[nfbmi-talk] Fw: [acb-l] aproximatley 1991

joe harcz Comcast joeharcz at comcast.net
Thu Apr 14 00:04:14 UTC 2011


----- Original Message ----- 
From: joe harcz Comcast 
To: acb-l at acb.org 
Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2011 7:51 PM
Subject: [acb-l] aproximatley 1991


Sorry this item related to Darrel Buford is from a news archive account with an unclear date in it. Yet it is a public record and shows a pattern and practice of abuse, assault and indeed rape in the public record that was covered up by various state actors, and others, including those in the blindness community for decades. Lord knows how many people with disabilities and/or blindness have been abused by this man or effective co-conspirators like Karl Kraus.

And might I note years after this admission and guilty plea Buford was the head of the guest commity at the ACB 2008 national convention in Louisville and that the was at the same time President of the Kentucky School for the Blind Alumni Association; a highly placed individual on the Kentucky Statewide Rehab Council and also with the Kentucky Council of the Blind?

Moreover, he continued to be active in the fight for summer programs in the public record of the Kentucky School for the Blind and the aforementioned orgs through 2009. And he, even after another indictment in January of 2010 for the crime he pled guilty of yesterday was employed and/or paid for with both the Kentucky council of the Blind, American Printing House for the Blind, and Kentucky School for the Blind until press exposes made that imposable in September of 2010.

Now, People while some might talk about forgiveness and this or that and the other thing. And while some might say, "We din't know..." (Which by the way I find disingenuous by a long shot). And while some might say (as I do by the way) one must be given due process and equal protection under law this guy was convicted, pled guilty, and was sanctioned in other cases over decades. Do not tell me that no one knew about this. Please don't pull the blindness bull out on all of this and more and please don't excuse this by him or any other state or other actor in these regards.

And, as an I find it remarkable and not without consequence that I was first suspended about discussing sexual abuse in residential facilities and somehow things back then and now went back to Kentucky.

Oh, and don't we have a national board member who was and is closely connected with this individual and who was a part of that controversy (list suspensions and all that)?

Hmmm...

And don't we have a whole slew of associates with the Kentucky School for the Blind in these regards and over decades?

Oh man, don't tell me that there weren't rumors, whispers, and, indeed known activities over decades. Please just don't tell me this.

Because, any attempt to do so is just plain not credible.

Joe

Taxi Firm Owner Sentenced to Ten Years

By Verne Brooks Paducah Sun

A Paducah man who says he was sexually abused by other children as a child has been sentenced to a 10 year prison term on multiple charges of child sexual

abuse.

Judge Ron Daniels sentenced Darrell Lynn Buford Wednesday in McCracken Circuit Court on five felony counts and one misdemeanor count of sexual abuse.  Buford

was remanded to jail to await transportation to prison.

Daniels denied probation for Buford, despite requests by his attorney, Mark Bryant, and please for leniency from several prominent character witnesses including

five church and community leaders and two psychologists.

Daniels said statutes governing punishment for child sexual abuse prevented both probation and an alternative sentencing plan recommended by Bryant.

The judge also said he considered the charges serious and thought the community did as well.

"If it hadn't been for the seriousness of the charges, he would have been a prime candidate" for probation, Daniels said.

Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Tim Kaltenbach did not recommend a sentence of probation.

Calling it "one of the saddest cases we've had to prosecute."  Kaltenbach said "he was a real asset to the community before this.

"From what he said (in testimony), I think he is truly sorry for what he did," Kaltenbach said.

Buford, 33 year old owner of Security Taxicab, Inc.  is legally blind and currently weighs 98 pounds.

Unable to fight back tears, Buford testified he was "tormented" by other students in Paducah schools because of his frail size and thick glasses before

being placed in the Kentucky School for the Blind.  There, he was sexually abused by two different boys - one his own age but larger and another older

boy.

Dr. Thomas Muehleman, a Murray clinical psychologist who has conducted 33 treatment sessions with Buford since November, said during the 90 minute sentencing

hearing that Buford's own sexual abuse as a child conditioned him to commit the offenses.

"He's worked hard to begin to take responsibility for his offenses and gone on to minimize the effects he has had on the children," he said.  "I certainly

think there is hope.

"We are helping Darrell to stay in control of his impulses and be able to resist any temptations he might have," Muehleman said, and added the chance of

future offenses is drastically reduced.

Kaltenbach asked Muehleman what lasting effect the offenses would have on the children.

"I think it's possible to come to terms with it and understand, so that it doesn't have to continue being disruptive in their lives," Muehleman said.

Buford originally pleaded guilty to a three count indictment charging him with offenses against two young boys.

Before he was to be sentenced,

however, the original indictment was dismissed and he was re-indicted on the six offenses against three boys under the age of 12 and one under the age

of 14 between October 1987 and October 1990.

Bryant, former longtime commonwealth attorney, said based on Buford's own abuse as a child, "I can say from all of my years of experience in this same court

I never saw a man be more deserving of probation  and treatment and less deserving of going to the penitentiary."

"To think that now the criminal justice system has to reap vengence on Darrell Buford by sending him off to the pen," Bryant said.

The altermative sentencing plan offered by Bryant, and rejected by Daniels, called for Buford to serve six months of work release in jail and be permitted

to leave the jail each day to operate his business.

The plan, prepared by sentencing consultant Lynn Aldridge, also called for Buford to continue treatment and perform community service work while under intense

supervision by the probation and parole office.

Buford said he feared the firm he had founded would "truthfully, only ast for four or five months at best," if "There's very little profit and you have

to stay on top of it everyday," he said, although he did not say who would operate the firm while he is imprisoned.

Daniels said the five felony counts were punishable by one to five year prison terms.  However, the aggregate sentencing statute would limit maximum five

year terms to a total of 20 years.

He sentenced Buford to two years on each felony count for a total of 10 years and 12 months on the misdemeanor count to run concurrently with the 10 year

term.

Kaltenbach said according to pardon and parole guidelines, Buford will have to serve 20 percent of the sentence, or two years; before being parole eligible.

 He will not be eligible for shock probation.

The prosecutor said buford would be placed in a two year sex offenders program for which there is a waiting list.

The program is conducted both at Luther Luckett Correction Center (IN LOUISVILLE KY) and at Eddyville.

"As a practical matter, I don't think he would be eligibl" for parole in two years, Kaltenchback said, considering both the length of the program and amount

of time he has to wait to enter it."

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