Witches, Pagans and Justice

<b>Murder Spell Case Goes to Trial</b>

The <a href="http://www.ktiv.com/global/story.asp?s=9675765">jury has been selected</a> for a case that made Pagans and Witches everywhere cringe. Larry Harris of Souix City, Iowa was arrested <a href="http://www.witchmoot.com/dawn.php/2008/01/28/how-do-you-spell-murder">last year</a> after the deaths of his two young step-daughters and torching of his home. He claimed a spell went bad. What concerns me about the jury selection, is that it seems that are no Wiccans, Witches, Pagans or Occultists in the jury.

The Defense attorney <i> went down a laundry list of items and asked if they believed in or used any of the following: Tarot cards, Ouija boards, Ghosts, Levitation, Voo doo, Black magic, Processions, Evil intervention or Séances.  Hardly anyone raised a hand for those.  But many did believe in: the power of prayer, Satan, demons, guardian angels, and divine intervention.  </i>
(Processions, what do they mean by that?)

The question of whether knowledge and beliefs in these areas would taint the jury one way or another is an interesting one. Sure, people who don't believe in the occult, but do believe in Christian ideas may be more likely to deem a person guilty because they believe he was dabbling in evil forces, or perhaps insane because he was dabbling in unreal or imaginary forces. It's unclear what the defense is going for here. It's too bad there aren't more Pagans on the jury, but I suppose it's the law of averages here. Many Pagans would say that he's crazy, that it's a cover up, that spells don't just go bad and kill folks, etc. But how do we know? I suppose it's possible. Either way if he was doing something dangerous, he shouldn't have been doing it around kids. If indeed the spell "went bad" and the kids died because of it, he is, at the very least, guilty of willfully endangering children!

Alot more information came out in <a href="http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2009/01/11/news/top/fb296762204669c98625753a00095315.txt">an interview with the mother</a> of the young victims. He'd been threatening her. He took blood from one of the girls to use in the ritual, her DNA was on the knife. He claimed he was possessed by <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K%C4%81l%C4%AB">Kali</a>... the Destroyer, who was traditionally offered sacrifices of young children... If the girls had not died, he should still be brought to justice for cutting one of them if nothing else!

<b>Wiccan Inmate Seeks Release</b>

While we're on the subject of Pagan murderers, Randall Lee McArthur <a href="http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/south_73099___article.html/murder_killer.html">has been in prison for 25 years</a> for the murder of a young man whom he killed with the help of another man whose motive was apparently jealousy. (The other guy got five years). McArthur has also been in trouble for burglary and vandalism. But after 25 years he says he's grown up, found Goddess and ready to be released into the real world.

<i>A member of the state prison board, noting McArthur's references to Wicca along with Druidism, said some people view them as evil religions. McArthur was asked if he was discovering something different.
</i>

I can't speculate whether the man is rehabilitated, but I hope the fact that Mr McArthur is a Wiccan is not adversely affecting the parole board's opinion of him!

<b>Wiccan Inmates Lose Appeal for More Time</b>
<a href="http://iowaindependent.com/10388/three-hours-long-enough-for-prisoners-religious-observance">Three Wiccan inmates in Iowa</a> recently lost an appeal on their claim that three hours isn't enough time for a proper religious observance, specifically for Samhain.

Okay, folks, I know my Samhain parties take about five hours, but that includes dinner, socializing, etc. The actual ritual doesn't take more than an hour, hour and a half tops. Can we stop embarrassing ourselves by demanding more stuff than everyone else gets? Please.

<b>Debt Collector Hires Witch</b>

Luckily not everyone in my Pagan Justice roundup is guilty. A Lithuanian a debt collection firm has hired Vilija Lobaciuviene, a witch, to use magic not only to help bring in deadbeats, but also to provide spiritual healing and support for those suffering under the strains of debt. She will be doing this using hypnosis, herbal medicines and bio energy field work.

In a story by the <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/money/2009/01/15/2009-01-15_lithuanian_firm_hires_a_witch_to_hunt_de.html">NY Daily News</a>, there are entirely too many disrespectful quotes for me...

But whatever, Go Valija!

<b>No Justice for the Wicked Witch of the West</b>
And finally, <a href="http://www.ellwoodcityledger.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20241127&amp;BRD=2724&amp;PAG=461&amp;dept_id=563781&amp;rfi=6">fourth graders from Todd Elementary School</a> in Beaver, PA have declared Dorothy innocent of the murder of the Wicked Witch of the West, despite the fact that Dorothy went to the Witch's house with the intention of killing her. No word yet about an appeal.