Topic: Murder

Timely DVD Review: Enemy of the State

By Turner McCullough Jr. | September 30, 2007 |

The next time someone tells you that giving up some your freedoms is the price we must pay for security, tell them to watch this 1998 movie and then get back to you! Often the refrain is innocent people have no reason to fear unbridled questioning or surveillance by the government. Enemy of the State, a well executed action thriller, goes a long way to turn that notion on its proverbial head.

An innocent man, unaware he has been drawn into a covert operation, doesn’t surrender his freedom. It’s taken from him and not in a nice way! «Read the rest of this article»

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DVD Review: The Code

By Turner McCullough Jr. | September 18, 2007 |

How many times has a film tried to tell the story of an ex-felon trying to go straight? Well, here is one that does the job and does it well. Even in another language, no less! Manuel Boursinhac’s La Mentale, original title in French, known as The Code is a wonderful telling of a crime story. If you liked The French Connection, Once Upon A Time In America, The Godfather, you’ll enjoy this DVD. «Read the rest of this article»

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Two arrested in Ross murder; gang connection dismissed

By David W. Shelton | July 4, 2007 |

The grand jury has indicted two people in the shootout that resulted in the accidental death of former Northwest High School basketball coach Willard Ross. The two men were arrested and racked with several charges each. Jovan Preche Dixon, a 27-year-old man who gave an address of 267 Millstone Circle, and Jeremy Andrea Jarvis, a 19-year-old man who listed his address as 211 Oak Street, have both been arrested.

A press release from the Clarksville Police department indicates that both men were arrested “in connection” with the shooting incident that resulted in the death of the beloved high school coach. Ward 2 City Councilwoman Deanna McLaughlin said that the hard work [of the police department] has paid off. “It has been suggested that this incident was gang related,” she said in an email, “It was NOT gang related.” «Read the rest of this article»

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For the DVD Collection- Blood Diamond and The Departed

By Turner McCullough Jr. | July 3, 2007 |

This is a new venture for me. Reviewing feature DVDs for home collections, that is. With the steady steam of DVD releases, titles can be become blurred. Two releases that are not to be missed are Blood Diamond and The Departed. If you have not seen either film in the theater, you’ve actually done yourself a favor as you’ll be engrossed with what flows onto your TV screen. Both offerings deliver the goods

Blood Diamond is a strong, captivating epic of a movie. Djimon Houson (Amistad) and Leonardo DiCaprio (Titanic and The Basketball Diaries) give outstanding performances that compel your attention and your commitment to the story. Djimon is a father separated from his family by internal strife in Sierra Leone, Africa. He struggles to reunite his family and reclaim his son who has been abducted into the child soldier ranks of the rebels terrorizing the countryside. You feel his anguish and share his determination to succeed. «Read the rest of this article»

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Grand jury indictments handed down for the murders of Juan and Thomas Vasquez

By Bill Larson | July 8, 2006 |

Joint Press Release by the Clarksville Police Department and the Montgomery County Sheriffs Department - July 6, 2006, Sheriff Norman Lewis and Police Chief Mark Smith

Following an extensive investigation by the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office and the Clarksville Police Department into the murders of Thomas and Juan Vasquez, the agencies announced that Sheriff’s Investigator Larry Hodge and Clarksville Police Detective Alan Charvis presented their cases to the Montgomery County Grand Jury on Wednesday, July 5, 2006. The Grand Jury returned indictments and warrants for the arrest of Chinu Kim for the murders of Thomas and Juan Vasquez. «Read the rest of this article»

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The Legacy of Heroes

By David W. Shelton | July 1, 2006 |

A few weeks ago, I wrote of how my childhood was colored in the pages of comic books and how the best heroes I imagined were in those colored panels. I would imagine how those stories would be so cool if they were real.

But like any fantasy, I had to come to a realization that those heroes in colored tights and flashy capes would never materialize. Sure, they’d come close. Comic books have made some really great movies in the last thirty years. Some of the more notable successes of the panel-to-big-screen transfer are Superman: The Movie, Spider-Man, Spider-Man 2, Batman, Batman Begins, and this year’s Superman Returns.

I had the great pleasure of watching Superman Returns with my two best friends from childhood. We were once again those three crazy boys as we watched the opening credits fly past on the screen. It was a chance to be a child again. And we were children in awe of the hero as he saved the day and carried on his legacy. Not to spoil the movie for those who haven’t seen it, we see him save a Boeing 777, a space shuttle, a number of cars and falling signs, and the damsels in distress.

But like most heroes, Superman is alone. The character is remembered for his impact far more than his flashy blue tights. This is a character that is recognized across the world as a symbol for idealism.

But symbols are sometimes overshadowed by real people whose lives are reflected in those they have touched. These people—living, flesh and blood people—are examples of the best that humanity has to offer, warts and all. One such person was a soft-spoken person by the name of Juan Julian Vasquez. «Read the rest of this article»

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A community united in grief.

By Bill Larson | June 30, 2006 |

Clarksville came together today, to recognize and celebrate the lives of two of it’s citizens. We came together representatives of every race, creed, and walk of life, united by our mutual respect, friendships, and love for Juan Julian Vasquez, Sr and Thomas Leon Vasquez. Though their lives were cut short, they left their indelible mark on the city and the community they loved.

Clarksville should take steps to memorialize Juan Julian Vasquez Sr and the contributions he made towards the unity of our city during his tenure as the vice chairman of the Human Relations Commission. «Read the rest of this article»

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Funeral Information For Juan & Thomas Vasquez

By David W. Shelton | June 27, 2006 |

The viewing for Hispanic Civil Rights Leaders, Thomas and Juan Vasquez will take place on Thursday June 29, 2006 from 3:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Followed by a prayer vigil from 8:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The family extents an invitation to all to join them for the funeral on Friday June 30, 2006.  The funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m. «Read the rest of this article»

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