KiiiTV3.com South Texas, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend
I am now back from the vigil in Portland, TX. and I am glad I went down there to send the message that the nation is watching.
Later on today I will be reporting more on my experience down there. In the meantime, here is a story from the Corpus Christi ABC affiliate Kiii-TV:
PORTLAND (Kiii News) – Loved ones packed the Limbaugh Funeral Home Friday, at a memorial service for one of the victims in the violent shooting in Portland last weekend.
The shooting left 19-year old Mollie Olgin dead, and her girlfriend, 18-year old Mary Kristene Chapa, in critical condition. Both were found in a Portland park this past Saturday with gun wounds to the head.
Friday night’s memorial service was held for Olgin, whose death left many people in shock, including her friends, family and surrounding communities.
Olgin dreamed of one day becoming a psychiatrist, and just finished her first semester of college. Her friends said that, throughout high school, she was involved in band and the debate club.
It was last Friday night when Olgin and Chapa had plans to see a movie, but were early so they stopped at a park to burn some time. That was when the shooting occurred.
Chapa continues to recover.
Authorities investigating the attack said the motive remains unknown. Portland Police Chief Randy Wright said there was no evidence that suggested the women’s relationship had anything to do with the shooting. However, the crime has triggered an outpour of support around the country, people coming from as far away from Vermont to pay their respects.
On Thursday, police released a description of the suspect, describing the gunman as a 5-foot 8-inch tall, 140-pound white male in his 20s, with dark hair.
After the memorial, friends and family have planned a candlelight vigil at the very park where the young girls were found. It begins at 7 p.m. at Violet Andrews Park.
Nothing would suggest that the shootings had anything to do with their relationship as lesbians hey? No, just the two bullets in their heads for no other apparent reason. Seriously Chief Wright? Not the sharpest tool in the garage now are you?
I agree Kevin. While there is no evidence to suggest it was a hate crime, there is no evidence to suggest that it is not. And the nature of the crime increases the odds that it is a hate crime. I’m not thrilled about the way the Chief released his statement.
On the plus side, there was a lot of police activity at the scene throughout the day, so it is not being neglected.
I take these things very seriously, and personally. I work hard at articulating what the nature of hate crimes are, and their difference when it comes to gay victims especially.
Most other victims of ANY other crimes, never really have to worry about sympathy or neglect of their pain and worth.
But gay victims are suspect more than those who harm them, and it’s hard to know if those who ADJUDICATE the crime don’t carry as much bias as the perpetrators.
So it can’t be emphasized enough that a hate crime isn’t about ONLY the perpetrator’s motive, but those who investigate and sit on jurist and juror benches as well.
After all, why up until recently, has the accused literally only gotten a slap on the wrist for violence against gays and lesbians?
No matter how brutal, or unprovoked and pre meditated?
These poor, poor girls. The kind of monster who could walk up to two young teen girls, and blow their heads off, deserves NO LESS than the death penalty people.
And I have no problem with TX being a death penalty state on this one.
Regan, you are absolutely right. Such a cold blooded act, done because opportunity presented itself and hate gave way to reason, deserves to be answered with seeing the killer put to death.
RIP Mollie. May your killer be found and brought to justice.
This is a heinous, disgusting, senseless crime. The death penalty, however, is also disgusting. I also believe that giving the killer the death penalty would be too good for him. According to reports, he is a young man in his 20s. Once he is caught, let him spend the next fifty years of his life in a prison cell. Death would be an easy way out for him, and any society that kills is placing itself closer to the depraved level of those it claims to be punishing.
Chris, the fact is most of these life sentences get shortened and shortened and shortened. I agree that the death penalty is unevenly enforced against minorities and the poor, but if the evidence is beyond a shadow of doubt I am all for humane execution. Why should there ever be a risk of this joker ever injuring or killing another human being again? Death is the easy way out for murderer? If it were really the easy way out, many facing the death penalty would embrace it. They almost never do. If executions could be confined to those guilty beyond doubt (think Ted Bundy or John Wayne Gacy), I think their humane execution does society a great service. It shows that unprovoked taking of life and torture are so egregious and unacceptable that the perpetrator’s life is forfeit. I see no depravity in that at all frankly. No whether our highly politicized, racist system can ever be made that fair is another question indeed.
If there was REALLY such a thing as life without possibility of parole, that might be a compromise. If the lives of the innocent are really valuable though, it ought to be reflected in the severity of the consequences.