Eternally Yours - Angel Downs Murder Case

Today is the sentencing date for Stephen Nodine of the Federal Gun Charge.

But the Angel Downs murder case story continues .....

The lone UNSUB is the "you know who I am, The Hammer," (impeached) Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine.

The murder victim is the beautiful blond Angel Downs, swept off her feet by the "lies for a living" politician Stephen Nodine, Angel finds the results more than tragic - ending with a shot through her head on Mother's Day 2010.

I wonder why a man of his talents is always on the dole? But after a closer look at his rap sheet it helped to explain. He is no boy scout.

Nodine Criminal History:

1979- Arrested for larceny from yard.
1985- Arrested for exposure of sexual organs.
1987- Breaks into a former girlfriend’s home and attacks her when she returns.
1988-Judgement for eviction.
1992- Strikes and kills a woman with a vehicle.
1997- Arrested for disorderly conduct and criminal mischief.
2010- Charged with possession of illegal drugs. Charged with shooting murder of Angel Downs. Grand Jury impeachment. Pleads guilty to federal gun charge.

Angel quickly found the most difficult trick in the world is to get rid of an abusive man. His death-defying stunts gave her nightmares. She found herself living at the edge of life - with out-stretched arms . . . but was found shot dead before she could reach it.

You see Angel had enough of Nodine's lies, drugs, abuse and had ended the relationship. She knew his vanity and his secrets. No woman likes a fake and everything about Nodine is fake. She feared if the curtain came down he would make a grand exit... and he did, allegedly with a bang!

Nodine has moved to Villas on the Bay, 25957 Canal Rd., Unit #301, Orange Beach, AL. He sporting an ankle bracelet, considered a flight risk, he now has a quick getaway - complete with a boat slip. Read conditions of Nodine's Release Order

DA Dixon says "I don't like that the bar across the street is where a lot of the witnesses hang out. I don't like any of it. If I could stop it, I would."

Just in time for Spring Break. We all know what gets his motor going. Warning Landshark on the loose. He's also stepped up his personal appearances on TV. Then he can still use the pick up line "Don't you know who I am," to any unaware intoxicated young ladies.

At the 1st trial just before Christmas ended quickly in a hung jury a 9-3 split. Jurors referred to Nodine as "scum", the 9 who voted guilty were disappointed in the 2 who wouldn't budge. One was overheard during selection announce she would never convict. This juror had shot her boyfriends finger off. I can't help but wonder why was she even allowed on the jury?

The jurors — 9 women and 3 men — convicted Nodine of an ethics charge involving misuse of his government-issued pickup truck. “There was plenty of evidence,” juror Barton said, “plenty of overwhelming evidence. Justice was not served.”

So we wait in anticipation as Nodine has been declared impoverished and supplied with a new attorney and $38,000 - $3,000 for audio/visual. Even though the new DA Hallie Dixon hasn't yet decided if she'll retry the case.

He has a new benefactor supplying him with room and board, all utilities included. Nodine has kept himself busy, up to his old tricks, calling the media and showing loving photos of he and Angel in happier times.

Someone using the name Stephen Nodine recently began twittering stating he was going to the beach for church activities. Tweets included rude remarks and the account was suspended shortly there after. "I always find it interesting his followers don't seem to be as faith motivated as he claims to be."

He repeatedly says he wasn't there when Angel was shot. Despite the many witnesses seeing him before and after the shooting, fleeing the scene. The burning question why he didn't call to inquire about the love of his life after learning the news. He has no answer to that.

The ethics are so elusive.

The DA and Defense have agreed to send the Blackberry to the FBI. Read Order relating to Down's Blackberry.

What of Angel's family? They are solid as a rock. Fighting back by reminding the public, "Angel is the victim, NOT Nodine. This is one of the first times the family has spoken up in defense of their beloved family Angel, not wanting to harm the case.

Kevin Lee, Lagniappe article Victim's family: 'Nodine lies for a living' brings us all up to date, and includes candid touching moments of a loving family who is searching for justice and still mourning Angel's loss.

Thelma and family - God gave you Angel forever she is and always will be Eternally Yours.

Nodine is under federal home detention and is scheduled to be sentenced on a gun charge in federal court April 25. Gordon Armstrong, Nodine’s court appointed attorney in his federal case. The U.S. Probation Office here has determined that Nodine faces at least 10 months in prison under advisory sentencing guidelines. U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade has discretion to sentence Nodine to advised sentence, probation or a split sentence involving home confinement or time in a halfway house. Armstrong suggested that he will seek straight probation.

*My comments are only my opinion, not fact. It is my commentary on the topic, and I'm exercising my 1st Amendment rights as a US citizen. Comments are NOT made with any malicious intent.

References

1. Judge sets down orders, by FOX10, by Chasity Byrd
2. Angel Downs' family speaks to FOX10, by Chasity Byrd
3. Angel Downs' family fires back at Stephen Nodine in murder case, By Kim Lanier, Press-Register
4. Support Justice for Angel Downs on Facebook

The Two-Faces of Steve Nodine; Politician and accused murderer of Angel Downs

GOOD	EVIL
Served on Alabama Sentencing Commission	Accused Murderer
Politician- Family Values Platform	Liar - impeached
Condemned Clinton for womanizing	Adulterer
Worked with aides babies	Drug and Alcohol Abuser
Help seniors and firemen	Batterer
US Army Serviceman	Stalker
Friend of Alexander Haig	Thief
Father and Husband	Neglectful
Prayer requests	Non-church attendee - hypocrite

Steve Nodine, "The Hammer" was cocked and fired allegedly killed long time girlfriend, Angel Downs, on Mother’s Day at her home in Gulf Shores.

More women are victimized at their home by their intimate partners and killed with firearms than all other means combined. Jurors expect domestic violence victims to accept responsibility and leave batterers. Most murders occur when that happens and we know Angel Downs was trying to end the abusive relationship with Stephen Nodine.

We struggle to understand the offender’s motives and ask, “Why did he do it?” Some comment Steve Nodine was a “good man,” he did much to help the Mobile community. He did his job as County Commissioner well. It is a societal myth that niceness cannot coexist with violence, or evil; consequently the “good” guy must not be a murderer.

I would like to point out that all of Steve Nodine’s pro-social “goodness” has in fact benefited him each time. Being “good” was his best camouflage. This was how he manipulated the public and his victims by being “good”. The good deeds are so the public vouches for his trustworthiness. His victims are then lulled into trusting him because he is “good.”

Angel lost her life because of her trusting him. She had lived through many other attacks by this batterer and he escaped arrest, when law enforcement was called to intervene, by using his “good service” as County Commissioner.

Repetitious physical assaults of the past relationship were accelerated and even justified allegedly by Nodine, because of the termination attempted by Angel. “What’s past is prologue” (William Shakespeare, The Tempest, Act II, Scene I).

When a woman is repeatedly battered, yet unable to flee the traumatic situation even when escape is apparent and possible, the result is learned helplessness.

Battering and stalking by definition are not static but an evolving, continual and progressive crime. Requiring a “course of conduct” over a period of time demonstrating a continuity of purpose. Nodine allegedly repeated the harassing, threatening and abusive behavior to give the appearance of power and control.

• Prior threats/violence with current victim and prior victim
• Prior stalking behaviors
• Criminal history
• Mental disorder or mental illness history
• Drug/alcohol abuse
• Weapons possession/use/access to
• Threatened suspect
• Presence or absence of inhibitors (inhibitors are factors that may prevent the suspect from acting out violently. I.e., family, friends, job, health, reputation, etc.)
• Proximity to significant dates, such as anniversaries, holidays, birthdays, etc.

We now have the facts that Steve Nodine has two faces. One for the public and the other, his true face he kept somewhat hidden. Steve Nodine is a skillful manipulator, he and his defense will try to focus on Angel Downs’s behavior not his. He may say it was an accident. It will be up to the prosecution to expose all signs of planning in Nodine’s behavior. Hopefully the jurors will find Nodine has committed acts that are abhorrent and anti-social, rather than engage in victim blaming of Angel Downs.

Why did he do it? Steve Nodine’s character traits motivate his offenses. We know from public records Nodine has an alleged criminal, narcissistic, or otherwise interpersonally-and-socially-compromised personality, he can be motivated to offend for a variety of reasons. He may lack the internal barriers that prevent offending, like guilt, remorse, empathy, or compassion. He may maintain a belief system, which devalues the rights of others and overvalues his rights. Nodine's evil face shows alleged indifferent to the pain, suffering, injury or humiliation of others. He may also feel the rules of society don’t apply to him, as his womanizing, pill-popping, pot smoking, stalking, battering and general unlawfulness seems to support.

Angel Downs knew Steve Nodine’s evil face and she had tried to expose and escape it. He did not want to lose control of her and possibly all he had worked for, if this came out. There were already nicks in his shining public armor from his drug arrest.

Did he try to prove he really was “good” and take her to the beach she loved on Mother’s Day? Maybe he feigned to say good-bye and end it? Did he leave his wallet at her house on purpose? Did he call her? Asking her to bring his wallet out to the truck? Did he then shoot her in the head?

Nodine has already began his "sympathy" defense which includes his less than ideal childhood, his absent father, brother with a brain injury, sister who was run over, mother who worked 3 jobs, and a bad hip, He has been victim blaming Angel telling Doctors she had a Romeo and Juliet death wish. Funny he didn't hear the shots fired (though the neighbors did) nor did he stop to help her. According to his phone records the only time he isn't talking or texting is the 60 mins after Angel's murder. Emails released show Nodine to be a batterer using his badge to intimidate and his addiction pushing over the edge. (Check out Peter Hyatt's statement analysis of emails) Angel was deathly afraid of him and even dreamed of him killing her.

Steve Nodine’s most powerful tool he will use in his defense is to be “good.” A “good man” doesn’t fit society’s image of a murderer. Society also wants them to be strangers. The fact is: MOST ARE NOT. “Goodness” is a powerful weapon. When someone is good, it is difficult to confront him or mistrust him.

Nodine’s camouflaged “goodness” has fallen apart. His character witnesses have been proven to be either near-strangers or alleged criminals. Nodine is trying to rely on societal biases and stereotypes about, “murderers.”

Look at the above chart contrasting Nodine’s “good” behavior against his "evil" behavior. Remember he is counting on society to perpetuate that niceness cannot coexist with violence, or evil; consequently the “good” guy must not be guilty of the alleged murder of Angel Downs.

Hopefully prosecutors will be able to expose Nodine and portray the so called “good” guy” as the evil murderer they allege he is.

Sadly Nodine has recently been released on bail. Hopefully not for long.

Friends of Steve Nodine

Nodine's attorneys are solicitating funds using photo's of Nodine's 13 year old son (many photos were when Nodine was having affair with Angel Downs) and President George W. Bush and various other politicians for Nodine's defense. He never mentions it is for MURDER. The site is called FriendsofSteveNodine.com and Paypal is the choice of payment as no local bank would agree to open a defense fund for Nodine.

Join us on Facebook as we Support Justice for Angel Downs.

Listen to the Dana Pretzer show on Scared Monkeys Radio with special guests WKRG Reporter Jessica Taloney and famous True Crime Author Diane Fanning discuss the Angel Downs murder case on 6/13/2010.

CRIMEWIRE 6/22/2010 at 8pm discusses the Nodine case with expert Peter Hyatt statement analysis of Caylee Anthony and Susan Smith fame. Along with Mobile journalist Kevin Lee of Lagniappe. Along with the rest of the expert team Dennis Griffin, Vito Collucci and Susan Murphy-Milano. you may listen on-line, podcast or call in to listen or contribute at (646) 478-0982

Steve Nodine on Dipity.

References

1. Adams, D. Why Do They Kill? Men Who Murder Their Intimate Partners. Nashville, TN: Vanderbilt University Press, 2007.
2. When Men Murder Women: An Analysis of Homicide Data Sept 2009 www.vpc.org
3. Bible, A., and A. Weigl. “Cries of Abuse Unheeded, Assaults Rise to Murders.” News and Observer [Raleigh, NC], May 18-20, 2003, quoted in A. Klein, The Criminal Justice Response to Domestic Violence. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004: 139.
4. Block, C. “Risk Factors for Death or Life-Threatening Injury for Abused Women in Chicago.” Final report for National Institute of Justice, grant number 96-IJ-CX-0020. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, 2004, NCJ 199732. http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=199732
5. de Becker, G. The Gift of Fear. Boston, MA: Little, Brown & Co., 1997, NCJ 177216 http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=177216
6. Greenfeld, L., and M. Zawitz. Weapons Offenses and Offenders. Bureau of Justice Statistics Selected Findings. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, November 1995, NCJ 155284. http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=155284
7. Macmillan, R., and C. Kruttschnitt. “Patterns of Violence Against Women: Risk Factors and Consequences.” Final report for National Institute of Justice, grant number 2002-IJ- CX-0011. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, National Institute of Justice, August 2004, NCJ 208346 http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/abstract.aspx?ID=208346