As you may have heard by now, the state of Oregon has finally come to its senses and agreed to pay Frank Gable, the patsy in the Michael Francke murder case, $2 million for keeping him locked up in a cage for thirty years for a crime he had absolutely nothing to do with.
Finally. I recently listened to the podcast Murder in Oregon for the 3rd time. Compelling - and awful - story. Thanks for sticking with it all these years. Now…who will ever pay for the death of Michael Francke
Thanks for the update.....Good news for sure. I hadn't this. The wheels of Justice seem to be turning again.......although slowly. Hopefully this will shake a few more things out into the open.
Phil...I'll bet this has really rattled the Oregonian's cage. Their complicity in the coverup makes their big, fat investigation of the paper's racist past look like a polite tea party. Makes you wonder: if they're in confessional mode, how come they won't come to Jesus on this one?
Mainly, I'd say, because they feel more comfortable confessing to the sins committed by editors who died a hundred or more years ago. The problem they have facing up to their performances on both the Goldschmidt rape story and their truly awful be-all-end-all reinvestigation of the Francke case that got everything completely wrong may be that their current boss was the news editor for both of them. Somehow that got lost in all the adoring comments about her impending retirement.
Having already done the elected official thing, I think I understand the purpose and wisdom of immunity. But not in criminal cases. That's a perversion of justice.
It might be time to relook at immunity statutes for all senior unelected bureaucratic positions, not just crooked police and lawyers. These people have power that can ruin lives about as fast as the injustice department ruined Gable's.
Although it's once again quite officially an open murder case, it seems that no one in Oregon, in law enforcement or politics, has the least bit of interest in pursuing it.
Obviously, the murderer is dead by now but it would be awesome to at least get some answers for the family. I listened to the podcast when it first came out but it would be awesome if one of the big shows like Dateline or 48 hours would do some coverage of it.
Phil, Thanks for your continued pursuit of this case and the cause of justice for Frank Gable, Michael Francke, and the citizens of Oregon! I know you have widened your scope beyond Portland, but I’d love to get your take on the murder trial of PPB officer Steve Sims. When I was in college in the late sixties-early seventies, I worked first night shift in Police Records during the summers. Sims hit on me endlessly. I wasn’t surprised to hear he got in big trouble, but never did learn the details.
My God, after all these years. Andy how many people believed you when you pursued this case from the beginning, way back when I worked at The O? I've always thought that too many Oregonians saw our state as a lilly pure paradise and refused to believe corruption stories.
By all means. It's psptown@gmail.com
Phil, what's yr email? I am an old retired journalist. I have a NM theory that I don't want to express in public.
Is there any logical doubt that it WASN'T Tim Natividad
I don't think so. The question, though, the one that law enforcement needs to answer, is who put him up to it.
That's definitely something that at least should be explored but it will never happen, unfortunately
As usual, brilliant.
Finally. I recently listened to the podcast Murder in Oregon for the 3rd time. Compelling - and awful - story. Thanks for sticking with it all these years. Now…who will ever pay for the death of Michael Francke
Now that it's an open case again, that's what the Francke brothers would like to know as well.
Thanks for the update.....Good news for sure. I hadn't this. The wheels of Justice seem to be turning again.......although slowly. Hopefully this will shake a few more things out into the open.
Appreciate all you are doing.
Phil...I'll bet this has really rattled the Oregonian's cage. Their complicity in the coverup makes their big, fat investigation of the paper's racist past look like a polite tea party. Makes you wonder: if they're in confessional mode, how come they won't come to Jesus on this one?
Mainly, I'd say, because they feel more comfortable confessing to the sins committed by editors who died a hundred or more years ago. The problem they have facing up to their performances on both the Goldschmidt rape story and their truly awful be-all-end-all reinvestigation of the Francke case that got everything completely wrong may be that their current boss was the news editor for both of them. Somehow that got lost in all the adoring comments about her impending retirement.
Having already done the elected official thing, I think I understand the purpose and wisdom of immunity. But not in criminal cases. That's a perversion of justice.
It might be time to relook at immunity statutes for all senior unelected bureaucratic positions, not just crooked police and lawyers. These people have power that can ruin lives about as fast as the injustice department ruined Gable's.
That’s great news. Thanks for the update.
Is there any update on solving the crime itself? Is it even a priority anymore?
Although it's once again quite officially an open murder case, it seems that no one in Oregon, in law enforcement or politics, has the least bit of interest in pursuing it.
Obviously, the murderer is dead by now but it would be awesome to at least get some answers for the family. I listened to the podcast when it first came out but it would be awesome if one of the big shows like Dateline or 48 hours would do some coverage of it.
Perhaps a Netflix docu.
Phil, Thanks for your continued pursuit of this case and the cause of justice for Frank Gable, Michael Francke, and the citizens of Oregon! I know you have widened your scope beyond Portland, but I’d love to get your take on the murder trial of PPB officer Steve Sims. When I was in college in the late sixties-early seventies, I worked first night shift in Police Records during the summers. Sims hit on me endlessly. I wasn’t surprised to hear he got in big trouble, but never did learn the details.
Thanks for the suggestion but I've got more than I can handle right now.
Phil,
My God, after all these years. Andy how many people believed you when you pursued this case from the beginning, way back when I worked at The O? I've always thought that too many Oregonians saw our state as a lilly pure paradise and refused to believe corruption stories.
Phil, Sean Gearheart PM me on FB I'll shoot you my #.
Check you FB.
Wonderful news and great to see you in writing again.