id, and shoplifting with 1 day and fines..but thanks for playing...
ps if she didnt do anything wrong, why the need to coach witnesses the next day then? sorry, that shows me that they KNEW she screwed up...
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Steve W 03/27/2009 10:12:00 PM
HERE WE GO AGAIN! It never ceases to amaze me how stupid New Times readers are for believing the bullshit articles that New Times writes. Slanted, biased bullshit!
Ms. Varker tried to pass him on a double line because HE PULLED HIS CAR RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER!!!!!! WHY WON'T YOU MENTION THAT? She was only trying to avoid hitting him! Wilkerson caused the death of a passenger in a motor vehicle by doing a U-Turn into on coming traffic rather than being patient. Then he took off. THAT IS WHY MR. INNOCENT IS IN A LOT OF TROUBLE!
Sarah Fenske doesn't believe the witnesses who said Ms. Varker was not wobbly and falling down drunk. HELLO!!!!!!! HER BAC WAS ONLY .009!!!!!!!! Just 3 years ago it was 100% legal to drive down the road at that BAC level until the authorities decided to bust everyone who takes a sip of anything and drives.
How long after the accident was Wilkerson's blood taken? How long did it take to track him down? New Times won't mention that.
Just the mere suggestion that an intelligent 27 year old postal worker driving down the road that got smashed into by an SUV in a serious accident would flee the scene because of the hard life he's had as a black man in Arizona in the late 90s and early 2000s is a 100% fucking JOKE!!! Especially considering that Wilkerson doesn't even look black. He looks half white and half arab.
The New Times has zero credibility.
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david saint 03/27/2009 8:05:00 PM
first, to the idiot who claims that "joe and andy only go after bad guys", put that pipe down and sober up..seriously you need to find out just what your stating before you say it..cause its complete BS..
next i think Dial Co should be more careful of what they let their employees do, even if its an exec. Im surprised no one has thought about a boycott of Dial products for their lack of conscience and moral fortitude. I dont buy any as it is so i guess i already do boycott them, lol, but if you buy Dial products, lets send them a message that if they want to be part of the community it means taking responsibility and keeping the community safe...i know i dont feel safe with a girl that was basically shown "oh its ok if you kill someone drinking and driving, go do it some more"....point is, that girl should NEVER be driving again...period...maybe im a little more angrier than others, but this has been ass backwards from the get go...
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Broken Criminal Justice system 03/27/2009 6:43:00 PM
People need to get to this trial to witness how justice is played out in Maricopa County and the state of Arizona. The Maricopa County Attorney's office prosecutors control the courts. The broken criminal justice system in Arizona needs an independent outside investigation by the DOJ, the people's attorney.
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CAH 03/27/2009 3:13:00 PM
I can't believe your reporter would suspect the Maricopa County sheriff and DA of racism. His entire record is one of going after only bad people who only coincidentally always happen to be minorities. Its not their fault criminals only come in brown and black. Sheriff Joe makes Phoenix a laughing stock in the eyes of the nation. 5th largest city in the country with a racist sheriff right out of Deliverance. That's world class!
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03/27/2009 12:10:00 PM
I think the only color that has affected this case is green. Dad has mucho long green and he is using it to ruin this guy who was unfortunate enough to be in the way of daddy's little drunk girl. It could have been anybody.
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TommyC1 03/27/2009 3:25:00 AM
I don't understand why the parents are supporting this girl, instead of making her take responsibility for her actions. Until they do so, she will not have a life as a responsible adult, just an overgrown child taken care of by mommy and daddy.
Why are you folks trying to ruin the life of another to protect the misdeeds of your child?
If indeed the father is an executive with Dial, and if indeed he is not doing the right thing here, he needs to do it now. You won't be able to save your daughter by enabling her.
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AZ Injustice 03/27/2009 3:11:00 AM
Once again, another travesty which continues to churn out of the Maricopa County Attorney's office known for abuse of power and retaliation. The taxpayers cannot afford to keep throwing people's lives away in jail and decades in prison which is nothing more than warehousing humans beings in deplorable conditions of confinement.
People need to get to this trial and sit in the courtroom to witness what goes on, then people will realize there is little to no justice in the state.
This travesty will not only ruin this vulnerable man's life and his families but cost taxpayers millions going through the system and years in appeals and prison confinement, while the wealthy young woman goes free. How do these people sleep at night?
Injustice to one, is injustice for all. If you think this can't happen to you, think again.
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Kirk 03/26/2009 11:31:00 PM
How do we prevent this from happening again. Underage drinking, fake ID and intoxicated equals one day in jail. I'm not convinced skin color played a role in the judgements made by MCSO or the County Prosecuters Office but what could be the reason. Oh yeah financial disparity. Teenage girl with well to parents, private invetigaters aren't cheap. I've had my run ins with MCSO and the County Attorney. And each time whether I was guilty or not I felt mistreated. I had my home broken into and was accused of staging it. They presented no facts just false accusations. Eventually after spending a pretty penny, the case was thrown out of court. On top of that, the officers that botched my case and made to look incompetent by my attorney."not a Public Pretender I mean Defender" continued to harass to the point where I had to move for fear of retaliation. Oh yeah by the way....I'm Black
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Lynch M All 03/26/2009 9:55:00 PM
The Varker family needs to know that their day in court is coming . . . . very soon!
And put Andrew Thomas on notice ,too!
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Shelly 03/26/2009 7:51:00 PM
What a travesty.. and a farce. Super job reporting and detailing events. Yes, let's get more publicity on this story! Amazing what money can buy, sad but true.
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Kendra 03/26/2009 4:29:00 PM
WELL DONE!!! I'd like to see this story get much more publicity. I am hoping Dateline or 20/20 picks it up!!!
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AZ State of Fear 03/26/2009 6:31:00 AM
Add this to the pile of letters going to the DOJ, Attorney General Eric Holder on rights violations in Arizona. Sarah, you did a great job of showing the public what is going on in the Maricopa County courts. This case is so wrong on so many levels it sends chills down my spine.
The bias and bigotry in the county and state is well-known. This is a kangaroo court unless this Judge doesn't cave into to the prosecutors who control the courtrooms in Maricopa County.
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Coz 03/26/2009 3:10:00 AM
What a total bunch of BULLSHIT...
Once again MCSO screws up a case by being so inept, and once again Candy Dandy Thomas could care less about justice or the truth.
Maricopa County Justice System has got to be the most fucked up thing I've ever seen.
Only in Maricopa County does the truth mean nothing to what obviously should be called the Maricopa County Injustice System.
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david saint 03/26/2009 12:39:00 AM
im also wondering when Tampering With witnesses, obstuction of justice, and perjury became legal....i guess if your parents have money its ok....
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david saint 03/26/2009 12:33:00 AM
im really starting to wonder if "SCA" was funded by the girls dad who is a big exec at Dial co. Thats the only explenation i can come to as to why this has moved forward. But again, this is Maricopa county, where the big W is more important than justice. Where 17 yr olds can apparently drive drunk, illegally pass someone causing an accident, and yet the person they hit is somehow at fault...It reminds me of an accident i was in, when a guy cut me off and slammed on his brakes..according the the cops then when i asked, i was at fault period because i had hit him from behind..so when did this change? When did getting hit by a drunk driver that killed one of their passengers amount to manslaughter? I guess only in this backwards ass county where politics rule, and cops just cant be wrong....NAACP, where are you now?
