Diane Dimond

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DOJ to Voters: Beware the Propaganda

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You’ve probably seen a spunky witness or lawyer on a TV court drama spout out an unacceptable line and the judge cautions the jury to, “disregard the testimony you just heard.”  This effort has been likened to trying to put toothpaste back in the tube. After all, you can’t unhear a comment, right? But it is the court’s way of trying to assure prejudicial content doesn’t play a part in the jury’s verdict.

Now, as we approach the midterm elections, I’m asking everyone to try to disregard all the prejudiced and politically soaked social media you’ve been exposed to.  Let’s vote with our common sense and not with information absorbed from subliminal and destructive messages planted by enemies of this country. [Read more…]

Breaking the Blue Wall of Silence

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For the first time in nearly 50 years a Chicago police officer has been convicted of murder after shooting to death a civilian while on duty.  It took a while, but officer Jason Van Dyke was found guilty of second-degree murder and 16 counts of aggravated battery, one count for each of the 16 bullets he pumped into teenager Laquan McDonald back in 2014. Van Dyke is white, McDonald was black.

The shooting took place in an isolated area while several other Chicago PD officers watched.  But the public was kept in the dark because the dash camera video of the incident was kept secret for more than a year.  When a judge finally ordered it released everyone who saw the young man’s final moments were shocked. He seemed to be slowly dancing and twirling in the street holding a three-inch pocket knife and not, as cops claimed, lunging at armed officers who had him surrounded. [Read more…]

Need a Unifying Mid-Term Issue? Curb Government Spending!

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Call me crazy but I think if federal employees routinely waste millions of taxpayer dollars someone ought to be held accountable, criminally accountable if possible.

And anyone who signs off on obviously outrageous spending, like the person who approved buying coffee cups for the Air Force at $1,200 each or the one that okayed spending $3 million to study how shrimps perform on tiny treadmills, let them come before Congress and explain their actions. If their supervisor made them do it, I want to know that. Let’s figure out how high up the food chain these nutty expenditures are being approved. [Read more…]

Due Process in the #MeToo Era

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The U.S. Constitution guarantees that “no American citizen shall be deprived of life, liberty or property” without being afforded due process of the law. It is one of the bedrocks of our legal system. The 14th amendment to the Constitution guarantees to every person, including aliens, “equal protection under the law.” And, everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

What has happened to those ideals? [Read more…]

 Tackling the Opioid Crisis – Finally

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Can I get a round of applause for our United States Congress? Yes, indeedy, ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for both democrats and republicans! They have, miraculously, come together to approve one of the only major pieces of legislation set to become law this year. Amazing.

It was a rare moment as the U.S. Senate put the needs of American citizens before party loyalty and overwhelmingly approved a sweeping package of bills aimed at alleviating our epidemic of opioid deaths. [Read more…]

Gun Violence Target:  The Bullets   

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 The mantra, “It’s the economy, stupid,” propelled Bill Clinton’s candidacy during the presidential campaign in 1992.  His decision to highlight the nation’s then-struggling economy (and promise to fix it) helped Clinton win the White House.
One theme in this year’s mid-term election is the renewed call for more gun control laws, especially from students worried about school shootings. I’m left wondering when someone will come up with the rallying cry, “It’s the bullets, stupid.” After all, guns don’t work without bullets.

[Read more…]

About Diane

I was raised in the great American Southwest by parents who stressed personal responsibility, integrity, compassion for others and the ability to tell a good story. Growing up in Albuquerque, New Mexico I absorbed the moral and ethical values I would carry with me throughout life and use daily as a journalist.
After a humble beginning in Albuquerque radio (covering the cops and courts beat) I moved east. First, radio in Washington, DC where politics was the name of the game and then to New York where I got my first taste of television. It was to be a long draw at the TV trough, from New York to Hollywood and back again. And always my most fulfilling work was done in the crime and justice genre. My long running syndicated column allows me to deep dive into the human stories behind the headlines on a weekly basis. Writing books about crime and how society reacts to it still fascinates me.

Email Diane at Diane@DianeDimond.com

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