I wasn't sure how to title this because I'm still trying to process it all after my mom telling me about it yesterday. A cousin on my uncle's side of the family (by marriage) was carjacked and killed last week in Montana. Denny was 33 years old and married with two young children. He was minding his own business and two repeat offenders took his life for no. damn. reason. The man who killed him is listed by police as transient and had an arrest record spanning several jurisdictions, including Washington state. He was also a suspect in an April 19 shooting incident where he shot through the door of a home and the bullet hit a woman in the head; she survived. He is dead after a 9 hour standoff with police and a self-inflicted gunshot to the head. The woman was tasered after resisting arrest and is in jail on $500K bond. She is facing a homicide charge.

Link to most recent news story. 

They forced their way into his van after he refused them a ride and they beat him and shot him five times, killing him. 

This is why I'm angry.  And it's not because they had guns. 

Courts need to be held just as responsible for these criminals being able to continue committing the crimes as law enforcement should be at apprehending them in a manner that doesn't cause all hell to break loose. This guy was continually slipping through cracks in a system that seemed indifferent to his violent tendencies. I mean, he was wearing an ankle monitor for Christ's sake and what did they do after he didn't show up for a hearing? Did they do anything? Get the [BLEEP] off your [BLEEP] and go find him you [BLEEP] [BLEEP].  It's possible they lack the personnel and resources to keep track of every single person, I get that, but this was not a once or twice situation. 

-January of 2019, McClure was arrested in Musselshell County and charged with three felonies and three misdemeanors-- for stealing two cars and then attempting to escape from the Musselshell County jail. In the hearing he was released on his own recognizance AFTER he broke away the sheriff and bolted toward an open door leading into the dispatch center before finally being restrained. What in the actual hell? 

-August of 2020, a petition was filed to revoke McClure’s release after he was arrested in Powell County on suspicion of robbery and inflicting bodily injury to another person-- another felony.

-March of this year 2021-- McClure went to trial in Musselshell County-- and made a deal to plead guilty to most of the charges against him. He was allowed to remain free pending sentencing, but then never showed up to complete pre-sentencing requirements despite having an ankle monitor.

Those are the crimes they listed. Who knows how many more he committed and was never caught for. 

This country is broken on so many levels and everyone either wants to pass the buck or point fingers at someone else. We all know this. We all know the politicians and elected law enforcement say what they will about police reform, crime prevention, gun control, war on drugs, etc., to get (re)elected. They'll appoint a task force to find the sex traffickers and drug smugglers and arms dealers and does anything ever change? No. This is what happens when people are not held accountable and not by their peers but by US; the citizens of our cities, counties and states who do nothing. 

I am not all about BLM and their rhetoric and tactics but I have to give credit where it's due. Their outrage may be fake but they make a lot of noise and they make things happen. I find them morally reprehensible but they have the attention of the world.

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