Senator Roach Meets Judy and Chuck Cox

On February 23, 2012, Senator Pam Roach (R- Auburn) hosted a press conference in Olympia, Washington which addressed CPS and the murders of Charlie and Braden Powell. Guest speakers included the boys' maternal grandparents, Chuck and Judy Cox.

Background of the case: Susan Cox Powell was last seen at her home in West Valley, Utah on December 7, 2009. Shortly thereafter, her husband and their young sons moved into his father's home in Puyallup, Washington.

At the press conference, Mr. Cox explained that he felt his grandsons were being emotionally abused (but not physically abused) when they were living with his son-in-law, Joshua Powell. After Josh's father, Steve Powell, was arrested for voyeurism and child pornography, CPS took custody of the boys. Joshua Powell was granted four hours of supervised visitation with his sons each week at a Department of Human Services facility. An elderly social worker supervised the visits at the DHS facility.

Visitation was moved to a house that Joshua Powell rented in Graham, Washington after he complained that he felt uncomfortable at the DHS facility because other parents recognized him. (After the boys were murdered, it was learned that Josh Powell did not live at the rental house. He still lived at his father's home in Puyallup.)

Although Chuck and Judy Cox had temporary custody of the boys, Mr. Cox felt that the court believed everything that Joshua Powell said about them. Josh's demands were the priority; the Coxes had no rights. If the Coxes complained, DHS reminded them that their goal was to reunify the boys with their father.

Josh Powell did not want the children to attend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Therefore, the Coxes were prohibited from taking Charlie and Braden to the LDS church or on any LDS church property.

Mr. Cox complained that granting visitation rights to Joshua Powell after Josh was ordered to a psycho-sexual exam was a "glaring error." CPS knew that Josh was a suspect in the murder of his wife because the West Valley Police Department shared information with CPS. The Utah search warrants were signed by a judge and stated that Joshua Powell was a suspect in the murder of Susan Cox Powell (not merely in her disappearance.)

Unfortunately, the court sealed these search warrants. The only person protected by sealing them was Joshua Powell.

Judy Cox stated that on February 5, 2012, Charlie and Braden did not want to visit their father. She said that Braden seemed to be afraid of Josh. Mrs. Cox stated she had a feeling that something bad was going to happen that day. She didn't call off the visit because she knew she might lose custody of her grandsons if she interfered with Joshua Powell's visitation rights (contempt of court.)

The elderly social worker drove the boys to visit their father at the rental house in Graham on February 5, 2012. After locking the woman out of the house, Joshua Powell used a hatchet on his sons and set the house on fire. He, Charlie and Braden died in the fire.

SB 6603 is one of several bills proposed related to this case and Washington State CPS. SB 6603 would prevent an award of child custody to someone considered a suspect in an active murder case. I believe this is the bill that Senator Roach would like to call "Charlie and Braden's Law."

Another bill related to this case is SB 6604. If passed, SB 6604 will require all Washington State CPS workers to be licensed in social work and bonded.

SSB 6416 (2010) has already passed in the Senate 48-0 and the House 98-0. This new law will give grandparents standing in the courtroom.

Senator Roach concluded the press conference by leading a prayer for the Washington State trooper who was killed this morning.

Good News from Senator Mike Carrell

Yesterday Senator Mike Carrell (Republican-28th Legislative District) telephoned me with good news. Senate Bill 5456 is dead!

Senator Debbie Regala (Democrat-Tacoma) introduced Senate Bill 5456 last month. This bill would have abolished the death penalty in Washington. Ms. Regala was in favor of abolishing the death penalty, partly because the appeals are so costly. She said the money used on appeals could be spent on other things.

Senator Carrell serves Pierce County. He is a long-time advocate of victims' rights. He said that he and Senator Pam Roach (Republican-31st Legislative District) successfully argued against Senate 5456. He said they gave the bill the death penalty.

I am opposed to abolishing the death penalty because it is so useful in making plea bargains. For example, Gary Ridgway (also known as the Green River Killer) helped the police locate the remains of more than 40 of the women he killed after King County prosecutors agreed not to seek the death penalty against him. I don't believe that law enforcement would have been able to locate all of those bodies without the plea bargain. I feel that locating victims' bodies is important. Families deserve to know what happened to their loved ones so they can give them proper burials.

Thank you, Senator Carrell and Senator Roach, for doing such a good job!

Should Josh Powell be Buried in Woodbine Cemetery?

According to the Salt Lake Tribune, Joshua Powell's family would like to buy him near his sons in Woodbine Cemetery in Puyallup, WA. Crime Stoppers has purchased several burial plots located next to his sons' grave, hoping to prevent the Powells from burying next to the children.

Chuck and Judy Cox are taking legal action to prevent the Powells from burying Joshua next to their young grandsons. I fully support the Coxes about this. Even if Josh wasn't involved in Susan Cox Powell's disappearance, he murdered his two sons. The idea of burying a murderer next to his victims is deplorable to me.

This issue is a victims' rights issue. Charlie and Braden should be allowed to rest in peace. They should not be forced to spent eternity next to the man who killed them, even if he was their father.

Those of you who accuse the Coxes of promoting hate should try to look at it from the victims' point of view. These two innocent little boys had their whole lives ahead of them when their father murdered them in a most cruel and horrific way. Josh Powell took Charlie and Braden away from the Coxes, the Powells, the Graves and everyone else who loved them. Josh Powell violated his sons' trust. He stole his sons' childhood. The little boys were not permitted to finish elementary school. They won't be able to go to their senior proms. They won't attend college. They will never know the joy of falling in love, getting married or having children of their own. They missed out on so much because they were murdered by the man who was supposed to love and protect them.

Woodbine Cemetery is city-owned. Puyallup's residents might object to a child killer being buried in their cemetery. Others might object to a man who committed suicide being buried on hallowed ground. If Joshua Powell is buried in the cemetery, it might cause a decrease in plot values. Perhaps Puyallup's city council should call an emergency meeting and vote on whether the Powells should be permitted to bury Josh at Woodbine Cemetery.

I hope the Powell family will reconsider burying Josh. His family should take into consideration that Josh's grave will probably be vandalized if the public knows where it is. After all, Josh Powell is one of the most hated men in our state now. May I suggest that the Powells cremate Josh and keep his ashes in an urn in their own home?

Washington and Utah Grieve for Susan Powell's Boys

On Saturday, February 11, 2012, my husband and I attended the celebration of life honoring Susan Cox Powell's sons, seven year old Charlie and five year old Braden.

Normally, my husband and I don't go to funerals. We don't like them. But I've been following the story of Susan's disappearance in the Salt Lake Tribune since December 2009. We decided to go and show our support for the Cox famiy, Terrica Powell, and the Graves family.

Two funerals were held for Susan's boys on Saturday. More than one thousand people, including my husband and me, attended the funeral held in the morning at the Life Center Church in Tacoma. A second service was held at the LDS church in Puyallup in the afternoon.

The Westboro Baptist Church had announced that they intended to picket the service. A member of the Phelps family said that God allowed the boys to die because He is angry because our state legalized gay marriage. Why the Westboro Baptists think people are stupid enough to believe their nonsense is beyond me. Fortunately, the Phelps cancelled their plans shortly before the funeral.

About 100 bikers attended the funeral at the Life Center Church. The words "Gargoyles -- Protectors of Children" and "Bikers Against Child Abuse" blazed across the backs of their black leather jackets. I was grateful to see the bikers there. I felt that their presence helped to keep the Westboro Baptists and other troublemakers away. A small group of women and children carrying red balloons and signs which said "Love... Love... Love" stood across the street from the church.

The service itself was beautiful. Life Center Church's senior pastor, Dean Curry, welcomed the Cox and Powell families and the guests. He stated that the service would focus "two beautiful boys," and it did. Pastor Tim, who is a friend of the Cox family, led the opening prayer. Tears ran down my cheeks when a children's choir sang "Amazing Grace." A video presentation displayed photos of Charlie and Braden with their mother and other family members. Charlie's kindergarten teacher gave a speech in which she shared her happy memories of him. The boys attended a YMCA day camp in Washington. Braden's day camp counselor gave a talk about him. The boys' lives were short, but they touched so many hearts.

Kirk Graves, Joshua Powell's brother-in-law, led the benediction. At the end of the service, Judy and Chuck Cox thanked the guests for coming. Both appeared to be calm and composed, which was surprising because they have lost their daughter and two young grandsons. If I had been in Judy Cox's shoes, I don't think I would have been able to handle the funeral as well as she did.

As you may know, Susan Cox Powell has been missing from her home in West Valley City, Utah since December 2009. She is presumed by many to be dead. Her husband, Joshua Powell, claimed that he took his young sons on a winter camping trip during the middle of the night. He said that when they returned to their home, his wife was gone. Shortly after Susan disappeared, Josh and the boys moved into his father's home in Puyallup, Washington.

Josh's father, Steve Powell, was arrested several months ago for child pornography and voyeurism. He remains in jail. Joshua Powell murdered the boys and committed suicide on February 5, 2012.

If you would like to make a donation to Charlie and Braden Powell's memorial fund, you may do so at any branch of Wells Fargo Bank.

Rest in peace, Charlie and Braden.

Should Washington Abolish the Death Penalty? We Don't Want Texas Law Here

In 1997, my husband was transferred to Fort Hood, Texas. When our family was driving to our new home, I noticed the "Don't Mess with Texas" signs on the highway. I tell everyone to take those signs seriously. Texas executes more people than any other state in our nation.

Most of the people with whom I was acquainted in Texas were in favor of the death penalty. They believed that there was no absolutely excuse for murder. It didn't matter if the defendant was a minor, mentally retarded, a woman or a born-again Christian. I found myself agreeing with Texans more often than not, just as I agreed with my father years earlier.

If you are convicted of murder in Texas, there is a very good chance the state will execute you. If you are Afro-American, Hispanic or poor, the likelihood is greater.

Shortly after my family moved to Washington in 2005, I had a conversation with my new co-workers about the death penalty. I was shocked when they said they didn't want Texas law here. One lady brought up a case in which a minor who had committed rape and murder in Texas was sentenced to death. My first response was, "But he killed someone. He deserves to die." My co-worker explained that it is wrong to execute a person for a crime he committed as a minor because a minor's brain isn't fully developed. A minor can't reason the same way an adult can reason. My co-worker's explanation made sense.

In Roper vs. Simmons, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the eighth and fourteenth amendments prohibit executing offenders who were under age 18 when they committed their crimes. I agree.

I also agree with the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling that prohibits executing mentally retarded offenders.

Because so many people were wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit, the more the death penalty is restricted, the better!

Nevertheless, I don't believe that the death penalty should abolished together. I have bragged that Washington's prosecutors use the death penalty more wisely than Texas' prosecutors. Why? Think of the Green River Killer.

In 2005, Gary Ridgway entered a guilty plea to 48 charges of aggravated first degree murder as part of a plea bargain that would spare him execution in exchange for his cooperation in locating his victims' remains. Deputy prosecutor Jeffrey Baird stated that plea bargain contained "the names of 41 victims who would not be the subject of State v. Ridgway if it were not for the plea agreement."

Another example would be the Zina Linnik case. Pierce County prosecutors planned to charge Terapon Adhahn with aggravated first degree murder. However, they agreed not to seek the death penalty against Adhahn if he helped the police locate Zina Linnik's body. Shortly thereafter, Adhahn led police to the girl's body.

Think of Susan Cox Powell. Victims' families deserve to know what happened to their loved ones so that they can give them proper burials.

The death penalty is one of law enforcement's most useful tools in solving crime. Do not take this tool away from them. Prosecutors should be encouraged to use it to make plea bargains to locate bodies or obtain confessions in cases that would be otherwise difficult or impossible to solve. Instruct prosecutors to seek sentences of life in prison. The number of cases in which murderers are sentenced to death should be kept to a minimum because the appeals are so costly.

Therefore, I respectfully ask Washington's state senators to vote against abolishing the death penalty. Thank you.

Should Washington Abolish the Death Penalty? My Experience at CRC

Today I would like to discuss something that I feel is important. I would like to discuss crime and punishment.

Senator Debbie Regala, Democrat-Tacoma, is sponsoring a bill that will abolish the death penalty in Washington State. Ms. Regala and her supporters claim that abolishing the death penalty will save the state millions of tax dollars -- millions of tax dollars that can be spent on other things. I have mixed feelings about the death penalty.

When I was a girl, my parents were devout Republicans. My father firmly believed that it was acceptable for the state to execute convicted murderers. He said that, when a person intentionally kills another, the killer forfeits his own life. As a teenager and as a young adult, I agreed with my father about the death penalty.

My feelings about executing criminals began to change when I worked at the California Rehabilitation Center in the early 1990's. CRC is a minimum security prison in Norco, California. California's courts often sentenced drugs addicts to civil commitment at CRC. This prison was also known as "Hotel California" because Don Henley of the Eagles was incarcerated there for nine months in 1969 for heroin addiction. Henley wrote many of the songs on the Eagles' "Hotel California" album while he was confined at CRC. The artwork on the album cover is a sketch of CRC as Henley remembered the prison.

I worked as a radiology technologist in the prison infirmary. I supervised two inmate radiology techs who were allowed to position other inmates for xray procedures, but were not allowed to operate the xray equipment. Both of these inmate radiology techs were convicted murderers who had studied radiology technology in prison. One was Afro-American. The other was Basque. Both of them had committed a gang-related murder when they were about 18 and had been in prison for about 20 years. Inappropriate behavior of any kind would have added a few more years to their sentences. Neither was willing to do anything that might jeopardize his chance to be released.

Both of these men were polite and courteous to me, but I forged a friendship with the Afro-American. He was from south central Los Angeles. He said his mother was only thirteen years old when he was born. He never really had a parent because his mother was a child herself. He had been in prison for years, but he was well-educated because he liked to read. He read at least two books per week. He especially liked to read books about Malcolm X and black history. Instead of arming himself with guns, he armed himself with knowledge.

Sometimes he would leave hand-written notes about his life on my desk. I encouraged him to write because I felt that he might be able to discourage minors from joining gangs and making the same mistakes he had made. In one note, he said that when he was a little boy, a neighbor had taken him to a Christian church and had him baptized. This was done without his mother's knowledge or permission. When his mother found out, she was livid. She hadn't wanted him to be baptized because she did not believe in God. From this experience, the little boy learned to hate God. I felt that it also placed him on a path going the wrong direction.

Working with two convicted murderers changed my opinion about the death penalty to a point. I didn't see them as "killers" or as "hardened criminals." I saw them as human beings who had made terrible mistakes. They were no longer teenage gangbangers who wanted to control and dominate their neighborhoods. They were mature men. I felt they could become productive members of our society.

At the same time, the prison's staff warned me that the men I supervised were inmates who were thoroughly "institutionalized." We could not predict how they would behave outside of prison. The staff said prisons have "revolving doors." After their release, many inmates resume their old tricks and are sent back to prison. For example, some drug addicts civilly committed to CRC couldn't make it out of the prison's parking lot before the guards caught them with needles in their arms again.

Stuart Greenberg -- A Lesson on Morality

     Just how honest and moral are the psychologists and social workers who are appointed by the courts to serve as custody evaluators?

     On June 25, 2011, the Seattle Times ran a special report entitled "The Twisted Ethics of an Expert Witness." This report deals with the life and death of Stuart Greenberg, who served as an expert witness in the field of forensic psychology for the Washington courts.

     Stuart Greenberg had a Ph.D from the University of Southern California. He came to Seattle in 1979 when he was hired by the University of Washington to replace a psychology professor who had resigned. He earned a relatively modest salary as a teacher. After teaching for two years, he resigned and moved into private practice.

    Greenberg accepted positions as a child custody investigator, expert evaluator, arbiter, mediator and guardian ad litem. As a custody evaluator, he interviewed the parties involved in child custody battles and made recommendations to the court about which parent should have custody of a child. The courts usually followed his recommendations. His career flourished. This was partly because he was charismatic when testifying on the stand.

     In classrooms, at continuing education conferences and conventons across the country, Greenberg taught others how to be custody evaluators. One colleague later commented that his conferences were "the best he had ever attended." Another stated that he still uses Greenberg's forms for certain evaluations. Greenberg was the author of the national certification exam for his profession. Admired and respected by his peers, Greenberg was elected to be president of the American Board of Forensic Psychology in 2002-2003.

     But a hidden camera brought his career came to an abrupt end.

     In June 2007, Greenberg purchased a device that looked and sounded like an air purifier, but contained a hidden camera. He installed the hidden camera in his office's bathroom so that he could watch employees and clients use the toilet.

     It's easy to understand why his employees became suspicious. An "air purifier" was in use, but the bathroom still stunk. According to the Seattle Times, a female psychologist devised a test. On July 3, 2007, she placed an aerosol can in front of the camera to obstruct the view. Within 30 minutes, Greenberg entered the bathroom and closed the door. Caught on videotape, he adjusted the lens, stared into the camera, smiled and masturbated. After the videotape was found in Greenberg's VCR, the woman who had been filmed was alerted. Greenberg was arrested by the police that afternoon.

    The man was a voyeur. For purely selfish reasons, he disrespected his employees and clients by invading their privacy. To get a thrill, he filmed them while they were partially undressed and using the toilet. How long was Greenberg behaving in this sick and disgusting manner before he got caught?

     Did he abuse anyone else?
   
     A pervert should never have been allowed to make recommendations to the court about which parent should have custody of a child. Nor should he have been allowed to testify as an expert witness in sexual abuse cases. Because he was an abuser himself, his views might be slanted in favor of another abuser. This put innocent children at risk. A pervert should not have been allowed to work as a psychologist because he could have easily taken advantage of vulnerable clients. He did take advantage of vulnerable clients.

     We must enforce laws which prohibit perverts from taking advantage of unsuspecting people. I am grateful to the woman who reported Greenberg to the police because she protected his clients and employees from further abuse.

    Three weeks after his arrest, Stuart Greenberg committed suicide.

     According to the Seattle Times, the Washington courts spent three years studying through the damage that Greenberg left behind. I believe that this was the right thing to do. Because the courts relied on Greenberg's recommendations to make rulings, the courts have the responsibility of making sure that innocent children were not harmed by these rulings. If Greenberg's recommendations were tainted, the courts should make sure that no parent was wrongfully deprived of custody of or visitation rights to a child. The courts should take steps to correct any damage. 

     The Seattle Times went through the trouble of unsealing court records and disciplinary actions against Greenberg. These records suggest that Greenberg was not as fair and impartial as he should have been. Why didn't Washington's Examining Board of Psychology realize that something was amiss before the incident involving the hidden camera?

     I will close with a quotation made by historian and moralist Lord Acton in 1887:  "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men."