tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post4639691633666621888..comments2020-04-11T03:30:02.282-05:00Gary R. Welshhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-9895982459340664572010-02-24T13:12:00.381-05:002010-02-24T13:12:00.381-05:00MY NAME IS VINCENT LEE MORTON, MY DAD WAS LARRY E MORTON. A FEW YEARS AGO I GOT A LETTER FROM THEN FORMER PROSECUTOR SCOTT NEWMAN ASKING ME TO MEET HIM AND TIM OAKS,SO WE COULD TALK ABOUT SOMETHING,I WENT THERE WITH MY MOTHER, THEY WANTED ME TO LET HIM BECOME THE JUVENILE JUDGE TO REPLACE JUDGE PAYNE, I TOLD THEM THAT HE DIDN&#39;T NEED TO BE A JUDGE ,CONVICTING TEENAGERS OF THE SAME THING HE DID ALL THOSE YEARS AGO, THAT IT WAS NOT RIGHT. AND TIM OAKS SAID THAT HE WOULD TAKE HIS NAME OUT OF THE RUNNING,AND HE DID. I TOLD THEM NOT TO CONTACT ME AGAIN, THEN A WEEK BEFORE HE CAME A JUDGE, SOMEBODY CALLED ME AND SAID HEY THAT GUY THAT KILLED YOUR DAD IS GOING TO BE A JUDGE.I CALLED THE PAPERS AND THEY SAID IT WAS A DONE DEAL. MY MOM TOOK IT HARD AGAIN, THEY,TIM OAKS AND SCOTT NEWMAN, TOLD HER HE WOULD NOT RUN FOR JUDGE AGAIN, THEN HE BECAME ONE. WELL I AM GOING TO DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO CHANGE THAT. HE KILLED MY DAD AND THEN HE PRETTY MUCH SLAPPED MY MOM IN THE FACE BY BECOMING A JUDGE. IN TWO WEEKS WILL BE THE DAY MY LIFE CHANGED FOR EVER, MARCH 7,1982. NOW ITS 2010. HE SHOULD HAVE NOT SLAPPED MY MOM IN THE FACE. I AM PISSED, AND,IF WHEN THEY VOTE AGAIN, MEANS ME WALKING AROUND DOWNTOWN WITH A SIGN ON ME SAYING THIS MAN KILLED MY DAD , DON&#39;T VOTE FOR HIM, I WILL. SINCERELY YOURS, THE SON OF A VICTIM KILLED BY A DRUNK DRIVER MARION COUNTY JUDGE TIMOTHY OAKS.SINCERELY,VINCE MORTON.bubhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02010156464001976041noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-37680232007264540012008-03-01T20:42:00.000-05:002008-03-01T20:42:00.000-05:00"Despite the harm Oakes brought to Morton's family, his career path moved along nicely."<BR/><BR/>Shameful, isn't it? I agree with Advance Indiana, specifically their stance that those convicted of crimes should NEVER become productive members of society. Property tax crisis? Let's just get rid of all the career training courses in the Dept. of Corrections for crying out loud! And all this "get out early for earning your GED" - NONSENSE! Why the heck should convicts get an education? Advance Indiana and I both agree they should never succeed in later life or ever make something of themselves. To heck with them!<BR/><BR/>PS: Please do not make any reference to the large plank in my eye.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-61670538396310439742008-02-21T23:40:00.000-05:002008-02-21T23:40:00.000-05:00"The Courts are a dumping ground for bad attorneys anyway. Honestly, the total of truly good judges is not over 10-14. There are another five or so who are mediocre, and the rest and just a joke"<BR/><BR/><BR/>I'm curious...who are the 10-14?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-31005798585157367892008-01-11T22:38:00.000-05:002008-01-11T22:38:00.000-05:00I'm shocked to hear Marilyn Moores praised. Do the people who are praising her actually know here? She's a complete goof - has been for years. She has a horrible personality and probably the worst judicial temperement of anyone I've ever practiced before. I don't know a single attorney who thinks she is a good job. Tim Oakes, even with his baggage, couldn't be worse.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-74944686204301447622008-01-06T15:32:00.000-05:002008-01-06T15:32:00.000-05:00To this day, I still don't know for sure. If you check, you'll see I had a designated driver. It was the day after the election and I was celebrating downtown. The record will also show I was not the last person in my car.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-67614692895147385472008-01-06T14:31:00.000-05:002008-01-06T14:31:00.000-05:00How did the recreational bag of cocaine get in your car? I ask because you gave an explanation as to how the marijauna arrived in your car...but for some reason, you chose not to elaborate on the recreational bag of cocaine.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-51581836182361941962008-01-06T14:04:00.000-05:002008-01-06T14:04:00.000-05:00Thank you for allowing me to respond. If I am guilty of something, I will admit my guilt. I admitted guilt to firing the weapon- my life was in danger. I worked in the Meadows.<BR/><BR/>The recreational bag of cocaine had someone else's fingerprints on it, not mine. Hence, not guilty. <BR/><BR/>The mechanic who worked on my car admitted under oath and through a thorough deposition and investigation that he left the "roach" in my car. Subsequently, I had (then) I.P.D. bring a dope-sniffing dog to further check my car for any and all controlled substances. I refused to drive my car until that was done. Further, I took many court admissable drug tests. The first was within 4 hours of my release. All court admissable tests were negative.<BR/><BR/>I'm not claiming here to be an angel. I'm just saying that if I do something wrong, I will own up to it. Conversely, if I didn't do it, I will vigorously fight the charge.<BR/><BR/>Ron V. FranklinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-61766603259713765382008-01-06T13:06:00.000-05:002008-01-06T13:06:00.000-05:00Ron, This is how the Star's Mary Beth Schneider reported on your criminal past while you were a candidate in the 7th District race:<BR/><BR/>"He pleaded guilty in 2001 to a misdemeanor of criminal recklessness for firing a handgun at an occupied truck. He was acquitted of a felony drug charge in 2000 after police found cocaine in his car and also was acquitted in 1998 after marijuana was found in his car. In both cases, Franklin said the drugs belonged to others."Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-23363236452806559272008-01-06T12:45:00.000-05:002008-01-06T12:45:00.000-05:00I shot 5 warning shots into the air at the truck that was trying to run me over. The driver was dumping on City property. I told him to stop. He tried to run me over with his truck. I possess 37 pages of his arrests and convictions. He didn't have a drivers license and he had two outstanding warrants at the time. Yes, I fired to stop him. I would do the same again. Yes, I pled guilty to discharging a firearm inside city limits. No, I didn't have to go to the hospital or the morgue, thank you. And there were no drugs involved. Check your story next time.<BR/><BR/>Ron V. FranklinAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-656884479605208762008-01-06T12:21:00.000-05:002008-01-06T12:21:00.000-05:00Those of us who regularly appear in Marion County Courts for business can tell you:<BR/><BR/>The Courts are a dumping ground for bad attorneys anyway. Honestly, the total of truly good judges is not over 10-14. There are another five or so who are mediocre, and the rest and just a joke.<BR/><BR/>Appointing or nominating a man of Oaks's character, given the death on his hands, would continue that tradition of mediocrity. Or worse.<BR/><BR/>Most good attorneys won't go to the bench. There are exceptions. Thank God for the appointment of Marilyn Moores, for instance...she inherited Payne's mess and has worked tirelessly to correct it.<BR/><BR/>But there aren't enough Zores, Mooreses, Renners and good ones, to make up for the clowns.<BR/><BR/>And most of the Marion County bar knows this all too well.<BR/><BR/>Guess who benefitted a great deal from the little Murphy-Treacy county chair deal on judge election a few years ago?<BR/><BR/>Chairman Treacy's wife is one of those mediocre judges. For life now, it appears.<BR/><BR/>Cushy job, no actual time-on-task requirements, and little oversight. Don't forget, for awhile, that ethically-challenged Judge Cale Bradford was chief judge. And presided over the 2003 council redistricting case even though his brother was a councilman and candidate.<BR/><BR/>Which would make an ordinary 8-yr-old blush. <BR/><BR/>Now, thankfully, he's only a state appeals court judge. Also for life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-44331337387238679822008-01-06T08:25:00.000-05:002008-01-06T08:25:00.000-05:00Someone needs to challenge our system of selecting judges, which as another writer here has noted, was changed.<BR/><BR/>If you want to participate in the selection of judges, you have to declare for a Democratc or Republican ballot in the May primary.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-43991225680681083992008-01-06T03:35:00.000-05:002008-01-06T03:35:00.000-05:00business as usual in the Marion County GOP and especially in the new Ballard administration.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-35479711103947633752008-01-06T02:36:00.000-05:002008-01-06T02:36:00.000-05:00Jack,<BR/><BR/>A lot of folks were brought up under similar or worse circumstances and succeeded. Those who succeeded were typically wise enough to make full disclosure when appropriate and to avoid placing themselves in a position that would even give off the appearance of impropriety.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-457780621586556742008-01-05T21:54:00.000-05:002008-01-05T21:54:00.000-05:00My first thought after reader the comments, "He who lives in a glass house, shouldn't throw stones." One can only assume our readers are perfect and never need a second chance. It sure is easy to 'anonymously' be critical of someone you don't even know. I do know Oakes. He grew up in a trailor park in a rough East side neighborhood. His dad did not work regularly due to a back injury and his mother made minimum wage to support the family. He 'survived' Tech H.S. with honors. Despite his behind the eight ball youth, he managed to earn a scholarship to Wabash College (not exactly academically easy), then work full-time while putting himself through law school at night. There is no question the H.S. tragedy was a bad teenage decision. Oakes lives with the knowledge that someone died and used this as motivation to succeed in live and find ways to give back. Scott Newman supported Oakes for judge a couple years ago because the special prosecutor found no misdoing and believes he is innocent. They are good friends to this day. So before you pick the next rock, ask yourself, have you traveled as far in your life as Oakes has with his?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-26253547025340141292008-01-05T21:34:00.000-05:002008-01-05T21:34:00.000-05:00Gary: The way Judges are elected in Marion County changed with the 2006 election. The Dems and the Repubs will each have ten candidates on the November Ballot all 20 will be elected unless one is beaten by a third party candidate. You win the primary you are elected if there is someone you think should not be a judge you had better beat them in the primary.<BR/>Before 2006 the judge who finished last out of 16 was not elected. When they added judges to Marion County the legislature changed this one of the big supporters of the change was then Marion County Chairman Rep. Mike Murphy.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-54329274798167432482008-01-05T21:14:00.000-05:002008-01-05T21:14:00.000-05:00Second chances. Is this what we want out of people who have made wrong or stupid decisions particularly in their teen and very early 20's? Get them productive. This D could kiss Mitch (iky) for replacing Payne (pain) with Moores. She has and is doing a great job unlike the pain. HOWEVER, maybe Payne recommended (oh, God for forbid I'm actually giving Payne credit for something) Oakes because he was a kid who grew up in the environment where most of our jev's are coming from and understands what needs to be done. I, like most, had no idea what Oakes history was. Meet him, talk to him, get to know hime. He is a really nice guy. I sincerely doubt that any one is pulling strings for him. <BR/> I absolultely to do not want my comments to disregard the unbearable pain or lasting sense of loss from family that Oakes actions put into play. But he was a stupid kid. Shall he wear the scarlet "K" for the rest of his life?!. <BR/><BR/>I am not saying that he should be jusge but I highly question that he has been pulling any strings. Get to know the MAN now rather than the stupid teenager he was. <BR/><BR/>If ya'll give Williams a chance why not Oakes?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-67151061825592504362008-01-05T19:53:00.000-05:002008-01-05T19:53:00.000-05:00The Court and Commercial Record had some feel-good article on this guy - probably about three years ago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-82353700826726525492008-01-05T19:27:00.000-05:002008-01-05T19:27:00.000-05:00That is even worse. I can't imagine how I'd feel if I was a victimized builder who hadn't given money to Goldsmith, probably not super confident in the "service" I'd get. That seems like a rather overtly political signal to me. <BR/><BR/>The first time I read this story, my first reaction was "wow, this guy could have ruined some good people's careers by not being honest about his past. But, in rereading it seems somewhat ambiguous as to whether people really didn't know his past. Except Gov. Orr, and I am sorry, but that is just outrageous. You have a drunk driving conviction that killed someone and you don't tell the Governor?? And you are his driver?? That doesn't make any sense at all to me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-86127857001618666952008-01-05T19:21:00.000-05:002008-01-05T19:21:00.000-05:00Wilson, I happen to believe that if the Democrats had not waited until two days before the election to bring up Bush's more than 20-year-old drunk driving arrest but raised it sooner in the campaign, it would have turned the electorate just enough against him to beat him. I have also been bothered by Bush's past drug use as an adult. I know a very respected attorney in Texas who insists there was a Bush arrest on drug charges as an adult which got mysteriously expunged from court records.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-9654435559170690892008-01-05T19:09:00.000-05:002008-01-05T19:09:00.000-05:00In the Star article at the time, Newman also stated he chose Oakes for this task because he had been so successful at raising money from builders for Goldsmith's campaign. That strikes me as being a pretty poor reason for a prosecutor to choose any of his deputies for any task in the prosecutor's office.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-11677984147890780892008-01-05T19:05:00.000-05:002008-01-05T19:05:00.000-05:00I had the same reaction, Erin. What I can't understand is the turnabout by Newman in supporting Oakes' name for the juvenile court slot years later. Obviously, Tim was never prosecuted, and I don't know if Newman filed a complaint with the disciplinary commission. If he believed what he told the newspaper, I would have thought he would have had a duty to report him. Otherwise, we are simply to believe Newman made a very rash decision to fire Oakes, and that it turns out Oakes was completely innocent.Gary R. Welshhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15185079937305083438noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-15270647660512252342008-01-05T18:59:00.000-05:002008-01-05T18:59:00.000-05:00The drunk driving incident is incredibly sad for everyone. What a terrible thing to have happen to the family and a young man who, while responsible for his own decision to drink, seems to have had a decent future ahead of him. <BR/><BR/>The more disturbing part is the theft ring. Gary, if I follow the story- Oakes was assigned to monitor the police investigation, but it was the detectives and not Oakes who informed Newman of Oakes Sr.'s possible involvement? That seems odd. I don't know the standard for obstruction of justice, but, at the least, that has to be THE most straight forward conflict of interest I can imagine. which would I think necessitate telling your boss about your conflict.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-2793960688185245552008-01-05T18:54:00.000-05:002008-01-05T18:54:00.000-05:00Oakes either has dirt on some high up people, or he has 9 lives. No other explanation for it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-49839196735221020262008-01-05T18:49:00.000-05:002008-01-05T18:49:00.000-05:00Wilson actually has something worth listening to?<BR/>Mark this on a calendar! <BR/>Score one for Wilson.<BR/>As to the post..<BR/><BR/><B>the hits just keep on coming!!</B>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12703782.post-86809974546152669982008-01-05T18:44:00.000-05:002008-01-05T18:44:00.000-05:00Thank you.<BR/><BR/>I'd been worried about this since the first rumblings. Someone needs to speak up on this.<BR/><BR/>He did exactly the same thing as Terry Record. Except add the fact he wasn't even legally old enough to drink.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com