February - The Police News

Transcription

February - The Police News
The Police News
Galveston County Edition
VOLUME IX, NUMBER 1
January 2012
Confessions of a cold-blooded killer
Edward Harold Bell says he has killed as many as 11 girls.
And he claims he was brainwashed to do it
By LISE OLSEN, Houston Chronicle
He calls his
victims
the
“Eleven that
went to Heaven.”
E d w a r d
Harold Bell,
admitted sex
offender, convicted
murEdward Harold Bell
derer
and
self-described serial killer, has given
multiple chilling confessions from his
locked prison cell of abducting and
slaying teenage and adolescent girls in
the 1970s, describing crimes even now
unsolved.
In disturbing letters sent to Harris
and Galveston county prosecutors in
1998 - but kept secret for 13 years Bell claimed to have killed seven girls,
including two Galveston 15-year-olds
shot as they stood tied up and half naked
in the chilly waters of Turner Bayou, according to excerpts and descriptions of
Bell’s letters obtained by the Houston
Chronicle.
In July and September, in exclusive
interviews, Bell, now gaunt and pastyfaced at 72, told a Chronicle reporter the
tally of lives was not just seven, but 11,
the “Eleven that went to Heaven.”
Bell claims a brainwashing “program”
forced him to “be a flasher,” to “rape
girls” and ultimately to kill.
Several senior investigators familiar
with Bell’s letters of confessions told the
Chronicle they have long believed he
committed multiple murders and found
evidence to corroborate his claims. But
probes stalled.
Galveston prosecutors refused to present Bell’s written confessions to a grand
jury. Harris County prosecutors never
investigated the claims and subsequently lost the letters. And Bell refused to
cooperate with police. Several investigators said not enough effort was made
in 1998 to re-investigate the cases.
One former Galveston DA, Kurt
Sistrunk, told the Chronicle, “I didn’t
believe we had sufficient evidence that
we could proceed to grand jury with, and
without getting into specifics, that’s the
decision that had to be made, no matter
the temptations to proceed otherwise ...
It wasn’t for a lack of effort.”
Saw her son die
Bell is serving 70 years for the 1978
murder of Larry Dickens, a Marine who
confronted Bell after he exited his red
and white GMC pickup naked from the
waist down and began masturbating
in front of a group of girls in Pasadena. Dickens’ mother watched from her
house as Bell shot her son four times,
emptying his pistol, then retrieved a rifle
to administer a coup de grace.
The “program” killings, as Bell calls
them, began well before then. The victims were young girls from Houston,
Galveston, Webster and Dickinson. The
murders came in waves: five in 1971 and
six more from about 1974 to 1977. Six
teens, he adds, were murdered in pairs.
Bell named three victims from 1971:
Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson,
15-year-old Galveston surfer girls and
experienced water skiers who disappeared after hitchhiking, and Colette
Anise Wilson, 13, who never arrived
home near Alvin after attending a summer band camp.
All three cases remain unsolved,
though Brazoria County Sheriff’s officials long theorized Wilson and another
girl were murdered by a convict killed
in a 1972 jail escape. Wilson’s bones
were found in a reservoir mingled with
those of a missing Houston girl, Gloria
Ann Gonzales, 19.
In 1998, Bell described murdering
Ackerman and Johnson in letters written from a maximum security cell in
Huntsville 17 years after the crime: “I
was ‘Brainwashed’ into killing Deby
(sic) Ackerman and Maria Johnson in
November 1971,” Bell wrote. He detailed how he shot them and described
the remote bridge where the bodies were
recovered.
Ackerman and Johnson were last seen
accepting a ride near an island ice cream
shop from a man driving a white van.
Their abductor tied them up, stripped
them from the waist down and left their
bodies in the bayou, records show.
Bell owned a white 1971 Ford Van,
lived in an apartment in a sprawling
beach house along Offatts Bayou, and
had invested in a surf shop that both
girls visited before their deaths, according to documents and interviews. In fact,
Bell was arrested in the van in February
1972, after flashing a 15-year-old on a
sales trip to Greta, La. Bell repainted the
van and it later burned, Bell and others
said.
Bell identified another of his victims
as a reddish-blond Houston teen named
“Pitchford,” kidnapped near Gulfgate
Mall. Harris County medical examiner’s
records and newspaper archives show
Kimberly Rae Pitchford, a 16-year-old
who lived near Hobby airport, never returned home after taking a driver’s education class at Frank Dobie High School
in Houston. Her body was found in a
thicket in Brazoria County in January
1973.
Bell claims not to know the names of
other girls. In some cases he remembers
the color of their hair. The 1971 murders included Ackerman, Johnson, Wilson and two Webster girls Bell does not
name.
Just three months before Ackerman
and Johnson disappeared from Galveston Island, so did two Webster 14-yearolds named Sharon Shaw and Rhonda
Renee Johnson. All four girls hung out
at a popular water ski school on Offatts
Bayou near Bell’s apartment.
Glenda Willis walks through the Forest Park
East Cemetery looking for the graves of her
two friends, Rhonda Renee Johnson and
Sharon Shaw, who were murdered in 1971.
Photo: Michael Paulsen / © 2011 Houston
Chronicle
Confessions...Cont. on pg 4
Clowning around:
A Real Police Story
One Sunday afternoon I was dispatched
to a residential area for a report of a disturbance in which someone was beating
the windows out of a vehicle.
As I arrived I saw what looked like
Ronald McDonald slinging a Louisville
Slugger baseball bat on a vehicle in this
driveway.
I mean he had red hair, blue nose,
makeup and size 42 shoes. When "Ronald" saw my cruiser he dropped the bat
and took off running. I got out of my
vehicle and looked around like it was a
joke, thinking I was being punked.
I soon realized by the looks from the
neighbors that it wasn’t a joke and advised my dispatcher that the suspect was
running south and I reluctantly started
jogging. I repeatedly ignored the dispatcher who wanted a description of the
fleeing fugitive.
As I turned the corner I saw a Ford
Fiesta parked in a driveway with red and
yellow size 42 shoes hanging out of a
side window. After several requests for
him to come out, I finally had to drag
him out by his shoes and hook him up.
As I walked back to my cruiser with
Ronald in cuffs I saw several children on bicycles on the sidewalk. As
we walked passed the kids all of them
gave me a thumbs down and began to
BOOOOOO!
HUMOR
Too Drunk: A police officer pulls
over this guy who had been weaving in and out of the lanes. He
goes up to the guy’s window and
says, “Sir, I need you to blow into
this breathalyzer tube.” The man
says, “Sorry officer I can’t do that.
I am an asthmatic. If I do that I’ll
have a really bad asthma attack.”
“Okay, fine. I need you to come
down to the station to give a blood
sample.” “I can’t do that either.
I am a hemophiliac. If I do that,
I’ll bleed to death.” “Well, then we
need a urine sample.” “I’m sorry
officer I can’t do that either. I am
also a diabetic. If I do that I’ll get
really low blood sugar.” “Alright
then I need you to come out here
and walk this white line.” “I can’t
do that, officer.” “Why not?” “Because I’m too drunk to do that.”
THE POLICE NEWS
Police News Publishing Co. LLC
9118 Jamaica Beach
Galveston TX 77554
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Editor & Publisher
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409-762-NEWS
SEX OFFENDERS-Galveston Co.
These are NOT wanted fugitives, but Registered Sex Offenders. If observed
residing at any address other than the one listed below the photo, please notify
the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office 409-766-2320.
Arceneaux, Eddie Lee Jr
B/M 10-17-81
4718 Crane
Hitchcock, 77563
Victim: Female/13
Sexual Assault of a Child 2 County
Risk Level: Moderate
Bartolomei, Jorge Pedro
W/M 12-30-78
620 Hwy 6
Hitchcock, 77563
Victim: Female/14
Indecency with a Child by Contact
Risk Level: High
Boeker, Dennis Ray
W/M 03-08-53
8th & Hwy 124
High Island, 77623
Victim: Male/9
Indecent Exposure (2nd Conviction)
Risk Level: Not Assigned
Crocker, Sherrill Carson
W/M 10-21-41
029 28th St #G
San Leon, 77539
Victim: Male/12
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
Risk Level: Not Assigned
Culbreth, Dennis Paul
W/M 10-12-59
8631 Baker #C
Santa Fe, 77510
Victim: Females/13 & 3
Agg Sex Asst of Child/Ind w/Child by
Contact
Risk Level: High
Gambill, Robert Steven Jr
W/M 05-19-69
4101 Webb Rd #18
Santa Fe, 77517
Victim: Male/4
Sexual Assault of a Child
Risk Level: Not Assigned
Garcia, Michael Jacob
W/M 09-06-86
3501 25th Ave N #229
Texas City, 77590
Victim: Female/11
Agg Sex Assault of Child 2 Counts
Risk Level: Moderate
Givens, Dallas Ryan
W/M 03-11-88
4744 8th St.
Bacliff, 77518
Victim: Female/1
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child
Risk Level: Moderate
Manis, Jason Bradley
W/M 07-22-83
#6 Cody Rd
Bacliff, 77518
Victims: F/10,M/4
Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child 2
Counts
Risk Level: Moderate
Semkiw, Mark J
W/M 05-08-62
145 17th St #1
San Leon, 77539
Female/30
Sexual Assault 2 Counts
Risk Level: High
413 24th Street
409-763-9289
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Page 2 - The Police News
Busted and Cuffed
BATISTE, BRODERICK
DEWAYNE
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
BRYANT, RACHEL
ELLEN
BURGLARY OF
HABITATION
DAY, PRECIOUS
SHAVONEA
FELONY THEFT WITH
TWO OR MORE
CONVICTIONS
(2 COUNTS)
GANN, RAY
THEFT OF COPPER
GARNER, ALBERT
WILSON JR
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
GARNER, JESSIE
LYNN
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
GONZALES, CARLOS
JR
FELONY DRIVING
WHILE INTOXICATED
HARMON, JONATHAN
JAMES
UNAUTHORIZED USE
OF VEHICLE
HERNANDEZ,
HORACIO
ROBBERY
(ILLEGAL ALIEN)
HOUSTON,
CHRISTOPHER JAMAR
FAILURE TO
REGISTER AS SEX
OFFENDER
HOWARD, TRISTAN
ROSS
FORGERY
JEFFERSON,
CHARLES JAMES
FELONY ASSAULT
CAUSES BODILY
INJURY
BY STRANGULATION
JOHNSON, JOSHUA
LONNAL
FELONY EVADING
ARREST DETENTION
WITH PRIORS
JOHNSON, REGINALD
BURGLARY OF
HABITATION
LACAZE, WILLIE
JAMES
FELONY EVADING
ARREST DETENTION
WITH PRIORS
MILES, ERVIN LEE JR
FELONY ASSAULT
CAUSES BODILY
INJURY WITH PRIORS
OWENS, RANDY
MURDER
SALTER, CAROLYN
JOYCE
AGGRAVATED
ASSAULT WITH A
DEADLY WEAPON
SIKORSKI, ANDREW
DOUGLAS
BURGLARY OF
HABITATION
SPURLOCK, MAURICE
DAVID
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
UNLAWFUL POSS OF A
FIREARM BY A FELON
STEELE, SHANE
FELONY ASSAULT
CAUSING BODILY
INJURY
BY STRANGULATION
JAIL
STEVENS, BENJAMIN
REYNARD
TAMPERING WITH
PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
VERCHER, JAMES
PLASS JR
FAILURE TO
REGISTER AS SEX
OFFENDER
VILLARREAL, GABRIEL
BURGLARY OF
HABITATION
YARBROUGH,
JONATHAN
ASSAULT ON PUBLIC
SERVANT
CARLSON, CODY
FELONY
DRIVING WHILE
INTOXICATED
ACCIDENT INVOLVING
INJURY
COOPER, LEON
DEWHITE
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
FUENTES, CHARLES
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
GIVENS, JASON
DEWAYNE
DEBIT CARD ABUSE
OF ELDERLY
JONES, DANIEL
WAYNE
BURGLARY OF
HABITATION
LAYNE, ADRIAN
CHARLES
FELONY ASSAULT
CAUSING BODILY
INJURY
FAMILY VIOLENCE
WITH PRIORS
MELENDEZ, FELIPE
ALEJANDRO
SEXUAL ASSAULT OF
CHILD
O’CALLAGHAN,
MEAGAN DAWN
POSSESSION OF A
CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
(2 COUNTS)
PAYNE, KEITH
BERNARD
ASSAULT ON PUBLIC
SERVANT
(2 COUNTS)
RODRIGUEZ, JASON
TAGLE
FELONY DRIVING
WHILE INTOXICATED
ASSAULT ON PUBLIC
SERVANT
WOODS, LASHAUN
ADRIAN
AGGRAVATED
ASSAULT WITH A
DEADLY WEAPON
The Police News - Page 3
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Confessions...Cont. from pg 1
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Page 4 - The Police News
Was Traveling Salesman
Another six killings occurred in the
mid to late 1970s, including Pitchford
and two girls in Dickinson, Bell told the
Chronicle.
Deed records show Bell owned a rural pasture a few minutes’ drive from
the Dickinson store where two middle
school students, Georgia Geer, 14, and
Brooks Bracewell, 12, were last seen in
1974. Their bones were recovered in a
bayou in 1976 and identified in 1981.
Of the remaining three, one was killed
after hitchhiking near Highway 2004 in
Santa Fe, Bell says, and two more came
from Houston, one brunette and another
red-haired.
“If you could get me immunity from
prosecution of any kind, I could lay a
lot stuff on you and I will,” Bell told the
newspaper.
Known as “Butch” to family and
friends, Bell’s early life seemed normal
- even exemplary. He was a Boy Scout,
graduated from Columbus (Texas) High
School and earned a physical education
degree from Texas A&M, where he
played in the Aggie Band.
After graduation, he worked as a licensed diver and met and married
his first wife in San Marcos. The two
moved to West Texas and had three
children. For years, Bell made his living as a traveling pharmaceutical salesman based in Plainview and later sold
Terlingua ranchland out of an office in
downtown Houston.
For most of his life, Bell claims he
did not know what compelled him to
do evil. In the 12 years or more before
he was arrested for the Marine’s murder, Bell actively trolled for girls and
exposed himself across Texas and Louisiana in vehicles he often altered and
swapped, records show.
Bell was stopped by police at least a
dozen times for masturbating and flashing girls in Lubbock, Plainview, Bacliff, Houston, Pasadena and Gretna,
La., between 1966 and 1978, according
to records and Bell’s own admissions.
His pattern: Drive around until he
found unaccompanied adolescent girls,
strip down below the waist and masturbate as they watched. He often targeted
girls in pairs. Most victims were 11 to
16 years old. He repeatedly avoided arrest and prosecution.
He bragged to friends that he could
talk his way out of anything. In an interview, Bell’s sister-in-law, Janice Bell,
described Bell as a “great con man” and
a “Texan big mouth … he bragged a lot,
he was always right.” She called him a
liar and a killer who kept secrets.
Bell blamed the crimes and carnage
in his life on a systemic program of
abuse, lies and brainwashing begun by
his father, a well-connected gauger who
frequently moved his family to small
oil field camps and towns within an 85mile radius of Houston.
“My father thought if he beat you real
bad, it would send chemicals into your
bloodstream,” Bell said.
Bell lists former scoutmasters, a cousin and his three ex-wives as part of “the
program.” He mixes accounts of the
damage wrought by others with admissions of uncontrollable cravings for sex
with younger women.
“One thing they wanted me to do for
sure was rape a girl,” he said. “They
wanted me to rape girls and rob banks
and rob people. My father tried to brainwash me into killing myself.”
More Arrests
Flashing was phase one. Bell’s first
documented incident, records show, occurred in 1966, when he was stopped
for exposing himself to girls in the tiny
town of Sudan an hour west of Plainview, and ended up in Big Spring state
mental hospital, according to Bell and
records. The treatment didn’t take.
Three years later, Bell, still married to
his first wife and working as a traveling
salesman, got arrested again - twice - for
exposing himself to girls in two different
West Texas towns. He avoided prosecution by agreeing to report to another inpatient treatment program for so-called
perversion, and soon arrived at the University of Texas Medical Branch mental
hospital, Jennie Sealy in Galveston. His
marriage ended, as did contact with his
children.
Bell turned his time in the mental ward
into opportunity to romance underaged
patients. He “dated” one 16-year-old but
says he didn’t “make love” to her because “I was already in enough trouble
with the law ... I didn’t want statutory
rape on top of the flasher charge.”
Next, he seduced a 17-year-old psychiatric patient in Room 417, according
to Bell. A few months after his release,
he married her. Bell was 31. In 1970,
Bell and his new wife rented an apartment in the beach house along Offatts
Bayou.
Through a mutual friend, Bell met
Doug Pruns, a surfer who made custom
boards and owned a shop on Avenue S.
Bell became a silent partner in a dive
business at Doug’s Surf Shop. In an
interview, Pruns said he once visited
acreage near Dickinson where Bell kept
horses, raccoons, myriad critters and a
travel trailer painted to look like a red
caboose. Pruns considered Bell a creepy
weirdo, but knew little of his life.
In 1974, Bell was busted twice in
Galveston County. In April, he exposed
himself to two girls on a road near Bacliff and pursued them in a Volkswagen
Confessions..Cont. on next pg.
rental as they ran. He next was arrested
in the rape of a Jennie Sealy mental patient whom he says he met outside the
hospital. Both cases were dropped
In 1978, he trolled for girls in suburban Pasadena in a red and white GMC
pickup, in which he kept a .22-caliber
pistol, an M-1 carbine and porn magazines, Harris County records show. On
June 26, he exposed himself to two
girls riding bikes, aged 11 and 12. Five
weeks later, he stepped out of the pickup
wearing only a pair of black boots and
masturbated before five Pasadena girls
practicing cheer leading.
The next time he displayed himself to
Pasadena girls, on Aug. 24, 1978, Bell
came face to face with Dickens. Bell
killed him for interrupting.
Bell was arrested and posted a
$125,000 bond. He jumped bail. For
the next 14 years, Bell roamed coastal
towns in Mexico and Central America,
guiding dive trips and living aboard a
sailboat. He assumed the identity of a
dead cousin named Cecil Boyd and told
people to call him “Wally.” He panned
for gold, married for a third time and entertained visiting Texans on dive trips,
according to records and interviews
with Larry Boucher, a retired investigator for the Harris County District Attorney’s Office who tracked Bell for years.
Named Texas’ most wanted fugitive in
the 1980s, Bell was featured on the TV
series Unsolved Mysteries and captured
by Panamanian police at a yacht club in
1992. He went to prison the next year.
Boucher read Bell’s confessions and
says he’s an unpunished serial killer.
He remembers Bell’s rants about bees
invading his locked cell and his admissions to killing girls in a letter that’s
been lost.
“My gut feeling is that he is responsible,” Boucher told the Chronicle.
‘70s Disappearances
Forty-year-old investigative files reviewed by the Chronicle document
many agencies’ unsuccessful attempts
to solve the disappearances of teenage
girls in the 1970s - a murderous decade
that ended with suspicions one or more
killers escaped prosecution.
So many teen girls turned up dead
in 1971 that the Harris County sheriff
called more than 60 officers from across
Texas to a secret summit to coordinate
a response. A murderer, or murderers,
seemed to cross city and county boundaries to dump victims in remote, roadless areas.
Over time, several serial killer suspects were developed. Most died long
ago, leaving nearly all the murders unsolved. Until Bell’s confession letters
arrived in 1998, he’d never been investigated.
Those letters electrified Deril Oliver, a
retired Texas City detective who helped
pull the bodies of Ackerman and Johnson from Turner Bayou. Oliver tried to
interview Bell in prison. He said others
were too quick to dismiss Bell as a publicity-seeking kook.
“Bell was the closest thing to a real
suspect that we ever had,” Oliver said.
“I think they let it go too soon.”
Galveston police officer Fred Paige visits the
site of a former Isle ski school, one of the
last places two teenage girls were seen before being killed in the 1970s.
Photo: Michael Paulsen / © 2011 Houston
Chronicle
Among investigators convinced of
Bell’s guilt is Fred Paige, a Galveston
police officer who investigated Bell in
between new homicide cases from 2005
to 2010. Paige, who heard about 1970s
teen murders as a boy growing up in
Central Texas, found scattered relatives
and friends, including witnesses who’d
never been interviewed, and documents
that tied Bell to the unsolved crimes. He
pushed without success for Galveston
DA Sistrunk to use the letters and other
evidence to indict Bell.
“The investigation certainly remains
open,” said Sistrunk, who now works
for the Brazoria County prosecutors office, “and what we can count on is that
because of the work of (Paige), those
before him, and other area law enforcement agencies that may become even
more involved, we will reach a point in
time where sufficient evidence will be
made available to law enforcement that
will let the case proceed to a grand jury
for justice to be served.”
If Bell’s confessions are true, only he
holds answers long sought by the families of victims.
“It makes it hard that we don’t know
if this Bell guy is a nut or if he’s telling
the truth,” said Dotti Walker, the aunt
of murdered Webster teenager Sharon
Shaw, who disappeared with her friend
only a few months after Ackerman and
Johnson. “As bad and as mean as he is,
he could be telling the truth because of
his conscience ... Not knowing is heartbreaking.”
Bell’s Supposed Victims
Bell named four of his alleged victims; in seven other cases he provided
years, places or descriptions, which the
Chronicle compared against police and
forensic reports and interviews to determine possible matches:
Colette Anise Wilson: Wilson, 13,
disappeared June 17, 1971, after a bus
driver dropped her off near her home
north of Alvin.
Debbie Ackerman and Maria Johnson: Ackerman and Johnson, 15-yearold best friends from Galveston, disappeared Nov. 17, 1971
Kimberly Rae Pitchford: Pitchford,
16, never came home after attending
driver’s ed class at Frank Dobie High
School off of Beamer in Houston on
Jan. 3, 1973.
Two unnamed girls from Webster in
1971: Sharon Shaw and Rhonda Renee
Johnson, both 14, abducted and murdered together after a day at the beach
in Galveston on Aug. 4, 1971.
Two unnamed Dickinson girls: Georgia Geer, 14, disappeared with friend
Brooks Bracewell, 12, after the middle
school students skipped classes Sept. 6,
1974. Last seen at a convenience store.
Unnamed brunette girl from west
Houston: Possibly Gloria Ann Gonzales, 19, reported missing by her roommate in West Houston in October 1971;
remains were found near Colette Wilson’s.
Unnamed girl picked up off Highway
2004 near Santa Fe: Possibly Nina Lynn
Kluge, 16, of Cypress, who failed to arrive home Oct. 22, 1975, after visiting
friends in Rosharon. Her car was found
abandoned along Texas 6, about four
miles west of Santa Fe.
Unnamed Houston girl with red or
blonde hair killed in mid-1970s: No further information.
Others Who Were Suspects
Men previously identified as possible
perpetrators of a 1970s killing spree involving an estimated 21 victims in Brazoria, Harris and Galveston counties.
Michael Lloyd Self: A a League City
mechanic, convicted in 1972 for the
murder of Sharon Shaw. But his conviction was tainted by corrupt police officers who used Russian roulette to obtain
two conflicting confessions and who
themselves were later convicted of bank
robbery. Self died in prison in 2000. His
attorneys say he was never told of Bell’s
letters.
Charlie Hitzfelder Jr.: The son of a
former Medina County Sheriff and considered a suspect in several unsolved
murder cases here. He died in 1998.
Harry Andrew Lanham and an accomplice, Tony Knoppa, were convicted in 1971 in the shooting death of
Linda Sutherlin, a 21-year-old Houston
woman found dead in Brazoria County.
Lanham was awaiting trial for a teen’s
murder in Montgomery County and
was considered a suspect in other cases
when he was killed by police in a 1972
escape in Harris County.
Reprinted with permission of:
The Houston Chronicle Publishing Co.
HUMOR
Seeing Eye Dog: A blind man
is walking down the street with
his seeing-eye dog one day.
They come to a busy intersection, and the dog, ignoring the
high volume of traffic zooming by on the street, leads the
blind man right out into the
thick of traffic. This is followed
by the screech of tires and
horns blaring as panicked drivers try desperately not to run
the pair down. The blind man
and the dog finally reach the
safety of the sidewalk on the
other side of the street, and
the blind man pulls a cookie
out of his coat pocket which he
offers to the dog. A policeman,
having observed the near fatal
incident from his post, rushed
over and couldn’t control his
amazement and says to the
blind man, “Why on earth are
you rewarding your dog with
a cookie? He nearly got you
killed!” The blind man turns
partially in his direction and
replies, “To find out where his
head is, so I can kick his ass.”
Won’t Listen: The Judge said to
the defendant. “I thought I told
you I never wanted to see you
in here again.” “Your Honor,”
the criminal said, “that’s what
I tried to tell the police, but
they wouldn’t listen.”
Wino: The drunken wino was
stumbling down the street with
one foot on the curb and one
foot in the gutter. A cop pulled
up and said, “I’ve got to take
you in, sir. You’re obviously
drunk” The wasted wino asked,
“Ociffer, are ya absolutely sure
I’m drunk?” “Yeah, buddy, I’m
sure,” said the copper. “Let’s
go.” Obviously relieved, the
wino said “That’s a relief - I
thought I was a cripple.”
The Police News - Page 5
Texas Police Chiefs
Association awards
Dickinson PD
“recognized” status
Attached jpg is The Dickinson Police
Department has received a certificate
of recognition from the Texas Police
Chief’s Association.
Begun in 2007, the recognition program evaluates a police department’s
compliance with over 150 best business
practices for Texas law enforcement.
These best practices were carefully developed over a 2-year period by Texas
Law Enforcement professionals to assist
agencies in the efficient and effective
delivery of service and the protection of
individual’s rights.
These best practices cover all aspects
of law enforcement operations including
use of force, protection of citizen rights,
vehicle pursuits, property and evidence
management and patrol and investigative operations.
The voluntary process requires a critical self-review of the agency’s policies,
procedures, facilities and operations.
The department prepares proofs of compliance for each of the Texas best business practices for law enforcement and
when complete, requests an outside audit and review.
The result of this review is sent to the
Texas Police Chief’s Association’s Recognition Committee for final analysis
and decision to award “recognized” status.
This process allows an independent review of the department’s operations and
assures the citizens of Dickinson that its
Police Department is conforming to the
current state of the art in law enforcement.
The city of Dickinson was incorporated in 1977, with a population of approximately 5,000. With a current population
of 18,000, Dickinson is located 24 miles
north of Galveston, and 31 miles south
of Houston. Several factors contributed
to the steady growth of the city including the oil industry rise in Houston and
Galveston, and NASA’s establishment
of the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center just north of Dickinson. Interstate 45
runs through a portion of the city.
The city of Dickinson has a councilcity administrator form of government.
The Dickinson Police Department was
created in 1982 with one Lieutenant,
one Sergeant, and eight officers. The
department has steadily grown and today consists of 35 sworn personnel and
19 non-sworn personnel divided into
Administrative, Investigative, and Uniformed Services divisions. The department oversees a Citizens-On-Patrol
Crime Prevention program and is active
in the Community Policing Model. It
Page 6 - The Police News
serves an area of 15 square miles with an
annual budget of $3.5 million. In 2002,
the department moved from its original station at city hall to a new 10,000
square foot state-of-the-art facility.
Dickinson Police Chief Ron Morales
Chief Ron Morales is a former Marine
and retired from GTE as an administrator before beginning a second career in
law enforcement. He served as a city
councilman for the city of Dickinson
in 1988 before being elected mayor
and serving from 1989 to 1991. He was
hired as a police officer with Dickinson
Police Department in 1996 and shortly
after became the chief of police. He has
been the chief of police for the city of
Dickinson for 15 years. Chief Morales
holds a position on the College of the
Mainland’s Police Academy advisory
board and is a vice president on the
board of directors of the Texas Citizen’s
Police Academy.
Chief Morales earned an Associate of
Applied Science from College of the
Mainland and holds a Master Peace Officers license.
Galveston Citizens
Police Academy
Begins Feb 9
GALVESTON, TX - The 28th Citizens
Police Academy will begin on February
9, 2012 at 6:00 pm at Mt. Olive Baptist Church, located at 3602 Sealy Ave.
in Galveston Texas. The academy will
be 11 weeks long, with a graduation
ceremony the following week. Weekly
meetings will be every Thursday at
6:30 pm and one Saturday. Participants
must live or work in Galveston. For further information contact Officer Destin
Sims 409.765.3606, Fax 409.765.3601,
Email: [email protected] or
simply stop by the Justice Center and
ask for Sims between the hours of 10am
and 6pm.
Applicants will be screened for suitability. The department’s goal is to produce informed citizens and it plans to
accept as many applicants as it can reasonably accommodate.
Woman Who Claimed Fugitive wanted
Police Car Hit Her Gets in Mississippi sex
attack captured
Nothing In Lawsuit
GALVESTON - A personal injury law- in Galveston
suit arising from a pedestrian being
struck on a street behind the San Luis
Hotel has ended.
An agreed final judgment in favor of
the City of Galveston was entered into
Alejandra Leal’s suit against police officer Fred Paige and the city, just about
three weeks before the litigation’s oneyear mark.
According to court documents in the
56th District Court, Leal was crossing the street in the 5200 block of Fort
Crockett Boulevard on Nov. 3, 2010.
Paige, who was driving a police cruiser,
turned left out of a private drive and hit
her.
Leal claimed Paige “failed to yield to
a pedestrian and hit with great force and
violence.”
Leal insists “nothing she did nor failed
to do caused or in any way contributed
to cause the occurrence in question or
the resulting injuries and damages she
sustained.”
However, other testimony indicated
Leal stepped out into the street from
behind a truck and actually stepped into
the police car. The city submitted an answer on March 3, stating Leal’s allegations should be dismissed because legal
action was sought against both a governmental unit and one of its employees.
The petition and the answer were later
revised through the course of the year.
Galveston County 56th District Court
Judge Lonnie Cox ruled that Leal take
nothing from the city, ultimately disposing all parties and claims.
HUMOR
Last Request: Mary Clancy goes
up to Father O’Grady after his Sunday morning service, and she’s in
tears. He says, “So what’s bothering
you, dear?” She says, “Oh, Father,
I’ve got terrible news. My husband
passed away last night.” The priest
says, “Oh, Mary, that’s terrible
news, John was such a good cop too.
I know you two were having marriage troubles recently especially
since John got that new attractive
partner, but tell me, Mary, did he
have any last requests?” She says,
“That he did, Father...” The priest
says, “What did he ask, Mary?” She
says, “He said, ‘Please, Mary, put
down that damn gun...”
GALVESTON - A
man wanted in Mississippi in a sexual
assault case was arrested in January on
Harborside Drive in
Galveston by officers
Lance David
with the Gulf Coast
Geiling
Violent
Offenders
Task Force.
Lance David Geiling, 40, is being held
without bond in the Galveston County
Jail awaiting his extradition back to
Mississippi.
Geiling was living since December
on a sailboat in Galveston with his two
children who were taken into protective
custody pending release to relatives.
The Gulf Coast Violent Offenders Task
Force is a group composed of deputy
U.S. marshals and officers from several
local law enforcement agencies who are
assigned full time to the unit. They have
a single mission - capture those charged
in violent crimes or escaped fugitives.
About 55 men and women work out of
a nondescript government building near
the downtown federal detention center
or in satellite offices in Galveston and
Montgomery counties. All members regardless of their parent law enforcement agency - are sworn in as “special
deputies,” giving them the authority to
cross state lines.
Kemah Police Forming New
Citizens Police Academy
The Kemah Police Department and the
Kemah Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association is excited to announce the
forming of a new Citizens Police Academy Class. The class will begin February
29 and meet every Wednesday night until May 23. The classes will start at 7:00
PM and end at 9:00 PM. Most classes
will be conducted at City Hall. “This is
an opportunity for a citizen to see what
type of training, equipment and experiences our officers go through” said
Chief Greg Rikard. “Plus you will get a
chance to get to know many of the officers we currently have serving our community”
For further information on the classes, contact Detective Wayne Lockett at
281-334-5414 or by email at tlockett@
kemah-tx.com. Detective Lockett will
provide you with more details and what
you can expect from the class. Applications are available at www.kemah-tx.
gov under the Police Department tab or
at 1401 SH 146 Kemah, Texas.
AMOCO FCU Teams
Up with Sheriff to
Sponsor Rachel’s
Challenge
GALVESTON COUNTY - AMOCO
Federal Credit Union recently teamed
up with the Galveston County Sheriff’s
Department and BP Texas City to sponsor Rachel’s Challenge for Galveston
County Schools.
Teachers, parents and more than 8,300
students from Galveston County schools
have taken part in Rachel’s Challenge,
an educational program devoted to preventing violence and bullying by engaging kids and adults to spread acts of
kindness and compassion, over the past
few months.
The Rachel’s Challenge program includes student/teacher assemblies held
on campus, followed by a communitywide evening event open to all students,
parents and businesses in the community, according to the $564 million, Texas
City, Texas-based AMOCO.
The assemblies begin with a brief video presentation where viewers are introduced to Rachel Scott, the first victim
of the Columbine High School tragedy.
As the assembly continues, friends and
family members, via video testimonials, describe who Rachel was and how
she positively impacted their lives. This
one-hour multimedia assembly is emotionally charged and sets the stage for
the 90-minute training session for student leaders and adults that follows.
After the assemblies, a group of students are chosen to initiate a Friends of
Rachel club for their particular school.
While every student is encouraged to
join the FOR Club, this particular group
of students is responsible for carrying
on the program message throughout
their school with the unified goal to
make positive changes.
A student from Clear View Education
Center said, “I just want to thank Rachel’s Challenge for passing this message on to us. This message, along with
our speaker, Dave, gave me the will
today to keep on living. Until today, I
thought no one cared or even would notice if I decided to kill myself. After the
challenge, I can see that people truly do
care, even if they don’t know me. I accept this challenge, and I hope to devote
my life to this cause.”
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C o n v i c t e d Killer Scheduled To A Real Story
Rapist Back Die February 28th
From A Real Cop
In Jail
There are times I see something that
In 1998, Anthony Bartee was sentenced
LA
MARQUE,
TX - Some people
never learn. That is
especially true with
criminals and Carl
Chambers is no different, he’s back
in the Galveston
Carl Chambers
County Jail.
There has been an uprising in the
neighborhood in La Marque where this
guy set up housekeeping with his prison
bride. He was the subject of a story in
the September 2011 Police News.
Most recently a female neighbor reported to La Marque Police Chambers
was fondling his privates inside his
house at a window where he could be
plainly seen by the woman. And the
latest information is that he forcibly
removed his ankle monitoring bracelet
which he was wearing as a condition of
his parole.
He is now waiting in his cell for a
Parole Board hearing which will determine whether he goes back to prison or
is once again released on the public.
U.S. Marshal’s
seeking man
wanted for
sexually
assaulting a
child
SOUTHEAST TEXAS/SOUTHWEST
LOUISIANA - The
U.S. Marshal’s Service says a man
wanted for Aggravated Rape of a child
in Louisiana might William Charles
Langley Jr.
be in Southeast Texas or Southwest Louisiana.
According to the Marshal’s Service,
William Charles Langley Jr., 40, is
wanted by police in Crowley, Louisiana.
He has previously been convicted for
2nd Degree Sexual Assault in Arkansas
and is charged with Failure to Register
as a Sex Offender in Calcasieu.
The Marshal’s Service says he’s on
the run but investigators believe he’s in
the Orange or Vinton area.
If you have information about Langley, call the U.S. Marshal’s Service at
337-251-6921 or 337-515-0392.
A cash reward is available for information leading to Langley’s arrest. The
Marshal’s Service will keep the tips
confidential.
to death in Texas for the murder of David Cook, committed during a robbery.
On 17 August 1996, the victim’s body
was discovered by police and his family in his home in San Antonio, Texas.
He had been shot
twice in the head and
stabbed in the shoulder. The bullet fragments at the scene
were consistent with
having been fired
from a pistol owned
by the victim. This Anthony Bartee
pistol, and the victim’s red Harley Davidson motorcycle,
were missing from his home.
At some point that summer, Bartee had
asked an acquaintance to assist him in
robbing and killing a neighbor, informing him this neighbor “had some gold
[credit] cards and a motorcycle” that
Bartee wanted. And, two days prior to
the discovery of the victim’s body, Bartee had informed another acquaintance,
Munoz, that he intended to “ace some
white dude out”. Bartee unsuccessfully
solicited both Munoz and several others
to assist him in achieving this result.
That same day, at nearly midnight,
Bartee arrived at Munoz’ home, riding a
Harley Davidson motorcycle and claiming to carry a gun. Several witnesses
identified this motorcycle as being similar or identical to the victim’s.
In April 1997, Bartee was indicted for
capital murder. In April 1998, on the
day the trial’s guilt phase was to begin,
one of Bartee’s attorneys, Sawyer, who
had conducted the month-long voir dire
of the jury, notified the court that he had
discovered that morning that he was acquainted with the victim’s family and
asked to withdraw as Bartee’s co-counsel. Sawyer informed the court he was
concerned “there might be a basic builtin conflict later on in trial” as a result of
this acquaintance. He was replaced, and
the trial court delayed resuming the trial
for four weeks.
In May 1998, the jury found Bartee
guilty of capital murder. At the punishment phase, two women testified to
Bartee’s having sexually assaulted them
at knife-point in 1982 when they were
teenagers. Bartee called as witnesses his
father and a public-school risk counselor. The jury found beyond a reasonable
doubt, there was a probability Bartee
“would commit criminal acts of violence that would constitute a continuing threat to society”; and there were
inadequate mitigating circumstances for
Bartee to
be sentenced to life in prison, rather than
death. A death sentence was imposed.
will trigger a memory from years past.
It falls on me like a ton of bricks, and
brings me back to that time and place. I
guess the worst part of it, is that it happens when I least expect it. I zone out to
the world around me, and in my mind,
relive what I had done before.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t lose sleep
over any of this, and I function just fine
in public, in relationships, and so on. I
actually find it comical most of the time.
Occasionally, my wife and I try to get
out of the house at least once a week, if
only for a few minutes. It’s a nice way to
take a break from the daily routine that
we find ourselves stuck in. I would recommend it to any married couple who
work, and have kids.
Usually we go get a coffee, or dessert together, and hope the house is still
in one piece when we return. I always
instruct the kids to call only if it’s an
emergency while we are gone. It’s funny what they perceive is an emergency.
Usually, it’s a dispute over what they
are watching on TV, or what video game
they want to play.
So we head out to get a quiet cup of
coffee at a local cafe the other night. We
picked up our order, and sat down at a
table in the corner. I like my back to a
wall, with a view of all the exits.
A guy comes in, talking on his phone,
rude, arrogant, you know… He orders
his drink, and is obviously upset at the
amount of time the girl was taking in
preparing it. Finally, they call his name
and he picks up his drink. He walks
over to the counter where you get extra cream, sugar, cocoa etc., and doing
so while he is still talking on his phone.
I’m not sure how he did it, but he spilt
his “skinny mocha latte” all over his
jeans. He turned around towards us, and
I saw the brown stain all over the front
of his pants. Immediately I was back
at the scene of a head-on collision. An
18-wheeler vs. a small imported car. I
got the call on my MDC at about 12:00.
I hit the “en-route” button on the touchscreen, and started the 25 minute drive
across the county. I was reading the onscreen information, and knew it was
gonna be ugly.
The fire department already ripped
the door off to get the guy out, but he
was obviously dead, so they left him in
place. The driver was torn in half from
the impact, and his head and face were
crushed to the point where he was unrecognizable.
I needed to get a solid identification.
Later, I would have to find his family, and tell them that he would not be
coming home. In search of his wallet,
A Real Story...Cont. on pg 11
The Police News - Page 7
Galveston Co. Grand Jury Indictments in January 2012
BANIK, DANIEL JAMES - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
BATISTE, BRODERICK DEWAYNE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
BRIERS, MICHAEL WAYLON - UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A FELON
BRYANT, RACHEL ELLEN - BURGLARY OF HABITATION
CARDWELL, TRAVIS WILLIAM - FELONY EVADING ARREST WITH VEHICLE
CLOUSER, JONATHAN ZACHARY - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
CULP, ANNETTE ALICIA - HINDERING APPREHENSION
DALTON, CLARENCE ISAAC - FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION WITH PRIORS
DAVIS, JIMMIE - FELONY THEFT <$1,500 WITH TWO OR MORE CONVICTIONS
(2 COUNTS)
DAY, PRECIOUS SHAVONEA - FELONY THEFT WITH TWO OR MORE CONVIC
TIONS (2 COUNTS)
GANN, RAY - THEFT OF COPPER
GARNER, ALBERT WILSON JR - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
GARNER, JESSIE LYNN - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
GARRETT, JERROLD SEA - FORGERY
GAVENDER, JOSHUA BRETT - FELONY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
GOMEZ HERNANDEZ, TOMAS - FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION WITH VEHICLE
GOMEZ, ERIC JULIAN-VILLARRE - FELONY ASSAULT CAUSING BODILY INJURY FAMILY VIOLENCE
GONZALES, CARLOS JR - FELONY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
GONZALES, JOSHUA TARAMINE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE IN DRUG FREE ZONE
HAITHAM, KHALED HAMASG - ASSAULT ON PUBLIC SERVANT
HALL, RONALD BRYCE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
HAMILTON, DANNY JARROD - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
HARMON, JONATHAN JAMES - UNAUTHORIZED USE OF VEHICLE
HERNANDEZ, HORACIO - ROBBERY
HOUSTON, CHRISTOPHER JAMAR - FAILURE TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER
HOWARD, TRISTAN ROSS - FORGERY
HUBBLE, JASON ALLAN - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
JEFFERSON, CHARLES JAMES - FELONY ASSAULT CAUSES BODILY INJURY BY STRANGULATION
JOHNSON, AMY LYNN - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (2 COUNTS)
JOHNSON, JOSHUA LONNAL - FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION WITH PRIORS
JOHNSON, REGINALD - BURGLARY OF HABITATION
JORDAN, RHONDA RECHELLE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
LACAZE, WILLIE JAMES - FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION WITH PRIORS
LINDLEY, PATRICK STEPHEN - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (2 COUNTS)
LUJAN, JAIME PATRICIO - HARASSMENT OF PUBLIC SERVANT BOND
MANZO, ROBERTO - SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD
MCNEMAR, MANDY RENEE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
MILES, ERVIN LEE JR - FELONY ASSAULT CAUSES BODILY INJURY WITH
PRIORS
MOODY, ERIC JOHN - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
MORECRAFT, BLAKE WINFIELD - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
NEELY, ANDY GEORGE - FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION WITH PRIORS
NORRIS II, KEVIN DAWAYNE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
NUNEZ, KATRINA MARIE - FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION W/VEHICLE
OWENS, RANDY - MURDER
PEREZ, ANTONIO - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (2 COUNTS)
Page 8 - The Police News
RACHUI, KRISTI MICHELLE - FELONY THEFT
RENTZ, JAMES TRACY - SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD
SALTER, CAROLYN JOYCE - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON
SELPH, TERRI ELAINE - FRAUDULENT USE OF ID
SIKORSKI, ANDREW DOUGLAS - BURGLARY OF HABITATION
SINGLETON, DARRELL DWIGHT - HINDERING APPREHENSION
SOTO, DAVID ESQUEDA - FELONY ASSAULT CAUSING BODILY INJURY FAMILY VIOLENCE WITH PRIORS
SPURLOCK, MAURICE DAVID - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
AND UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A FELON
STEELE, SHANE - FELONY ASSAULT CAUSES BODILY INJURY BY
STRANGULATION
STEVENS, BENJAMIN REYNARD - TAMPERING WITH PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
TREVINO, JORGE RAUL - UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A FELON
VERCHER, JAMES PLASS JR - FAILURE TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER
VILLARREAL, GABRIEL - BURGLARY OF HABITATION
WILLIAMS, CHRISTOPHER EMMANUEL - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED
SUBSTANCE
YARBROUGH, JONTHAN - ASSAULT ON PUBLIC SERVANT
BARNES, AMY LYNNE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
BRANSCOME, BARBARA GEAN - CRUELTY TO NON-LIVESTOCK
BRINGOL, BRIAN ASHLEY - FELONY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
CARLSON, CODY - FELONY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED AND ACCIDENT INVOLVING INJURY
CLARK, GREGORY MICHAEL - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON
COOPER, LEON DEWHITE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
CORTEZ, GILBERTO ANTONIO - SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD
CRUZ, NORMA LISA - FELONY THEFT
DEVAULT, ADRIAN EUGENE - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE WITH INTENT TO DELIVER
FUENTES, CHARLES - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
GARLEY, TALVIN DJUAN - BURGLARY OF HABITATION
GIVENS, JASON DEWAYNE - DEBIT CARD ABUSE OF ELDERLY
GREENE, DESHOAUN LEE - CREDIT CARD ABUSE
HENDERSON, JAMES CRAIG - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
HOLLAND, NICHOLAS VANCE - POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA
JONES, ASHTON BLAKE - SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD
JONES, DANIEL WAYNE - BURGLARY OF HABITATION
LAYNE, ADRIAN CHARLES - FELONY ASSAULT CAUSES BODILY INJURY
FAMILY VIOLENCE WITH PRIORS
MATTHEWS, LAQUANDA ANTRONES - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY
WEAPON AND FELONY EVADING ARREST DETENTION WITH VEHICLE
MELENDEZ, FELIPE ALEJANDRO - SEXUAL ASSAULT OF CHILD
O’CALLAGHAN, MEAGAN DAWN - POSSESSION OF A CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE (2 COUNTS)
PAYNE, KEITH BERNARD - ASSAULT ON PUBLIC SERVANT (2 COUNTS)
PEACE, EMBRE ELIZABETH - FELONY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED
PYMM, HARLEY DAVID - BURGLARY OF HABITATION AND THEFT OF COPPER
RODRIGUEZ, JASON TAGLE - FELONY DRIVING WHILE INTOXICATED AND
ASSAULT ON PUBLIC SERVANT JAIL
WILSON, CRYSTAL GAIL - FELONY THEFT
WOODS, LASHAUN ADRIAN - AGGRAVATED ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY WEAPON
Debunking The ‘Less Harmful
Than Alcohol’ Myth
ing under the influence of pot? In CaliBy Howard A. Katz, Retired Professor of
Criminal Justice
The proponents of pot keep harping that
marijuana is less harmful than alcohol
There is plenty of evidence to the contrary.
The current issue of The California
Narcotic Officer reported a link between
the regular use of marijuana and the early onset of psychotic disorders.
The study proved that users who
smoked two joints of marijuana a day
developed psychotic disorders an average 2.7 years earlier than people who
did not use pot. On the other hand, alcohol was found not to be associated with
early onset of mental disorders. The
report was published in the June 2011
issue of Archives of General Psychiatry
and concluded that the results “provide
evidence for a relationship between cannabis use and earlier onset of psychotic
illness.” The study was conducted by
researchers in England, Australia and
the United States.
I know that the pro-pot crowd will say
that this is just some more phony crap
put out by the narcs, but that’s not what
the scientific research shows.
Another recent study reported that
among 190 patients with schizophrenia, 121 of whom had used marijuana,
cannabis appeared to affect the age of
psychosis onset in a subgroup of 44 patients. The affected patients either had
their first symptoms within a month of
smoking pot for the first time, or experienced a severe worsening of psychotic
symptoms each time they smoked. That
study was conducted by Marie-Odile
Krebs, professor of psychiatry at the
National Institute of Health and Medical Research (INSERM) laboratory in
France, and her colleagues.
There have been many other studies
that have indicated a link between pot
use and the onset of psychotic disorders.
And what about the problem of driv-
fornia alone, nearly 1,000 deaths and
injuries each year are blamed directly
on drugged drivers, according to CHP
data. Law enforcement puts much of
the blame on the rapid growth of medical marijuana use in the last decade.
“Marijuana is a significant and important contributing factor in a growing number of fatal accidents,” said Gil
Kerlikowske, director of National Drug
Control Policy in the White House and
former Seattle police chief. “There is
no question, not only from the data but
from what I have heard in my career as
a law enforcement officer.”
But none of all that deters the pot
crowd from there relentless onslaught
with the myth of marijuana being less
harmful than alcohol.
Now what about all those glowing tributes put out by the proponents
of medical marijuana? Well, the feds
strongly contend that marijuana has no
legitimate place in medicine.
Last July, the federal government ruled
that marijuana has no accepted medical
use and should remain classified as a
highly dangerous drug like heroin. In
a letter, DEA Administrator Michele M.
Leonhart declared that marijuana “has a
high potential for abuse,” “has no currently accepted medical use in treatment in the United States” and “lacks
accepted safety for use under medical
supervision.” The letter and 37 pages of
supporting documents were published
in the Federal Register.
Despite all the studies showing that
marijuana is not the benign substance
its users and proponents claim, there is
a good chance that the idiot voters of
California will approve a measure to legalize pot. But even if they don’t, for
all practical purposes, pot has already
been legalized by the way the medical
marijuana law is being perverted by prescribing doctors, marijuana growers and
pot dispensers.
TOM ESTEP
FUGITIVES
WANT
GALVESTON COUNTY
Concealed Handgun Training
If you have informationPhotos
on any&ofFingerprints
these wanted fugitives c
Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
409-766-2322 or 1-866-2
included
Ammo Available
$95
All Inclusive
www.tomestepshooting.com
BOYD, ALEXA M
AKA TALLANT, ALEXIS
W F 12/06/1988
TAT L LEG “DADDY’S GIRL”
TAT C NECK “J G W/ROSE”
LKA SAN LEON
ENDANGERING CHILD
281-455-0846
DELOSSANTOS, WILLIAM
W M 06/05/1987
PIERCED NOSE
LKA SANTA
Serving Galveston
forFE100+ years!
POSS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
** ESCAPE RISK**
www
Downtown Galveston:
222 Kempner
Galveston TX 77550
409-763-4641
Fax: 409-762-2158
FERNANDEZ, LINDSEY ALEXANDER
W F 11/08/1984
TAT R LEG TAT R HIP
TAT L CALF TAT R CALF
LKA SEABROOK
POSS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
Galveston
West End:
GONZALES,
FERNANDO
BERNARDO
FM 3005
W13680
M 05/11/1976
Galveston
TX 77554
LKA BACLIFF
409-737-1488
SEXUAL ASSAULT CHILD
Fax: 409-737-9146
ING
s
R
'
E
T
a
CA
l
l
&
e URANT
Voted Best Italian
B
Restaurant & Friendliest
DLIAiN RESTA
I TA
Closed Mondays
DEBRA KAY
Tues. RICHARDSON,
– Fri.············Lunch
11 – 2 p.m.
W F 01/01/1962
Tues.TAT
­– Thurs.······Dinner
5 – 10 p.m.
LR LEG SMALL FLAME
Fri. – Sat.·············Dinner
5 – 11 p.m.
TAT BOTH EYEBROWS
Sunday··················Dinner
LKA LEAGUE CITY5 – 10 p.m.
POSS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
See our Review at www.galvnews.com
Service in Galveston Co.
RUDD, JAMES ANDREW
W M 06/18/1984
TAT UR ARM
Galveston
TAT BACK – TAT NECK
LKA LEAGUE CITY
POSS CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE
31st & Avenue P
409-763-9036
TAT
TAT
TAT
61st Street
Diner
Breakfast
Lunch
Burgers
Open 6 am–
2 pm Daily
A Galveston Legend
1017 61st Street
409-974-4227
Seawall at 89th street – Galveston
M ov i e H o t l i n e : 4 0 9 - 74 1 - 170 0
Featuring the latest in stadium-seating, comfortable
high-back rocking seats and DTS digital sound Systems.
— Lobby ATM — All major credit cards accepted
All “R” rated Movies Require an ID – Visit us @ www.pccmovies.com
FREE LARGE DRINK WITH PURCHASE
MATINEE
$5.75 ANY SHOW PRIOR TO 6:00 P.M.
OF A SMALL POPCORN
The Police News - Page 9
C
re
401
Greater Houston COPS to Meet
E. R. Johnson
Family Mortuary
Eddie R. Johnson
Owner/Funeral Director
ESCO PEST CONTROL
Cremation, Monuments, Pre-Arrangements,
Insurance and Notary Services
WDI Inspections
Termites - Rodents
Roaches - Ants - Fleas
Birds - Trapping
“ Quality, Distinctive, Professional Service
3828 Avenue O/PO Box 5
Galveston, TX 77550-6626
Ph: 409-762-8470
Fax: 409-762-8480
Email: [email protected]
409-737-3200
Steve Spicer – Owner
9355 Jamaica Beach
Galveston, TX 77554
www.escopestcontrolinc.com
CREATIONS UPHOLSTERY
David Gillioz, Owner
409-927-2747
12531-1/2 FM 1764 – Santa Fe, TX 77510
Boats - Motorcycles - Jeeps - Pickups - Convertibles
Automotive - Commercial - Marine - Residential
Come see us
for all your
Upholstery
Needs!
Ask people why they have deer heads on their walls and they will tell you it’s because they’re such
beautiful animals. I think my wife is beautiful, but I only have photographs of her on the wall.
Greater Houston Concerns of Police
Survivors will host its annual meeting
on Sunday, February 12th beginning
at 2:00 p.m. The chapter elections will
also take place during this meeting and
the position of Secretary is open for
election. If you have considered being
a part of the local board and have questions or would like to run for the position please let me know. Serving on the
board is a rewarding experience and is a
great way to serve the other survivors in
the 38 county service area.
The meeting will be held in the Breckenridge Porter Building located at 1600
State Street, Houston, 77007.
Come, bring a snack to share and fellowship with other survivors.
Cathy J Hill
Mountain Region Trustee
281.300.4131
www.nationalcops.org
www.odmp.org/officer.php?oid=15481
nternational
Tony’s Car
Care
nternational
Car Care
409-763-1515
BACK IN
Since 1994
BUSINESS
1328 Postoffice,
Serving Galveston County
Welcome all old and
Galveston
new
customers!
Serving
Galveston
Open
Mon-Fri.
8 - 5:30 County
pm
Since 1994
1328 Post Office St.
Galveston TX
409-599-3463
1328 Postoffice, Galveston
409-763-1515
Join the
HomeTown Team
Come home to HomeTown Bank, where we take a personal
interest in serving your family and commercial needs.
The HomeTown Team believes good banking means good
service, and as a community bank we take special pride in
our many contributions to the communities we serve.
Now with six full-service locations serving your needs,
including our newest bank in Downtown Friendswood:
Galveston: 1801 45th St. • 45th & Seawall Blvd.
Friendswood: 3211 FM 528 • 601 S. Friendswood Drive
League City: 1406 W. Main • Alvin: 1050 North Bypass 35
Main Bank Phone: (409) 763-1271 • Seawall Branch: (409) 763-5252
Internet: www.htbna.com
Page 10 - The Police News
WANTED FUGITIVES
Galveston County
Galveston County Sheriff’s Office
409-766-2322 or 1-866-248-8477
!
CONLEY, SHARON ANN
AKA: NIXON, SHARON ANN
BF 07/24/1957
506/180 BLK/BRO
TAT L FOREARM-DISC L SHOULDER
SC R SHOULDER-SC RF ARM -SC R WRIST,
DISC BACK
LKA: GALVESTON
FELONY THEFT
CONLEY, NATHAN
AKA: HILL, RAYDRICK
BM 10/01/1986
600/155 BLK/BRO
TAT UR NECK-TAT RIGHT EYE
TAT LEFT ARM-TAT RIGHT HAND
LKA: GALVESTON
BOND JUMPING
POSS MARIJUANA
FULLER, CHERYL
BF 04/14/1954
504/185 BLK/BRO
LKA: LEAGUE CITY
AGG ASSAULT DEADLY WEAPON
FULLER,, TERRON D’AUN
BM 08/06/1991
602/200 BLK/BRO
LKA: GALVESTON
BURG HABITATION
Benefit for Reserve Deputy J. Hathhorn
February 11, 2012 at 11am
Join us for a benefit for Reserve Deputy J. Hathhorn. Two days
after Christmas Deputy Hathhorn was hospitalized for a possible
GI bleed and bowel obstruction. Deputy Hathhorn had to have
exploratory surgery to determine where the bowel obstruction was
located. After having surgery, he had complications, and an
infection set in at the incision site. Deputy Hathhorn spent a total
of twenty three days in the hospital. Deputy Hathhorn does not
have insurance and has not worked in over a month. Please
come and join us at The Galloway School 3200 West Bay Area
Blvd Friendswood Texas! There will be a car show, and BBQ
plates sold for $10.00 dollars a plate. All donations will be
accepted! A PayPal account has been set up for cash donations,
call 713-261-5086 for more information. All proceeds will go
directly to the Hathhorn family. Thanks for your support!
A Real Story...Cont. from pg 7
GLENN, JOHNNIE III
BM 07/26/1974
600/232 BLK/BRO
TAT BOTH ARMS & FOREARMS
TAT CHEST-TAT ABDOM-TAT BACK
LKA: GALVESTON
FELONY THEFT
GROOM, DIONELL RAYSHAWN
AKA: DNELL
BM 09/04/1981
510/150 BLK/BRO
PRCD L EAR-TAT BOTH ARMS,
& SHLDERS, CHEST, STOMACH, L
NECK,FOREARMS, L WRIST, SC BACK,
SC L WRIST
LKA: GALVESTON
ASSAULT FAMILY VIOLENCE
LUNDY, JUNE MARIE
BF 06/26/1986
505/314 BLK/BRO
TAT R WRIST, LEFT WRIST
TAT R ANKLE, R FORARM, L WRIST
LKA: GALVESTON
DRUG POSSESSION
BOND JUMPING - FELONY THEFT
MCAFEE, SHANNON LEE
AKA: ROOSTER
WM 02/06/1985
602/195 BRO/BLU
TAT R ANKLE, CHEST, L FOOT, UL ARM, UR
ARM, L LEG, NECK, R FOREARM, R HAND,
LEFT HAND
LKA: GALVESTON
FAILURE TO REGISTER AS SEX OFFENDER
VALDILLEZ, JESSE JR
WM 08/03/1988
508/165 BLK/BRO
TAT L HAND, UR ARM, L FOREARM, L
ANKLE, L CHEST, UL ARM, UR ARM, BOTH
FOREARMS
LKA: GALVESTON
UNAUTHORIZED USE MOTOR VEHCILE
RESIDENCE BURGLARY
ZAMORA, DAVID ALAN
W/M 01/11/1983
510/170 BLK/BRO
TAT LOWER STOMACH, UPPER BACK,
R CHEST, L FOREARM, L CHEST,
R SHOULDER
LKA: GALVESTON
AGG ASSAULT WITH A DEADLY
WEAPON
I began looking through the passenger
compartment. I needed to check his
back pocket, where I keep mine. When
I pulled him from the wreckage, his legs
were still in his jeans, and covered by a
cup of coffee.
That was the only real similarity to the
guy at the cafe. I must have zoned out
for a minute. My wife called my name a
few times before I returned back to the
real world and heard her. She became
upset at me when I told her I wasn’t
thinking about anything, and accused
me a looking at a girl across the room.
I didn’t want to tell her I was thinking about how I pieced a poor guy back
together, who’s intestines were thrown
about the inside of his car. Didn’t think
it was good table talk. I smiled, held her
hand, and told her how glad I was to be
spending time with her.
As a rookie, I used to have breakfast
at the end of my graveyard shift with a
wise, gray-haired officer on the verge of
retirement. He didn’t speak much, but
everyone knew that his word was policy, if not law. He told me to start jotting
down some of the things I see at work
in a diary. He said I could write a book
some day with the material.
In that first year, I saw so much pain,
suffering, and dysfunction. I thought it
was so profound, that these events would
permanently be etched into my memory.
As the years passed, all the names and
faces began to melt together, and blur.
They started to look all the same.
Today, I think I am one of those guys
who have forgotten more about death,
suffering, and dysfunctional people,
than most people ever see in a lifetime.
I never kept a diary like he insisted. I
always thought diaries were for girls.
Now, the memories come back to me
at the weirdest times. Like when I’m at
a cafe, having coffee with my wife.
Cop Killer To Die
February 29th
On a life sentence from El Paso County
for 13 counts of aggravated kidnapping with a
deadly weapon,
4 counts of aggravated robbery
with a deadly
weapon, and one
count of burglary
of a habitation,
George
Rivas
was serving a life
sentence and had
George Rivas
escaped
from
prison when he
and 6 co-defendants robbed a sporting
goods store at gunpoint.
An Irving police officer was murdered
outside the store as Rivas and co-defendants fled the scene.
The Police News - Page 11
Free Tax Preparation!
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
Program will help prepare basic 2011
tax returns for individuals, families
and seniors FREE of charge.
Frank's
PAINT & BODY SHOP
IRS-certified tax preparers are available to
help you get the refund you deserve. Come
and see if you qualify for the Earned Income
Tax Credit - or any other credit. This could
mean a refund of more than $4,000!
TO QUALIFY, YOU MUST EARN $50,000 OR LESS.
CALL FOR AN APPOINTMENT (409)765-6067.
Complete Auto Body & Collision Repair
Frame Repair - Custom Body & Paint Work
We Do It All - Insurance Claims Welcome
Free Estimates - All Work Guaranteed
2027 39th, Galveston
409-762-4106
www.coastalcommunityfcu.org
Galveston Branch
69th Street Branch
2421 69th Street, Galveston, TX 77551
409-741-9695
579541-Coastal Community-1228.indd 1
Main Office
2302 Church Street, Galveston, TX 77550
409-765-6067
800-256-0831• Fax 409-765-9853
La Marque Branch
2600 F.M. 1764
La Marque, TX 77568
409-986-6595 • Fax 409-986-4963
12/23/11 12:35 PM