20 APR 07: THE VOYAGE HOME

A long wait ended Thursday for Lanny Davis - a very long wait. He finally picked up the remains of his son, murdered Fort Benning soldier Richard Davis. Based on another story which made news Thursday, he was wise NOT to bury his son at Porterdale Cemetery....

As your blog first reported last Sunday, District Attorney Gray Conger decided the time was finally right to turn over the body of Spec. Richard Davis. He held the body as evidence for more than three years. But the D.A. may have decided it was politically smart to release one carcass to save his own.

Appeals are pending for some of the Fort Benning soldiers convicted of killing Richard Davis along Milgen Road. The District Attorney held on to the murdered body, in case it might be needed as evidence. This shows how times have changed in criminal justice between "Perry Mason" and "Boston Legal."

Gray Conger explained to the evening news one of the defense attorneys told him the remains of Richard Davis would NOT be necessary in an appeal. So he made this decision based on ONE lawyer, in a case with multiple defendants?! A case that weak wouldn't have convicted any of them in the first place.

Gray Conger cleared up one online claim about Spec. Richard Davis, explaining the remains were kept in a "vault" inside the Government Center. That's a bit different from keeping the soldier's body in an office closet. I mean, a vault at a bank tends to have a combination lock....

The District Attorney added it's not really that unusual for bodies needed as evidence to be kept in vaults at the Government Center. Of course, some people are more concerned by the bodies merely taking up space in city departments.

As for the victim's family: Lanny Davis flew his son's body back to southern California Thursday, for a Saturday military burial. I can't imagine how anyone would check a dead body at the airport luggage area. You certainly wouldn't want to carry it on board the plane - because those overhead storage doors sometimes can open, you know.

I'm told Lanny Davis kept a strong demeanor as he recovered the body of his son, and didn't seem to cry at all. Maybe it's the military background of the family. Or maybe he kept the last three years in mind -- and he's preparing to appear in "attack ads" for one of Gray Conger's opponents in the next election.

Lanny Davis said when his son went to Iraq four years ago, he made a promise - "that I'd bring him home." Thursday's turnover of the body finally allows him to do that. Perhaps now his son's "foundation for peace" will have some - toward the Government Center, at least.

The online petition drive for Spec. Richard Davis had NOT been updated as of Thursday night, with the news of the handover. More than 320 people signed the petition set up by the Richard Davis Foundation for Peace. Others may have stayed away, out of fear they'd start receiving e-mails from Cindy Sheehan.

In another sad case involving Fort Benning soldiers, the Ledger-Enquirer reported Thursday a grand jury decided NOT to indict anyone for an alleged gang rape at the Super 8 Motel. The alleged victim claimed the soldiers shouted "Hooah!" during the act -- but the grand jury apparently shouted by shouting "Hooey!"

E-MAIL UPDATE: If you simply can't wait for "Rise-N-Shine" on Monday morning to vent, an alternative may be developing....

Richard, WRCG's Talkline may be off the air but the loyal long-time listeners and callers will not be silenced. Many of us have talked with each other this week and we are planning to have "Talkline" meetings. These meetings will not only be social gatherings but we will also discuss the various ways we can continue our activism. Those who want to receive notice of our meetings please call my cell phone (706) 593-7075 and leave either your phone number or e-mail address so I can get in touch with you. Thanks

Barbara

We'll see what happens with this approach, but I'll dare to make a prediction to Barbara -- if Robbie Watson shows up, Deborah Owens won't.

If TalkLine's listeners and callers all gathered together, what would happen? Would you need a room with extra padding, to limit the noise? Would you need police on hand, as the liberals and conservatives finally came face-to-face?

In the Internet age, I suppose anyone could pick up the gap and do a local talk show online. But it would be challenging to build an audience - unless the host posted a video on YouTube, where he or she did a silly dance step.

(Before you suggest I become the one to fill the gap - sorry. I only have one line for telephone and Internet. So the usual "six-second tape delay" for radio talk shows might be more like six minutes.)

Now let's check more headlines you might have been tempted to call TalkLine about today:

+ Gasoline prices dropped five cents a gallon across Columbus, to a low of $2.67 downtown. Is this some sort of weird Earth Day "global warming" special?

+ A seminar called "Teach Me Foreclosure" was held at the Four Points Sheraton hotel. I received an invitation to this, and it promised to reveal how to make big money in housing foreclosures. It probably did NOT tell you how to avoid the crying families losing their homes to you.

+ Georgia State University economist Donald Ratacjzak visited Columbus State University, and predicted the Dow Jones Industrial Average will hit 13,000 by the end of the year. Considering it's within 200 points of that milestone now, this economist must be conservative with his investments.

(Dr. Donald Ratacjzak told WRBL the Columbus area is NOT ready yet for Fort Benning base realignment. Maybe if we had soldiers build that proposed new "dorm housing" complex on South Lumpkin Road....)

+ Renovation workers revealed they unearthed a bomb shelter, while improving the sanctuary of Opelika First Baptist Church. Those old pastors didn't preach much about the rapture, did they?

+ State Rep. Carolyn Hugley spoke up in the Georgia House against a bill making it a felony to drive without a license. She's against this?! Didn't she read the news about the city of Columbus being short on prison labor?

+ "Disney on Ice" began its annual appearance at the Columbus Civic Center. This year's performance includes "The Incredibles" - whom I presume recruit one or two tough guys from the Cottonmouths to beat up the villains.

+ Instant Message to Columbus Catfish designated hitter Brett Grandstrand: With a name like that, what are you doing here? Why aren't you playing in Myrtle Beach?

COMING SOON: My afternoon with four queens (ahhhh)....

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