The Kokomo Perspective has published a wealth of information that the community needs to hear concerning Greg Davis, Jeff Kirk, and the City administration's efforts to silence investigations of criminal wrong-doing by members of the Kokomo Police Department.

I've read all their articles, and no-one as yet has called them inaccurate in any way.

The Perspective article on April 22, 2008 was the prelude to more information that followed on June 4, 2008 and later on June 11, 2008.

To those that have an interest in this sad chapter of Kokomo history, you might want to go back and review the Perspective reports in light of this article on September 10 detailing Kokomo's Board of Works hearing examining whether Officers Davis and Kirk are fit to be Policemen in the City.

I'm going to examine several contrasts in the next few days... but here's one that really stuck out to me:

An affidavit from Perspective publisher Don Wilson also stated, "That on or about Friday, April 18, 2008, Chief Rob Baker and Cpt. David Mitchell of the Kokomo Police Department came to the offices of the Kokomo Perspective inquiring of me and my staff as to what was going to be printed in the April 23, 2008, edition of the Perspective concerning the internal investigation of Cpt. Greg Davis and Lt. Jeff Kirk." Wilson goes on in the affidavit to say, "That Chief Baker and Cpt. Mitchell expressed interest in knowing the content of the articles in advance, because they said that if the Perspective published the stories with the information from the documents, interviews, and recordings, and the articles made Cpt. Davis and Lt. Kirk appear to be heroes, the department would have to change its findings of fact on Cpt. Davis and Lt. Kirk."
emphasis added.

How do the Chief of Police Rob Baker and Professional Standards Investigator Dave Mitchell 'change' findings of fact?

May they decide what 'facts' are... based on what they'd like them to be....?

This next quote references the April 22 online edition I linked to earlier. In one paragraph... I finally understood some of this....

One KPD officer interviewed about the alleged corruption said of all the internal documents, "Can you see through this or no? ... There's nothing there. There's nothing there. ... I think the person who gave you this information was just trying to muddy the waters, is all it is. ... I'm telling ya, there's a story. But this is not your story. There's a bigger story. This is all just smoke and mirrors. ... It's a diversion tactic. ... Like I said, this is not the real story. This is just a way to muddy the waters ... to try to conceal the truth for as long as they can. ... For right now, it's under investigation. ... As far as the evidence and stuff, it's pretty overwhelming. When you get to the truth, all of this stuff will go full circle."
Many NIK advisers have discussed and wondered WHO gave confidential investigative tapes to the Kokomo Perspective. It's been a topic of debate among us... and yet no-one knows for sure except the Perspective... and they aren't talking... much.

In the hearing last Friday, both the Kokomo Tribune and the Perspective submitted affidavits that "neither officer (Davis or Kirk) provided any information for publication"...

So... if Davis or Kirk didn't give the Perspective these tapes... who did... and more interestingly... why?

Sheriff Marty Talbert told us in emails that he had not even heard the tapes (this was early on... maybe he has by now). The F.B.I. certainly didn't give them up to the media.

This leaves only people within the administration of the City. The Mayor, his closest advisers, or a high-ranking Kokomo Police Department official.

It's been rumored for many months that City Attorney Derek Sublette gave these tapes to Kokomo Perspective publisher Don Wilson. In response to the rumors, I emailed Perspective Reporter Pat Munsey and asked him outright if the Mayor or the City Attorney provided the tapes.

For several weeks, I received no reply. I emailed again. Mr. Munsey answered that it was acknowledged he had gotten our questions, but gave no further information.

The Perspective wouldn't answer YES or NO as to whether City Attorney Sublette or the Mayor had given them confidential recordings.

In light of all that's happened, and what we've learned.... someone within City government divulged confidential investigatory evidence to a media outlet... and we wonder why?

If Kirk or Davis didn't do it... and the Sheriff didn't do it... and the F.B.I. didn't do it... then the choices of who DID are narrowed quite a lot.

If Chief Baker did it... was he trying to frame Kirk or Davis on this? Was the Mayor? Why?

Go back the quote above:

...to try to conceal the truth for as long as they can.
In a few days, you will know the answer. If Davis and Kirk are exonerated, and the KPD is restructured, the Mayor had nothing to do with this.

If... on the other hand... the poorly constructed 'frame job' where Chief Rob Baker and Investigator Mitchell are able to change 'facts' to suit their needs rules the day.... then...

Draw your own conclusions.

NIK