Showing category "Crime, Justice" (Show all posts)

COLD CASE UNIT FUNDING

Posted by Karen Foster on Monday, May 11, 2015, In : Crime, Justice 



I am writing to ask all Alaskans to support the funding for the Alaska State Troopers Cold Case Unit.  Please, no one should get away with murder.  Spending $383,000  to ensure that detectives are current on the cold cases and will be able to act and react if tips come in is crucial to keeping killers and rapists off our streets.


It is extremely sad that so many families who are hoping to someday get answers, get justice, and see their day in court, will lose that opportunity.  It is very ...


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DNA Results in 90 Minutes

Posted by Karen Foster on Thursday, November 28, 2013, In : Crime, Justice 
New technology now makes it possible for law enforcement to have results on DNA testing in 90 minutes! 

When I first heard about, and started pushing for DNA testing in 2007, it sometimes took over a year for law enforcement to get results due to backlogs and the whole testing process.  In the United Kingdom they would get results in 2 days.  I pushed for changes in Alaska's law to require the collection of DNA on all felony arrests and for those DNA profiles to be entered into CODIS, our nat...

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Investigation Discovery Features Bonnie's Story

Posted by Karen Foster on Friday, October 18, 2013, In : Crime, Justice 
Deadline: Crime with Tamron Hall on ID TV, (Investigation Discovery Channel) featured a story on the Bonnie Craig murder and the pursuit for justice. 

The story titled, "A Mother's Mission" chronicles the tragic saga that our family went through after being notified of Bonnie's death; a death we refused to believe was a "hiking accident."  We knew it was murder.

The program aired on Wednesday, October 16th.  It will air again on Saturday, October 19th at 3:00 pm.  Check your local listings for...
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US Supreme Court RULES!

Posted by Karen Foster on Monday, June 3, 2013, In : Crime, Justice 
The US Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Collection of DNA on felony arrests!  Today's 5-4 decision allows states to collect DNA on Arrest.  It is a fabulous day that will go down in history for victims, their families, law enforcement and the courts.  It will help to start balance the scales of justice.  It will help protect the innocent and keep the innocent out of jail.

Collection of DNA on Arrest will save time, money and lives! In Bonnie's case, her killer was in jail 2 months before he...
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Protection of Victim's Rights

Posted by Karen Foster on Monday, February 13, 2012, In : Crime, Justice 
Victim's have a constitutional right to "timely disposition of their case."  That right is largely ignored in Alaska, and it is rarely a matter of protecting the right's of the accused.  It is due to poor case-flow management and judges living in fear of an appeal if any defense request is denied.  The delays are more for the convenience of defense attorneys personal schedules.

Senator Hollis French has introduced a bill, SB 135, that would help judges determine if delays are truly necessary. ...
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Dateline NBC airs show on "Justice for Bonnie"

Posted by Karen Foster on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, In : Crime, Justice 
Please tune in to Dateline this Friday 13th to better understand why so much has to change in our justice system.  Learn why DNA must be collected on all felony arrests in all 50 states and Canada.  In Bonnie's case the criminal could have been identified in months, instead it took 12 years.  Learn why timely disposition of a case is so critical.  Then please take action!  If you live in a state that doesn't collect DNA on ALL Felony Arrests, let your lawmakers know you support collection of ...
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Timely Disposition of a Case

Posted by Karen Foster on Tuesday, January 10, 2012, In : Crime, Justice 
In Alaska victims have a constitutional right to "timely disposition of their case."  That right is rarely realized as judges grant request after request for continuances in a case for fear of appeals.  Judges don't have enough control over the defense or prosecution to ensure that they are effectively doing their jobs.  There is no accountability or case-flow management.  Senator Hollis French is introducing a bill to help change this constant re-victimization.

Bonnie's killer was identified ...

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Not One More Child

Posted by Karen Foster on Saturday, November 19, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 
More than 1,173 computers in Alaska are downloading crime scene videos of children being sexually abused and tortured. At one third of these locations, known to law enforcement, there is a child waiting to be rescued. The Not One More Child Coalition is asking our Governors and President Obama to declare a "State Of Emergency" We must rescue our children and protect them! Please go to www.NotOneMoreChild.org Get the Facts and read the "White Paper." Write or email or call your Governor.
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Rescue Our Children

Posted by Karen Foster on Thursday, November 10, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 

URGENT MESSAGE: Thousands of children are being raped and tortured in the US. They are waiting to be rescued. With current technology, law enforcement have identified the exact location of computers that are downloading child pornography. These are crime scene videos of children under 12 being raped and tortured.  1/3 of these locations have a child waiting to be rescued. Surviving Parents Coalition and PROTECT.org are asking President Obama and our Governors to protect our children. We want ...
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Message to a Killer

Posted by Karen Foster on Tuesday, November 8, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 
After 17 years, we have come to the final chapter.  Kenneth Dion was sentenced to serve 124 years for abducting, raping and murdering my sweet 18 year old daughter, Bonnie Craig.  We can breathe a final sense of relief.  Although, in our justice system, you never know.  He does have 30 days to appeal.  

During the sentencing my daughter, Samantha Campbell, and I took the opportunity to speak.  I was so incredibly touched by Samantha's words.  She was 12 when her sister was murdered.  Here are ...
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17th Anniversary Press Conference for Homicide Reward Fund

Posted by Karen Foster on Wednesday, September 28, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 

 

Nothing can be more devastating than losing a child to murder.  Not getting answers for months, years, even decades makes that devastation so much worse.  It’s like a cancer growing inside you.  You can pretend that your life is getting back to normal, but, it never does.

It was almost 17 years for our family to get answers and hear those incredible words. “GUILTY” “GUILTY’ “GUILTY” “GUILTY.”   It was an amazing bittersweet victory; one that I never expected.

For 12 yea...


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17th Anniversary Bonnie Craig Murder. Press Release

Posted by Karen Foster on Monday, September 26, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 

“EVERYONE DESERVES JUSTICE”

On the anniversary of the Bonnie Craig murder, September 28, 1994, we would like to celebrate our family’s bittersweet victory and call attention to the other families who are still awaiting justice.

No one should get away with murder, rape, nor any other heinous crime.  Now that Bonnie’s killer has been convicted the money collected shortly after Bonnie’s murder is offered as a reward to help find answers in other unsolved Alaskan murders.

The Homicid...


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GREAT FOR THE HEART!

Posted by Karen Foster on Saturday, September 24, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 
Every time I read about another cold case solved with DNA evidence I can't help but do a little dance.  It is so incredibly thrilling for me.  It's another one up for the "good guys!"  No one should get away with murder; and with collection of DNA on arrest, pretty soon, no one will.  Fewer cases will grow cold.  Cold cases with DNA evidence will be solved!

The most recent case that has got me smiling like a cheshire cat is a cold case from 1989.  (Full Story)  You know this guy thought he wou...
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385,000 UNSOLVED CRIMES WITH DNA EVIDENCE

Posted by Karen Foster on Tuesday, August 30, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 
CODIS, the national DNA database, has almost 385,000 forensic DNA profiles from crime scene evidence.  Many of these crimes could be solved if all 50 states and Canada collected DNA on all felony arrests.  In fact estimates are 60% could be solved.  For each of these unsolved crimes there are victims, families, friends and communities desperately needing answers.  For each of these unsolved crimes there is a criminal getting away with murder, rape, or some other heinous crime.  This criminal,...
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3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals approves DNA on Arrest

Posted by Karen Foster on Monday, August 22, 2011, In : Crime, Justice 

(originally posted July 26, 2011)
DNA testing of suspects arrested for a crime does not violate the US Constitutional right of an accused to unlawful search and seizure. In a 8-6 vote the 3rd US Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the DNA law to collect DNA for those arrested of a crime.

Judge Julio Fuentes wrote that "under the totality of the circumstances, given arrestees' and pretrial detainees' diminished expectations of privacy in their identities and the government's legitimate interests in ...


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No One Should Get Away With Murder

Posted by Karen Foster on Wednesday, October 13, 2010, In : Crime, Justice 
Please take time to look over this post.  It will help with understanding how critical it is to collect DNA on Arrest.

 http://www.lawfirmone.com/legal-forums/index.php/criminal-prosecution-and-defense/no-one-should-get-away-with-murder/#105 
 
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Turning Tragedy Into Triumph

Posted by Karen Foster on Friday, August 20, 2010, In : Crime, Justice 

No one should get away with murder, rape, nor any other heinous crime.  With collection of DNA on all felony arrests we can identify and successfully prosecute the predators in our society.  We can stop them!  We have the technology, 24 states and the federal government have passed legislation to collect DNA on arrest, but we need all 50 states to collect DNA on arrest.  We want to ensure there is no safe haven for the criminals.  


Collection of DNA on all felony arrests will protect the innoc...


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Karen Foster, Bonnie's Mom


Karen Foster Victims and families need to make sure that the CRIMINAL Justice system becomes more balanced and starts protecting the innocent, not just the guilty. Please help us balance the scales of justice. Don't wait until you are a victim to find out how broken the system is. Take 5 minutes to call your lawmakers or drop them an email to support funding for our new crime lab. It will save lives and prevent a lot of crimes by getting the criminals off our streets sooner. Juries expect scientific proof to convict the predators in our society. 5 minutes of your time is all I'm asking for; it will make a difference in our justice system.
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