Convicted killer in gay-bashing case set to die
Posted on 02/06/2003 2:35:13 PM PST by MeekOneGOP
Convicted killer in gay-bashing case set to die
02/06/2003
HUNTSVILLE, Texas - Convicted killer Henry Dunn Jr. says a murder conviction that earned him a trip to Texas' death row wasn't a gay-bashing hate crime, at least not on his part.
Dunn, 28, doesn't deny being present when 23-year-old Nicolas West was gunned down during an abduction and robbery near Tyler more than nine years ago, but says the man primarily to blame was a companion also condemned for the slaying.
"I did admit to being at the crime scene," Dunn said from a cage in the visiting area of death row. "I'm not saying I'm responsible."
Dunn faced lethal injection Thursday evening for West's slaying Nov. 30, 1993. He would be the eighth Texas inmate executed this year and second this week. Three more are scheduled for later this month.
Dunn was one day away from execution in May when the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals stopped his punishment so it could consider an appeal in which he claimed his earlier legal help was incompetent. The court later rejected the appeal, lifted its reprieve and Thursday's death date was set.
The U.S. Supreme Court was considering a request to review the case and halt the execution.
Donald Aldrich, now 38, also is on death row for the West killing. A third man, David Ray McMillan, received a life prison term.
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Dunn was 19 and McMillan 17 at the time of the slaying. Aldrich was on parole after a pair of burglary and robbery convictions.
Authorities believed Aldrich was the leader of what became know as the "CB gang" -- because they first became acquainted over CB radios -- that for months preyed on homosexuals in the Tyler area.
"I don't hate homosexuals," Dunn said last week. "That's their right to be that way if they want to."
West, a medical clerk in Tyler, was abducted from a city park known as a homosexual meeting spot. Taken to a remote area of Smith County, he was stripped, ordered to his knees and shot as many as 15 times.
"This is a crime that got out of control," Dunn said. "That's what happened."
Aldrich had lured West under the guise of seeking sex, then drove away with him. Dunn said he and McMillan were waiting nearby. According to a plan carried out several times before, Dunn and McMillan followed them out of town where the trio then could rob the unsuspecting victim.
"Aldrich was mad because the dude didn't give him all his money," Dunn said.
"It was a deliberate, preplanned, cold-blooded kidnapping and murder," Smith County District Attorney Jack Skeen said. "This wasn't an isolated incident by them in these types of attacks but the violence stepped up in this one and went all the way to kidnaping and murder."
Aldrich said at his trial it was Dunn who started the gunfire. Dunn replied from death row he could "not positively say" he did any shooting.
Evidence showed he used a .357-caliber Magnum and his shot to West's head was the last of the more than a dozen bullets and a shotgun blast fired into the victim.
West's body was found two days later. Dunn was arrested driving West's truck.
Dunn, formerly a fast-food restaurant worker, was among seven death row inmates who tried to escape from prison Thanksgiving night 1998. Only one, Martin Gurule, cleared a pair of fences that surrounded the Ellis Unit prison northeast of Huntsville. He was found drowned a week later. He never made it off prison property.
Dunn and the other five were stopped by the razor-tipped wire fences and gunfire from corrections officers.
As a result of the escape, death row was moved to the more restrictive Polunsky Unit near Livingston, about 45 miles east of Huntsville.
But, the poor sorry jerk committed the one crime that is most terrible to all these sensitive types, he was less than supportive to a fairy. Actually, he murdered the tinkerbell. No one will stand for poor Mr. Dunn. The NYT will not call for commutation of his sentence, hell, they won't even mention his name.
Oh well, here's to number 8. They'll be many more this year and each will go with the thought, "Damn, I wish I had been working in Chicago when I did that(those) guy(s) or better yet, in London, where I'd still be........"
I was thinking about that recently, but haven't done so yet. You can be the first one on it.
I am pinging some Texans and a few others here. Please let me know if you want on this new ping list. You won't be pinged again otherwise.
Thanks!
Please let me know if you want ON or OFF my Texas Execution ping list!. . .don't be shy.
It's not like they have it all that bad. James Collier, # 999190, was executed on 12/11/2002 for the murder of two adults while he was attempting to murder his 12 year-old biological daughter. His guilt was well established and he went to Huntsville.
The State of Texas Dept. of Corrections also has a last dinner request menu that can get rather bizzare. James Collier requested and received thirty jumbo shrimp, cocktail sauce, baked potato, French fries, ketchup, butter, one t-bone steak, one chocolate malt, one gallon of vanilla ice cream, and three cans of Big Red before he was dripped away, years after his victims died.
I absolutely agree. Remember during the Prez election campaign in 2000 hate crime came up as an issue? President Bush, the candidate pointed out that the white men from Jasper, Texas received the death penalty (all but 1 maybe). They had tied or chained James Byrd, a black man, to the back of their pickup truck and dragged him to his decapitation death. It was a horrible thing. Bush pointed out that Texas enforces the laws and executes these animals. Murder is wrong, regardless what aspect might drive the evil deed.
Thanks !
As an aside, the NAACP ran that stupid ad that pretty much accused Bush of being behind the wheel of that truck too. Sheesh !
"Meek", not "Meed". Oh well, you're going to inherit the earth anyway. :)
It is rather sad to see some with warped moral priorities, who condemn sexual perversion, yet astoundingly defend and even celebrate murder.
Jesus was right when he said of these kinds of hypocrites, you strain on a gnat, yet swallow a camel.
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