Delayed Justice

At this point Cecil Ellis Wallis, Sr., 43, of White CLoud, is charged only (!) with the sexual assault of two young girls.  He is a person of interest, though, in the murder of Amanda Lankey, 13.  She disappeared June 21, 2004, and her body was found two weeks later.  She was killed by a blow to the head.

You can read about this latest arrest in this account from the Muskegon Chronicle by John S. Hausman.

This follows an April 2009 story of a 22-year-old who was  was arrested, said police, but NOT charged in connection with the Lankey murder.  Still, there was buzz, because at the time of the crime he was living at the house from which Amanda disappeared while she was spending an overnight with a friend.  Here’s the story by John Agar that appeared in the Grand Rapids Press April 2, 2009.  There is a particularly interesting comment responding to the story by a reader that names Cecil Wallis, Sr., as someone who was at the house that night.

And WZZM reported that the 22-year-old was Cecil Wallis, Jr.  The charges, according to the television station, were assault and unlawful imprisonment.  He was ordered to trial.

Wallis, Jr., entered nolo contendere.  That means he didn’t contest the charges…while he did not admit his guilt for committing the crime he was willing to be sentenced as though he had.  He was sentenced to a term from 17 months to ten years.  He was paroled on May 25th of this year.  All this from the MDOC search of his name.  (And, interestingly, he is listed there as Cecil William Wallis.  If, indeed his father is Cecil Ellis Wallis, they are truly not senior and junior.)

In reference to the Amanda Lankey case, it’s one thing to be suspect an individual or individuals of having something to do with a crime and something altogether different for investigators to have enough evidence to make a case and an arrest  on charges that will stand up to the rigors of trial.

It will be more than interesting to see what transpires.  Police have been working on this overtime since it happened, and they so badly want it solved.  But they want to solve it right.

Golly, it takes time to make a film.  I am deep in the editing process on the film about Shannon Siders.  There are perhaps three interviews remaining as well, and we hope they will come along.   At the same time, there has been paying work, which allows for the rest of this to move forward.  And so I’ve tried to be faithful and diligent.  As well, I had a showing of my most recent film, StarbyStar: Naomi Long Madgett, Poet and Publisher, at Central Michigan University last week.  This film recently won Outstanding Documentary from the Historical Society of Michigan.  That was a wonderful honor to receive.  And showing it at the wonderfully tricked-out Park Library Auditorium was a real treat.  High definition image from a powerful projector, wonderful sound, expert help.  There was nothing more I could have dreamed of.

And now it’s back to the office and editing.  When will the film be done?   I hope before the end of the year.

So, if I’m not posting a whole lot just now, it’s because there is a lot going on that won’t seem very interesting to the outside world; watching editing is like watching paint dry.  Listening to somebody talk about it (or reading about it) is even more dull.  But it has to be done, even as I fidget.  The axiom comes to mind:  Put your butt in the chair and keep it there.