Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2006 > March > 02 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USJet-setting life can lead to gum decay
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Please son, never steal a jet.
I don’t know how I’d react.
One thing’s for certain, though. I wouldn’t be waging a battle with the county’s top cop over dental floss. Or the lack thereof.
Flossgate is brewing in Gwinnett. It pits our bushy-eyebrowed sheriff against the father of an alleged jet thief.
Scott Wolcott’s 22-year-old son sits in jail. He’s accused of stealing a $7 million private jet and flying it from St. Augustine, Fla., to Gwinnett County Airport/Briscoe Field.
Daniel Andrew Wolcott has been held since October in lieu of a $175,000 bond. While he awaits trial, a toothy subplot has emerged. It’s a flap over gums. Back in November, Andrew’s father started asking why inmates didn’t have access to dental floss. He suggested that deputies dispense floss, supervise its use, then trash it.
Nah, said Sheriff Butch Conway.
The jail is short-staffed as it is, he told the elder Wolcott. Besides, used floss is a biohazard.
Andrew has developed gingivitis and gum pockets. Leave that stuff to fester, his dad said, and he might contract full-blown periodontal disease.
Last week, Andrew had an appointment with an outside dentist to remove his wisdom teeth. His father showed up at the dental office with some Vicodin. He says a deputy escort asked him to leave, and wouldn’t let his son eat some fast food before taking the medicine.
After Andrew’s wisdom teeth were removed, Conway had an epiphany. He had Andrew moved to a cell in pod K to bunk with Bart Corbin. He’s the Dacula dentist facing murder charges in the death of his wife.
No way around it. Conway is being a smart aleck. Wolcott’s rash of harsh e-mails and phone calls have pushed him to the brink. He’s even suggested that the sheriff resign. Over floss!
Remember what got us to this point, though. An apparent joyride in an airplane. An expensive airplane. And it allegedly wasn’t Andrew’s first time.
Three years ago, he rented a Piper Cherokee, paid for a local flight out of Briscoe, then abandoned the plane in Chattanooga. His father disputes that claim, saying that inclement weather caused Andrew to ground the plane in Louisville. Wolcott said he paid to have two pilots fly to Kentucky and retrieve the plane.
According to a three-year-old FAA report, he was the pilot of a single-engine Cessna trainer that struck a flock of geese. He was preparing to land the plane in an open field over Alabama but balked at the last moment. The left wing of theaircraft hit a tree. Andrew’s father has said the FAA found no grounds for discipline.
Now, you have this most recent incident.
Andrew apparently stole a jet and flew it to Gwinnett, where he picked up five friends. He flew a plane low on fuel, and experts suspect, deliberately chose not to engage the device that tracks the aircraft’s speed and altitude. He endangered lots of lives — his, his passengers and other people in the air and on the ground. His parents say they are baffled by his actions.
Their actions are just as befuddling. Maybe there’s a connection here.
If my son did something like this, I’m not sure a dentist is the kind of doctor I’d want him to see.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Jan Houston
March 2, 2006 07:18 AM | Link to this
Seems to me, the young Wolcott is a tad spoiled and NEEDS to accept responsibility for HIS actions, unless of course he stole the jet to go get some dental floss!!!!
The parents could better convey their love for their son by being supportive and not by throwing fits. When one goes to jail one looses lots of PRIVILEGES!!!!!
By meme
March 2, 2006 07:54 AM | Link to this
I laughed so hard, I thought I would wet myself over this. Yes, young Wolcott is spoiled. The father stated that making bond was not a problem but they have chosen not to do that. My guess is they fear he would ‘take off’ again. If the father would use his brain, he might be able to figure out why floss isn’t allowed in the jail. Get him some mouthwash. LOL
By Jason
March 2, 2006 09:03 AM | Link to this
Motion to strike the 8th Amendment in Wilcott’s case. This deviant punk is a flight risk, seriously!
By dee
March 2, 2006 09:17 AM | Link to this
You seem to forget this young man lost his brother at a young age to suicide. He is not stable. You also are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but we all know what happens in jail, so your sentence begins the day you enter jail.
Aside from this incident between Mr. Wolcott and Sheriff Conway, I find it appalling that an elected official, who is supposed to be professional, would thumb his nose at someone who angered him, and do it in such a manner for all the world to see. You see, I have a problem with ANY elected official acting in a sarcastic (to say the least) and unprofessional manner, just to get even. It seems that the longer someone is in office, the more “God” like they think they are.
By Dee
March 2, 2006 09:40 AM | Link to this
One more thing: You big he-men say if your child did that, you would do something. I doubt that you would. Its different when it is your family member and the jail staff no only mistreats your relative, but you when you visit, just because they can. Did you know that in jails, they refuse meds to people with psychiatric problems just to punish everybody?
By meme
March 2, 2006 09:49 AM | Link to this
Dee, boo hoo. Many of us lost relatives at an early age. If you are using that to excuse his stealing then you are way out of line. I agree that what Sheriff Conway did was not PC, but it was so darn funny! And so far, I haven’t seen anyone on this blog say … if your child did that, you would do something …. From a 5’2 115 lb, 55 year old female he-man LOL
By Meme
March 2, 2006 10:00 AM | Link to this
Are you a man or woman? Your lack of compassion tells me you are a man. Go ahead. Be sarcastic. Hope it doesn’t happen to you.
By meme
March 2, 2006 10:04 AM | Link to this
To Meme, if you are talking to me then you didn’t read all of my vent. You assumed that all the writers were male by calling them he-men. I let you know that I am not and I still think what Conway did was funny. I certainly don’t have much compassion for a spoiled rich kid whose parents want to make sure that he has everything he wants.
By dee
March 2, 2006 10:08 AM | Link to this
Oh so you’re an angry divorced woman - same as a man
By Bruce Wilcox
March 2, 2006 10:15 AM | Link to this
Sheriff Conway was in control when a man was Tazered to death, now moving a prisoner from the non-violent section to cell with an indicted murder is Southern Justice? Yet some wonder why the South has an image problem.
Sheriff Conway has put himself above his own policies, above the courts, for what a laugh?
The flossing is a joke, but putting a non-violent prisoner in with a indicted murder is not.
By meme
March 2, 2006 10:41 AM | Link to this
Good grief, Dee. I didn’t know a woman could be such a maroon. (That is Bugs Bunny talk)
By granny
March 2, 2006 10:42 AM | Link to this
Dee, I guess that means that you are either the wife or mother of a criminal.
By Bruce Wilcox
March 2, 2006 10:44 AM | Link to this
Let the attack mentality begin, enjoy your day “ladies”?
By dee
March 2, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this
For the mentally challenged: It only takes ones mistake, like having an accident that results in death, to end up in jail. You didn’t mean to do it, something caused you to turn your head and then it happens. This could be you. Do you people not understand. Does that deserve to be treated like an animal in jail? Have you ever seen what happens to someone in Jail? Do you think everything is black and white, you’re a good guy or a bad guy? I am wasting my time
By granny
March 2, 2006 10:49 AM | Link to this
Thank you, Bruce, there is nothing lower than a cat fight between red neck women. LOL
By dee
March 2, 2006 11:04 AM | Link to this
No fight here, not a redneck either. Just forgot etiquette of blogs. If you have an unfavorite opinion, just stick your head in the sand
By dee
March 2, 2006 11:49 AM | Link to this
Would this be any different if this young man had not been white? Would you feel differently? May be because he is white and well to do you have no compassion?
By meme
March 2, 2006 11:58 AM | Link to this
I didn’t start the namecalling. That he-man remark of yours is what stated me off. I am white, middle class and female. I should be entitled to my opinion just as much as you are to yours. Young Mr. Wilcott should have known better than to steal a plane. Race or wealth should have nothing to do with it. Wrong is wrong. I personally don’t know how I would react if something like this happened to me. But I still think that putting the dental floss whiner in with the dentist was funny. Maybe not right, but funny.
By dee
March 2, 2006 12:12 PM | Link to this
My last comment was actually directed to Mr. Badie. He seems to have different emotions depending on a person’s specifics.
By oldster
March 2, 2006 12:32 PM | Link to this
Would your opinion of the treatment of the young man be any different if he were poor and black?
By dee
March 2, 2006 12:34 PM | Link to this
I can honestly say no it wouldn’t. My experience made me see there are two sides to every story and I know enough about law enforcement to know that they aren’t always right. Have studied jails and I don’t like what I see. Terrorist get treated better.
By oldster
March 2, 2006 12:41 PM | Link to this
I too know that law enforcement isn’t always right. I have relatives on the GCPD - not the same as the Sheriff’s department - and know that they are only human too.
Actually I think that the father of this young man did over step his bounds with taking fast food to him at the dentists office. He seems to be annoyed that his son isn’t treated more special than the other prisoners.
By dee
March 2, 2006 12:46 PM | Link to this
The point I was trying to make had little to do with the Wolcotts and everything to do with the Sheriff. I don’t think an elected official should use his office to “get even”. This is not appropriate conduct at any time and he needs to be made accountable to the people who elected him.
By John
March 2, 2006 01:00 PM | Link to this
I see Conway as an out of control redneck who chews Skoal. I think the father is on target and I am glad to see somebody take the jerk on. Oral healthcare is an issue, but I am sure that is why the south image is “bubba” has no teeth. Hats off to you Mr. Wolcott. I don’t think the man is rich when I saw his interview on T.V. Seems to be a basic person to me. Gwinnett how can you let your elected officals act in this manner? I guess it is okay that the Sheriff has had so many deaths in his jail and no one has explained those off!
By Jason
March 2, 2006 01:29 PM | Link to this
I fly out of the Lawrenceville Airport and I worked for the man who says the younger Wolcott took his plane. I know the story well and Mr. Wolcott has been telling the truth. I never did see a report on Lanny who was making those statements. He had so many DUI’s that the FAA took his medical away forever and he will never fly again. I see him as a perosn that is mad because he is done with flying. How in the world can you think a drunk would tell the truth or even remember it. I think Conway is a redneck! He thinks he is above the law and can do whatever he wants. I heard that there were 6 people on the airplane that night and not five. I heard the 5 were covering for the sixth person. Why is that AJC? I want to know because it sounds like a cover up to me by the cops. Maybe it was Conways son? Some good police there work Conway I guess your to busy calling funeral homes on the deaths that take place in your jail. I don’t think those 6 are with members of the boyscouts. Why are they not in jail? I would not sit in judgement of Mr. Wolcott. I see him at least having some balls to take on an out of control cop and the rest of you just sit back and let someone do your dirty work and clean up the mistakes of voting that jerk into office. I don’t think Mr. Wolcott is rich. Last time I saw him at the airport he was driving a Kia. Gwinnett I think you need to take some action and not sit back b***. No wonder why “bubba” in the south does not have any teeth. At least Mr. Wolcott has some to take on an out of control cop. Jason
By jokester
March 2, 2006 01:40 PM | Link to this
If you go back and read the article (if it is still in the paper) the father said that money was not a problem. I see that he hasn’t bailed out his son. He is probably concerned that if he did his son might ‘fly away’ again. What the sheriff did was not right. But, it was funny!
By dee
March 2, 2006 01:45 PM | Link to this
Go back and read the paper? Like that’s the gospel! Any attorney would tell a client like this to stay in jail because of the cost of bail and let the time served be applied to any sentence. Glad you get laughs out of other peoples misfortune.
By dave
March 2, 2006 01:46 PM | Link to this
People wake up king butch is showing his true colors,he thinks he is better than you. THE kid should handle his own problems and leave dad out of it. King butch is using this to ask for more deputies. We now have a title for a new movie,king butch of bio hazzard county!
By Brian
March 2, 2006 01:57 PM | Link to this
I’m a dentist in Atlanta and I’m glad to see Mr. Wolcott take on Sheriff Barney Conway. My chair is open to get Mr. Wolcott’s teeth out of Conway’s a*. Thank god for people who question our goverment. Was Conway raised from the afterbirth of Hitler! Go get’em!
By jokester
March 2, 2006 02:13 PM | Link to this
I get it, Dee. Your son must really be complaining.
By dee
March 2, 2006 02:19 PM | Link to this
The “joke” is on you. You care more about making fun of this family than what your government officials do. Gee, I so hope you come entangled with one of the good sheriff’s deputies and then see what you have to say.
By Walter
March 2, 2006 02:28 PM | Link to this
I am glad to see someone take on Sheriff Conway. There is no doubt that he is the one out of control. I think everyone has lost the point the father is trying to make. It’s your government and they do whatever they think they can do. I am just sick that I even voted for him now I think he’s a jerk. Sure what what the boy is wrong and I am sure there is another side to the story. What about the sixth passenger? Who was that? Why are they not reporting that? It does sound like a cover up. Maybe they are keeping him there for his safety. Who knows, but there sure are a lot of unanswered questions. I read in the Jacksonville paper the FBI, TSA, and FAA said they were on holiday when the man who reported the aircraft as being gone and they asked if he could he call back tomorrow. Who is covering that up? Conway? Gee, the father fly’s airplanes for a living and now he’s rich. It tells me the public and the AJC likes to sound off without getting the facts. I see no reason for what the sheriff did. If I was Mr. Wolcott I would be p** too! As a parent, I would want decent treatment for a family member. Just because your in jail does not mean your less of a human being. We send Martha Steward to jail and we do make her richer. Is she not a thief? Come on America!
By jokester
March 2, 2006 02:34 PM | Link to this
You want me to feel sympathy for this thief, and hope the same thing happens to me in the same breath. Wow, I see you don’t practice what you preach. At least I am not being a hypocrite.
By meme
March 2, 2006 02:36 PM | Link to this
I thought Martha was in jail for telling a lie.
By the end
March 2, 2006 02:41 PM | Link to this
meme: your problem is you thought. Lie, deception, theft. It is like deciding which sin is worst.
By meme
March 2, 2006 02:45 PM | Link to this
You know, I have come across some rude people on the ajc blogs but I think that you are the rudest.
By the end
March 2, 2006 02:49 PM | Link to this
I think the same thing about you. Nobody can say anything without a wisecrack showing up. You might as well be conway
By meme
March 2, 2006 02:55 PM | Link to this
I could be.
By the end
March 2, 2006 02:56 PM | Link to this
oooohhhh we are all so scared
By Sick & Tired (Double Standards)
March 2, 2006 03:00 PM | Link to this
There are thousands of people in jails through out Georgia. I don’t see any of them complaining about dental floss. This man should have been denied bail, because he is a flight risk. This is not a child and his father needs to stop fighting his battle, with such petty issues.
The last three incidents are not just coincidences, they are a pattern of bad behavior that was left unpunished. If he had been punished for the other incidents, he would probably be at home free to floss anytime.
Some people have no defense and this guy is one of those people.
By oh me
March 2, 2006 03:03 PM | Link to this
I hope I never have to go before a jury with any of you people on it.
By Sick & Tired (Double Standards)
March 2, 2006 03:06 PM | Link to this
If the father wants to make a point or a “Case”. He should make it about the people who have died from tasers, not about lack of dental floss. I honestly do not care if Andrew never floss again. That’s a small price to pay for an expensive joy ride.
By tired
March 2, 2006 03:11 PM | Link to this
Summation - kids a jerk, fathers a jerk, sheriff is right, meme is right, dee’s a jerk NEXT SUBJECT
By meme
March 2, 2006 03:16 PM | Link to this
Yes, we should worry more about the one who died from the use of tasers instead of the one without his dental floss.
By alisa
March 2, 2006 03:27 PM | Link to this
judge not lest you be judged
By Lilburn Parent
March 2, 2006 03:44 PM | Link to this
This has got to be one of the funniest blogs I have read in quite a while.
All of this over… “dental floss”
This is absolutely hilarious! The only thing I question is his rooming with an “indicted” murderer.
But… it could be worse, he could be rooming with someone who is stronger and finds him attractive!
For those against Conway… where were you when all of those men died from being tazered?
By oh me
March 2, 2006 03:46 PM | Link to this
what about lady who died in jail because of medical staff
By SET
March 2, 2006 04:14 PM | Link to this
This is a great story. Love the blog postings.
We’ve heard of the term stage mother - we’ve all heard about child star parents who throw fits and land everybody in court.
Are there such things as a Courtroom Father?
Don’t see them much. In my 25 years in courtrooms the overgrown adolescents (18 to 30) I see are usually all alone. No Mommy, No Daddy, No Family. They do have their Babies’ Mommas sometimes. The natal families have usually been burned so many times by Sonny they won’t come. Or they’re in jail themselves.
So this is interesting.
And I’ve never heard of a parent showing up unbidden at a court-ordered custodial dental treatment. Often the courts will allow a non-violent prisoner to be released to a parent to be taken to the Dr and then returned to the jail by dinnertime. Otherwise the jail has to pay for the Dr visit.
In CA when someone is in custody, Medi-Cal will not pay for a thing. Most private Insurances won’t either. By state law the Sheriff and his county have unlimited liability for all medical care of in-custody prisoners. If the prisoner is in custody of City Police prior to being accepted by the county jail the City has the unlimited liability.
One of the fastest ways to get released from a CA jail is to fake (or have) a heart attack. There are judges available 24/7 to order OR releases by phone. Doing this allows the health insurance or Medi-Cal to resume responsibility for payment. Somebody will be calling the night duty judge on a cellphone from the Ambulance while you are being transferred to the county hospital. The county jail budget has been hit for 6 figure medical bills on a single incident when they didn’t get a release order done in time.
If Sonny Boy was still in S/O custody at the Dentist no Officer would permit contact with family or friends. It’s not visiting day, folks. And while the dentist can administer drugs Daddy can’t see or give the prisoner anything even if it did have an Rx on it. He could take Sonny’s drugs to the jail Dr or nurse, though. And in our state a prisoner has a right to be seen in custody by their own Dr. if they have one willing to do so. (Since health insurance lapses in custody - who will pay?)
Running a jail is a lot of trouble nowadays. they work hard for the money. It’s not easy explaining the facts of life to people who are used to doing whatever they want whenever they want (which is why they’re in jail). And their Daddy too.
Good for the Sheriff.
Why isn’t the defense attorney controlling this family? If they have $$ you’d think they’d have a lawyer who can take charge.
By Tim
March 2, 2006 05:14 PM | Link to this
Dee. I too lost a brother to suicide. In fact, I was the one who found his body and had to call 911. Although it had an impact on my life, it certainly does not give me an excuse to be stupid and break the law. If this kid is unstable, it is becuase his parents are just as spoiled rotten as they have allowed their son to be. How many times has daddy bailed this kid out already? Sent pilots to Kentucky to pick up an abandoned plane? And the only reason daddy has not bonded the kid out this time is becuase he is afraid of the extradition to Floriday and the federal charges his son is going to face if he gets pulled out of Gwinnett.
I get so tired of people not taking responsibility for their own actions.
By Tim
March 2, 2006 05:25 PM | Link to this
Remember folks, Conway is just the jailer. Not the investigator, not the judge nor the jury. His job is to keep people locked up when the courts have told him too.
Regards to the whole dental floss thing. Give me a break. Daddy can put enough money into the boys account at the jail for him to get some mouthwash and brush his teeth. He’ll survive like so many before him have and keep his teeth. You don’t hear the dentist whining, do you? The boy was lucky that he was even able to get out to go to a private dentist for his wisdom teeth. The jail did not have to allow that.
By Howie Feltersnatch
March 2, 2006 06:30 PM | Link to this
I also, laughed so hard I nearly cried. His son has friends that siad they were with him. He did it and now he is paying his due. I don’t think I would pick fights with the people that take care of my loved one. Can’t be good for any situation. Don’t cry over little things. Tear a string out of you sock and floss with that. CRY BABY.
By scott
March 2, 2006 06:31 PM | Link to this
Regardless. The sheriff is a jerk. How you all judge. I have not seen anyone produce any facts here. Just a lot of mouths placing blame on the Dad. There are always two sides to a story or at least the last time I checked there was. I am damn glad the most of you do not sit on a jury. The sheriff has abused his position, but none of you seem to see that point. I had dealings with the jail and Conway does not do that good of a job running it. They treat everyone like crap. I am greatful for people like the Dad. To make my case; I practice law in Gwinnett so I have had first hand experience with Conway’s lack of management skills.
By SET
March 2, 2006 07:05 PM | Link to this
Don’t know Conway but I’m well acquainted with jail issues. Jails nowadays are really mental institutions. They are full of crazy people who keep getting caught committing crimes and are often highly drug and alcohol addicted and full of personality disorders.
By this I mean jails are full of repeaters. Yes you have first timers at the jail. No they are not the majority of the prisoners.
So when you run a jail you are dealing with eternal adult children. You never know when they will get violent or actually work together in their violence instead of just random violence. They whine, lie, and see and hear things also.
And then you have the guards.
Nobody cares is Baby doesn’t ever see a lenght of dental floss.
We all have more important things to deal with.
I also don’t care who Baby bunks with although I expect the jail to produce him in court in one piece. I don’t care about Daddy’s feelings at all.
Taxpayers are not in business to run jails to make anybody else happy than the Judges. If people don’t like the way the jail is run, don’t move into the jail. Or run somebody else for Sheriff. Or complain to your Grand Jury and Courts.
You’re lucky to have people doing these jobs at all. The workers in our jails put up with a lot of abuse from these prisoners. For that matter the County Hospital ER workers get dumped on all the time also. I’m more concerned with the comfort and safety of the workers than the prisoners. They matter very little in the scheme of things. As long as the jail does what’s needed to keep them alive and relatively unhurt that’s all a prisoner can expect.
Jails are inherently dangerous places and you should expect deaths to occur there. The jailbirds are not healthy people and they just die. Some of them get themselved Tasered and they just die. Some die of medical complications because they are very unhealthy. It’s a major problem to train all the jail staff on all the shifting health issues this population walks around with. Especially with constant malingering and lying. You don’t want to cut off a diabetic from his Insulin. That one people learn quick. But so many people are on so many meds that there is a lot to manage and we need an on premises pharmacy and Psychiatrist to keep them out of withdrawal from 20 different common psychotrophics. And Interferon for all the Hep C. And the taxpayers pay for all this.
Then there’s the TB problem. In CA we have drug resistant TB coming in from Mexico which has a 50% kill factor. So we have to train everybody on that (No, it’s not allergies, think TB). So we screen at great expense everybody for TB. Skin tests are permanently reactive once someone is exposed and converted - so there are a LOT of X-Rays being run at our jail because such a high rate of prisoners are skin test positive.
Baby wants dental floss? People in Hell want Ice Water.
Worry about the workers not the prisoners. They have to work there for decades to get a pension. The prisoners are just passing through on the way to and from prison or court. They don’t live in the jails, they visit.
Check out the Sheriff of Maricopa Co Arizona. Now there’s a Sheriff!
By Bruce Wilcox
March 3, 2006 12:19 AM | Link to this
You may be a redneck if you believe that “the Sheriff of Maricopa Co Arizona. Now there’s a Sheriff!”
Rumor has it that Conway doesn’t force his inmates to wear pink underwear like the Sheriff of Maricopa County because he likes to.
By Michael H. Smith
March 3, 2006 09:11 AM | Link to this
Butch bashing rudely interrupted for this important announcement, public input courteously requested.
YES!
At last it seems Georgia has opened the doorway for energy independence. Whether you are a liberal or a conservative, a John Kerry environmentalist or a Teddy Roosevelt conservation pragmatist, on this issue, we all can find common ground upon which to stand united.
Please check out these links, do some homework, research if necessary, let’s kick the oil addiction now.
Make America and Georgia Energy Independent!
Input requested on energy plan
GEFA Website
Southern Alliance for Clean Energy
I strongly endorse ethanol production in Georgia.
Stephen Smith, executive director for Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, said his group supports ethanol production from Georgia’s agricultural and forestry sectors because of their environmental benefits and potential to boost the state’s rural economy.
By Michael H. Smith
March 3, 2006 09:29 AM | Link to this
My apologies for the broken link,please give your input.
GEFA Website
Just in case it happens again, here’s the URL: http://www.georgiaenergyplan.org
By Bruce Wilcox
March 3, 2006 10:09 AM | Link to this
Nice deflection Mr. Smith, I’m sure Butch thanks you. What amazes me is that in the year 2006 our president and governor suddenly realize that our dependence on foreign oil is out of control. The recent give away of billions to the oil companies is just one example of thier commitment to alternative energy. If the government was serious about the issue they would have raised CAFE standards years ago saving millions upon millions of gas daily. They may have even saved the car industry in the United States by forcing them to address the issue.
With that said, back to your column.
By Michael H. Smith
March 3, 2006 10:55 AM | Link to this
I seriously doubt Butch Conway thanks me. I voted against him last election and since he was rumored to have supported three of your liberal Democrats candidates, my vote for Stan Hall was more than well placed.
Furthermore, energy independence and the many, many benefits, it can bring to this state and nation by far outweighs anything Mr. Conway could ever merit in discussion, pro or con.
By Bruce Wilcox
March 3, 2006 11:11 AM | Link to this
I’m sure that Mr. Badie is happy to have someone like you Mr. Smith watching over him, to decide when a discussion will be closed on a issue. The issue that Mr. Badie wrote about did and was receiving many comments, could you tell us what your limit is?
The comment about not supporting Conroy rings false when your opening statement was, “Butch bashing rudely interrupted for this important announcement, public input courteously requested.” More of a desperate attempt to take, for some unknown reason, a jab at liberals.
By SET
March 3, 2006 11:52 AM | Link to this
I believe the pink underwear in the Maricopa County jail (Phoenix AZ) was a response to people stealing the clothes. They don’t steal pink.
Understand that the Sheriff is elected and must live within the budget the County elected Supervisors vote each year.
As far as the Classical Music, the no smoking, the baloney sandwiches, and the PBS only TV, if the inmates don’t like it they should stop returning to the jail.
Nobody cares about the comfort of the inmates. Understand this.
The last straw in this argument is the local homeless shelters. Things are so bad in the Rehab facilities and Homeless Shelters (They sleep in cots in dorms!). That the Newly rebuilt California Jails and Mental Hospitals are far more comfortable. The inmates by and large see a real improvement in their living standards when they go to jail. They gain weight. I have dealt with inmates who were down to 90 lbs upon arrest who are restored to a healthy 140 lbs by the jail in short order. Contra I had a 400lb + inmate who was near death when arrested for threatening to shoot up a school. They got him a hospital bed and a CPAP machine and somehow managed to get him down to 200+ lbs by the time we settled the case and put him on a Greyhound Bus to Kansas 6 months or less later.
Our jail saves lives every day with these maniacs. Think of it as a condo on top of a Hospital complex with Cable TV and buffet meals.
Because of jail overcrowding we kick people out (non-violent such as the crack dealers) because we need the room even with $100k bail. Do you think they’re happy? “Where am I supposed to go”? They are kicked out in the rain in the middle of the night to make room for somebody else with a better rap. We tell them to call their Mama. Mama tells them to go to the shelter. They get lice and have their things stolen at the shelter. The jail is clean and stable.
Then they don’t show for court.
Brave New World.
By Bruce Wilcox
March 3, 2006 12:00 PM | Link to this
The big sticking point here is that the person hasn’t even gone to trial yet. So he isn’t a inmate serving a sentence, he’s awaiting a Court date. Even in the Brave New World a person is still innocent until proven guilty.
Many are held at county jails that are found innocent in court, does that still make them a criminal?
By d
March 3, 2006 12:05 PM | Link to this
I’m glad you said this, I got blasted when I did. It’s sad that no one else can see this.
By Michael H. Smith
March 3, 2006 02:16 PM | Link to this
Pitiful Bruce, but about what I expected coming from a liberal like you. Mr. Badie opened-up the opportunity for anyone to extend comments outside the scope of his present blogs, – by “ his authority � an offer made somewhere about in blogs 1-4 – unfortunately that seems to have eluded your conveniently remissive limited attention span. So until Mr. Badie publishes otherwise I fully intend to take-up Mr. Badie’s all gracious offer, again by “his authority�, to extend comment outside the scope of his present blog when matters of concern arise. No comments I’ve made have ever closed any subject contained in Mr. Badie’s Blog, at any time, in any manner, that would prevent anyone’s comment on anything. Nor have any of my comments ever hogged the blog in anyway to cause the post button to break on the empty comment box below, and never in my experiences on this blog has there been a long waiting line of people held-up from making their comments. But thanks anyway Bruce for the useless graffiti it is so in keeping with the free speech expressions made in spray paint on the private property of others, by Gwinnett’s other two infamous juvenile delinquents.
My vote for Stan Hall, which speaks for itself, should have cleared up any misconceptions you would like to have conveyed upon me for the misleading benefit of others, in a flimsy attempt to paint me as a patsy for the unauthorized alien hugger Butch ‘Conway’.
You’ll have to excuse me now Mr. Wilcox, though do carry on with your Ad hominem personal attacks against me in my absence for your entertainment, but I’ve more than a few important grafts to work on to submit in whole hearted support of Governor Purdue’s New Georgia Energy Initiative. A lot of home folk in South Georgia need the economic boost and those higher paying jobs E-85 can produce; and we in the rest of Georgia need a clean renewable fuel to power our automobiles at costs lower than $2 a gallon; while keeping our money at home, in lieu of creating foreign IOU’s payable to our enemies who support terrorists that want to kill Americans.
Make America and Georgia Energy Independent.
By jes8
March 3, 2006 02:20 PM | Link to this
I’m going to completely ignore the oil thing, since that’s not the topic here.
First of all, I don’t require my elected officials to do the politically correct thing. I require them to do the RIGHT thing. I also don’t expect them to be perfect. They’re still human. And getting ticked when someone is wasting your time with stupid complaints is human. If you all want to give Wolcott the benefit of the doubt regarding his crime, you have to give Corbin the same thing. He hasn’t been convicted yet either. So why is it such a bad thing Wolcott’s sharing his cell? They’re both innocent so far, right? Besides, Corbin only shoots women who try to leave him, so Wolcott’s perfectly safe with him.
Bravo Sheriff Conway! Wolcott should be glad they even let him out to go get his wisdom teeth out. I’d have said oh well. Nobody ever died from wisdom teeth.
And DON’T EVEN GET ME STARTED ON THE TASER ISSUE!
By Bruce Wilcox
March 3, 2006 02:50 PM | Link to this
True jes8, both are innocent until proven guilty. The difference is one is indicted for murder, the other for stealing an aircraft. One was placed in the section for non-violent inmates, the murder in the section for violent inmates. Now Conroy had to make up the policy of seperating violent from non-violent inmates.
So Conroy, either for his personal enjoyment or just to get attention broke his own rules.
Is that what you expect your elected officals to do?
By jes8
March 3, 2006 03:30 PM | Link to this
An indictment is merely an accusation. It doesn’t matter what they are accused of, since they are all innocent until proven otherwise. All inmates at the jail are pretrial, and have not been convicted yet. There is no separation of inmates based on accused crime. There never has been. Accused drugs users are housed in the same pods and cells as accused rapists and accused murderers. Always have been. The media failed to point this out when they made a big deal about the two being put together. And since there is no separation, Sheriff CONWAY (not Conroy) did not break any rules whatsoever by putting the two together.
Only at the corrections facility (which is separate from the jail) is there separation based on crime, since all have been convicted.
You contradict yourself when you say they both are innocent until proven guilty, but you still want to discriminate against the one that is accused of the more violent crime. Both are equal so far.
So Sheriff Conway probably did know he would be attracting attention by putting the two together. He’s not stupid. He knew the media would jump all over it. And no, I don’t have a problem with him doing it for the attention, because he was probably hoping it would point out how stupid the argument is to begin with.
By Bruce Wilcox
March 3, 2006 03:52 PM | Link to this
Since I don’t have an intimate knowledge of the inner working of the jail I have to rely on what the media reports. I don’t find it very reassuring that a Charles Manson could be celled with a repeated jaywalker until found guilty by a court. I compare that to putting the fox in the henhouse until the fox is found guilty of stealing chickens. So yes, I would discriminate against the one that is accused of the more violent crime, it’s just common sense.
By dave
March 3, 2006 04:13 PM | Link to this
JES8,just how long have you worked for the sheriffs office?
By jes8
March 3, 2006 04:43 PM | Link to this
hahaha. was wondering how long it would be before someone asked that dave!!! As a matter of fact, I don’t work for the s.o. but I do know people that do/did. So that’s how I have my knowledge.
By dave
March 3, 2006 05:20 PM | Link to this
jes8. with all your knowledge you forgot to mention that king butch is doing this out of spite. guilty or inocent has nothing to do with it!
By Lilburn Parent
March 3, 2006 05:34 PM | Link to this
This is the funniest blog ever! This is a 22-year old MAN, whose daddy is fighting the sheriff’s office over whether or not he can have floss.
Whether he flosses or not… and when is silly. I think flossing is the least of his problems.
He is innocent until proven guilty…(true) and has to live by the rules that other inmates live by until his day in court, before a jury of his peers.
This young man hasn’t been bailed out for a reason. He is a man… not a toddler. His daddy needs to grow up! He is just plain silly! Seems like a family connection… because this was a silly crime.
This young man’s daddy played a role in his upbringing. If he raised a “spoiled” brat. Unfortunate for the “spoiled” brat… he is in jail. The “spoiling” is on hold.
If he did not raise a “spoiled” brat. Then the young man will learn some valuable lessons about life (from this experience) and likely make different choices in the future. He may even do some much needed growing up.
As I understand, if this young man displays good behavior it should work in his favor.
This young man is sharing a cell with a “professional”… it could be far worse!
His daddy has little to no control over the jail. By making enemies of the sheriff… it is hurting his son, the very one he wants the sheriff to cater to!
By Dave Oliver
March 4, 2006 08:30 AM | Link to this
Just want to agree with everything that the previous blogger, Dave, wrote. Will add however, that this youngster seems to be very bright, and hopefully when this bad life choice decision he made has passed, he will use this inate intelligence to better himself, grow up, and be a valuable member of society.
By Lisa
March 4, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this
Is there any proof that Wolcott flossed before stealing the plane?
In October, I was waiting for my daughter take her driving permit test, and I overheard a bragger quite proudly telling a friend about stealing a plane. There was no remorse; he was acting like it made him the coolest thing in the world. Was it Wilcott or a friend that was with him in the plane? I don’t know but I just thought I’d add that to the blog.
By Lisa
March 4, 2006 10:01 AM | Link to this
Is there any proof that Wolcott flossed before stealing the plane?
In October, I was waiting for my daughter take her driving permit test, and I overheard a bragger quite proudly telling a friend about stealing a plane. There was no remorse; he was acting like it made him the coolest thing in the world. Was it Wilcott or a friend that was with him in the plane? I don’t know but I just thought I’d add that to the blog.