enough time has been served.give whiteboy Rick a chance

**kraig** · November-17-10, 02:18 PM

Originally Posted by Zozo

This is true, but snitching does not guarantee a pardon or a reduced sentence. A good example of this is the case of WBR. His cooperation with the FBI lead to numerous convictions, including those of police officers. As a result of his cooperation with the Federal Government, WBR received a life sentence, some of which was even served in a Federal prison.

A criminal is a criminal prior to snitching. Snitching does not make someone a criminal. For large scale criminal operations, such as the ones WBR was involved in, snitches are much more important than witnesses. A witness observes and makes complaints; a snitch is involved intimately in the logistics of criminal enterprises. A snitch's cooperation can topple entire criminal empires.

I agree with you that we need more witnesses, but we need them to come forward on smaller crimes, such as scrapping and vandalism. I would argue that we need more snitches, i.e. criminals, involved in organized crime to finger as many of their accomplices as possible.

WBR did receive an alleviated sentence when you take into account that he has served time in federal prison, due to his snitching, instead of state prison.

The snitch doesn't become a snitch without being a criminal first. Therefore, if you have less criminal activity you have a better chance for less snitching and vice versa.

**feverdogg** · November-17-10, 03:39 PM

thats a good point

**Detroitej72** · November-17-10, 10:43 PM

Originally Posted by kraig

The snitch doesn't become a snitch without being a criminal first. Therefore, if you have less criminal activity you have a better chance for less snitching and vice versa.

You are missing the point, many thugs were put away thanks to WBR snitching on them. He still is serving a life sentence, and many criminals are no longer walking around our streets, so what is the problem?

**kraig** · November-18-10, 07:06 AM

Originally Posted by Detroitej72

You are missing the point, many thugs were put away thanks to WBR snitching on them. He still is serving a life sentence, and many criminals are no longer walking around our streets, so what is the problem?

How much crime did he help them commit? How many people got killed because he fingered them? How many people did he personally put on a path to a life of crime? How many decent, law abiding people had to live and suffer in the neighborhoods were his drugs were sold?

I think the point you're not getting is that his snitching is not some noble, altruistic act. It was done with the same mindset all of his crimes were committed, for his own benefit.

**EastsideAl** · November-18-10, 11:51 AM

Rick was one of the drivers of the crack boom that devastated the east side and sent many of our neighborhoods into a final spiral from which they will never recover. Hundreds of people died, thousands had their lives destroyed, and tens of thousands of innocent people had their families torn apart by that drug and were either effectively held prisoner in their homes or driven from them by the decade of crime and violence that the epidemic he profited so handsomely from spurred.

I'm far from a supporter of the death penalty, but Rick is fortunate not to live in a death penalty state, and even more fortunate to no longer live out here on the streets that his actions helped destroy. If he had stayed out here his life would have ended like those of so many of his drug empire compatriots, and no one but his family would have been sad about it. THAT'S what his not-so-heroic snitching saved him from. Now he gets three hots and a cot under the full protection of the State of Michigan. Lucky guy. But I sure as hell don't feel any sympathy for him, and, as someone who lived on the east side through those years and lost family to crack, see no earthly reason why I should. Let him rot.

**DaveyM** · February-21-11, 12:58 AM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Facts are the dude was a drug dealer and gangster. String him up. Stretch the turkey's neck and save the taxpayers some money.

So drug dealers deserve to die? That's insane.
Rick was NO gangster.
He was a teenager who, with the help of the Feds, got involved with drug dealing. Period.

**DaveyM** · February-21-11, 01:03 AM

Originally Posted by EastsideAl

Rick was one of the drivers of the crack boom that devastated the east side and sent many of our neighborhoods into a final spiral from which they will never recover. Hundreds of people died, thousands had their lives destroyed, and tens of thousands of innocent people had their families torn apart by that drug and were either effectively held prisoner in their homes or driven from them by the decade of crime and violence that the epidemic he profited so handsomely from spurred.

I'm far from a supporter of the death penalty, but Rick is fortunate not to live in a death penalty state, and even more fortunate to no longer live out here on the streets that his actions helped destroy. If he had stayed out here his life would have ended like those of so many of his drug empire compatriots, and no one but his family would have been sad about it. THAT'S what his not-so-heroic snitching saved him from. Now he gets three hots and a cot under the full protection of the State of Michigan. Lucky guy. But I sure as hell don't feel any sympathy for him, and, as someone who lived on the east side through those years and lost family to crack, see no earthly reason why I should. Let him rot.

I know people who have had their lives destroyed by booze. Let's stick the people selling beer, wine, liquor in person and let them rot?

The east side was going to shit fast without the help of crack. Drugs didn't help but I watched lower income families move in while others moved to the burbs.

**Meddle** · February-21-11, 01:20 AM

Originally Posted by Davey

So drug dealers deserve to die?

Worth consideration.

**Drexciya68** · January-20-13, 11:24 PM

From http://www.gorillaconvict.com/witsec/

"Have you ever heard of any times the government went back on their deal with an informant?"

""WI- It’s rare but it happens. Take the case of Richard “White Boy Rick” Wershe. He helped give the feds the biggest police corruption case in Detroit history and when the parole hearing came in 2003 the head U.S. Attorney at the time wrote the parole board saying they did not support his release. He was in since 1990. He got fucked over. The DEA came in and told outrageous lies as well as retired Detroit cops and a Wayne County prosecutor to keep him in prison. The DOJ official said you help us, we help you and it’s a shame that nothing happened in Wershe’s case, because he helped them a lot and received nothing for it, while the people who should be in prison were released long ago. All these were people who told him they would help him. You hardly ever see that in WITSEC. When all the protected witnesses found out that the Department of Justice went back on their word to White Boy Rick it set off a panic in the WITSEC units. You had guys thinking the same thing was going to happen to them. They were calling their lawyers, calling AUSA’s and calling the DOJ, all thinking that the same thing would happen to them. Some of these guys were really in a panic. DC was pissed. You had DOJ officials having to clean up a mess some idiot U.S. Attorney made in Detroit. Needless to say he wasn’t around long. Some FBI agents tried to help him, both active and retired but the head U.S. Attorney really screwed him over. He was a former lawyer for Young Boys, Inc. He was forced back to private practice [[court records show that the U.S. Attorney on the case was Jeffrey Collins). As one Department of Justice official put it, “only in Detroit would you object to a first time non-violent drug dealer like Richard Wershe being released.” While the same office is supporting the release of mass murderers like Nate Craft, 30 murders and Charles Wilkes, 12 murders and 1,000 kilograms of coke. Both of them have been released from the WITSEC program. They were both recently on Gangland. They were part of the Best Friends gang from Detroit. Gangland named Nate Craft the baddest killer/gangster ever previewed on their show and he could be your neighbor.""

Collin's is another one of coleman young's cronies who was used in the continued attempts to keep Rick quiet.

**Drexciya68** · January-20-13, 11:26 PM

From the Free Rick website: http://freerickwershe.com/Home_Page.html

"Rick Wershe, better known to the public as "White Boy Rick", is currently serving a life prison sentence in the Michigan Department of Corrections for a single drug possession conviction from January 1988. When he was arrested he was only 17 years old. Newly uncovered evidence proves he was led into the life of being a teenage drug dealer by the federal government. Rick was recruited by a narcotics task force made up by the FBI, DEA, and several Detroit Police Department detectives in 1984 as a 14 year old juvenile, encouraged to drop out of high school and eventually put to work as a paid undercover operative in some of the state's most dangerous criminal organizations for the next three years.
Following his conviction, he was sentenced under Michigan's ultra-tough "650-Lifer Law", a law erased from the books in 1998, allowing him to be eligible for parole.In the three times before the parole board in the last decade, he's been rejected every time. As of 2012, he was the only minor sentenced under that law in the whole Michigan prison system that remains behind bars. He is also the only person in the country convicted as a minor for a non violent crime facing the prospect of serving a life sentence.
In the 25 years Rick has been incarcerated, he has cooperated with law enforcement extensively. Prosecutors have said that without his help, the largest police corruption case in Detroit's history would not have been possible. Some of the people ending up being convicted included members of Coleman Young's family.
Rick's situation doesn't feel right in many ways. This site will hopefully educate people who are unfamiliar with his situation , however isn't intended for "fans" to glamorize or endorse his behavior.
Once a boy who made a mistake, Rick is now simply a man in his mid-40's in search of a second chance."

There is also more info at on the Free Rick Facebook page. -> https://www.facebook.com/freewhiteboyrickwershe

**Gistok** · January-21-13, 09:52 AM

He's no John Norman Collins... I say give him another chance. He's done his time.... If it were up to Meddle we'd be executing marijuana users...

**Django** · January-21-13, 05:34 PM

Such a sad case. What poor 17 year old kid can make such decisions involving so much money and jail time at stake. Hes obviously being kept.

The 650 lifer law was such a load of crap. The prison industrial system is out of control these days. Now that we have over two million in prison what is going to happen when they all get old and need medical care as wards of the state? Where is the money going to come from to pay nurses to wipe the asses of 3 million people 20 or 30 years from now. At the rate were going it could be six million in prison and many elderly, in need of 24 hour care. BTW, once a prisoner reaches 50 years old the possibility of them committing another crime drops to about 3% upon release.

**Drexciya68** · January-21-13, 10:47 PM

Rick was just *14 yrs old* when the FEDs/cops started using and paying him for information on things happening in our neighborhood. He started working uncover as a child and this is just one fact [[out of many) that people with power have been trying to keep quiet. Rick was even shot in his stomach while working uncover and the FEDs in instructed him to say it was an accidental shooting by a friend. Does anyone want to read letters from former members of the drug task force in Detroit in the 1980s? A cop and ex Federal Agent that worked directly with Rick starting in 1984?

**Bad Brains** · January-21-13, 11:23 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Worth consideration.

If you think "drug dealers" deserve to die, than you have to include owners or employees of any establishment that sells the drug alcohol.

Anti-drug folks have some of the most ridiculous and inconsistent arguments. Suburbanites account for a majority of the business in any inner-city drug ring anyways. I have never subscribed to the notion that "drugs" destroy neighborhoods. Our drug laws do more damage to people and families than the actual drugs themselves.

**Drexciya68** · January-21-13, 11:59 PM

"We all know actor and comedian Tim Allen as the beloved star of numerous family themed movies and tv shows. He's been one of the top actors in Hollywood for decades. But Tim Allen is also a man who was given a break and a second chance at life. In 1978, when Tim was in his mid 20s he was was caught with cocaine at an airport and charged with transporting over 650 grams of coke. Tim was facing life in prison but made a deal and gave up [[ratted on) some friends who went on to serve 15 years. Tim Allen was released from prison after only 28 months. Tim was given that 2nd chance after the mistakes he made as an adult and look what he went on to do in life. When will Rick Wershe get that chance?"

**Drexciya68** · January-23-13, 05:22 PM

Most of what you're heard about Rick are probably lies..

----
A letter from a former federal agent in Detroit:

But Rick is still locked up??

**Drexciya68** · January-23-13, 05:25 PM

The person who has been spreading lies about Rick is ex Detroit cop and Coleman Young cronie William Rice who has been crooked and corrupt on and off the force. The truth about that lowlife is finally coming out -> http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...-in-fraud-case

**Drexciya68** · January-23-13, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by tkelly1986

This is a fundamental problem with Detroit; the lack of snitches.

Why do so many crimes go unsolved [[murders, larceny, theft, rape ect…)? Because of the destructive and ignorant culture that people should not “snitch”. How has it come to this that people “abhor” those that turn in criminals? If you commit a crime, you deserve to spend time in jail. If you know facts that could lead to the arrest of a rapist or murderer, it is your ethical duty to report that person.

Obviously, crime is a factor that keeps people away from Detroit or willing to help rebuild/invest. The more criminals off the street, the better; Detroit needs MORE SNITCHES.

So true! The whole mindsets of too many Detroiters is assbackwards.

**Danny** · January-25-13, 04:27 PM

Richard Wershe "White Boy Rick" grew up the northeast side of Detroit in the late 1970s along Gratiot, Chalmers, Harper Rd, E. 7 Mile Rd, Kelly Rd. block. By the mid 1980s, He befriended with the Curry Brothers and work as a drug courrier on Hampshire St. near Dickerson and I-94. [[ The neighborhood at that time was well kept up and mostly white middle class. They didn't know that drug pushing is right on their doorstep.) He did most of his drug dealing along Hayes Rd up to E. 7 Mile Rd to Houston-Whitter commercial district. White Boy Rick was living large with the Curry Brothers and was almost untouchable. Later after Rick was arrested just shy from his 18th birthday at his family home in Hampshire St. for drug possession The FBI assigned him to be an informant and confess against the Curry Brothers. After the Curry's found out that Rick was snitching against them. They had him killed. However he surivived. White Boy Rick was arrested in the late 1980s and currently serving time in prison. Reports say that Richard Wershe was pardoned by President George Bush in 2009 and now in federal witness protect program.

**Danny** · January-25-13, 04:30 PM

GHETTO FACT!!!

Johnny Curry of the Curry Bros. [[Drug Kingpin) was married to Coleman A Young's niece.

**Wheels** · January-25-13, 05:52 PM

There were a large number of crooks involved with Rick.

http://www.crimeindetroit.com/JohnnyCurry.html

**Bad Brains** · January-26-13, 01:21 AM

I just learned from this thread that Tim Allen was a snitch. Nice ratting out others to save your own ass from prison Timmy. Home Improvement was a good show though.

**Cincinnati_Kid** · January-26-13, 03:24 AM

Originally Posted by Drexciya68

The person who has been spreading lies about Rick is ex Detroit cop and Coleman Young cronie William Rice who has been crooked and corrupt on and off the force. The truth about that lowlife is finally coming out -> http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/news/region/...-in-fraud-case

That was last summer, how did it end for 'ole boy"?

**Drexciya68** · January-27-13, 04:18 PM

From a recent article: "This was not the first time the FBI has lured cops into protecting fake drug shipments in stings. The agency has done it around the country, and in Detroit back in 1991. In Detroit, they used an FBI undercover agent posing as a drug trafficker. Convicted drug dealer Rick "White Boy" Rick Wershe Jr. helped the feds in the case.
At that time, the feds busted 10 Detroit and suburban cops including two Highland Park officers. A handful of civilians also were busted including Willie Volsan, Mayor Coleman A. Young's common-law brother-in-law.. Volsan helped recruit dirty cops for what turned out to be a grand sting. He was convicted."

Yes Rick's role was vital in taking down many of Detroit's top crooks. Many of which were close friends and family of coleman young. Rick was an informant who informed and is feeling the wrath for that.

http://www.deadlinedetroit.com/articles/3491/fbi_sting_nets_4_highland_park_cops_on_bribery_and _drug_charges

**Drexciya68** · January-27-13, 04:20 PM

Originally Posted by Cincinnati_Kid

That was last summer, how did it end for 'ole boy"?

I'm still trying to find out what's going on with Bill Rice. I'd love to know but I can't find much updated info. I wouldn't be surprised if some were trying hard to keep his [[ex top cop Rice) latest crimes hushed.