The Yeti\’s Cyber Smithy

Rhonda Gruber

Oh for Pete’s sake, turn on the news, start a rant. That seems to be my relationship with the television these days. But to make matters worse, I am stupid enough to google what I hear on the news. Right now I am having flash backs of my involvement with Damien Echols and the triple murder of three young boys back in 1993. Why the flashback? Because once again the public receives an absolutely distorted view from not only the prosecution (da man) but from the people (da people). In the case of the three people convicted of the 1993 murders, I came to the conclusion that the people standing up for the convicted men tended to be just as loony tunes as the people who prosecuted them. Yes, I believe the men deserve a new trial. Yes, I believe the people who continue to stand up for them helped to provide this new trial (justice thanks you btw) but the tactics used were maddening and I suspect highly profitable. But enough of that matter. I am sure it will resurface soon. Onto more current insanity.

“Rhonda Gruber… has been arrested.. on the warrant it said “practicing witch” I need every pagan you know and all paths to KNOW what’s going on. “

“My name is Rhonda Gruber AKA Wicked Lil Witch and I am a Proud Witch. I am currently being persecuted as a Witch by a Lt. Kevin Duke of the Horry County Police Dept.”

From people.tribe.net

On the arrest warrant it said she was being arrested for “practicing witchcraft? Now now, that is not what it said is it? That is what folk in forums are saying. But what this post at tribe.net seems to say is that 1. She was arrested and 2. The term ‘practicing witch” was used. One would have to actually look at the whole of the warrant to know what it actually says. For all I know, maybe it says she is being arrested because she is being arrested for harassment as a result of threatening to case a spell and announcing that she is a “practicing witch”.

Now don’t think that such is ridiculous. If I am a professional boxer and I threaten to break your nose and warn you that I am a professional boxer, well now would that be arresting me for being a professional boxer? Threatening a person, even with a spell, can easily be seen as harassment. Do it to prevent someone from testifying against you and the crime starts to become rather serious. Not that I immediately thought this was the case, but it did come to my mind. Especially since in the above-cited article, she is quoted as saying she was arrested for:

“Child Endangerment/ Neglect and 1st degree Harrassement [SIC]”

Here are a few more links which promote the idea that this is a new Witch Hunt and that we should all be concerned that the Burning Times are right around the corner. One even goes so far as to equate this event to the Salem Witch trials. When you read these articles, remember that both titles suggest it is the government that is responsible for these events. The first states that the government arrested them “for Witchcraft” and the other title suggests the return of State Sponsored trials against accused Witches for the accusation that the were practicing Witchcraft.

Pagan Family Arrested for Witchcraft

New Salem Trials in Columbia South Carolina

Now lets look at some different points of view.

Bewitched – An article by The Free Times

Unlike the other articles which have a clear agenda to attack the government by causing the assumption that we are returning to a time of the Salem Witch Trials, the title of this article is kinda cute. The article itself is a bit more informative.

“Spencer is detained at the S.C. Department of Juvenile Justice in Columbia, awaiting a sentencing trial for pointing and presenting a loaded Chinese SKS semiautomatic rifle at neighbors from his driveway on Sept. 10…”

Note it states that their son is awaiting a “sentencing trial”. I believe that means the young man was convicted. In the earlier articles, you might recall the claim was made that the arresting officer drove into their driveway in an alarmed state and was aggressive. Did you know that the round fired from the SKS is large enough and moves fast enough that most police issue bullet proof vests do very little to stop them?

Now then, do you remember the statements that the young man could not return to the home of his parents because they owned firearms? Well now, if you had just arrested a young man after he pointed a rifle kin to an AK-47 at a neighbor; would you want that man returned to a home filled with guns and ammunition BEFORE the events were sorted out? Now some of you are going to say he is innocent until proven guilty. This is true. However, this is why people who might be dangerous are held before their trial. This is why conditions are placed on people who are released on bail. I do not think it is unreasonable to say that one of the conditions of bail for a young man accused of threatening an unarmed mans life with a loaded assault rifle is that he not be in a home with assault rifles. Actually, in a time and age when we are needfully growing more concerned about people entering our schools with weapons and randomly selecting their targets this seems like the prudent thing to do.

“Meanwhile, some observers in the Pagan community are reluctant to touch the case. Holli Emore, a local resident and board president of the nation’s first Pagan seminary in Vermont, says the Grubers’ case has nothing to do with freedom of religion and that they are simply crying “witch” to justify irresponsible behavior.”

Bravo Holli Emore! While I have no doubt the harassment by the neighbors may have been based on religious differences, the neighbors are not the ones charged with picking up a loaded rifle and pointing it at an unarmed person. But none the less, here is what the complaint from the neighbors reads:

“The complainant is the father of … a white female 14 years. At one time, she was friends and visited socially at Rhonda Gruber at 2525 Stone’s Edge Boulevard. There has been an ongoing civil dispute between the complainant and the suspect. The Complainant recently found out that his daughter … had been offered and accepted alcohol from the suspect … She also states that she has been offered marijuana. The Suspect is alleged to keep marijuana in the house and in a storage area rented to the Suspect’s husband’s first wife … The Suspect is alleged to also have provided alcohol and marijuana to other minor children. It is also alleged that there are cameras in the bedrooms and bathrooms of the suspect as well as around the perimeter of the house. It is believed that there could be Pornography (child) in this residence as the suspect is constantly inviting young teenagers to the Residence and providing alcohol and drugs to these young teenagers. The suspect also claims to be a Witch and provide potions and powders for these young adults. A neighbor who lives at 2512 Stone’s Edge Boulevard, Layla Blair, allegedly can corroborate these versions as her young son has been to the suspect’s residence also. Mrs. Blair is believe to be going to call for a report also. No further info.”

Well now, I suspect this is where the word “witch” comes into play. In connectin with giving potions and powders to young adults. I don’t see much of a problem with that, especially since this is coming from the neighbor and not a court. It could have easily have said the person was a practicing Jew or Catholic and the government has done nothing wrong in taking the complaint.

Rhonda Gruber, having heard a rumor about the above report, fired back with her own complaint.

“The complainant [Rhonda Gruber] said her neighbor [Laura Luisetti], suspect, has been harassing her over the last month in many different ways. The complainant said the suspect has filed several police reports claiming she has been giving drugs and alcohol to minors, that she has child pornography in her home and telling other neighbors that the above crimes have been occurring. The Horry County Police Department has responded to the suspect’s home several times for these types of reports and they have all been unfounded. The Complainant has been advised to see a magistrate in reference to harassment based on these unfounded filed reports. Call history has indicated over six filed reports, none of which resulted in any evidence of criminal activity on the complainant’s part.”

Uh wait a minute. In one of the other links, wasn’t the statement made that police refused to take a complaint?

The arresting officer had this to say in his report:

“Upon my arrival I spoke with the complainant [Hugo and Laura Luisetti] who states while driving his child and her friend home from the bus stop, the victim was sitting in his driveway holding a SK Assault Rifle. When I made contact with the suspect, his mother stated she had this gun and it was on the floor of the garage in plain view. I secured the weapon and placed Subject #1 [Spencer] under arrest for pointing and presenting and transported him to DJJ. The SK Assault Rifle was taken into evidence. Subject #2 [Rhonda Gruber] during this incident was very loud and aggressive. She was told several times to be quiet and she kept on. At that time, she was placed under arrest for Breach of Peace. Subject #2 [Rhonda Gruber] was also charged with child neglect due to the fact she had this weapon out in an area, unsecured and loaded where this minor could get to it. The weapon was found on the floor of the garage unsecured, loaded right next to a table where everyone was sitting … I spoke with witnesses who stated they saw Subject #1 [Spencer] with the weapon sitting in his driveway. Witnesses gave a description of the gun and also gave voluntary statements. At this point, I and several officers went to the Gruber’s house and found the weapon matching their description in the open garage. The weapon was loaded and in an unsecured location.”

Rhonda responds: “Normally, we have it [the gun] put away, but with the death threats and stuff, we just had it on the floor.”

Ye, I always leave my LOADED guns on the garage floor in preparation for defending my home and children. Is this woman completely bonkers?

Lt. Kevin Duke writes in his search warrant:

“During the past 48 hours, I have been involved with an investigation into the abuse of a 16-year-old juvenile who was arrested for pointing and presenting a firearm (assault rifle). The juvenile has been drug tested by the Department of Juvenile Justice. The results determined the juvenile tested positive for methamphetamines in his blood system. The juvenile’s mother, Rhonda Gruber, was arrested within the past 48 hours for Child Neglect and an investigation determined the following information; She has a web site that illustrates she is a practicing ‘Witch’ and that she promotes drug usage and sexual deviance. Her web page also illustrates that she is a proud member and supporter of The Pagan’s Motorcycle Gang, which has a recorded history of illegal drug trades and violence.”

Nancy Leong, a Madison Fellow for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, says the organization is aware of the Grubers’ case, but is not getting involved.

Ye, no kidding. So now we have two rather prominent organizations who defend people from state sponsored religious persecution avoiding this one. Go figure.

“None of the charges that have been brought against them [the Grubers] have anything to do with religious freedom,” says Angela Buchanan, a spokeswoman for the Lady Liberty League, a religious freedom activist organization for Pagans in Wisconsin. “These people weren’t locked up because of their religious practices, they were arrested because they broke the law.”

Woops, make that three!

“Basically, this stemmed from the fact that I was a witch,” Rhonda says.

As evidenced by the first few links I provided, it is clear that Rhonda Gruber has found people to agree. I am not one of those people. In fact, I think people like Rhonda Gruber do nothing but perpetuate a bad reputation for not only pagans but gun owners and MC members. I think the police were wrong when they indicated she was a member of the Pagans Motorcycle Club. I have met a few of these folk and I can’t imagine they would have her.