My dilemma today.....I have been busy the last two days and don't feel like doing a damn thing today, so......the big question is, should I get in the car and drive to the local grocery store (about 3 blocks) and buy one of their delicious warm crossiants (sp)which I have an incredible craving for??? Yes/No, Yes/No, Yes/No, Yes/No.....hell, I'll be right back.





TIS

Now, this is how all murder trials should end.

Italian Accused of Murder Dies on Stand
By Associated Press

Mon Jun 25, 12:29 AM

ROME - An Italian charged with killing his American girlfriend after he kidnapped their daughter suffered a heart attack and died on the stand Monday as he testified in court, his lawyer said.

Carlo Ventre, 59, was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance crews called to the Rome courtroom, attorney Roberto Leonardo said.

Ventre had been testifying calmly for about 10-15 minutes about the first fights he had with girlfriend Toni Dykstra when he said he did not feel well, Leonardo said. A few seconds later he was dead, he said.

"It's a terrible story, with a tragic epilogue," he said.

Ventre, who had suffered a heart attack in 2002, was charged with killing Dykstra in his Rome apartment in 1998. He had pleaded innocent, saying he acted in self-defense.

Dykstra, who lived in southern California's San Pedro area, had traveled to Italy to retrieve the couple's daughter, Santina. When she found the girl and Ventre, she obtained an Italian court order requiring Ventre to hand over the girl so she could return to the United States with her.

The day before they were to leave, Dykstra, 29, was found dead on the floor of Ventre's apartment. Ventre told Italian authorities Dykstra struck her head on a fireplace when he shoved her in self-defense after she attacked him with an ax.

Leonardo said Ventre arrived at the courtroom Monday tired and sweating in 95-degree heat after traveling for an hour on public transportation.

He said Ventre was testifying when suddenly he stopped and said, "I don't feel well." He then slumped back in his chair.

Attorney Luca Ciaglia, who was representing the Dykstra family in the civil portion of the case, said the courtroom was stunned. "It was something incredible, something unexpected," he said. "He probably was feeling great torment inside."

Dykstra's family and friends had said Ventre repeatedly threatened to kill Dykstra. The couple lived together in Downey, a south Los Angeles suburb, for about a year but never married.

Ventre was arrested when he returned to the United States in 1999 after Dykstra's father was awarded custody of Santina. He was convicted of international parental kidnapping charges and sentenced to nearly a year in prison.

After completing the sentence, Ventre was held without bond in the United States while he fought extradition. He was sent to Italy in 2005 after his appeals were exhausted to face murder charges in Dykstra's death.

Shortly after he was extradited, Ventre was charged in the United States for allegedly soliciting the murder of Dykstra's parents and another kidnapping of Santina.

Santina has been in the custody of Ventre's brother, who lives in Las Vegas.

Wow!! How strange is that??? Sounds like a story in a novel.

Life is stranger than fiction at times hu?

TIS

How long before that is turned into a movie?

I had a trial where one of my witnesses suffered a heart attack outside the court room while the trial was going on. When I called him to testify, the court staff advised me that he was on a stretcher. It was 3 pm, so the judge called it a day, and called me into his chambers where we had a few shots of Jack Daniels.

Klydon,

I can imagine that would be quite a shocker. I guess it happens more often than we might think.

Speaking of courts, jurors, etc. A couple years ago I was on a jury. I take being a juror very seriously and listen to everything everyone says, etc.

They called a doctor to the stand as a medical expert right? Well, this doctor stuttered something terrible. I felt sorry for him, but it took freakin' forever for him to tesitify. I don't know if it was the silence of the courtroom, or the seriousness of where I was, hearing a case, but halfway through this doctor's testimony I had to fight back laughter. Why would I do that? I kept thinking to myself, "why do you want to laugh at this man" and "what if you bust up and the judge kicks you out, how damn embarrassing would that be?" They more I told myself don't laugh, the harder I had to fight back laughter. This is something I wouldn't normally do. Am I a bad person?

TIS

Not at all. I've been ther many times myself. The more you try to suppress the laughter, the harder it is to stop. I think it's a combination of the subject that you find amusing and your surroundings, usually a place where you know you're supposed to be serious. It's happened to me in church, court, seminars, funeral homes, etc.

The cure for those occasions is if something happens that makes it appropriate for all to laugh. It allows you a legitimate outlet to release all your "misplaced" laughter.

While at the time I just wanted to disappear, I get a kick out of recalling those moments.

I hate it when my lips get sunburned

Well it looks like somebody's lips are getting action.

That Ventre guy may well have been innocent...

But no, accusations are enough!

Fuck him! Let him BURN BURN BURN!!!!!!!!

It's oppressively hot in New York City today.

Like race riot hot.

Ugh...

It's one of those days when the heat just seems to bake everything.

When they have these types of days in California they call it "Shake N Bake".

Hey!!!! I'm glad you smile when you say California. Thankfully no shaking going on here.

Yea, I hear it's dreadfully humid there. What's the temp? It is in the 90's here (of course not with your humidity). I am pretty heat resistant and not the person to comment, but it's very nice here.

TIS

Thanks TIS. I'm stuck to my drawers but I'm glad YOU'RE comfortable.

LMAO!!! Yea, I know everybody thinks I'm nuts. What can I say.
Sorry about the drawer dilemma. Why not just go drawerless (well in the house anyway)

TIS

Don't say "nuts" and "drawerless" in the same sentence!

LMAO Then, can I say you guys are cracking me up?



TIS

We should leave "crack" out of it, too.

It is getting hot when TIS gets involved in talking about drawers and cracks.

Geez, no nuts, no drawers, no cracks. You guys are no fun.



TIS

TIS ain't the goody-two-shoes that everyone thinks she is... I'm telling ya she can out-curse a sailor if someone tries to cut in front of her at a buffet line and she once threatened to kick the shit out of Vercetti because of his veiny ass.

(Sorry, TIS... I couldn't resist).

Tell me about it. TIS has already given me fair warning she takes no crap when it comes to butting in front of her in a buffet line. I promised her all the zucchinis in return for walking away without any scratches.

It feels like 98 here. I just walked in the door and I'm already dripping. And I have to work out yet. I may need to be hosed down later. But then, why would today be different from any other day.

In the words of Cosmo Kramer, "My boys need a house."

You've just described my life.

Commando is the way to go!

My pants just got a little tight.

No, no. Joey from FRIENDS went commando. You gotta get your NBC comedies straight, son.

Ha ha ha ha!!!! You guys all continue to make me laugh with all the "hot" references. Boy, just throw around a few cracks, drawers, nuts and put em all on a whoring thread and the possibilities are endless.



TIS