If you have not followed Kash’s case (Kash, AKA Grayson Jackson, formerly known as Benjamin Winderweedle) then here’s a primer. Kash, a veteran of the US Navy completed his enlistment and came back home only to face divorce and alienation from his children. For the next several years he has been pursued by Lake County, IL judges in terms of support, while being denied contact with the children (aside from a proposed supervised session at a facility, which tend to be incredibly expensive). Kash unsuccessfully ran for the libertarian ticket in IL 2018 and lost. What is not mentioned by the media is that one of the judge’s “associates” (I cannot recall if it was a relative or otherwise) overseeing his case was running against him. He claims the county was prosecuting him while he was running in order to force him out and allow this other party take the ticket.
As the years went on Kash moved to Arkansas, where for the next few years he was active on Facebook in what some would say is an intense form of activism. Though many videos are now removed, I had the chance to view most of them. And while maybe 10% was anger, 90% was pain and identifying with other victims of parental alienation. He was not a perfect representative by any stretch, but it begs the question, who would be in such a circumstance?
Ted Bush was present during one of the hearings and leaked the tape that was reported to be used as evidence against him. The tape presented was Kash calling the sheriffs in Lake County and trying to elicit pity from them. As he cried in agony over the phone, he expressed his disdain for the judges and used some choice words to ascribe what ought to happen to them for their misdeeds. At no point in this long recording did I hear him outlining a detailed plan of any sort. After being detained for over a year and no trial date in sight, his attorneys agreed to a plea deal where he is given four years for each offense, so two four year sentences. But he will be allowed to serve them concurrently and parole after two years. So his choice was either to attempt to get his day in court, or serve another 8 months or so and be free. Though a felon with the accompanying loss of rights.
The reality of a case like this is that he did not have much of a choice. Though a speedy trial is guaranteed by our constitution, in cases like this a speedy trial may mean several years. And knowing that the admission of evidence and rules of procedure is to be dictated by not your peers, but the peers of the judges you supposedly threatened; it is a all but guaranteed bad outcome. Placing your faith in jury in cases like this is often a bad idea, the facts presented to them are unlikely to be on his side.
With that in mind he made the only choice to be made, as many of us have. Move on. Live what is left of your life. Make peace if you can (many cannot).
While I do not know him personally, Kash strikes me as in imperfect man in an imperfect world, dealing with his situation as imperfectly as many of us might be. If you had your livelihood, children, reputation, and now freedom stolen, how would any of us react? What saint can hold back their anger in this situation?