The Lie Guy® blog

Blumenthal calls Vietnam comments misplaced words - How About Misplaced Honesty!

Blumenthal calls his repeated statements of having served in Viet Nam "misplaced words."  Once maybe but not multiple times.

This is what I call a "hype" form of deception.  It's the same kind of thing that some people use on their applications for jobs.  They want to create a particular persona in the mind of listener and therefore lead the listener to the wrong conclusion.

Nobody doubts his service to his country and choosing to serve in the US Marine Corps.  No one doubts his dedication to veterans issues. 

But a statement like this in front of the V.F.W. "When we returned from Vietnam, I remember the taunts, the verbal and even physical abuse we encountered," are not a misplaced word or two.

People would respect his defense of veterans just as much even if he did not serve in Viet Nam.

Once the genie of deception is out of the bottle like this, it's hard to stuff them back in!  Spin isn't going to fix the deceit!

Stan

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Balloon Boy: Reading the Signs of Deception

When was all said and done about the "Balloon Boy" case in Larimer County, Colorado, it all came down to the verbal and nonverbal cues of deception generated by the Heenes.  Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden and Commander Ern Hudson's investigators played the case perfectly.  They let the Heenes talk and the more they talked the more cues of deception both verbal and nonverbal the Heenes generated.

The best rule of thumb for getting enormous amounts of good investigative information is a narrative-based interview.  That tactic alone has proven to recover nearly 60 percent more information than accusatory style tactic.  It is a technique that is least likely to contaminate and alienate any witnesses or victims during their interviews.  It also assists cooperative victims and witnesses in recalling more critical details.  At the same time if the subject decides to lie during their statement, there are generally many more lies disclosed making it easier for the interrogator to develop leads as well as impeach any false statements made by the subject.  A narrative-based interview of a suspect also dramatically reduces the possibility of a false confession because of it's non-coercive nature.  Also by using a narrative-based interview, the interrogator doesn't have to reveal much of his case information if in fact he does reveal anything at all.

There is one thing consistent with almost everyone who proposes to mislead or lie to the people who are their intended victims.  They've got to keep talking to them to keep them on their side. More importantly the liar has to keep talking in order to convince those who are on the fence or still doubt the story. 

An additional problem for the liar is their need to see and hear the reactions from their lie target.  If they don't get the feedback that is satisfying or rewarding, their tendency is to keep pitching the lie until they get the reaction they want.  At the same time the liar has got to be aware of their own verbal and nonverbal cues that the lie target may identify as signs of possible deception.  When talking to the investigators for Larimer County, thier would be their undoing.

An additional problem for the Heenes - there were too many people involved to keep the lie going!  Not only Heene and his wife but also their 6 year old son who was at the center of this staged media event.  His comment that they did it "for the show" will be devastating.

Finally ... there are remaining problems for the liar.  Creating the lie, defending the lie if challenged and biggest of all - remembering all the different versions of the truth they have created and told.

Despite their education, experience and media savvy background, the Heenes still couldn't get away with their big lie.  The nemesis of any liar is their own belief that they are good liars, have created a good lie and therefore can get away with their deception.

For the Heenes - they had already lost the game with the first lie they told to the media.

Waiting to hear more of the inside story of this case.

Stan
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Spy vs Spy: ACLU Spying on the Spies

The New York Post has reported that the ACLU and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers has been spying on and identifying CIA undercover operatives, taking their pictures and giving that information to prisoners at GITMO.

Wasn't there a huge news story a couple of years ago about the White House "outing" supposed undercover operative Valerie Plame? Where is the outrage from our media other tihis?

When will we start charging some people with treason and espionage for compromising this country's national security, endangering the lives of Americans, American soldiers and crippling our national intelligence?

ACLU SPIES ENDANGER AMERICA

Read the article. 

I'd like to hear what you think.

Stan
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White House Interrogation Unit: A New Nightmare for Interrogators!

The White House has created another nightmare scenario and announced the formation of a new Terrorism Interrogation Unit.  The unit will be under the umbrella of the FBI, contain members of multiple agencies but the White House will supervise the interrogations.  All the while, following the Army Manual for interrogation. (See www.us.army.mil to get a copy of the manual)

See: Obama Adminstration Sets Up New Interrogation Unit

This is another nightmare scenario by an administration that has no idea what the heck they are doing. Every criminal and intelligence interviewer and interrogator knows you should not have more than two to three people in the room during and interrogation - counting the suspect.  Well, just as important if not more so, there the interrogator can  have too many people inside his head during the interrogation!  How can any decent interrogator focus on the task of getting critical information, forming questions, reading responses, following the subject's line of thought, keeping in mind the level of proof they need to make a criminal or intelligence case and also worry about the judgment of a bunch of detached, ill-informed, biased, politically and career motivated self-serving bureaucrats in another room hundreds or thousands of miles away!   He or she will have too many in their head as they try to interview every witness or interrogate as suspect thereby crippling the entire process.  The interrogator must be totally focused on the case and the subject they are interviewing.

In addition, bureaucracies are notorious for treating everything with a single template.  Unique or unusual situations or conditions are not tolerated because they don't fit the "model."   A quick review of the Army Manual for Interrogation can see where such a concept can cripple the interrogator.  Just as no two people are alike, neither are two interrogations!  There is no "template" by which all criminal or intelligence interrogations can be conducted.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be some guidelines for interrogations or that interrogators shouldn't have standards of conduct.  By all means spell out those guidelines but get the hell out of the way of the investigator and interrogator and let them perform the job!

It is my opinion that some of many possible reasons we have had trouble with the interrogations is 1) has been there is no consistency in the techniques that are taught, 2) we are sending some very "green" people in the field who have had to conduct complex interrogations and they are over their head, 3) techniques that are being taught are loaded with a bunch of unproven, unscientific techniques and when you have that type of situation, the investigator or interrogator in the field is going to get frustrated and is going get very creative in order to find to something does work.

I reminded of a scene from the old TV show MASH.  Radar has Lt. Col. Henry Blake signing a mountain of paperwork for the second time.  Blake asks "Radar, do you understand all this stuff?"  Radar responds, "No sir, I try not to.  It slows down the process."

Just my opinion but I've got 30 plus years studying, researching, writing, teaching AND conducting all type of interrogations. 

I'd still like to know what you think!

Stan
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Dr. Gates Arrest & Racism Charge Claims Another Victim: The Witness

The arrest of Dr. Gates in Cambridge. MA and charges of racism claim another victim - Lucia Whalen ,the witness.  Once again, people wihout having all the information in hurl charges of racism against a citizen who dutifully called in what she believed to be suspicious activity.

This doesn't bode well for anyone who sees a what they believe is a crime in progress and report it to law enforcement.  What is going to happen with the interviews of potential witnesses or sources in the future?  Neighborhood convasses by law enforcement has just dramatically increased in difficulty.  All fueled by biased, shoot from the hip, ego driven, hate filled morons!

What does that say about a small number of people who are quick to rekindle and fuel racism and the perception of racism in our country.  Of course our media can only provide coverage of the dark side of each case.  Then you have one ignorant police officer who exposes his bias by publishing more hate on a blog site.

It looks to me like some folks just don't have any purpose in life unless they can fan the fires of racism and hate and keep it alive for their own ends.

My advice - "Engage brain before putting mouth in gear!"

Stan
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President's Biased Statement Further Stereotypes Police - Minority Relations

The President's impromptu remarks today fall short of an apology and further the stereotype of all small minded people that all cops are racists.  He has just ratchetetd up tensions between police and minorities and has exponentially increased the danger not only to all law enforcement officers but also for minorities who may encounter law enforcement personnel.

The President remarks about Sgt. James Crowley were in my opinion half-hearted and were meant more to cover his own gaff than to acknowledge what is an apparently deep seeded bias on his part against law enforcement in general.  He has done nothing more than fuel the notion that all cops are racists and most likely in the minds of some misinformed minorities that to resist law enforcement officers at will is totally acceptable.

This week alone the President has managed to accuse doctors of allowing their patients to become sicker so they can perform unnecessary surgery for money and all cops as being racists.  Who's next?  Lunchroom ladies and cat lovers?

I thought his campaign was about elevating us above race and bigotry.  If this is an example of his empathy and efforts at healing the racial divide, I'm not impressed.

Just MY opinion.  Words mean things!  You have to THINK IT before you SAY IT!

Stan
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The Police Acted "Stupidly?" President & Media Show Their Bias!

The President says the police in the arrest of Dr. Henry Gates acted "stupidly."

Really!!  How interesting that the President, the "lawyer"  makes a judgment without any facts.  Anyone of the rest of us would have been buried in a lawyer's tirade had we made that statement about their client!

He admits he is biased because Dr. Gates is his "friend."  Really!  You think you might be "biased" "Counselor-in-Chief?"  Oh, I'm sorry!  Lawyers and even judges like you don't have bias!  I forgot, they should have "empathy!"

What about the witnesses stating that Dr. Gates was belligerent and out of control?  Oh, I'm sorry!  we have to claim racism and blame the cop first.  Doesn't that "bias" the case and any chance for a fair hearing for both Dr. Gates AND the cop(s) involved in the arrest??  We wouldn't want to "try" anyone in the media would we?  Unless of course that person is NOT on the media "approved" list of per-determined victims!

Perhaps your friend Mr. President, is not being totally truthful about his side of the story.  Have you ever taken that in account? Like a 72 year old grandmother who gets tazered said she was not yelling or belligerent with the Tyler, TX cop when the in car camera shows a totally different story.

If you believe the arrest is not lawful, the time to protest is NOT with the cop.  Take it to court!
You fight the cop ... you gonna lose!

How about the permanent "taint" you have placed on ALL arrests of any minorities as being the result of profiling and racism.  Someday when you finish with making the US in your own image, spend some time and look at crime numbers, look at the number of minorities who are crime victims, look at the "facts" in every case where a cop was killed or injured while making an arrest.  If you want to display real "empathy" don't make biased statements and learn the "truth" about crime, the overwhelming pressure put on the criminal justice system and our courts in the US fueled by "biased", uninformed statements just like the one you made from the point of view of a "community organizer!" 

Mr. President, I suggest you get ALL the facts before you publicly defame the cop(s) who make the arrest.  However, I have noticed for you, if the facts don't fit your agenda, they are easily sacrificed!

Shame on you Mr. President!

Stan
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Michael Jackson: The Missing Doctor

I doubt I'm the only one to have growing suspicions about Michael Jackson's now missing doctor.  I figure it's one of three things:

1. Could his doctor have been negligently providing MJ all the meds he wants?  MJ was not a very strong person and nor had a strong personal discipline.  Sure he could work himself up for singing and dancing but in terms of person discomfort, MJ was not in the same class as the majority of the population who could tolerate some amount of pain and discomfort.  Therefore medicate me!!  Now his doctor is hiding for fear of being implicated and being the most hated man on earth!

2.  MJ has been abusing and mixing prescriptions drugs al la Anna Nicole Smith, Heath Ledger, etc.

3. Was MJ's death a suicide - which may never be acknowledged?  I gleaned from some of the news reports that even though he was "practicing" for his 50+ concerts in Europe, he had hired no band, no support dancers, etc.  Apparently had NOT done a lot of the preparations necessary for such a huge undertaking.  Could it have gotten to the point he didn't want the embarrassment of not be able to live up to his image?  (Think Marilyn Monroe.)

I'm just thinking out loud and don't have any real insight.  What else is there to do?  There's nothing else on the news right now!

Got any thoughts??

Stan
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Detroit Killer Confession Coerced? Not so fast!

Detroit killer Vincent Smothers was confessing to multiple murders in just 4 hours of interview & interrogation.  He has admitted to at least 8 hired hits - one for as little as $50 and the most recent of a Detroit cop's wife.  His attorney now says the interview was too long and arduous and all the confessions should be dismissed.

Really ....!  So if your client confesses it must automatically mean he had to be coerced.

We have got to stop this nonsense!  I don't know all the details of Smothers case nor the interrogation tactics or details.  I'm tired of hearing the first word out a defense attorney's mouth is that all confessions are coerced.

We need to start recording ALL interrogations, stop the abuse of the criminal justice system, and ALWAYS blame the cop first if the bad guy confesses, gets convicted or if Grandma gets tazed because she failed to follow a lawful order and resisted arrest.  Juries and ESPECIALLY the public needs to see what really goes on during an interrogation.

Read more about Vincent Smothers case here.

I'd like to hear more about what you think!

Stan
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Roland Burris: On FBI wiretap offered to write a check to Blago

CBS Chicago is reporting that the FBI wiretap of Blago caught Roland Burris offering to write Blago a check before he was appointed to the US Senate.

CBS Chicago Story on Roland Burris

I hate to say "I told you so," but "I told you so!"  Check my previous blog entry on February 18th, 2009. My question is when will Congress and other federal bodies indict Burris for perjury .. oh excuse me..."amending his statement."

Time to look at Nancy Pelosi, too!

Stan
Stan B. Walters
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