James M. Redwine

Publicly Executed?

The ironic observation, “Nothing is as frustrating as to be anonymously hanged”, is often attributed to the great English wit Samuel Johnson (1709-1784). United States Secretary of War Pete Hegseth wants the “honor” of a public firing squad to be given former U.S. Army Major and psychiatrist Nidal Hasan who murdered 13 unarmed people at Fort Hood, Texas on November 5, 2009. Hasan was convicted and sentenced to death by firing squad via a court martial trial in August 2013. The army panel also ordered Hasan’s dishonorable dismissal from the service and the forfeiture of all his pay and allowances. Our military likes to dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s. The court martial panel heard the … [Read More...] about Publicly Executed?

Taking the Mantle

In Shakespeare’s Henry IV, Part I Prince Hal who will later be King engages in riotous living with John Falstaff and others. But when Hal becomes king in Part II, he assumes the responsibility of the monarch and rejects his prior immoral behavior. Falstaff does not understand or accept this change in roles. Hal calls his former partner in villainous behavior a fool and rejects Falstaff. King Henry tells Falstaff: “Presume not that I am the thing I was, for God doth know, so shall the world perceive, that I have turned away my former self, so will I those that kept me company.” This is the “Prince Hal effect”. A responsible leader must put off childish or bad behavior and govern in the best … [Read More...] about Taking the Mantle

Those People

Joseph Campbell (1904-1987) was a philosopher whose main concentration was comparative mythology. As we look to Campbell for guidance on war and peace, Gentle Reader, you might want to remember I am to understanding Campbell as a reporter is to understanding Artificial Intelligence. The same sort of puzzlement you may experience after reading my analysis of Campbell’s recitation of the age-old mythology of war is what I feel when a reporter with a degree in English stumbles around A.I. with Geoffrey Hinton. In other words, one would be prudent to rely on their own conclusions rather than to simply elide over mine when Campbell’s higher thoughts are an issue. With that product warning, let’s … [Read More...] about Those People

N.I.L.

Congress is in a dither over college athletics. The Transfer Portal and Name, Image and Likeness have made such matters as our war against Iran and the cost of living irrelevant. The Senate’s pending Protect College Sports Act of 2026 (S 4668) is full of Sound and Fury about such civilization-ending matters as the ownership of quarterbacks, basketball centers and pitchers. One might think the 14th Amendment and slavery were still the salient issues of the day. Who owns college athletes and how much should such indentured servants be paid by their university masters? More importantly, how much can colleges raise tuition on non-athletes to pay the stars? Where’s the loyalty? What about … [Read More...] about N.I.L.

To Take A Walk

I have always enjoyed walking alone. In the small town where I grew up one could “slip the surly bonds of …” life’s cares, as John Gillespie Magee, Jr. might have said, within 15 minutes of casual walking. My town was surrounded by countless acres of people-free space populated only by gracefully waving tall grasses and meandering cattle. Occasionally the reverie would be accentuated by a coyote or two or maybe a soaring red-tailed hawk. Later in my life I learned to enjoy – usually – Peg’s accompaniment on my quest for a respite from the world’s intrusion. But those sojourns now are often infested with the clang of, “Jim, can’t you see that fence is sagging and what about the … [Read More...] about To Take A Walk

The Wages of Sin

Iran may not have been America’s ally in 2025 when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu slithered his way into Donald Trump’s psyche and sowed discord between America and Iran. But at least we were not at war with them and the Strait of Hormuz was open. And lest we forget, America and Iran were close allies until 1979. Netanyahu used false intelligence to con Trump into doing what previous U.S. presidents refused to do. It is reminiscent of the Hebrew religious hierarchy’s manipulation of the Roman Empire in Israel during the time of Jesus. When Jesus lived, Rome ruled the land of Israel and Roman law prevailed in all areas of the non-Roman’s lives except for ecclesiastical matters. … [Read More...] about The Wages of Sin

Is It Too Late?

The law recognizes the concept of Death Bed Confessions, Battlefield Conversions and Dying Declarations as most likely true because imminent death is thought to encourage penitence. These ancient legal theories may be based on superstition. However, a great deal of human behavior and belief is. Regardless, the concept of moral versus immoral thoughts and action and when one should choose the harder right over the easier wrong is not just a legal issue. We humans, if we ever attain the ability to question what we should or should not do, usually rue our sins while we struggle with how or when we might expiate them. Then, of course, we have to summon up the courage to do so, or not. One of … [Read More...] about Is It Too Late?

Armored Adversaries

It is unlikely that armadillos ascribe to any mystic beliefs, but they definitely bring out the devil in those of us whose yards are decimated by their reptilian claws. Having shot fifteen of the ugly excuses for lawn ornaments, I immediately bonded with Oklahoma State University football coach Eric Morris who endured what he described as armadillos, “…[C]rushing my yard, my flower beds, digging everything up”. His solution was the same one I applied after trying live traps, bait, wolf urine and asking Peg to sit on our veranda with a metal bucket and a large spoon to scare them away. It was sort of like President Trump’s approach to foreign affairs. Cursing, threats and self-destructive … [Read More...] about Armored Adversaries

A Difficult Subject

The bedrock of America’s system of criminal law is Due Process with its inviolate premise that persons charged with crimes are presumed to be innocent until and unless proven in court to be guilty. Our United States Constitution and every state’s constitution provides these rights to each of us should we be charged by one of our governmental entities with any offense of a published, written and officially enacted violation. What does it say about the procedure and the presumption of innocence if the identity of the alleged victim is not revealed but the person charged with an offense is named publicly? We have no burden of any kind to prove our innocence or to even speak in our own defense. … [Read More...] about A Difficult Subject

While We Can

I had my funeral August 16, 2014. I loved it! I recommend you also consider having yours while you and your family and friends can laugh instead of cry. My parents had already passed before 2014 and I attended each of their funerals; they were sad. More importantly, the things I regretted not asking them or not saying to them were no longer possible. Another reason to hold your own wake is you can invite whom you want and see who really cares. At my “Fun-er-al” we played and sang songs and marched a “second line” around our barn while singing, “When the Saints Go Marching In”. We shared not only good memories but speculated on the new adventures we would have. I cannot, for fear of missing … [Read More...] about While We Can

Not Just Fleeting Things

Peg and I have planned a sojourn to the Grand Canyon for our anniversary. Actually, Peg asked me what I wanted to do, then she contacted the Park and got us a room for three days with a dinner reservation for August 25th, our anniversary. Once she had secured both room and board for us, she developed a scenic and meandering route to guide us; she included two motel reservations on the way out. As we may wend our way to Monument Valley and, as yet to be determined adventures on the way home, she will secure those accommodations before we leave the Canyon. You might ask what I helped do in the preparations. Well, I did not demur to anything Peg proposed. And, I have already procured a bottle … [Read More...] about Not Just Fleeting Things

Unanimous for Murder

Live on Amazon.com and Kindle eBooks!

Unanimous for Murder picks up where JUDGE LYNCH! left off. A gripping story of small town murder and judicial shenanigans on the western frontier when the western frontier was east of the Mississippi.

Echoes of Our Ancestors: The Secret Game

Jim’s new novel tells the exciting story of a long hidden but important football game that occurred between representatives of Haskell Indian Institute (now the Haskell Indian Nations University) and professionals from the then Kansas City Cowboys in 1924 at a secret location on the Osage Indian Nation near Pawhuska, Oklahoma - where Jim was born.

Novelist, Columnist, Distinguished Jurist

Gavel Gamut

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