i know its hard to really understand why this horrible thing happened but maybe if we tried to understand where these people are coming from and really listen and reach out in love.my prayers go out to all who lost a loved one. sb

Your organization has recently obtained and is now airing taped interviews of Charles “Cookie” Thornton through various websites. I understand that your industry is competitive and that it is necessary to view all sides of this story in an attempt to comprehend the reasons for this tragedy. That may very well in fact, be a necessary part of the healing process for the community.

Yet, in airing the voice of Thornton less than a week after the incident, your organization is pandering to the evil intentions of a monster who has terrorized the good people of the Kirkwood community. Through your actions, you have condoned and continue to validate these unspeakable acts. In airing these tapes, you not only encourage more heinous acts of violence by offering a stage on which to pronounce how society has somehow committed a wrong, but further you insult the dignity of the victims and their families.

As one who attended the funerals and memorial service of those who lost their lives, and stood by the bedside of Mayor Swaboda, I find it unimaginable that your organization, which purports to be part of the very fabric of the community, would treat the victims and their families with such distain and disregard. That your organization has decided to air these tapes of psychopathic murderer, espousing his hatred for the people whom he has killed, is truly egregious. In doing so, you cast a cloud of shame across your organization, insult the grieving families and perpetuate the suffering inflicted upon our community.

This was a tragedy and it could have happened anywhere in the United States.It is even more difficult when it occurs close to home. I am sure the residence of Kirkwood are struggling to deal with this tradegy but no one and I do mean no one is perfect. I hope the "good residence" will work toward working with everyone in the community and not start to single people out based on this tragic incident.

Now, we know the entire story ...

Do we Larry? The whole tapes reveal much more than just the harshest statement that was aired?

How about Mr. Thorton's ability to volunteer that was lost to help young children every Friday because of these somewhat silly arrest? This was something that upset him the most. His name is all he wanted back. He wanted to be able to speak is what I heard.

How about fellow contracters using their name on permits so Mr. Thorton could work and the police would not show up to arrest him? Will they talk?

How about $500,000 paid to the city attorney just for Mr. Thorntons case?
Then the offer to Mr. Thornton to waive all the fines, yet the hours billed and retainer fees were in somebody's account?

He would not accept, cause he wanted his name cleared, it was not about the money he stated this?

Why can't the whole tape be put on the radio or t.v. or even the POST?
It's quite disturbing to see someone that did something truly horrendous speak with such clarity, accurate descriptions and records and not match much of which was reported.

I listened to these recordings and just cried, I felt that we were back in the days of slavery. Are we in some areas or in the way people might be treated behind closed doors?
Mr. Thornton thoght so too. He snapped, he was given 3 minutes each meeting to state his case? Is this our loving close knit help everyone community? 3 minutes after all he did for Kirkwood his first 50 years?

Mr. Thorton did a horrendous act, this is not an excuse or can never be justified, murder never is, this is not why I am writing this. His Wife, Mother have stated this, but one of 8 brothers and sisters comments is all that is printed. Will anyone look into his life before February 7th and how he was treated by this City Council? Will any see what his actions as a whole in Kirkwood? Was everyone else treated the same, white, black, hispanic?

Will anyone looks into his 20 years after graduation from Truman State and operating a business without incident before this City Council disagreement started?
This does not seem like violent man until February 7th. Those displays at meetings seemed to be his sense of humor, totally taken out of context.

Again, a nightmare, he snapped, but we don't and probably will never know the full story, but those tapes tell a lot, they tell me that this man was not treated like a human in he 21st century. Records can show many things, but his story is so diplomatic, correcting his own error's while talking to the reporter, never using a fowl word, justifying why he he used certain words that are no worse than CBS puts on T.V. everynight. Then, he even submitted a transcript for approval to the before the meeting, to make sure he would not offend by using these words?

Have you listed to it all?

I think there is much more than these tapes to come, you can tell by Mr. Thornton saying, I can only talk about a few things for there is far too many and I would have to live to 100, my prayers are with all.

Someone needs to know what really happened other than a few police reports than seem to validate this man was "crazy" for years (some where in the tape two police officers even stated "We should not arrest Cookie Chief on this" on the tapes)

The tapes even are cut off. Did the City Council Members also work for all the papers in St. Louis? Represent them?
Why are these tapes not printed there?

Mr. Thorton was no gang member, seeking revenge on white people, there is more than we are being told.

I am afraid that we may be in a rougher time than we all believe, maybe, maybe not. I do not know, but if these tapes have any truth, we have a much bigger problem in Kirkwood, many more documents are going to be seen, giving Kirkwood, St. Louis and Missouri one poor reputation.

Lord, please help us all, we have suffered and will continue too. You can't get tired of this Larry, if so, you need to pass it on to someone who will try to help us learn from these mistakes. Report, dig, find some anwers. Maybe Charles Thornton just went nuts, maybe not (after listening to these tapes).
This terrible act of Charles Thornton. I surely do not approve of his action on February 7th. Its what lead to this action we need to understand. Help us.

I dont condone the actions of a killer, but I have lived in Kirkwood all 52 yrs of my life it is one of the most racist towns in St Louis. Kirkwood has alway tormented the blacks and treated them unfairly. I do feel sorry for the victims and their familys but I also can imagine the pain they Cookie was going through dealing with the officials in Kirkwood. Something needs to be done with the officials in Kirkwood. I know personaly the Cookie was avery good person whom was at a breaking point. I miss him deeply and the great work he has done for the community

Don't you want to know what he was thinking,lest you risk others who think that this kind of response addresses their grievance?

Larry: I challenge the media to use these unthinkable events to investigate the administrations of the City of Kirkwood, the Police Department and the School District. There is much that is wrong.

We still don't know that the city of kirkwood supposedly did to Thorton that brought him to this type of breaking point. There is NO justification for this but what is that side of the story?

Seems like the council us Kirkwood citizens had a tough meeting tonight, they voted against several hours of repeated public testimony of moving the Mayoral election back.

This council fails to show "respect" for those they serve.

This evenings Feb 21 Kirkwood City council meeting was disappointing. Hours of pleading of the citizens of Kirkwood to the council to postpone the mayoral election. No resolve and a lack of respect your citizens! We have a problem.

Last nights meeting showed me much about The City Council and Franklin McCallie's statements about Attorney Hessel's press release.

Kirkwood, we got a problem.

I live in kirkwood. it was the most tramatic event of my life , im also currently a 7nt grade student at micds.