Racing In The Street

Why Fitzpatrick is Wrong about Cynthia Pugh

First you state this happened in the 1970’s.

Jim Pipines was shot February 24, 1983 on the day of his wedding Anniversary.

Perhaps he should have stayed in Florida with his wife rather than come home to be with his mistress on his wedding Anniversary.

And his closest business associate and friend when asked at trial if Mr. Pipines was having trouble with anyone, did reluctantly respond because of his respect for the grieving widow, “Yes, his wife.”

You claim there was no evidence at the time of trial pointing to anyone else, that because Fitzpatrick withheld that evidence. There were death threats made against the deceased. There were 3 men speeding from the murder crime scene at the time Fitzpatrick theorized it occurred. There was a truck seen leaving the crime scene. Seems there was a heck of a crowd at the crime scene that morning, but no one saw Cynthia Pugh there.

You claim people though she was railroaded because Fitzpatrick theorized she was being fired and he was breaking off their 12 year affair at the same time; that is not one of the many reasons people feel she was railroaded for a crime she did not commit.

Mr. Pipines had 2 roofing companies; one was a union roofing company and the other a non-union roofing company to bid on non-union jobs. That did not sit well with many people and caused a few to be angry about that arrangement.

Mr. Pipines had recently formed a holding company to control his 5 businesses and as the only two officers of that holding company, he named himself President and Cynthia Pugh Vice-President. I imagine that might not have sat well with Mr. Pipines sons that both worked with Cynthia Pugh at Central City Roofing.

Mr. Pipines was a “get what I want” kind of guy. He arrived in Syracuse from the military with nothing, and ended up with 5 businesses. After heart problems he seemed more directed in living his life his way. It appeared he was consolidating his businesses with his holding company and most probably was not going to fire Cynthia Pugh, but attempt to convince her to retire with him.

A lot of people would not have liked that to happen. Cynthia Pugh was on the short list of people that had nothing to gain from Mr. Pipines’ death, and everything to lose.

Also the investigators and police seemed well coached in their testimony and selective memories.

There really wasn’t any reason for Cynthia Pugh to kill the goose that laid the golden egg. If she was a criminal mastermind like Fitzpatrick claimed, what was her goal?

If Jim were to think of firing her, would not palimony been a better choice for a criminal mastermind, or perhaps just threaten him with calling his wife.

Besides all the logical arguments that cause people to know she was “railroaded”, is the personal knowledge that anyone who knows Cynthia Pugh, knows without a doubt that she was an is incapable of harming anyone or anything.

Those are just a few of the reasons that thousands of people signed petitions in support of Cynthia Pugh and contributed thousands of dollars to support her legal expenses.

But that is neither here or there now, guilt or innocence was not the issue after parole was granted because Cynthia Pugh, having been convicted, was guilty in the eyes of the law, and had been sentenced to 20 years to Life, and had done her time.

20 years is not early release, but the amount of time a Judge decided was proportionate to the severity of the crime. And that sentence did not include a confession.

Cynthia Pugh expressed great remorse for having an affair with a married man, and understands that might have been the reason he was killed. She also expressed great remorse for the pain the published details that affair had upon Mr. Pipines family. But she can not express remorse for killing Jim Pipines because she did not.

It is not reasonable to expect someone to confess to a crime they were convicted of but did not commit. Just ask Roy Brown or any of the hundreds of others that were convicted and later proven innocent of murder and/or rape. Our legal system is only as good as those that are sworn to enforce it. If they think hiding evidence and lies are acceptable tools of the profession, justice flies out the window.

Cynthia Pugh was not required to confess to be convicted or serve 20 years to life, why now does Fitzpatrick require a confession for release. If he were half as smart as he tells us he is, why not just walk away. He won conviction, she served more than 20 years, and he got away with all kinds of misconduct, and the case was closed. It would seem he would have much to gain from closure of this case, yet he fans the fires of controversy by abuse of procedures, circumventing the law, and lying to rescind a parole.

But guilt or innocence was the smoke screen Fitzpatrick presented to the public, while he met with parole officers behind the scenes and devised a way to rescind a legally granted parole.

He weapon, a lie of “never notified of Pugh parole hearing”. Funny thing was he was notified in writing and told to notify the crime victims to supply statements; and he replied to that notification with a letter.

Also parole board record detailed many phone calls to his office informing him of Pugh’s January and February hearings, and asking his opinion.

When caught lying about notification, he fine-tuned his lie to “wrong date given”.

He claims a March date was given, but that still does not hold water because paperwork, his or the Pipines, should have been filed 2 months before in January, which still would have been reviewed before Pugh’s February hearing.

Fitzpatrick continues to cloud the issue, saying the wrong date caused his office and the Pipines to “miss” the parole hearing, and did not allow rebuttal.

Only thing is, only the inmate appears at the parole hearing, all other statements are supplied before hand; and there is no rebuttal, unless you lie to manipulate the parole process and the court exempts your statements from the “Standards of Truth” as they did in this case.

It was wrong for Fitzpatrick to violate the law to suit his personal agenda. Remember, he took an oath to uphold the law in its entirety, not just the parts he likes.

That is why Fitzpatrick is wrong about Cynthia Pugh; he hid evidence to “win” a conviction, and lied to keep her in prison after she was paroled.

And if you doubt it, review the paper trail from the Board of Parole and the Courts that is posted at www.freecynthiapugh.org, use the supporting documents links.

I would not express my opinion that he lied without proper foundation. And I think after you review the supporting documents, it is reasonable you will feel the same way.

I so agree with you, Phil. Cynthia got a raw deal. Nothing linked her to the crime and what did she have to gain? Killed on his wedding anniversary? Hmm.. it doesn't take a rocket scientist to point a finger at the real "mastermind" of the crime and it's most assuredly NOT Cynthia. She should never have been convicted and they have robbed her of most of her life. Fitzpatrick should be ashamed but his ego gets in his way.

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I was in Albion Prison with cynthia pugh and i know in my heart and soul that she is innocent. She is the most loving,caring,sweetest,hard working woman ive ever known. What fitzpatrick and that family did to her life is horrible and unexcusable!!!!I feel for her family and her. Nobody knows the heartache they all went through. Fitzpatrick is a very cold hearted ,mean,liar and someday he will get his!!!!

I was young at the time but, ALLWAYS while growing up , my mother whom was friends with & knew Cynthia, as she told me. Allways told me that Cynthia was railroaded from the get go & that it was a shame. I was told even as a young child that Cynthia was railroaded & that lets say "their theory of there were men hired to kill pippens". Was were they should be looking., , all along & that Cynthia never would have done anything like that & that she would never hurt anyone or anything. That Cynthia had absolutely as you said had nothing to gain by that. My mother had all ways stated that evidence was withheld from the jurrors & that it was all about making a conviction for political purposes, if you know what I mean. This is just something I wanted to share because it was something that I had heard my mother very adimentely talking about all while I was growing up. I myself went to school with cinthias daughter & I can tell you if cinthias is anything like her daughter, well then I would have problems believing that cinthia was guilty too! It is an absolute shame that people who are sworn to uphold the law & all of it ,as you had said, " not just to their liking"! Can just mold our judicial system to meet their needs or wants, & actually get away with it & them themselves not have any penilities to pay for them being corrupt. Because in my book if your part of our law enforcement agency's & you yourself knowingly after taking an oath , can comitt a crime, you should be doubly responsible for that committing that crime, because you did take that oath!! & hiding or not COMMING forth with evidence is a crime. & then knowingly lie about being told about the patrol hearing, that's also a crime , if you really think about it. That is an ABUSE OF POWER , anyway you look at it. So to me it's Shame , Shame on you!! Cinthias has done the time sentenced to her, it's time people left her alone to spend the rest of her life, with her family!!

Mayor Alexander was convicted of giving city contracts for kickbacks back then. There was also a light colored Cadillac spotted in the area at that time and many believed Alexander was involved. The waitress at Denny’s testified that Pugh had been in the restaurant the day of the murder. She described what she was wearing and what she ate…2 weeks after the murder. REALLY??? With all the customers and meals she serves in that time period??