Heard in the Hall

Rest in peace and may God bless your family and keep them strong.

People of Philadelphia need to wake up!

It's time to bring the death penalty back.

It's not time to worry about the death penalty.

It's time to bring back the law preventing having guns on streets and in cars.

It's time for Philadelphia City Council and our state legislators and senators to get the bloody Pennsylvania Legislature to restore the "Rizzo Amendment" to the Firearms Act in Pennsylvania.

And it's time for the Legislature to stop pandering to their own desire to prove their manhood with their metal weaponry and give Philadelphia back it's real weapon to control guns.

It is not true that people not guns kill people. The only animal hunted with a handgun are people -- not deer, not moose, not partridges, or whatever else riflers take so much pleasure in killing.

Stop the Gun Violence By Stopping the Guns.

We definitely need to bring back the death penalty. These people have no fear today. We need to fight back and not let them keep taking over the city.

God Bless the Cassiday Family.

9:40am this date officer Cassidy died as a result of the wounds he suffered .who was Charles Cassidy? he was a husband father,police officer and friend.He served with honor integrity and a devotion to duty. He was an individual you could count on when things got crazy. his ability to calm a situation with a firm but interested demeanor was second to none.When he backed you up on a job you knew your back was covered. His family was the focus of conversation when the street slowed down. And when I caught a bad break on the job he was there at the hospital .But what people fail to realize is Charles was a man just like many people out there except his job required him to place his life on the line everyday for twenty four hours a day, 25 years of his life.And he loved it.

Now the scumbag who did this i could careless if he makes it to the court room alive I DONT CARE ,he knows he has awaken the devil and is invited to hell. You want to know why these people are shooting cops in Philly. Because we have a death penalty that puts no one to death. Because we have laws that protect the criminals not the innocent civilians, and those chosen to protect them.These politicians had better let the dogs loose because these wolves are circling the sheep and a dog on a lease becomes a victim but a dog on the loose becomes a protector.I could go on and on but I gotta get ready for a funeral.

The death penalty never left...it continues to be an option in the state of Pennsylvania. The problem here is that the convicted killer has a better chance of dying of old age than of execution. It's the appeals process that needs to be revised. Enough with the endless litany of appeal after appeal. Judge, jury , allow one appeal--if it fails---executioner. The animals out there today have no respect, consideration, decency or common sense. A good man, a cop for crying out loud, was brutally murdered in a donut shop because some piece of s*** was compelled to pull the trigger. Officer Cassidy did not have the option of an appeal when that bullet passed through his brain; hopefully the scum who shot him is denied that option as well. Rest in peace.

It's a damn shame that something like this has to happen, a good man murdered for no good reason, other than doing his job.What this country needs is laws that protect the vitim and the innocent, not the guilty criminal. All crimes committed with a gun, with a gulity verdict means automatic life in prison, no parole. If you fire the gun, guilty verdict, death penalty, with sentance carried out within 1 year (no exceptions). No playing around no 10 years of appeals...guilty 1 appeal then your toast. Make the criminal the bad guy not the system. We need our laws to protect those who choose to live within the sysytem and to punish those who choose to live outside the system. God Bless the Cassidy family and all those who serve and protect.

IT IS TIME FOR MARSHALL LAW IN THIS CITY..IT IS ALSO TIME TO PASS LAWS THAT IMPOSE ON TOP OF OTHER SENTENCING 25 YRS..NO GAIN TIME FOR POSSESSING A FIREARM WHILE COMITTING A CRIME. I DONT CARE IF YOU ARE 11 OR 111...CARRY A GUN GO TO JAIL FOR 25 YRS DAY FOR DAY ON TOP OF ANY OTHER SENTENCING. BRING IN THE NATIOANL GUARD..IMPOSE A CURFEW AND TAKE THIS CITY BACK.

Wow, what has happened to our beloved city. So many murders, so many guns, and so much poverty! WHAT HAPPENED??? How can we have the #1 business school in the country, and the #1 murder rate as well...how does that happen? Where are our leaders? Where are our parents? May God have provide peace in the hearts of the Cassidy family. The whole city mourns with you...as for you, the murderer that took the life of this man...YOUR SOUL MAY BELONG TO SATAN...BUT YOUR *** BELONGS TO THE PHILADELPHIA POLICE FORCE!

The death penalty might help if these people gave a damn about anything. It doesn't seem like it.

Oh, and handguns are also commonly used for self defense though I don't think any of us "riflers" take that much pleasure in the concept of killing to keep from getting hurt.

Murder is a crime committed by a human being, not an inanimate object. Last I checked, guns still lacked the ability to go kill things on their own. This is a social problem. If you really feel the need to blame something that doesn't have feelings to hurt, I'd go with drugs since that's probably the cause for most of these crimes anymore.

In any case, may the officer rest in peace.

I say he should be torchered after he is found which I know he will be!

God, Please Bless The Cassidy Family at this Horrible Time! Please know that we are praying for the capture of this animal!
I hope this animal knows that everyone is looking over they're shoulder for anything suspious!

i wish the city responsed to every shot the way they response to police officer maybe that would stop so of the death that is going on in the city.

Is the Mayor now willing to admit that there is a gun problem in the city???

When the cops find him, and they will find him, they found that other piece of trash who killed Officer Skerski, they better beat him within an inch of his life, or better yet, i hope the trash has a gun so they can just shoot him in the head and bring him down for good; no trial, no "deal" where he contines to breath life, just say he had a gun and tell him to say hello to satan for all of us.

Maybe City Council will realize when residents make a mass exodus out of this no good city that something should have been done a long time ago.

if this city makes people afraid to commit a crime you would not have this.it makes me sick to my stomach that i have to pay for a cop killer or any killer for that matter out of my hard earned taxes to stay in prison for something they should be put to death for.now he's a danger to the people serving 10 years for having some pot but never hurt no one.it's so easy to solve the problem OUTLAW ALL GUNS it's time to take the city back.i want to say so much more but who listens i'll tell you who the people who have no power.And the people who do have the power are as criminal as the killer himeself oh and this city is changing just not for the good people.dunkin donuts,mid day & to my surprise no leads cause the police cant even protect the people that come forward.

Wake the hell up philadelphia and do something to control these people

This animal that is still loose on the street, when found should be tortured relentlessly every day until he gets executed. I say no mercy for this disgusting waste of life.They should put a bullet right in his head,since he decided to do just that and not even giving officer cassidy a chance.
i work for the cassidy family's dentist and i just cleaned officer Cassidy's teeth on Oct. 19th.It brings me so much sadness to know just 12days later,he is gone.Such a nice guy,his wife and kids are so sweet. This animal took away a husband and a father. My heart goes out to his family,you guys are in my thoughts and prayers.

Just wanted to send love & respect to the
MEN & WOMEN IN BLUE or anyone who helps another person. Thoughts & Prayers to all touch by this terrible tradgy.

Houston, Tx

It's time for our mayor and police commissioner to STOP talking about problems with jobs, unemployment, and education. They need to STOP using Harrisburg and Washington, D.C. as scapegoats.

These two people need to take personal responsibliity and admit we have a CRIME PROBLEM. WE NEED TOUGHER LAW ENFORCEMENT.

First, my heart and prayers go out to the family of Officer Charles Cassidy. I did not know the man, but from everything I have read and seen about him I can see that he was the very essence of what a good cop is supposed to be. The man was a Philadelphia Police Officer for 25 years. He could have laxed off as he approached his retirement years, but he didn't. Right now, he should planning retirement. Instead, he was shot and killed by some a**hole that wanted to rob the Dunkin Donuts. How much can you possibly get from a Dunkin Donuts?

Officer Cassidy genuinely cared about the community and the people living and working there unlike the thugs, gangstas, wannabe bada**es and criminals that don't give a damn about anybody, but themselves and their cred. Having a gun makes you tough.

I am a Federal Agent, my three brothers are local police in the Philly area and my father was the same for over forty years. I know when I was I younger, my family always feared that "call" and I thank God we never got it.

The job of a police officer in today's society is all too often criticized by those who do not know what it is like. The job is already difficult enough without having everyone looking over your shoulder. It is media bliss to put an alleged "police beating" on the idiot box and pick apart what the officer is supposed to do and what is proper technique as if there is a text book out there that answers each scenario.

This shooting shows that in today's society there is absolutely no respect for authority. Society has to begin to stop lambasting the police and let them do their jobs the way it has to be. Yes there are bad cops, but they are few and far between.

The city of Philadelphia needs to institute a zero tolerance criminal policy like New York City did in the early 1990s. The policy is not racist if its main goal is to save lives. This city has reached its lowest point since the 1990s, its up to the citizens if is going to get any better. The police can only do so much without help from the community. The citizens need to be the eyes and ears in the community. They need to talk to the police and help get these animals off the street. The animals come in all shapes, colors, and gender.

God Bless Officer Cassidy

Mayor Street needs to take responsibility for the City he assumed responsibility for when he was sworn in as mayor. He needs to stop blaming the state and federal government for the rise in crime rates and take responsibility for the failures of himself and City Council.

I pray for the family,friends,and co-workers of Officer Cassidy.
I'am a brother in blue in Utica.N.Y. . We also lost a brother this year to sensless violence . Stay strong ,it will never be the same ,but the healing will start once the perp is taken into custody.

Our condolences from Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania to the Cassidy family, friends, and officers of the Philadelphia Police Department in their mourning brought on by this rampant violence. Philadelphia's pride and humanity will erode if this violence continues.

End the violence now!

Words cannot explain how i feel but sorrow but i have anger for the ignorance of people in Philadelphia. We need to stop these killings of innocent people who help us in our streets. When we knew he was dressed in blue everyone in that neighborhood was safe. PUT THE GUNS DOWN ! What happened to fighting with fists people who fight with guns are cowards.

Words cannot explain how i feel but sorrow but i have anger for the ignorance of people in Philadelphia. We need to stop these killings of innocent people who help us in our streets. When we knew he was dressed in blue everyone in that neighborhood was safe. PUT THE GUNS DOWN ! What happened to fighting with fists people who fight with guns are cowards.

Rendell opposes mandatory minimums, but like stop and frisk, there is a way to do it right as well as wrong.

We need mand mins in PA so that gun crime felons don't walk after 11 years (Jerome Whitaker) or after numerous felonies (Mustafa Ali).

If the web tattoo refers to a prison killing, then that is another reason the killer of Officer Cassidy would have been avoided with mandatory minimums -- a jailhouse crime on top of a serious record would have resulted in a mand min sentence.

PA is too liberal with prisons and courts to "save money." Let's stop trying to have super low property taxes in this city (I pay only $1700 a year versus my suburban neighbors on cheaper houses who pay $9,000 to $11,000 a year).

Will some people owners not be able to afford that? Sure. Seniors and the disabled get a tax freeze, however.

Will younger owners not be able to pay that? Why, if they pay no mortgage or rent?

If they can't be disciplined enough to pay a reasonable property tax, can they be expected to be good neighbors? Fair market value taxes for everyone in the city can pay for prison space adequate to the need in Philly.

That is fair to people who have never broken a law who are getting gunned down all over this town.

Why does the press not question Street and Johnson more forcefully on their pie in the sky crime strategy? Why not take money from unnecessary but pet government functions and put it to use for criminal justice?

Do we really need a redevelopment agency for every council district? Do we really need the RDA to hold thousands of properties and do nothing with them for decades while not contributing to the tax base? Do we really want PHA to continue to pay no property tax for the cost of their footprint in the city?

This extreme liberal ideas were to expensive to begin with, and now it's costing precious lives.

Zero tolerance means zero, not make excuses and let them out early. Mandatory minimums reduced crime in every state where employed, but are costly.

Isn't it worth it? Don't our police deserve safety too, as well as our own children?

The crisis is a bad as when Rendell first took office as mayor. We need more than "A Prayer for the City" which by the way is where Jerome Whitaker was featured as the killer of Michelle Cutner. What does Buzz Bissinger think now that Whitaker was let out to work just fine, but to choose to shoot four people, one a cop?

Is there any sense in that?

Let's not call for death penalties before mand mins and zero tolerance sentencing reforms are implemented in full, and full market value with full collection implemented to pay for it using property taxes.

We can win this, just like NYC did.

Obviously "jobs" are not enough to dissuade cop killers, because Mustafa Ali had a job and a business, and Jerome Whitaker was working as well.

The old school democrat canards are out of date -- we need more than just jobs for these crack babies -- we need incarceration for the length of time of likely criminal reoffense. For some men, that means late 30s early 40s.

Our police deserve better. And citizens deserve not to live in war zones that Street and Johnson call bastions of "civil rights" because police avoid patting people down for cause to "not upset the community."

Does it occur to our leaders that they get upset maybe because there is a lively gun and drug trade? If you can't get a carry permit, you can't carry.

This is a true shame. Another scar on this once prosperous city. I cant believe those blaming guns for this senseless act. Blaming guns for killing is like blaming my students pencil for spelling mistakes. People kill people! Not guns.

My heart aches, my head aches, and I grieve with the family of all of the affected officers. The face of the mother of the young officer shot in the face tells a story of pain and suffering, and he lived. She looks like she went to the grave and came back.

I pray for you all, and I also demand from my politicians no more weak excuses of the kind that Cosby calls out in his great book "Enough."

We do too much to support a criminal underclass in this city where expectations are low, and that soft bigotry is considered a kind of liberal gift by blacks and whites.

Stop spoiling your men and ignoring your duties, whether you are Andy Reid or the mother of Solomon Montgomery.

Sorry, I'm confused. Bill Cosby wrote "Come On, People." Juan Williams wrote "Enough." They are both uncommonly fair treatments of what works and what doesn't according to the data written by two scholarly and keenly observant men.

Philly can't afford to be the housing site of last resort anymore for the criminal underclass. I don't refer to a race or ethnicity, but to a value system.

Philly has always been the donut hole of blight and poorly supervised subsidy to try to uplift those who don't want to be uplifted. Means testing is too insufficient, and obviously just creates a forum for addict moms to do their thing while their babies grow up exposed to the most toxic environment possible.

Philly needs to stop pretending that stasis is great and the poor are all virtuous. There is a criminal underclass that has little in common with the merely poor who need help from time to time.

Let's start to make the distinction. Let's stop trying to be a local government that only delivers social services without doing the basics first. I can't afford to pay to raise dozens of children using the government. Society can't afford to house these people for life in prison after they antagonize and decimate good people.

People who can't follow the rules have to move elsewhere. Cities SHOULD be expensive to live in, because it costs much to maintain them properly. Why are the city housing slots places where able bodied people party all night long and let their kids run amok? Really, Elmer Smith can't seem to see the parts of the city that don't work -- like PHA's old housing.

The people wedded to their four decade old ideology are ruining the town with their "don't air the dirty laundry" campaign, both press, politicians, and bureaucrats.

Who will be brave enough to say we're not going to keep doing things this way anymore?

City Council lives in a fuzzy world of PCness and don't offend anyone.

Unfortunately, the criminals just have to pose as "activists" to corrupt Council's view on what they know works.

Of COURSE people will complain about stop and frisk -- it will decimate Philly's largest employer -- drugs. Those people will complain about their precious civil rights going down the toilet, both dealers and the drug liberals who don't want anyone to know what's in their pocket.

What is Council doing to stop rewarding criminals in the name of vague "protections?"

Since the only way the police ever got drugs or guns off of someone is to STOP AND FRISK them, hello, Sylvester and Street, maybe it's time to stop the dumb and dumber act.

What gives with Street? Does he pretend to love the black community so he can let it kill itself off at a good clip so people can feel they can carry a gun anywhere without a permit?

The gun laws we have will work, have worked in the past, but Street and Johnson stopped taking them seriously. Felons with a gun -- 15 years mand min, am I right? That's what the bus ads said.

Where are we going with that? If we need to build more accomodations to house the offenders, then we need to build more accomodations to house the offenders.

It's not rocket science. It takes a mature leader to admit they failed, were wrong, and that it's time to try something new.

It's obvious that Street's close association to previous criminals who claim to be reformed and get involved in politics and city business are still doing crimes on the QT are informing his "blame the sky" crime strategy.

If I dealt drugs or managed a set of dealers or a drug operation, or did graft, numbers, scammed government programs and kicked it back up to the politicians, then I'd say and do exactly what Street and Johnson have said and done. Blame everyone else, pass the buck, claim to be some kind of super conscientious civil rights bleeding heart, and take the money.

It's obvious that Ron White's influence is alive and well, and Clarence Fowler aka Shamsud-din Ali still inform Street's crime philosophy.

Rita Spicer, married to a black organized crime figure before marrying to the more evil Shamsud-din Ali in a bigamist arrangement, that stuff never hits the papers until the FBI writes it up for them.

Sam Staten, Sr., Eugene Hearn aka Fareed Ahmed and his "business" associates, all these people have close ties to crime and corruption.

Street counts on every single one of them to organize his political strategy and raise money.

Is it any real surprise that Street "sees no evil, hears no evil, and speaks no evil" no matter how honest it would be? He'd incriminate himself if he cracked down on the black organized crime in the city.

Have you ever noticed how Johnson's PPD cracks down on Latin drugs, asian gangs, but the black heroin/prescription/crack rings seem to only get busted up at the upper levels by the grand juries out of the city, and the state AG?

Why is that I wonder? Friends of friends of the folks in charge who are generous and suspect?

Street is a crook, and Johnson just plays along. Someone should bug the Moz if they want the intell.

I hope the FBI keeps requesting docs from city agencies and city hall. The story of why crime is so impossible for Street to get a hold on is told in his hand outs to criminal cronies and low performing generous contract and property recipients. His pals on City Council are doing the same. How convenient for the pols named Blackwell that your offices have so often been catching on fire?

Tragic, yet convenient.

The FBI better seize the stuff before the next office "arson" or city hall blaze that triggers the sprinklers.

Favorite Philly response to a request for documents: "documents of the date and subject requested were irretrievably lost."

Why is Street not subject to a grand jury investigation that builds on his endorsement of and use of Ron White, Corey Kemp, and all the likely suspects?

Street is so over the top PC it sounds like he's hiding something. He could never let Sylvester investigate that part of the local black muslims involved and historically involved in black organized crime.

The papers are so bigoted themselves that they can't imagine that black crime can be organized, effective, and deadly poison.

So, let's invite the next round of Imams into city hall to bless the dead cops and call for more money for poverty pimps that do little and make big claims.

Any interest in any Pulitzers anymore, folks? Cuz ya need to ask the tough questions and do your own assessments and investigations if you want even one. It's been a while, hasn't it, for the hard news?

Why are people saying we've become Detroit? That's where the other mosques that were or are NOI are also shielding generous members involved in the street trades.

Street's game is ghettopoly. He's turned Philly into narco-ville again. We're of a narcopoly than Colombia anymore. Judges roll over, witnesses fold, and the police are target practice.

My prayers go out to Officer Cassidy's family. I know all to well the pain, anger, and confusion they are feeling. I, too have lost a loved one to the plague of crime in this city. My husband died in 2006. He was #316 of the 406 murdered in 2006. He was an innocent bystander who was also shot in the head. He was at the wrong place at the wrong time. I remember like it was yesterday, sitting by my husband's hospital bed praying for a miracle. He never regained consciosness and died two weeks later. When I heard of Officer Cassidy's injuries, it hit home and I became immediately overwelmed with grief and anger. Another senseless shooting, this time of someone who put their life on the line to protect and serve our community. THESE SENSELESS ACTS OF VIOLENCE HAVE TO STOP!!!! We need help to take back our streets so that our loved one's make it home safe every night. The Police Dept. will find the guy who shot Officer Cassidy and when they do, I hope they bury him under the jail.

I was travelling earlier and just checked the site, hoping to hear good news about Officer Cassidy. My prayers are with his family and friends, as well as the other two officers who were wounded earlier. I hope we can all thank police officers--either by saying a simple, "Stay safe" when we pass an officer or getting together with friends to buy gift certificates to pizza parlors, etc. for the local precinct-- for the work they do in keeping us safe as a way of honoring Officer Cassidy.

I also believe the most important way we can honor him is by contacting our representatives-- and asking friends and family in other states to do so, as well-- to enact tougher gun laws and better fund the enforcement of exisiting laws. You can send an e-mail to or find the contact info for your representatives by visiting www.congress.org. AND DON'T FORGET TO VOTE, and to know where your candidate stands on this and other issues.

Peace.

Here's a way to turn the screw on murderers:

Have air raid sirens installed throughout Philadelphia. If a murder is commited, the sirens will go off (day or night) for 3 minutes. If a cop is murdered, the sirens will sound for 10 minutes. If a child is murdered, the sirens will sound for 20 minutes.

A few Philadelphians who are awakened a few too many times will glady rat out the vermin who commit vile acts such as killing a kid or a cop.

Our prayers and condolences from New Jersey for the Cassidy family, and his fellow Brothers.

Find that PIECE OF CRAP and make him pay!

How much we willing to bet this guy, when they get him has either been in jail, has a long criminal record, was let out due to judical bullshit and overcrowding.
This country is and the criminal justice system is the biggest joke...I have a hard time understanding random murder for no apparant reason..This country makes me sick.

I wish to extend our deepest sympathy and condolences to the CASSIDY Family, the men and women of the Phila. Police Dept. nad the citizens of Philadelphia. I am a Police Officer in the Borough of Duncannon approximately 18 miles Northwest of Harrisburg, Pa.

I grew up in Philly and my father and most of my family were or are Philadelphia Police Officers. Although the city has far more homicides and police related shootings, I myself have been involved in an incident where I shot one of society's lost children(sic) for attempting to kill me and my Chief.

My heart goes out to the family and friends of Office Cassidy. Nothing that any of us say here will change the events as they happened. However, there are MANY things to learn and impliment going forward. I know that the men and women in blue will prevail-I just hope that the justice sysem does right by them. I no longer am a resident of Philly, but was born and raised there. I remember a time when I did feel safe there. A time where many residents and men and women on force might recall.............I say bring back the Rizzo era!

I would like to send my prayers to all police officers who risk their lives everyday to protect the public from harm. I think that every time someone gets shot in this city these measures that are being taken to find the officers killer should be taken every time. I strongly believe this would slow crime by a measurable difference. People are very much afraid and if they get this fear often they will think twice and know the police are not to be taken lightly

First, I would like to send my blessings and condolences to the Cassidy family. Chuck was truly a good man and father. I never had the chance to talk to him personally but in talking with other fellow police officers who have worked with him, I learned that he was a great man. What I found so hard to believe about Chuck is that when he went home he was home he did not discuss work. To do that is incredible because you meet so many people day to day that there is bound to be something that happens that you just want to talk about. We all will miss Chuck. Those of us who did not know him personally, we know him now in spirit and hold him dearly in our hearts. I know that there is an extra angel watching me now as I face the many dangers to happen throughtout the City. I know Chuck is with God. Fly blue angel let your spirit be among us as we fight this war on crime. Blessings to all my sisters and brothers in blue.