Because
the very notion that the professor, James St. James, caused the death of his parents and
sister nearly a half-century ago would scare many companies into thinking that
they have to do whatever is necessary to break their ties.
IN
THIS PARTICULAR case, St. James was born under the name James Wolcott. When he
was 15 back in 1967, his parents and sister, Elizabeth, were found shot to
death in their house in Texas.
James
was put on trial for the slayings, but he was found not guilty by reason of
insanity. Diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, he was ordered held in an
institution – and six years later, he was he was released.
That
means the criminal case was resolved. Wolcott (now St. James) did his time for
this incident. It is resolved. It’s not like St. James is a long-hidden fugitive
who has been on the lam.
So
the people who are eager to have the professor’s head on a pike are being
irrational. They’re letting their personal hang-ups overcome any sense of
sense.
WHICH
IS WHY I’m glad to learn that Millikin says they expect him to continue to
teach there when classes resume come autumn.
I’m
not that worked up over it, and I wonder about the Texas newspaper that stirred
up this particular story (which is now being picked up by the Chicago “press”).
It was meant to focus on the aftermath of the slayings of nearly an entire
family. They searched for what became of the son, and found St. James under his
new name living in Decatur.
Because
we ought to consider that St. James is a case of someone who screwed up in
life, yet managed to fix up his situation and get the higher education needed
to help make a productive life out of his. Isn’t that what we want to happen
more often?
Closer
to Chicago, what else is pending in the minds of Second City residents?
GETTING
AN EXTENSION?: Former Rep. Jesse Jackson, Jr., has 11 more days to go until he
faces sentencing for his guilty plea on criminal charges related to his using
campaign contribution money to buy all kinds of tacky memorabilia for his
office.
For
which he’s expected to make financial restitution. But a federal judge in the
District of Columbia on Friday gave Jackson more time to come up with the cash –
some $750,000.
The
judge postponed until Oct. 25 a hearing that would allow the federal government
to seize his homes in the South Shore neighborhood and in Washington, along
with an individual retirement account. So he may manage to come up with some
cash in order to keep a roof over his kids’ heads.
Although
many of those items (including some that once belonged to people like Michael
Jackson and Muhammad Ali) will be auctioned off at some point. Will they gain
additional cachet from once having been in Jackson’s possession?
A
SEE-THRU SIGN?: The squabble between the Chicago Cubs and the owners of those
buildings across the street who make money by letting people on their roofs to
see into Wrigley Field to catch a glimpse of ballgames is getting more twisted.
The
owners reached a deal that still has a decade to go that allows them to sell
their views of Cubs games – with the Cubs getting a share of the proceeds. Yet
the Cubs’ desires to revamp Wrigley Field include erecting advertising signs
that would block the views.
But
the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday about the see-through advertising signs
the team is considering, if the owners don’t lighten up in their threats to sue
the Cubs.
It
makes me wonder who would want to advertise on a see-through billboard –
Victoria’s Secret?!?
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