Come for the Sun, Stay for the Murder! By Chantelle Aimee Osman

In previous years the Left Coast Crime conference has been held in some of America's murder hotbeds—Los Angeles (Black Dahlia), Colorado Springs (The Fort Carson Murder Spree), Monterey (Richard Ramirez “The Night Stalker”), the list goes on. For those of you who think Arizona is nothing more than a repository for…unique…politicians, worry no more! Here are some of our most famous (and infamous) criminals:

1976

Ernesto Miranda. You  know those rights all the writers on TV shows have to have accurate? That guy. Law’s named after him. For some reason we were really proud of this in law school. His car and description were recognized and he was arrested for kidnapping and rape and put in a lineup. The police implied he had been positively identified, and within two hours had a confession. Long story short (too late) he was convicted on both charges and sentenced to 20 to 30 years. Enter the ACLU and the Supreme Court, Miranda v. Arizona, and "You have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right to remain silent, anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney and to have an attorney present during questioning. If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be provided to you at no cost. During any questioning, you may decide at any time to exercise these rights, not answer any questions or make any statements. Do you understand these rights as I have read them to you?"

1881

We all know history rewards the victor, and never was that truer than with the Gunfight at the OK Corral. (Yes, I know that’s in Tombstone, but close enough, it’s a day trip.) The 30-second battle that day was really not much more than a glorified massacre, with the killers wearing badges, which made it all okay in the eyes of history. Whether Han Solo drew first has nothing on the debate over the Earps or the Clantons. The Earps (Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan) and Doc Holliday (who I wouldn’t kick out of bed despite his being a dentist) took the fight to the Clantons, several of whom claimed to be unarmed, and actually filed murder charges agains the Earps. The gunfight didn’t even take place at the OK Corral, but six doors down at a photography studio, so that shows you how a story can...evolve. 

1978

TV executives are known to “axe” shows with low ratings, and viewers are “dying” to see latest episodes, but it was all taken a bit too literally with the murder of Hogan’s Heroes Bob Crane (he played Col. Hogan). He retired in Arizona (read: couldn’t get a job after the show ended, he was doing dinner theatre here), and was found beaten to death by an unknown weapon (believed to be a tripod) in his apartment in Scottsdale. A friend of his was charged, but cleared. The murder remains unsolved (may I take a moment to recommend the great short story on this topic in PHOENIX NOIR, edited by local bookstore The Poisoned Pen’s own Patrick Milliken?).

1931

At a train station, two trunks were found with two dismembered bodies inside (the upper legs were in a valise and hatbox). Apparently,  Winnie Ruth Judd, “The Trunk Murderess,” had murdered the two women because all three were interested in the same man—John J. “Happy Jack” Halloran (I’ll leave it to you to figure out how he got that nickname). She was caught, pretty much because she was an idiot. She traveled from Arizona to California with the trunks and when someone noticed the smell claimed she didn’t have the keys. She was sentenced to hang, which was overturned, and spent the rest of her life at the Arizona State Asylum of the Insane.

So come, enjoy the weather, and try not to kill anyone!

Five Questions with Chantelle Aimee Osman

Left Coast Crime 2016, The Great Cactus Caper, is fortunate to honor four wonderful Guests of Honor (officially, three plus a Toastmaster). We thought we'd sit down over virtual cups of tea or coffee and get to know each one a little bit. Our final guest is our Fan Guest of Honor, Chantelle Aimée Osman.

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LCC: What do you especially like about Left Coast Crime?
Chantelle: Other than the fact that every location almost guarantees attendees a sunny vacation? Probably that it’s attended by authors, publishers, agents and readers and yet manages to be the most intimate of the mystery conferences. Also, the volunteers are amazing.

How do you feel about being a Guest of Honor?
Honored. Stunned. Still 99% certain that the e-mail was addressed to the wrong person.

What are you looking forward to at LCC Phoenix?
Having rose petals strewn in front of me wherever I go; riding the Phoenix light rail, or, as I will call it “Chantelle's Mystery Train.”

What should fans, readers, fellow writers know about you?
I’m an editor, so you don’t want to ask me about punctuation unless you have the rest of the day free. (My favorite punctuation mark is the em dash, by the way.) Also, I tend to be highly inaccurate when throwing lawn darts.

What would you say to new attendees to LCC?
Bring comfortable shoes, get a lot of sleep before you get here, and don’t be afraid to join conversations. Welcome to the family!

A Tale of the Season

by Rochelle Staab, LCC2016 Member at Large

‘Twas a month of holidays, and inside my house,

My new mystery struggled with each move of my mouse.

Characters argued on the Word doc with glares,

In hopes that a third act soon would be there.

A killer was loose, the victim was dead,

But visions of a Lefty fled from my head.

The first act was brilliant, the second was crap,

What I needed was a respite from my creative gap.

The front of my mind was filled with such blather,

I sprang from my desk to shake off the chatter.

Away to the kitchen I flew in a flash,

Tore open a beer, and felt like trash.

The foam on the rim of my just-poured brew,

Brought visions of bar chats with the old writing crew.

And what to my sadly blocked mind should appear?

A banquet hall podium, and a room filled with cheer!

Toastmaster Catriona, so lively and genius,

I knew in a minute it was Left Coast Crime Phoenix!

With rapid determination, my goal so plain,

I flew back to the computer and registered my name!

New panels! Fun receptions! The free books are swell!

See Hurwitz and Cleeves! Chat up Catriona and Chantelle!

An escape from cold weather at the bar in the Hyatt!

I’ll dash off to Phoenix! Left Coast Crime is a riot!

In February my smile will be wide as a bow,

In the Arizona climate instead of the snow.

I’ll be with friends in the lobby, acting my jolly old self.

I laughed when I thought of it, in spite of myself!

In a wink of the eye, plot lines filled my head,

I wrote late into the night with nothing to dread.

With the promise of a break, my block was cleared.

Relieved, in a twinkling, my third act appeared.

As I rewrote Act Two, and worked to The End,

I couldn’t believe the novel I had penned.

My eyes had a twinkle! My attitude zesty!

I finished a story worthy of a Lefty!

I spoke not a word, glued to my work.

I finished the editing, then turned with a jerk.

Santa winked with a smile at my brilliant new prose,

With a reassuring nod, up the chimney he rose.

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like a targeted missile.

But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight:

“And that, my friend, is why this season every writer should gift himself with a registration to 2016 Left Coast Crime in Phoenix. February? Arizona? No brainer.”