The Daily Dose/April 10, 2019
By Gaylon Kent
America’s Funniest Guy
Leading Off
The National Registry of Exonerations has released its annual report and it makes for some interesting reading. In 2018 151 American citizens, who lost a combined 1,639 years, were released from prison after it was established they had not committed the crimes they were convicted of. 107 – including 31 from Chicago’s Sergeant Watts scandal – were convicted as the result of official misconduct. 66 had been convicted of murder and 19 exonerations were the result of false confessions. Illinois led the way with 49 exonerations and Texas and New York were tied for second with 16.
The average exoneree spent 10.9 years in prison for something they didn’t do and if you believe America’s prisons have been emptied of innocent people, you are deluding yourself. Our own somewhat informed guess is that ten percent of those currently incarcerated are innocent.
It’s too bad America even needs a National Registry of Exonerations, but we do and collectively we are not getting our shorts in a knot over it. On the campaign trail the past few years for the United States Senate and House we’ve found about as much interest in this issue as in a reciprocal postal agreement with the Lesser Antilles. We dismiss it with a wave of the hand easily enough, telling ourselves well, it’s not really likely to happen to us or that sometimes people will fall through the cracks, especially in a country as hell-bent on convicting people as America is.
But these aren’t really appropriate responses for American citizens. A nation conceived in liberty has no business convicting the innocent, and the fact that we do is something that should concern all of us.
Editor’s Note: the entire report referenced above can be read here.
Today At The Site
The Diary of a Nobody: Sparrow actually has to field a phone call at work, and the Help Wanted sign is out, too. Today’s Diary.
I did get a phone call, about 0430, from a guy who wanted to talk about his reservation, because what else are you going to do at 0430???…I’ve long felt people call at this time in the hopes of pulling a fast one on some hapless graveyard idiot but good luck with that with ol’ Sparrow on the job.
He annoyed me from the start, too…I asked him for his arrival date and he proceeded to read me his confirmation number…People like this are stealing my air…I didn’t ask for his confirmation number, I asked for his arrival date.
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Click here to read excerpts and a sample chapter.
On This Date
In 1963 – The nuclear submarine USS Thresher sinks about 220 miles east of Boston. Thresher was doing deep diving test following an overhaul and an inquiry concluded Thresher sunk when a joint in a salt water piping system failed, though has not received universal acceptance and some maintain that an electrical fire was the cause. Thresher sunk in 8,400 feet of water and in keeping with US Navy tradition, Thresher remains in commissioned service, officially lost at sea. Annual tests by the Navy shows Thresher’s nuclear fuel remains intact and there is no significant environmental damage at the site.
In 1977 – The Cleveland Indians and the Boston Red Sox combine for a major league record 19 runs in the 8th inning of Cleveland’s 19-9 victory. Tied 3-3 after seven innings, the Indians got 13 runs in the top of the 8th and the Red Sox scored six in the bottom of the inning. The record still stands.
In 1965 – King of the Road by Roger Miller is at #1 on Billboard’s country chart – then known as the Hot Country Singles chart – for the third of the five consecutive weeks. The song was an international pop hit as well, reaching #1 in Great Britain and Norway and peaking at #4 on Billboard’s Hot 100. It was the second and final #1 song for Miller on the country chart and remains his biggest US pop hit. Miller died in 1992 (56) and King of the Road was sung by a variety of country stars when Miller was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1995.
Quotebook
Lost in the cacophony of Oprah and O.J. are those classical values that once made a Saturday afternoon track meet so appealing. Of running for the love of competition, of throwing a javelin for applause and an olive wreath. Of sweating for hours on a lonesome track at dusk for the chance of maybe one day hearing the anthem. Of honor and glory and the spirit of victory, not the spoils.
Mark Zeigler
The San Diego Union-Tribune, June 20, 1995
Answer To The Last Trivia Question
Yes Sir, I Can Boogie by the Spanish duo Baccara is the biggest single in Swedish history, spending 22 weeks at #1 in 1977-78.
