Monday, September 19, 2011

Edward Andrew Stumm's Parole

On facebook today a friend sent an urgent plea to have letters written to stop the parole of Edward Andrew Stumm.  Stumm is a 67 year old man who back in August of 1993 was found guilty of sexually assaulting eleven mentally-challenged adults who lived in a group home setting where he (Stumm) had a part-time job.  See, my friend's life was personally affected by Stumm's behavior as her brother (a Down's Syndrome man with an IQ of a 3 year old) was one of the victims terrorized by Stumm.  (If you happen to know my friend or more importantly the victim, please don't bring up this situation with him as it still too difficult.)


Many of you are already moved to compassion but there may be many of you who may ask, "What is that to me?"  Well, there is more to this story that you should know.  See, In 1992, Edward Andrew Stumm was a full-time Public School Administrator in Hood County! He used his part-time job as an opportunity to gratify his sexually deviant behavior.  He terrorized his victims through forces sexual acts, as well as threatening torture and violent death.  As I have stated, he was ultimately charged with sexually assaulting eleven of the clients and the jury returned with a guilty verdict and sentenced him to serve: one 99 year sentence for Aggravated Sexual Assault with a Deadly Weapon, three 99-year sentences for Aggravated Sexual Assault, and two 20-year sentences for Sexual Assault. The severity of the sentences deemed appropriate, by the jury who heard the evidence, are indicative of the heinous details of abuse disclosed during the trial.

The terror experienced by the victims of Edward Stumm were, and still are, very real to those he tormented through sexual and emotional abuse.  He came up for parole once already and people were up in arms then that Fifteen years was too little time to serve for all the crimes he committed. Justice demands that Stumm be required to serve his full sentence was the cry after 15 years of imprisonment. People launched a crusade to the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles to have him kept in prison, where many feel he belongs.

I did my own checking up on this case and as a Texas resident with children, this is a real threat and now with money being short in the prison system decisions are being made (many we don't know about) that are putting us as risk!  Keeping prisoners in prisons cost money...lot's of money and many think it's time to free up this money but letting criminals loose back into society is a troubling solution.  If we as a people would have dealt with atrocities such as this as crimes punishable by death, maybe people would think twice before dabbling in behavior that could end their own life.  I'm not saying all people would be stopped from their choices but eventually they would be stopped when caught and sentenced to pay with their life.

Back to the problem at hand, Stumm will be paroled UNLESS people rise up and begin to DO something.  What can you do?  Write a letter, send an e-mail or send a fax THIS WEEK (9-19-2011 until 9-23-2011) to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice - Victim Services Division.  Here is the address:

Texas Dept of Criminal Justice - Victim Services Division
Angela McCown, Director
8712 Shoal Creek Blvd, Ste 265
Austin, Texas 78757

Email: victim.svc@tdcj.state.tx.us

Fax: 512-452-0825

http://www.tdcj.state.tx.us/victim/victim-home.htm

Please include the following:
Offender: Stumm, Edward Andrew
State ID: 04738957
TDCJ ID: 00648361
You still want more help with this?  Here is a sample letter:  
Dear Parole Board Members:
RE: Edward Andrew Stumm  TDCJ-ID# 00648361
As a concerned citizen, I am writing to ask that you DO NOT grant parole to Edward Andrew Stumm.  In 1992, Stumm was a full-time public school administrator who worked a part-time job caring for mentally-challenged adults.  Stumm used his part-time position as an opportunity to gratify his sexually deviant behavior.  He was ultimately charged with sexually assaulting eleven of his victims. He terrorized his victims through forced sexual acts, as well as threatening torture and violent death.  Stumm received an accumulative sentence of 436 years.  It is appalling that he is can even be considered for parole.  Stumm's heinous acts should preclude any such consideration.  Justice demands that Stumm be denied parole.
Please DO NOT grant parole to Edward Andrew Stumm.  To lessen the emotional trauma the parole review process has on the victims, please grant a five year or greater set-off for future parole reviews.
Thank you for your consideration,
Sincerely,
(Your Name)

Here is another sample letter for the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles:

Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
c/o Ms Angela McCown, Director
TDCJ-Victim Services
P.O. Box 13401
Austin, TX 78711
Fax # 512/452-0825
E-mail to: victim.svc@tdcj.state.tx.us

Dear Parole Board Members:

RE: Edward Andrew Stumm TDCJ-ID# 00648361

As a concerned citizen, I am writing to ask that you DO NOT grant parole to Edward Andrew Stumm. In 1992, Stumm was a full-time public school administrator who worked a part-time job caring for mentally-challenged adults. Stumm used his part-time position as an opportunity to gratify his sexually deviant behavior. He was ultimately charged with sexually assaulting eleven of his victims. He terrorized his victims through forced sexual acts, as well as threatening torture and violent death. Stumm received an accumulative sentence of 436 years. It is appalling that he is can even be considered for parole. Stumm's heinous acts should preclude any such consideration. Justice demands that Stumm be denied parole.

Please DO NOT grant parole to Edward Andrew Stumm. To lessen the emotional trauma the parole review process has on the victims, please grant a five year or greater set-off for future parole reviews.

Thank you for your consideration,

Sincerely,

(Your Name)

If you want to view for yourself some information on this case and others go to the Texas Tribune and read about it.  Here is some specific information on Edward Andrew Stumm from the Texas Tribune.  To view information on sample letters go to: Take Action...and make a difference.


Monday, September 12, 2011

July 4, 2011 Let Freedom Ring


Wounded vets saddle up and bike in the Warrior 100K bike ride out in southwest Texas this past July Fourth.  It was a gathering of wounded warriors and their former president, George W. Bush in the Big Bend Park.

A 12 Mile ride on day one followed by a 30 mile ride on day two, President Bush, now 64, was right in the middle of the pack of heros...peddling along and pushing the group onward.  He biked with them to bring awareness to the wounded warriors and their ongoing needs.

Day three is another 12 miles of difficult trails out in west Texas.  They get on the bikes bright and early to get out before the heat of Texas warms things up to much.

Incredible story about a president and the wounded soldiers he commanded.  Take a minute to hear the Fox News story here:  100K Bike Ride

Sunday, September 11, 2011

9-11 Ten Years Later

With ten years having passed since our country was attacked on our own soil, I find myself asking questions and looking for some answers.  Here are a few interesting facts that I found.

Did you know that 2,403 people died in the attack at Pearl Harbor or that 168 people died in the Oklahoma City bombing.  Well, really there were 171 lives lost in Oklahoma because three of the women were pregnant when they died.  And then there is 9-11.  This was the largest loss of life on our soil and 2,976 people lost their lives as a result of these attacks.  Of these that died 236 were foreigners which makes the total number of America lives lost to be 2,740.

Four commercial airliners were involved with 19 terrorists who hijacked those planes.  Each group had at least one qualified pilot.  They crashed United Airlines Flight 175 which hit one tower and American Airlines Flight 11 that crashed into tower two.  The third airplane was American Airlines Flight 77 which smashed into the Pentagon in Arlington County, Virginia and the fourth plane was United Airlines Flight 93 in which the flight crew and passengers wrestled the terrorists literally to the ground where the plane crashed into a field near a Shanksville town in Pennsylvania.

All of the 246 people died on the planes.  The other 2605 people who died were either in the towers or on the ground when the towers fell.  There were 125 people who died in the Pentagon attack.  Of all the fatalities 343 were New York City Fire Department firefighters, 23 New York City Police Department officers and 37 Port Authority Police Department officers.  There were 24 people still listed as "missing". These numbers of course do not account for any homeless or people who were traveling or visiting who didn't have family to report them as missing.

What a sad day for our country.  Today there is a memorial in the spot where the towers stood and a new building is being erected that will reach 1,776 feet into the sky.  It will be called 1 World Trade (formerly the Freedom Tower).  The World Trade Centers were 1,368 feet.

Here was a good video that had some great images from that terrible day in our country's history.  God Bless America!  I Believe - a 9-11 Tribute