Condemned man shows no remorse before being put to death.
By Juan A. Lozano
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Thursday, March 16, 2006

HUNTSVILLE � A former Marine was executed Wednesday night for the death of a Chicago-area woman who was shot and killed along with a friend during a robbery outside a Northwest Dallas theater in August 1997.

"I love my family," Tommie Hughes, 31, said in his final statement.

Local Austin morning talk radio (KBLJ-AM 590) had a student participant in this program on air this morning.

She was from Oregon, and she said she came here to Austin for spring break "because I care about you, and I want to help you." And she told them about all the neat things she had been learning at the "classes" offered while she was here, such as that Texas has executed several innocent people, and that people commit murders because they have no jobs and no health care, and implying that if we addressed those causes, we wouldn't have to have a death penalty.

Wouldn't it be nice to be 20 years old again and have all the answers?

Altruism? It must be wonderfully uplifting to leave your perfect home state to help out a third world state like Texas. You're right, Shannon, twenty was a great age to know it all. Still, I commend the student on trying to make a difference somewhere.

ah, when I was twenty....I attended a *super* liberal arts college in New York and I knew it ALL. I remember getting into very heated "discussions" with my extraodinarily patient father (at the time a federal agent) about how could he entrap, oppress, etc. those poor drug smuggers. We look back on that now and laugh....

The little gal from Oregon at least has an opinion even if brainwashed into it by the "classes." Most 20's spend their time wondering whether Jessica and Nick will get back together , what Paris is wearing , what 50 Cent (Is that correct?) will sing (Does he sing? ) et cetera.

So let her come to Texas and work on her tan. At least it sounds like she is passionate about an issue that matters in our society.

Your point is well taken, John. In a debate with the potential for heated escalation like that over the death penalty, it is inherently easy to objectify and demonize the opposition, many of whom may be sincerely holding to their personal belief structure. But that doesn't mean that both sides aren't sincere in their beliefs. Unfortunately, human nature is such that appeals to visceral beliefs and sentimentality often will overcome rational arguments. Consider some jury arguments that have worked despite factual support to the contrary. The challenge to those on the front lines of supporting the death penalty is to frame an argument in its favor that delivers the underlying rational support but also tames the indigestion caused by opposition arguments founded primarily upon emotion. Here, statistics are only part of the equation. It must be recognized that the sound byte is a powerful weapong in this day and age. Personal accountability and protection of society also are key. And, like any other debatable issue, we should recognize that you're not going to convert everyone. But you need to maintain the favor of the majority.

And speaking of potential for heated escalation, if the young woman from Oregon really wanted to help her neighbors in need, perhaps she and her friends should send the money it costs to "save Texas from itself" to the Red Cross to aid those ravaged by the wildfires up here. Fire, like many criminals, cares none about innocence or justice in its destructive course.

Gee - I remember when I was Don Quixote and ready to take on those windmills. I graduated from high school and got my undergrad degree in California. While I was probably conservative in comparison to many of my peers, I was certainly more liberal than my family.

But - is there one among us who would not agree that the system could improve? And - don't many of those improvements come from the fire and enthusiasm of these young idealists? When I first started as a prosecutor, I was ready to change the world; now all I see is the dust of county roads.....

i appreciate the comments about young idealists wanting to change the world. I, too, would like to change the world if it would let me sleep late on Saturdays. but isn't the ultimate goal of this rock-the-death-penalty to destroy it altogether rather than fix the system? the endgame is not to say that the death penalty is warranted in some instances. at the bottom of the argument is that the death penalty is always bad because Texas prosecutors insist on executing innocent people (which is why we appointing Rain Man a sleeping civil lawyer so we can all have a barbeque while the prison guards inject him with drano). the woman from Oregon who wants to come down here and help us because she cares gets points for caring (which there is precious little of in this world), but if she were really concerned about poverty why not try to fix that instead of using the existence of a huge, possibly unfixable problem as a justification for attacking the death penalty.

Caring is great. On that we all can agree. Like being opposed to cancer. For that, let's give our Oregon crusader a group hug. But if we concede that the system is unfixable, have we not ultimately conceded the fight? The problem with the young lady from the land of trees and water and her idealistic colleagues is the same one that bedevils most combatants in substantial controversies in America: it is the empty value of heaping criticism on a problem without offering a reasoned, workable solution to fix it. Thus framed, the MTVU crowd offers no more than empty rhetoric. Sure, their argument is "end the death penalty." But then what? Give everyone on the row at Polunsky (keepin' it real, A.P.) a "get out of jail free" card because they've had a hard life? To offer ending poverty as the only solution is no different than offering the total elimination of disease as the fix for soaring health care costs. At least those who offer ideas for procedural changes to ensure fairness are keeping the debate on the relevant playing field, whatever the ultimate merits of their suggestions may be.

But I'm a big First Amendment fan, so I hope the MTV crowd had a good time, took home a few t-shirts, spent a few dollars to jack up the Austin economy and, more importantly, cultured a drive to continue to think and speak (perhaps as time goes by in a more informed and reasoned manner) on this issue of critical importance to society. Debate is good, even if it isn't always well executed. And I promise this will be my last post on this thread. But I had to get to 500 somehow.

Attention poor people, rich people, bad cops, college students, over-extended housewives who want to be Jessica, firemen and others in the human race:

If you're in Texas and you kill someone under the provisions of the Texas Penal Code and Code of Criminal Procedure which outline and define the Capital Murder statute, you are subject to the death penalty. If you want to change your mind and simply torture and maim an innocent person or several of them, stopping just short of snuffing their life out, then be advised, you will NOT face the death penalty in Texas. You make the choice, because it's a free country and you have the freedom to choose. However, if you're from Oregon, New Hampshire, Dublin (Tx or Ireland) or anywhere else for which there might be a GPS calculation on this planet or beyond, remember that murders defined as Capital crimes in Texas are subject to, that's subject to, the death penalty.

And by the way, if you choose to commit capital murder and are caught, filed on, convicted and sentenced to death, there's a better than average chance that you will be executed.

Now, you can be poor and commit murder, or you can be poor and be honest and law-abiding. And, I hereby offer my services to anyone out there with a question as to whether the crime their planning falls under the capital provisions or not. If you're curious and can't get the answer from Oregonians, please call me at the Special Prosecution Unit, ext. 7. Press 1 for English, press 2 for poverty-speak, press # to listen to a phone tone.

Students take stand against death penalty

Published: March 16, 2006
Matt Pederson
Staff Reporter

Many college and high school students prefer to head somewhere tropical to spend their spring break, but a few came right here to Huntsville on Wednesday, and they came with a purpose.

Students from all over the state, and a few from across the country, flocked to Huntsville to take part in a protest of the execution of Tommie Hughes. The event is part of the 2006 Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break, sponsored by Texas Students Against the Death Penalty.

Tommie Hughes, 31, was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Foluke Erinkitola. He robbed and then shot Erinkitola and her friend, Roxanne Mendoza, in their car after the women had watched a movie.

Hughes denied he killed the two women or planned the robbery and said his girlfriend at the time, Alina Henry, shot them in a jealous rage when she found him talking to the women.

Josh Tucker, a student at the University of Texas, came with the group Wednesday, because he believes it is time for him to make a difference in the way things are.

�I�ve seen some horrible things happen and seen people hurt, and I�ve been very angry,� Tucker said. �You see these things happen, and I had sort of a moment of pause and said, �Well, I can either act from this anger or I can stop and think about what solves the problem. I want to be part of the solution, not the problem.

�I think that because the death penalty is racist and because it unequally targets poor people, you�re looking at something that doesn�t solve the problem. You�re killing somebody to tell people we don�t kill people.�

During the day Wednesday, students visited the Texas Present Museum and heard a lecture from the Rev. Carroll Pickett, a former death house chaplain at the Huntsville �Walls� Unit. Pickett ministered to 95 men on the final day of their lives and was present in the chamber during their executions. He drew heavily on his own experience in talking to the students about spending time with prisoners during their last days.

Joel Pasley and Angela Martellaro are high school students who came all the way from Shawnee, Kan., to spend their spring break fighting the death penalty.

In attending the lectures and learning about the system, Pasley said he was most shocked to learn about the condition the prisoners live in.

�Some people have letters from pen pals about the conditions,� Pasley said. �For just minor things, their clothes were taken away and their meals were taken away and it really surprised me that in the United States that would go on. It seems like something that would go on in another era in another country.�

Martellaro said her vacation has so far been a learning experience for her in which her beliefs were even more firmly ground.

�We all had a simple understanding of the problems with the death penalty and after coming here, we�ve learned so much in detail about what goes on with capital punishment,� Martellaro said. �It�s just been so educational, because we all are in agreement that it is wrong and there are problems with the system, and this has been so specific, with so much information, that it really strengthened my beliefs.�

By listening, learning and participating, Pasley is hoping to go back home with a better understanding of how to fight what he believes to be an unjust policy.

�I want to learn how to petition to get a moratorium on the death penalty in Kansas,� Pasley said. �Even though it�s suspended right now, why wait until somebody is executed to try and save more lives.�

Dear TDCAA members,

I hope everybody is doing great. I am new and I apologize if I don't know anything about the people that post in this community. So can somebody please let me know that is everybody in here an attorney or Prosecutor?

I see many negative reviews for the spring break and I believe there is a big misunderstanding. First of all I would like to thank "Ray" for his comment about the spring break and the discourse. I am really glad that some of the prosecutors are interested to have a discourse on this issue. Unlike what some of you might think, I believe and respect the prosecutors as an important part of the criminal justice system. After all you are the people that try to present the case again the “bad guys.”
Yes, we are a group of students that think we can spend our free time during spring break to do something more positive than getting drunk at South Padre. MTV is not sponsoring any of our activities. They were interested about our program and asked us if they can send a producer to Austin and shoot our alternative spring break. MTV sent two of their crew to travel with us for the week and make a short film for the mtvU 06 Spring break. Like most of you I never watch MTV and also hate rappers. lol

Hooman Hedayati
President, Texas Students Against the Death Penalty
www.texasabolition.org

Dear Shannon and others,

I think there is something that you all need to know about Audrey who was interviewed at KLBJ last week. Her name is Audrey Lamm and she is a senior at the University of Oregon. When Audrey was two years old her mother and her mother’s friend were murdered in Nebraska, and Audrey was in the building when the killing took place. The killer was apprehended, tried, convicted and sentenced to death. Several years ago, as the date of execution for her mom's killer approached, Audrey and her father, Gus, became involved in an effort to prevent the killer's execution. The Killer, Randy Reeves, had his life spared and is now serving life in prison instead of facing execution.

I was very surprised that the three hosts at the radio station never mentioned this even though they knew her story. When they called me they asked me if they can interview some of the students that traveled to Texas and talk about the spring break and why they came to Austin. The plan was that I go to the radio station with Audrey. Then they changed their mind and decided that they want to interview only one person over the phone. The hosts already knew that Audrey’s mother was murdered and she is from Oregon and doesn’t know too much in detail about the Texas death penalty system, Ruben Cantu, Rodney Reed and etc. I am an anti-death penalty activist, but I don’t know too much about the death penalty system in other states such as Oregon. But during the show they acted like that they didn’t know any of these things and didn’t let her to mention it. I remember that after the interview somebody called and said something like, “What if her mother was murdered? Would she still be against the death penalty?”
The three radio hosts never mentioned the fact that YES, HER MOTHER WAS MURDERED. SHE IS A MUDER VICTIM FAMILY MEMBER AND STILL OPPOSED TO THE DEATH PENALTY.

At last, something upon which both sides of this debate can agree:

The press sucks.




"We do not need a censorship of the press. We have a censorship by the press." -- G.K. Chesterton, 'Orthodoxy,' 1908

Yep, not only does the media report things inaccurately, it also hinders reasonable discourse, and with its ill-thought-out editorials even causes unneccessary sparring. Talk about rainmaking!

Perhaps a few of these students so opposed to the death penalty could meet a few crime victims whose lives have been ruined by heartless killers, and who achieved some form of closure through the execution of the killer.

I myself, as many of you know, lost a good friend, courtroom prosecution partner and one of our brother prosecutors nine years ago. I, along with many others of his friends, co-workers and family, were severely affected by this crime.

I can truly say that watching the needle take the life of the killer of Gil Epstein personally gave me immense immediate closure and indeed, gave a large part of my life back to me. As for me, the death penalty in this situation worked pretty damn well. And the execution of Gil's killer means, with absolute certainty, that his killer would've never caused another person's family and friends the pain we were not spared. And like many others who were Gil's friends or family, I would have had no qualms about pushing the plunger myself.

I've never prosecuted a death penalty case, but as a career prosecutor would if the situation arises. But perhaps if these students were genuine about getting the full story on capital punishment and really have an open mind, they might like to spend a week or two visiting with homicide detectives, see a couple of autopsies, meet the survivors of homicide victims and advocates like PMC and Justice for All, and finally perhaps view the actual prosecution of a heinous killer to see what these individuals they have hoisted onto a pedestal have wrought with their acts.

I struggled with whether or not I would respond or post again in this thread. I'm glad you did. You carry my own personal sentiment and expressed yourself with restraint. I wouldn't have been able to write a well reasoned and explained point of view without unnecessary sarcasm and acidity until next week. (See Shannon? I can edit my own stuff every now and then. )

While I see PersianCowboy's point of view, I believe that the limited experience of his friend, Audrey, doesn't quite capture the scope of these circumstances. While her life was irrevocably changed by murder, she was of such a tender age, her experience is different and does not represent the entire class of 'murder victims'.

Clearly, P.C. is a well spoken, thoughtful individual. He's used his own name and explained his positions. I appreciate P.C.'s not hiding behind an anonymous login as so many 'outside of TDCAA' posters often do. But, I really think he should take some of Greg's thoughts to heart.

P.C. : Were you to enter here having observed and experienced some of the things he's discussed and still persevered in your opinions, I'd simply politely agree that you are on equal footing and disagree with your conclusion. At this point, I really am uncertain that your exposure to the topic qualifies you as an expert on the subject. By no means do I intend disrespect to you individually.

However, watching some of these students have opinions on the death penalty I'm reminded of a highschool activist who carried an opinion on the Viet Nam war after watching the movie Platoon.

At the bottom of this whole argument about the death penalty is the sincere belief that the other side is wrong. Unfortunately, no manner of evidence (statistical or anecdotal) or recounting of deeply-felt home-truths is going to change either side's position. At the risk of sounding like Terry Breen, Could we please just stop now and trust that these students will (as they grow older) realize that they are simply wrong? Don't argue or try to convince them. None of this agree to disagree crap. They are simply wrong.

[This message was edited by David Newell on 03-23-06 at .]

Obviously an eye-for-an eye doesn't justify the death penalty to those who oppose it. Also, any general deterrence may be minimal. But, it is unequivocal that those executed will not commit another offense. That's what it took to stop McDuff...... and many others.

[This message was edited by John Stride on 03-23-06 at .]

Dear Greg,

If you would like to put me in contact with a few victim families, I would love to arrange a meeting with them invite other students and hear their side of story too. Audrey Lamm might be a 20 years old hippie from Oregon. But I have seen many other murder victim family members who opposed the death penalty. However that’s right that they are only a minority group of murder victim family members, but their numbers are not few.

Also our sister organization Texas Moratorium Network is hosting a death penalty art show which is an international, all-media, juried art show to foster the creation of new artwork on the death penalty, to celebrate artwork that may already have been created and to encourage and enhance civic engagement and dialogue about the death penalty. We are looking for a prosecutor to come to one of the forum/panels and talk about his/her experience. So if you or anybody else is interested to come, please let me know. This is not an anti-death penalty art show. We have art shows from people for and against the death penalty. I see that you are from Bastrop County. So I was wondering what you think about Rodney Reed’s case. Do you think that he might be innocent or no?

Thanks

Hooman

«Life without parole could save millions of dollars. In other words, it's cheaper to lock 'em up and throw away the key. ... As violent crime continues to escalate, it's something to consider.»

«It is my own experience that those executed in Texas were not deterred by the existence of the death penalty law. I think in most cases you'll find that the murder was committed under severe drug and alcohol abuse.»
-- Jim Mattox, former Texas Attorney General, The Dallas Morning News