#robert crowley

[weherzit]

[sarcasticcynic]

Murderer released after being deemed too old to kill again, kills again

It took a Maine jury less than an hour to find Albert Flick guilty of murdering Kimberly Dobbie with her twin sons nearby in July 2018.

In 1979, then-37-year-old Albert Flick stabbed his wife Sandra to death while her young daughter was nearby. He was convicted of murder, and spent 25 years in prison.

After his release, then-68-year-old Flick was convicted of assaulting two other women. Prosecutors and probation officials recommended a sentence of at least eight or nine years. Judge Robert E. Crowley disagreed, however, and sentenced Flick to less than four years, explaining his reasoning thus:

“At some point, Mr. Flick is going to age out of his capacity to engage in this conduct, and incarcerating him beyond the time that he ages out doesn't seem to me to make good sense from a criminological or fiscal perspective.”

After his release, then-76-year-old Flick stabbed Kimberly Dobbie to death while her two young sons were nearby. He was convicted of murder. Again.

Judge Crowley did not respond to requests for comment.

[noitrik]

11. Spice by Roger Crowley

So! History book! Yay! This was actually a really good read, basically starts at the very beginning of Magellan's career when he was young and sailing of the Portuguese to the Moluccas Islands. Then it follows him to his sailing for Spain to find a strait through the Americas to reach the same islands. But that is only the beginning! The many trials and tribulations of the Portuguese, Spanish, English, Moluccans, Japanese, Chinese, South Americans... etc! all surrounding the Spice Islands. So many different groups of people were affected by the exploration, trade, and colonization established in the 1500s. This book touches a little bit on all of it, a good generalized history with many interesting aspects regarding a time and place that still affects people of the world today. This was an enjoyable read, educational and interesting. I would give this a 7/10. A good read and makes me want to know more about more history. It definitely gives more context to certain parts of history and why things are how they are and how they came to be! I am still looking for a good book on the Silk Roads of ancient times, might have to find a more academic source for that. My next book for non-fiction will probably be regarding the nomadic tribes of the steppes of Asia. I am also looking for any good books on textiles and history in the Americas, pre-colonial or just at the time of European discovery. These will also probably have to be academic in nature I am thinking. (there is a 500 years of the history of Mexico that has caught my interest as well. We will see what happens next!) So yeh, 7/10 book. See y'all around and thanks for reading!

[daglout]

[coolranch-chrisevans]

Nothing like starting off the morning bawling during Downton Abbey

Yep. This is where I'm at right now.

Okay, so a bunch of people told me I had to watch Downton and I was really really nervous. I knew somebody had to be dying from the reactions that I was hearing, but I'm not always a big crier, so I figured it would be safe to watch it this morning.

WRONG.

And I was like, okay, either Sybil is going to die in child birth or Bates is going to get shanked. We all know that Bates and Anna are my favorite so I was really hoping it wasn't him. And then Sybil had her baby and she was fine, and I was like, oh no, Bates. 

But then Sybil was not fine and she was dead. And I was so so sad. And Tom was like, "Don't leave me!" and Cora was crying and I was holding it together. I was mostly consumed at this point with, THIS IS ROBERT'S FAULT. 

And then they told the staff, and I was still keeping it together. And then Thomas was like "I don't know why I'm crying" and I was like, "It's because you have a soul!" and I started to tear up. Me crying over Thomas, that was weird. Ugh, and Carson. Poor Carson. 

And then Cora was sitting talking to Sybil. And I was still a little teary, and then she said "This is my chance to say goodbye to my baby" and I was done. I went from slightly tearing to full-on sobbing with those words. CORA YOU ARE SINCERELY BREAKING MY HEART.

And then I got it together a little, but then Mary said to Edith " She was the only person living who always thought you and I were such nice people" I was done again. BAWLING. And when Edith asked if they might get along better now, Mary was like, No, I started crying even harder, because it's awful but it's not going to change them. I didn't think it was bitchy, it was just true. Losing your sister is hardly going to make you a happier person.

And thank God Maggie Smith didn't go any further than she did. If she had hugged Carson I think I would have needed to be sedated. Cora is never going to forgive Robert, and neither am I. His arrogance and pride killed Sybil. It is your fault, there's more than a little truth in it. 

I can't even discuss the estate stuff and the Bates stuff and the Thomas-touching-Jimmy stuff because SYBIL IS DEAD.

[lostinprocrastination]

Just to be clear on my post from yesterday, since I've noticed some anger over it...

That's true, Robert is not the best man around and does have his (not so little) share of, um, questionable actions, to put it mildly. If you've read my tags you saw something along the lines of "I am actually agreeing with Robert, do you see what is going on?", which indicates that siding with him isn't something I normally do - and when I do, I find it alarming.

HOWEVER, the *specific situation* I was talking about was Branson leaving (a very pregnant) Sybil ALL ALONE in their home to answer for something HE HAD DONE (or at least was somehow part of), with which she had absolutely nothing to do, at least that we know of. I'm not discussing his reasons for burning that house. I'm talking about him leaving Sybil there and then running away to her family's home without her and I'm sorry, but YES, that was AWFUL. I am not getting into the subject of why he did what he did that made him have to run away AT ALL.

So while Robert indeed *is* the worst in many situations, in that particular case he was worried about his daughter being all alone and in danger while her husband was safe in his own home so again, I am sorry, but Branson all of a sudden ditching the scared expression on his face and smugly telling Robert "he doesn't know the real world" or something like that like he's so wise and magnanimous and better WAS a dick move. Specially because he had to leave this "real world" and go to Downton to be safe so he could tell Robert (but really, everyone there) how much they're worse than him.

Look, I saw someone saying that Branson is awfully written because Fellowes is a Tory and I can totally see that, but it is what it is and IMHO he is completely unlikable - though it certainly has to do with Allen Leech's choices for the character as well as the writing. I am VERY left-wing, but you know what? People who think that because of their political beliefs they're entitled to act all superior, like they're better than everyone, get on my goddamn nerves.

THERE, I SAID IT.

[suurahhhinthetardis]