Too many people?
Maybe Ecocrime could be strictly defined.
They might, you never know…
EcoCourt Reporter for June 1
Non-technical review: People v Fred P. Malworth
Background:
Following the so-called World Reso Wars accompanying the dramatic population displacements due to the catastrophic sea level rise of the last century; among the growing set of problems it was discovered that discrete concentrations of toxic chemistry throughout the environment were far greater and more numerous than anticipated. Over a relatively short period of time, this resulted in draconian measures being adopted in numerous countries to stem the rapidly escalating concentration of specific pollutants in the environment.
In the U.S. the Federal “Equitable Division of Resources” laws were intended to address the problem. Not only did these laws seek to control pollution and reduce environmental degradation, they also sought to control the division of natural resources down to the personal level. Included were measures that attempted to determine and fix an individual’s responsibility for their personal waste stream. These regulations resulted in legal definitions which were meant to determine a given individuals lifetime resource rights and limits. This led to significant reductions in personal liberty, and the advent of bizarre punishments for infractions. Each incarnation and revision of law led to more extreme measures and finally an unprecedented rush to judgment.
The final absurdity of the enforcement of these laws produced the Malworth case. That case, reviewed here, became the rallying point for reform at the beginning of this century and led directly to the revisions resulting in our current set of laws. With the exception of limited excerpted comments from the judge and the prosecutor at sentencing; no record or extract of the formal proceedings save those quoted in contemporaneous newspaper articles, from the hometown of the principal, Fred P. Malworth, have been used in the preparation of this non-technical review. The premise of this review is that the legal issues surrounding this case have been thoroughly debated and apparently resolved to the satisfaction of the American people. Only the story of the subject of the trial, Fred P.; Malworth seems incomplete. It is our hope that this non-technical review requested for the ‘The Centennial Issue of the EcoCourt Reporter’ will aid in placing the issue in the context of the times and help the human side of this story to become more apparent.
Article reprinted from the Quenly (FL) Daily Journal of April 3 (Marvin Lenske, reporting).
“…citing “inability to obtain a complete and impartial jury” in the local situation, Prosecutor Jorgenson has petitioned to move the trial to the EcoJustice Center in Washington, D.C….” (the petition was immediately granted)
Article reprinted from the Quenly (FL) Daily Journal of April 17 (Marvin Lenske, reporting).
“Malworth Guilty!” Jury recommends Death Penalty! First ever ‘Hogger’ trial ends in unanimous verdict!”
“At the conclusion of the first trial under the new dramatically strengthened Federal “Equitable Division of Resources” laws, longtime local resident, Fred ‘Scoffer’ Malworth, of Quenly, has been convicted during a trial by jury of ‘Misappropriation of vital, reserved resources of the people of the United States’.”
“…the defendant then manufactured illicit or controlled substances from the purloined materials which were of themselves pollutants and in so doing did pollute and injure air and water resources in a natural reserve designated by both State and Federal governments.”
Additionally, Mr. Malworth was charged with numerous counts of pollution by intent, possession of controlled substances and willfully and carelessly endangering the health of a U.S. citizen (himself) who might make a future claim under UniMed, the Federal Free Medical Care Program. Other charges, mostly local in nature, may be pending.
Malworth’s bizarre living situation and his activities had been carefully monitored over a period of months by cooperation between a number of Local, State and Federal agencies. These authorities confirmed Malworth as the sole presence at the times and locations of the violations. Surveillance and data collected by EcoJustice teams presented in considerable detail in court built a damning case against Malworth. Computer extrapolations of data with the estimated timeline showed that this individual had easily more than used his fair lifetime allotment of precious resources, such as water, air and pollutants. Furthermore, the prosecution made a strong case that Malworth could not, in his remaining projected life span, do anything but use further resource; even if he was remanded to a Federal Restoration and minimum resource use facility. This overwhelming body of evidence led to the conviction and its recommended sentence…
Article reprinted from the Quenly (FL) Daily Journal of May 1 (Marvin Lenske, reporting).
“…Malworth sentenced to immediate execution, ‘with prejudice’…”
Excerpt from sentencing proceedings: April 27 – People v Fred P. Malworth
T. Langley Pederson, NDI wire service (used by permission, NDI Wire Service)
Judge Nagley: “Mr. Malworth, you have indeed lived up to your unfortunate name. In the more than twenty-nine years, most of it as a prosecutor and judge, which I have happily spent in the legal profession; never before have I been privileged to have so apt a tool as the Fair Share Act, in hand, when confronted by such an arrogant and persistent violator of the law. The blatant violations of civility, common sense and law which the Government has so ably demonstrated as your daily behavior make you a worthy candidate for the full exercise of these penalties. I can only hope that your richly deserved fate will stand as a stark warning to others who would seek to abuse our precious resources.
You will be deprived of the clean air which you so callously choose to pollute with toxic chemicals, smoke and noxious odors. You are hereby sentenced to Public Execution ‘(All rights reserved, EcoJustice Dept. FedGov)’ for your crimes. You will be confined to an airtight cubicle containing an open flame until you are dead.”
Excerpted from the post sentencing interview with EcoJustice Chief Prosecutor William T. Jorgenson, (Later appointed Attorney General in the Raedemon Administration) included in the above article. T. Langley Pederson, NDI Wire Service (used by permission NDI Wire Service)
“While it may be true that Mr. Malworth’s individual violations may seem inconsequential and small; it must be understood that the cumulative impact of his on going spectrum of violations had the potential for large long term effects on the environment in and near Quenly. He refused to live in appropriate housing provided within the community. He blatantly abused the environment and public resources. He created and released toxic materials and gases into a National Reserve. He refused to use modern resource saving equipment for his alleged “art” and his public questioning of the law and its intent; caused confusion and fostered unintentional violations of local, state and federal resource allocation regulations among other individuals. In these trying times, such attitudes cannot be allowed to contaminate our citizenry. It is hoped the results from this case will put everyone on notice that such behavior will not be tolerated in our country.”
Entertainment Guide for the week of May 30 (reprinted from the Quenly [FL] Daily Journal)
Viewing and Ultra Disk (UD-8) Information: (excerpt)
“The Malworth Execution is now set for 2100 hours EDT, June 4 (Friday) at The EcoJustice Hall in Washington D.C. All Execution Witness Theater Tickets have been reserved for ranking government officials and guests. (See our related story on the heated debate for ticket allocation between Congress and the Administration; Sec B P1) Press is limited to thirty four seats as usual but the normal limit of 15 cameras has been suspended for this occasion so coverage will be detailed. In an unusual move, the Execution Coordination Official for Media (ECOM) for the EcoJustice Department has announced that there will be a surcharge on all live sound feeds from the Execution Witness Theater for UHD TV and Internet coverage. UHD TV coverage is available on GOVUHD PPV channel 1332, EcoJustice LIVE. (with 20 second delay: per FCC GovReg). Internet coverage at ecojustice.gov.ecom/Malworth/ex (mandatory 20 second delay) …Use Net Search for Rates for GOVUHD PPV or Internet Execution coverage. Note: NEW live sound surcharge will be assessed for this event (est. 15% to 25% depending on your package).”
Article reprinted from the Quenly (FL) Daily Journal of June 3 (Marvin Lenske, reporting).
Excerpts from the final interview with Fred P. Malworth:
This exclusive interview with condemned Eco-Criminal and Polluter Fred P. Malworth is quoted verbatim from tapes made in Mr. Malworth’s cell on Jun 1st. four days before his scheduled execution at The EcoJustice Center in Washington, DC. No disrespect to Mr. Malworth is implied or intended by quoting his accent or diction exactly as recorded. Rather, the intent is to show Mr. Malworth for who he truly is, an average citizen of Quenly. – ML
“…Nobody never bothered me before this silliness! Fer years! Sheriff, he knew about the cabin. Hell, the Ranger knew about it too, knew it was probably on one kind of government land or t’other. Didn’t matter to them! I never hurt no one. I never told nobody to do what I was doin’, all I ever said was that them regulations was a crock of crap. I only burned downed wood to cook and to heat the place a little in the winter. Sure ‘nough, ate a few critters an’ lots of fish! Better than that damn algae slop they serve in them government housing projects. I had me a boat ya know, so’s I could get around. Made most of what I needed outta plants and stuff from the forest or the swamp. Well, that’s what they’re fixin’ to do me in over, ain’t it? Used an unfair share of reserved natural resources did I? Got it all out of their be-damned designated natural preserve and polluted their precious air doin’ it too, ya know! Be damned!
Don’t got and don’t want no confounded computer! I made little wood frames and stretched cloth on ‘em and primed it up with some varnish I made. Then, I made up a little turpentine and mixed up some oil and pigments. Made me some brushes outa’ otter fur so’s I could paint a few real pictures. Some people give me money for ‘em, ya know. ‘Nough to get by on. That’s what put the fed’s onto me, ya know. They saw one of them pictures and decided right then and there it was a waste of resources and an’ a piece of hazardous waste! Ain’t that a crock! A picture!
Well, I tell ya, I’m eighty four years old and I don’t give a hoot in Hell for them damn regulations. Crazy! That’s what! Let ‘em do me in if it’ll make ‘em happy! Them sons of bitches can get along without poor ole’ Fred Malworth! Makes you wonder what the Hell it’s come to in this country, don’t it?”
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end: Ecocrime