No one is safe - Fed Judge finds 2 DB

Duxman · March 1, 2005, 10:29 AM

Looks like murder to me. A professional job using .22 cal pistol / rifle. Too bad the Homeowner was not ready with a weapon, this could have turned out differently.

The judge was appointed by Clinton, so probably an anti-gun liberal. Not that anyone would deserve to come home and find everyone KIA.

Just another reason to be armed and prepared. Thoughts?

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...s/judge_bodies

CHICAGO - A federal judge who was once the target of a failed murder plot by a white supremacist found two bodies in her home when she returned from work, reportedly those of her husband and 89-year-old mother.

Supremacist Matthew Hale was convicted last year of soliciting an undercover FBI (news - web sites) informant to kill U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow and is awaiting sentencing.

On Monday, Lefkow stumbled across the bodies of her husband, attorney Michael F. Lefkow, and her mother, Donna Humphrey, 89, who was visiting from Denver, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune.

Police confirmed the judge found two people were dead in the home around 6 p.m. but would not identify the victims. They gave no indication whether the two deaths were related to the Hale case.

Michael Lefkow, 64, and Humphrey were each shot in the head, according to the Tribune, which cited unidentified sources. No weapon was found but authorities did recover two .22-caliber casings, the newspaper reported.

Lefkow received police protection after Hale was arrested in 2003. Prosecutors alleged that he was angry after Lefkow ruled that he could no longer use the name World Church of the Creator for his group because another organization had a copyright on that name.

Hale, 33, became notorious in 1999 when a follower, Benjamin Smith, went on a deadly shooting rampage in Illinois and Indiana. Targeting minorities, Smith killed two people, including former Northwestern University basketball coach Ricky Birdsong, and wounded nine others before killing himself as police closed in.

Hale's reaction to Smith's three-day shooting spree — Hale laughed about it and imitated gunfire in secretly recorded tapes played for the jury — was part of the prosecution's case last year.

Members of a Chicago police forensics team could be seen inside the two-story Lefkow home on the city's North Side late Monday evening wearing white clothing and surgical-style headgear.

FBI spokesman Ross Rice confirmed that agents had been called in to help with the investigation but provided no further details. Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said he would have no comment.

The Lefkows were active in the Episcopal church.

"This is a real shock. I'm really saddened and outraged. I hope the people responsible will be apprehended soon," said William Persell, bishop of the Chicago Diocese of the Episcopal Church.

Neighbors described the Lefkows as a model family. "This is someone who adored his daughters," Nan Sullivan said. "They were the kind of family everyone aspires to be, very close-knit, very supportive."

Hale never testified during his two-week trial. His defense attorney, Thomas Anthony Durkin, called no witnesses, saying the prosecution's evidence was the weakest he had seen in a major case.

A key witness, Anthony Evola, testified he secretly taped Hale for the FBI while posing as a follower. Among the conversations were ones in which they discussed the judge.

"Are we gonna exterminate the rat?" Evola can be heard asking Hale, who responds a short time later: "I'm going to fight within the law and, but, ... if you wish to, ah, do anything, yourself, you can."

The defense argued that Hale never asked anyone to kill the judge and that the FBI used Evola to draw him into a murder plot.

planecrazy69 · March 1, 2005, 11:03 AM

You would think after that type of threat he would be armed. I also keep 2 German Shepards in my house, best alarm stystem around.

USP45usp · March 1, 2005, 02:56 PM

You missed one important part:

Quote:

CHICAGO

So,

Quote:

You would think after that type of threat he would be armed.

They couldn't do it, since there is handgun ban in Chicago

.

Duxman · March 1, 2005, 03:25 PM

Should not have stopped them from having shotguns in their home. Even in our gun-banning nation's capital you may have a shotgun for HD.

Plus I am sure a FEDERAL judge would have enough pull to get a handgun permit.

mikikanazawa · March 7, 2005, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Plus I am sure a FEDERAL judge would have enough pull to get a handgun permit.

That is true, and while I don't argue the case against having firearms for self-defense, a federal judge getting a permit simply because he wants one raises the argument: Do only politicians and people of power have lives worth defending?

LAK · March 7, 2005, 04:47 AM

Quote:

The judge was appointed by Clinton

I am surprized by now that Hill & Bill Clinton aren't on the National Safety Council's "top 1000" ...

1. Heart disease

2. Cancer

3. Stroke ...

956. Skiing

957. Choking on Bon-Bons

958. Being closely and wrongly associated with Hillary or Bill Clinton

959. Nail guns ........

All joking aside, it sounds like a professional job of sorts. IMO, most of those "white supremicist" groups are probably handled. And likely pools for expendable mechanics.

But if the target was the judge, whoever did do it evidently bungled it. But lawyers make enemies too. Be interesting to see how this case developes.

Could be they had the tools, but were taken by surprize. Dogs may have helped.

March 1, 2005, 10:29 AM	#1
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	No one is safe - Fed Judge finds 2 DB Looks like murder to me. A professional job using .22 cal pistol / rifle. Too bad the Homeowner was not ready with a weapon, this could have turned out differently. The judge was appointed by Clinton, so probably an anti-gun liberal. Not that anyone would deserve to come home and find everyone KIA. Just another reason to be armed and prepared. Thoughts? http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...s/judge_bodies CHICAGO - A federal judge who was once the target of a failed murder plot by a white supremacist found two bodies in her home when she returned from work, reportedly those of her husband and 89-year-old mother. Supremacist Matthew Hale was convicted last year of soliciting an undercover FBI (news - web sites) informant to kill U.S. District Judge Joan Humphrey Lefkow and is awaiting sentencing. On Monday, Lefkow stumbled across the bodies of her husband, attorney Michael F. Lefkow, and her mother, Donna Humphrey, 89, who was visiting from Denver, according to the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune. Police confirmed the judge found two people were dead in the home around 6 p.m. but would not identify the victims. They gave no indication whether the two deaths were related to the Hale case. Michael Lefkow, 64, and Humphrey were each shot in the head, according to the Tribune, which cited unidentified sources. No weapon was found but authorities did recover two .22-caliber casings, the newspaper reported. Lefkow received police protection after Hale was arrested in 2003. Prosecutors alleged that he was angry after Lefkow ruled that he could no longer use the name World Church of the Creator for his group because another organization had a copyright on that name. Hale, 33, became notorious in 1999 when a follower, Benjamin Smith, went on a deadly shooting rampage in Illinois and Indiana. Targeting minorities, Smith killed two people, including former Northwestern University basketball coach Ricky Birdsong, and wounded nine others before killing himself as police closed in. Hale's reaction to Smith's three-day shooting spree — Hale laughed about it and imitated gunfire in secretly recorded tapes played for the jury — was part of the prosecution's case last year. Members of a Chicago police forensics team could be seen inside the two-story Lefkow home on the city's North Side late Monday evening wearing white clothing and surgical-style headgear. FBI spokesman Ross Rice confirmed that agents had been called in to help with the investigation but provided no further details. Randall Samborn, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney's office, said he would have no comment. The Lefkows were active in the Episcopal church. "This is a real shock. I'm really saddened and outraged. I hope the people responsible will be apprehended soon," said William Persell, bishop of the Chicago Diocese of the Episcopal Church. Neighbors described the Lefkows as a model family. "This is someone who adored his daughters," Nan Sullivan said. "They were the kind of family everyone aspires to be, very close-knit, very supportive." Hale never testified during his two-week trial. His defense attorney, Thomas Anthony Durkin, called no witnesses, saying the prosecution's evidence was the weakest he had seen in a major case. A key witness, Anthony Evola, testified he secretly taped Hale for the FBI while posing as a follower. Among the conversations were ones in which they discussed the judge. "Are we gonna exterminate the rat?" Evola can be heard asking Hale, who responds a short time later: "I'm going to fight within the law and, but, ... if you wish to, ah, do anything, yourself, you can." The defense argued that Hale never asked anyone to kill the judge and that the FBI used Evola to draw him into a murder plot.

March 1, 2005, 11:03 AM	#2
planecrazy69 Junior Member Join Date: January 4, 2005 Location: Georgia Posts: 1	You would think after that type of threat he would be armed. I also keep 2 German Shepards in my house, best alarm stystem around. __________________ Please come visit WeaponsForum.com

March 1, 2005, 03:25 PM	#4
Duxman Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2005 Location: VA Posts: 1,294	Should not have stopped them from having shotguns in their home. Even in our gun-banning nation's capital you may have a shotgun for HD. Plus I am sure a FEDERAL judge would have enough pull to get a handgun permit.