Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Like They've Got Good Sense...


Neo-Nazi's aren't generally known for their smarts. I mean, how intelligent can anyone who defaces their body with swastika's and salutes Hitler be, right? But, when a convicted murderer and his defense counsel calls one as a character witness, like they have good sense, you have to wonder about the IQ of more than just the bonehead.

John Ditullio, a swastika-wearing, tattooed, and goateed mental case Nazi with 28 write-ups and three new charges while in custody for the last 2 years, pending trial for the New Port Richey, Fl attack and murder a couple of years back, was actually called to vouch for one of his fellow inmates. What the hell were they thinking?

TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

DADE CITY -- If you judge a man by the company he keeps, well then, what if he's in jail?

Lawrence Joey Smith has been incarcerated for nine years now, since his 1999 arrest and subsequent conviction for first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Now facing the death penalty for the execution-style shootings of two teens that left one dead in 1999, he is acting as his own lawyer, using what he learned reading law books behind bars.

He found a character witness there, too.

Which explains the appearance of the tattooed young man with the pointed beard, red jail coveralls and handcuffs who appeared on the courtroom video screen today.

His name is John Allen Ditullio Jr., the neo-Nazi charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder in the infamous 2006 Teak Street stabbing attack in New Port Richey.

"Mr. Ditullio," Circuit Judge Lynn Tepper said, "would you raise your right hand to receive the oath?"

The defense called Ditullio to testify that Smith has been a positive influence on him during his two years in jail. The two were once "neighbors" in confinement cells in the Land O'Lakes Detention Center, where the jail's most dangerous inmates are held.

Ditullio called Smith a "friend" and a "mentor."

"What kind of effect has he had on your life?" asked Keith Hammond, Smith's standby counsel.

"Mr. Smith has made me re-evaluate my life and reconstruct my life in a positive way," Ditullio said. "I've made some mistakes, but I'm definitely not the same person I once was."

Ditullio said that Smith is a model prisoner who counsels him on his "disciplinary problems" inside the jail. If Smith were to be sentenced to life in prison, Ditullio said, Smith could continue to be a positive influence on his life.

Then it was the state's turn.

Ditullio, it turns out, has not been a model prisoner.

"In fact you've been written up several times for disciplinary reports?" asked Assistant State Attorney Manny Garcia. "In actuality you've been written up 28 times."

"I've also been here two years," Ditullio said.

Then Garcia asked Ditullio why he was wearing a red jumpsuit. In Pasco County, most prisoners wear orange and white striped jumpsuits.

"That's because I'm a red-dot," Ditullio said. Before he could explain, Hammond objected. The judge allowed him to explain what "red-dot" means in the jail.

"The significance is that you're a high-risk inmate," Garcia asked, "is that correct?"

"Yes," Ditullio said.

"You indicated that Mr. Smith is a positive influence in your life?" Garcia asked.

Ditullio said yes. But then Garcia asked him about his three arrests inside the jail since he was indicted for the 2006 stabbings.

Ditullio has also been accused of an elaborate escape attempt, of keeping contraband in his cell, and most recently this month of breaking the sprinkler head in his cell, flooding his cell.

"Did Mr. Smith ... try to counsel you about these things?" Garcia asked.

"Mr. Smith wasn't in the pod with me, but I received a letter from him," Ditullio said. "He counseled me. He was upset that I would do something so foolish like that."

And that was it.

The jurors never heard about Ditullio's murder charges. Nor did they heard about the charges of aggravated assault, domestic battery and tampering with a witness filed against him in the brutal beating of his ex-girlfriend before the 2006 stabbings.

Nor did they learn why he wasn't brought to court: he was considered a security risk.

"Mr. Ditullio I'm not going to tell you what I tell the other witnesses," the judge said, "that you're free to go."

Ditullio smiled.

"Thank you," he said.

- Jamal Thalji, Times staff writer

18 comments:

  1. Vote Obama in 2008. We won't be cheated.

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  2. The hating on Obama has to stop. Even whites that say they champion our cause have shown signs of latent racism.

    Yes, I am a black person and you people have your homework cut out for you. Just because you call yourself a non-racist or anti-racist doesn't mean you are totally free of the racism that lodges itself in the subconscious.

    You guys need to do a self check.

    Peace out.

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  3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  6. So, if Nik supports anyone other than Obama then she is a racist?

    You gotta love that logic. lol

    I guess I will sit back and watch the fireworks. lol

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  7. Okay - hold up here. Where, on this blog or anywhere else have I "hated" on Obama? And...where is it written that because I fight racism I must endorse Obama?

    Actually...I am pretty torn over this election - but I am starting to lean toward a candidate. At this point, I haven't endorsed anyone, personally. I will say that I would NEVER cast my vote for John McCain.

    Now, when considering what we have to choose from, I must tell you that for the first time in my life I have considered not voting, but that just isn't me. So...I've been doing lots of homework and am now starting to wade through all of the blood-letting and look at the issues and where they stand.

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  8. I should add that voting for someone just because of their race or their gender is, in my opinion, really superficial and shallow.

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  9. Nikki - You see what we "racists" are talking about? Did you notice the second comment on this thread? Not even being "anti-racist" can save you. You see, the black person who wrote that comment is so endemically anti-white that he/she considers you antis to be subconsciously "racist".

    And no, I'm not laughing at you. It simply proves our point - that there are black people who will always consider us whites racist REGARDLESS of what we say or do. So, under those circumstances, it should make you wonder what's the use of even trying.

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  10. Well, Anchorage, given that this is the internet and anyone can be anyone, I just don't put a lot of stock in what anonymous people have to say - especially in the form of criticism.

    There are always those taking pot shots regardless of which side of the fence we happen to be on.

    Being someone who argues and fights against racism and bigotry doesn't guarantee across the board agreement anymore than it does for those being in the white nationalist arena.

    One of the points that Floyd and I made last week was that we all come from different backgrounds and therefore different perspectives. We don't agree on everything, far from it - but when it comes to our cause, we do present a united front.

    Additionally...when we DO disagree on something within our own focus point we generally don't air those disagreements in a public forum, unlike some in the racist movement. Every once in awhile it happens - but not anything on the scale of the racists.

    Actually, criticism is often a good thing because we all have to take a personal inventory every now and then. I disagree with the second poster who suggests that criticism of Obama shows signs of "latent racism." However, he has a point about the way racism can hide in the subconcious.

    I don't mind doing a "self-check" if he does the same thing. ;)

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  11. Sounds to me like Nikki is afraid to say which candidate she is leaning toward.

    She knows if she says anyone other than Obama that the SWHTFF.

    Nikki instinctively knows the right candidate to support but she is too fearful to say.

    She doesn't want more Obama nutz supporters posting here. lol

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  12. Yankee Jim was pretty smart. He killed himself. We Need more smart Nutzi! LOL!

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  13. No...I'm not "afraid." Actually, I AM leaning toward Obama - but haven't made up my mind. I AM sick to death of the shit being thrown.

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  14. thnx! for <'deleting'> my comments, u fckn whore!......i might well be lobbin' in "the States" soon....we'll see WTF u gotta say face-to-face, bitch!

    (WNs i know in the 'Kwa r finding out yr address for me....i already know u live in Colorado!)

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  15. She is leaning towards Obama because she doesn't want Daryl Lamont Jenkins to be mad at her or there be a rift between her group and his.

    Nikki is a coward.

    I guess the pressure on her worked.

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  16. Who cares what this white skank bitch thinks anyway? Obama is going to win with or without her support.

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  17. Since candidates are being discussed here: I am a strong supporter of Obama. I've donated money, time and effort to his campaign.

    But, to be honest, that isn't unusual where I live (City of Peoria, IL went for Obama 70% in the D primary, and about that in the Senate general election in 2004).

    Mostly I support him because I know several local politicians who have worked with him when he was in the State Senate, and their reviews are glowing.

    But my family (in Texas) supports Clinton, and yes, I have Republican friends too.

    Actually, I basically like John McCain but disagree with him on most issues, especially on reproductive freedoms and on the Iraq war.

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  18. I was reading about the attack in florida its a real shame the events that took place,the whole racism thing is a crock of shit you learn to accept the human as a race and not sub categories subconscionsly or not being bias is in all of us due to our opinions when i was young i was friends with that man i knew him at one time but i just have a hard time looking at that page and reading whats in front of me he wasnt always like that lord have mercy on all of us...justin.stell@yahoo.com if you wanna respond i probly wont come back to this blog post

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All comments must remain civil. No threats, racist epithets, or personal attacks will be tolerated. Rational debate, discourse, and even disagreement are all acceptable as long as they remain on point and within the realm of civility.