Town hall meeting held to discuss concerns from oil well blowout, see Page 8 Hightower and Bush had basketball playoff games. See how they did on page 6. (Photo by Bill McCaughey)
WEDNESDAY • FEBRUARY 28, 2018
Fort Bend / Southwest • Volume 40 • No. 29
Visit www.FortBendStar.com
Abbott spares Whitaker’s life at 11th hour RE-ELECT
CYNTHIA GINYARD CHAIRWOMAN
FORT BEND COUNTY DEMOCRATIC PARTY www.cynthiaginyardforcountychair.com
Early Voting February 20, 2018 to March 2, 2018 Election Day March 6, 2018
Father fought to save his son from state’s death chamber From staff reports
Political advertisement paid for by Cynthia Ginyard for County Chair
FOR THE FORT BEND STAR
ELECT
Gov. Greg Abbott last week issued an 11th-hour proclamation commuting the death sentence of Thomas Bartlett Whitaker of Sugar Land following a unanimous decision by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles. Whitaker will now serve life in prison without the possibility of parole. Abbott released the following statement: “As a former trial court judge, Texas Supreme Court Justice and Attorney General involved in prosecuting some of the most notorious criminals in Texas, I have the utmost regard for the role that juries and judges play in our legal system. The role of the Governor is not to second-guess the court process or re-evaluate the law and evidence. Instead, the Governor’s role under the Constitution is distinct from the judicial function. The Governor’s role is to consider recommendations by the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and view matters through a lens broader than the facts and law applied to a single case. That is particularly important in death penalty cases. “In just over three years as Governor, I have allowed 30 executions. I have not granted a commutation of
MARGARITA RUIZ JOHNSON
US House of Representative 22nd District of Texas US Army Veteran, Finance BA, UT Austin // MA, UH CLC margaritaruizjohnson.com margaritaruizjohnson@Elect2018 Early vote: February 20,2018 - March 2, 2018 Paid by Margarita Ruiz Johnson for Congress Campaign
Get out and vote March 6 Early voting for the Primary Election ends Friday, March 2. Election Day is Tuesday, March 6. Election results for Fort Bend County will be available online at www.fortbendstar. com and in the March 14 edition of the paper.
a death sentence until now, for reasons I here explain. “The murders of Mr. Whitaker’s mother and brother are reprehensible. The crime deserves severe punishment for the criminals who killed them. The recommendation of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles, and my action on it, ensures Mr. Whitaker will never be released from prison. “The decision of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles is supported by the totality of circumstances in this case. The person who fired the gun that killed the victims did not receive the death penalty, but Mr. Whitaker, who did not fire the gun, did get the death penalty. That factor alone may not warrant commutation for someone like Mr. Whitaker who recruited others to commit murder. Additional factors make the decision more complex. “Mr. Whitaker’s father, who survived the attempt on his life, passionately opposes the execution of his son. Mr. Whitaker’s father insists that he would be victimized again if the state put to death his last remaining immediate family member. Also, Mr. Whitaker voluntarily and forever waived any and all claims to parole in exchange for a commutation
SEE WHITAKER, PAGE 5
Don’t fence me in Cattlemen Patrick Hutchinson and Tony Montez confront farmers about fences across grazing pastures in a re-enactment of the fence-cutting war, held as part of Tales of Texas last weekend at George Ranch Historical Park in Richmond. The shoot-outs were staged several times each day of the event. (Photo by Joe Southern)
Wounded warrior takes case to Washington, D.C. Brown met with lawmakers to discuss veterans’ healthcare issues, problems with VA hospitals By Joe Southern JSOUTHERN@FORTBENDSTAR.COM
Gulf War veteran Curtis Brown of Richmond has gone to war for his country, now he’s at war with his country to try and improve services for his fellow wounded warriors. He recently went to Washington, D.C., where he charged onto a bureaucratic battlefield with the hopes of making life better for veterans struggling to get proper care in the Veterans Affairs hospitals. Specifically, he is
focused on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and addiction to opioid drugs used as painkillers. “These guys have left the battlefield to enter a new battlefield,” Brown said. It’s a battle he knows all too well. He has fought both wars. Brown was an E4 in the Army and served during the Gulf War in 1990-91 with the First Cavalry. He received two bronze service stars for his service, but while in Iraq he was exposed to chemicals that made him sick. In August of 1991 he was injured in
a training accident and medically discharged. For 18 years he suffered with chronic pain, PTSD and an addiction to the pain relievers, muscle relaxants and antidepressants the doctors at his Veteran’s Affairs hospital kept prescribing him. After 12 years, he and his wife, Heather, realized that the source of his pain was a broken neck and spine he suffered in the training
SEE PTSD, PAGE 9
Election profiles Congress, Court of Appeals, District Judge, State Board of Education
Position seeking: U.S. House District 22 Name: Pete Olson Political Party: Republican Age: 55 City of residence: Sugar Land Education: B.A. Rice University, J.D. University of Texas Qualifications for this position: Represent the people of the 22nd District of
Position seeking: U.S. House District 22 Name: James Green Political Party: Republican Age: 46 City of residence: Sugar Land Education: BS/AS liberal studies (political science)/ nuclear engineering technology Qualifications for this position: 20 years leadership
Position seeking: U.S. House District 22 Name: Danny Nguyen Political Party: Republican Age: 51 City of residence: Missouri City Education: Graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in business, attended the Master’s degree program and later obtained certification as a Certified Commercial
Position seeking: U.S. House District 22 Name: Eric Zmrhal Political Party: Republican Age: 33 City of residence: Katy Education: BS, Mechanical Engineering (Miami University) Qualifications for this position: I have been involved in the community at many levels: I have been a Precinct Chair, I am a member of the
Position seeking: U.S. House District 22 Name: Steve Brown Political Party: Democrat Age: 42 City of residence: Missouri City Education: B.A. in political science from North Carolina A&T State University Graduate Studies in Urban & Minority Politics at the University of New Orleans (all
It’s the homestretch of the 2018 Primary elections with less than a week to go before Election Day on March 6. Early voting ends Friday, March 2. This week the Fort Bend Star concludes its candidate profiles of contested races with a look at U.S. House District 22, the First Court of Appeals, Place 7, 14th Court of Appeals, Place 3 and Place 8, 268th Judicial District judge, and State Board of Education, District 4. Incumbent Pete Olson is seeking re-election to U.S. House District 22 and is being challenged in the Republican Primary by Danny Nyuyen, Eric Zmrhal, and James Green. The Democratic Primary features Letitia Plummer, Margarita Ruiz Johnson, Sri Preston Kulkarni, and Steve Brown. (Plummer and Kulkarni did not respond to the candidate questionnaire.) The First Court of Appeals, Place 7 race features Republicans Katy Boatman and Terry Yates. The winner will face Democrat Julie Countiss in November. Democrats Jerry Zimmerer and Joseph R. Willie II are running for 14th Court of Appeals, Place 3. The winner will face Republican Brett Busby in November. (Zimmerer did not respond to
SEE OLSON, PAGE 3
SEE GREEN, PAGE 3
SEE NGUYEN, PAGE 3
SEE ZMRHAL, PAGE 3
SEE BROWN, PAGE 4
Position seeking: U.S. House District 22 Name: Margarita Ruiz Johnson Political Party: Democrat Age: 69 City of residence: Pearland Education: BA from University of Texas at Austin, MA from University of Houston, CLC Qualifications for this position: Strategic Planning, US Army
Position seeking: First Court of Appeals, Place 7 Name: Katy Boatman Political Party: Republican Age: 35 City of residence: Houston Education: Texas A&M University, with honors, 2004; Baylor University School of Law, with honors, 2008 Qualifications for this position: I have completed two appellate clerkships,
Position seeking: First Court of Appeals, Place 7 Name: Terry Yates Political Party: Republican Age: 52 City of residence: Bellaire Education: University of Texas at Austin (1987); University of Houston Law Center (1989) Qualifications for this position: 28 years practicing law; Former prosecutor and current Judge, City of West
Position seeking: 14th Court of Appeals, Place 8 Name: Margaret “Meg” Poissant Political Party: Democrat Age: City of residence: Houston Education: University of Houston Law School - JD; LeMoyne College - BS Qualifications for this position: I have experience with appeals involving issues
Position seeking: 14th Court of Appeals, Place 8 Name: Michele Chimene Political Party: Democrat Age: 60 City of residence: Houston Education: A.B. in geology from Dartmouth College; J.D. from University of Houston Law Center Qualifications for this position: 25 years as an appellate attorney, having
SEE CANDIDATES, PAGE 4
SEE JOHNSON, PAGE 4
SEE BOATMAN, PAGE 4
SEE YATES, PAGE 4
SEE POISSANT, PAGE 4
SEE CHIMENE, PAGE 4