“Jihadi Jon” Ralston Pulls another Blogger Boner in Anti-Laxalt Crusade

In his feverish, never-ending, jihad-like crusade against all things conservative, liberal blogger Jon Ralston exposed himself again this week for the partisan “fake news” hack he is – a daily exercise as reliable as the sun rising in the east.

Angered by the fact that Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt is not only a conservative but has reportedly “blacklisted” (No, Sen. Ford, that’s not a racial slur) Blogger Jon’s publication, Ralston has been on a tear for the last few days over Laxalt’s vote NOT to pardon Frederick Lee Steese, a convicted murderer.

A sampling of Blogger Jon’s bile and venom…

• “This case is an embarrassment to the state and has been highlighted nationally. AG @adamlaxalt actually asked to abstain (!), then voted against pardoning an obviously innocent man. Wow.”

• “ICYMI, my @TheNVIndy column on @Adamlaxalt’s no-good, horrible week in which he raised serious questions about his fitness to be governor.”
• “First, the pardon, which showed a stunning abdication of duty caused by either extraordinary callousness or reckless disregard for justice. Either way, it is very close to a disqualifying act.”

• “If you want more evidence of just how horrific @AdamLaxalt’s vote against pardoning an innocent man really was, read this thread.”

• “My @TheNVIndy column that examines @AdamLaxalt’s unconscionable vote against pardoning an innocent man, his lame, logically fallacious and unchallenged explanation and his inability/refusal to answer basic issue questions on the trail

• “So @AdamLaxalt doubles down on vote against a pardon for innocent man, says he chose Clark DA over a ‘liberal judge and a news story.’ Grotesque. And no explanation of desire to abstain. My God.”

My God, indeed.

This is supposed to be unbiased, objective journalism?  Beam me up, Scotty!

Obviously the most important aspect of this matter is that Steese’s “obvious innocence” in the murder of Gerald Soules isn’t as obvious as Blogger Jon obviously wants you to believe it is.

Indeed, in voting against the pardon application Laxalt considered the objections raised by the Clark County District Attorney’s office in a letter submitted to the Parole Board on August 17, 2017.

In the letter, Steven S. Owens, Chief Deputy District Attorney, first described the June 4, 1992 murder itself…

“The 56 year old male victim was completely nude and lying on the floor halfway out of the bathroom.  An enormous amount of blood was around Mr. Soules’ head.  Mr. Soules’ throat had been slashed from one side to the other and there was a large knife wound to the mouth and numerous stab wounds to his head, face, chest, stomach and arms.  The bathroom appeared to be the scene of a violent struggle.  Two televisions and Mr. Soules’ 1986 Ford truck had been taken.”

Pretty grisly.

The investigation revealed that Mr. Soules hired Steese as a helper with his dog show at Circus-Circus.  However, Steese was unable to get a work card due to a felony record.  So he was let go from the job but continued to live with Mr. Soules for about a week.

Investigators also found a letter addressed to Fred Burke that was mailed to Mr. Soules’ home from an acquaintance in Pennsylvania.  It was then discovered that “Fred Burke” was a fake name used my Steese.

Further investigation of a phone call between Steese and the acquaintance led authorities to believe Steese “had firsthand knowledge of the stabbing.”

The DA report continues…

“On June 18, 1992, applicant (Steese) was stopped by Nevada Highway Patrol in the area of Alamo, Nevada.  He identified himself as Frederick Burke and was placed under arrest for possession of a stolen vehicle.  Applicant had a pocket notebook that contained the name and address of the victim, Gerald Soules.

“One of the troopers recognized Mr. Soules’ name as being a recent murder victim in North Las Vegas.  The trooper then called the police department.  Applicant was placed in the custody of the North Las Vegas Police Department for interview.  Applicant was Mirandized and waived his right to the presence of an attorney. 

“During the interview, applicant admitted to stabbing Mr. Soules’ to death.  He stated his intention was to take his property because he needed the money.  When Mr. Soules awoke after applicant had entered his residence and for fear of being discovered the applicant stabbed and killed Gerald Soules.  Applicant was then rebooked for the charges of Murder, Use of a Deadly Weapon in Commission of a Crime and Burglary. . . .

“During the interview of the applicant on the murder of Gerald Soules, applicant described in chilling detail how he came to murder Mr. Soules, his absconding and return to Las Vegas.”

On March 1, 1995 a jury found Steese guilty on all counts.

A series of appeals reaching the Nevada Supreme Court followed.  In a settlement reached in 2014 the State agreed to vacate the 1995 convictions and sentences in return for Steese pleading guilty to Second Degree Murder with Use of a Deadly Weapon using an “Alford plea.”

An Alford plea means the accused claims he’s innocent but acknowledges, as D.A. Owens explained, “that the evidence the prosecution has would be likely to persuade a judge or jury to find the defendant guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.”

D.A. Owens went on to note that Steese “did not take the opportunity to provide any evidence of his alleged innocence but chose to plead Alford to the second degree murder charges.”

As a result of the agreement, Steese was released from prison for time served.  He then petitioned the Parole Board for a full pardon to completely wipe clean his record in this violent crime – a request D.A. Owens strenuously objected to…

“The position of this Office is that pardons should be reserved for exemplary individuals under extraordinary circumstances in cases of lesser gravity. . . .

“Applicant had extensive charges as a juvenile in Texas.  Applicant had charges in Utah, California, Florida and Nevada for Thefts, Burglaries, Grand Larceny, Armed Robbery and finally the burglary and murder of Mr. Soules. . . .

“The absurdity of Applicant having pled guilty twice to the murder of Mr. Soules, and is now asking the Board to absolve him as innocent of a murder he’s pled guilty to twice.  Applicant is not a proper candidate for a pardon, accordingly the District Attorney’s Office does not support this application for a pardon.”

Attorney General Laxalt sided with the District Attorney’s Office.

Now that you’ve read the full story, go back and re-read the “embarrassing,” “grotesque” crap Blogger Jon has written on this matter in his ongoing partisan effort to defeat Mr. Laxalt in next year’s Nevada gubernatorial race.

My God, indeed.