Good
Grief Ressie…?
The Texas Board of Pardons and Parole processes are at best,
a travesty. The Chair Person along with
Voting Members are inept and ruled by Politics.
They bow down in deference to Activists, Caucuses, Politicians and other
Self-Serving Groups. For over a decade, High
Profile voices have high-jacked the parole of Jon Buice. Each year their vilifying of Jon has offset
his parole. There is no merit in what
they do. It is only a vehicle in which
they assert their power. It has nothing
to do with justice. It has only to do
with the pretense that justice is being served.
Between September and October, 2014, the Texas Board of
Pardons and Parole presented the illusion of deliberating the matters of Jon’s
parole. The fact is that it was only a
façade which hid the real facts – Doing the bidding of Special Interest Groups.
Silence in this blog allowed time to
collect my thoughts. Initially I wanted
to write but could not find the words without lashing out in rage at those who,
for their own self-serving interests, derailed Jon’s parole again. I was bewildered by the Charade I received at
the Parole Board –Angleton Office. The
moment I sat down with the Lead Voter - Cynthia Tauss, I knew the decision to
keep Jon in prison another year had already been decided. It mattered not, what would be said, the
offset for another year was settled. The
Boards indulgence was only a formality to promote the idea of fairness,
openness and transparency. What would be
said this day would have no bearing on the decision making process in the
matter of Jon Buice.
Every parole proceeding is different. It is not really a hearing. There is no direct exchange between those who
oppose and those who promote Jon’s release.
Each proceeding begins with a certain amount of small talk and greeting by
individuals that have been allowed into the proceeding in support of Jon. I would ascertain that this is true for those
that oppose. Having never been able to
address those that oppose Jon’s release I remain in darkness to the very forces
that have power over the Board. During
the accolades that precede the oration in support of Jon, I ventured out a
comment on how this proceeding would progress. I queried the idea of politics
in Jon’s proceeding and immediately, half joking Cynthia said, “We are going to
leave politics out.” Everyone laughed
because all that sat there at the conference table knew well that it was all
about the politics and not the merit of Jon’s release.
Andy Kahan, Noel Freeman and Nancy Roderiguez, appeared
before the Board in opposition to Jon’s release as they had done the previous
year. Prior to our theatrical reception
by the Board Noel Freeman and Nancy Rogeriguez appeared on Fox 26, with Randy
Wallace touting Noel Freeman and Nancy Roderiguez’s presentation. Absent was Andy Kahan although made reference
to as the Victims Advocate. He was
behind the scenes, most likely because of sanctions by the Houston Police
Department. (See previous Blog posting;
“Legacy of a Liar – Andy Kahan). During
the editorial by Randy Wallace it became obvious that Nancy had been assured
that Jon would be set off by the Board.
The gloat on Nancy’s face was all to telling. Unlike in previous years, she did not have
that haggard look that Andy Kahan usually had her appear before the public with
in order to obtain sympathy. It did not
take a mentalist to ascertain that she was pleased knowing beforehand that she
had prevailed once again. Unlike in 2011,
when Jon was granted parole and Andy Kahan had to obtain numerous politicians
(See previous Blog posting; “Conspiracy”, In 2011.) to dictate to the Chair of
the Board, Ressie Owens the overturn of Jon’s parole, she seemed elated. Since that time these same politicians have
continued to outcry a crime they have no direct knowledge of other than the
erroneous editorializing and fabricated untruths of Activists and Media. Ray Hill who originally started these
untruths in 1991, now an activist for Jon’s release, was reassured by John
Whitmire, on several occasions that he would not advocate with Andy Kahan. Rather John Whitmire advocated with the
Democratic and GLBT Caucus’ now lackeys of Andy Kahan. A crafty way in which he was able to give the
pretense of being straightforward and honest while being vile and corrupt.
Bill Habern- Attorney, Alison Armstrong- Film Journalist,
Shelly Buice- Jon’s mother, Cristy Drexler- Child-hood friend, Lan Buice-Jon’s
stepmother and myself appeared before the Board in support for Jon’s
release. Each person expounded advocacy
for justice and a fair and unbiased hearing in the matter of Jon’s parole. We concluded our exposes’ with a little contrived
levity to lighten up the lackluster demure of the proceeding. The predisposed demeanor of Cynthia Tauss in
the mornings conference concluded with feeling of forlorn. We knew from the moment that Cynthia made her
statement about “Politics” that the decision had been made and we appeared for
naught. Bill Habern; Knowing that the
Board would vote, “Non Release”, as long as John Whitmire and others protested
Jon’s release only presented a rehashing of past articles of law in Jon’s case
and emphasized Jon’s was released previously until politicians intervened. Alison Armstrong; while not originally
invited to the proceedings, was requested to attend by Bill Habern. She agreed because of the audacious attack by
Andy Kahan on her character after she exposed him for his lies in the matter of
Jon Buice. Alison told me prior to the
proceeding that she had never made herself a part of any actions directly
associated with the subject matter of an impending Documentary but felt because
of Andy Kahan’s attacks, she must to further expose his deceit and
treachery. I believe that she was not
given the respect for her candor in the matter.
Shelley Buice; Jon’s mother appeared for the first time before the Board
to advocate for Jon’s release. Due to
chronic medical concerns she has over the years relied on Bill Habern and me to
advocate her support to the Board.
Because of the continuous set-offs by the Board she felt that she must
go and see for herself the proceedings. She
left unfulfilled and amazed at the lack of sincerity presented by the Board. Christy Drexler; a child-hood friend of Jon
and a great support to Shelley, helping with transportation to see Jon each
month, advocated with little acknowledgement of its merit other than a graciousness
pretense by the Board. The nature of her
advocacy was critical to the character of Jon Buice then and now. She too, felt that all was for naught. Lan and I; Stepmother and Father of Jon, have
advocated for his release over the past decade.
We have endured Jon’s incarceration and continuous set-offs year after
year. We also left the Board that day
with an uneasy feeling in the matter.
As usual we found
out later by the Houston News Media that Jon had been set-off again. Media agencies and Advocates are able to obtain
the information due to a hot line that can be accessed by all. It is a fact of life and little at present
can be done to give Jon the right to know prior to the general publics’
knowledge. In the eyes of the Parole
Board and the TDCJ, Jon has no rights.
Other than a cursory interview by a non-appointed Board associate Jon
gets No hearing. Just like he got, No Trial, only Advocacy to keep incarcerated and No Justice. The Board associate only interviews inmates
to ascertain his general well-being, any self-proclaimed accomplishments over
the past year and to inform him of his upcoming parole proceeding. Any other activities by the associate are
unknown to Jon or others as the associates’ findings are not reviewed in the
proceeding.
Alison Armstrong went to see Jon after the proceeding to
seek more material for her documentary.
Even now I am not sure of the intent of her interview with Jon other
than what Jon told me. I have never been
closely associated with her other than be interviewed for the documentary. I have always had an uneasiness toward Journalists
because of the way they use media. In
the past lengthy film footage has been taken of me and then only seconds of
film used to purvey a statement, out of context, in hopes to show a
confrontation between Nancy Roderiguez and myself. I have hopes that in light of her advocacy
before the Board that the documentary does not do the same. I as others will have to wait until it is
released. Alison has for the past nine years been developing a documentary about
Jon that will be aired at the Dallas Film Festival on April 15 & April 16. The April 15th showing will occur
at 7:45pm at the Angelika 8 Cinema and April 16th at 5:00pm at the
Angelika 8 Cimema. Other showings are to occur in Houston at several locations after
the Dallas Film Festal showings. Alison has
not set times for these showings.
After the media’s announcement of Jon’s “Non-Release” vote
by the Board I spoke with Jon and tried to get a view of his well-being. After all the malicious dealings of Andy
Kahan and his inroads into the TDCJ and now the State Legislature. (See earlier posts in this Blog to understand
the extent of his treachery with the help of the TDCJ-Wardens and Under-Wardens
at the Wynne Unit in 2010) I get a snapshot of his mindset. I encourage him to continue on with his schooling
and stay free of all the debilitating aspects of prison life. He always appears to be stronger than I often
comforting me rather than me comforting him.
I asked Jon how he felt about what had transpired at the Board and he
replied, “Dad, I feel like Charlie Brown”.
I responded, “How is that. What
do you mean?” Jon said, “It is like the
cartoon strip where Charlie Brown has asked Lucy to hold the football where he
can kick a field goal. Lucy agrees to
hold the ball. Charlie asks Lucy if she
is going to pull the ball away like she has done so many times in the past. Lucy assures Charlie that she is not going to
do that. So Charlie readies himself for
the kick. He envisions a glorious field
goal winning the game. Just as he is
about to initiate his journey toward completing the kick, he inquires of Lucy
again, ‘are you really going to hold the ball this time’. Lucy reassures Charlie. He is off toward the kick and to his
amazement seconds later he lying on his back on the ground starring up at the
sky in bewilderment. Lucy had pulled the
ball away again."
I thought to myself, GOOD
GREIF RESSIE…. Just like Lucy she
continues to pull the ball out from under Jon.
I firmly believe after my last journey to the Board that Board Chair, Ressie
Owens continues to hold Jon in prison for her own political well-being as State
Senator, Congressmen and Special Interest groups that oversee her office and
can have direct bearing on her reappointment as a Parole Board member and more
importantly as the Chair-person. All
Board members are appointed and not elected into their position. I believe that since Ann Richards was Governor of Texas it
has been this way. Rumor was that Richards
was displeased with a Parole Board Member telling her to take a hike in a
parole she did not want to occur. After
that incident, the Democratic run Texas Legislature, of the time, changed the
rules of the game and placed the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole under the
Governor’s office. This set the stage
for the Board to operate in continued secrecy with little or no accountability
to constituency. Think that this not a travesty.
Think again. Texas
is the most incarcerated State in the Union.
For that matter the World.
Weeks before Jon’s parole proceeding I had went to the
Huntsville Board Office where Ressie Owens conducts the business of the
Board. I spoke with her about Jon and
his upcoming parole. As in past meetings
with Ressie the conversation was polite and mostly one-way with her listening,
appearing to assimilate what was being said.
I read a letter asking her to advocate to the voting member Cynthia
Tauss for Jon’s release. After reading
my letter to her she said that she would re-read the letter and pass it on to
Cynthia. After Jon expressed his
feelings as Charlie Brown that I too realized that I felt the same. While at the parole proceeding I had asked
Cynthia if Ressie had sent her the letter where I had asked for Ressies’ avocation.
I remember how Cynthia had stumbled in
her response until I qualified the significance of the letter. Cynthia then awkwardly recovered saying yes
she had seen it. Being that I had given
the letter originally to Ressie with her agreeing to forward it on to Cynthia,
hopefully with admonition to release Jon, I gave her a copy. I don’t believe that Ressie had sent a copy
to Cynthia prior to the proceeding. This
is because a month after the Boards vote on Jon’s parole I received an official
letter from the Board saying that it had been forwarded. Ressie like Lucy while agreeing otherwise
pulled the ball away.
What is going to
take? Every day, the Texas Board of
Pardons and Paroles grants parole to inmates that have created far greater
atrocities than Jon. They are returned
to the very society that left them to the justice systems keeping. I find it strange that the Board finds Jon
exceptionally unworthy of parole in comparison to some of the individuals that they
have released over the past decade. Jon
must pale in the eyes of the Board with his scholastic achievements- two
Associate’s, One Bachelor’s and now a Master’s Degree. Apparently those released are the inmates
that do not know ‘how to use the system’, as Andy Kahan proclaims that Jon does. Even inmates that have had judication while
in the TDCJ have been released while Jon has not one act of aggression on
record in his 23 year journey with the TDCJ. Jon has only the untruths and treachery of the
TDCJ and Andy Kahan. The travesty of Linda Hill and the trump up charges that
caused Jon’s parole offset in 2010. The
accusations of the admitted liar, Andy Kahan.
The GLBT, Noel Freeman, John Whitmire and the Democratic Caucus have all
come to light. The light is now starting
to shine on the Texas Board of Pardons and Parole for failing to just do the
job they appointed to do. I believe now
that the justice system would have paroled long ago if not for the Travesty the Board has allowed to
occur. There are guidelines while posted
to the public that are not followed.
There are rules of conduct that are ignored. There is intercourse with politicians and a
willingness to do their bidding even in view of violations to written codes of
conduct. When is it going to stop?
I have waited until now.
I know in my heart that I must continue in my efforts to keep the truth
of what is occurring in my pursuit of my son’s freedom. Jon is again 6 months from parole. Andy Kahan is at the State Legislature asking
for 10 years set-offs. I could make the
connection but will trust those that know truth know what I mean. This Blog
entry may even enrage some of the Board Members. I can only hope their anger is directed
toward those that have put them in a compromised position to their own
consciences’. I never have wished anyone
malice. I have only wanted the truth to
be heard. I have been party to the
“Travesty” that befell Jon in 2003 with the event of Andy Kahan. I have seen Chronicle News Journalist, Mrs.
Susan Bardwell (Now deceased) who once persecuted Jon, advocate for his
release. I made a kindred friendship with Ray Hill. I have had the best of Legal Councils, Mr.
Bill Habren who has given his time and efforts without cost to help the truth
come alive. I have been interviewed several times by the Journalist, Alison
Armstrong over the past 7 years. All this has occurred and Jon is still not
free. Hopefully Alison Armstrongs’ film
will get a message out to the masses. I
have never seen the film, but be assured that I will come April 15, 2015. I am willingly to wait and see because I
believe that Alison has found and presented the truth. I trust that it will help free Jon if enough
people see as truth also and write their elected State Legislative
Representatives to advocate for Jon’s release.
James Buice, 4/5/2015 [corrections in Red, JB 4/7/15]
