LEO Weekly Feb 15, 2023

WARRANTLESS RAID AFTER LOUISVILLE PASSED ‘BREONNA’S LAW’

THE MURDER OF ELIZABETH GRIFFITH

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ARCHIVAL PHOTO OF ELIZABETH GRIFFITH

THE VALUE OF ASSESSMENT

By Erica Rucker | erucker@leoweekly.com

HOW do we determine what we need vs. what we want? We place some things above others according to our need for comfort and perceptions of security. We do the same with our funds. We put things we need higher on the list than the things we simply want. Should our cities do the same?

For instance, police are entrusted with the protection of public interests. The public interest is not necessarily human interest, but the protection of the interests of monied individuals and landowners. The problem is that this is very expensive for the public and not those with money and landowners.

Is there a public service element to police work? In theory, yes.

However, in certain areas of the city, this public service portion of the police occupation seems to manifest as a way to enclose and patrol the movements of Black and brown communities, poor people, and other marginalized groups. These areas are heavily patrolled, not just by officers, but also high-tech surveillance like cameras and ShotSpotter. Policing in these areas does not work for the safety of those individuals, as people in these poorer areas are more susceptible to criminal threat than perhaps other less desperate parts of the city. And cops don’t prevent criminal activity, they generally only appear at a crime scene after a crime has happened.

The police are there, not to help, but to maintain a certain order that keeps the ‘unsavory’ folks away from sight. In these areas, police don’t always play by the rules and at times, blatantly disrespect the citizens and rules of decorum.

In Josh Wood’s piece this week about a warrantless LMPD raid in the post‘Breonna’s Law’ climate raises these issues again — cops acting above the rules and blatantly being insensitive in order to push control on others.

Will we see a change in our policing with the new Greenberg administration?

The administration says that new transparency is their M.O. But will that extend to being transparent when cops fail citizens and breach their rights? Will we see Greenberg not only tell Louisville about police misdeeds but also aggressively address it in a way that lets Louisville citizens live with-

out fear of injury, invasion, or any other threat from the police force?

LEO will certainly be watching. At some point, the story of “bad cops” needs to become measurable reforms, or better yet, dissolution of the general need for punitive forces.

I’ve written before about the punitive model for policing and crime punishment and prevention in this country and how it does not work. It does not prevent nor change criminal behaviors before they happen, so we need a new approach. A completely new system that gives citizens more power in deciding how they wish to deal with the management of crime in their areas. To those who don’t know the statistics, it seems that we’re asking for lawlessness and anarchy, but, according to the Vera Institute of Justice, with low-level offenses like drug possession responsible for 80% of arrests nationwide, we could create a more effective and efficient system.

Most police time is non-emergent, and that alone is enough to make the costbenefit analysis regarding policing. We’re putting billions of American dollars into a system that runs at a huge efficiency deficit.

What else could we do with those dollars? In Louisville, specifically, we could change the entire city. Put every young child in quality early education and give people who’ve been mistreated by the system real avenues to finding dignity again.

So, as you read through this issue of LEO, which is about assessing value in many ways — the value of police work, the value of love, and the value of our time — think about the ways in which our money and our time is spent, and consider what’s worth it.

Is policing in the way it exists worth it?

Is the struggle to find love worth it?

What could we do better?

One thing for sure to us, at LEO, is that we could definitely spend money more wisely if cops would just act like the people they accost are, in fact, actual people with feelings, fears, and rights. This small change would eliminate a lot of city funds being spent to pay families and victims of police violence and police ‘mistakes.’ •

LOVE IS BLINDNESS

By Christina Estrada | leo@leoweekly.com

MY father, Ricardo, was born in 1930s Texas to a Mexican American father and a mother from Coahuila, Mexico who spoke no English. He was the seventh child of nine, and they all lived and worked on a farm in Texas until his father answered an advertisement for factory jobs in California. The family moved into a small three-bedroom bungalow in booming East Los Angeles. The family included his nine children, wife, mother-in-law, and various other relatives struggling together to make ends meet.

My mother, Sarah, was born in a house in Madisonville, KY, to an illiterate miner and his second wife who was 14 years younger than he. Her mother, my grandmother Mary, had been picked to wed because my grandfather, Rubin, saw her in the front window of her house on his walk home from the coal mines.

Mary found her journey into motherhood with advice from her aunties and cousins to buy a bottle of an unknown substance at the local store for her to drink. The elders laughed as they shared “There’s a baby in every bottle,” which began many years of pregnancy and homemaking, producing seven children from at least 12 pregnancies. Sara was the second, and all were born in homes that are still standing today.

Sara met Ricardo through the military.

My father had two options at 17 years old: leave home to a factory job or join the military. He and his brother chose the latter and went overseas, beginning carousel tours of military bases, which landed him in Ft. Campbell, KY. Since he was alone and had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving, he was invited to a home-cooked dinner by his friend who happened to be dating a

friend of my mother. My mother’s friend begged her to come along and meet their guest for a blind date. My mother agreed.

“Lucy” had officially met Ricky.

She was blue-eyed with curly golden hair, round hips and a 19-inch waist — a beauty. Ricardo didn’t stand a chance.

He was brown with a strong jaw, and jet-black hair that matched his shiny black Pontiac Catalina convertible. He had an accent and was immaculately dressed, with a pressed shirt tucked in belted pants. He wore shiny shoes and the finest “high and tight” haircut the military could provide. My mother found him arrogant and shared with me that he barely spoke 10 words to her, which included a request for her phone number to meet up again. To this day, she has no idea why she gave her number and then responded to his call two weeks later after he completed field training. Her instinct said to jump, blindly. She said that at that moment, everything in her life changed.

The second date landed him in the home of white, coal-minin’, country folk. Her family had not interacted much with minorities and racist language was regularly spoken, yet he was welcomed into their lives without derogatory references. They kept their tongues, but their feelings were there. My grandfather did not speak a word to him and was afraid of his dark skin, pristinely put-together outfits, and strong accent. My grandma enjoyed him from day one, as he loved to be in her home observing her natural cooking style and ability.

He stayed with the women during visits. It felt comforting to him as he found little difference between his L.A. family and the Kentucky home of my mother. He felt relaxed in the rural setting with fishing,

good food, and the chatter of multiple generations of adults and children crammed into a tiny house, dirt-poor.

As my parents got to know each other, my father began to open up about who he was. He stated very early on that he was an alcoholic and owned by the military before anything else.

Their dates started in her home, drinking coffee brewed by her mother to sober him up before they left for a drive in the country or a rare outing to the local picture show. Their courtship lasted for two years with no chance of consummation until after marriage. His acceptance of her boundary is a core factor of why they worked as a couple for 32 years until he passed in 1993.

My mother was schooled in tolerating and staying safe among alcoholics and men without boundaries. She was determined to not be taken over by lust or indulgence in alcohol, as these two social ills were the things she hated the most from her childhood. The violence to which she was accustomed was the direct result of adults drinking in her home. My father’s drinking didn’t come with violence.

Why did my mother Sarah, a white Kentucky girl, jump into a life with my father, a Mexican man born in Texas, raised in East Los Angeles? It was the ‘60s, and for her, he was consistent and never pushed her into anything without her consent. My father, in the life they built together, was kind and gentle even when intoxicated, and he offered her a strange feeling she had never felt around men…safety. •

SOAPBOX

We like it when you talk to us, even if you’re upset. This space is for you. Sometimes, we talk back.

“MY BEST FRIEND IS GAY”

As my best friend of 25 years, who is in the LGBTQ category could tell you, I am not in the least “TRANS PHOBIC”. I am just resoundingly “ERICA RUCKER PHOBIC”. —Ronnie Roberts

I’m down with that. We don’t have to be friends.

KY HOUSE REP. SAVANNAH MADDOX FIREFIGHTER?

Thomas Merton’s Letters to a White Liberal, In a Queer Key

by Craig A. Ford, Jr.

February 21, 2023 • 7 p.m. Bellarmine University

Hilary’s, Centro Treece Hall

Free & Open to the Public

Craig A. Ford, Jr., is a moral theologian at St. Norbert College, and writes at the intersection of the Catholic moral tradition, queer theory and critical race theory. His current book project seeks to articulate a new theology of sex and gender for the Roman Catholic tradition.

In this lecture, Dr. Ford seeks to place Merton’s work into a deeper conversation with anti-racist work and, as the Church confronts the forces of homophobia and transphobia in our day, Dr. Ford will place Merton’s work in dialogue with black queer voices past and present.

Learn more: 502.272.8177 / 8187

www.merton.org

CHRISTINA ESTRADA

Christina Estrada is a lifelong seeker of light in the darkness wearing a variety of hats, including, but not limited to: student/teacher, survivor/healer, mother/ child, therapist/client, introverted extrovert. At present, a disabled wife and mother with stories and thoughts from five decades of life and 30 years of social work, inpatient and outpatient.

Turns out our Kentucky House of Representatives has a member who thinks that gasoline is a valid re ghting tool. Rep. Maddox is right, of course. Gasoline will extinguish a re by consuming everything it touches until nothing but dry ash remains. Fire out, job done. Her application of this theory to guns in schools, that more guns will x the problem of too many guns in schools ought to earn her a reward. It’s high time that the national conference of funeral directors presents an award to the legislator who delivers the most new business to them that year. I can see the award ceremony now, serenaded by a recording of the immortal hit by Alice Cooper, “Dead Babies”. —Chris Reifsteck, 40208

17TH ANNUAL THOMAS MERTON BLACK HISTORY MONTH LECTURE

PASSED ‘BREONNA’S

LAW’ — AND 3 WEEKS LATER, COPS CONDUCTED A WARRANTLESS RAID

By Josh Wood | jwood@leoweekly.com

THORNS

& ROSES

THE WORST, BEST & MOST ABSURD

THORN:

KELLY CRAFT IS A GRIFTER

A grifter who most recently was hanging out with king of grifting Jordan Peterson, whom she called a “dear friend” in a Twitter post. If you don’t know who Jordan Peterson is, we’re not even going to get into it because we’re in grifter “Inception” at this point. The only rational read of her campaign is that she’s going out of her way to be ridiculous, living o the Trump strategy of keeping your name in the news, even if you look like a fucking fool.

ROSE: RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA SALES BEGIN IN MISSOURI

With Missouri beginning recreational marijuana sales earlier this month, Kentucky now has two neighbors where adult-use cannabis is legal and for sale — and thus, two states where people seeking medical marijuana under Gov. Andy Beshear’s recent executive order can go. Now, if only Kentucky’s legislature could get with the times.

ABSURD: WOOING DUDE PERFECT WORLD

ON June 11, 2020, it felt like change might finally be coming to Louisville.

Hundreds of people gathered in front of Metro Hall, their fists in the air as votes from city council members were broadcast over speakers, unanimously banning “no-knock” warrants in Louisville following the police killing of Breonna Taylor three months earlier and two weeks of protests.

Under the ordinance, dubbed Breonna’s Law, officers executing search warrants must knock and clearly announce that they are law enforcement. They also have to have a body-worn camera on and start recording

five minutes before the execution of the warrant.

Signed into law the next day, the legislation would spark similar efforts nationwide as the country grappled with the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and other Black Americans killed by police.

“All Breonna wanted to do was save lives,” said Taylor’s mother, Tamika Palmer, addressing Louisville’s Metro Council ahead of the vote. “So it’s important this law passes because with that, she’ll get to continue to do that, even in her death.”

A little more than three weeks after Breonna’s Law passed, four

Louisville Metro Police Department officers were stacking up outside an apartment in Old Louisville in the middle of the night for a no-warrant raid.

Police showed up to the apartment after bystanders at the scene of a stabbing told them a woman who matched the loose description given by the victim lived in their neighborhood. They provided officers with a first name, Lynn, which one officer recognized as the middle name of a woman in the area that she knew.

Neither bystander described seeing the assault and later, the LMPD officer who first made

As LEO reported earlier this month, among the things Mayor Craig Greenberg wanted to get done in his rst week in o ce was send an email to the sports comedy/trickshot bros of Dude Perfect inviting them to make Louisville the home of their $100 million theme park. Some LEO readers were upset he spent time on this so soon after taking o ce; others praised him for aggressively going after a potential moneymaker. We think the thing we can all agree on is that everyone who freaked out over Topgolf will have their heads exploding if Dude Perfect World’s arching 330-foottall trick shot tower becomes a thing.

ROSE: KENTUCKY SHINES BRIGHT AT THE SUPER BOWL

Eastern Kentucky’s own Chris Stapleton sang the national anthem. And Louisville’s own Jack Harlow took center stage — as a triangle player — in a Doritos commercial. As always, it’s good to see Kentucky artists get the spotlight they deserve.

O cers Anthony Elliott, left, and Brooklyn Sharpey, right, speak with Detective Adam Lady following the warrantless raid. | SCREENSHOT VIA LMPD BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE

contact with them would say he did not believe they saw the stabbing and did not know how they came up with the name they passed along.

Despite lacking probable cause — and the microscope on LMPD raids at the time as a result of the killing of Breonna Taylor— no officer present pumped the brakes on the raid.

The officers knocked, but did not announce themselves as police. The officer in the front was armed with a rifle, while at least one other officer had already drawn their pistol from its holster. Unlike other raids that typically see officers line up like this, they did not have a judge-signed warrant.

When the door was opened, the officer in the lead aimed his rifle at a Black woman sleeping on a couch. She was visible from the door as he and fellow officers entered, shouting conflicting commands.

The officers went into the home even though

department policy holds that officers can only enter a premises without a warrant in extremely limited circumstances, including when they are in pursuit of a suspect or matters of life and death.

The woman was handcuffed and detained on the building’s front porch for nearly two hours — even as gunfire erupted nearby. LMPD policy says people cannot be detained without arrest except in very limited circumstances. The woman was never charged with a crime.

In a written complaint about the raid the woman submitted to LMPD’s Professional Standards Unit ten days later, she would say she couldn’t sleep, that all she saw when she closed her eyes was the rifle in her face.

An internal breach of policy investigation that followed found the four officers involved did not have probable cause to conduct the raid or detain the woman. As a result, on Dec. 29, 2021, former

LMPD Chief Erika Shields issued a one-day suspension to each officer.

It’s not clear how many raids like this one Louisville police officers have conducted since the passage of Breonna’s Law. LMPD declined to answer a question from LEO Weekly about the frequency of similar raids, and the July 5, 2020 raid has not been reported on until now.

“For someone who worked very tirelessly and hard on getting Breonna’s Law passed, it’s very unfortunate a couple years later to hear that just right after it passed, that it wasn’t followed,” said State Rep. Keturah Herron, a former policy strategist with the ACLU of Kentucky advocating for warrant reform in the wake of Taylor’s killing in 2020. “I believe it’s those things that the community is concerned about and the reason why that trust is not there.”

LEO Weekly first learned of the raid through

O cer Anthony Elliott, armed with a patrol ri e, speaks on the phone with Detective Adam Lady after the July 5, 2020 warrantless raid in Old Louisville. | SCREENSHOT VIA LMPD BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE.

NEWS & ANALYSIS

an open records request for police discipline documents that the city responded to last June. In December, nearly six months later, LEO received more than six hours of heavily redacted video footage of the incident, providing a more complete window into what happened. This story is pieced together based on analysis of that body camera footage as well as 177 pages of documents from the police department’s internal breach of policy investigation.

The incident provides a cautionary tale about the potentially blunted impact of in-themoment police reforms that Louisville and other cities across the country saw during and after 2020. The revelations about the incident also come as Louisville continues to await the results of a wide-ranging Department of Justice probe into its police department — an investigation that, among other things, is looking into whether the force “conducts unreasonable stops, searches, seizures, and arrests, both during patrol activities and in obtaining and executing search warrants for private homes.”

Peter Kraska, a criminal justice professor at Eastern Kentucky University and an expert on the militarization of police forces in America, said practices such as warrantless raids are commonplace in American policing and that reform is not easy.

“The cultural momentum in a department is not going to shift just because of something like Breonna Taylor and the city council’s actions took place,” he said.

THE STABBING

On July 5, 2020, just after 12:35 a.m., LMPD officers and paramedics were called to a stabbing on Woodbine Avenue near the I-65 underpass in Old Louisville. Arriving, they found a white man wearing a blue shirt and blue bandana bleeding profusely from his upper right thigh, which was tied with a makeshift tourniquet.

“They was saying I was wearing the wrong colors,” the victim said.

The man described his assailant as a 5’2” or 5’3” Black woman with short black hair wearing “black on black tights.”

As the victim provided the description, bystanders started speaking to Officer Anthony Elliott.

One of them, a Black man, described a woman with “nappy hair” who lived around the corner, four houses down, who matched that description. He did not describe witnessing the stabbing.

Another person on the scene, a woman who called 911 to report coming across the bleeding victim in front of her house, provided a name for the woman who lived around the corner: Lynn.

In the 911 call, the woman said she did not know who stabbed the man. Asked directly by Elliott if she saw the stabbing, the woman said she did not, that she only saw the wounded victim.

More than six months later, Elliott

NEWS & ANALYSIS

would tell investigators: “I don’t know how they knew it was her but I believe they did not see it.”

As the victim again described his attacker, adding the details that she smoked a lot of cigarettes and that he could recognize her if he saw her, Elliott interjected, saying: “Her name is Lynn — is her name Lynn?” before concluding “her name is Lynn.”

The victim did not seem to acknowledge the name.

A few minutes later, after the man was loaded onto a stretcher by EMS, Officer Brooklyn Sharpey walked over to where Elliott was speaking to the bystanders.

“Where she stay at?” Sharpey asked about the woman.

“About four houses around the corner, that way,” the man said, pointing and adding that the woman is “always acting like a junkie.”

“Hey — hey,” Sharpey said, tapping Elliott’s shoulder. “You know who I think — I know she stays up there with a Black guy. The top floor. Remember? You might not have been with me. We’ll show you the house, I’ll show you the house.”

Elliott asked if she’d been there on a “domestic” run and Sharpey said she had.

Then, standing in the street and joined by Officer Carina Ansaldo, Sharpey said: “We’re going to go to — I think I know who did it. She stays right around the corner.”

Later, speaking to investigators, Sharpey would say she recognized Lynn as the middle name of the person she knew in the area who matched the description given by the stabbing victim.

Sharpey would also tell investi-

gators — and mention to a fellow officer on body camera footage in the moments after the raid — that she showed a picture of the woman to bystanders on the scene, and that they confirmed it was the person they were talking about. However, in body camera footage seen by LEO Weekly, no officer is seen showing a photograph to bystanders. In LMPD’s internal investigation, the force’s Professional Standards Unit acknowledges the lack of body cam footage as well, with an investigator writing that the display of the photograph “was not captured on [body cam]; however, Officer Sharpey references her action when speaking when speaking to Officer Ansaldo at 06:10 of Officer Sharpey’s [body cam].”

The officers packed up and got ready to move. Nobody questioned what they were doing.

THE RAID

After they left the scene of the stabbing, the four officers — Sharpey, Elliott, Ansaldo and Donald Miller — drove the short distance to the target residence in three vehicles. In Sharpey’s body camera footage, Elliott can be seen popping his squad car’s trunk when he arrives, presumably to retrieve a patrol rifle, which he was not armed with when he responded to the stabbing.

While a bystander told officers the woman he was talking about stayed in a building “about four houses around the corner,” the building officers went to is further down the street.

The officers started trying to gain entry to the building, an old Victorian structure which, like many in Old Louisville, has been subdivided into

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apartments. They knocked on the front door and then took an alley to the rear, at one point climbing a back set of stairs so rickety they expressed fear it would collapse under their weight.

Failing to find a way into the building, they returned to the front, where a man inside unlocked the door and quickly retreated into a ground-floor apartment.

The officers climbed the stairs and gathered outside their target’s door in a stack — a single-file tactical formation used to enter through a doorway where a threat may be located. Elliott, armed with a rifle, was in the front.

The body camera footage provided to LEO Weekly was blurred in its entirety when officers are inside the building, making it difficult to decipher. In its response to LEO Weekly’s open records request, Louisville Metro Government said all redactions made to body camera footage were “pursuant to personal privacy.”

However, a review of body camera footage included in the LMPD Professional Standards Unit

investigation reported at least one other officer, Ansaldo, had her handgun drawn as officers knocked on the door.

Officers knocked, but did not announce they were police.

When a Black man opened the door, Elliott immediately raised his rifle at the woman lying down on a couch visible from the doorway.

“Hands up — back up, back up, back up,” Elliott said as he stepped into the apartment aiming his rifle.

“Get up. Get up, get up, get up. Get on the ground,” he ordered the woman, throwing back what appears to be a blanket or large pillow covering her.

“Stand up,” said Ansaldo as she moved towards the couch.

“What did I do?” the woman asked repeatedly.

“I was asleep.”

Ansaldo handcuffed the woman, searched her and eventually led her out of the apartment and downstairs to the building’s porch, where she

would sit, handcuffed, for nearly two hours while waiting for a detective to show up.

While it is impossible to tell from the blurred body camera footage whether other officers had their guns drawn before the door was opened, according to the Professional Standards Unit body cam logs, both Miller and Sharpey were observed with their pistols out in the seconds after the door opened.

After the woman was detained, officers asked the man present, whom the woman later identified as her ex-boyfriend, how long she had been in the apartment. He said she had been there “since yesterday” and hadn’t left. He told officers that he had been out of the apartment and returned an hour ago — before the officers responded to the stabbing — and that she had been present in the apartment. Officers thanked him, but did not ask follow-up questions.

Stepping out of the building’s foyer into the hot summer night, one of the officers removed an item they were using to prop the door open, locking

O cers Brooklyn Sharpey, left, Carina Ansaldo, right, and Anthony Miller talk with one another at a stabbing scene in Old Louisville on July 5, 2020. | SCREENSHOT VIA LMPD BODY CAMERA FOOTAGE.

them out.

“I wish we could take her over there and be like, ‘Hey, is that her?’” Sharpey mused to Miller as the woman was being read her rights on the front porch. “I showed them a picture and they said, ‘That’s her.’”

THE WAIT

With the woman handcuffed and sitting on the front porch, the officers settled in for a wait for a detective that would last nearly two hours.

Not long after the woman was detained, Elliott spoke with Detective Adam Lady by phone, telling him a suspect was in custody.

“The witnesses said it was her, she always like

hangs around this area,” Elliott told the detective.

According to Elliott, Lady told officers to wait with the woman until he arrived unless she admitted to involvement in the stabbing.

Soon after she was detained, the woman started complaining that the handcuffs were too tight.

“Alright my man, I’ll loosen it up,” said Officer Ansaldo, moving towards the woman.

“I’m a woman,” said the woman in response.

Later, Ansaldo told other officers she did not loosen the cuffs and instead just pushed them up.

At one point, Sharpey approached the woman and asked her name.

“You know my name,” the woman said back.

“What is it?” Sharpey pushed. “I’m trying to remember. I remember you.”

LEO Weekly was able to identify the woman, but out of concern for her privacy and safety is not naming her. She did not respond to a letter sent by LEO to the location of the raid; in body camera footage she told officers she did not own a telephone. Searching court records, LEO was unable to find a lawsuit over the incident.

On the night of the raid, standing alongside Sharpey and looking at the handcuffed woman, Ansaldo mused, “She’s so mad. She is so mad.”

The woman repeatedly complained to the officers about being detained and about police aiming guns at her.

“They came in as if I was a damn criminal,” she told them. “With guns pointed at me.”

“We didn’t know what we were going into,”

Protesters in Louisville call for justice for Breonna Taylor on May 29, 2020. |

PHOTO BY KATHRYN HARRINGTON

said Miller in response. “It was a bunch of unknown stuff, we were trying to prepare for the worst, right?”

Later, the woman said: “I just never had no damn guns pointed in my face.”

“Well, we do it a lot. So, it’s not super unique, unfortunately,” responded Miller.

After the woman had been held outside for over an hour and fifteen minutes, loud gunfire broke out nearby — twice.

In the second instance, Miller counted 23 rounds fired.

After the first bout of gunfire, Ansaldo advised the woman to roll off the porch and take cover if there was combat on the street. When gunfire erupted again, she suggested putting the woman back inside the building, only to realize that officers had locked themselves out.

Miller tried to defuse the tension, saying assailants would probably shoot at him because he was a “big target” as he mimed returning fire down the street.

“I don’t like guns,” said the woman.

More than an hour and a half after the raid, Detective Lady finally arrived on the scene after interviewing the stabbing victim at UofL Hospital.

“We had an incident earlier and some people were saying you matched a description of someone that was over off Preston [Street],” Lady told her. “And you were with someone and then y’all were going to get some food or something. So the reason we have you detained is because we have several people — not just one, it’s not just one versus two — it’s we’ve got several people who said they saw you at the incident scene.”

The woman insisted she was inside the apartment and sleeping until police woke her up at gunpoint.

“If it’s not you, then I’m sorry we’re keeping you up this late. We’re just trying to figure out what’s going on,” said Lady.

Later, he added: “I’m not accusing you. We detained you because you fit the description, not just from one person, from multiple people.”

Lady tried to get into the building to go and interview the woman’s ex-boyfriend and an unidentified man in the apartment, but the door was locked.

Failing to get inside, Lady took the cuffs off the woman and told her she was free to go.

“I’ve been pretty nice to you tonight, right? If you’re telling the truth to me, then I won’t have to come out and talk to you no more,” said Lady.

While body camera footage provided to LEO Weekly from Lady’s interview with the stabbing victim at UofL Hospital has its audio and video redacted in its entirety, the detective later told internal investigators that the victim was unable to identify his assailant in a photo lineup that included the woman handcuffed that night in Old Louisville.

THE INVESTIGATION

On July 15, more than a week after the raid, the woman came into LMPD’s Professional Standards

Unit in the West End’s Parkland neighborhood to file a complaint about the incident and speak to investigators.

In a three-page, hand-written complaint, the woman wrote: “Around 12 a.m. or 12:30 a.m. I was asleep up my ex-boyfriend’s house and all the sudden I heard get up so I got up still half asleep a young black officer with a military gun pointing it in my face saying get up and the white female put the handcuffs on me.”

She concluded the letter by saying the incident was weighing heavily on her.

“It messing with my mental and physical health. I’m having nightmares and can’t sleep. Every time I close my eyes I see that gun in my face,” she wrote. “This is all I can remember.”

As a result of the complaint, LMPD launched an internal probe, interviewing officers involved in the raid and watching body camera footage of the incident.

In early February 2021, more than six months later, the officers involved were interviewed by

investigators.

On Feb. 11, 2021, Sgt. Brandon Savage with the Professional Standards Unit issued his findings, concluding that the four officers involved — Sharpey, Ansaldo, Miller and Elliott — each violated LMPD policies on warrantless searches and restraint of subjects not under arrest.

“It appears officers did not have probable cause or exigent circumstances to enter the residence without consent,” he wrote.

He added: “The probable cause they believed they had was based on showing a picture to someone on scene and making their conclusions to find [REDACTED]. They were never advised to handcuff her by Detective Adam Lady and when Detective Lady arrived on scene, he unhandcuffed her within minutes of talking to her about the incident. [REDACTED] was never charged for the stabbing per Detective Lady’s statement.”

Under LMPD policy, officers can only enter a premises without a warrant under limited circumstances

— being in pursuit of a suspect, or in matters of life and death. Conducting a “knock and talk” — where officers knock on a door to make contact with residents to help with their investigation — does not permit officers to make entry into a dwelling or conduct a “protective sweep” as officers in the Old Louisville raid did. Additionally, LMPD policy only allows officers to restrain a person not under arrest in limited circumstances when the person is deemed to pose a danger to officers and is not to be done routinely. “Restraining subjects who are not under arrest may cause the subject concern and elicit negative attitudes towards law enforcement,” states LMPD’s policy.

The officers told investigators they felt their actions that night were justified.

Asked by investigators to talk them through why they believed their actions were legal, Sharpey said:

“Basically the description, the name that they called her, and I felt like it was all good faith.”

While officers spoke about the woman as a person well known to law enforcement, court records for

a now 57-year-old Black woman with the same first, middle and last name indicate she last faced criminal charges in 2012, eight years before the raid. And speaking to Detective Lady before she was released, the woman insisted it had been eight years since she’d last been arrested.

In late December 2021, more than nine months after the initial investigation was completed, LMPD Chief Erika Shields issued her discipline: A one day suspension for all four officers who carried out the raid.

The suspension was equal to what she handed out to an officer who spoke to media outlets about the realities of being a Black officer on the force and what he observed the night Breonna Taylor was killed.

“I am mitigating your discipline due to your lack of disciplinary history, the age of this case and your inexperience at the time of the investigation,” wrote Shields to all four officers involved in the warrantless raid in Old Louisville.

She added: “Any further violations of this nature will warrant more severe discipline.”

According to LMPD payroll information on the city’s open data portal, Sharpey and Miller joined LMPD in 2018 while Ansaldo and Elliott joined the force in 2019.

Kraska, the Eastern Kentucky University criminal justice professor, said he was surprised there was any discipline at all over the raid.

“It’s kind of remarkable, to tell you the truth, that they were disciplined. Because these things happen a lot. And I suspect the only reason they probably were disciplined was because it was so soon after Breonna Taylor and the city

council taking steps about warrantless searches and no-knock raids and all that kind of thing,” he said. “Because normally this kind of thing just would have been swept under the rug and nobody would have cared.”

THE UNSAID

At one point while waiting for a detective to show up, officers bemoaned their body cameras, saying that they did not feel like they had to have them on at all times.

“There’s no need for it to be on like if I’m driving somewhere or whatever,” said Miller. “It’d be a lot of boring video.”

However, LEO’s review of the entirety of the body camera footage from the raid raised additional issues not covered in LMPD’s internal investigation.

Driving through Smoketown with sirens on to get to the stabbing, for instance, Officer Elliott rolled down his window at one point and tossed what appeared to be a take-out fountain drink onto the street.

In Kentucky, littering is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to 12 months in jail, a $500 fine, or both.

Lou-

isville Metro Government’s website encourages citizens to report “motorists who throw fast-food wrappers, cigarette butts, soda bottles or any type of litter out their car window” using Metro311’s Report-A-Litterer Program.

More ominously, at one point that night —when talking about how dangerous the stairs at the back of the building were and how they could have fallen — the officers appeared to invoke the Breonna Taylor raid in their jokes.

“Four LMPD officers injured…in a botched raid,” joked Elliott, coming up with a hypothetical headline.

“They hit the wrong house,” laughed Miller.

“Botched raid” became boilerplate language in journalists’ stories about the March 13, 2020 raid that killed Taylor; “they hit the wrong house” was an oft-repeated, but factually incorrect, talking point repeated by some protesters, influential activists and even Taylor’s family’s high-profile attorney Ben Crump.

For an unknown reason, the audio of those jokes were redacted in two sets of body camera footage given to LEO under the open records law, but left in the third. The fourth officer’s body camera had stopped recording by that point.

Louisville Metro Government said all redactions to body camera footage

NEWS & ANALYSIS

were to ensure privacy; conversations between officers were repeatedly redacted throughout the six hours of body cam footage.

The exclusion of the Taylor raid joke was not the only inconsistency LEO noticed. While the city frequently blurred out the entire screen, at other times, as when an officer was facing the street and looked at their phone, they only blurred the phone, showing that the city has the ability to redact parts of footage without withholding the entirety of the footage, as they did at many points.

THE RESPONSE

Contacted by LEO, representatives of the mayor’s office and LMPD sought to downplay the raid, saying the police force has evolved in the intervening years.

“While LMPD both appreciates and respects your inquiry and coverage regarding the department’s actions, this incident from nearly three years ago that you are referencing occurred under multiple previous chiefs and LMPD administrations,” wrote an LMPD spokesperson in a statement. “LMPD, under the leadership of Mayor [Craig] Greenberg and Chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel, is currently on a trajectory that looks nothing like 2020. The department has made numerous personnel and policy changes since three years ago

including hiring civilian staff who are embedded within the training unit, the development of the Accountability and Improvement Bureau, and countless other initiatives.”

Both Greenberg and GwinnVillaroel were sworn in on Jan. 2 of this year.

Deputy Mayor Barbara Sexton Smith, who as a Metro Council member in 2020 led efforts to pass Breonna’s Law alongside former Councilwoman Jessica Green, told LEO in an interview that she “absolutely” believes LMPD has changed the way it conducts searches since the passing of the no-knock ban.

“Within a 22-day period, we drafted, debated and amended and voted unanimously 26 to zero. And we did that to protect lives in our very city,” she said. “So when you talk about this and ask me about it and incidents following that, I think it’s really important for us to remember what a historical moment that was here in Louisville, Kentucky.”

She added: “I think our city started moving forward as quickly as we possibly could. We’re talking about something that happened in 2020 and here we are in 2023. Under the new administration, Mayor Greenberg, he is taking off with lightning speed and is leading us in a new direction.” •

RAID VIDEO QR

THE LOUISVILLE LOVE TRIANGLE

THE MURDER OF ELIZABETH GRIFFITH

by J’aime Rubio

ARCHIVAL PHOTO OF ELIZABETH GRIFFITH | Photo provided by Author.

THE story below is chapter 14 from a book of forgotten stories. As we talk about the holiday of love, we should remember that love isn’t always sweet and sometimes, it’s even sinister. The book, “Stories of the Forgotten: Infamous, Famous & Unremembered” is written by J’aime Rubio and reprinted here with the written permission of the author. (CreateSpace, 272 pgs., $15.99)

“It was Christmas Eve, 1919, in Louisville, Kentucky. A young nurse by the name of Elizabeth F. Griffith was ecstatic. Her wedding was just days away, and she was about to become a new bride. Little did she know that this day would prove to be her last.

The story surrounding the death of Elizabeth Griffith is one shrouded in a complex web of mysterious unanswered questions, scandalous behavior and lies. It appeared that during my investigation into this case, every time it seemed as though I had found answers, I stumbled upon even more questions and clues. After countless hours of researching every avenue I could find, I felt it necessary to bring back Elizabeth’s story from the dark abyss of forgotten ones, and shed light onto this ever perplexing mystery.

Elizabeth Griffith was born on May 13, 1902, to parents Martha McLean and John Griffith of Louisville, Kentucky. At the time of her death, seventeen-year-old Elizabeth was working as an office assistant to a very prominent doctor in town, Christopher G. Schott. After her death, the newspapers brought up the fact that Elizabeth and Schott had briefly been engaged to be married, however the engagement was soon called off.

Stories seem to differ on just who ended the relationship, although Elizabeth continued working for Schott at his office, so it seemed to the unsuspecting eye that the break up was amicable. As time went on, Elizabeth started seeing another male suitor, George Jordan, an Army Captain who was stationed at Fort Zachary Taylor, in Key West, Florida. The two hit it off, and eventually the pair were engaged to be married on Christmas Day.

Unfortunately, due to changes in his military responsibilities, Captain Jordan had to postpone the wedding by a few days. Jordan chose to travel all the way to Louisville to see Elizabeth to break the news to her in person. According to his statements, she was happy and excited about the upcoming nuptials and seemed to be alright with the wedding date change to New Year’s Day. When he left her to go back to Fort Zachary Taylor, she

was alive and well. Knowing the wedding was now a week away, Elizabeth continued on with her day as usual and went to work at the Dr. Schott’s office. It wasn’t until after 3:30 p.m. on that day, Dec. 24, when everything changed.

It was around that time that Elizabeth’s body was discovered in a locked back room of Dr. Schott’s office with a bullet through the heart. The gun, a .45 caliber revolver belonging to Dr. Schott, was found next to her body. It was ascertained that she had been shot from above in a downward trajectory, having been on her knees at the time of her death. In the middle of possibly pleading for her life, she took one bullet to the chest. The person who allegedly found Elizabeth’s body was none other than Dr. Schott himself, who was then accompanied by his thirteen-year-old neighbor, Laurene Gardner. Schott claimed that he and his little companion, Laurene came to the office after driving around town for several hours, delivering Christmas gifts. After returning to the office he noticed the back room door was locked. Using his own key, he unlocked the door and found Elizabeth’s body in a pool of blood. Schott told the police that he was certain that Elizabeth had committed suicide.

Detectives investigating found no evidence of suicide, but instead believed that the lack of powder burns on her body, clothes or hands proved that she was murdered. They also discovered a newspaper clipping in her pocket, which led to even more questions.

The piece of paper had a headline that read: “Paying the Debt in Full”—with a lead pencil underlined sentence, “Who was it that took the pains to tell your husband about the one awful mistake you made in your life?” Even more perplexing was the handwritten words on the margin of the clipping that read, “The man who persuaded you to make it.”

This clue left detectives scratching their heads, but certain that it had something to do with Elizabeth’s murder. With this in mind, the police did not hesitate to arrest Dr. Schott for the murder of the young lady and held him on $15,000 bail until arraignment. When questioned, Dr. Schott claimed that he was innocent, but didn’t make himself look too good with his admission of his odd relationship with the deceased. The Chicago Tribune dated December 26, 1919 quoted Dr. Schott when he was questioned about his relationship with Elizabeth, saying:

“The eternal triangle…It was just like many other love affairs. We had been good pals for more than a year and I am confident she loved me. Once, in my office, she saturated a cloth with chloroform and was found in a semi-stupor.”

In other words, besides mentioning there was some sort of “eternal” love triangle, he was also attempting to sully her reputation by claiming that Elizabeth was getting high on the doctor’s supplies. Interestingly though, Dr. Schott offered more information with that one statement than he would realize. This will be discussed later on in this chapter. According to his statement, Dr. Schott claimed he was happy for Elizabeth’s upcoming marriage and that he felt it would be a good “trial run” for the marriage he believed would take place in the future between the two of them. It was apparent that although he made remarks that Elizabeth was obsessed with him, it was clearly the opposite. Friends of Elizabeth said that she had ended the engagement with the doctor claiming she was actually afraid of him, and that she was too afraid to quit her job, at least until she was married.

Investigating the dynamic of Schott and Elizabeth’s past relationship reveals much more. One of Elizabeth’s friends, Anna Boswell, did not like the doctor one bit, due to his bad reputation. This caused the two friends to avoid conversation about Elizabeth’s relationship with the doctor. Nurse Cohan, another close friend of Elizabeth, was quoted in the newspapers. She recalled one night when she, Elizabeth, Dr. Lee Botts and another young gentleman were out for dinner and a show.

“We walked out First Street from Chestnut Street. At the drug store at First Street and Broadway, Dr. Botts went in and ordered a taxicab. The taxi arrived soon after and we all got in. Just before we started away though, a man stepped up to the side of the cab and peered in the window. Elizabeth exclaimed: “Yes, It’s me, George. It’s Elizabeth.”

It was later explained to the group that “George” was a man that Dr. Schott had hired to shadow her everywhere. It seemed that the doctor had serious insecurities and trust issues, and this caused Elizabeth not only to resent him, but to fear him for his out of control jealous nature. Could the good ole’ doctor have hired George to commit the dastardly deed, murdering poor Elizabeth?

During the inquest, some of Elizabeth’s letters to Dr. Schott were read to the jury. One was dated

in May of 1919, while Elizabeth was in nursing school at the city hospital. It read:

“Did you ever stop to think that the time would come when I didn’t want to come back? You seem to think you can have me or leave me at will. I’ll admit that I waited, hoped and prayed during my first three months that you would come back to me, but now it could not be if you wished it. Your unjust suspicions today settle the question forever. Didn’t you tell me that you had a different girl every night, and when I merely go downtown to supper you say that everything is not on the level? Had I never gone with any one and let you do all the going, you would have found some other excuse. They are nothing new.

I have been fed up on excuses and promises for the past three years and let me relieve you of responsibility of making more, for I have forgotten the place where I do not even want to return. It doesn’t matter to me if you come or go. It’s hell to feel that way, and I never thought I could feel any other emotion but love for you. Don’t ever think of me personally again, as I have already schooled myself to an impersonal feeling for you. I want to keep on fixing your books and I want some money, in fact, need it. I don’t mean to borrow it, as I feel that I am earning a little bit working on the books. It doesn’t matter how deficient I was, it will be hard to find another girl to help you as I did and be as true as I was, considering everything, and I

realize, too. You just want to get something on me so you can go around and talk about me as you did Jennie Cole, and I have been good to you, too, but I see that it is all you are after. If that is gratitude and appreciation, well.”- “Elizabeth Griffith.”

By his own admission, Dr. Schott claimed that during his time engaged to Elizabeth, he hired a private detective to shadow her wherever she went, out of fear that she would be unfaithful. During the time he was being held, Dr. Schott remained somewhat arrogant in his stance. He even went on record for the newspapers intimating that he expected to be released immediately and “to be calling on patients again” by New Year’s Eve. “They have not even proved Miss Griffith was

Photo of the grave of Elizabeth Gri th in Cave Hill Cemetery | Photo by Robert Mitchell.

murdered,” Schott told the press.

The Richmond Times Dispatch offered a full page spread on their take of the story. This included information that clearly pointed to the doctor as the best possible suspect and the theory of how it took place.

“More probable that this is the theory that Elizabeth Griffith– a high-spirited, courageous girl, as all her friends say– snatched the weapon from the doctor’s table and wielded it first herself in an effort to force her tormentor to cease the threats to go to her sweetheart with the stories of her past. A struggle followed and the weapon was wrested from Elizabeth’s hands. She fell to her knees to plead for mercy, but her prayers went unheeded, for a mad rage at this unexpected show of resistance nerved the hand that now held the automatic. The trigger was pressed, the muzzle spat fire and the ill-fated little brideto-be was suddenly transformed into a ghastly bleeding corpse.”—- Richmond Times Dispatch.

During the inquest, witnesses came out of the woodwork favoring both sides. Some claimed they saw the doctor coming to the office around the same time he claimed to have found her body. Another person, a patient of Dr. Schott, Mrs. Paul Stone claimed that she called the office about an hour before Elizabeth’s alleged time of death, claiming that Elizabeth was depressed and had mentioned she didn’t have anything to live for. She stated that Elizabeth told her that the wedding was postponed because her fiancé’s mother was out of town visiting his sister and he refused to be married without his family present.

During an era when a sense of propriety was expected from everyone, it seems very unlikely that Ms. Griffith would have expressed her emotional state to a patient over the phone in a casual conversation. Not only would it be unlikely, but unprofessional for that time period.

The only thing I could imagine was perhaps Dr. Schott had leverage on certain “witnesses” in his defense, and possibly threatened exposure of personal secrets had they not gone along with his story. After all, most people disclose personal information to their doctor that normally they would never share with others, and in a pinch the doctor could have easily blackmailed certain people to help aid in his alibi or defense.

It seemed that the doctor was shady, hiring men to shadow Elizabeth, and from her own letters to the doctor she mentions that he was trying to “get something” on her, in order to ruin her reputation. The newspaper clipping found in her pocket eluded to that very thing. But what was it that Dr. Schott knew about her that no one else did? And was that information something the doctor held over her head and threatened to take to her new husband-to-be?

When it came down to questioning all the eye-witnesses in the case, not all stories matched up. William J. Ryan, a local baseball umpire, claimed that he saw the doctor leaving his office around 3:30 p.m. This was the opposite of what Schott had previously stated. He claimed his arrival was around that time, which would put him at the scene of the crime at the time of Elizabeth’s murder. Whether Schott was there or not, he could have easily made that alibi, knowing all too well that he had hired someone to do the job for him.

Even more strange was the fact that an anonymous writer sent a letter to Dr. Schott’s attorney’s threatening to kill Mr. Ryan for his testimony against the doctor. The letter which was also published in the newspapers claimed that Ryan “needed killing,” and that he was only going to cause the doctor more problems. The letter was signed simply as “A Friend.”

Elizabeth’s sister, Kate Griffith

FEBRUARY 13-17

Meet your

Details and locations at LPM.org/Brew

was quoted in the newspapers explaining that she had called the office around the time that coroner’s claim Elizabeth had died, and that Dr. Schott had answered the phone at his office. She also was very insistent that Dr. Schott had some sort of hold over her sister and she was unsure why. With all these conflicting statements, it seemed the doctor’s story wasn’t adding up that well. He did have one trick up his sleeve. That was his little companion, thirteenyear-old Laurene Gardner. Her testimony at the grand jury hearing gave him an alibi. I found it quite interesting that at the very same time the detectives were searching for more witnesses to question in regards to the case, a discomforting headline pops up connected to the story, “Girl Takes Life To Escape Going To Witness Stand.” Could that actually be? Was there another girl, dead?

The Appleton Daily Post, for January 9, 1920, stated that a young lady by the name of Theodosia Saunders was found dead in her house. It was suspected that she took her life to avoid speaking to detectives or to Dr. Schott’s attorneys about her possible knowledge of Elizabeth’s death. I tracked down several newspaper articles mentioning this tragic turn of events, all of which seem to be conflicting. Although some state that Miss Saunders killed herself to avoid being named a witness, others claim it was accidental, and that she had been ill with tonsillitis and was selfmedicating. According to the papers, her personal doctor came by earlier in the day to check on her and left his medical bag there by mistake. Later on, Theodosia’s mother found her body with a handful of chloroform soaked cotton. It was apparent that she had died from inhaling the toxic fumes.

Theodosia’s death certificate states it was accidental overdose of chloroform poisoning. It is quite odd that she died the very same way in which Dr. Schott claimed he had once found Elizabeth in his office, as I previously

mentioned. Another thing I found strange about Schott’s statement was the fact he even mentioned the chloroform at all. Was that a slip up by the doctor? Did Theodosia really accidentally overdose on the chloroform? Or was her death just as questionable as the way Elizabeth died?

This story seemed to take me even further down the rabbit hole with a sense of uneasiness along the way. How did Theodosia fit into the story? What did she know that perhaps cost her life? Why did Dr. Schott, a middle-aged man, choose to take a thirteen year old girl with him to deliver Christmas gifts alone? And how did Elizabeth end up in a locked room in the doctor’s office, to which only he had the key?

There were even more questions. What was the cryptic newspaper clipping found in Elizabeth’s pocket all about? Was that sent to her anonymously by an ex-lover? Or perhaps a jealous woman who had affections for one of Elizabeth’s male suitors? I found myself theorizing so many possible scenarios in both Elizabeth and Theodosia’s deaths.

Records indicate that Dr. Schott had been released from police custody a few days prior to Theodosia’s death, and newspapers relay that Dr. Schott did stop by Theodosia’s home to give her parents his condolences, so he obviously knew where she lived. Was he that desperate to have been involved in her death, too? Or did her death have nothing to do with Elizabeth’s death, and was just merely coincidental?

After all the incriminating evidence and suspicious circumstantial evidence against the doctor, ultimately the grand jury accepted the alibi given to them by the little girl, Laurene Gardner. After dismissing all murder charges against the doctor, Elizabeth’s death slowly to faded in the papers, and over time became forgotten.

favorite LPM hosts and reporters while you enjoy a beverage on us. While supplies last.

Her friends and family could find no reason that Elizabeth would have killed herself. Her wedding was days away and her new life was in clear view. By newspaper accounts prior to her death, it shows Elizabeth’s personality to be adventurous, spirited and fearless. She was mentioned five months before her death as being a volunteer passenger on an JN-4 airplane that was delivering newspapers to Shelbyville, Lexington and Frankfort. The pilot admitted that she asked him to perform stunts such as tailspins, flip-flops, nose dives and barrelrolls. She seemed to be full of surprises and open to exciting new things. To imagine that someone as spirited as she was would end her life when she was fully capable of making any choice she wanted, just doesn’t add up.

It was so clear that she had been murdered, even the newspapers expressed their opinion of it; yet, it seemed that Dr. Schott was out of the reach of the law. How did he manage to get away with it? Dr. Schott owned nine properties in town and the Gardner family rented one of those properties. In fact, they lived just next door to the doctor. As I had mentioned before, perhaps Schott threatened his “witnesses” to help provide an alibi for himself. Something as serious as threatening to throw them out on the street could have been used as leverage to persuade the young girl to lie to the grand jury, giving him a solid alibi. Of course, that’s just speculation. Again, he could have very well been

with Laurene as he stated, all the while a hired gun could have been waiting for Elizabeth in the office.

And where does Theodosia fit into this story? Did she know something crucial to the case and thus she needed to be silenced, for fear that the truth could come out? Or was her death just a coincidence? It seemed so unfair to think that if Dr. Schott was responsible for ending these two young women’s lives, how was he was able to get away with it?

Fast forward to April 16, 1928. We find that Dr. Schott now has his own sanitarium for the treatment of opium and morphine addiction in Louisville, at the same location where Elizabeth’s heinous death had taken place only nine years earlier. Schott is much older now, a heavy drinker and a tyrant of an employer. Abusive to both patients and employees, even making inappropriate sexual comments towards women in public. It seemed the doctor’s true colors came out eventually with time and carelessness. After verbally abusing the cook for misplacing a key, one of the male nurses on staff, Dan Newman, approached Dr. Schott and stood up to him, making it clear that his abuse toward his employees would not be tolerated. This did not sit well with the doctor and it immediately created tension between the two men.

This continued for several weeks. According to

the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, dated April 17, 1928, after watching Dr. Schott bring in an unidentified woman, who was not a patient to the sanitarium, abusively dragging her across the floor and screaming to his employees to “put her to bed,” Newman had enough. After some heated words were exchanged between the two, Newman felt his life was in danger, so he went to his room and retrieved his pistol to keep in his pocket for his own safety.

According to testimony by Newman, a drunk Dr. Schott had previously bragged that he had gotten away with killing Elizabeth Griffith many years ago, as well as knocking off a fellow physician, too. Perhaps after realizing he had once shared too much information with Newman, Schott felt that his livelihood was now threatened. When the two met again that evening, their argument started again. When Newman witnessed the doctor reaching into his own coat for what he believed was a weapon, the nurse was quick on the draw, pulling his own pistol out and shooting the doctor down, dead. After the deed was done, Newman called the police and confessed to the events that had taken place. A jury freed Dan Newman on June 14, 1928, dismissing the murder charge and citing that he had acted in self defense. One can only imagine that perhaps some of the jury members from the community, who remembered Elizabeth Griffith’s case, may have been relieved that justice had in a round-about way been served. After all, it was better late than never.

According to Robert Mitchell, Find-a-grave contributor and avid historical researcher, it was discovered that both Dr. Schott and Elizabeth are interred just a few feet from one another at Cave Hill Cemetery, in Louisville, Kentucky. It appears that Elizabeth was buried somewhere in the cemetery in December of 1919, but that she was later moved to her current plot in March of 1920. The burial documents are in the name of Mattie Griffith, Elizabeth’s mother. Why or how Schott convinced Mattie to allow him a spot next to her daughter, the very man that so many were convinced caused her death is yet just another aspect to this unanswered mystery. Sadly, it appears that even in death Elizabeth could not seem to escape the grasp of Dr. Schott.”-----

Copyright October 17, 2016. All rights reserved.

A shot of the Gri th family area of Cave Hill Cemetery. According to photographer Robert Mitchell, Dr. Schott is buried nearby. | Photo By Robert Mitchell

STAFF PICKS

THROUGH FEB. 27

‘Plants Are The New Pets’ By Norman Spencer

Revelry Boutique + Gallery | 742 E. Market St. | revelrygallery.com | Free

Printmaker Norman Spencer has a passion for nature, whether it be outdoors or in. His solo show at Revelry features a block print series of his houseplants. He dotes on them like, well, see the title of his show. Many of the works illustrate his most treasured plants. For anyone who can’t grow an air fern, this exhibition is for you. —Jo

THROUGH MARCH 4

‘Carnivorous Plants’ By Andy Llanes Bultó

BEAUTY

GALLERY THROUGH MARCH 25

Anne Triplett

‘The Veiled Collection’ By Levi Justice

Moremen Gallery | 710 W. Main St. | moremengallery.com | Free Depicting the male human gure ows in and out of favor in Western art history. Cuban artist Andy Llanes Bultó, who now lives in Louisville, is keeping the tradition alive with his depictions of male nudes in action. His in uences include pioneering photographer Eadweard Muybridge and painter Francis Bacon. His preference for using gold leaf adds a unusual element to his paintings. “Gold is a material of seduction and one that I use to elicit the viewer’s desire to possess,” he said. If you’re interested in seeing more of Bultó’s work, his show “Pillow ght” is at the 21c Museum Hotel in Lexington through Oct. 2023. —Jo Anne Triplett

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

Belushi Speed Ball Kaiju Party! (21+)

Kaiju | 1004 E. Oak St. | belushispeedball.bandcamp.com | $5 | Doors at 9 p.m., music at 9:30 p.m.

PARTY

Ah, Belushi Speed Ball, the biggest (and messiestin-the-literal-sense)

BLUE

Galerie Hertz | 1253 S. Preston St. | 502-595-9154 | Free No, you’re not looking at a photograph. Galerie Hertz is introducing photorealist painter Levi Justice to Louisville with this exhibition. Photorealism highlights realistic detail and technique and is di cult to achieve. Local art legend Billy Hertz, a painter in his own right, is in awe. “For those who have known me throughout the decades I’m rarely at a [loss] for words. Well, now I am, so to speak! If [you’re] a painter, you will be jealous regardless of your genre.” —Jo Anne

Triplett

name in the Louisville punk scene. This Friday, they’ll be doing their thing — playing a fun thrash show, wearing costumes, and trashing a venue — at Kaiju, supported by Daddy Sisters and Hollywood Freeze-Out. — Carolyn Brown

“Orchid In Blue” by Normal Spencer .

Andy Llanes Bultó is showing at the Moremen Gallery in February.

“Blue Soul” by Levi Justice.

TUESDAY, FEB. 21

Mardi Gras 2023

Lou Lou on Market | 812 E. Market St. | loulouonmarket.com | Prices vary | 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

FRIDAY, FEB. 17

2023 Oscar-Nominated Short Films

Speed Cinema | 2035 S. 3rd St. | speedartmuseum.org | $8-$12 | 6 p.m.

CELEBRATE

Laissez les bon temps roulez at NuLu’s newest Cajun restaurant, which will be celebrating the most Cajun of holidays all day next Tuesday. There’ll be live jazz music, too, because, naturally, you can’t celebrate Mardi Gras in the Big Easy — or at an outpost of it – without jazz! (Reservations recommended.) — Carolyn Brown

FRIDAY, MARCH 10

Never Say Die Punk Show!

Never Say Die Bar | 3900 Shelbyville Rd. | search Facebook | $8 | 8 p.m.

Live punk rock bands and killer cocktails? Count me in. Never Say Die Bar is partnering up with local podcast Partners and Pals for a punk show that will de nitely rock your socks o . Grab a cocktail and listen to some local music from Plague IX, The Response, Mommy’s Cigarettes and more. —Giselle Rhoden

PUNK

Let’s be honest, animated movies are timeless classics. The Speed Art Museum is starting a new series for the inner child in us all during their short lm screening series, which includes movies from di erent categories like animation, live action, and documentary, leading up to the Academy Awards. The series kicks o with animated shorts that are made for the kids at heart (with 18+ humor). Who would want to pass that up? —Giselle Rhoden

SHORT & SWEET

FRIDAY & SATURDAY, FEB. 24-25

Kentucky Flea Market

Kentucky Exposition Center | 937 Phillips Lane | tinyurl.com/3mzpc4sp | Free | 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Looking for something unique to hang over your couch or new dishes for your growing collection? Check out the Kentucky Flea Market for all your wants and needs, whether it be antiques or collectibles. Admission is free but parking is $12. Vendors will be in South Wing B of the building.—Gracie Vanover

BARGAIN

feb 17

M o v i e N i g h t :

P u l p F i c t i o n *

P i n k D r o y d :

mar 31 F o z z y

STAFF PICKS

SATURDAY, FEB. 25

Hirt, Bandshee, and Isolation Tank Ensemble at Vernon Lanes

Vernon Lanes | 1575 Story Ave | fb.me/e/3jCp8KIBI | $10 | Doors at 7 p.m., music starts at 8 p.m.

feb 18

A t r i b u t e t o

P i n k F l o y d

T h e P r i c e I s R i g h t L i v e *

APR 2

feb 18

D i t a V o n T e e s e *

T h i r d E y e B l i n d *

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feb 19

C

C i t y M o r g u e

apr 4

feb 21

S i l v e r s u n P i c k u p s

B r e t t Y o u n g *

P e c o s & T h e R o o f t o p s

APR 6

apr 7

apr 8 Z Z T o p *

B o b b y W e i r & W o l f B r o s

f T . T h e W o l f p a c k *

P o l y p h i a

apr 8

M o o n c h i l d

Apr 11

T h e P i a n o G u y s * R u s t o n K e l l y

Apr 12

APR 12

Apr 14

HANGOUT

Head out to Vernon Lanes for some bowling and live music throughout the night featuring Hirt, Bandshee, and Isolation Tank Ensemble. Hourly bowling rates are listed on Vernon Lanes Facebook page. Doors open at 8 p.m. and customers must be 21+ to enter.—Gracie Vanover

SATURDAY, FEB. 18

Dita Von Teese: GLAMONATRIX

Louisville Palace | 625 S. 4th St. | livenation.com | $35 - $125 | 8:30 p.m. The art of tease in the hands of Dita Von Teese has taken burlesque from something for the male gaze to something that elevates the beauty of the women involved and makes burlesque something anyone can enjoy. Von Teese brings her show to the Louisville Palace for her new GLAMONATRIX performance. With resplendent costuming and immaculate production, missing Dita Von Teese in Louisville is not an option. Don’t miss the chance to see a master at work. —Erica Rucker

BURLESQUE

THURSDAY, MARCH 2 Char and Plague IX

The Whirling Tiger | 1335 Story Ave. | Search Facebook | $5 | 7 p.m.

A bit of Louisville alternative music that gives nods to the scene that created it and the environment that nurtured it. Join Lance Minnis, Chuck Baxter, and Jaime Poole for a night of fun and tunes to round out the long workweek. The show will happen at the reopened Whirling Tiger. Support and keep the local music scene and venues thriving. —Erica Rucker

ALT

SIX NEW LOCAL MUSIC REVIEWS

By Je�f Polk | leo@leoweekly.com

BAD WIRES

FAILED FABLES EP

Upon hearing this EP for the first time, I immediately messaged the band on Facebook and apologized for not including them in my top local song picks for 2022 in LEO. If only I had heard them a few weeks prior, it most certainly would have been in there. Bad Wires is one of those bands I had heard a lot about but hadn’t gotten around to checking out until recently, and I was floored when I did. With unique polyrhythmic structures and stopon-a-dime timing changes, this hits like a tornado with riffs, thunderous bass and pounding drums flying at you in every direction all at once. Not an easy sound to categorize, with elements borrowed from metal, thrash, stoner rock, punk, industrial, and hardcore. If you can imagine a mix of Young Widows, Jesus Lizard, Melvins, Helmet, Prong, Ministry, and The Minutemen, then you’re on the right path. A ridiculously huge sound for just a three-piece. Failed Fables is made up of 4 tracks; one new studio track called “Senile 20 Something”, and 3 tracks recorded live at Headliners Music Hall in 2021, (these are “Countryman” which is a new track, then “Hail The Unholy” with its off-key intro of “Riff Raff” by AC/DC, and “Attention Economy,” both off their debut album Politics of Attraction). All four songs just absolutely smoke! The band already has big plans for 2023, including a new EP and shows at SXSW. In the meantime, you need this!

LISTEN: badwires.bandcamp.com

DON. THE POET

“R

U SERIUS” SINGLE

“I was ghosted by the girl that I loved and all I could think was, ‘are you serious?’ says Louisville, KY’s Don. The Poet regarding the inspiration for her latest single “R U SERIUS,” (to be released on Feb. 21). The track itself is a melodic rap song built around an infectious beat and lyrics dealing with self-growth and moving on after the end of a relationship. Known for her powerful and emotive performances, Don. The Poet’s vocal and songwriting abilities absolutely shine here by incorporating smooth-flowing raps, soulful singing, and spoken-word poetry into this track. Erykah Badu is obviously quite the influence here, as one can certainly picture the queen of neo-soul herself performing this song. The production here is flawless, as the vocals, bass, drums, and keyboards all sound crystal clear while all ebbing and flowing together seamlessly. With Don. The Poet’s unique lyricism and wordplay, she has truly crafted a captivating track here that will

keep listeners engaged and hooked from start to finish and stay in their heads long after the song is over.

LISTEN: instagram.com/thepoetdon

LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE

SHADOW PROBLEMS 1 EP

We’re barely into the new year, and I can already tell you that Shadow Problems 1 is going to land on more than a few best-of 2023 lists. Letters of Acceptance is a four-piece Louisville/Lexington hybrid band whose sound is straightforward yet genre-defying at the same time. It’s a wonderful mix of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, The Violent Femmes, The Zombies, The Wallflowers, and T-Rex, with an underlying vibe of The Grateful Dead and the spirit of early Beatles all at once. Five tracks of rich, hook-laden guitar melodies and serene vocal harmonies that intertwine and meander in equal measure, backed by lyrics that find mystery and absurdity in the everyday. LOA seems to have a knack for being able to create extremely catchy rock songs combined with pop sensibilities, but they do it in such a laid-back kind of way that you get completely lost in the music and lose track of just how well-crafted these songs are and how much talent is behind them. All five songs here are bona fide smash hits just waiting to be discovered. 20 blissful minutes of warm, bright, upbeat, carefree music to turn up and lose yourself in. LOA has a very lofty goal of putting out three releases this year. I’m not sure how they are going to top this EP, but I sure am looking forward to hearing them try. If the feeling of complete contentedness had a soundtrack, this would be it!

LISTEN: lettersofacceptance.org

LUCID RAPTURE

I AM ARCEUS ALBUM

Like the titular character Arceus, who is the creator deity for the entire Pokémon universe and can change its type to be the most effective against its opponent, Louisville’s Lucid Rapture operates in the rap game much the same way; creating his own style while also being able to switch it up when necessary. Mixing the low-toned, mumbly speaking tone of Eddie Vedder with the plodding, steady flowing lyrical delivery of Juice Wrld and the experimental beats of XXXTentacion, Lucid Rapture has succeeded in creating a sound all his own. With its 808 bass drum-lead beats giving a solid nod to Trap and the so-called Soundcloud Rap of the previous decade while at the same time paying homage to Grunge and Alternative Rock, all the while remaining modern, fresh and innovative. With just a little over 2 years making and publishing music under his belt, Lucid Dreams comes out hitting hard on his debut album opener, (and arguably best track), “Game of Thrones” and never lets up from there. Another highlight is the hauntingly dark, acoustic-driven ballad “Farm,” which further highlights Lucid Rapture’s versatility as a performer. With lyrics running the gamut from personal to video games, all peppered with KY-specific references, and flows ranging from laid back and mellow to in-your-face, this is grunge rap done right.

LISTEN: Search Spotify

THE HISTRIONICS

“TWIST” AND “IMMOLATE” SINGLES

After repeated listenings of their previous two singles, “Writhe” and “Vivisect,” as well as their 2021 debut album “Static” over the past few months, I thought I knew what to expect from New Albany trio The Histrionics. And I was wrong. “Twist,” which the band describes as “a romantic, Lovecraftian abomination of a song,” certainly catches the listener off-guard with a jangly skameets-bossa-nova rhythm that has the aesthetics of both early 80’s alternative and early 90’s grunge, kind of like if Nirvana covered The Smiths. Guitarist/singer Quinton Byrd’s rich, crooning, baritone vocals really shine here, giving off a strong Ian Curtis (Joy Division) vibe. The band’s forthcoming single “Immolate,” (release date: 2/24), uses a huge, pounding, almost tribal rhythm to build up tension “that eventually explodes into an unbridled expression of pain and envy, going from charm to mania,” as the band describes it. Underpinned by bassist Rylan Lamb and drummer Phoenix Hardy, this is a dark, driving, forceful tune that simultaneously skirts the edges of grunge, hardcore and goth, while finding Byrd’s vocals going from a Jim Morrison/Danzig-esque style to full-on hardcore shouting. Both tracks (as well as “Writhe” and “Vivisect”) are part of a bigger picture: a full-length concept album revolving around codependency, predestination, and apparently, rollercoasters, entitled “You Are The Ugliest Part Of My Body,”(tentative release date of 3/30). The Histrionics are definitely a band you’re going to want to take note of.

LISTEN: Search Spotify

TURBO NUT

TURBO NUT FOREVER ALBUM

Following closely on the heels of the single “El Toro” released in November, Turbo Nut is back with their debut full-length album Turbo Nut Forever. 10 tracks of beautiful, dreamy, free-flowing Louisville greatness! Seriously, not only is there no filler here, there’s not even a wasted moment. This album is as solid as they come! From the post-punk album opener “Dregs,” the jazzy “Menology” and “Outlaws,” the wonderfully bizarre “La Baleine” (sung in French, no less), and the punky album closer and fan favorite “Rats Ass,” you’d be hard pressed to pick a standout track among an album full of standout tracks. And it is certainly a unique sound that Turbo Nut has perfected here, skirting the edges of post-punk, shoegaze, jazz, dreampop, lo-fi and new wave, but never enough to definitively classify them under any of those genres. One of the great things about this band is you’re never quite sure where they are going to go with a song. They can and often do stop on a dime and completely change up the tempo and even the style of the song unexpectedly throughout these 10 tracks. And a beautiful job recording and producing this album by Anne Gauthier at La La Land Sound, (who, coincidentally, also did The Histrionics’ singles reviewed here as well), giving it a rich, warm, expansive sound that really brought out each instrument brilliantly. Turbo Nut Forever is an absolute joy of an album to listen to.

LISTEN: turbonutband.bandcamp.com

REFLECTION AND CONNECTION

HOW PRODUCING A KIND GENERATION CONTINUES TO GROW

By Scott Recker | leo@leoweekly.com

THERE’S a lot of heart, meaning and intention in everything that the local band Producing A Kind Generation does, right down to the costumes they wore when they opened for My Morning Jacket’s Halloween show at the KFC Yum! Center back in October.

That night, the members of the kaleidoscopic rock band dressed as characters from “The Wizard Of Oz,” a theme that was meticulously constructed by the Kentucky-based costume design and apparel company Borderstate.

But, despite the sharp aesthetic, guitarist and vocalist Dre Smith — who was dressed as Dorothy — said the concept was much deeper than just appearance, and directly connected with Producing A Kind Generation’s 2022 album, WITCH

“How they are going to search for this wizard, how they’re looking for something, and they work so hard to find something, to get somewhere, and then they get there and realize, ‘Yo, this is not what I thought it was,’” Smith told LEO. “And beyond that, ‘This isn’t even what I need. I already

have what I need.’ It’s the journey, not the destination type of thing. That was one of the undertones in the back of my mind when I was writing WITCH.”

After releasing three full-length records since 2019, Producing A Kind Generation — Smith, Kym Williams (drums) and Ace Holmes (bass) — are back in an album cycle, and they will be performing new material at their upcoming shows at the Speed Art Museum (Friday, Feb. 17) and Whirling Tiger (Friday, Feb. 24).

LEO caught up with Smith to talk about music, life, and what’s next.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

LEO: IN 2020, WHEN I INTERVIEWED YOU ABOUT PRODUCING A KIND GENERATION’S ALBUM TEDDY, WE SPOKE A LOT ABOUT HOW IT ADDRESSED, AS YOU SAID, “THE BATTLES THAT GO

Producing A Kind Generation |

PHOTO BY JEFFERY PARRISH STUDIO

ON INSIDE OURSELVES.” THE LATEST ALBUM, 2022’S WITCH, SEEMS TO ALSO ADDRESS INTERNAL STRUGGLES. BUT, FOR US ALL, THOSE TEND TO SORT OF BECOME RESHAPED BY TIME. SO WHAT ARE THE THEMES THAT CONTRIBUTED TO WITCH AND WHAT DIRECTIONS DO THINK YOUR SONGWRITING HAS VEERED IN THE PAST FEW YEARS?

Dre Smith: When I first started writing WITCH, I was going through some detachment work. I was in a relationship and I was, not in a material sense very dependent on my partner, but, emotionally, I was very codependent in that situation, so I was doing a lot of self-alienating and really working on not being so attached. I was trying to do that work. We ended up breaking up, my partner and I. We had been together for a few years. It started as one of those sort of things that you do when you break up with someone. I think everyone who writes songs, when they break up with someone, they write about it. So I was just articulating my particular emotional struggles in that time. But I don’t want to tell the story; it’s more about the emotions that I feel. I don’t want to make a breakup song about breaking up. I want to talk about the feelings that I’m feeling during the break up, so the music is not one dimensional. Instead of focusing on the actual thing that happened, if I focus on how it made me feel, then someone can relate to the emotions. Thematically, it’s consistent with Teddy and The Kids Are Watching. I tend to write from a place of internalized reflection — my emotions, my experiences, and what they mean to me in a micro-sense. But, also, I like to look at things from a macro-scope — like, if I’m feeling this, of course I’m not the only person in the world feeling this way.

THAT LEADS INTO MY NEXT QUESTION. I DEFINITELY PULLED OUT THOSE ELEMENTS WHEN LISTENING TO THE ALBUM. THERE ARE A LOT OF PERSONAL, YET RELATABLE LINES LIKE, “I WAS ALMOST HAPPY” OR “I’M NOT SURE, JUST WHO I AM,” THAT ARE PROMINENT AND REPEATED. THAT SORT OF BALANCE OF BEING VULNERABLE AND WIDELY APPLICABLE. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY ARE REMINDERS THAT EVERYONE IS GOING THROUGH SOME SHIT. IS ONE OF THE BAND’S GOALS TO REMIND PEOPLE THEY AREN’T ALONE?

I can’t speak for all of us, but, personally, the primary goal of all of the songs is connection, and to build community around emotions. Like, build community around honesty and understanding that there are times that are going to be rough and you don’t always have to be OK. It’s OK to be sad sometimes. It’s OK to have feelings. It’s OK to be confused. I just want people to know that. It’s OK, we’re in this together. That’s what matters most to me. I mean, the music thing is cool… actually, the music stuff is really tough. If there was an easier way for me to curate this community and connect in this regard, I may have actually chosen to do that. I love to consume music and listen to music and it gives me a productive means of expression, but connecting is what’s most important. The music is a means and a medium for the connection.

THROUGH THE LIVE SHOWS, THROUGH THE RECORDS, HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THAT SENSE? I KNOW THE PANDEMIC HAS MADE IT TOUGH, BUT SINCE YOU ALL HAVE SOME MOMENTUM, HAVE YOU HAD PEOPLE REACH OUT, OR BEEN ABLE TO HAVE THOSE CONVERSATIONS FREQUENTLY?

Yeah, 2022 was the year that it mostly happened. People have reached out, and it’s been very encouraging and supportive and open and some people share their stories and what a particular song meant to them and what they got from it. And it’s lovely,

because it goes back to what I was saying earlier: When I omit the actual story — the action — that made me feel the way I did when I wrote the song, it allows people to fill in the blanks and make their own story. People share those stories with us, and that always feels good.

LET’S ZOOM IN A LITTLE BIT RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY WRITING OR THINKING ABOUT? WHAT MIGHT INFLUENCE FUTURE

SONGWRITING?

We’re actually in an album phase right now. We have about 25 or 26 song ideas, and I think we’ve got it down to a solid 10 or 11 that we’re really going to lock in on and make those the focal point of upcoming performances and call those an album. I think, what’s going on with this particular body of work — listening to my stuff from the outside — I think there is some hope. I think I sound kind of hopeful. But, sometimes, overall, I’m like, I’m a pretty dark guy, and not in the worst way. But this upcoming project is probably the darkest perspective I’ve written from. But, I think the overarching theme is loneliness and yearning for a deeper connection.

IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, HOW DO YOU THINK YOU ALL HAVE GROWN AS A BAND. NOT JUST ONLY LYRICALLY OR MUSICALLY, BUT THE FOUNDATIONAL RELATIONSHIP AND HOW YOU’VE PROGRESSED AS A UNIT?

We’ve been family for some years now — over a decade, about 14 years or so we’ve been brothers to one another. We have shared very profound camaraderie. So that love is always there and always in the art and in everything we do.

The strength and lifeforce between us has grown and is blossoming. We have a better understanding of one another, musically. Like, I can write a lyric or come up with a guitar part, some melody, and I can kind of know what direction Ace, our bass player, may take with it. I can hear the rhythm section when I’m writing my parts, and that helps me dial in ideas faster and if I’m writing a part and I can’t hear our rhythm section on it almost immediately, I almost don’t even continue on with it. •

RECOMMENDED CON HUEVOS, A FAVORITE FOR BREAKFAST OR LUNCH

By Robin Garr | LouisvilleHotBytes.com

DON’T stop me if I’ve told you this before, but breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day, and I’m happy to enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

What’s more, Con Huevos is one of my favorite places for breakfast, although to my occasional sorrow, it’s open only for breakfast and lunch. If I want it for dinner, I have to get by with takeout picked up earlier in the day.

What do I like so much about Con Huevos? As simply as I can explain it, it’s a happy place. Each of this growing local mini-chain’s properties is bright and colorful, and the people who work there seem to smile all the time. It specializes in breakfast, as I mentioned, but it does lunch too.

It’s Mexican, with the aromatic, attention-grabbing flavors of Mexican cuisine. If you speak only English, you have nothing to fear: The menu speaks your language, and so do the friendly folks who take your orders. But if you want to try a few remembered words from high-school Spanish, they’ll put up

with that, too.

In short, the husband-and-wife ownership team of Jesus Martinez and Izmene Peredo does everything right, and that has helped drive the growth of Con Huevos from a tiny Clifton storefront to an expanded original shop and four more properties from a grab-and-go spot in the Omni Hotel Louisville downtown to a soon-to-open fifth shop in Norton Commons.

I have a special place in my heart for the Clifton location, having been a regular customer since it opened early in 2015. I like to check on its newer locations, though, and I’ve been happy to find their food and service right up to the quality of the original shop. This time we settled in at the Holiday Manor branch on U.S. 42 and enjoyed an excellent meal

The bill of fare is divided into brunch, sandwiches, and Mexican classics lunch categories, but all items are available throughout operating hours. Menu prices have gone up a bit – a couple of bucks on most dishes – since I last got a curbsidepickup meal early in 2021. Consid-

ering the reality of rising food prices, I can’t quibble with that, and pricing remains well south of the special-occasion category, with virtually all dishes priced between $1.99 and $9.99.

I often get huevos rancheros ($13.99) here, but for a change of pace decided to fill up on a hearty ration of chilaquiles ($13.99, or $4 for a small side dish). This classic Mexican dish, according to tradition, traces its roots to the Aztecs. It comes in many regional variations, but Con Huevos’ version is typical: Corn tortillas are cut into quarters and cooked in a bath of spicy salsa verde until they soften. Then, this comfortable bed becomes a home for two bright sunny-side-up eggs; grated queso fresco cheese; stripes of tangy crema; crisp, pink pickled onions; and snipped chives. It’s quite a hefty combination, and I have to stop and think about how best to eat it – usually a mix of

Chilaquiles from Con Huevos. | PHOTOS BY ROBIN GARR.

Drinks from Con Huevos.

fork, knife, and fingers – but all the disparate flavors come together in an appetizing mix.

We considered an order of breakfast tacos filled with scrambled eggs, chorizo, and fried shoestring potatoes, but decided to stick with tradition via a trio of carne asada tacos from the lunch menu ($14.99). Each taco was served on a single corn tortilla, sturdy and thick models that held up the ingredients with no need for doubling. They were loaded with grilled beef cubes left pink at the centers, and topped with plenty of fresh cilantro and pink pickled onion dice. Lime wedges and spicy green and red salsas came alongside.

Just about every culture on Earth has some kind of sweet treat made with fried dough, from the elegant beignets of France (and New Orleans) to Indian balushahi, Chinese mahua, German Berliners (the pastry that got JFK into amusing linguistic trouble when he told a German audience that he was one), American state fair elephant ears, and of course our beloved donut, which history traces back to 17th-century Dutch settlers in New York, er, New Amsterdam. Mexico’s entry in this genre is the churro, and Con Huevos makes a worthy version. Extruded as long tubes with many lengthwise ridges – the better to impart crispness – an order of six churros ($6.50) are dense and hypercrisp, dusted with crunchy cinnamon sugar, and served with a cup of thin but deliciously sweet caramel-scented dulce de leche sauce. With a Mexican Coke ($3.50) straight out of the bottle and a big mug of steaming,

strong black Mexican coffee from Chiapas ($3.50) a filling and delicious brunch for two came to $45.03, plus a 20 percent tip. •

CON HUEVOS

4938 U.S. Hwy 42

Holiday Manor Shopping Center 384-3744

conhuevos.com

facebook.com/ConHuevosRestaurant

OTHER LOCATIONS:

2339 Frankfort Ave., 384-3027; 2125 Hurstbourne Pkwy., 384-2432; Con Huevos Craves in the Omni Hotel’s Falls City Market, 210 W. Liberty St,; and, coming soon, 10639 Meeting St., Norton Commons.

NOISE LEVEL:

This place is popular, it’s usually full during brunch hours, and conversation can be a challenge. Average sound level during our visit was 76dB, roughly equivalent to a vacuum cleaner.

ACCESSIBILITY:

The restaurant appears accessible to wheelchair users, although the doors are a bit heavy.

Introducing the adorable, Magneto! Magneto is an eight-year-old Australian Shepherd mix who came to the Kentucky Humane Society when his owner could no longer care for him. Now this handsome guy is ready for a new family to come fall in love with him. Since coming to KHS we have learned that he is a friendly fluff ball who loves people! Magneto likes playing with toys, running in the yard, and getting pets from all the staff. He has told us that he absolutely does not want any dog friends whatsoever! He doesn't trust other canines, but promises he will overflow your heart with enough love and joy that you won't even want another one! He also would prefer a catfree home, as they are a little to exciting for him. Magneto is a sweet, handsome floof with a lot of love to give! Won't you give him a chance? He is neutered, micro-chipped and up-to-date on all vaccinations. Come meet him at our Main Campus, 241 Steedly Drive, or learn more at www.kyhumane.org/adopt/dogs.

Introducing, Grizzly! Grizzly is a very handsome three-year-old smoky grey cat. He found himself at the Kentucky Humane Society when his previous owners could no longer care for him. He enjoys attention and petting and has a great purr that he gladly lets you hear it while you pet him! Grizzly would be the perfect companion for someone who likes independent cats as he doesn't demand attention and can entertain himself. He is a little nervous with new people, and will still let out a hiss from time to time if you move to pet him too quickly. He is all talk, though, he just wants people to respect his boundaries (I think we can all agree with that!). Grizzly can probably coexist well with a dog that will ignore him, but curious canines get a big "no thank you!" from him. If you'd like to learn more about Grizzly, submit an application located at www.kyhumane.org/cat-app today! Once we have received your adoption application, our foster team will follow up and provide you with more information. Grizzly is neutered, micro-chipped, and up-to-date on his vaccines.

MAGNETO

Tacos from Con Huevos

WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH STRAINS?

By Mayor Wando | questions@mayorwando.com

Iget lots of questions about this word: STRAINS!?! Cannabis marketing and advertising literature can make it appear that there’s so many different strains, and that each one will give you the magical key to relaxing and chilling, or, as the copy might suggest with sativa; an uplifting, energetic, and cerebral experience.

Longtime consumers have heard the terms of cannabis’ effect profile: sativa gets you up and moving, while indica is for relaxing and a chill sesh. Plants that lean heavy on the sativa tend to have uplifting or more euphoric effects.

FUN FACT: What most people associate with a cannabis leaf, is NOT sativa, but the thicker, seven-finger leaf of an indica plant. Are you confused yet? If you are, please buckle up, because it’s only going to get more confusing!

To be specific, there are three species of cannabis: sativa, indica and ruderalis. We will discuss the last two in another column, but I wanted to include those early in the discussion so that everyone knows what’s out there. These three types of cannabis are perfect examples of what happens when a genetically similar plant/ species makes changes to help survive in different climates, altitudes and wet/dry rainfall. Within these different cannabis species are hundreds and thousands of differing strains.

Cannabis sativa feels most at home in tropical climates, has thin narrow leaves (up to 13), and has the ability to grow up to 15 feet tall, depending on the soil, care, and annual rainfall. Cannabis indica-leaning species are shorter with thick, broader leaves.

I am going to throw some examples of how cannabis strains can correlate with other substances we consume. Do you like coffee? Do you like dark roast, medium roast or light roast? Espresso, latte or a cortado?

Do you like IPAs? Hazy, West Coast or Northeast? Stouts: Milk, Imperial or Barrel-Aged?

Do you like Coca-Cola? Original, New or CherryVanilla? Diet, Caffeine-free or Zero?

Strains relate to the flavor or variety of the plant. Some strains can taste like citrus. Similar to wine and bourbon,

you can taste flavor notes. Other strains could be earthier, with darker notes akin to chocolates or leather. The flavors that are distinctive in varying strains are helped by the terpenes present in the plant. Nearly all plants carry terpenes — think aromatic herbs like thyme, sage and lavender. Terpenes are also essential to cannabis, as they carry the flavor and taste compounds.

Different cannabis strains will have different terpenes present, that, combined with different cannabinoids, produce the ‘dankness’ — the look, smell, and flavor — that consumers know and love. Specifically, just terpenes won’t create the experience people are looking for, but coupled with the hundreds of other cannabinoids present, they all work together to create the full experience, aka, the full spectrum.

Ever smelled strains that had a skunky smell? Catpee smelling strains? These are all attributed to the terpenes present. To date, there are over 150 different terpenes and over 100 different cannabinoids, meaning there are thousands of different flavor compounds available!

A quick note: The crossing of strains, creating different hybrids, means that we need to understand that terms like sativa and indica are more

from the growing perspective and are not always indicative of how consumers will react during consumption. There are thousands of cannabis offshoots now, meaning different strains, because the rise in legal cannabis access has created hybrids all over the flavor profile spectrum with varying levels of THCA, CBD and CBN properties.

As legality grows and descheduling happens, there will be doors opened to the scientific and testing community to map and track different strains, map the genomes of different landraces and be able to explore cannabinoids, their relationships and understand the properties that create the experience consumers need. Cutting-edge and scientifically accurate extraction methods are changing the ways, the amounts, the concentration rates and types of cannabinoid products available to consumers.

Throughout my tenure as Mayor of Freetown, I have fielded hundreds of questions from curious consumers. The ins and outs of cannabis consumption differ from person to person, can change over time and for the casual consumer, need to be stair-stepped in to use for the best experience. As always, cannabis use is a personby-person experience, so not everyone’s experience is the same. Take your time, enjoy the ride.

CUDDLING-EDGE JOURNALISM: WHAT IT’S LIKE TO GO TO A CUDDLE PARTY

By Carolyn Brown | cbrown@leoweekly.com

LAST MONTH ago, I attended a cuddle party, which is exactly what it sounds like: a chill, clothes-on get-together where strangers go to cuddle and experience platonic touch. I was there on assignment — one of the perks of working for an alt-weekly.

Still, I was also there because, well, I was “touch-starved” and apparently willing to admit it to strangers. On some level, I wanted to give a cuddle party a shot as a possible curative for a shortage of cuddles after an old breakup — if I couldn’t get long-term romantic cuddling from one person, maybe, who knows, short-term platonic cuddling with dozens of people would help replace it.

Of course, skeptics debate the idea that a cuddle party could even be platonic. One friend found the idea hilariously implausible.

“Two people,” he said, “are gonna meet there and go home and bang.”

The concept itself even spurred a fun discussion in the LEO office. “That’s not something I would ever want to go to,” said one coworker, who suggested that an event like that would be a ticking time bomb of legal issues. I joked about how the party might end: “I went to a cuddle party and all I got was this lousy… court case.” Still, I was earnestly intrigued and slightly skeptical, but open-minded and eager to participate.

When we gathered together just after 10 a.m., we sat on the floor of the a church in Clifton all clad in pajamas and other cozy clothes, atop a grid of blankets and pillows that other partygoers had brought. I noticed that our group of 25 was much more diverse in age and gender than I’d expected — cynically, and incorrectly, I’d assumed the party would be full of horny old men.

After introductions, we started off as all official cuddle parties do: by learning how to say no. Establishing consent, our facilitator Sarah said, is more to do with saying no and feeling okay to do so rather than saying yes. Guided by a paper packet — and six or seven years of experience that allowed her to improvise when necessary — she walked us through more than an hour of exercises that began with an easy one: turn to the person to your right and ask, “Can I kiss you?” That person would then respond: “No.” No explanations, no apologies: “No is a complete sentence.”

Some people, Sarah told us, leave after the exercises, but no one left our party.

When the cuddling officially began, I went away to the bathroom, and when I came back, I was stunned: in only a few minutes, the entire party had already split up. A few groups of twos and threes were scattered throughout. Some were just talking and holding hands. One couple was giving and receiving a foot rub. One woman I’d done a warm-up exercise with — who’d said she felt hesitant to engage in this kind of touch with strangers — had evidently changed her mind, as she was now leaning backwards onto an older man as he massaged her arms. Another couple was locked in a one-on-top-one-underneath setup that struck me as possibly more than platonic.

The most striking thing, though, was the big group: seven or eight people, all spooning each other in a line down the middle of the room, looking a bit like a caterpillar in pajamas. Every so often, they flipped over, letting the big spoons become little spoons and vice versa.

The morning sun lit up people’s hair; gentle Starbucks-y music played in the background. (Holding the cuddle party in the morning was deliberate, Sarah said, to keep away people just looking for some late-night fun.)

Still, I felt like an outsider in that moment, even at an event that was about literally bringing people together. Asking to join any of the existing pairings (minus the line) would’ve felt gauche and intrusive, even though it was fully allowed. Instead, I wandered around for a few minutes, then sat in a corner, sipping water from one of the church’s mugs.

As I stood watching, two guys I hadn’t interacted with came over to ask me for hugs, which I obliged — not eagerly, I admit. When I hesitantly added myself to the end of the spooning line shortly after, I didn’t stay long — my butt got a little too close for comfort to a guy’s crotch.

About halfway through the session, a woman with long red hair asked if anyone wanted to do a “laughing circle.” Curious

— and eager to do something new — I followed her to an empty corner of the room, where a few others soon joined. She led us through a setup in which we laid our heads on each other’s stomachs. A few of us held hands. Then, one by one, we each said “Ha!” out loud, and the next person would add another one — “Ha!” “Ha ha!” “Ha ha ha!” and so on. Almost invariably, we broke into fits of actual laughter by the seventh “Ha!” every time.

Someone pointed out that seven is a special number, which didn’t surprise me –I’d expected (and, in fact, hoped) the event would be at least a little New Age-y, though it was technically secular. I heard talk of “finding my tribe,” of Sedona (“It’s like no other place in Arizona”), of ecstatic dance. One of the white guys had a few dreads; another wore a shirt with the yin yang symbol made from tree branches. In fact, I already knew the venue from a previous story as the newest home of Psanctuary, Louisville’s psychedelic mushroom church.

I stayed in the laughing circle the rest of the time. Some new members came over; a few others moved elsewhere in the room. Then Sarah made an announcement: we only had about 20 minutes left.

Sarah told us that some people experience a sort of depression the day after a cuddle party, sort of like “subdrop” in the kink world, but something weird to me: I felt it then. As she made the announcement,

a weird yearning feeling swelled inside me, and suddenly, my back felt empty and cold. It hit me: I hadn’t gotten everything I needed out of the party. Yes, I was there to work, but I also wanted to find the feeling of human connection that I’d been promised. I wanted to be spooned. I wanted to cuddle for real, and I’d missed out because I hadn’t asked for it. In its absence, all I could do was grab someone’s blue comforter off the floor and wrap it tightly around my shoulders. We circled up one final time, all holding hands, some people squeezing tightly into their newfound friends and cuddle partners. Sarah told us that when we began the party that morning, we were all strangers. “Now,” she said, “we’re all just strange!” We laughed, then dispersed to regroup shortly after at a nearby Vietnamese restaurant. I slouched through lunch, but I didn’t feel any different the next day — no withdrawal, no “drop.” It felt like a regular Sunday. I was disappointed, though, for my coworkers’ sake, that I didn’t have any particularly lurid stories to report back. Unfortunately for them, the cuddle party wasn’t a morass of lust and lasciviousness, nor a lawsuit waiting to happen. Unfortunately for me, it wasn’t life-changing, either. It was just a cuddle party. •

Cuddle party guests gather together for a photo at the end of the party. | PHOTO BY CAROLYN BROWN

THE OSCAR-NOMINATED SHORTS ARE COMING TO THE SPEED

By Tracy Heightchew | leo@leoweekly.com

WE live in a Wild West time for the short film, with short form video coming our way from all directions online, and a camera in every hand. There was a time when short films were relegated to film festivals, with a few selections seeping out onto compilation shows that were dubbed and passed around.

Now, with access to countless short films on demand on YouTube and Vimeo and beyond, it can be a daunting task to wade through it all and find what is especially good.

For 18 years now, ShortsTV has released the Academy Award-nominated shorts in theaters so that film fans can gather together and see what the industry deems the best of the year. Long ago, I made my peace with the Oscars. The Academy Awards obviously do not actually represent absolute merit, but are instead a contest with many thumbs on the scale, most of which are most concerned with a return on investment. Rather than rail against this fact with outrage at every slight, I think about the Oscars as an organizing system. These are the films who made an impression on Hollywood and its investors. And then there are all the films that were too good for those dorks (looking at you, “The Woman King”). Unlike the Best Picture or Best Actress category, the Best Short Film categories don’t have the same potential box office effect, though winning is a good stepping stone for the creators. Because of this, it feels like a purer category, one that has the potential to let the merit of the films speak for themselves without all the posturing of fame at play.

The Oscar Shorts programs are usually international in scope, and this year features films from Australia, Canada, Portugal, Greenland, Luxembourg, India, Norway, the U.K., and the U.S.

With five nominees in each category, there are fifteen chances to go in wildly different directions and encompass a wide range of experiences. Looking at the selections across all the categories, there are some trends that are telling. Each category features a film set in the tundra, with melting ice playing a role in the action of the film. Many of the films are about relationships, with strangers connecting, families examin-

ing their ties, and children seeking their place in the larger world. There are gems of pure cinema here, with experimental nods and beautiful cinematography, coupled with powerful observations about the human experience. While some films are not as memorable or boundary pushing as others, all are worth watching. Plus you’ll look very cultured when you cheer on your favorite.

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Cross into the impossible worlds of families who parachute off icebergs (“Ice Merchants”), and a stop motion animation character who becomes aware of his own shot-by-shot manipulation (“An Ostrich Told Me the World is Fake and I Think I Believe Him”), before a near-death experience brings you crashing back to earth (“The Flying Sailor”). And on opposite sides of the spectrum are the two favorites in the Oscar race: the beautiful travel narrative about an unlikely friendship “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse” and the hilarious episodic teen-girl tale, “My Year of Dicks.” Both of these later films are can’t miss, instant classics.

Will Win - “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse”

Should Win - “My Year of Dicks”

Follow estranged brothers as they complete a bucket list in Ireland (“An Irish Goodbye”), then ride along with a Norwegian woman as she hijacks a tram (“Night Ride”), and check in with a gaggle of rebellious girls at a boarding school during wartime in Italy (“Le Pupil”). Take a tour of a Greenlandic girl’s homeland as she searches for her sister (“Ivalu”), and root for an Iranian girl as she tries to escape a Luxembourg airport - and a future she does not want (“The Red Suitcase”).

Will Win - “The Red Suitcase”

Should Win - “Ivalu”

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Meet orphan elephants in India (“The

Elephant Whisperers”), then head to Siberia with a marine biologist to observe thousands of walruses ashore (“Haulout”). Watch a little girl grow into a young woman through the lens of her father’s camera (“How Do You Measure a Year?”) before pivoting back to a major, but forgotten, player in Watergate (“The Martha Mitchell Effect”), and witness a terrorist attack headed off by radical love (“Stranger at the Gate”).

Will Win - “The Elephant Whisperers” Should Win - “Haulout”

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The New York Times Magazine Crossword

PARTING WAYS

BY DAVID, KAREN AND PAUL STEINBERG | EDITED BY WILL SHORTZ No. 0605

SAVAGE LOVE

By Dan Savage | mail@savagelove.net @fakedansavage

KANT SAY NO

Q: Let’s say you’re a younger gay guy who’s been doing ethical FinDom (financial domination) for a few years and you’re good at it and you feel good about doing it because you take reasonable amounts of money, aka “tribute,” from your finsubs and you give value in return. In my case, I share sexy text messages, pics, and do meet ups with subs who’ve earned my trust. And let’s say one of your trusted subs — someone you’ve been draining in you’re own ethical way for a few years — offers to sign everything he has over to you. House, condo, vacation home, savings, stocks. Everything. This person says it’s their ultimate fantasy and they ask again and again. Do you have to say no? At what point can you ethically say yes? Let’s say this particular sub has no kids, no spouse, and his nearest relatives are Trump supporters and homophobes who were awful to him when he came out. He doesn’t want them to get anything. He says if I don’t take it all, he’s going to give it all to charity. I’m 32 (not that young, I guess) and he’s 72 and he’s not in great health. This would set me up for life and I would be able to help my parents out. Thoughts? What if I had to marry him to make it possible for tax reasons? Should I marry him? No one in their right mind would make an offer like this, right? I half expect him to come to his senses and think I’m a monster if I say yes. Can I do this and still think of myself as an ethical FinDom?

Seriously Entertaining This Unbelievable Possibility

P.S. I told him he could leave me whatever he wants in his will, but he says wants to have the experience of giving it all to me while he’s still alive to enjoy it.

A: I shared your letter with three random gay dudes who do financial domination online. All three were extremely jealous and all three, perhaps unsurprisingly, felt you should take the money — and the house, the condo, the vacation home, all of it. In fact, two of them initially responded with the same three-word answer: TAKE THE MONEY!

But since you seem concerned with the ethics of the very unique situation you find yourself in, SETUP, I shared your question with a couple of actual ethicists.

“The fundamental, background, taken-for-granted ethical framework assumed by Dom/sub relationships is that they’re entered into autonomously and both parties are ‘in their right mind’ in some relevant sense,” said Dr. Brian Earp, Senior Research Fellow in Moral Psychology at the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics at the University of Oxford. “Running with that, if SETUP really does think his sub may not ‘be in his right mind,’ if he thinks his sub is offering to sign over all those assets due to some breakdown in his decisionmaking competence, then, yeah, it would be exploitative and wrong to say ‘yes’ to this offer.”

So… Dr. Earp doesn’t think you take the money?

Not necessarily.

Dr. Earp cited a relevant debate in the field of bioethics, which is his specialty, that might argue in favor of taking the money, SETUP. Indeed, it would be “objectionably paternalistic” of you to assume your sub isn’t in his right mind just because he wants to do something others might regard as imprudent or even harmful.

“Take someone who refuses to go on kidney dialysis because she’s ‘tired of life’ and doesn’t want to deal with all the hassle,” said Dr. Earp. “In a recent real-life case, the doctors basically

said, the sheer fact she says she prefers to die — which seems pretty harmful! — instead of getting the doctor-recommended treatment suggests she ‘lacks competence’ to decide about her own healthcare and so she should be forced to go on kidney dialysis ‘for her own good.’ But if you go with that way of thinking, you can basically just declare people incompetent — people who otherwise would not be seen as

mind’ apart from the sheer fact of offering to sign away all his assets,” said Dr. Earp, “then it’s not paternalistic to say, ‘No, I’m not going to honor your request.’ But if the offer is the only thing that makes the writer think the sub is not in his right mind, then the writer may be projecting their own values, preferences, or worldview onto the sub in a way that is, itself, disrespectful of the sub’s underlying autonomy.”

So, if signing over all his assets is the only crazy thing your sub wants to do, you can take the money. But if signing everything over to you is one crazy tree in a forest full of crazy trees, you can’t take the money.

But how crazy is wanting to give everything you own to someone anyway?

incompetent — every time they choose something you think is a bad idea.”

So, to avoid even the appearance of behaving in an objectionably paternalistic manner — because God forbid — Dr. Earp thinks you should take the money?

Not necessarily.

If there’s evidence of diminished mental capacity independent of the specific decision at issue here — your sub giving you everything he owns — that additional evidence of diminished mental capacity would argue against taking the money, the house, etc.

“Basically, if SETUP has some other, independent set of good reasons for thinking the sub is ‘not in his right

“If we were to think giving all your stuff away without ‘expecting anything in return’ is evidence of not being in your right mind,” said Dr. Earp, “I wonder why you wouldn’t reach the same conclusion if the person just wanted to give away most of their stuff, or half of their stuff. Why wouldn’t you conclude that entering into a FinDom relationship as a sub is not by itself evidence that someone is not in his right mind? But if SETUP isn’t willing to concede that, as I assume he is not, then I don’t see why — without other corroborating evidence of decision-making incompetence — SETUP should think that the sub’s desire to give away most or all their stuff is somehow, by itself, disqualifyingly irrational.”

Now, when it comes to big decisions — and this one more than qualifies — it’s always helpful to get a second opinion.

“I don’t think marrying this person would be an ethical issue,” said Dr. Manon Garcia, quickly dispensing with one of your concerns. “Marriage has been used for a long time as a way to protect and transfer assets,” and you’re free to use marriage that way and still regard yourself as an ethical person.

Zooming out, Dr. Garcia, Junior Professor of Practical Philosophie at Freie Universität (Berlin), thinks you should consider Kant’s Formula of Humanity: “So act that you use humanity, whether in your own person or in the person of any other, always at the same time as an end, never merely as a means.” (This is German philosopher Immanuel Kant’s (1724-1804) first-ever appearance in Savage Love. Shame he isn’t alive to enjoy it.)

What that means, Dr. Garcia explained to me, is that we have an ethical duty — a positive duty — to treat people as ends in and of themselves, and not merely as means to our own ends.

“This positive duty is very demanding,” Dr. Garcia continued. “It requires attention to the particularities of persons and the fact that they are not abstract beings but individuals who have their own cognitive limitations that could affect their ability to consent in different situations.”

So again, if your sub’s not in his right mind, you can’t take the money. But if you know your sub well enough — and you love and respect them — and you believe your sub truly wants to give you all his money and has the cognitive abilities to make this choice and it would make him happy — if it would achieve his desired end — you can take the money.

It should go without saying — but I’m going to say it anyway — that you have a conflict of interest here, SETUP. So, to be perfectly scrupulous about the ethics of this, you might want to ask your sub to get a full psych workup before you agree and maybe book a few sessions with an extremely sex-and-kink positive couples’ counselor you can talk with together before he give you the ultimate tribute.

Zooming back out for a second…

Financial domination took off as a kink over the last fifteen years. Its sudden

popularity has, I think, something to do with the mass cultural trauma of the worldwide financial crisis of 2008 and the way our smartphones have facilitated certain kinds of fantasy play and arms-length sex work. And while SETUP may be the first FinDom I’ve heard from facing this particular dilemma/good problem to have — a finsub nearing the end of his life who wants to leave him everything — I don’t think he will be the last. I expect the others may find themselves in more ethically challenging dilemmas. Bust assuming SETUP is telling us the truth — his sub offered, SETUP didn’t demand; there are no children or other dependents — this one seems like a pretty easy call. But for sake of argument — and because this might come up again in the future — let’s say SETUP’s sub had children. Could he take the money then?

“Parents have some duties to their children,” said Dr. Garcia.

Dr. Garcia cited French law, which require parents to leave their children at least 30% of their estate, even in cases where children may have been absolute shits.

“In most cases — that is, in cases where the kid does not have psychopathic tendencies — parents have something to do with how children treat them,” said Dr. Garcia, “so the children’s behavior cannot be grounds for complete disinheritance. I also think that inheritance plays very often a role of proof of love after a parent is deceased, so I do think one wrongs their kids by leaving nothing to them, no matter the behavior of the kids, given that parents have a duty to love their kids. Therefore, if the sub had kids, I’d say it’d be unethical to agree to receive more than 50-70% of their assets — depending on their number of kids.”

Finally, SETUP, once it’s your money — if you take your sub’s money — you can do what you like with it. That could include setting up a generous trust fund that benefits your sub for the rest of his life, with remaining funds being returned to you after his death. If he doesn’t want and/or need the money from the monthly or quarterly check that comes in the mail while he’s alive,

he can sign it over to you. So, even after everything is yours, he would still be in a position to pay you “tribute,” which he clearly enjoys doing. Good luck to you, SETUP, whatever you decide to do. Also, best wishes to your sub, best wishes to your parents, and always remember to tip your advice columnist generously.

You can follow Dr. Brian Earp on Twitter @BrianDavidEarp and learn more

about his work and his books at www. brianearp.com. You can follow Dr. Manon Garcia on Twitter @ManonGarciaFR and learn more about her work and her books www.manon-garcia.com.

Send your burning questions to mailbox@savage.love Podcasts, columns and more at Savage.Love!

CLASSIFIED LISTINGS

LEGAL

Leo's Towing & Recovering,LLC at 510 East Broadway,Louisville,KY 40202 with phone number of 502643-4570 has intention of obtaining title to a 2000 Silver F-150 Truck bearing Vin#1FTRX07W1YKA46627 registered in the name of Daniel McChord last known address 4657 Knopp Avenue Louisville,KY 40213. Lienholder:None. Owner or lienholder has 14 days after last publication of this notice to object. Objections must be sent in writing to the above address.

BlueCoat Carwash & Lube Operations, LLC, dba Classie Car Care, at 510 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202, Phone: 502643-4570 has intentions to sell the watercraft described herein to pay for accrued repair charges that have been owed for more than 30 days. The watercraft is a 1980 Bass Tracker III, aluminum hull, HIN#BUJ02907M80K, registered owner: Charles Schultz 1903 16th Street, Lawrenceville, IL 62439, lien holder: Personal Finance Company, PO Box 6, Lawrenceville, IL 62439. Unless the registered owner or lien holder, or anyone else having an interest in this watercraft, objects in writing the sale will be completed and title for the watercraft will be sought.

NOTICE OF INTENT TO APPLY FOR A MECHANICS LIEN. We will be applying for a mechanics lien for unpaid services or repairs performed on the following vehicles:

2009 Toyota Camry, Vin # 4T1BE46K89U298504 Owner Desmond Petsono Tenfung. Lienholder One Main Financial Amount Owed $3577.21

2015 Chevrolet Equinox, VIN # 2GNALCEK2F6274427

Owner Tonya Douglas Lienholder First Investors Amount Owed $9678.84

2016 Kia Soul, VIN KNDJP3A54G7386841 Owner Melanie Krystynak or Joseph Go , Lienholder Exeter Finance, LLC

Amount Owed $8110.59

2009 Lexus RX400h, VIN # JTJHW31U060016290 Owner Bakary Sonko Amount Owed $1588.98

Vehicles are located at Bemudo Automotive, LLC 5804 Fern Valley Rd, Louisville, KY 40229. Please contact Danielle at 502-708-2475 for more information.

Leo’s Towing & Recovery,LLC at 510 East Broadway, Louisville, KY 40202 with phone number of 502-643-4570 has intention of obtaining title to a white in color 1996 Buick Regal bearing VIN#2G4WF52K4T1503913 registered in the name of Tevin Truitt, last known address 2729 Brownsboro Road Louisville, KY 40206.

Lienholders: None. Owner or lienholder has 14 days after last publication of this notice to object. Objections must be sent in writing to the above address.

HELP WANTED

Donan Solutions LLC seeks fulltime Forensic Engineer I (Louisville, KY). Resp for completion of several concurrent forensic engr projects. Req: Bach’s in Civil Engr, Structural Engr, Mechanical Engr, Electrical Engr or rel engr d & 4 yrs exp as Forensic Engr or a rel occup. Must have National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES) record or must be eligible to obtain. Must have exp w/structural, mechanical or electrical engr. Must have exp in administering a mult project workload. Must be active registered Professional Engineer (P.E.) in the State of CA. In lieu of Bach’s & 4 yrs exp, Donan will accept Master in Civil Engr, Structural Engr, Mechanical Engr, Electrical Engr or rel engr d & 2 yrs exp as stated above. Telecommuting permitted from anywhere in US. Travel on assignments to various unanticipated client sites within US. Must have legal authority to work in US. EEOE. Mail resume: D. Hennessy, Donan Solutions LLC, 12450 Lake Station Place, Louisville, KY 40299.

FOR SALE

WAYFAIR TWO ZONE 33 BOTTLE WINE COOLER. 28.6 X 27.2 X 38.2 INCHES. FREESTANDING OR BUILT IN. NEW IN BOX. $395. 541-788-4844.