Remembering My Badass Brother

 My niece Gina sent me the above photo of her father, my older brother Ed, who recently passed away. 

The photo shows my brother in a fighting stance while serving in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. I’d had not seen the photo before. 

As I noted to my niece, as she may not have known it, my father, her grandfather, also named Ed, was a professional boxer. He had a good record, but he joked that his nickname was "Canvas Back" Davis (as the ring was made of canvas - get it?) 

He quit the ring and his job as a lineman and joined the Navy during WWII. 

I was a boxer at the South Philly Boys Club when I was a kid in the early 1960s and I became an amateur middleweight boxer in the Navy in the early 1970s. I trained and sparred well into my 20s.  

My brother was an all-round superb athlete, playing basketball, football, baseball and later hockey. Although he never competed in the ring, he could box, and he was one of the toughest young guys in South Philly in the 1960s.

At 6'3, he had quite a reputation then and although he never started a fight, he often had to fight guys that started a fight with him. Twice, I saw him fight five or more guys at once when they jumped him - and he won both times. He knocked out and knocked down several of the guys that jumped him, and the rest backed away. 

Despite his size and ability, he never bragged or acted like a tough guy.   

Carrying on a Davis family tradition, he had a strong sense of justice and he often defended guys being bullied. 

He never bullied anyone, other than me, his younger brother – Ha. 

Like his wife and four daughters, and my family, I dearly miss my older brother. 

30 Officers Injured, Dozens Arrested After Deadly Police Shooting Sparks Unrest Across Philadelphia

 Fox 29 news in Philadelphia reported on the riots in West Philadelphia following the fatal police shooting of a man with a knife. 

PHILADELPHIA - A total of 30 Philadelphia police officers were injured Monday night amid citywide unrest that following a deadly police-involved shooting in West Philadelphia.

The tense scenes unfolded outside the 18th Police District near 55th and Pine Streets through the night Monday.

According to police, 30 officers are in stable condition and have been treated at local hospitals after most were struck with rocks and bricks as they faced off with demonstrators.

A female officer remains in the hospital with a broken leg after police say she was struck by a pickup truck.

10 people were taken into custody and are being held at the 18th District Booking Center after authorities say they were involved in an incident near the district. Those in custody will be processed and released pending future charges for rioting and/or assaults on police.

In all, nearly 40 arrests were made in connection with looting and vandalism across the city. Police cars and dumpsters were set on fire as police struggled to contain the crowds. Local businesses were among the stores looted and additional police and fire vehicles were among the property vandalized.

You can read the rest of the piece and watch video via the below link:

https://www.fox29.com/news/30-officers-injured-dozens-of-arrests-made-after-deadly-shooting-sparks-unrest-across-philadelphia 

Babylon Bee: Democrats Ask ACB To Recuse Herself From Any Cases Involving The Constitution

 The Babylon Bee takes a satirical shot at the confirmation hearings of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.

WASHINGTON D.C.—With Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation looming, Democrats have raised a number of questions about her fitness as a Supreme Court justice and whether she can be impartial. They are now demanding that Barrett recuse herself from any Supreme Court cases that involve the Constitution.

“Judge Barrett seems very biased toward the Constitution,” said Senator Mazie Hirono. “She’s not only read it but seems to have some sort of allegiance to it. She can’t be impartial on any case involving the Constitution as she’ll always side with it.”

You can read the rest of the humor piece via the below link:  

https://babylonbee.com/news/democrats-ask-acb-to-recuse-herself-from-any-cases-involving-the-constitution 

Mob Rat John Pennisi’s Blog Exposes Bumbling Wiseguys, Infuriates Feds

 Dean Balsamini at the New York Post offers a piece on a former organized crime member turned cooperating witness who produces a blog on the doings of the Lucchese Cosa Nostra crime family.

This mob rat isn’t breaking legs, but he’s busting chops.

Star wiseguy witness John Pennisi, who testified at three major trials last year, has launched a blog that pulls back the curtain on his Lucchese crime family “friends” — and has infuriated his federal handlers, Jerry Capeci writes in a report on Ganglandnews.com.

The 51-year-old Mob turncoat created Sitdownnews.com to give “readers education and insight into ‘the life’ from first-hand knowledge and experience.”

Pennisi is not shy about chronicling the hits — and misses — of made men.

In one entry, “A Mob Handbook,” clueless La Cosa Nostra candidate John (Butch) Arpino allegedly seeks advice from Pennisi on how one wiseguy should let another know that he too is a wiseguy.

When Pennisi repeats the curious inquiry to John (Johnny Sideburns) Cerrella, a then-acting Lucchese captain, the boss shakes his head and says, “It is truly unbelievable, a guy like that got no business [becoming a made man]. What’s it come to? They now gotta hand them a f–king handbook after they straighten them out!”

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://nypost.com/2020/10/24/mob-rats-wiseguy-blog-has-feds-all-fired-up/

A Little Humor: The Difference between Guts And Balls

 Yes, there is a big difference between “guts” and “balls.” 

Guts – Arriving home late, after a night out with the boys, being met by your wife with a broom, and having the guts to ask: “Are you still cleaning, or are you flying somewhere?” 

Balls – Coming home late after a night out with the boys, smelling of perfume and beer, with lipstick on your collar, slapping your wife on the bottom and having the balls to say: “You’re next, chubby.” 

Although the definitions may differ, there is no difference in the outcome. 

Both will result in sure death. 

Note: The above photo is of actor Hal Smith, who portrayed Otis, the town drunk on The Andy Griffith Show.

Department Of Homeland Security Launches New Center For Countering Human Trafficking

 The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released the below information:

WASHINGTON—U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Acting Secretary Chad Wolf (seen in the above photo) announced Thursday the opening of the DHS Center for Countering Human Trafficking, the U.S. government’s first-ever integrated law enforcement operations center directly supporting federal criminal investigations, victim assistance efforts, intelligence analysis, and outreach and training activities related to human trafficking and forced labor.

The center, which has been operational since early September, is based in Washington and led by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), a global leader of criminal investigations into human trafficking and sexual exploitation. The center will be staffed with law enforcement officials from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and across DHS, as well as subject matter experts and support staff from 16 DHS components—all focused on the “4 Ps” of the center’s mission: prevention, protection, prosecution and partnerships.

“Human trafficking is modern day slavery. There is no other way to say it,” said Acting Secretary Chad Wolf. “The words are strong because the actions are evil. The forms of exploitation, sex trafficking, forced labor, and domestic servitude that constitute human trafficking are antithetical in every way to the principles of human dignity that Americans hold dear. The launch of this Center for Countering Human Trafficking represents the investment of resources, attention, and time by President Trump to combat and dismantle all forms of human trafficking.”

On Jan. 15, Wolf signed and released the DHS Strategy to Combat Human Trafficking, the Importation of Goods Produced with Forced Labor, and Child Sexual Exploitation (https://www.dhs.gov/publication/strategy-combat-human-trafficking-importation-goods-produced-forced-labor-and-child) which pledged to bolster DHS efforts to combat human trafficking and forced labor.

“Human Trafficking, whether through sex or labor, is a detriment to our society and threatens the moral conscience of our nation. Criminal organizations target those who are most vulnerable and exploit them through any means necessary, Victims are treated as commodities rather than human beings, with no regard for their health and well-being,” said ICE Senior Official Performing the Duties of Director Tony Pham. “ICE, along with our internal and external partners, will continue to fight against these atrocities and answer victims’ cries for help. The Center for Countering Human Trafficking will serve as evidence that when we work collectively against such heinous acts, we combat the threat they pose to national security and to public safety.” 

ICE’s HSI has long been a global leader in investigating human trafficking and sexual exploitation cases and bringing offenders to justice. The Center will build on the agency’s “victims first” approach, which balances victim identification, rescue and support with prevention, investigation, and prosecution of traffickers. ICE HSI is uniquely positioned to utilize criminal, immigration, and trade-based authorities to proactively identify, disrupt and dismantle cross-border human trafficking organizations.

In fiscal year 2019, ICE initiated 1,024 human trafficking and forced labor related cases which led to 2,197 criminal arrests. These effective actions resulted in nearly 700 convictions and the rescue of more than 400 victims.

Reporting suspected sexual or labor exploitation can help decrease or stop further victimization, as well as lead to the identification and rescue of other possible victims. To report suspicious activity or instances of sexual abuse or exploitation, contact your local law enforcement agency. Tips can be submitted online at https://www.ice.gov/tipline, by phone at 866-DHS-2-ICE or by contacting your local ICE office.

For more information about the Department of Homeland Security’s overall efforts against human trafficking, visit http://www.dhs.gov/blue-campaign 

Ralph Cipriano: U.S. Attorney Rips Krasner, Inky, Over Killing By D.A.'s Staffer

Veteran reporter and author Ralph Cipriano (seen in the below photo) at BigTrial.net offers a piece on the scandal at the DA office, which has not received much news coverage here, with the notable exception of Ralph Cipriano’s blog. 

(Which is why Philadelphia Weekly changing editorial direction to a conservative newspaper and offering an alternative voice in the city is so important. On a personal note, my Crime Beat column will appear next week in Philadelphia Weekly).   

Ralph Cipriano’s post offers the U.S. Attorney’s comments on the DA scandal. 

It's day two of the local news media blackout over the latest scandal in the Philly D.A.'s office, involving a gun violence counselor who shot and killed a male prostitute. 

And who's trying to expose the ongoing cover up?  

U.S. Attorney Bill McSwain went on Twitter today to rip D.A. Larry Krasner: 

"Your Philly DA's office: where Krasner hires an employee who allegedly ends up shooting and killing a man. You can't even make this stuff up. The destruction that Krasner has wrought on that office is a tragedy." 

McSwain subsequently went on Twitter again to rip The Philadelphia Inquirer, which, as usual, was sleeping through another news cycle involving possible bad publicity for their favorite progressive D.A.: 

"So where's the @PhillyInquirer article on this? Everybody knows that the Inquirer bends over backwards to protect Krasner, but this is a little too obvious -- even for them." 

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

https://www.bigtrial.net/2020/10/us-attorney-rips-krasner-inky-over-da.html