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"I always thought there would be some sort of sign, a warning of impending danger, a bird stealing its way into the house, a picture falling off the wall..." so begins this odyssey into every mother's worst nightmare: the murder of her son or her daughter. SECURITY BREACH: THE MURDER OF TOD MCQUAID, is a work of nonfiction by Janet Bailey McQuaid - mother, wife, homemaker. The book incorporates the 1990 murder of the author's son Tod who was killed by three of Tod's own employees attempting to take over his security and alarm business known as TEMAC Inc. It is a gripping and harrowing true story of a committed woman with courage, determination and dogged faith in the legal system that sometimes seems to be turned against her. Jan with her husband Rog struggle daily to attack a bent, if not broken, system. As victims, they are not waiting for anyone's sympathy. They believe that any victim who wants to get on with their life only needs to recognize a clear path through their victimhood. Their notice of their second victimhood came just after the book was published at the beginning of 2004. Jan and Rog were shocked to find that the murderer had been given a new trial in 2003. Through a first-degree murder plea bargain, taken as his own self-promotion by the State's prosecutor in a newspaper interview, the murderer received a reduced sentence. 1) Immediately Jan questioned the prosecutor, noting that he did not meet the 1984 West Virginia State law requirements. For one example, he was to notify the McQuaids of the 2003 trial date. He did not. 2) Six months after the new trial, Jan discovered that the State erred after two years of not responding to the murderer’s writ of habeas corpus. Rog wrote to everyone up to the West Virginia Governor. No one would address the issue except the Attorney General who notified Rog that 'Double Jeopardy' would prevent reversing the State error. Here are some examples of specific activities performed by the McQuaids while executing their path through victimhood: Jan and Rog have given presentations to various organizations as "entertainment" speaking engagements. They ask for volunteers to help victims. Their on-site presentations by Jan: How Becoming A Victim Changes Your Life; and by Rog, a postscript to Jan's book: State Created Victimhood Including Victims' Rights. The McQuaids were invited to the Federal Correctional Institution in Morgantown, WV and spoke to 45 inmates as part of the prison's new use of the Bureau of Prisons' Victims Impact Panel rehabilitation-release program. Jan and Rog also responded to an invitation from Washington and joined the Office for Victims of Crime 'Speakers Bureau'. Also they have helped train government personnel for assisting victims. In addition, Jan responds to phone calls from other victims of violent crimes seeking her help and/or suggestions. Jan laments, "These people never thought that they would become a victim. They like us were never taught to be victims. So each new victim just wants to know how to get through the quagmire of the police and justice systems!" The McQuaids have supported other victims in court. Jan (with Rog helping) represented West Virginia as their supporting author at Laura Bush's and Library Of Congress' National Book Festival. Jan's Volunteer web page details the 1000 free books offered for school libraries and public libraries as part of Jan and Rog petition efforts to enhance state constitutions or laws for Victimhood. The state petition begot Pennsylvania and West Virginia Bills (numbers PA HB910, PA SB990, and WV HB3268). West Virginia University selected Security Breach as required reading about Victimhood within "Criminal Justice Systems" course. Those Criminal Justice majors were challenged to work for West Virginia law enhancement to monitor enforcement within the judicial system thus ensuring Victims’ Rights law compliance by the criminal justice professionals. Jan's Web site presents Rog's blog/diary on their ordeal of their State induced Victimhood#2. In addition, Jan’s Book pages include book excerpts, reviews, reader testimonies and bibliography information. Rog suspects that many kids are over protected by parents and do not recognize the potential harm some people they meet may intend. Tod still might be alive if he or Jan or Rog had been more discerning. Reactions of readers of Jan’s book including several youth made the McQuaids consider the benefits of using her book with high school students. By reading and reliving Jan’s memoir, these kids become aware of the characteristics of people outside their protected universe, perhaps preventing the kids from being future victims. As Jan always warns, "You never know when you might become a victim!" # # # Contact: Roger McQuaid, PO Box 101112, Pittsburgh, PA 15237 E-Mail rog@janmcquaid.com
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