Crankster

Monday, November 20, 2006

Some Fun Local News

My wife told me about this one a couple of days ago. Apparently, Pam Semones, a Christiansburg policewoman brutally misused her power. While this might not seem too uncommon or impressive, the degree to which the officer in question broke the law is truly astounding.

The story begins with Wendy Covington, who accused her husband, Gary, of having an affair. Gary, who sounds like a real charmer, took umbrage at this, and proceeded to beat Wendy until she was unconscious.

She was holding her 22-month old child at the time.

When she came to, Wendy called the police. Covington was quickly arrested and taken from the scene. Enter Pam Semones. Officer Semones showed up after the arrest and demanded that she be given control of the investigation. Semones then put Wendy Covington into her police car, where she told the battered wife that she would "arrest [Wendy] for abusing [Gary] and would do whatever she could to take Covington's children away."

Over the next few days, Semones continued to harass Wendy Covington, intercepting Wendy's request for a restraining order, forcing Wendy to pack Gary's bags, and bringing him by the house to pick up his things, in direct contravention of a magistrate's order. Semones also kidnapped Covington's children from the Women's Resource Center in Radford. While Semones transported the children to Gary Covington, the Radford police detained Wendy, accusing her of kidnapping her own children.

Confused? Here's the upshot: Officer Pam Semones is Satan. I know that this might seem too bizarre for words, so click here to get the full article from the Roanoke Times. Now, my wife knows Pam Semones, as they worked together for a while. Apparently, this isn't the first time Semones has worked outside the law. However, it is certainly the most egregious. And the best part? The woman Wendy Covington (accurately) accused her husband of sleeping with was...you guessed it, Pam Semones.

How the hell do people justify this kind of behavior to themselves? I know that I'm insanely naive, but I can't imagine the kind of moral twists and turns that Pam Semones must have gone through to be able to look herself in the mirror. Ugh.

Well, here's the upshot: Wendy Covington is currently suing the Town of Christiansburg for $40 million. I hope she gets it.

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21 Comments:

  • I have to confess that I realized Pam Semones was the girlfriend immediately. This is truly horrifying.

    I managed a domestic violence shelter in NC, and I know exactly how brutally unfair the system can be regarding battered women. If I allowed myself, I could fill your comment window to overflowing with instances of these women being treated abominably, and my outrage over this.

    You're lucky. I won't. (This time.)

    I hope Wendy owns the town and her husband and his accomplice from hell pay dearly for their abuses. Sadly, none of this will happen in all probability.

    By Blogger heartinsanfrancisco, At November 20, 2006 at 9:00 PM  

  • Okay, I've seen Raising Arizona, so I kinda get the Pam thing. But sheesh, that was a movie. To read about it in real life sucks.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 20, 2006 at 9:01 PM  

  • $40 million. Yeah, that sounds about right.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 20, 2006 at 9:01 PM  

  • Hearts-
    I'm optimistic. I think Wendy will get a hell of a payoff, and Pam will end up doing some time.


    Olives-
    No doubt. What gets me the worst is Semones' face-to-face cruelty.


    Matt-
    Kinda makes you want to believe in hell, doesn't it?

    By Blogger Crankster, At November 20, 2006 at 9:09 PM  

  • It's such a weird thing when people get so powerful in their minds that they think they are above the law. Unfortunately, I think way too many get away with it. That was a super creepy story. I hope they "accidentally" put Pam in the male prison.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 20, 2006 at 10:10 PM  

  • Crankster- don't believe what you hear about the law, and things being fair, and justice, and all that crap. Money rules. The officer will end up in jail, criminal court. The money issues, who has the best lawyers, and how much did they spend. I guarantee you the municipality has an insurance company behind them.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 12:43 AM  

  • I guess it's not paranoia when people really are out to get you.

    By Blogger slaghammer, At November 21, 2006 at 12:50 AM  

  • Wow...I can and can't believe it. I hope Wendy gets some justice and that PS goes to hell...
    I wonder how long till the made for tv movie comes out?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 12:50 AM  

  • I generallly like to think we're all the same under the skin. But then you hear stories like this that make you believe there is another species among us, a type of human who lives according to an entirely different moral code, one that's virtually unfathomable to the rest of us.

    Yeah, much as we'd like to think that there are no evil people, only unhappy, miserable ones, that doesn't seem to be the case.

    This woman clearly serves the Dark Master. This stuff is spookier than any horror film.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 8:01 AM  

  • yeah, mystic wing... those people are called sociopaths. I dated one for a while... ugh.

    By Blogger misanthropster, At November 21, 2006 at 11:27 AM  

  • Public flogging (or worse)should make a come back, if just for her....(and OJ, and the woman who wrote the OJ book, and ...........)

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 12:08 PM  

  • To answer CEO, yes the city has an insurance company behind them. As soon as a lawsuit is served, it is forwarded to the insurance company who then assigns it to an attorney for defense. What is most likely is that they will settle out of court.

    I see this kind of thing every day.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 12:08 PM  

  • I have to agree with Mystic Wing on the point she made with there being another species out there, aside from this intimidating monster getting her commpence I hope the husband becomes the prison bitch for all insundry. A 22 month old child in her arms?? They are a match made in hell and it brings a out a blood lust in me whenever these misfits of nature vomit up there unfathomable deeds.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 4:00 PM  

  • I like what the CEO said. A few years ago when I was having some legal problems with my ex-girlfriend, an attorney I consulted assured me that I could make a possible third-degree felony charge (which was b.s., by the way) disappear for around 8 grand). Funny, she was very precise....

    But we can certainly hope that lady emerges the victor.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 21, 2006 at 4:43 PM  

  • Lee-
    An outstanding suggestion. In fact, I have nothing to add to that!


    CEO-
    My wife just told me that Wendy has retained the services of the best lawyer in Southwest Virginia. Of course, being the best lawyer is SW Virginia is akin to being the fastest speed skater in Nigeria, but I don't think Wendy will have to work again for the rest of her life.


    Claudia-
    I was thinking that myself, and was wondering how you could construct the story without it becoming almost Disney-esque in its portrayal. Maybe Monster is the key.


    Mystic Wing-
    You've just explained my perspective. I, too, try to figure out the logic of others. Stuff like this makes me realize that my attempts are, sometimes, hopeless.


    Odat-
    Or the stocks, or dunking, or any of the other nifty techniques the Puritans used. There are times...


    D-
    I just hope that Wendy Covington holds out for a bundle of dough.


    Judith-
    I know! As bad as everything else is, the kid in the arms is the final straw!


    Matt-
    I once had a little petit larceny charge (aka sign stealing in Herndon). It ended up costing me over $800 and 50 hours of community service. In community service, I met a kid with an even more egregious sign-stealing crime. He ended up paying $50 and having 25 hours.

    I'm just for standardizing the cost of justice.

    By Blogger Crankster, At November 21, 2006 at 6:07 PM  

  • Pam's last name makes me think of semen, and that's funny. Everything else about this story? Not so much with the funny.

    I agree with "Claudia"--when does the Lifetime TV movie come out?

    By Blogger Renpup, At November 22, 2006 at 8:18 AM  

  • Karen-
    Funny, yet oddly appropriate.

    By Blogger Crankster, At November 22, 2006 at 4:18 PM  

  • Odat, I just knew I liked you, but I never knew how much. I hope Just D is absolutely right and they settle for an appropriate amount and that the plantif can retire. A public flogging for the police officer to start her jail term would be a good idea. These are people we have to trust without fail when things go wrong. Violating that trust is pathetically vile. Not that I have an opinion, naturally. Sorry for getting vicious in your blog, sir.

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At November 22, 2006 at 7:51 PM  

  • CEO-
    Not to worry. I'm right there beside you.

    By Blogger Crankster, At November 27, 2006 at 4:46 PM  

  • Did it ever occur to any of you that all of this might be completely made up? As in not true? That perhaps the accuser is a psychopathic money-chasing vindictive compulsive liar? Because that would be a damn sight closer to the truth.

    Kinda changes things doesn't it?
    Puts a woman's job in jeopardy, slanders her, the town, the man in question, and wastes valuable resources of our justice system?

    By Anonymous Anonymous, At December 22, 2006 at 3:22 PM  

  • Anonymous-
    My knowledge of this situation comes from what I've read in the news, what I've previously read about Pam Semones' nonsense, and what I've heard from people who have worked with Pam, including my wife. It's possible that Wendy Covington and her mom are "psychopathic money-chasing vindictive compulsive" liars and Pam is the victim in all this. It's also possible that the world will dissolve tomorrow in a flurry of corrosive green snow launched by disgruntled flying monkeys.

    I wouldn't bet on it, though.

    By Blogger Crankster, At December 22, 2006 at 11:11 PM  

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