BREAKING: Census worker found hanged with "FED" scrawled on body

[CocoaBeachCoco]

The FBI is investigating the hanging death of a U.S. Census worker near a Kentucky cemetery, and a law enforcement official told The Associated Press the word 'fed" was scrawled on the dead man's chest.

The body of Bill Sparkman, a 51-year-old part-time Census field worker and occasional teacher, was found Sept. 12 in a remote patch of the Daniel Boone National Forest in rural southeast Kentucky. The Census has suspended door-to-door interviews in rural Clay County, where the body was found, pending the outcome of the investigation.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2009/09/23/national/w140345D22.DTL&type=printable

Is the "Obama and ACORN are socialists trying to take 'our country' away from us" movement coming to a head?



Cancer survivor, adult student who battled a blizzard to speak at his commencement ceremony....

Bill Sparkman was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, cancer of the lymphatic system.

“I was already in Stage 3, which is not very good,” he said.

He was prescribed six sessions of chemotherapy, which started in mid-November and would continue for several months.

http://www.sentinel-echo.com/local/local_story_094220413.html

[Winterblues]

1. Just a guess but I would bet he is black

:shrug:

[blm]

9. No....some of his lifestory is in this profile....very sad situation.

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/profile_16

[imdjh]

11. If he were, it would be in the headline.

[anigbrowl]

13. Actually no

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/profile_16

[Hutzpa]

51. delete -- wrong post.

[KhartoumCharacter]

17. heh

Black as the driven snow. Obviously that big-a$$ picture up there must be some kind of ad for knitted caps or something. Nothing to do with the story, not at all.

[blm]

21. in fairness - the pic was added thru editing after the poster's reply.

.

[timtom]

60. But I gotta admit:

Post #17 was funny as hell!

[gatorboy]

44. Double heh!

Looks like someone made their exit...

:hi:

[timtom]

61. What did I miss?

Where did that person go and why?

[Coyote_Bandit]

30. Ummmm......

Did you reach that conclusion because this happened in the South?

Or do you have some other explanation for that conclusion?

[Berry Cool]

2. Oh Lord.

Somehow this just really scares me.

It's very premature to say this now, and I know it...but I hope this isn't the first example of someone being whipped up by the current climate of teabagger hatred of the federal government to commit murder against one of its representatives.

[Hepburn]

5. My thoughts exactly!

Guns to Obama events and a dead Census worker. Wow...!!

[Warpy]

7. Kentucky is prime ground for that nonsense to happen, too

and I wouldn't be at all surprised.

Of course, it could be as simple as a moonshiner who drank too much of his own stuff mistaking a census worker for a revenuer.

[louis-t]

26. Oh, it's already the third or fourth.

1. Cop killed because shooter thought Obama was 'gunna' take his guns away.
2. Abortion doctor killed because Glen Beck said it was OK. (not government worker, but still)
3. Crazed woman arrested with AK 47 and shotgun at Army base, screaming and throwing herself on the ground after she was told Obama is 'gunna' throw all Republicans in a concentration camp.:crazy: (OK, that's not such a bad idea)

[Hepburn]

3. OMG....

...I have been in L.A. all mornning and I open DU and this is the first thing I see!

Wow...:wow:

[gatorboy]

4. Here's an article on him:

The man also had cancer.

http://www.thetimestribune.com/homepage/local_story_074094330.html

"William E. Sparkman’s education story is one of thoughtful parental involvement for his son and for himself, and personal fortitude in the face of very difficult circumstances, including very serious personal illness.

He thought of it as volunteering in his son’s classroom. He never imagined it would lead to a career change.

<snip>

Although he realizes that his doctor will not be able to tell him he is totally cured, Sparkman is looking forward to hearing that his cancer is in remission, enough that he’ll only have to go in for a checkup ever 6-12 months.

Today, Bill Sparkman patiently waits for a math teacher position to open as he continues to substitute teach in various schools throughout Laurel County. Along with his commitment as a substitute teacher he also works evenings at the Campground Elementary in its after-school program.

<snip>

“I know a lot of people were out there praying for me, and I have no doubt that it was a mixture of God’s will, the doctors, and my friends and family that got me through this,” he said.

[Berry Cool]

10. Oh no.

If it is, how godawful for him to have died that way.

[myrna minx]

6. We can thank Michele Bachmann et al.

:cry:

On edit- I'm am so horrified by this - I can't put it into words. :-(

[Christa]

8. My son, a student, did it part time

and he told me many times he was threatened with violence. Some people refused to fill out the forms even when he told them they were required by law to do so.

[Critters2]

39. These morons don't even understand that this is how they get representation

in Congress.

Morons, nothing less.

[RufusTFirefly]

12. Inspector Clouseau must be running the FBI....

"Our job is to determine if there was foul play involved — and that's part of the investigation — and if there was foul play involved, whether that is related to his employment as a census worker," said ((FBI spokesman David)) Beyer.

[gatorboy]

18. That's pretty dumb.

Read the article I posted on him (Post #4). This does not sound like a man who would commit suicide.

[anigbrowl]

24. No, that's to avoid accusations of prejudicing a trial later

Correct procedure is to assume nothing until one has all the facts, and certainly to say nothing in public indicating an assumption. A defense lawyer would otherwise make an argument that the FBI were on a witch-hunt or suchlike. Bear in mind that many miscarriages of justice (which we rightfully protest) occur from just these kinds of assumptions - in order for justice to be done they have to show that they're sticking exactly to procedure.

[RufusTFirefly]

56. Thank you for the insightful reply. Truly. (No sarcasm tag.) n/t

[Ian David]

14. They wrote "Fed" because they couldn't spell "Acorn." n/t

[blm]

15. Time for FOX, RUSH, BECK, BACHMANN, et al...to GO!!!!!! SHUT THEM DOWN!!!

.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[provis99]

31. O'Reilly called for killing an abortion doctor.

does that count?

[blm]

38. I think this poster doesn't care what we think.

.

[gatorboy]

32. Overtly no. But they do help sow the seeds of hate.

And you know as well as I (Personal experience, I'm sure ;) ) how bat shit crazy their followers can be.

[blm]

43. and THEY know how batshit their followers are, too....so do their producers.

They nurture it for a reason.

[Mrs. Overall]

33. Of course they don't call for it in an obvious way--they hint at violence all the time--

and sow seeds of distrust and fear in their listeners.

You're a little eager to defend them there, pal.

[gatorboy]

He can't help it.

He's not as clever as they are. :rofl:

[blm]

35. They would shut us down for far less. And I've earned the right to target them back.

.

[Fleshdancer]

16. Shit.

My heart breaks for him and anyone who loved and cared about him. :cry:

This insanity has got to stop right now.

[ddeclue]

19. That's a Federal Death Penalty Case right there!

http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001114----000-.html

TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 51 > § 1114.
Protection of officers and employees of the United States

Whoever kills or attempts to kill any officer or employee of the United States or of any agency in any branch of the United States Government (including any member of the uniformed services) while such officer or employee is engaged in or on account of the performance of official duties, or any person assisting such an officer or employee in the performance of such duties or on account of that assistance, shall be punished—

(1) in the case of murder, as provided under section 1111;
(2) in the case of manslaughter, as provided under section 1112; or
(3) in the case of attempted murder or manslaughter, as provided in section 1113.


http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00001111----000-.html



TITLE 18 > PART I > CHAPTER 51 > § 1111.

Murder

(a) Murder is the unlawful killing of a human being with malice aforethought. Every murder perpetrated by poison, lying in wait, or any other kind of willful, deliberate, malicious, and premeditated killing; or committed in the perpetration of, or attempt to perpetrate, any arson, escape, murder, kidnapping, treason, espionage, sabotage, aggravated sexual abuse or sexual abuse, child abuse, burglary, or robbery; or perpetrated as part of a pattern or practice of assault or torture against a child or children; or perpetrated from a premeditated design unlawfully and maliciously to effect the death of any human being other than him who is killed, is murder in the first degree.

Any other murder is murder in the second degree.

(b) Within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States,

Whoever is guilty of murder in the first degree shall be punished by death or by imprisonment for life;

Whoever is guilty of murder in the second degree, shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life.

(c) For purposes of this section—
(1) the term “assault” has the same meaning as given that term in section 113;
(2) the term “child” means a person who has not attained the age of 18 years and is—
(A) under the perpetrator’s care or control; or
(B) at least six years younger than the perpetrator;
(3) the term “child abuse” means intentionally or knowingly causing death or serious bodily injury to a child;
(4) the term “pattern or practice of assault or torture” means assault or torture engaged in on at least two occasions;
(5) the term “serious bodily injury” has the meaning set forth in section 1365; and
(6) the term “torture” means conduct, whether or not committed under the color of law, that otherwise satisfies the definition set forth in section 2340 (1). Search this title:

[Critters2]

36. Yep. Someone just wrote their own warrant, and I have no doubt the FBI

will figure out who.

[redqueen]

20. I guess the RW purveyors of hate speech can claim "Mission Accomplished" now.

:(

[imdjh]

58. Or he could have just come up on a still or meth lab. nt

[old mark]

22. That area of Kentucky has a lot of illegal pot growers. His body was found in a

sparsely populated, wooded area. Could be someone thought he was looking for pot farms.

He completed college online after working as a teacher's aide for several years.
He was waiting for a full time teaching job to open up.
He wore that hat because his hair was just growing out after successful chemotherapy for lymphoma.
He had worked as a part time census taker for several years.

Kids and teachers from the school where Bill Sparkman worked described him as "beloved".
He was 51.

mark

[SoCalDem]

25. Census taker = "Revenooer" in some backwoodsy areas?

anyone from the "gubbmint" is suspect in areas of our country..even today :cry:

[anigbrowl]

27. Good point .nt

[louis-t]

29. But why draw attention to yourself by scrawling "FED"

on him if you have a pot farm nearby?

[bluestateguy]

23. Clay County, KY

Here is a profile CNN did last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T93egBMlvCo

I'm going to keep my thoughts to myself until we know the facts of this case.

[Unrepentant Fenian]

34. I'm sure it was a teabagger. nt

[cali]

37. this is so tragic and so sickening. I hope they find the vile shits who

did this.

[alstephenson]

40. Horrible, horrible crime.

And so sad. I'm speechless.

[AspenRose]

41. I lay this squarely at Michelle Bachmann's feet.

Blood. On. Your. Hands.

It can't be stated often enough, over and over again.


Blood. On. Your. Hands.


Edited to add: I'll admit that I am rushing to judgment here and that I should wait for more facts. But the first thing I thought about were her tirades encouraging people to not participate in the Census. Looks like I'm not alone in that.

[Mrs. Overall]

42. +1

My first thought, too.

[rvablue]

48. I'm with you Aspen Rose. When will the House formally censure her for her inciteful comments? n/t

[CocoaBeachCoco]

57. Yes indeed

[armyowalgreens]

45. Oh shit.

[underpants]

46. The hanged him??? A lynching???

Oh my god that is beyond words

[TexasObserver]

47. The FED part is too obvious. Probably misdirection.

Assume that the killer wanted police to think "maybe one of those pot growers."

While that is certainly one theory that could prove out, it seems unlikely such killers would take the time to write "FED" on the man, or that they would want anyone to know the reason the man was killed. Making his death a federal case is not something one would expect murderous pot growers to do.

Maybe it was just a man facing death who wanted to go out a hero, instead of going out a guy who hung himself.

I'll consider all options open until more info is revealed.

[Libertas1776]

50. If it was rogue pot growers or whatever you

want to call them, it is possible that they scribbled "Fed" on him simply to throw authorities off, probably realizing the RW nuttery in this country right now and took advantage of it. Of course, I really doubt that myself. I am pretty certain the guy was offed by a RW sicko.

[old mark]

54. It was just a thought. My brother lived in moonshine country for a few years -

he loves to hike in the woods, but was warned against it because he was a stranger. Anyone in the woods who is not a local is in danger from the 'stillers.

Also the area had 8 people arrested a few years ago for rigging electronic voting machines to change votes. One of them was a judge.
There are serious RWers evidently, too - I was just bringing up possibilities. It is a very conservative rural area with little population - could be anybody, even some
militia, etc...

mark

[Libertas1776]

55. I remember

watching a program about that sort of folk living in the hills and the woods making moonshine, pot and other drugs. I think they had to even bring in the national guard on few occasions since the folks are armed and the area surrounding is usually booby trapped.

[imdjh]

59. Paging Tawana Brawley.

[BlooInBloo]

49. sigh. RIP, and thanks.

[Hutzpa]

52. Too many coincidental killing

in Kansas...makes one wonders.

[Geek_Girl]

53. It's pretty obvious the murderer hated the federal government

I would bet it was some Right wing wacko that was spun up by faux News.

These part time census takers are usually people out of work looking to make end meets. They're not federal employees who have good benefits and decent pay checks. My ex-husband was a part time census worker when we really needed the money and the money he made doing this work didn't pay much. This is very tragic for this man and his family.

[kentuck]

62. No, it's not obvious.

These folks are the first to get in line to die for their country. They may not like the helicopters and the Feds flying over their homes and crops, but that does not mean they hate the entire Federal government.