Idaho
Man Finally Sees Justices
By Ron Lee
Investigative Reporter
Preston,
ID - Recently, Preston, Idaho ex-police chief Scott Shaw was
indicted and convicted to serve one to five years in prison on charges
of misusing public funds and perjury.To many this was just a slap on
the wrist and far too short a sentence for his crimes. For Neil Butler
(pictured left holding a community appreciation
award he was given), owner of Butler Trailers it
was a day of vindication as Scott Shaw was one of several local Preston
officials who maliciously pursued him from 1994 through 1997 over a
trumped-up felony charge of sales tax evasion.
Instead of bowing
to the will of the establishment and paying an initial $150.00 fine
illegitimately levied against him, Butler instead chose to stand-up
against the corrupt Franklin County, Idaho infrastructure that included,
along with Shaw, Mayor Jay Heusser, Franklin County Prosecutor Jay McKenzie,
police officers Mark Beckstead and Ned Burton, Franklin County Sheriff
Don Beckstead, and Eric Elle an Idaho Transportation Inspector.
![](images/sheriff-beck.jpg)
Corrupt Franklin County Sheriff Don Beckstead
demonstrating a “restraint chair” for the Observer’s
Paul Kraxberger. Beckstead has circumvented the corruption drag-net
so far…
Spending hundreds of thousands
of dollars on his defense, Butler, with the help of the US~Observer
(then the Oregon Observer) saw his case dismissed on the grounds that
there was perjury and a lack of evidence, even though they had rifled
through his entire home for 4-5 hours as they conducted an illegal and
unwarranted search and seizure. Corrupt law enforcement searched Butler's
exemplary premises because Butler refused to be patsy and he refused
to stand for the corruption occurring in his county. When he spoke out
they attacked him, expecting to stop his voice. Using hindsight, they
picked on the wrong man. Today Butler relates the illegal search and
seizure conducted by 13 officers to being "forcfully raped."
Needless to say, nothing illegal was found on Neil Butler's property.
After Franklin County District
Judge Don L. Harding rightfully threw out Butler's criminal charges
in 1997, Butler pursued those named above who were responsible for violating
his First, Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights. Unfortunately, Shaw was
among those ruled immune from suit because of his "official"
position. Those who got away with their corruption go away because of
"immunity." Immunity is a legal premise that allows bad public
officials to get away with perjury, knowingly charging citizens with
false charges and much more. Immunity is wrong and according to Neil
Butler, "it is undermining our system of justice." Someday
soon immunity might just be the much warranted downfall of a justice
system run-amuck in America. Butler, however, did settle with one offender
for a sum far smaller than what was expended in standing up against
his false prosecution.
Of those who falsely targeted
Butler several, along with Shaw, have been exposed to have been corrupt,
including Mayor Jay Heusser who has been charged with felony fraud and
stands with Shaw in a civil rights lawsuit in regard to an illegal search
performed on the home of one of Shaw's own confidential informants.
(Please read "Web of Preston power abuse claimed" on page
13 of this edition)
Hearing of Shaw's conviction
Butler simply said, "I wasn't surprised ... A lot of injustices
were done and not just to me ... It's about time."
Butler equates much of his
cases success to the help provided him by the Observer and he remains
a staunch supporter of their cause.
Editor's
Note: After defeating his false criminal charges, Neil Butler decided
he couldn't live in the Preston area any longer due to the entrenched
corruption. Butler moved his major trailer manufacturing plant across
the State of Idaho to Orofino where he now produces his trailers. In
a recent conversation with Butler he informed us that he still believes
in holding government accountable and plans to continue his involvment
with local governemnt in Orofino when he witnesses public officials
lying or involved in acts of corruption. The US~Observer is a better
paper today because of men like Neil Butler and the opportunity we had
8 years ago in helping vindicate this dedicated and responsible American.