July 15 TEXAS: Actress visits death row inmate--Sarandon meets pen pal, set for execution Aug. 26 With a brisk walk, actress Susan Sarandon made an unannounced trip Wednesday to Texas to visit her pen pal a convicted murderer on death row. She had corresponded with the inmate, James Vernon Allridge III, for several years after buying some of the detailed drawings of flowers and animals he creates with colored pencils. Prison officials said she had only recently been put on his visitation list, and she would not tip her hand as to why she had come to see Allridge, who is scheduled for execution Aug. 26. "I'm trying to be as low-profile as possible. It fits the strategy at this time," Sarandon said, declining to comment further. She wore tennis shoes and a loose pants outfit without a belt to avoid setting off the metal detector. "Susan is just here for a visit. It's just communication between two friends," said David Atwood, founder of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty, after escorting Sarandon to the prison near Livingston. "She just told him to stay strong, that she would pray for him and was thinking of him." He said they had discussed the possibility of her doing something on Allridge's behalf but "that will be left up to his attorneys." Sarandon became more acutely aware of the death penalty when she portrayed a nun who was a spiritual adviser to a death row inmate in Dead Man Walking, for which she earned a best actress Oscar in 1996. After the movie was released, she told the Houston Chronicle, "I've always thought intellectually that (the death penalty) didn't make sense. It's expensive; it's arbitrary and capricious; it's not a deterrent." She said the role crystallized her feelings to the point that she realized: "It's not important who is to die, but who is to kill and what it means to recognize the humanity in everyone. I feel more clearly now that there is no reason to kill." Wednesday, she did not want to publicly discuss her views. Allridge, who speaks to visitors by telephone through a Plexiglas barrier, had initially agreed to be interviewed by the Chronicle after Sarandon left. He later declined on the advice of his attorney. "It's not important who is to die, but who is to kill and what it means to recognize the humanity in everyone. I feel more clearly now that there is no reason to kill." The 41-year-old inmate has spent the past 17 years on death row much longer than the average inmate, including his older brother, Ronald, who was executed in 1995. James Allridge was sentenced to death for fatally shooting Fort Worth convenience store clerk Brian Clendennen while robbing the store of $300 in 1985. The same year, during another robbery, his brother fatally shot a 19-year-old diner at a fast-food restaurant. He shot her because she was "penniless," news accounts at the time said. Ronald had spent 3 1/2 years in prison in the late 1970s for killing a high school student and had been accused of killing the store manager of a pizza-delivery business where he worked, authorities said. "In 1985, the 2 brothers had gone on a spree of robberies and killings. Each was driving the getaway cars for the other when their capital murders happened," said Mike Parrish, the Tarrant County prosecutor in James Allridge's case. James Allridge knew his victim would recognize him because they had attended a management training school together, Parrish said. "He came out of the store and thought about it, but then went back inside to rob the place and shoot him," he said. Parrish said other robbery cases, including one in which Allridge allegedly pointed a gun at a 4-year-old, were dropped after the murder conviction. About Sarandon's visit, Parrish said, "Nothing surprises me anymore. Like all those people from Europe who send (Allridge) money. It's surreal." On a Web site where Allridge sells his art, he writes about his past and does not deny killing the clerk. "I'm not making excuses," he said. "But there was a lot of pressure from my older brother ... who was a diagnosed paranoid schizophrenic." He also expresses regret that anyone had to "lose their life for me to become the person I am today." He writes he has been rehabilitated and is no longer a danger to society. He, along with Atwood and Sarandon, wants his sentence commuted to life. "Susan has written to him for a number of years and sees him as a person who has changed and developed. She is impressed by his accomplishments like his art and intelligence," Atwood said. "I've never met any death row inmate that is more rehabilitated," he said. ******************* Judge rejects court of inquiry----Rules legal time frame has expired in ex-DNA lab chief's alleged perjury A court of inquiry that was to investigate problems related to the discredited Houston police DNA laboratory came to an abrupt end Wednesday with the release of a judge's ruling that the legal time frame had passed. In an order dated Monday, state District Judge Dean Rucker ruled that the statute of limitations has expired regarding an allegation that former Houston Police Department DNA lab chief James Bolding committed aggravated perjury during a June 2002 sexual assault trial. Transcripts from the trial of Keith Grimes indicate Bolding testified that he had a doctorate in biochemistry, which he does not. Defense attorney Butch Bradt, one of the lawyers who requested the rare court of inquiry, has maintained that Bolding exaggerated his qualifications to give his testimony more weight with the jury. Bolding has insisted that he never made the statement, blaming the confusion on a court reporter's mistake. He declined to comment Wednesday on Rucker's ruling. The determining factor for Rucker was the 2-year statute of limitations, which expired last month. "Even if this Court found probable cause that James Bolding committed the offense of perjury or aggravated perjury on June 14, 2002, and issued a warrant for his arrest, charges would be subject to dismissal because the statute of limitations has expired," the judge wrote. Rucker, of Midland, was appointed in June to oversee the case by Olen Underwood of Conroe, the presiding administrative judge of the Houston judicial district. State District Judge Jan Krocker of Houston had asked Underwood to convene a court of inquiry after she concluded there was compelling evidence that Bolding had committed aggravated perjury. TIMELINE The brief history of the court of inquiry: June 1 : State District Judge Jan Krocker rules there is probable cause that former Houston Police Department DNA lab chief Jim Bolding committed aggravated perjury. Krocker asks state District Judge Olen Underwood to appoint a judge to oversee a court of inquiry. June 15 : Underwood assigns state District Judge Dean Rucker to preside over the court. July 1 : Rucker convenes the court and hears oral arguments from attorneys. July 12 : Rucker signs an order terminating the court of inquiry. In addition to his ruling on the perjury issue, Rucker rejected a request by Bradt and two other local lawyers that the scope of the court of inquiry be expanded. They wanted the court to also explore allegations that two prosecutors with the Harris County District Attorney's Office solicited false testimony from witnesses in other cases. Rucker also rejected that idea, writing that "to continue the court of inquiry proceedings would constitute a waste of valuable resources." District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal had opposed convening the court, even though all of the local state criminal district judges had asked him to recuse himself and his office from any investigation of the police crime lab because of a possible conflict of interest. Rosenthal noted that the perjury allegations against Bolding already had been reviewed by at least two grand juries, which declined to issue indictments. He said Wednesday that Rucker's ruling was not unexpected. "I thought, to begin with, that the allegations were more (argumentative) than substantial," Rosenthal said. He added, however, that he does not believe the DNA lab debate will end now. Stan Schneider, president of the Harris County Criminal Lawyers Association, agreed. "There are more cases out there," Schneider said, although he would not elaborate. Kathryn Kase, one of the lawyers who originally requested a court of inquiry, also urged a closer review of DNA lab-related problems and the Harris County criminal justice system. "I think what's important to remember is that there has been a systemic failure here," said Kase, who is married to Houston Chronicle editor Jeff Cohen. "And a case-by-case review is obviously warranted. There has to be a systemic inquiry into what went wrong." The police DNA lab was shut down in December 2002 after an independent audit revealed poor scientific methods and substandard working conditions at the facility. The district attorney's office is reviewing evidence processed by the lab in almost 400 cases, and potential problems have been found in about 20 % of the almost 300 retests conducted thus far. (source for both: Houston Chronicle) OHIO: Volunteer never said why he killed girlfriend, daughter A man who killed his girlfriend and their daughter, then hid their bodies in the family apartment's refrigerator and freezer for a month, kept silent about his motives to the end. Stephen Vrabel, 47, was pronounced dead at 10:14 a.m. Wednesday at the Southern Ohio Correction Facility. He had asked to be executed for his two murder convictions, and was the 2nd death row inmate since 1999 to drop his appeals to speed the process. Vrabel gave his brief final statement in a clear voice: "I want to thank my sister for all the joy and happiness she brought into Lisa's life and I want to apologize to anyone I may have wronged in my life," he said. Although Vrabel confessed to shooting 29-year-old Susan Clemente and 3-year-old Lisa Clemente on March 3, 1989, he never gave a reason. Gov. Bob Taft declined Monday to stop Vrabel's execution. The Ohio Parole Board earlier voted against recommending clemency. Wilford Berry, dubbed "The Volunteer," was the 1st inmate executed after Ohio resumed carrying out the death penalty. Vrabel was the 13th man executed since 1999, and was the 5th this year. Another inmate who dropped his appeals is scheduled to be executed next Tuesday. Scott Mink, 40, pleaded guilty at trial to beating his parents to death with a ball-peen hammer while they slept. Vrabel's sister and nephew visited Tuesday and witnessed the execution Wednesday. Karen Koval blew him a kiss and whispered "I love you" after he was strapped to the gurney. Vrabel turned his head and gave his sister a big smile. He smiled at her again after making his statement. Vrabel began blinking rapidly, and after the drugs took effect, he breathed deeply 3 times, gasped twice, then took a series of shallow breaths. The execution team had trouble inserting a shunt into Vrabel's right arm before the execution and finally got it in after several tries. Koval sobbed quietly throughout the execution and leaned on her son, Greg Koval. Susan Clemente's father, son, two brothers and two brothers-in-law also witnessed the execution. The men were silent and did not show any emotion. Afterward, one of Clemente's brothers-in-law addressed the media, joined by 18 other family members and friends. "Susan and Lisa Clemente have finally been put to rest after 15 years of legal battles with the court system. They both can rest in peace now knowing that this nightmare has finally come to an end," Kenneth Kotouch said, standing near poster-sized photographs of the victims. "There were no winners today, there was only justice," he said. Vrabel has never said why he shot Susan Clemente in their apartment in the Youngstown suburb of Struthers. He said he shot their daughter - whom he described in an interview Friday as a "perfect child" - because she was "freaking out" about her mother's death and he thought killing her was best because her mother was dead and he was going to jail. Vrabel had bought the handgun that day. After the shootings, Vrabel fled the apartment but returned days later and placed Clemente's body in the refrigerator and Lisa's in the freezer along with her favorite stuffed animals, a bear and a bunny. Vrabel continued to live in the apartment for a month. A relative of Clemente's found the bodies when he went to the apartment to collect overdue rent money. When he learned of the discovery, Vrabel confessed to a priest and then to police. Vrabel worked various jobs, including as a floor stripper, gas station attendant and jewelry salesman. Clemente was a nursing home aide. After spending 5 years at a psychiatric center, Vrabel was ruled competent to stand trial in 1995 and was convicted of 2 counts of aggravated murder. At trial, Vrabel's attorneys tried to prove that he was insane and could not distinguish between right and wrong. Numerous issues were raised in his appeal, including that he was incompetent to stand trial. Vrabel had delusions that his attorneys were acting as spies, according to a 1990 psychiatrist's report. When Vrabel was later found competent, one expert concluded that Vrabel had faked his mental illness to avoid prosecution. The Ohio Supreme Court upheld Vrabel's death sentence by a 4-3 vote last year. Chief Justice Thomas Moyer argued that Vrabel didn't fall into the category of killers the state's death penalty was reserved for because of his mental health problems. (source: Associated Press)
