12 Years Later, DM Police Give Up Report

The Des Moines Police Department acknowledged the existence of a key piece of evidence that may assist David Flores’ post-conviction suit against the state. Flores is serving life in prison for the 1996 murder of Phyllis Davis.

An FBI interview that the DMPD hadn’t disclosed was entered into the court records after today’s emergency meeting between Judge Don Nickerson, Flores’ attorney Mary Kennedy, and Assistant Polk County Attorney Joe Weeg. In the report, Calvin Gaines identifies Rafael Robinson as the shooter in the accidental drive-by shooting of Phyllis Davis.

(Weeg and Kennedy Discuss the FBI Report)

Although the FBI interview took place on May 22, 1996, it wasn’t until August 1, 1996, that the DMPD reported receiving the information. The FBI interview took place in the Polk County Jail between Calvin Tyrone Gaines and FBI Special Agent Terry Bohle (retired).

From the 1996 interview:

GAINES was shown a photograph of RAFAEL ROBINSON and he stated that was the individual in the Blazer involved in the shooting in which the woman was accidentally killed. GAINES said that the Iowa 90 CRIPS have a contract out on ROBINSON…

A bank executive, Phyllis Davis was driving home from work on April 12, 1996 when she was killed by a .22 caliber bullet.

Rafael Robinson’s murder remains unsolved.

During the hearing, Polk County Judge Don Nickerson said he felt “dismayed” and “queasy” when he opened the newspaper on Tuesday to see:

“what I discussed with counsel as early as yesterday morning on the front page … it makes me nervous when hours after I’ve talked to counsel, in attorney-client or judge-counsel confidentiality, I find what I’ve said … in the media the next day.”

Although he said he would not issue a gag order, Judge Nickerson asked the Flores family not to “try this matter in the press.”

Afterwards, Anthony Flores, whose brother has been behind bars for 12 years, took issue with the judge’s lecture, saying, “They tried him in the press the first time, why shouldn’t it be the same way today?”

(Anthony and Angel Flores listen to Judge Nickerson)

Floodwaters on Normandy Avenue in Iowa City

Andrew Sherburne wrote on the Little Village blog:

“As soon as the waters die down, there will be many questions that need to be asked:

Why can’t the corp accurately predict the inflow of water into the reservoir? Why didn’t the city give homeowners the time they needed to save their belongings? Where was the foresight after a record snowfall to empty the reservoir at an earlier date?”

Good questions.

Rain Running: The Middle Iowa Watershed

It’s two miles from my house to the stop sign and back.  I’m not one of those everyday runners, but there is something about gray skies and soft rain that gets me outside.  I like to sweat in it and feel the gathering moisture as I go.  It’s raining today in Middle Iowa.

My hood is up and I tie it down as I go, knowing that after I’ve heated up, I will pull it off and let the rain run down my face. I start slow, head down with a breeze spritzing my face.

Rainwater washes over the empty, dark fields into ditches and tributaries and, as I run, ideas continuously flow through my head.

Music Video: “Clap Jordan” by CHRASH

This video, “Clap Jordan,” is from the Quad City band Chrash. Watch for their forthcoming album, The Name May Change.

Enjoy!
[We had a lot of fun shooting this and got help and ideas from Kara Toal.]

after the Postville Raid (después del redado)

A rally was held in Waterloo, Ia. to show support for the families who were split apart by the ICE raids at a meat processing plant in Postville last week. Almost four hundred individuals were held at the National Cattle Congress in Waterloo.

It was rumored that people were still being held at the site. If so, they heard a huge crowd chanting, “No more raids!” and “ICE go home!” Many carried signs in English and Spanish calling for a halt to los redados (raids).

I shot a video…

and pulled some stills from the video…

Some estimated the rally at 600 strong.

The Latehomecomer by Kao Kalia Yang

Kao Kalia Yang was in Iowa City for a reading at Prairie Lights Bookstore. She sat down for an interview and talked about the inspiration for her book, Hmong language and culture, writing, and history.

Great interview, many thanks to her and much praise for her first book, The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir.

Please check it out.

Think-Tank!

Last week, I talked with Dr. Michael R. Kraig of the Stanley Foundation. He does policy analysis and is the director of programming and dialog there. He was kind enough to sit down for a video interview and answer some questions on terrorism:

the foreign policy gap between the U.S. Congress and the American public:

and a bit about the Stanley Foundation itself:

I also interviewed Keith Porter, who is an executive radio producer at the Stanley Foundation and the director of communication and outreach. Here’s what he said about the gap between policymakers, the media and the U.S. public:

“People who work on foreign policy issues all the time can look at Main Street in Anytown, U.S.A. and find a dozen connections between that and the rest of the world …  that doesn’t get reflected very often in what our political leaders tell us. It doesn’t get reflected very often in what we see in the media and I think, regardless of that, it’s starting to make an impression on average Americans.

People are beginning to see how their fates are connected to the rest of the world … there is a direct one-to-one connection between U.S. national security and global security … we ought to be doing everything we can around the world to promote security, stability, better lives for people and, beyond being just the right thing to do, it will have good, positive influence and effects on us.

I do see recognition of that among people. I don’t see it necessarily among political leaders. I don’t necessarily see it among the media but it’s an idea that the public just grasps immediately. I find that encouraging.“

The Stanley Foundation has a monthly email newsletter “think.” and a quarterly publication, “Courier.” Both are available from their website which has a trove of information and analysis on foreign policy.

You can read more about the Stanley Foundation at the Iowa Independent.

Gear up for Bikes at Iowa City Bike Library

Bike library Jen Bedet talks about the Iowa City Bike Library inthis video. She has been working with the ICBL for several years.

The ICBL checked out a new ride to Eugene. He talked with the Iowa Independent about his bike and plans to ride some trails.

Bioeconomy 101: Cultivating Photosynthetic Space

Lou Licht didn’t say he was a tree-hugger, but he has patented a process of planting trees to clean up polluted land through a process called phytoremediation.

He spoke at a conference on Bioeconomy sponsored by UIowa’s CHEEC (Center for Health Effects of Environmental Contamination)

Licht is the founder and president of a North Liberty company called Ecolotree.

Iraq Vets Against the War @ UIowa

Iraq vet and Arab linguist Tanya Austin on Winter Soldiers:

Conscientious objector and USAF vet Jason Munford talks about his CO status:

Founder of Iowa City’s Iraq Vets Against the War chapter Andrew Duffy on the racism of the US military and the Iraq War:

More videos at IowaIndependent’s u-tube Channel