Finally, the details we've been wondering about come out. I appreciate that the Advocate posts notes on the proceedings. One very sick man.
http://www.victoriaadvocate.com/news/2011/sep/28/gp_twilight_092911_153549/
Rapist accused of lying about origins of his home decor, abusing ex-wife
September 28, 2011
"
Billy Joe Harris was a liar, cheater and a wife beater, who was particularly fond of animals, according to testimony by the women in the defendant's life...."
and
"...DH, the defendant's wife, was the first of the women in Billy Joe Harris' life who testified. A witness for the state, DH, who has a 9-year-old son, previously testified that she met her spouse through an online dating service in April 2010 and married less than two months later. Harris' wife told jurors her husband had given her various explanations for the fancy items he brought into their home during the marriage, which she later learned were stolen from his victims...."
and
".....He also told his wife that he had shot the two
deer mounts that were stored in their garage, which he had actually stolen from a 79-year-old Marquez woman who he had sexually assaulted. Additionally, Harris was found to be in possession of several
clocks, guns, a computer, a computer stand, and keys, none of which legally belonged to Harris. A seemingly loving husband, Harris lavished his wife with fine things including a fur coat, which Harris said his ex-wife had left behind. In reality, Harris had actually stolen the coat from a 93-year-old Zabcikville woman who he also had sexually assaulted...."
and
"...DH said she never saw the side of her husband that has been detailed in court and in the news. "I was totally taken aback, surprised, hurt..."
and
"....JH, a state witness, told a different, darker story about the man she shared her life with for 24 years and 11 months. JH and her ex met in Germany. Harris, a soldier, and JH, a cook, worked at the same U.S. Army base. They married in the country where they fell in love. However, their newlywed bliss ended shortly thereafter. JH alleged that
her husband began beating her during their first year of marriage. The physical and mental abuse continued throughout their marriage..."
and
"...
The two did not have children on account of Harris' low sperm count, she said. The abused spouse said she found short periods of relief from her husband's tyrant behavior when
he would leave on the weekends for what he said were "job-related" trips...."
and
"....The testimony Harris' sister gave about the siblings' childhood failed to provide any blatantly obvious explanation for her brother's behavior. The 46-year-old woman, who testified for the defense, said she and Harris were the youngest of four children mostly raised by a single mother in Houston...."
and
"...Billy had split personalities," she said. "One minute he wanted to play with me, the next minute, he'd change like Jekyll and Hyde.' Harris' sister described her brother as a loner who had no friends and opted to sleep and spend all of his time alone in an empty attic..."
and
"...Tragedy struck the Harris family in 1960 when
the oldest girl of the four siblings died in a house fire. Harris and his older brother, T. Harris, both of whom were in the house at the time of the fire, survived. The three surviving siblings took their sister's death hard, but it did not bring all of them closer together.
The surviving sister accused T. Harris, who she said Harris was afraid of, of molesting her at the age of 15...."
and
"...Harris eventually moved to Grapeland to live with his grandparents. His sister followed shortly afterward. His sister said their grandparents provided them with a loving home...."
and
"...Loud gasps escaped from the mouths of those in the courtroom when Harris brought the court proceedings to a screeching halt by jumping up from his seat and struggling with officers as his sister shared details about the siblings' lives. Harris left for the military at the age of 17...."
and
"...She also described her brother as being an animal lover, especially dogs. Cohen questioned Harris' sister about her brother's interest in his animals and whether she had ever witnessed any "weird behavior" between him and the animals, hinting at the occurrence of bestiality. "He was fond of animals..."
and
"...Additionally, more of Harris' victims took the stand during the proceedings, including an 88-year-old Moody woman. The woman said she "kicked (Harris) where it hurt" after he had broken into her home and tried to attack her one night in February 2010...."
and
"....She also said the phone line to her home was cut, light bulbs were unscrewed and items from her home were taken - a common occurrence in other attacks. The jury also watched a video of a person, believed to be Harris, cutting phone lines to a home of one of the Yoakum women who was sexually assaulted...."
more at link
So some questions. What happened during the childhood fire? What happened to Harris' mother? If T Harris molested his sister, could Billy Joe have suffered the same fate? What precipitated the move to Grapeland to live with grandparents and what was that relationship like? FWIW, Grapeland is 200 miles from Yoakum. We still haven't heard what Harris' connection is with that town.
And I guess we got our question answered. The elder woman in Moody was assaulted and did testify. For the longest time, it hasn't been clear if she was a victim or not.
