TX - James Byrd Jr dragged to death in Jasper, 7 June 1998

Casshew

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JASPER -- The gravesite of a black man who was dragged to death in 1998 by three white men was found desecrated Thursday, police said.

An obscenity and racial epithet were carved into a small metal plate on the bottom of the broken tombstone of James Byrd Jr. Byrd's name and birthdate were engraved on the plate.

Jasper Police Chief Stanley Christopher told Beaumont television station KFDM that that the case is being investigated as criminal mischief.

So far no arrests, Christopher said.

Three white men were convicted for Byrd's gruesome death. Two were sent to Texas death row, while the third received a life prison term.

The victim's mother, Stella Byrd, said the family was upset that the gravesite had been disturbed.

"I don't know what to think about it," Mrs. Byrd said. "They've done enough to him already. I don't think it's kids who did this. It's upsetting. We hoped he could rest in peace."

Two people who were at the Jasper City Cemetery on Thursday afternoon, tending to a relative's gravesite, noticed the damage, police said.

The desecration apparently happened in the past couple of days, according to Christopher.

The granite headstone, putting Byrd's date of birth as May 2, 1949, was broken from its base, according to KFDM.

The site has been fingerprinted by Jasper police.

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/metropolitan/2554593
 
Remember this one...I forgot until I saw the article. I remember how I felt when it happened. Two of the guys are on death row and the other got life in prison. It still makes me sick reading this. I'm actually suprised that they are still alive and didn't get what they deserved in prison. :behindbar

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25008925/

JASPER, Texas - Ten years after James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death down a three-mile stretch of country road simply because he was black, some things have changed in Jasper.
 
I was just thinking of this poor man the other day! What a sad story.
 
Remember this one...I forgot until I saw the article. I remember how I felt when it happened. Two of the guys are on death row and the other got life in prison. It still makes me sick reading this. I'm actually suprised that they are still alive and didn't get what they deserved in prison. :behindbar

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25008925/

JASPER, Texas - Ten years after James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death down a three-mile stretch of country road simply because he was black, some things have changed in Jasper.

If they're on death row, they're getting closer to their execution time. It doesn't take decades in Texas to get executed, it's a matter of running through the appeals, and once those are exhausted, the clock moves quickly.

If we don't have any knee-jerk reactionary lawsuits filed, that is. They just halted an execution this week over the issue of the drug combination.

Once that's settled, look for these guys to be back in the news as their execution date looms. This ain't California where you live out your life on Death Row.
 
I was in the hospital in San Antonio Texas with my son when this happened. I remember lying in my hospital bed and watching the news..I will never forget it or the pain it brought me.
 
Remember this one...I forgot until I saw the article. I remember how I felt when it happened. Two of the guys are on death row and the other got life in prison. It still makes me sick reading this. I'm actually suprised that they are still alive and didn't get what they deserved in prison. :behindbar

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25008925/

JASPER, Texas - Ten years after James Byrd Jr. was dragged to death down a three-mile stretch of country road simply because he was black, some things have changed in Jasper.

I remember reading about his horrible death and how Byrd's remains were found scattered in 75 places along the twisting path.:mad: It helps somewhat to read this:

Changed attitudes
After Byrd's death, the family created the James Byrd Jr. Foundation for Racial Healing, which conducts diversity workshops, awards scholarships to minorities and helped win passage of a hate crime bill in Texas. The foundation also runs an oral history project on racism; more than 2,600 people have described their experiences.
 
Reading this story makes me sick to my stomach.

I found out about a year ago that a man that does contract work for the company I work for is the father of one of the murders. My boss told me about it...I still don't know why this guy told my boss. This man does not live in Texas and I know he has traveled to visit his son in prison a few times over the past year.

I do not know which of these men is his son, as the last names do not match up. I am still shocked, as I would have never guessed.
 
I'm still horrified by this. I don't have words to describe how that horrific murder made me feel.

The execution dates of these murderers can't come soon enough, IMO.
 
I was also just thinking about this man yesterday. The Matthew Shepard story was on lifetime and that made me think of him.

This was so horrifying.

This man's family is in my prayers.
 
Appeals to the courts for the 44-year-old Lawrence Russell Brewer were exhausted and no last-day attempts have been filed to keep him from execution Wednesday evening in Huntsville.
Brewer will be the first of two men condemned for Byrd's death to be executed. A third man received life in prison.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/21/white-supremacist-set-to-die-for-texas-dragging/#ixzz1YctR3ADv

13 years ago? Wow, I remember when this happened . . . what 10 years makes, eh?

I couldn't believe it had been that long ago either....definitely doesn't seem that long ago. Crazy.

I just got the CNN breaking news email that he's been executed.
 
Finally justice for Mr Byrd's family. What was done to Mr Byrd was horrific. Today Texas got it right.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/21/lawrence-russell-brewer-executed_n_974926.html


Appeals to the courts for the 44-year-old Lawrence Russell Brewer were exhausted and no last-day attempts have been filed to keep him from execution Wednesday evening in Huntsville.
Brewer will be the first of two men condemned for Byrd's death to be executed. A third man received life in prison.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/09/21/white-supremacist-set-to-die-for-texas-dragging/#ixzz1YctR3ADv

13 years ago? Wow, I remember when this happened . . . what 10 years makes, eh?
 
Although his crimes didn't match any of the factors that I use when determining whether someone deserves to be executed, I will say that the crime was horrific.
 
Although his crimes didn't match any of the factors that I use when determining whether someone deserves to be executed, I will say that the crime was horrific.

For consistency's sake, I want to say I am just as much against this execution as I am against every other.
 
Perhaps I should post my Top Ten Execution List Of 2011 as it is so far?
 
As someone who has had a cousin and a BIL murdered, I have no problem with the death penalty when there is no doubt about guilt. As for Troy Davis, I believe there is doubt.
 
Although his crimes didn't match any of the factors that I use when determining whether someone deserves to be executed, I will say that the crime was horrific.

I'm curious to know what your criteria is. I can't begin to imagine a more horrific crime than this one.

I'm not always pro-death penalty but, in this case, I say good riddance.
 
I remember this case like it happened last week. This was the most disgusting murder case I have ever followed. Those men were absolutely disgusting. I am sorry to be repetitive but that is the only word I can think of to describe those beasts.
 
I remember this case like it happened last week. This was the most disgusting murder case I have ever followed. Those men were absolutely disgusting. I am sorry to be repetitive but that is the only word I can think of to describe those beasts.

I too remember the killing and I couldn't agree more. If ever there were a case that justifies the d.p., this would be it; but there is no such case.
 
I too remember the killing and I couldn't agree more. If ever there were a case that justifies the d.p., this would be it; but there is no such case.

I, like you, do not favor the DP. I will say, though, that I hope the families of Mr. Byrd can find some peace with this execution.
 

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