Godwins found danger, got results undercover
By Christopher Conley (Contact)
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Meet Nick Barlotti and Nick Barlotti Jr. At least that's how the criminals knew them.
Their given names are Larry Godwin and Anthony Godwin, father and son and both Memphis police officers who went undercover in successful investigations of Memphis' topless clubs.
Larry Godwin, now police director, infiltrated the seamy club world of Art Baldwin in the 1970s.
The younger Godwin and his partner, Mark Jordan, immersed themselves in the unglamorous and dangerous world of topless nightclubs, befriending drug dealers, pimps, and prostitutes over two years.
Last December their work led to numerous criminal charges, 11 federal indictments, 63 state indictments and the closure of Platinum Plus and Tunica Cabaret and Resort.
Many of those locked up in a late-night raid last December were known gang members who used the clubs to sling dope or pimp.
And it's not over yet.
"I took pride in using that name," said Anthony. "I had a lot to live up to."
Larry Godwin first used the name of his maternal grandmother Barlotti as his cover name during the 1970s.
Fresh back from Vietnam, he went deep undercover in the topless clubs. He made numerous drug deals, some involving thousands of hits of LSD and, once, a kilogram of cocaine, a huge amount in those days. He locked up a bunch of people.
He never thought his son would fight his same battles a quarter-century later.
It turned out that way almost by accident.
Anthony Godwin was assigned to the vice detail of the Organized Crime Unit in February 2005. It's not nearly as glamorous as some might think.
On his first venture into a nightclub to check for code violations or vice activity, dancers tried to peddle him narcotics.
He notified his superior, Lt. Henry Williams, of this unexpected turn of events. Williams passed that information up the chain to then-Maj. Dewey Betts. And then the investigation took off as an all-out drug, prostitution, money-laundering probe.
Jordan and young Godwin would have to become their counterparts in the criminal world, leaving their identities behind and taking on assumed roles.
Anthony Godwin became Nick Barlotti, a long-haired Corvette-driving hot shot, with a fence construction company.
If you're undercover and you say you build fences, you better be able to do just that. Anthony supported himself constructing fences before becoming a cop.
Over the next few months, Anthony and Jordan made friends with the dancers and their dealers, buying drugs on dozens of occasions, and witnessing sex shows and wide-open orgies on stage, as outlined in federal court documents.
The two officers bought so much dope in the clubs that the OCU ''buy budget'' was tapped out from time to time.
With no money to buy, sometimes they had to soft-soap their way out of a deal to avoid raising suspicions.
The shady characters of the Memphis underworld are ever wary, always on the con, always looking for the chink in the armor, the shoes that don't match, the telltale turn of speech that might say "cop."
The two officers went through undercover training from Det. Paul Sherman, who coordinates the undercover program to erase their past.
"It's like acting," Sherman said, "but it's not like 'Miami Vice.'"
"You never come out of role. When you do, you're burned and you're done," Sherman said.
The hardest thing is to stop thinking and talking like a cop.
"We teach them to hate the police," Sherman said. "If you don't like the police, you won't act like the police."
"Do you roll?" the two undercover officers would be asked by dancers over the next two years, meaning do they do Ecstasy.
The girls were all rolling. For three or four days at a time.
The two partners babysat for the dancers, listened to their complaints, usually about money and boyfriends. To maintain cover, Anthony once visited a dope dealer in the hospital in Mississippi after he cracked his motorcycle into an 18-wheeler.
The roles Anthony Godwin and Jordan took on were based upon real people, two men arrested in 2002 for selling Ecstasy and methamphetamine in the topless clubs, Sherman said. Same fancy cars, same cocky attitude.
"It wears you out," Anthony said of the undercover life. "Doing the same thing every night got old quick. But you never get bored, because it's a dangerous thing to do," he said.
The undercover role has an officer's head on a swivel, always looking for someone who might recognize him, especially another officer, Anthony said.
"I never pushed him into the police department," Director Godwin said. "I didn't want him to see the things I saw on a regular basis."
Undercover officers have taken on the role of gangsters, living the life for extended periods, leading to indictments against many of the leading Gangster Disciple, Vice Lords and Crips members in Memphis.
"He is very good at what he does," the father said. "I was extremely proud ... and concerned."
"Nobody can understand, unless you've been there," Director Godwin said. "You know who you are, but you lose your identity. ... I would never have dreamed my son would fight the same battle I fought."
Two cops, Jordan and Godwin had been undercover for the pass two years acting as pimps, drug dealers, and gangster at many nightclubs. They had been sent to be undercover to replace there criminal record. Their work had let down to many criminal charges indcluding eleven federals indictment, 63 states indictment and had the Platinum Plus and Tunica Caberet to closed down. They had went through many tests and the most dangerous position to accomplish their work. The government are proudly greatful to these officers.
Thursday, September 27, 2007
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/27/world/asia/27cnd-myanmar.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin
Nine Deaths Reported in Myanmar Crackdown
By SETH MYDANS
Published: September 27, 2007
BANGKOK, Sept. 27 — Brutality and defiance marked the second day of an armed crackdown in Myanmar today as the military junta tried to crush a wave of nationwide protests in the face of harsh international condemnation.
Tear gas hovered above the steps of the Shwedagon Pagoda on Wednesday in Yangon as the riot police broke up demonstrations.
The violence began before dawn with raids on Buddhist monasteries and continued through the day with tear gas, beatings and volleys of gunfire in the streets of the country’s main city, Yangon, according to witnesses and news agency reports from inside the closed nation.
Witnesses said soldiers fired automatic weapons into a crowd of protesters. State television in Myanmar reported that nine people had been killed and that 11 demonstrators and 31 soldiers were injured. The numbers could not be independently verified, and exile groups said they could be much higher.
Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that one Japanese national had been killed, and there were unconfirmed reports of several other deaths, including another foreigner. The Japanese Embassy said one of the dead was a Japanese photographer, Kenji Nagai.
International pressure on Myanmar built when President Bush asked countries in the region with influence on the country’s authorities to urge them to cease using force, and the Treasury imposed economic sanctions on 14 named senior Myanmar government officials.
Despite a heavy military and police presence, protests gained momentum through the day in several parts of the city. But with the authorities clamping down on telephone and Internet communications, human rights groups and exiles said they were having increasing difficulty in getting information.
The violence of the past two days has answered the question of whether the military would fire on Buddhist monks, the highly revered moral core of Burmese society. For the past 10 days, the monks have led demonstrations that grew to as many as 100,000 before the crackdown began.
“The military is the one who proudly claims to preserve and protect Buddhism in the country, but now they are killing the monks,” said Aung Zaw, editor of The Irrawaddy, a magazine based in Thailand that has extensive contacts inside Myanmar.
Like others monitoring the crisis, which began on Aug. 19 with scattered protests against steep fuel price increases, he said it was difficult to learn the numbers of dead in a chaotic situation in which hospital sources are sometimes reluctant to talk. Mr. Aung Zaw said he had been told of one death today when soldiers attacked two columns of monks and other people.
“The military trucks, I was told, just drove in, and soldiers jumped out and started shooting,” he said, describing a scene that was reminiscent of the mass killings in 1988, when the current junta came to power after suppressing a similar peaceful public uprising. On Wednesday, the junta acknowledged the death of one man, but news agencies and exile groups put the number as high as seven.
Myanmar’s chief international patron, China, blocked an effort on Wednesday by the United States and European countries to have the United Nations Security Council condemn the violent crackdown. But today China added its important voice to criticism from abroad when it publicly called for restraint.
“As a neighbor, China is extremely concerned about the situation in Myanmar,” the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, said at a news briefing in Beijing. “China hopes that all parties in Myanmar exercise restraint and properly handle the current issue so as to ensure the situation there does not escalate and get complicated.”
In January, China vetoed another move by the United States at the United Nations to censure Myanmar, saying Burmese internal affairs had no effect on peace and stability outside its borders.
Speaking in Beijing today, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who was taking part in international talks on North Korea’s nuclear program, said, “We all need to agree on the fact that the Burmese government has got to stop thinking that this can be solved by police and military.”
In his statement today, President Bush said he felt admiration and compassion for the protesters. “I call on all nations that have influence with the regime to join us in supporting the aspirations of the Burmese people and to tell the Burmese junta to cease using force on its own people, who are peacefully expressing their desire for change,” he said.
On Sept.27 in Bangkok, Thailand, military junta had use automatic weapons shooting through the protester. 9 peoples were killed, 11 demonstrators and 31 soldiers were wounded. Monks which had been the most respective of, had been killed continuesly. The violences act of the military had the United Nation involved in which include different countries around Bangkok. Many people seeking news has lost contact in Burma because they had cut all mobile telephones and internet access.
By SETH MYDANS
Published: September 27, 2007
BANGKOK, Sept. 27 — Brutality and defiance marked the second day of an armed crackdown in Myanmar today as the military junta tried to crush a wave of nationwide protests in the face of harsh international condemnation.
Tear gas hovered above the steps of the Shwedagon Pagoda on Wednesday in Yangon as the riot police broke up demonstrations.
The violence began before dawn with raids on Buddhist monasteries and continued through the day with tear gas, beatings and volleys of gunfire in the streets of the country’s main city, Yangon, according to witnesses and news agency reports from inside the closed nation.
Witnesses said soldiers fired automatic weapons into a crowd of protesters. State television in Myanmar reported that nine people had been killed and that 11 demonstrators and 31 soldiers were injured. The numbers could not be independently verified, and exile groups said they could be much higher.
Japan’s Kyodo news agency reported that one Japanese national had been killed, and there were unconfirmed reports of several other deaths, including another foreigner. The Japanese Embassy said one of the dead was a Japanese photographer, Kenji Nagai.
International pressure on Myanmar built when President Bush asked countries in the region with influence on the country’s authorities to urge them to cease using force, and the Treasury imposed economic sanctions on 14 named senior Myanmar government officials.
Despite a heavy military and police presence, protests gained momentum through the day in several parts of the city. But with the authorities clamping down on telephone and Internet communications, human rights groups and exiles said they were having increasing difficulty in getting information.
The violence of the past two days has answered the question of whether the military would fire on Buddhist monks, the highly revered moral core of Burmese society. For the past 10 days, the monks have led demonstrations that grew to as many as 100,000 before the crackdown began.
“The military is the one who proudly claims to preserve and protect Buddhism in the country, but now they are killing the monks,” said Aung Zaw, editor of The Irrawaddy, a magazine based in Thailand that has extensive contacts inside Myanmar.
Like others monitoring the crisis, which began on Aug. 19 with scattered protests against steep fuel price increases, he said it was difficult to learn the numbers of dead in a chaotic situation in which hospital sources are sometimes reluctant to talk. Mr. Aung Zaw said he had been told of one death today when soldiers attacked two columns of monks and other people.
“The military trucks, I was told, just drove in, and soldiers jumped out and started shooting,” he said, describing a scene that was reminiscent of the mass killings in 1988, when the current junta came to power after suppressing a similar peaceful public uprising. On Wednesday, the junta acknowledged the death of one man, but news agencies and exile groups put the number as high as seven.
Myanmar’s chief international patron, China, blocked an effort on Wednesday by the United States and European countries to have the United Nations Security Council condemn the violent crackdown. But today China added its important voice to criticism from abroad when it publicly called for restraint.
“As a neighbor, China is extremely concerned about the situation in Myanmar,” the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Jiang Yu, said at a news briefing in Beijing. “China hopes that all parties in Myanmar exercise restraint and properly handle the current issue so as to ensure the situation there does not escalate and get complicated.”
In January, China vetoed another move by the United States at the United Nations to censure Myanmar, saying Burmese internal affairs had no effect on peace and stability outside its borders.
Speaking in Beijing today, Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, who was taking part in international talks on North Korea’s nuclear program, said, “We all need to agree on the fact that the Burmese government has got to stop thinking that this can be solved by police and military.”
In his statement today, President Bush said he felt admiration and compassion for the protesters. “I call on all nations that have influence with the regime to join us in supporting the aspirations of the Burmese people and to tell the Burmese junta to cease using force on its own people, who are peacefully expressing their desire for change,” he said.
On Sept.27 in Bangkok, Thailand, military junta had use automatic weapons shooting through the protester. 9 peoples were killed, 11 demonstrators and 31 soldiers were wounded. Monks which had been the most respective of, had been killed continuesly. The violences act of the military had the United Nation involved in which include different countries around Bangkok. Many people seeking news has lost contact in Burma because they had cut all mobile telephones and internet access.
Friday, September 14, 2007
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2007/sep/14/315m-powerballonly-bought-pain/
$315M Powerball only bought pain
$315 Powerball only bought painThis article is come from Commercial Appeal, September 14,2007. Jack Whittaker won $315 million Powerball and he's wondering if it worth it. After winning the jackpot: Jack wife left him and his drug addicted grandaughter died. Whittaker heritage the money and become a millionaire before he won the lottery. In December 2002 this is when Whittaker hir the largest-single jackpot ever, which is $314.9 million. Whittaker ask for lump-sum payout of $170 milion after taxes he brought home $93 million. Whittaker is at the age 59, instead of retiring he decided to start his new bussiness: construction, real estates, used cars, even movies. With all the money that had he's started to struggles with drinking, gambling and popular in public. He's home and car reapeatly burglarized . Whittaker later got charged twice with driving under influence and sued repeatly. He's been involved in 460 legal actions since winning. As many things build up and more problem his wife wanted to divorce, they had filed the divorce paper but not yet sign them. His daughter, Ginger McMahan had been suffere with cancer for years, she's in the process of cure but she still remain in poor halth. Whittaker has spent $23 million to build the church and everything is completed. Whittaker said "everything that we have built in a way that it went to her 21st birthday." His daughter will never saw that day because she dying at 17 struggling with drug addiction. This story want to warn people that's still addicted to gambling. This situtuation happen to many of the people out there right now. I could say that it already happen in my family many years ago my uncle and aunt almost divorce bacause the goes to casino so much that they kept on loosing money. Next thing they have to borrow money from the credit card to pay for their debt, and it just keep on building up the interest money. Gambling can be fun but it also can make a person lost everything that they have. Remember money is not everything in life there're many other valuable things out there.
$315 Powerball only bought painThis article is come from Commercial Appeal, September 14,2007. Jack Whittaker won $315 million Powerball and he's wondering if it worth it. After winning the jackpot: Jack wife left him and his drug addicted grandaughter died. Whittaker heritage the money and become a millionaire before he won the lottery. In December 2002 this is when Whittaker hir the largest-single jackpot ever, which is $314.9 million. Whittaker ask for lump-sum payout of $170 milion after taxes he brought home $93 million. Whittaker is at the age 59, instead of retiring he decided to start his new bussiness: construction, real estates, used cars, even movies. With all the money that had he's started to struggles with drinking, gambling and popular in public. He's home and car reapeatly burglarized . Whittaker later got charged twice with driving under influence and sued repeatly. He's been involved in 460 legal actions since winning. As many things build up and more problem his wife wanted to divorce, they had filed the divorce paper but not yet sign them. His daughter, Ginger McMahan had been suffere with cancer for years, she's in the process of cure but she still remain in poor halth. Whittaker has spent $23 million to build the church and everything is completed. Whittaker said "everything that we have built in a way that it went to her 21st birthday." His daughter will never saw that day because she dying at 17 struggling with drug addiction. This story want to warn people that's still addicted to gambling. This situtuation happen to many of the people out there right now. I could say that it already happen in my family many years ago my uncle and aunt almost divorce bacause the goes to casino so much that they kept on loosing money. Next thing they have to borrow money from the credit card to pay for their debt, and it just keep on building up the interest money. Gambling can be fun but it also can make a person lost everything that they have. Remember money is not everything in life there're many other valuable things out there.
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