Thank you for this blog entry. I agree that it is a public service announcement. In these days of instant communication, we all need the reminder to be sure we have all the facts before we start condemning people.

Thanks for this, Steve. It's a useful reminder that people should always be considered innocent until *proven* guilty, no matter how much 'evidence' appears to be stacking up against the accused.

I think my first question for Lt. Chism would be, "don't you check your balances?"

Maybe it's just me but I usually try and check my account balances every week. Seems like an online purchase would be noticed.

That having been said, I can see where I have been guilty in posting stories and bashing people, probably before I need to. It is a pretty big wake-up call that we all need to remember. I know I would hate to be in that dude's shoes, although I would probably hate to be the receiver of the lawsuit even more.

We had a credit card number stolen on an account that wasn't even active. Taken by their own employee, from major company in the business of issuing credit cards. It was a internal theft and we were given a rough time until they finally admitted the card wasn't active.

Sometimes things are not what they seem and we should be cautious on how we comment and treat people. You never know when one of us could be caught up in a nightmare not of our own creation.

OMGosh... this would be a nightmare. Poor man and family--I can't imagine. It was certainly a trial for his relationship with his family. Imagine if someone so close to you were accused of this. We've all shaken our heads in disgust at significant others who stand by thier mates after being charged with terrible crimes. Seems like everyone always says that they "never expected it" from this or that person.

Reading true crime all the time as I do, I wonder what my own reaction would be if my husband were charged. I'd have to consider the possibilities or otherwise be as blind as others who declare innocence. However, that indecision would be such a trial on a marriage! If I were accused falsely of this, I would be hurt if my closest loved ones considered even for a second that I may be guilty.

Lisha

My comment is to Richard who's first question to Todd would have been "Don't you check your balances?". It's a fair question and I think I can answer that for Todd. Todd is not only a Lt firefighter but is also in real estate and used his credit card for many purchases in remodeling both the homes he's purchased and for his own home. Hence, there were many, many purchases and it only seemed time consuming to check the statement each month. Since both he and his wife used the credit card and neither of them had ever had any sort of problems with it, the balances were overlooked.

You can be assured, both he and his wife scrutinize their credit card statements after this horrendous and life changing event. To say this has traumatized his entire family is an understatement and my sincere hope is that he and his family are recompensed in total for what they've suffered through.

This whole debacle not only put Todd and his family through hell, but his extended family as well.
Marcia

Anyone wanting to read what happened to Todd and his family the day he was arrested can go to toddchism.net to read his wife's horrifying account of what they went through.

Just as an aside, as Todd was leaving his home that day, he noticed a parked car at the end of his road that looked like it had been there quite a while. He had no idea they were staking out his home. He stopped to ask the men in the unmarked sheriff's car if they needed help. That's the kind of man Todd is. These same deputies would be the same ones who pulled him over moments later and arrested him. Sickens me to think of it, even now.