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Shane Ladner rides the phony pony to felony indictments

Ladner

We read this morning that, down in Georgia, Shane Ladner, the former police officer who lied about his Purple Heart Medal in order to get a ride on an ill-fated float in Midland, Texas, which cost his wife her leg, is being indicted on felony charges, that will replace the charges that he was indicted on last month, according to the Cherokee Ledger-News.

“The new indictment will simply replace the previous indictment,” said District Attorney Shannon Wallace. “All of the charges are felony offenses.”

Shane Ladner, on Feb. 3, pleaded not guilty to the original six-count indictment handed down in January, which accused the veteran of allegedly making a false statement to Cherokee Sheriff’s Office investigators. Ladner also was indicted for theft by deception.

[…]

The indictment indicates that Ladner presented a DD-214 to the Cherokee County Tax Commissioner’s Office “that purported to show that the accused had received a Purple Heart citation from the United States Army, when the accused did not in fact receive a Purple Heart citation from the United States Army.”

According to the indictment, Ladner presented this DD-214 to the Cherokee County Tax Commissioner’s Office in 2009 and 2013. The indictment does not indicate that Ladner provided the same document in 2010, 2011 or 2012; although, the indictment does charge Ladner with making false statements by representing to the tax commissioner’s office that he had received a Purple Heart.

Let the word go out from here that lying about your military service is against the law. Ladner has been lying about his service for decades and now it’s finally caught up to him – with a vengeance.

92 thoughts on “Shane Ladner rides the phony pony to felony indictments

      1. Dunno about that. Ladner’s apparent stolen valor literally cost his wife her leg, left her permanently disabled, and damn near killed her. The other tools we’ve seen have been bad, and some have been despicable in other ways (fraud, sex offenders, etc . . . ) unrelated to their stolen valor. But their stolen valor alone wasn’t directly responsible for disabling and nearly killing anyone. Ladner’s IMO was.

        1. Leg man was robbed during his tournament appearance, he deserves this consolation prize. his wife lost her leg to his crimes, that takes blue falcon to a whole new level. However, leg man’s new room mate will have a third leg and also take blue falcon to a whole new level! (see what I did there?)

    1. AFAIK it is a felony in every state. Even if it wasn’t a felony to merely present a falsified document to a government agency (and I know it is here in CO), to do so for the express purpose of obtaining something of value (like a special license plate or some exemption from taxes) is at the very least, fraud, which is usually a felony as well.

    2. Unfortunately, no. Federal law defines a felony as a crime for which an individual may be imprisoned for more than one year. Forging/altering a military discharge certificate has a max sentence of one year exactly, so it doesn’t qualify.

      http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/498

      Assuming Ladner did somehow obtain a false DD214, he apparently only committed a Federal misdemeanor by doing so; ditto for any possible violation of the Federal Stolen Valor Act. However, GA law apparently classifies false swearing, false statements, and theft by deception as felonies. Those are crimes independent of the Federal offenses of forgery of a DD214 and violating the Stolen Valor Act.

      1. Since I’m only licensed in CO I’m most familiar with CO law. CO defines forgery as follows:

        _________________________

        18-5-102. Forgery

        (1) A person commits forgery, if, with intent to defraud, such person falsely makes, completes, alters, or utters a written instrument which is or purports to be, or which is calculated to become or to represent if completed:

        (a) Part of an issue of money, stamps, securities, or other valuable instruments issued by a government or government agency; or

        (b) Part of an issue of stock, bonds, or other instruments representing interests in or claims against a corporate or other organization or its property; or

        (c) A deed, will, codicil, contract, assignment, commercial instrument, promissory note, check, or other instrument which does or may evidence, create, transfer, terminate, or otherwise affect a legal right, interest, obligation, or status; or

        (d) A public record or an instrument filed or required by law to be filed or legally fileable in or with a public office or public servant; or

        (e) A written instrument officially issued or created by a public office, public servant, or government agency; or

        (f) Part of an issue of tokens, transfers, certificates, or other articles manufactured and designed for use in transportation fees upon public conveyances, or as symbols of value usable in place of money for the purchase of property or services available to the public for compensation; or

        (g) Part of an issue of lottery tickets or shares designed for use in the lottery held pursuant to part 2 of article 35 of title 24, C.R.S.; or

        (h) A document-making implement that may be used or is used in the production of a false identification document or in the production of another document-making implement to produce false identification documents.

        (2) Forgery is a class 5 felony.

        ______________________________

        under the above definitions, falsifying a DD-214 for the purpose of obtaining something of value would fall under sub-paragraph (c) because it “does or may evidence, create, transfer, terminate, or otherwise affect a legal right, interest, obligation, or status” (that is, the status of a veteran entitled to receive certain benefits or other considerations.)

        It would also qualify under sub-para (d), because a DD-214 is “A public record or an instrument filed or required by law to be filed or legally fileable in or with a public office or public servant” (People can and do “file” their DD-214’s with the county courthouse, in fact back in the old days before identity theft became a thing, it was almost always recommended that veterans do so, to make sure there was a copy in case they lost theirs);

        and finally under sub-para (e) because a DD-214 is “A written instrument officially issued or created by a public office, public servant, or government agency.”

        I presume most states have similar statutes. Also it should be noted that Colorado has 6 classes of felonies meaning that while forgery is not the most serious of felonies (class 1) neither is it the least serious (class 6.)

        1. That may be true under state law in CO. Unfortunately, with respect to the Federal crime 18 USC 498 specifically defines forgery/counterfeiting/alteration/possession/use of a forged/counterfeit/altered military discharge certificate to be a Federal misdemeanor.

          However, in some cases the same physical act can violate both state and Federal law. When that happens, my understanding is that both violations can in general be prosecuted separately – because they are two different crimes under two different jurisdictions (Federal and state).

          Regardless, apparently Ladner is now facing 6 state felony counts. Provided he’s convicted of or pleads guilty to at least one of those felonies, I”m OK with the Feds giving him a pass on the accompanying Federal misdemeanor counts. (smile)

      2. And if I was a DA in CO prosecuting a stolen valor case, here’s another one I would throw at the dirtbag:

        ________________________________

        18-5-113. Criminal impersonation

        (1) A person commits criminal impersonation if he or she knowingly:

        (b) Assumes a false or fictitious identity or capacity, legal or other, and in such identity or capacity he or she:

        (II) Performs any other act with intent to unlawfully gain a benefit for himself, herself, or another or to injure or defraud another.

        (2) Criminal impersonation is a class 6 felony.

        ____________________________

        The point being that for any Stolen Valor being done within the US, there is almost always enough law to charge them with a felony. Obviously, prosecutorial discretion comes into play here: The DA has limited resources and has to determine whether it’s worth it to take the time and effort (and money) to prosecute and most of the time obviously they don’t.

        However, they can’t come back and say they are powerless to do anything. They may not choose to use the power the law gives them, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have the power.

      3. If they proclaimed it in writings that were on the internet couldn’t they also be charged on wire fraud, especially if they used those writings to get services or other items.

      4. What about raising funds via the internet stating he was here, there, and everywhere and saving the world, and awarded 2 Purple Hearts. Would that also be a felony? I just hope all of the lies he has told all of these years put him away for awhile.

  1. Shane… you, as a former cop, possibly going to prison for lying? I’m sure that you’ll have a huge “fan base” there to tell your Purple Heart story to.

    Say “Hi” to Thor, Bubba, Julio and “Tiny” for us, ok…

  2. Fuck him, let him suffer.

    Something tell me that if he had plead guilty to the charges as misdemeanors, then the FELONY charges would have been withheld.

    Think the DRC should pay heed? bet they won’t.

    1. I thought the same thing. The first indictment had one felony and several misdemeanors. I’m sure there was an offer that inlcud d first offender treatment and probation in exchange for pleading to the felony.

      Since he plead not guilty, it was the same thing as telling the DA to eff off. So the gloves came off and the charges were upgraded. They don’t upgrade them that much in anticipation of a plea to probation and time served. I believe they intend to imprison him now. Especially if he goes to trial.

      What a dumbass.

      1. You would think the high priced DUI celebrity attorney his wife is paying for would have known what would happen when he plead not guilty! But, it’s also more fee for him. Crazy!!

        1. If we were still friends I could recommend some excellent Cobb County defense attorneys. Damn good ones, but alas, I have no idea how to reach him these days and don’t see that changing any time soon.

  3. If you ride the phony pony… expect to get the bologna pony when you go to the “pound you in the ass” corral!

  4. As a former cop I wish him the worst. Lying dipshit deserves everything he gets. Enjoy lockup, and pray you get put somewhere other than general population. Dick

    1. Can’t wait until defense attorneys get wind of this….

      What a sack of shit.

      He can always gain employment at All-Points Logistics.

      1. Wonder what our favorite fake CPO lawyer’s case load looks like … but then it doesn’t matter. He’d crash his plane well before reaching the courtroom!

  5. Coulda copped to the misdemeanors but pled not guilty and gets upgraded to felonies. Karma is indeed sweet.

  6. That picture is nauseating. It looks like somebody put a uniform on a whiskey barrel.

    Maybe we could get a picture of him in his prison uniform?

    1. Yeah, well, at least we don’t have to do a body cavity search of him. Imagine the poor bastards who do, if you think looking at him dressed is bad.

    2. And … he has the infamous “Bert & Ernie™©® haircut.”

      I have a cartoon somewhere around the house (from a Ft. Benning school) showing Bert & Ernie in fatigues pointing at the reader saying, “If you want to look bad like us, get a haircut like ours.” Or words to similar effect. Oh, and B&E had Ranger Scrolls on their left shoulders.

  7. It is perfectly delicious that the case hinges on the Purple Heart which was, as I recall, the major focus of attention here at TAH. Hell, if the prosecutor hasn’t read the earlier Ladner-related threads here, he or she ought to do so. They’re a veritable road map for destroying this guy’s fanciful contentions.

      1. His status as a former LEO will make him tons of friends in prison, (/sarc) I wonder how many cartons of cigarettes some inmate will pay to “bust his cherry” when he gets auctioned off?

  8. Question because I am too lazy this morning to research. Did Ladner present the same altered DD-214 to the law enforcement department he was a member of? If so, did he receive any benefits such as a higher starting pay or higher initial rank because of it?

    1. A little birdie told me that those answers will never be disclosed. Well, the dd214 part. Who knows what he gave them. I’m fairly certain that he didn’t receive consideration for any military awards as a cop. It’s not common for agencies to do that and I doubt Canton or Holly Springs did.

      1. I disagree !! He was a bad cop from the beginning. Hall county police brutality ! Got fired. Then Canton with taser ing a guy handcuped to a chair ! It’s all in POST. Don’t tell me he didn’t get some type of favortisment !!! I’m sure he was saying the whole time he had PTSD. This guy is a lazy piece of shit !! What is sad is that Mr. & Mrs. One leg got some kind of settlement and that some of the women that lost their husband got nothing ! Ladner should have never been there ! O and what was his injury ?

        1. I do not know what his injury was, per se…

          But hopefully the new injury, the brown hole badge, will be painful.

          Like a bunch of hard, rough Phildos (All-Points Logistics endorsed, of course) stretching out his fat ass, lying two-hole opening.

          Stuff that would make Heavy Chevy salivate….

          Fucking maggot.

          Fitting end for a turd that has lost everything else.

          No mercy.

          I also hope that those convictions that he testified in are overturned. And they find him.

          Maggots deserve each other.

        2. The only consideration he would have received was as a veteran. His awards wouldn’t have been considered. That’s pretty standard in the agencies around here. He probably did give that fake 214 when hired, though. We’ll never know for sure unless his personnel files are seen. I’m reasonably sure that they will not be made public, unless they are introduced at evidence in the trial.

          I’ve never heard him claim PTSD. I’ve known him for nearly ten years. He did claim to have a back injury that was service related. He also claimed this injury was exacerbated by the train wreck.

          He had a tough time getting POST certified as a police officer after the academy because of some issue in Hall County. That happened before I met him and don’t know anything about it, other than there was an issue.

          I never heard about the chair tasing incident in Canton. What happened there?

    1. That’s a good indication they intend to put him in prison. After all, why upgrade to several felonies just to plea out to probation?

  9. Don’t forget the Midland Texas “Show of Support Hunt for Heroes” organization that ENABLED this case. They praised Ladner again AFTER he was outed on his lies and he showed up with his one-legged wife getting more accolades. Sickening.

    Cherokee County should throw the book(s) at this weaseling dirt-bag, truth molesting, phony phuck.

    1. CHOO CHOO Motherfucker!

      (Ladner, not you CH)

      Well, I was drunk
      The day that Shane got out of prison
      And I went
      To pick him up in the rain
      But before I could get
      To the station in my pickup truck
      He got runned over by
      A Damned Old Train!

      And I’ll hang around
      As long as you will let me
      And I never minded standin’
      In the rain…noooo
      And you don’t have to call
      me darling, darling…
      You never even called me
      I wonder you won’t call
      Why don’t you ever call me by my name?

      A little Steve Goodman, via David Allan Coe….Hey Ladner, go fuck yourself!

      1. No way.

        Once Shane “The Stain” Ladner got of prison, Commander Phil Monkress of All-Points Logistics would have picked him up for his second interview.

  10. So I am reading all these here comments and someone mentioned Internet fraud. I suppose knowing what transpired in the Atlanta area might fall into this category? This POS and his friends held tons of fundraisers under the premise that he was a Veteran that served in Iraq, Afghanistan and of course various other locations he claimed to have served in. He never once corrected any of this information setting everyone straight. He Did nothing, but attended most along with news media and never set the record straight.People donated money (Lots of money) and they advertised their fundraisers on “Prayers for Meg and Shane” on Facebook and of course that was Shut down by him and his cronies. Wonder if that’s a crime but I bet all the people who donated would like their money back…but in all this lets not forget the poor spouses who lost their husbands and have yet to get a settlement. The trial in Midland was stopped and they have to appeal? But Shane got a settlement according to news reports here in Midland. Ah yea….my head is still spinning!! I hope they bring even more charges on him wasting everyone’s time and money!

    1. Thanks JohnnyJ. It was me that asked about that.
      He should be under federal charges too and the subject of a class action suit to ensure that he has nothing let for the rest of his life, including whatever he gets while in prison.
      It would be good to see him, Dallas, Turdbath and all the rest of them in prison for the rest of their lives for the shit they pulled…

      1. Thunderstixx I would think that going back to Midland invited by the idiots of Show of Support would fall under the Stolen Valour Act that was reinstated in 2013? He went back and was shown on video receiving a “Texas Flag”, a rifle, a free deer hunt, free airfare, free shopping for the wives, among other things! All this for deserving combat veterans who served several tours and who sustained multiple injuries. At this point they knew he was under suspicion so go figure!

  11. Someone please photo shop his head so he just looks bald! I can’t take looking at this haircut anymore I have to go kiss the toilet

  12. Good news! Shane Ladner – give the money back that was given to help after the accident. Fundraisers put on not because of the injuries to your wife, but because a 2 Purple Heart recipient was injured in the Midland train accident. Money that was never accounted for! You lying POS. Hope you lie on the stand and any witness you call is charged with perjury! It should be an interesting trial. Please don’t plead before. The City should be able to sell tickets.

  13. Amazing that his wife still stands by him. He should just come clean and accept a plea in the first place. I don’t know how his wife does it.

    1. You got to wonder ? With everything that’s been presented over the last two years, all the evidence !! NOT ONE PERSON has come out to say that he’s telling the truth …. Not one !!!! She knew the whole time that he was lieing and was in on the free trip to Midland !!! Or she’s brian dead or feels he’s the best man she’ll every get now that she just as the One Leg !!

  14. Hey there Mr. One Leg ! Wow you just can’t get a break. If your needing some good legal advise maybe try a public defender or kid right out of law school ! Would be better then what ever Bubba local attorney you got right now !!!! Really ….. Are leave your number here and I’ll repersent you ! Hell I stayed at a Holiday Inn last week , sure I could do a better job !!!! Have fun Ass Monkey !!!!

    1. Nothing happened to Lloyd. Just resigned still stating that he earned Silver Stars and Purple Heart. They won’t prosecute one of their own who was so high up.

  15. Sssshhhhhhh … Listen closely … It is the sound of a POS hitting the surface of the liquid level in a septic tank.

    OUT!

  16. HEY Shane Ladner, thanks to your lying and con games:

    The LEO career you could have had went down the shitpipes.

    You’re the recipient of a shit-ton of shame, scorn, and ridicule on the Internet and elsewhere.

    Your name and reputation have gone to shit.

    Your Wife is missing a leg from that grade crossing wreck.

    After this shit’s all over, you’ll be VERY lucky to get a job even as a corner store clerk or a dishwasher.

    You’re facing a batch of criminal charges, a number of which are very likely to stick, and you’re looking at some time in prison.

    So tell us, we inquiring minds would like to know, WAS IT WORTH IT, lying your ass off for what, a free hunting trip, a rifle, and a ride in a parade that resulted in a wreck costing your Mrs. one of her legs?

    1. A Proud Infidel-From his lips right after the accident when his wife was still in a coma he stated. “I’ll never be able to work again with my back injury, but Meg will “. She was unconscious and no one expected her to live. He also kept telling his friends that Georgia is a 50/50 state. His wife was the breadwinner and owned everything before their marriage. He always expected to be taken care of. Now maybe the State will take care of that. He’s a real POS! Liar, cheater, user, poser, etc., etc.

      1. Are you effing kidding me??? He made such a statement while his wife was comatose?

        This dude is not a man. He might as well start doing the Bruce Jenner transgender thing right now.

        1. Big Steve, I’ve talked to people who used to be close with this POS’s wife. He attempted to sell her house when she was still comatose and tried to clean out her in her name only bank accounts. He and two women working with him. They did clean out HER house and I think family stopped talk about the house sale, which resulted in her family being blocked from her. Sad, some said she’s damaged more than her body, but she repeats as if programmed “he’s an honorable man”. Maybe someone could arrange the transition for him!

          1. Sounds like a really nice guy.

            Hopefully he finds out firsthand and soon that Lady Karma, she truly can be a vengeful beyoch.

          2. You and I should compare notes someday. I’m assuming you’re the local ‘retired colonel’ not the other one. I think you were on the local news talking about this before his arrest.

            1. No, not local and no news. Just keep in touch with friends there. When I heard about the accident, sent money and prayers for the couple being honored. Then the stories coming back were disgusting. Sounded like a bad movie!! Following every thing since and think this poser will probably run before the trial!! He’s nothing but a coward, bully and poser living off of his impaired wife, before and after accident.

            2. Planet Ord – after thinking bout what you mentioned – I do remember a Retired Colonel ( not me) who lived in the poser’s wife’s house while she was hospitalized, rent free, and stated to people when this story broke that Shane Ladner was his driver while in Panama. Since it’s been proven the poser was never in Panama, I WONDER??? WTF….. Never understood why a retired colonel has to live rent free in someone’s house. Like I said plays out like a bad movie!!!

              1. I know that guy. He’s no more a retired USMA O-6 than I am. He’s blowing smoke just like Shane. I’ve been in that basement room and wondered the same thing. What’s a retired West Point Colonel doing living in an E-5s basement? He’s full of it.

                His stories about being an officer made no sense. He was probably an e4 at best.

                I recall a local retired colonel, USAF maybe, that was on the news exposing Shane. Thought it was you.

                1. Looks like birds of a feather flick together. Charles Cox, got a free hunt confessed his injuries were from an auto accident in Georgia, the retired fake living in the wife’s house! A lot of people Shane knows are fake, I guess. When you were in the basement “man cave” did you see the framed Purple Hearts? I had heard that’s where he kept them! No wonder when the story broke he emptied the house. We should talk!

                  1. I didnt see any Purple Hearts in his basement. I also didn’t see his Ranger tab, Ranger class photo, sniper qualification, pictures of him overseas, or anything else that would support his lies. The only thing he had was a framed photo of himself. The same one at the top of this thread. The rest of the stuff was unrelated to the military.

      2. His being an ex-LEO alone will make him lower than whale shit in prison, he’ll end up as his cell block’s “bitch-boy” or he’ll spend all of his sentence in Protective Custody, known among the General Population as “Punk Central” where he’ll spend 23 hours a day in his cell with a one hour exercise period. Either way, his time in prison will be a slow trip through hell for him! I hope Bubba & Thor have a ball with his ass first!! 😈

  17. He committed the worst crime possible in the eyes of the state and local government – even worse than murder. He cheated them out of property taxes!

    1. And THAT’S why they’re going after him. It’s a shame, but if it wasn’t for that fact, he’d probably get away with everything else.

      1. Sadly, you’re probably correct. Pretty sure his original deeds predated the current Stolen Valor Act of 2013, so the Constitutional prohibition on ex post facto laws says he can’t be prosecuted under that. Most US Attorneys aren’t going after a simple misdemeanor – which under Federal law is what forging/altering/using a forged/altered DD214 is: a misdemeanor. So unless some state/local prosecutor in TX or GA goes after him for either fraud or tax evasion, he’d have skated – and the folks in TX don’t seem to want to try and nail him.

        That leaves GA – where he was apparently stupid enough to use what appear to be forged docs to evade paying the tax portion of his license plate fees, then double-down by lying to investigators about same.

        Be thankful the folks in Cherokee Co are going after this tool

        1. It appears that Terry Johnson of Show of Support in Midland (who arranged the poser to be honored and paid twice to get to the Hunt For Heroes) who initially caused this train wreck may have help Cherokee County or the Feds by extending funds accepted by this poser. The Stolen Valor Act was active during some of the time, right?

  18. I’m just wondering … How did he get found out ? I don’t get it he was a law officer for how many different departments three. How did he lie for so long ? I don’t even know this guy but just looking at that photo you can tell he would be the first one of that flat bed when he saw that train coming ! Its a wonder his wife lost her leg, he jumped off like a little bitch !!! There was a video out showing a couple of the guys that were killed “the real Heroes” helping people ! Guess what it wasn’t Ladner !!! But again he was lying about that too saying he was one video helping people get off that float ! Had his good friend Charles Cox spreading that around. Yeah …and Cox was at the hunt for Heroes the year or two before ! And yes he’s a poser as well !!! Birds of a feather

  19. People started digging after the train wreck and the news began reporting that he claimed a Purple Heart from Panama. Meg’s family knew it didn’t add up and started asking questions too. He produced a 214 thru his lawyer that was all jacked up and it was on after that. Those of us that knew him began asking about Panama, mainly because he was too young to have been there. I first thought that the news effed it up and meant Iraq or Somalia. When we saw his bio for the Show of Support people we realized he’d lied to get a free trip. He loved to hunt and has just been kicked off of his hunting property for being a douche bag, so he needs somewhere else to hunt.

    He got through three agencies with the fake 214 mainly because 214s aren’t validated with a FOIA usually. The only thing that really matters is an honorable discharge. Awards aren’t relevant to the hiring process around here. You don’t get anything extra for them, so no need to validate them. During his polygraphs he was probably asked about his discharge status and not his awards. His discharge was honorable, so he didn’t have to lie.

    His problem was his mouth though. His war stories didn’t add up to what we could see on his uniform in that photo. Most of us wrote it up to just war stories and embellishment. When he started lying to get free stuff people paid more attention and it all fell apart for him.

      1. Thx Planet Ord … Just wondering did he have that same hair cut when you knew him ? Or was that only when he was on top secret missions ! Would love to know about any other explorers he worked with when at Canton PD …..

  20. Be it ever the liberal I am, I cannot help but feel sorry, maybe pity would be better, for this guy and ruins his life has turned in to. He did this, yes. His wife is disabled now also. Looking at many fines and “maybe” a year or two max being locked up. I would say he will have a tough row to hew (I think that’s the correct way to spell it) in the future. Kind of a shame you know.

    1. My brother, (active army) sent me a jacket from ft. cambell with an airborn patch on it. He gave it to me for a xmas present. I wore it out to the Mall of Amer. today just wondering, damn, I hope Im not committing stolen valor with this. Just got stolen valor on my mind constantly I guess.

    2. Hey, Pete, you can’t feel sorry for this dumb ass! He’s cheated so many people, lied and continued to lie, caused his wife’s injuries, stolen valor and money from people. Has had many opportunities to make it right and just keeps lying. It’s his poor wife I feel for! That’s the shame, but he doesn’t think about anything but him. Now I think it’s called KARMA! No one forced him to do this.

      1. yes your right, I don’t feel sorry for him. I dont know the whole deal on him. I will say though, I would sooo hate to be him trying to repair my life. “Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we practice to deceive.”

  21. I wonder if Shane Ladner has either conned his wife to the point she believes what he says or he’s psychologically abused and/ or manipulated her to the point that she suffers from Stockholm Syndrome?

    1. A Proud Infidel, BINGO! From what I’ve learned some agency should rescue her. But, it’s a thin line. She is programmed – “he’s an honorable man”.

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