Scared Monkeys Radio, Dana Pretzer interviews with Clint Van Zandt, Wendy Murphy & Joe Mammana

Scared Monkeys Radio with Dana Pretzer tonight at 8:30 PM EDT (Click icon for podcast)

Tonights Guests: Toll free call in # 1-877-842-7884

• 8:30 EDT – Clint Van Zandt (Making Communities safe)
• 9:00 EDT – Wendy Murphy On Sex Offender Fashions
• 9:30 EDT – Joe Mammana On Rewards and Red Tape.

The show is now available for download at the Scared Monkeys Radio site or you can listen here.

 Standard Podcast [105:27m]:  Download

Joe Mammana Puts Up $2 Million in Rewards for 20 Missing Persons Cases … And the Bizarre Crime Stoppers Situation

Recently Joe Mammana put up $20 Million for 20 “Missing Person” cases in an effort to hopefully drum up new leads. $100,000 is reward money was given to the following missing person cases.

Last month, Patti Bishop, stepmother of Karen Jo Smith, who disappeared in Indianapolis on Dec. 27, 2000, contacted Mammana about her vision for a “Squeaky Wheel Tour” to draw attention to missing persons cases.
Mammana liked the idea and agreed to fund rewards to try to draw out information. In short order, he and Bishop devised a plan to offer $2 million for 20 cases for 20 days — Sunday through Nov. 24 — with $100,000 dedicated to each case. (Indy Star)

We were contacted by Patti Bishop, the step-mother of of Karren Jo Smith telling us of this special reward offer that is being done by Joe Mammana. The rewards runs from Sunday, November 5, 2006 through Friday, November 24, 2006.

However, recently there has been some other bizarre news going on as well regarding Joe Mammana, rewards and Crime Stopper’s of Ohio. Originally, Central Ohio Crime Stoppers stated that they were taking Philadelphia philanthropist, Joe Mammana, to court for an issue in the failure to pay reward monies in the Julia Popovich case.

“We’re very disappointed we had to go to this level,” said Crime Stoppers President Kevin Miles. “We’ve sent e-mails, we’ve sent phone calls. It’s not happening.” (NBC4)

Some other rather disparaging comments were made by Kevin Miles of Crime Stoppers which are difficult to believe. In my opinion, not having talked to Joe Mammana at that point to believe not only that Joe would need to borrow money from anyone, but more so that a representative from Crime Stoppers would air any dirty laundry like this in the press.

“About three or four months ago when he came to town, he had to borrow $100 off of me when I realized, how does a guy with a $100,000 watch need a $100 from a fat guy? That was when I said, ‘This doesn’t seem straight.’ And he said he would send it back to me and he never did.” (NBC4)

Seeing that reward money was being called into question, we decided to contact Joe Mammana and ask what on earth was going on as well as ask whether he would like to come on Scared Monkeys radio and explain. It seems that some of the discrepancies are coming from the following.

“Arrest and conviction. You just can’t pay for an arrest,” Mammana said in a phone interview from Aruba, explaining the criteria for payment.

But in one case, Mammana signed a contract to pay for information resulting in the arrest or indictment of a suspect. A grand jury indicted one man for the murder of an Ohio State student nine months ago. (WTHR)

 This is where the thing gets sticky. It is hard to believe that one would pay a reward for an arrest or an arrest and indictment. The reason being that neither an arrest or an indictment means a conviction. Let’s use the Natalee Holloway example. That would mean that a reward would have been paid every time a suspect was arrest? That would be insane. Or in the case of the Duke Lacrosse rape case. Three suspects have been arrested and indicated, yet many question whether the case will go to trial. That hardly seems like what the intent is of a reward to get information or leads on a missing persons case or a homicide.

However, now comes the really bizarre situation, the signed contract. In talking with Joe Mammana yesterday and earlier today, he states that the “so-called contract is a forgery.”

Philadelphia philanthropist Joe Mammana claimed that Central Ohio Crime Stoppers forged his signature on a contract that requires Mammana to pay $31,000 for information that led to the arrest and indictment of a suspect in the death of Julie Popovich.

Crime Stoppers officials said the claims are ridiculous. (NBC4)

We are in receipt of multiple items with signatures on it and are making some comparisons ourselves. In speaking with Joe Mammana, he stated that the contracts have been sent to hand writing analysts. Joe Mammana will provide us with the results when available. We will provide the documents for all to see in the near future.

Also others have come forward and states that Joe Mammana has paid rewards to other tipsters. This is really a bizarre and strange situation that looks like will end up with both parties suing each other.

“We pay based on arrest and conviction, that’s what we stand by. It’s been that way for 15 years. We don’t budge,” Mammana said.

Earlier this year, The Philadelphia Daily News reported that Mammana agreed to pay $6,000 to a Philadelphia tipster after a suspect pleaded guilty to killing a transit-authority employee.

Santo Montecalvo, vice president of the Delaware Valley Crimes Commission, a Philadelphia-area tip line, said Mammana also paid a reward in a rape conviction earlier this year. He did not reveal the amount, citing disclosure policies.

Montecalvo said Mammana has been a strong supporter of the commission. He said he is puzzled by the disagreement.

“I just don’t get it. I think it’s a terminology of words or a bad misunderstanding,” he said. (Orlando Sentinel)

We will be following this story and getting to the bottom of the signed contracts. This may become the next “RAthERGATE.” The question that I have is in previously meeting Joe Mammana, money was hardly an object. Now was this contract signed or not by Joe Mammana? I have seen some of the correspondence between the parties, which we will make public soon. What is beyond strange I have to say was the content of emails between what is supposed to be professional.

As they say … developing.

Sigma Alpha Epsilon Closed Down at University of Central Florida in Bizarre Hazing Scandal

The Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity at The University of Central Florida has been disbanded and closed in wake of a bizarre hazing scandal. No secret or double secret probation for SAE as their National Board gave them a death sentence. In all reality this went from funny to over the top dangerous and potentially criminal. What were these kids thinking? As we always say … they just don’t understand that there are consequences to actions. Just how bad does it get when one feels that members of a fraternity cant be rehabilitated?

“Our board does not feel it’s worth the effort to rehabilitate the group,” Weghorst said Wednesday. He said as many as two-thirds of the chapter’s approximately 90 members may have been involved.

It is hard to imagine that anyone still involves themselves with this type of nonsense in this day and age. Read the bizarre and over the top story at Missing & Exploited as to the insanity that went on at this fraternity that cost them their charter. One wonders just how many suspensions, expulsions and potential criminal actions may come from this.

Ed Bradley of 60 Minutes Fame has Died at 65 from Leukemia

Award winning journalist Ed Bradley has passed away at the age of 65. Bradley passed away from complications to leukemia at Mount Sinai Hospital in NYC. So many of us grew up with Ed Bradley watching 60 Minutes. He was truly a fine journalist and man. What makes someone a truly amazing person and able to reach the level that Ed Bradley was able to attain? An inner belief and drive with core values

(1941 – 2006)

“I was told, ‘You can be anything you want, kid,’” he once told an interviewer. “When you hear that often enough, you believe it.”  (Ed Bradley)

Hear what his peers had to say about the man, Ed Bradley. God Bless  … Rest in Peace.

Read more

US District Judge Susan Illston Blocks Democratic Process sides with Sex Offenders … CA Prop 83 Blocked .. Law Against Sex Offenders

The protection of our children against sexual predators should be an issue that all political parties can stand behind. If they don’t, they have some major explaining to do, to “We the People”.

One day after the midterm elections … a proposition in California that was passed 70.5% to 29.5% that restricted sex offenders, a CA US District Judge blocked the law. Elections do matter folks. Who do you thinks appoints these judges? Hint … The President of the United States. Here is another hint to who appointed this one.

It’s happened again. This time in California where judicial activism from the bench circumventing the will of the people. US District Judge Susan Illston blocked the passage of Prop 83 because she stated, the measure is overly punitive and prevented it from going into effect.” We the people is still supposed to mean something in this country.

The protection of our children against sex offenders should be the one issue among all issues that has no political slant. It should not matter that we are Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian, Green, Conservative or Liberal … everyone, one would think would want to do everything humanly possible to protect our children.

Alas, that does not seem to be the case. We are constantly having the Democratic process of voting for issues and propositions over turned by a liberal court judicial activism. One really begins to wonder what they are thinking? This is just wrong. Wendy Murphy, child rights advocate, will be one of Dana Pretzer’s guests tonight on the Scared Monkeys Radio starting at 8:30edt. I am sure she will have plenty to say about this and much more when it comes to some of the insane rulings made recently in sex offense cases.

Read the full story that will make your blood boil at Missing & Exploited.