Crime Expert BURL BARER. Edgar Award Winner and NYT Bestselling Author

VICTIMS RIGHTS ADVOCATE ANDY KAHAN THIS SATURDAY!

Andy Kahan
Mayor’s Crime Victims Office  LISTEN LIVE SATURDAY 2PM PACIFIC, 4PM CENTRAL, 5PM EASTERN

Andy has been on the top shows, including CNN, CBS’s 48 Hours, Court TV, America’s Most Wanted, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The John Walsh Show, The Nancy Grace Show, the A&E Network, ABC’s 20/20 Prime Time, The Today Show, Good Morning America, 60 Minutes, but the real thrill of his media resume is that NOW he can add TRUE CRIMES with Burl Barer and Don Woldman to his list.  Listen LIVE Saturday November 1st

A graduate of the University of Houston with a degree in criminal justice, Mr. Kahan was a probation officer before joining the then-new Mayor’s Crime Victims Office in 1992. Ever since, he has been fighting to advance the cause of victims’ rights. He currently directs the one-man office, acting as its ombudsman assisting crime victims.

His responsibilities include working closely with local crime victim’s rights organizations to facilitate the pooling of resources and exchanging information. In addition, his office monitors parole and crime statistics, represents victims before Parole Board meetings, and puts crime victims in touch with local support and advocacy groups.

Mr. Kahan has had great success working with the State Legislature and helping enact policy changes, including:

• Making it a capital offense for murder of a child age six or under.
• Reduction in the number of parolees released in Harris County.
• Abolishment of mandatory release of convicted felons.
• Promoting gun safety by making adults criminally responsible for failure to properly store firearms.
• Mandating the Parole Board meet with either the victims or their family members before a vote takes place.
• Initiated policy changes with the Texas Department of Public Safety to include deported sex offenders on the their public database.
• He began a national campaign to stop eBay from selling “murderabilia” —personal mementos from violent crimes—on the Internet. As a result of his efforts, several states, including Texas, passed legislation prohibiting “Notoriety for Profit” by criminals.

And those are only a portion of the policy and law changes spearheaded by Mr. Kahan, which have had an enormous impact on the safety of citizens in the greater Houston area as well as nationwide.

Andy has brought national recognition to the work of the Mayor’s Crime Victims Office with appearances on CNN, CBS’s 48 Hours, Court TV, America’s Most Wanted, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The John Walsh Show, The Nancy Grace Show, the A&E Network, ABC’s 20/20 Prime Time, The Today Show, Good Morning America, Fox News, and 60 Minutes.

His many awards include the 2006 Ronald Wilson Reagan Public Policy Award from the U.S. Department of Justice,  This Saturday, he is LIVE on TRUE CRIMES with Burl Barer and Don Woldman.

Investigation Discovery's DAVID LOHR Live This Saturday

DAVID LOHR THIS SATURDAY LIVE!!! This is Criminal!

LISTEN LIVE SATURDAY 2PM PACIFIC, 4PM CENTRAL, AND 5PM EASTERN BY CLICKING THIS LINK.....OR
LISTEN LIVE VIA TALKSTREAMLIVE.COM

David Lohr is the True Crime expert on Investigation Discovery. He has all the dirt on all the crimes. It's not an easy job, but it pays well.  Get the inside scoop on more crimes than you have ever committed this Saturday on TRUE CRIMES!

In this rare candid photograph, David Lohr practices speaking into a microhone in preparation for this Saturday's show.  We got him this Mr. Microphone to practice with because he was previously using a Nutty Buddy Drumstick Ice Cream treat and it melted on his sweater.

David Lohr has been writing about crime and criminals for over 15 years.Mr. Lohr received national media attention in 2003, when Dennis Rader modified parts of a story Mr. Lohr had written about the BTK serial killer case and then sent if off to the media, along with proof that he was BTK. In 2005, Rader confessed to killing 10 people between 1974 and 1991.

Readers and critics alike regard Mr. Lohr as one of the most prominent and prolific crime writers of the 21st century. It is a thrill, of course, for Mr. Lohr to be on our show  -- a thrill for HIM as well as for US!  Hey, David knows excellent media when he hears it!

For more information on David Lohr, visit his personal website at: www.davidlohr.net

START SMOKING CLASSES FORMING SOON. It is never too late to start!

Okay, not everyone should smoke. It isn't good for your lungs, that's for sure. However, if you have a brain based disorder (mental illness),  be it the result of genetics or injury, smoking is one of the best patient administered treatments available for increasing healthy brain functioning.  A recent Yale University study confirmed:

Persons with mental health issues smoke two to three times more than smokers without mental health issues. When study subjects stopped smoking, attention and short--term memory were more impaired. When they started smoking again, their cognitive function improved. Nicotine increases alertness, and this may enhance concentration, thinking and learning.

Bottom line: nicotine can be of significant value to people with mental health issues or brain based disorders, or individuals whose medication leads to cognitive problems.

* Nicotine can help relaxation, and it can also reduce negative feelings such as anxiety, tension and anger. So smoking may help people with mental illness deal with stressful situations.

* Nicotine might have an antidepressant effect. Nicotine stimulates dopamine production in part of the brain and so may help negative symptoms of schizophrenia, such as lack of motivation, lack of energy and flat mood.

* Nicotine may reduce hallucinations for a short period.

* There is some evidence to suggest that smoking is associated with reduced levels of antipsychotic induced Parkinsonism.

* Smoking can help to relieve boredom and provide a framework for the day.

* Smoking can improve social interaction, something that may be of particular benefit to people with negative symptoms improved. No effects from stopping or resuming smoking were observed in smokers without mental illness.

As you can imagine, the well-intentioned efforts to curtail smoking have become a patient’s rights issue for people with certain brain based illnesses or conditions, especially in facilities where NO SMOKING is mandated by State or Federal law.   In their zeal to "protect people" from the dangers of smoking, anti-tobacco enthusiasts are making lives worse for those millions of people whose  lives are made better by sitting back, lighting up, and enjoying the fine flavor of fine tobaccos.

MOM SAID KILL -- Don Woldman interviews Burl Barer INSTANT REPLAY

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Don Woldman Interviewed me about Mom Said Kill on TRUE CRIMES.  Click the link and listen!

What I love about Texas!

I arrived in Austin, Texas on Sunday morning. By Sunday afternoon, I was enjoying one of the most amazing Texas-only experiences -- let me give you a hint: They call them "Texas Stop Signs"

A Texas Stop Sign is......

DAIRY QUEEN!

Yes, Dairy Queen. But a Texas Dairy Queen is NOT the same as a Dairy Queen in Washington, Oregon, California, or any other place where I've enjoyed Hot Eats and Cool Treats. No, a Texas Dairy Queen is unique and marvelous.

In Texas, the menu is different. Forget the "Ultimate Burger" famed at your local Dairy Queen. It is NOTHING compared to the BELT BUSTER BURGER. This thing is HUGE and FLAVORFUL and you just ain't had a burger 'till you've been to a Texas Dairy Queen.  There are a few "drawbacks" to the DQ in Texas if you've been raised on Dilly Bars made on site -- these are pre-packaged. But the burgers are, as my ex used to say, BEYOND THE BEYOND. No kidding. I don't know why the Texas DQ is different from all the others...but it IS.  The slogan is "What you love about Texas."  That may sound absurd, but once you've had a Texas DQ Belt Buster, you are ready to forgive Texas their draconian drug laws, penchant for fast track state sponsored executions, and other piddling matters -- in real life, the standard of civilization rests upon the quality of a hamburger, and Texas DQ sets the standard.

Now, I admit being a big fan of California's CARL'S JR.  "Six Dollar Burger" -- but flavor for flavor, texture for texture, the BELT BUSTER has it beat.

Now, the big question is: Why don't other states have the Texas menu?

As a professional investigative journalist, I'm dedicated to finding out. Watch this space for the inside story of why Texas gets the best DQ!

AS SEEN ON OPRAH! FALSELY ACCUSED

Diane Hickey was abducted and forced at knife point to perform oral sex on her abductor.  Arrested and charged was a man who worked in the same office building -- Willis Wilson.  Former US Marine Wilson, a man with no criminal record, had never met Hickey in his entire life.  Shocked at even being a suspect, Wilson assumed he would be quickly removed from suspicion. He was wrong. Identified as the assailant in a police lineup,  prosecutors and police did everything to "put him away."

Every innocent person's worst nightmare was Wilson's reality. Defense evidence suppressed, a public defender working more closely with the prosecutor than with his own client, and witnesses coerced into dishonesty by zealous police convinced they had the "right guy."    

In an act of supreme victory by America's justice system, it only took the jury 4 hrs to find Wilson not guilty.
Ironically, Wilson himself later encountered the REAL perpetrator -- what happened next will stun you.

LISTEN LIVE SATURDAY 2pm  PACIFIC, 4pm Central, and 5pm Eastern for our live interview with Willis Wilson, Falsely Accused.

Iran’s new school year again excludes Baha’is

As the new academic year got under way, young Baha'is in Iran again found the door to higher education closed.

Although in its public stance the Iranian government maintains that Baha'is are free to attend university, reports over the past few weeks indicate that the policy of preventing Baha'is from obtaining higher education remains in effect.

Baha'i students attempting to gain admittance to universities and other institutions this fall found that their entrance examination results were frozen and their files listed as “incomplete” on the Web site of the national testing organization.

Baha’is who had successfully enrolled in universities in previous years continue to be expelled. And those who have sought redress through the courts have been disappointed, their cases rejected.

“As has been the case for the last four years, the Iranian government continues to use a series of devious ploys to prevent young Iranian Baha’is from receiving higher education,” said Bani Dugal, the principal representative of the Baha’i International Community to the United Nations.

“The effect of the government’s policies is to close the doors of universities to Baha’is, despite Iran’s supposed commitment to international laws upholding the right to education. “Our plea to the international community, and especially to professors, administrators and students everywhere, is that they raise their voices on behalf of Iranian Baha’i students,” said Ms. Dugal.

Burl Barer Gets Grilled Saturday by Don Woldman!

Don Woldman, famed attorney, puts his co-host Burl Barer in the hot seat this Saturday 2pm Pacific time, 4pm Central, and 5pm Eastern  Listen  LIVE by clicking this link!

 

 Burl's new book MOM SAID KILL has its official release October 7th.  

 "I gave Don an advance copy of the book," said Barer. "By Saturday, he will know more about it than I do, and I wrote the damn thing."  

It's one thing to write a book, and another thing to read it. In this situation, one host wrote it and the other read it. 

"Don is brilliant and preceptive," said Barer, "and I am exceptionally eager to hear of his experience reading the book, and find out what questions or issues it raised in his mind. I know what questions I wanted the book to raise, but I may be surprised completely by Don's questions and comments. We aren't rehearsing this at all. It's going to be live and unscripted, just like all our other shows....except I'll try to not be such a smart ass this week."

 

True Crimes is produced by Matt Alan, and broadcast LIVE from an 1876 Virginia City style bar in Matt Alan's backyard in the hills of Encino. If you have questions or comments for or about the show, send them to: [email protected]. All emails received prior to 1pm Pacific on the day of the show will be answered on the air.