Arkansas Blog

Maybe if the leaders of this community would have the backbone to stand up and address the need for more beds in our county jail system, the Chief of Police might not be pushed back into a corner and have to address the citizens this way. All we're doing is arresting the idiots and then letting them back on the streets. How can you expect the crime rate to decline?

Would I pay an additional sales tax to keep my family safe? Hell yeah! But it's going to take someone with guts to figure this mess out and at this point, I haven't seen anyone in city or county leadership who can stomach it.

The City seems to be missing the forest through the trees on this one. As far as I can tell nobody is seriously questioning whether or not the investigators and various investigatory agencies are working hard, following leads, etc. In fact, much concern seems only to be tangentially related to the specific facts of this case or the ongoing investigation at all. The bigger point (and the one still being missed as far as I can tell) is why the City's leadership (police, mayor, city manager, etc.) isn't leading on the general issue of safety and protection of person and property. Why aren't they providing proactive, value-added tips to the community about the appropriate level of alertness/security in a time like this (i.e. when a murderer is on the loose)? True, some of that may be (and is) obvious, but it is nonetheless beneficial to the community to hear that the City (i) acknowledges the concern and unease that comes with a situation such as this; and (ii) will be proactive in providing tips, tools and resources for community members who are understandably concerned for their personal safety and that of their family, friends and neighbors. How about using this situation as an opportunity to distribute personal safety tips, to highlight (or provide) self-defense training opportunities, to encourage the use of everyday resources such as motion detecting lights, security systems, neighborhood watches, etc.? Those are the things that make people feel the City understands their concerns and is providing leadership.
Where is the Mayor, the Police Chief, the City Manager or the police departments community liaison and why aren't they using this opportunity to lead on these issues? And why do we even have to ask?
This is a time for the City - in addition to providing updates about the Pressly investigation - to also be highlighting the overall general safety of our community, to be providing tips and resources on how to maintain a safe home, neighborhood and community both following an incident such as this and in everyday life generally (but especially when a murder is on the loose). It is both a teaching and a leadership moment/opportunity...and I think many people feel they aren't seeing either.
Instead, what we have is a City (and now it seems a police chief) that is on the defensive, responding to a very small part of the concern being expressed. It isn't just that the community wants the perpetrator of this crime to be caught (of course we do), is is also that the City wants to feel safe, know that the City takes safety as seriously as the community does and is simultaneously investigating this and other crimes while also providing leadership and resources on ensuring the entire community's safety generally.

If someone would demonstrate a connection between a reduction in crime and excessive incarceration rates, then I'll vote to lock 'em up and throw the key away.

The problem is that jailing everyone creates disastrous unintended consequences. Unless they are jailed until death, convicts must reenter society and become employed. If they don't get jobs, they become recidivists. If a man is employed at the time of arrest, he isn't employed when he gets out. Most of the people in jail are there for nonviolent offences. Never, ever, do I see the proponents of this endless jailing to solve crime address what happens when these people are released.

Society also must be protected from some people, it will be very interesting to learn whether the monster who attacked Anne Pressly had a violent criminal history. If he did, and it was predictive of this sort of attack, consideration must be given to longer term prison terms where the crime is one that indicates a deep violent pathology.

But it it is ridiculously expensive, both directly and indirectly, to toss nonviolent offenders in jail when less destructive measures are more effective.

From a friend. Take it for what it's worth.

"A friend who is with the LRFD posted this: Just a little more info on Anne Pressly that no one knows due to the investigation. Anne had major blunt trama to her face which was shifted to one side, Her neck was cut, both wrists, and legs...Anne was left for dead. The LRPD said that it was just face trama and there was no stab wounds due to the investigation. I have a LRPD officer that said she had been cut up as well and had spinal fluid leaking from her nose and ears..They knew she was not going to make. She also coded(flat lined) on the way to get an MRI done while in the hospital."

I understand because of the lack of information being released by the police that rumor-mongering is inevitably going to be widespread about the details of the attack. Nonetheless, information such as that posted above by Cato, if true, hasn't been released because either A) doing so may somehow endanger the investigation, or, B) they've withheld the information out of respect for the family. Either way, posting such rumors here is helpful to no one and may, in fact, prove harmful.

I think we all know that these things will, of their own inexorable momentum, barrel their way around the local e-mail gossip circuit. But please, for the love of God, can we at least keep this crap off of a public forum until Anne's family has had a chance to bury her?

Anon-

I agree on both points. There should be more public information, if for no other reason to prevent the rampant rumors, and there is information that none of us needs to know.

Unfortunately, there is no alert function here. I assume when Max, et. al. see it it will be removed.

I agree with Bethoughtful this is a prime opportunity for the LRPD to offer tips for safety in our homes to encourage neighborhood watch programs etc. However, I think the LRPD may be further along in this case that we the public know...this is a case of pure evil, a well thought out crime on a specific young victim, it is troubling to me that individuals that could do this are "walking among us'.
Crime in this city is rampant, robberies are on the rise, home breakins an everyday occurance, within the last 2 weeks I have heard of home breakins in the Fairpark and Hall High neighborhoods and a car robbery in the Heights. Its unnerving!! The police advised one friend "Buy a gun".
Seldom are these crimes solved, the friend with the car robbery had his wallet stolen and $500.00 worth of gas purchased...aren't there surviellance cameras at most gas pumps?
Feeling safe is high on my list of needs.

I agree what I posted is rough and difficult but keep in mind the heading of this string: "POLICE AND THE PRESSLEY MATTER." Tell the rest of us exactly what that implies to the readers and to that family? Then take a close look at the three posts above mine and tell me what all the inferences and implications are about perhaps the killer is one that should have been in jail but wasn't? Sheese, come on kids. Use the same yardstick to measure all the posts rather just pick out one that you select as offensive to your taste and to heck with the others. Pass judgment all you wish but put it all on a level field.

"We do have an individual. The suspect has not been arrested," police spokesman Sgt. Cassandra Davis said.

I just read this at the Houston Chronicle online site. The Sergeant also said they hoped to be able to issue an arrest of this individual.

Really, Silver Bells? I looked online at the Houston Chronicle and couldn't find anything like what you mentioned. Do you have a link?

Firstly, It's PRESSLY. If you're going to talk about it, and pretend to have respect for her, at least get her name right.

Secondly, the information that was passed along to you probably came through some societal reject that you consider to be an "inside source". You're not going to change the world by sitting in front of your computer being a gossip-monger. What good have you done by posting this? I'm sure you think that you've just shared such an intricate piece to this puzzle with the readers of this blog, and that they'll all be so extremely eternally grateful to you - "cato" - for doing so. To me, you're no different than Fox News, seeing that you apparently jump at the chance to boost your own mental ratings via someone else's misfortune. Cato = liar. Washed up & remembered as a pop culture derelect.

If it's true that some member of the LRFD passed this information along, then they should be fired.

Think about it. Let's say that what you wrote just happened to be true. Well, tell me this -- Why would the police or anyone working on behalf of bringing Anne's attacker to justice want that type of information to be leaked? You need to think before you type this kind of tripe online. You haven't done anything significant other than piss me off, and I'm pretty sure that I do not stand alone on this.

Google Houston Chronicle Cammack and then look in the right hand column.

That's where I found it.

And yeah, I know... It's derelict. If I'm going to correct you, then I need to correct myself.

Police seek suspect in Arkansas TV anchor's death
By KELLY P. KISSEL
Associated Press
Oct. 27, 2008, 7:49PM

KATV Television
Anne Pressly's mother found her badly beaten body on the morning of Oct. 20.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Police said they have information they hope will lead them to the killer of a television anchorwoman who died days after a brutal attack in her home.
Police said they do not yet know the suspect's identity, and would not say what evidence they have linking the person to the attack on Anne Pressly, 26, who died Saturday. Her mother found her badly beaten body on the morning of Oct. 20, when Pressly did not answer her regular wake-up call.
"We do have an individual. The suspect has not been arrested," police spokesman Sgt. Cassandra Davis said.
Reports last week said one of Pressly's credit cards was used Oct. 20 at a service station near downtown Little Rock. Investigators have said she may have been a robbery victim, and that her job did not appear to have had anything to do with the attack. Pressly's purse was missing the morning of the attack.
Davis said police wouldn't comment on evidence obtained so far but added, "We hope that we will be able to make an arrest from the information that we have received."
Chief Stuart Thomas said Monday that his officers had been in contact with the FBI, the state police and the U.S. Marshals Service. He said in a statement that his department has withheld specific information in an effort to keep the investigation focused but that it would release information if it believed it would help detectives or keep the community safe.
Previously, police said there was no sign of forced entry at Pressly's home, a small wood-frame house near the Little Rock Country Club. Davis said officers were returning to the scene as needed in a search for more evidence.
Pressly's employer, KATV, established a reward fund for information. The station said Pressly's family has asked that contributions be made to the fund in lieu of flowers.
Pressly had a small role as a conservative commentator in the new Oliver Stone movie W.

It's also on the MSNBC home page.

cato, I can not believe you would pass this type of information on. Whether it is true or not is not the issue. If it isnt you have just added to rumors, if it is you may have just leaked information that is crucial to only the investigators and the suspect. I hope your proud that you have also disrespected a family that is grieving and going through the most horrible time of their life.

To the others that are being so judgmental of the LRPD. You are far away looking at facts or rumors that have been told to you by the media. Do not think for one moment that these Detectives have had one bit of rest, and do not think that they are nine to fivers as someone suggested on an earlier post. These people are working constantly and will not stop until they have a suspect in custody. One thing everyone has to remember, dont rush to judgment, we, the public want the right person arrested. They want to get the right person. In order to achieve this takes good methodical hard work. Im sure they do not want alot of information released because why would we want a technicality get in the way of a conviction!!??? No one wants this monster out there, not the community, not the police and of course the family needs justice.

I ask that you withhold such criticism until all the facts are in and above all respect this family for they have lost an angel.

Madam - Cato's information was available on Friday.

Unfortunately, some Docs, Police, Fire or EMT's don't observe HIPPA which I will leave up to our blog's resident lawyer.

Don't kill the messenger.

I knew some things last week on the day of the attack that were only reported later. I also heard things today that I almost wish I hadn't heard. They came from a reliable source, but if you're already disturbed by this brutal crime, as I was, then hearing more details makes it even more unsettling. I am not really a squeamish person, but what I heard today makes we want to agree with Newintown that "there is information that none of us needs to know". All we need to know is that a beautiful young woman had her life cut short in a horrific attack.

I didn't know Anne, but knowing the details I heard today, makes me even more aware of the agony her family and friends must be going through.

We have to trust the police are doing everything by the book to build a solid case so that the monster who committed this crime will be caught and convicted.

Well said, NVR. I've heard those some of those details too. More details were forthcoming from the source, but I changed the subject. Didn't know Ms. Pressly, but now I feel that I do - and I have the greatest empathy for her and her family.

I don't support the death penalty, but I feel the only caveat to this monster's death sentence is its precedence by severe physical torture.

Levy, take a breath. I haven't seen as much judgment passed on the LRPD as I've heard cries for communication and leadership from them and City officials (tonight's community meeting in the Heights is a great step in that direction). Nobody is calling for the LRPD to arrest someone/anyone just for the sake of doing so. I haven't seen anyone accusing them of a botched investigation. I think it is worth noting the distinction between a desire for more communication and proactive engagement vs. passing judgment on anyone.
As I said in my previous post, there is an awful lot of defensiveness coming from City and Police leadership (and from people here) but nobody is really questioning whether they are working hard. In the absence of communication and information, people get frustrated, upset and have to resort to working with whatever is available. That's why I suggested that if the City and the LRPD don't have case-related information to share, they should be proactive and engage citizens on the issue of personal and public safety to use this as a teaching/training opportunity and convert some of this anxiety, energy and emotion into positive action.
We're all in this together folks.

Oh you crows and gabbers, you all talk so much and say so little, except mostly to display your ignorance. I remember you all so well from the John Glasgow disappearance. None of you found him and your chatter didn't bring him back, incidentally.

1) Respect for the family? Everybody can hear you gossiping in the hallways, chatting up your friends, talking about the beautiful girl, horribly dead before her time. But then, you come here drawn by the prospect of more gossip and talk, but when someone says something that makes you feel a little ashamed of yourself, when someone starts talking about what happened in details that remind you this was a real person, with real dreams, you rear up on your hind legs and lash out. How pathetically hypocritical.

2) The Chief of Police needs to man up and learn to take the heat. Police are either going to solve this or they aren't. It might be tomorrow or it might be four or five years from now. Most murders are solved within the first 48 to 72 hours. However, this didn't become a murder until Saturday night so there's still some time left before the odds start to drastically decline. Russell wanted to be chief so he's got to take the lumps before he can get the glory. What a whiner.

3) Criticizing the detectives is idiotic. I can guarantee you that you don't know what's going on or how hard they're working or what they're doing. I don't care how many episodes of Law and Order, CSI:Poughkeepsie, the First 48 or Cops you watch or what you read by Ann Rule or Michael Connelly, if you don't investigate crimes for a living, you really don't know much about what you're talking about, Jessica Fletcher be damned. My favorite was the poster who promised to troll the Internet looking for weird comments to report to police. You go, Sherlock. Hope that makes you feel better.

4) Quit trying to make this crime fit into your vastly uniformed worldview. Here's the bottom line: No one is safe. Where you live and who you know and how much money you have might reduce the odds, but there are no guarantees. Owning a gun isn't a guarantee, no matter how much it makes you feel like you are Rambo. Colleges aren't safe, schools aren't safe and Democratic party headquarters aren't safe. You could fill Central High School with Bibles, and that wouldn't do much except give the kids something to throw. Just because someone breaks into a car in your area, it doesn't mean that crime is on the rise.

5) The family should've released photographs of Ms. Pressly on Monday. I don't want to see 'em, and, giving you the benefit of the doubt, you don't want to see them. But frequently, seeing that kind of thing can cause someone to grow a Conscience, maybe not the killer, but someone he knows - happens more than you think, see comment No. 3. Hey, maybe the killer has suicided, ever think of that? Happens more than you think.

The bottom line for me is, talk all you want, but realize you really don't know much, even if you know things that weren't on the news. If there hasn't been an arrest in six months, start rattling the cages some more. If nothing in a year, picket city hall. Just don't twist some poor girl's tragic end into something that makes you feel better about yourself.

Ransack you talk about respect for the family and then you say they should have released photos on Monday. How is that respect? Would you want pictures of your brutally beaten child posted for the world to see? If you were her parents, wouldn't you rather people remember Anne for the beautiful person she was? Do you want children who might be watching TV to see something that horrific? Obviously you don't have any more idea of how to solve a crime than you accuse the rest of us of having.

Take your own words to heart--" if you don't investigate crimes for a living, you really don't know much about what you're talking about" and "you all talk so much and say so little, except mostly to display your ignorance."

GOOD GRIEF,. CATO.. STFU., ALL YOU FREAKS WHO WANT THE GRISLY DETAILS.. HAVENT THESE PARENTS AND COWORKERS SUFFERED ENOUGH..

LET OUR POLICE DO THEIR JOB.. THEY ARE DAM GOOD AT IT. MAYBE THEY DONT WANT THEIR CARDS ON THE TABLE.. LET THEM DO THEIR THING. QUIT HARASSING THEM , THE MORE THEY HAVE TO SAY PUBLICLY. THE MORE THE PERP HAS TO GO ON OR HIS FRIENDS WHO ARE COVERING FOR HIM.
THIS IS HORRENDOUS,. NO ONE SHOULD HAVE TO BEAR WHAT HAS BEEN DISHED OUT TO A PRECIOUS HUMAN BEING, AND HER POOR PARENTS,, CANNOT EVEN BEGIN TO IMAGINE FINDING A CHILD OF MINE IN THAT STATE. GOODNESS GRACIOUS WHAT IS THIS WORLD COMING TO. DEAR LORD HELP US.
AND FAST PLEASE.

Nevervote - you need to tug your skirt down 'cause your idiocy is showing.

I would want pictures of my brutally beaten child shown everywhere if this was my daughter.

I wonder what Ms. Pressly's parents are more concerned with, having everyone remember the unsolved murder of their beautiful daughter or solving the case because one of the killer's friends got a conscience?

Oooh, but what about the children? Won't someone please think about the children? Thanks, Mrs. Lovejoy, but maybe kids shouldn't be watching TV news stories about murders.

I know that coming to grips with your own hypocrisy is painful, but you should leave this kind of things to the professionals. Don't worry your pointy little head about all of this. Shouldn't you be early-voting or campaigning for Obama, anyway.

Ransack, I'm not the hypocrite here. There is a large reward available for the "Killer's friends" with a conscience. A picture so that YOU can see all the gory details along with the rest of the people who like to gawk at an accident on the side of the road etc. won't influence their conscience. I YOU want pictures of your murdered child published that is your choice, but don't assume that every parent would want that. And if you think children can be protected from TV new stories about murders when they break into regular programming to announce "breaking news" or when the 6 pm news comes on, then you're living in a fantasy world.

And if you read my first post on this thread on the blog, you'd know I am leaving it to the professionals which is why I responded to you when you said "if you don't investigate crimes for a living, you really don't know much about what you're talking about" and then proceeded to tell the "professionals" how it should be done. That's the hypocrisy.