Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 102, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 9, 1988 Page: 4 of 26
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HONDO ANVIL HERALD
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Letters to the Editor
Campsey seeks prison comments
P.O. Box 400, Hondo, Texas 78861
Proponents have been uncontested
SPARKS
By Bill Berger
I don’t see newspapers from Massachusetts very often, and
one of them in the town of Lawrence, Mass., is operated by the
Scripps Howard publishing company. It is the Eagle Tribune, and
they have an editorial page editor named Maura Casey. She wrote an
editorial column about the way murderers can get out of prison and
kill again. It is one of the Scripps Howard championship editorials,
and was so well done that I thought you ought to have a chance to see
it also. Here it is, and it could just as well have been written about
things in Texas.
By Maura Casey
Winner of the Walker Stone Award for Editorial Writing
SUMMARY: Massachusetts law keeping first-degree
murderers in jail for life is a farce.
Massachusetts law says that first-degree murderers will
spend the rest of their lives in prison.
That law is a lie.
It is a lie because the state Corrections Department is a
bureaucracy run amok and releases murderers for furlough with no
input ftom the public or the victim's family.
It is a lie because first-degree murderers can apply for
commutations and be paroled. And it happens, the Parole Board
admits, about five piecent of the time. They can be paroled despite
the fact that first degree murder is among the most heinous of crimes;
it involves killing with premeditation or using particular cruelty, such
as torture.
The case of released killer William Horton demonstrates the
true farce the law has become. To understand that, we need to give a
few grisly details of the crime Horton committted. The details will
shock you and we are sorry about that. But we feel we must print
them so you will understand the sort of criminal the state set free on
the world.
About 10 o'clock Saturday night, October 26, 1974, Horton
and two friends walked into Marston Street Mobil Station and
demanded money.
B ■&'fenteen-year-old Joseph Fournier, "Joey" to his friends,
wtt wonting that night. He was saving money to buy a car.
According to testimony at the trilrf^JdejMwrtd&i thefai me inoney in
the cash register, about $250, and said, "Don't hurt me."
They may have been his last words.
The men stabbed him 19 times with a knife the medical
examiner said was at least six inches long. The boy was found dead,
stuffed in a garbage can. The medical examiner said only six ounces
of blood were left in his body.
But the killers were caught. They were charged with first-
degree murder and found guilty after a fair trial. Because the men
were convicted of first-degree murder, they were sentenced to life in
prison without possibility of parole, as required by Massachusetts
law. They were also sentenced to 20 to 40 years in jail for the
robbery.
At the time of the sentence, Assistant District Attorney
Michael T. Stella said the only way the men could be released was if
the governor pardoned them. And there seemed little likelihood of
that.
So justice was served. Or so we thought.
Despite the law that forbids paroling first-degree murderers,
Horton was released to wander the streets of Lawrence 10 times on
furlough because the state planned to consider paroling him.
It turns out that life without possibility of parole actually
means 10 years must be served for furlough eligibility and 20 years
served before being paroled.
Ten months ago Horton never returned from furlough. He
was arrested in Maryland several weeks ago, where police say he
repeatedly raped a woman and stabbed her boyfriend.
The case has made a mockery of both the state's system of
justice and the claim of Massachusetts politicians that they don't need
to legalize the death penalty because the state keeps murderers behind
bars.
And Gov. Dukakis has some explaining to do.
He neeuj to explain how anyone can have faith in
Massachusetts laws when they say one thing on paper and mean
another in practice.
He needs to explain how someone who commits
unspeakable crimes can be locked up for life, yet walk free a decade
later.
He needs to explain how all these things serve justice.
And if he cannot'justify the state's behavior-which we
believe will be the case-he needs to take steps to correct it.
Joey Fournier would have been 30 years old this July if his
plea: "Don't hurt me," hadn't fallen on deaf ears; if he wasn>.
murdered.
That this killer walked free is an attack on human decency.
Dear editor
The prison threat for Hondo has
surfaced once more! Up to now,
the proponents have been heard
from uncontested. It is time for the
opposition to be heard and counted-
(again). I do not feel the majority
has been heard from. Certainly not
enough people have been heard
from.
Due to the strong past opposition
to a Detention Center Prison of a
couple of years ago, 1 have to feel
that the majority of people in and
around Hondo do not want to risk
the quality of life we have with a
maximum security prison (eco-
nomic relief and growth voted and
recognized).
1 think the reason those who
oppose a prison have not responded
is that they are sick of the issue-
they are tired of expressing their
reasons and views-tired of moving
themselves and they are confused
thinking the prison issue was voted
out by both the Hondo City
Council and by the Commissioners
Court a couple of years ago. Yes,
this is a different issue-but so
much alike.
To this I can only say to all of
you (for or against) on this "new
prison issue:" you will NOT be
counted this time-you will NOT be
known this time-you will NOT
make a difference this time-
UNLESS you do it again! You
have to "vote" again. You have to
be heard again, preferably by
Tuesday, June 14.
When a prison is built in two or
three years the local economy,
hopefully, will be better. But when
a prison is here, it is here forever!
A PRISON!
The Commissioners Court is
probably the best place to voice (or
write) your feelings. That body
knows full well that the "Detention
Center Prison Issue" changed
county politics like nothing in
memory. They saw real live bodies
literally overflow the courthouse
twice to oppose the issue. Both
sides have to trust that the County
Judge, office of Butch Campsey,
will conduct a fair survey under a
fair set of rules and records. All we
How can anyone justify saying
"NO" to this prison economic
relief? It is my belief that Hondo
will grow in its own way mainly as
a natural spinoff from a growing
San Antonio. This growth will be
greatly in need, fostered and
improved upon by the Chamber of
Commerce and its arm, the
Economic Development Commit-
tee, as it strives to better Hondd
with selective, desirable growth.
All things being equal between
towns, would you move into the
prison town? I think that applies
to new family prospects and new
industry prospects. I feel a prison
town would lose that kind of
growth. Our growth is inevitable.
No, not near or quick like the
prison issue, but I prefer selective
and desirable growth to preserve the
quality of life we have in Hondo.
So I urge you to vote or write
your feelings to County Judge
Butch Campsey's office. It's the
first office on your right at the
Avenue M entrance to the
courthouse. If you have to phone,
you will have to give clear
credentials and identification. It is
important to vote by Tuesday, June
14 (the AACOG meeting is on
June 15). However, voting will
continue to be recorded for future
handling. Tuesday, June 14, is a
current meaningful deadline,
however.
I hope it can be kept simple-
with no big ad campaign-just let
people say "yes" or "no” to the
issue. Further, let's respect each
other for the way we feel with no
ill will or disrespect. Just let it go
as having "different opinions" on
how we want to grow and live.
Respectfully,
John H. Jennings
"Detention Center Carryover
Spokesman"
Hondo Anvil Herald:
Several weeks ago, Commission-
ers' Court learned of the Texas
Department of Corrections inten-
tions to locate a 2250 bed Maxi-
mum Security Prison facility some-
where in the South Texas region.
The Hondo Chamber of Com-
merce has submitted a proposal to
the Alamo Area Council of
Governments and requested the
Hondo area be considered as a
possible location site.
Medina County Commissioners'
Court in late May announced
intentions of placing the prison
issue on a referendum to help the
Court determine the public opinion
on locating a prison in the County.
However, the Secretary of State's
office in Austin has informed
County Oak Anna Van De Walle
that the election on this issue
cannot legally be conducted.
Please be advised that my office
will record your opinion on the
Maximum Security Prison being
located near Hondo. The best time
to be counted will be now through
Tuesday, June 14. However, I will
continue to record your opinion for
anytime in the future as a public
service and for insight
The letters should be mailed to:
Medina County Judge, Medina
County Courthouse, Hondo, TX
78861. (No phone calls will be
recorded, please.)
Respectfully yours,
Donald E. Campsey
County Judge
The Judge wants to hear from you
This form is provided by the Hondo Anvil Herald so that residents
might submit their input on the question of a Maximum Security State
I*rison being constructed in Hondo. When properly filled in the form can
be mailed back to Judge Donald Campsey at the address given in his letter,
and it will be an eligible response to the Judge's request for opinions on
the subject.
Are you in favor of a
Maximum Security Prison
facility in the Hondo area?
() Yes
() No
Name
Address
Phone Number
Date
Signature
Clip and mail
Dear editor
I was sorry to read that there are
so many people opposing the
possible building of a prison in our
area. I know it isn't what I would
prefer, but in fee past three years, I
san remember at least four
Positive outweighs negative
towns, fee number of houses
standing empty wife 'for sale' signs
seems to be increasing and,
unfortunately, they are not selling
as fast as they are being listed.
Our local high school and college
At this point, Hondo is still
economically healthy, but without
some sort of industry being brought
in soon, our economic health will
decline.
Yes, when you hear the word
can ask for is % majority rule of >ls Chamber of
opinion-wife a large turnout £ommerce has made to more
desired. acceptable types of industry which
students who always, need siutyntr "prison," the initial gut reaction is
or after school jobs are finding*feat > "NO!" but when a responsible inai-
I feel the statements to fee San
Antonio newspapers and to
AACOG that Hondo "favors" a
prison is premature. The issue has
NOT been decided and will not be
settled until more people have been
heard from. If you voted two years
ago or revoted three weeks ago, you
need to do it again.
If the Texas Department of
Corrections would select Hondo as
a prison site over four other
counties, fee next "showdown" or
"referendum" might come when a
very large ($1,000,000+?) sewerage
bond issue will have to be voted on
and passed (or will a government
grant cover that huge dollar
problem?). When you increase our
population of 6,000 to 9,000
(counting 2,500 inmates), you
create problems too. We may also
need to build more school
buildings, hire more teachers-that
DOES mean more taxes. It is fee
American way. The prison itself
pays NO taxes. Sure this goes
with any growth, but all I'm doing
is trying to make sure people
realize this aspect now. A lot of
economic relief is mentioned, but
nothing comes free or without a
few strings.
have all been declined. Although
I’m sure there are many more out
there, it does not make sense
economically to not make this
proposal even if it is a prison.
Our community is reaching the
point where deterioration begins and
the quality of life, always held so
dear by our area residents, will
quickly decline. The trend has
already begun. Just look at all the
area people losing their means of
employment and unable to find
another close by. In all fee area
the jobs they traditionally got are
filled by adults who desperately
need fee employment. The small
farmer, who has always been fee
backbone of our community, in
many cases is in dire finanical
trouble. Some are being forced into
bankruptcy and others, valiantly
fighting to stave off bankruptcy, are
unable to get sufficient financial aid
to make any headway on their debt.
It is a vicious circle, for without
farmers, jobs for many manual
laborers are scarce, farm related
businesses suffer and this lack of
capital affects all area businesses.
vidual weighs 4he alternatives and
investigates the issue, it is impos-
sible not to determine feat 800 jobs
within our area would improve our
community economics.
The positive aspects far outweigh
the negative, and concerned citizens
should look at this issue wife open
minds.
Sincerely,
Penny Faseler
Asks support for economic efforts
Dear editor
Hondo has some great assets: the
airfield property, fee railroad, the
highway system-all the ingredients
that should spell economic success,
a good living and pleasant lifestyles
for all residents. But, we are losing
our BEST ASSET-our children.
After they graduate from high
school, where do our children go?
They either go to an out-of-town
college or they leave for a job
elsewhere. When they are ready to
return to Hondo to raise their
families, they find Hondo is not
ready for feem-feere are no jobs
available.
I ask fee people of Hondo to
support the Economic Development
Council in our efforts to bring
industries to Hondo-industries feat
will employ our children and draw
new' residents to our town. If we
all work together, we can guarantee
that Hondo will be Hondo and not a
suburb of San Antonio.
Sincerely,
James L. Tomey
Chairman, E.D.C.
Let's speak out on Applewhite
Dear editor wells. The fees to be collected
Applewhite is finally going to from this mess will go to pay for
rear it's ugly head and give us an San Antonio's surface water plans!
opportunity to speak out If you are not educated on what's
There is going to be a public going on, please become so, and
hearing sponsored by fee City of quickly...you are about to lose one
San Antonio on July 5 at 7 p.m. in of your most important rights...the
/r
( Letters PoUcy J
%
Readers are reminded that the Anvil Herald
solicits letters to the editor, and we urge the
reading public to participate in this public forum.
Letters should be on a single subject and
should be reasonably brief and to-the-point.
Letters must be signed in order to be published,
but the name of the writer will be withheld if
;ted.
The Anvil Herald reserves the right to edit
letters for newspaper style and good taste.
Potentially libelous material will be edited.
Letters to the editor should mailed in care
of the editor to the Anvil Herald, Box 400,
oi lire eouor 10
\H^do, Texas 7861L
fee South Hall of fee Convention
Center in San Antonio. PLEASE
BE THERE! Contrary to what
Cisneros told an audience in Hondo
recently, fee mitigation area still
remains unsettled and there is every
indication, from letters received
from the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department and the U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, that the new area
is unacceptable and WE ARE THE
CHOSEN SITE. I have copies of
these letters for any doubting
person and will be glad to give
them a copy on request
In direct correlation to fee above,
there will also be a hearing on the
Regional Water Plan on June 28 at
7 p.m. also in fee South Hall of
right to capture and utilize the water
beneath your property. Should the
citizens of Medina and Uvalde
Counties be taxed and taken from
for San Antonio? You answer the
question and decide if you will
attend this hearing.
One important question that
seems to be more evident every day
is...If San Antonio takes our
bottomlands for the mitigation, if
they buy Medina Lake, if they
capture the waters of the Medina
River for Applewhite and make
OUR bottomlands into parks for
their citizens, if they devalue this
property in fee process, and if you
stop future well drilling and limit
pumping on wells now in
fee Convention Center. This plan operation...does feat not kill our
is fee one feat calls for the economic base which is agriculture?
restriction of new well drilling And when feat is accomplished
permits and meters on existing there will be nothing for these
people out here to do but sell out to
San Antonio's developers...
developers that will enhance fee
growth of San Antonio. As Marty
Wender has been saying for some
years now...fee future of San
Antonio is to fee west! Is this fee
REAL plan behind all of fee
condemning and stealing from us
here in Medina County?
In a final statement, I want to
once again make it an official
public statement in both a personal
and official capacity as chairperson
for fee Medina River Citizens
Organization, feat we are not
against surface water for San
Antonio. But I am strongly
opposed, and will remain so, to
Applewhite. Especially if it
includes OUR land of fee
mitigation, and I am opposed to fee
citizens of Medina and Uvalde
Counties being taxed, taken from,
condemned upon and raped for fee
needs of San Antonio and paying
for their development plans...plans
that are NOT for the good of ALL
of the people.
Dee Hitzfelder
HONDO
ANVIL
HERALD
Published every Thursday
■t 1601 Ave. K.
Hondo, Medina County, Texai,
by Associated Texas Newspapers, Inc.
Entered at the Post Office, Hondo, TX
as Second Class Mail.
SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
In Medina Co. - SIS per year
In Texas - $20 per year
Out of state - $25 per year
ISSN 249-280
STAFF:
William E Berger, Publisher
Jeff Berger, Asst Publisher/Sports Editor
Frances Reitzer Procter, General Manager
Burnis Lawrence, Special Projects
Kathy Adlong, Ad Sales
Patti Bermea, Ad Sales
Betty Haile, Ad Layout
Billie Ann Burrell, Ad Layout
Leanne Saathoff, Typesetter
Lisa Cade, Typesetter
Beatrice Koch, Classified Ad Manager
Alice Schur, Photo Technician
Sue Lee, Business Manager
Cathy Walton, Bookkeeper
Tony Mendoza, Production SupL
Nora Sanchez, Production Assistant
DEADLINES:
Ad Copy - 5 p.m. Tuesday
Editorial Copy - 5 p.m Tuesday
Classified Ad Copy - Noon Tuca.
The Cadroville Anvil, Eit. 1886
The Hondo Herald, Est. 1891
Consolidated - OcL 17,1903
The La Code Ledger, Est. 1915
Consolidated ~ June 1,1931
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character, standing or reputation of any
person, firm or corporation which may
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POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to The Hondo Anvil Herald, P.O. Box
400, Hondo, TX 78861
Telephone: (512)426-3346
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Hondo Anvil Herald (Hondo, Tex.), Vol. 102, No. 23, Ed. 1 Thursday, June 9, 1988, newspaper, June 9, 1988; Hondo, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth818219/m1/4/: accessed April 24, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Hondo Public Library.