Clarence Allen
You would be hard pressed to find a more cold-blooded senior citizen than Clarence Ray Allen, who may be the first killer executed in the Arnold Schwartzenegger era of California government — that is if he survives heart bypass surgery.
On September 16, the 75-year-old Allen suffered a heart attack and was hospitalized pending a bypass procedure.
Allen was the head of a criminal enterprise who showed how easy it is for a well-connected crook to reach out from behind prison walls to commit murder. Recently, his attempts to show that his appellate lawyer was ineffective fell on deaf ears in the normally anti-death penalty Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. That a three-judge panel in that circuit would concede a condemned man received ineffective assistance of counsel, but the harm was not sufficient to merit at least a resentencing hearing, says volumes about the character of Clarence Allen.
His “sordid tale,” as the federal judge termed his crimes, began in 1977 when Clarence Allen, then 47, decided to rob the grocery store owned by some friends of his. He enlisted the help of his son Roger and Roger’s girlfriend along with a couple of employees from his security company to put the plan into action. Clarence’s son, Roger, invited Bryon Schletewitz, whose parents owned Fran’s Market in Fresno, California, over for a swim. While Bryon was swimming, someone lifted the keys to the store from his pants. That same night, Bryon went on a date with Roger’s live-in girlfriend, Mary Sue Kitts.
The 17-year-old kept Bryon occupied while the Allens and two others burglarized the market. They stole a safe that was later found to contain $500 in cash and $10,000 in money orders.
Over the next couple of weeks, the gang cashed the stolen money orders in Southern California until Mary Sue had a change of heart and tearfully confessed her role in the crime to Bryon.
Nineteen-year-old Bryon confronted his “friend,” Roger, who admitted to him that the Allens had burglarized the store. Roger also told Clarence Allen about Mary Sue’s confession. His father responded that both Mary Sue and Bryon would have to be “dealt with.”
Clarence Allen then went to Ray and Frances Schletewitz, told them he loved their son like his own, and denied the robbery. He did intimate that the family was in danger if they proceeded with a criminal complaint by letting them know he heard someone talking about burning down the store. One of Clarence’s hirelings drove by one night and fired at the store, for which he received $50.
Clarence then turned his attention to Mary Sue Kitts, because in his mind, her lack of backbone created the problem in the first place. He convened a council of the conspirators who burglarized Fran’s Market and let them know that Kitts was “a snitch.” He previously had told the group that snitches would be killed and as “proof,” he carried in his wallet a newspaper clipping about a man and woman from Nevada who had been found murdered. This, he told his crew, was what happened to people who talked. The council unanimously decided that Mary Sue had to die.
Clarence instructed two of his gang, Carl Mayfield and Lee Furrow, to procure some cyanide to poison the teen. Furrow and Mayfield had already participated in the market burglary.
The decision to kill Mary Sue wasn’t a slam dunk. Some of the gang merely wanted her moved “out of the way” until things cooled down and Furrow clearly didn’t have much of a stomach for murder. Furrow’s adoptive mother, Clarence’s girlfriend, had a problem with the murder occurring in her apartment. Despite the protestations, Clarence Allen managed to convince the group that Mary Sue Kitts needed to be slain. Clarence told Furrow that if he refused to do the killing, it was just as easy to take care of two instead of one…
While obviously tragic and unnecessary, Mary Sue Kitts’s death is not without grim humor.
She arrived for the party but declined to take the cyanide pills offered to her because the men didn’t have any wine. The killers talked to Clarence, who told them it didn’t matter how it was done, just that the job was accomplished. Later, they tried again to get her to take the pills and she refused. Furrow called Clarence who told him that he would be killed if he tried to leave the apartment before Mary Sue was dead. Resigned to his fate, Furrow began strangling Mary Sue, only to be interrupted by a telephone call from Clarence Allen wondering if the deed had been done.
Furrow proceeded to kill the girl with his hands.
Clarence then led a group of his followers to a remote mountain stream where they weighted down the girl’s body with paving stones and dumped it. He reminded the crew that they were all equally guilty now and pointed out what happened to snitches.
Things settled down after Mary Sue’s murder and the gangsters toed the line in Clarence’s crew.
Clarence used Furrow’s disappearance as evidence that he took care of people who didn’t work up to his standards.
When one member of the gang asked how Furrow was doing, Clarence responded, “he was no longer in existence” and hinted that it was easy to find someone in Mexico who would kill for $50.
In fact, Furrow was still alive. That fact would come back to haunt Clarence Allen and indirectly lead to even more murder.
The Long Arm…
In 1977, Clarence Allen brought in a couple of new recruits, Allen Robinson and Benjamin Meyer, and proceeded to warn them about the rule of silence that he demanded.
“If you bring anybody in my house that snitches on me or my family, I’ll waste them,” Meyer reports Allen as saying. “There’s no rock, bush, nothing, he could hide behind.”
After holding meetings with his new men and his son, Roger, Clarence led the gang to case their first robbery project, a K-Mart store in Tulare. The robbery was moderately successful, but Clarence was reportedly not happy with the way Robinson performed. In a telephone call to Meyer, Clarence openly talked about bumping off Robinson because of his mistakes.
Roger Allen replaced Robinson with a new gunman named Larry Green and the crew prepared to knock over another K-Mart. Unfortunately for the crew, Green shot a bystander and Clarence, Green and Meyer were arrested by police.
It was the beginning of the end for the Allen gang.
Clarence Allen was tried and convicted in 1977 of robbery, attempted robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon for his part in the second K-Mart robbery.
As is typical in gangs, everyone turned against Clarence Allen in an effort to save his own skin and in late 1977, he was put on trial for Mary Sue Kitts’s murder, as well as the Fran’s Market burglary. After a procession of witnesses — including Lee Furrow, who cut a deal to save his own skin — testified against him, Clarence was convicted of first degree murder, as well as burglary and conspiracy. He was sentenced to life in prison and ended up in Folsom.
Behind the 100-year-old walls of Folsom Prison, Clarence Allen seethed.
He had told his crime family that rats paid for their treachery with their lives and he meant it. But serving a long term in Folsom meant he needed someone else to do his dirty work.
Clarence found that someone in Billy Ray Hamilton, a fellow inmate and convicted robber who worked with Allen in the prison’s kitchen. Hamilton, nicknamed “Country,” became Clarences’s “dog,” running errands and taking care of various problems in return for cash (Don’t ask what else he probably took care of). Another inmate, Gary Brady, would assist Hamilton occasionally. Brady was scheduled to be paroled July 28, 1980; Hamilton was scheduled for parole one month later.
He confided to another Folsom inmate, Joseph Rainier, that he had been convicted of first degree murder on the basis of the testimony of Lee Furrow, “the guy who did the actual killing,” and that he would like to see Furrow and the other witnesses who testified against him killed.
Clarence told Rainier that Country was going to get $25,000 for the job and that Allen’s other son, Kenneth, was going to help.
In August 1980, Kenneth Allen and his wife and baby visited Clarence, who told them of the plot. He said the plan called for the witnesses and Bryon and Ray Schletewitz would be killed and that Furrow’s adoptive mother had agreed to change her testimony so that on appeal, he would be acquitted.
Kenneth agreed to find guns for Hamilton with help from his wife Kathy, who would evidently trade drugs for the guns, and he smuggled Hamilton’s picture (so he could recognize him when he showed up) out of prison in his baby’s diapers. Thereafter, he received a series of letters from his father detailing the evolving plan.
In one, he wrote: “Hey, I hear a country music show is coming to town around September 3rd. Remember September 3, around that date y’all be listening to a lot of good old ‘country’ music, okay? Just for me. You know how I like ‘country.’”
Another letter dated August 27, stated “now remember around September 3rd, have everything ready so y’all can go to that ‘country’ music show. I know y’all really ‘enjoy’ yourselves. I know you kids never liked ‘country’ music before. But I bet when you hear that dude on the ‘lead’ guitar you’ll be listening to it at least once a week, ha. Anyway, forget about rock and roll and get lost in the country. Ha, ha.”
Soon after Hamilton was paroled Kenneth wired him transportation money and met him at the Fresno bus depot. At Kenneth’s house, Hamilton confirmed he was there to murder Bryon and Ray Schletewitz, and asked to see the weapons he would be using. He explained he would not kill Furrow’s mother, Shirley Doeckel, yet because she was helping him locate the other hit list witnesses.
Hamilton’s girlfriend, Connie Barbo, joined him in Fresno. During the next few days, she told acquaintances she had a chance to get a few thousand dollars and a hundred dollars worth of meth for “snuffing out a life.”
On Thursday, September 4, Hamilton went to Kenneth’s house and got a sawed-off shotgun, a .32 caliber revolver, and seven shotgun shells. In a conversation that was eerily similar to the one that Perry Smith and Dick Hickock had about the Clutter family farm in Kansas, the men discussed the market and Hamilton said he knew there were two safes there, one in the wall and the other in the freezer.
Hamilton and Barbo then left, but returned about 9:45 p.m., however, explaining that Connie objected to killing a 15-year-old Mexican boy who was in the store that night. Instead, they returned the next night and committed some of the most heinous, cold-blooded murders in recent memory.
The next evening Hamilton took more than a dozen shotgun shells, 6 more cartridges, and went with Barbo back to Fran’s Market. When they arrived at 8 p.m., just before closing time, Bryon Schletewitz and employees Douglas Scott White, Josephine Rocha and Joe Rios were there. Hamilton brandished the sawed-off shotgun and Barbo produced the.32 caliber revolver. Hamilton led Doug White, Josephine Rocha, Joe Rios and Bryon Schletewitz toward the stockroom and ordered them to lie on the floor.
Hamilton told Doug White to get up and walk to the freezer, warning White he knew there was a safe inside. When White told Hamilton there was no safe there, Hamilton responded, “get out ‘Briant.’” At that point Bryon Schletewitz volunteered, “I am Bryon.” Following Hamilton’s demand, Bryon gave up his keys and assured Hamilton he would give him all the money he wanted.
While Barbo guarded the other employees, Bryon led Hamilton to the stockroom where, from seven to twelve inches away, Hamilton fatally shot him in the center of his forehead with the sawed-off shotgun.
Hamilton returned an asked White, “Okay, big boy, where’s the safe?”
“Honest, there’s no safe,” White responded.
Hamilton fatally shot him in the neck and chest at pointblank range.
As Josephine Rocha began crying, Hamilton fatally shot her through the heart, lung and stomach from five to eight feet away. Meanwhile, Joe Rios had taken refuge in the women’s restroom. Hamilton found him, swung open the restroom door, pointed the shotgun at Rios’ face, and shot him from three feet away. Rios, however, put up his arm in time to take the blast in the elbow, saving his life. Assuming Rios was dead, Hamilton told Connie Barbo, “let’s go baby,” and they fled through the front door, only to be spotted by a neighbor, Jack Abbott, who had come to investigate after hearing the shooting. As Connie Barbo retreated into the restroom, Hamilton and Abbott traded fire: Although hit, Abbott nevertheless managed to shoot Hamilton in the foot as he ran to his getaway car. Barbo was nabbed by officers at the scene.
Hamilton phoned Kenneth Allen later that evening and said that “he lost his kitten” and that “things went wrong at the store.” They arranged to meet and exchange cars, after which Hamilton drove to the Modesto home of Gary Brady, a Folsom inmate who had been paroled a month before Hamilton. While staying there for about five days, Hamilton told Brady he had “done robbery” and he had “killed three people for Ray,” referring to Clarence Allen as “the old Man.” He also had Brady’s wife write a letter to Clarence asking him for the money he was owed for the job. The letter, signed “Country,” gave Brady’s Modesto address as the return address.
Shortly after, Hamilton was arrested after robbing a liquor store across the street from Brady’s apartment. The police seized an address book containing a list of names and addresses of those who had testified against Clarence at the 1977 murder trial. When investigators visited Kenneth Allen’s home at about the same time, they were handed Hamilton’s mug shot by Kathy Allen.
Shortly after the carnage at Fran’s Market, Kenneth Allen was arrested on drug charges and was interviewed about his knowledge of the murders. After thinking over his options for a week (and learning that Billy Hamilton had been arrested), he contacted the police to offer his testimony in return for protective custody and his choice of prisons.
Clarence on Trial
After his arrest on drug charges and questioning on the Fran’s Market murders, Kenneth Allen eventually entered an agreement whereby he promised to testify “truthfully and completely” in all proceedings against Hamilton, Barbo and his father. It was made clear to Kenneth that no “deal” was being made concerning either the drug charges or possible homicide charges against him and that he would not be given immunity from prosecution for anything he told the police.
With his attorney present, Kenneth agreed to the district attorney’s terms and was advised of his Miranda rights. Kenneth explained that during a visit with his father at Folsom Prison on August 17, 1980, dad told him Hamilton would be coming to Fresno to “get some things done for me,” including the robbery of Fran’s Market and the murder of Ray and Bryon Schletewitz. Kenneth insisted he did not provide Hamilton with the shotgun used in the killings.
Approximately three weeks later, on October 7, 1980, Kenneth initiated a third interview with police. After consulting with his attorney by phone, Kenneth told the police that during his August 17 prison visit his father had told him Hamilton was going to kill everyone who testified against him in his 1977 murder trial so that, in the event Clarence’s pending appeal was successful, there would be no witnesses to testify against him on retrial. Kenneth added that he was supposed to provide Hamilton with weapons for the Fran’s Market killings and did, in fact, provide Hamilton with transportation, money, a shotgun and a revolver.
On October 15 and 16, Kenneth testified at the Hamilton-Barbo preliminary hearing in exchange for release on his own recognizance and his choice of prisons. His testimony was generally consistent with his third statement to police and implicated defendant, Hamilton and Barbo in the Fran’s Market killings.
In February 1981, Kenneth entered into a formal plea agreement under which he agreed to testify truthfully and completely in all proceedings against Hamilton, Barbo and his father, in exchange for which he would be allowed to plead as an accessory to murder and possession of a controlled substance. The district attorney would recommend a three-year sentence for each offense to run concurrently and that, with time off for good behavior, he would be out of prison in two years.
A complaint was filed in June 1981 against Clarence Allen for the Fran’s Market murders and conspiracy. Kenneth Allen testified at his dad’s preliminary hearing. As with the Hamilton-Barbo preliminary hearing, Kenneth’s testimony was generally consistent with the statement he gave to police on October 7, 1980.
On July 10, 1981, however, Kenneth sent a letter to his father in prison.
The letter, which was intercepted by prison officials, indicated that Kenneth was preparing to perjure himself to save his father.
On July 22, 1981, Deputy District Attorney Jerry Jones and Investigator William Martin confronted Kenneth with the letter. He admitted writing it and stated his testimony at his father’s preliminary hearing had been untruthful in a number of respects. Specifically, he told Martin and Jones that Hamilton had come to Fresno not to execute anyone, but to help Kenneth “fence” some guns. He claimed that he and Hamilton had discussed the robbery but no killing was ever mentioned or planned. Thereafter Jones told Kenneth that in his opinion, Kenneth had violated the plea agreement and the agreement was therefore terminated. Kenneth was then read his Miranda rights and, when he asked to speak with his attorney, the questioning ceased. Kenneth was subsequently charged with the Fran’s Market killings.
A week later, while being transported to his arraignment, Kenneth told Martin that his testimony in the preliminary hearings of Hamilton, Barbo and defendant was in fact truthful, that he intended to testify to the same story in the future, and that what he had written in the July 10 letter to his father was not true.
In late August Kenneth’s attorney requested a meeting with Martin. With his attorney present, and having been advised of his Miranda rights, Kenneth explained he wrote the July 10 letter because of pressure from his wife, Kathy, who had a very close relationship with her father-in-law. Kenneth told Martin that in exchange for writing the letter, his wife resumed giving him sexual favors during “contact visits,” he was able to receive some drugs while in jail, and conditions had generally improved for him as a result of writing the letter. He assured Martin the story he told at the preliminary hearings was the truth. Nevertheless, the district attorney’s office maintained the plea agreement with Kenneth was terminated.
Before Clarence Allen’s trial, a hearing was held to determine whether Kenneth would testify. In response to questions from both the prosecution and the court, Kenneth stated repeatedly that he knew it was the district attorney’s position there was no plea agreement and that he would receive nothing for his testimony in his father’s case, and that by testifying he would waive his privilege against self-incrimination. Nevertheless, Kenneth stated, he wanted to testify truthfully and honestly at the trial.
Kenneth testified at trial for the prosecution, directly tying his father to the Fran’s Market triple-murder and conspiracy, testifying as to Allen’s plotting and recruiting of Hamilton, Kathy, and himself.
Gary Brady, who harbored Hamilton after the murders and had been in prison with Hamilton and Clarence Allen, corroborated Kenneth’s testimony, explaining that Allen attempted to recruit both Hamilton and Brady to kill those who had testified against Allen, and describing how he housed Hamilton immediately after the triple-murder.
Kenneth’s testimony regarding his father’s involvement in the Fran’s Market killings was consistent with the testimony he had given earlier.
He testified he wrote the July 10 letter at his wife’s request to confuse law enforcement officials and to discredit his own testimony. He felt his testimony was necessary to bolster the prosecution’s case and if it was discredited, he might have helped his father escape a murder conviction. He added that he hoped by now upholding his end of the agreement, the plea deal would still go through.
Extensive evidence corroborated Kenneth’s and Brady’s testimony. Folsom inmate Joe Rainier testified that Allen told him Hamilton was going to take care of “some rats” for him, that Hamilton would be paid for the job and that “Kenny [would] take care of transportation.” Rainier also testified that he saw Allen and Hamilton talking together in the prison yard every day for the four to six weeks preceding Hamilton’s release.
Clarence took the stand in his own defense. He denied any involvement in the Fran’s Market murders or in the conspiracy to execute the witnesses who testified against him in his previous trial. He admitted writing letters to Kenneth and Kathy about “Country” Hamilton coming to town and confirmed many details of his prior bad acts about which the people on his hit list had all testified.
His daughter-in-law, Kathy, tried to exculpate him and implicate her husband as a “drug-crazed, hallucinogenic mastermind” of the Fran’s Market murder. She also testified, however, that she heard Allen mention “guns for witnesses.” In addition, the police found the list of witnesses against Allen in Hamilton’s possession and a mug shot of Hamilton — to which Allen had access in prison –in Kenneth and Kathy’s home. She admitted that she had tried to falsify evidence about the murders, and that she had transmitted messages to Hamilton for Clarence.
The jury heard 58 witnesses over 23 days and deliberated for three days before finding Clarence Ray Allen guilty of murder and conspiracy. The jury would now consider whether to sentence Clarence to death.
The People’s evidence presented at the seven-day penalty trial showed Clarence Allen masterminded the following armed robberies:
- August 12, 1974, armed robbery at the Safina Jewelry Store in Fresno in which $ 18,000 worth of jewelry was taken from the store safe
- September 4, 1974, armed robbery at Don’s Hillside Inn in Porterville in which $ 3,600 was taken from the safe and hundreds of dollars in cash and credit cards were taken from patrons at the scene
- February 12, 1975, residential armed robbery of William and Ruth Cross, an elderly Fresno couple, in which a coin collection valued at $ 100,000 was taken
- June 18, 1975, attempted robbery at Wickes Forest Products in Fresno
- October 21, 1976, armed robbery at Skagg’s Drug Store in Bakersfield, in which Raoul Lopez (another stepson of Barbara Carrasco who was recruited by Clarence) accidentally shot himself
- November 20, 1976, armed robbery at a Sacramento Lucky’s market, in which grocery clerk Lee McBride was shot by robber Raoul Lopez and sustained permanent damage to his nervous system as a result
- February 10, 1977, robbery at the Tulare K-Mart, in which over $ 16,000 in cash was taken
- March 16, 1977, Visalia K-Mart robbery, in which Larry Green held a gun to the head of employee Bernice Davis and subsequently shot employee John Attebery in the chest, permanently disabling him.
The evidence also showed that while in the Fresno County jail on June 27, 1981, Clarence called a “death penalty” vote for inmate Glenn Bell (an accused child molester) and directed an attack on Bell during which inmates scalded Bell with over two gallons of hot water, tied him to the cell bars and beat him about the head and face, and thereafter shot him with a zip gun and threw razor blades and excrement at him while he huddled in his blanket in the corner of the cell.
The People’s evidence established that Clarence repeatedly threatened that anyone who “snitched” on the Allen gang would be “blown away” or killed, and that he thwarted prosecution of the attempted robbery at Wickes Forest Products by threatening the chief prosecution witness and his family.
In his mitigation argument, Clarence put on two witnesses. His former girlfriend, Diane Harris, testified to his “good character.” She explained that he had helped her financially both before and after her marriage to Jerry Harris, that he helped rush her to the hospital for surgery on one occasion, that he was good to children and that he wrote poetry. She did admit, however, that he had threatened to kill her husband.
After deliberating one day, the jury returned a verdict of death.
Clarence Allen pursued appeals at every level, but was unsuccessful. Even after the Ninth Circuit found that his trial counsel was deficient during the penalty phase of his trial, the court upheld his sentence and conviction, writing:
Allen continues to pose a threat to society, indeed to those very persons who testified against him in the Fran’s Market triple-murder trial here at issue, and has proven that he is beyond rehabilitation. He has shown himself more than capable of arranging murders from behind bars. If the death penalty is to serve any purpose at all, it is to prevent the very sort of murderous conduct for which Allen was convicted.
If he survives his forthcoming heart bypass surgery, Clarence Allen’s only hope for a reprieve appears to be a longshot request to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for clemency.
Shameless Self-Promotion
What i sthe point of executing a 76 year old blind and crippled man who has served 30 years in prison? Is the American judicial system about justice or revenge? It appears to many of us here in the UK as no better than some of the “3rd world dictatorships” that the USA is so keen to invade. Remember Vietnam and Iraq?
Comment by James Hayes — 12/12/2005 @ 6:17 am
It’s not called revenge. It is called “Justice”. If you had followed this subjects history you would see that he has continued throughout his imprisonment to order the deaths of innocent people. We call it due process. You do the crime, you pay the price. It was his choice, not his
victims. It appears you have a hidden agenda since you mentioned the invasion by the US. I appreciate your point of view however unlike the 3rd world dictatorships you speak of we do not fly airplanes into buidings in their cities and kill innocent people. I am from the Vietman era and have friends
who served there and I am not narrow minded enough to believe that we were there for nothing. The US government is now and was then protecting our
rites, helping the less fortunate and keeping our soil and our citizens safe. I am proud to be an American citizen and to live in a country where our
freedom means something to those who are in charge.
Comment by Rebecca Cunningham — 12/14/2005 @ 7:24 am
Anyone out there agree with automatic commutation of the death penalty if:
1. The act did not involve a conspiracy or multiple homicide.
2. The state has failed to carry out it’s execution mandate within 15 years.
3. The Death Row inmate has refrained from ANY criminal activity while incarcerated.
Allen? He should be holding hands with Tookie Williams as soon as possible. He has been trying to get into that room long before the Fran’s Market murders.
Remember, these people were his friends.
Going to his death in a wheel chair? Why not?
In fact, all of them should go the the execution chamber in a wheel chair or strapped on a gurney.
Comment by JOSEPH WISE — 12/27/2005 @ 7:18 pm
I am not a proponent of the death penalty in general.
This man ordered, planned, and oversaw a murder. He then ordered and planned the murder of the witnesses against him, one of whom was in fact murdered. At least part of his motivation was to render prosecution impossible in case of a re-trial if his appeal was successful.
The system must be able to protect itself against the likes of Clarence Ray Allen. I would be in favor of expedited, (practicallty instantaneous), executions when someone is convicted of murdering witnesses. We must do what we can to make sure no murderer can reasonably believe his chances are improved by committing more murder. You murder a witness, you get the state-supplied needle and all that comes with it.
Michael
Comment by Michael Stewart — 12/28/2005 @ 12:21 pm
I don’t like the death penalty for only one reason, innocent people are sometimes convicted. Clarence Ray Allen is not innocent and should be put to death. I don’t understand why we didn’t let him die from his heart problems. Why on earth would we spend so much money on by-pass surgery? Kill him with the same hate and vengence that he had for those he had killed.
Comment by Rachel Griffin — 12/28/2005 @ 2:53 pm
Garbage like Clarence Ray Allen should be disposed of by execution, plain and simple.
A macabre flight of fancy…
On January 2, 2006, condemned inmate Clarence Ray Allen had yet another massive coronary; heroic measures being taken to save his life so he could be justly executed.
I, Frank Gonzalez, the duly sworn Chief Executioner of San Quentin, sat in the warden’s office that afternoon feeling remorse, realizing that I may not have the opportunity to execute Mr. Allen in the death chamber, using my trusty, sawed-off, Mossberg 935 12 gauge magnum autoloading shotgun. As with Tookie Williams, a review panel appointed by Governor Schwarzenegger had determined that lethal injection was much too merciful for a depraved monster like Clarence Ray Allen, and that the method of execution chosen for him would be lethal shotgunning. I would administer the sentence, using four blasts from the Mossberg, timed one minute apart, in respectful memory of the four victims he ordered murdered.
“Don’t worry, he should recover from his unfortunate heart attack, the physician in charge performed a quadruple bypass,” said the warden.
“Yes warden, but after that Tookie Williams affair a month ago – ”
“How many times do I have to say this Frank – you executed Stanley Tookie Williams on orders of the state of California and Governor Schwarzenegger. Just because you spoke to him before you blew his head off is no reason to castigate yourself.”
“Before that incident, I never violated prison procedure once in my thirty five years of employment at San Quentin, my record was perfect.”
“And it still is, no one, not even Governor Schwarzenegger, held against you what you said to Tookie, in righteous anger I might add, before you blew his head off.”
“But – ”
“No buts,” said the warden, “To the matter at hand, if condemned inmate Allen survives, will you, following the directives of the review panel, slaughter him mercilessly with a sawed-off shotgun?”
“Yes sir, you only have to show me the death warrant; I am the Chief Executioner of San Quentin,” I answered with firm resolve.
“Very good,” said the warden.
Condemned inmate Allen recovered, due to the devoted care of San Quentin physicians. As his health improved over the following week, I was pleased to learn that I would indeed have the opportunity to execute him by shotgunning on January 17, 2006.
The welcome day arrived, and Clarence Ray Allen was prepared for his well-deserved execution. Half-blind, nearly deaf but not one bit remorseful, the condemned prisoner was ushered into the hall via his wheelchair.
“Do you think that bloodthirsty old geek can walk to the green room in the shape he’s in?” I asked.
“Sure, he’s virtually knocking on Hell’s door,” said the warden with a smile, “The doc says his heart’s like a hammer now, with no need to worry about the stress of his execution inducing another heart attack beforehand. His physician also his him on anticoagulants, so there’s no chance of a stroke disrupting the execution either.”
“Excellent,” I replied. He handed me hearing protection earmuffs and the shotgun, again loaded with four hotloaded, brass cased 00 buckshot shells, one for each of his victims. Walking into the green room, I took my seat and placed the sawed-off Mossberg in my lap.
Yelling at the top of his lungs into Allen’s nearly deaf right ear, the warden pronounced the death sentence to him in the hall. The condemned was ordered to rise from his wheelchair for the final walk to the death chamber and his self-inflicted rendezvous with destiny.
Guards lined the path; a half-blind Allen stumbling down the hall, followed by the warden. One smirking guard put a leg out, tripping Clarence, who landed on the floor with a thud.
“That’s enough of that Lieutenant Jones,” said the chuckling warden, looking to the officer.
“Sorry warden, my foot slipped.”
“Yeah, I’m sure it did.”
I observed the condemned rise to his knees and say to Jones in a slurred voice, “I forgive you for tripping me.”
“Who does he think he is, Jesus or something?” asked the coroner while other guards broke into laughter, a smile crossing my face.
“Get up you murderous old half-breed injun and die like a man!” the warden yelled as Allen struggled to his feet.
Allen steadied himself and stumbled into the deathhouse, taking a seat within. He stared at me, angry, with sullen eyes.
Guards strapped him down tightly, the officers walking from the death chamber when their chore was completed. Allen looked to the warden and asked in a slur, “Any word from the governor on my appeal?”
“What appeal might that be?” the warden yelled into his ear. Laughing, he turned and left the deathhouse while the condemned man stared at him in astonishment. The disgusted warden had tossed Allen’s latest appeal in the trash that afternoon, and, out of sheer spite, had faxed Governor Schwarzenegger a blank sheet of paper instead.
“Close the door to the green room so we can kill this evil old bastard,” said the assistant warden, leaving the condemned and I in the death chamber.
Rising from my chair, I put on my shooting glasses and hearing protection muffs, released the safety, and cocked the shotgun.
“You may proceed, executioner,” said the warden over the intercom, giving me a thumbs-up.
“Yes sir,” I replied with a smile.
Turning to Clarence Ray Allen, without hesitation I aimed at his legs and pulled the trigger, the blast of buckshot shredding his prison uniform and blowing off chunks of flesh from both legs. As a brass shell casing bounced off a wall, smoke filled the death chamber, an overhead exhaust fan automatically coming on.
“Hold for one minute,” said the warden.
I nodded; noting with dissatisfaction that Clarence Ray Allen hadn’t flinched, neither had the expression on his face changed. He looked at me with a cold angry stare as blood poured in torrents from his leg wounds. Turning to the warden, I put my hands up, not knowing what to say regarding Allen’s apparent insensitivity to pain.
“What’s wrong with that senile asshole – why isn’t he crying out?” asked Jones.
“Who knows, maybe his strokes killed off his nerves,” answered the uncaring warden, looking to his watch. “One minute has passed, proceed with the second shot, executioner.”
“Yes sir.” Taking a gut shot, I pulled the trigger, blasting open Allen’s abdomen, chunks of bowels and bile, laced with feces, splattering on my clothing, a shell casing flying past my head and clattering to the floor of the death chamber.
“Goddamnit!” I exclaimed in disgust, pulling off my shooting glasses and wiping away the foul debris.
Condemned inmate Allen continued to stare at me, not moving or speaking.
“Hold for one minute.”
I looked to the warden and nodded, replacing my shooting glasses.
“I’ll say one thing, Allen’s one tough son of a bitch,” said the assistant warden.
“That, or he’s dead from the ass both ways,” said a smirking Jones.
“Shoot away Gonzalez, blow off one of his arms like you did with Tookie,” said the warden, his voice coming over the intercom.
“Yes sir,” I answered, placing the muzzle near Allen’s left forearm. Looking the condemned in the eyes, I pulled the trigger. Another deafening blast came from the sawed-off Mossberg, the buckshot severing the arm, another casing bouncing off a thick glass window.
Allen sat there; apparently oblivious to the pain as more smoke filled the death chamber.
“Christ, that injun must be dead!” the warden exclaimed.
“No sir, he’s still breathing, this old bastard’s as tough as nails,” I answered, “Should I just blow his head off and be done with it?”
“No, hold for one minute, per the orders of the review board and Governor Schwarzenegger.”
“Yes sir,” I answered with a nod.
Allen continued to glare at me, not showing the slightest sign of pain or fear. His piercing stare unnerved me; that of an evil monster who couldn’t care less what was happening to him.
“Time’s up Frank, blow that bastard’s head off his shoulders!” the warden yelled over the intercom.
Nodding, I moved the muzzle to Allen’s neck and pulled the trigger, the final spent shell ejecting from the Mossberg. The blast severed his skull at the base, the eyes finally showing a response to the assault, becoming glazed over after his head bounced off the floor of the death chamber. Blood squirted like a fountain from the headless body, covering my right arm in gore.
“Son of a bitch, he didn’t even care,” I said to myself, looking to the blood still flowing from the torn arteries.
The door to the death chamber opened, the warden and coroner stepping in.
“Good job Gonzalez, you executed Allen in the fashion he deserved,” said the warden, taking my blood-covered hand in his. Turning to the coroner, he asked, “He’s dead, right?”
“No shit, Frank turned him into Gaines burgers,” answered the coroner.
“You’d better get cleaned up; Christ, you look worse than when you slaughtered Tookie,” said the warden.
“Yeah,” I replied, “I’ll tell you one thing boss, Allen was so damn mean, I’ll bet we could’ve poured molten lead down his throat and he would’ve smiled at us, and shit out Brenneke slugs.”
“I don’t doubt it,” said the warden, looking to justly executed corpse of Clarence Ray Allen. “You two, get that hunk of shit out of here and clean out the deathhouse,” he added, looking to a pair of trustees.
“Yes warden,” they answered, charged with returning the green room to its usual immaculate appearance.
Later, the remains of Clarence Ray Allen were dumped outside the prison walls, his blood covered, mangled carcass feeding stray dogs, ravens, and condors, with ants later nourishing themselves with the tasty marrow of his bleached bones.
Comment by Frank Gonzalez — 12/31/2005 @ 6:08 am
So long Clarence. The State of California is not responsible for forgiveness, that’s up to God. The State is just going to help you by arranging the meeting. So long and don’t forget to give our love to Tookie.
Comment by Jim — 1/3/2006 @ 10:35 pm
Fran’s Market was our neighborhood grocery store when I was growing up. We lived in the country and it was the only store or business of any kind within 2 miles of us. I remember Bryon working there. He always had a smile and was friendly to everyone. Clarence Ray Allen was our “security guard”. He would patrol the neighborhood (probably looking for easy targets). The night of the shooting was surreal. I remember seeing a picture of Bryon’s father in the paper, his eyes closed and his face wrinkled in pain upon learning of the death of his son. It was a picture of pure grief. I was told there was a hole in the back of Bryon’s neck the size of a 50 cent piece. His son was killed in their family business named after his wife, Bryon’s mother, Fran. She has since died and I saw a small obituary in the paper several months back for Raymond Schletewitz, Bryon’s father. This was a hard working family who established their own business and served the community for years. This fat ugly evil useless piece of nothing who has never done an honest days work in his life has outlived them all and now he wants mercy because we waited too long and allowed him to live his full life while Bryon was cut down in his prime and cheated out of living HIS life. He destroyed more than 4 lives. The families and friends of these young people had their lives ruined as well. The other people in the store that night were teenaged students just trying to earn some money by working part time. They were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. They weren’t even involved in this but they were witnesses so they were killed also. Most people who oppose the death penalty say that life behind bars is more humane and protects the public just as well. Clarence Ray Allen is LIVING proof that isn’t the case. He has killed from behind bars. Personally, I think death is more humane than locking someone in a cage and forcing them to live and think about what they did for 30 years but then I have a conscience which Allen obviously does not. I would love to see what his supporters would do if he ordered their child murdered from behind bars. Would they say it’s ok because he’s a poor sick old man? He wouldn’t be if we had done our job in the first place 25 years ago. Look at all the pain and suffering we would have spared him. He wouldnt have had to go blind or deaf or get old or live through a heart attack or anything. He would already be wherever it is he is going. Meanwhile, Bryon and his parents are together again in paradise so maybe justice HAS been served and we should grant him a stay of execution so he can suffer some more instead of getting some good drugs and then being put to sleep humanely like a dog. Hmmm… food for thought. Why is it when a dog is sick, we put it out of it’s misery and call it “the humane thing to do” and when a psycho killer is sick we say “it would be inhumane to put him out of his misery”. Maybe the liberals are alot smarter than anyone thinks. Maybe they are merciful like a fox.
Comment by Linda Nicholls — 1/7/2006 @ 9:17 am
I’m not a big fan of the death penalty as I think it’s been shown that it’s been mis-applied in to many instances. Not to mention that serial-murderers for cash like Sammy Gravino can just snitch on their boss and walk on 40 murders. It’s too often an unfair system that works against those lacking cash or white skin. I think some kind of reforms are in order. I think the bar needs to be raised on evidence in death penalty cases. I think that would help shorten the amount of life some of these jerks get to enjoy on our planet while they file their endless appeals and burden the taxpayers.
In this case, I think it’s a shame he wasn’t put to death before wasting taxpayer dollars on his heart surgury.
The worthless bastard has been in prison longer than some of his victims walked the earth. He’s in a wheelchair, he’s blind and old. Who cares? He’s lived a full life, he’s getting off lucky. He’s escaping the potentially painful death that his illness’s may have brought.
I’d be willing to bet those kids he killed would have rather spent 25 years in prison followed by the death penalty rather than be victims of this creep and his creepy scumbag family.
Comment by Anthony — 1/14/2006 @ 2:35 pm
Read this from the BBC website. Notice the wording of the first Seven paragraphs and the
caption under the picture of Clarence - If you’re not familiar with tha case (as most prople
who don’t follow this stuff will be ) this sets you up for thinking that Arnold is a cold
uncaring bastard.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4611668.stm
After this fabulous build up there is a single paragraph that does a pathetic job of
trying to explain the decision that the governor took.
Based on the information here and the this Wiki page you find out
exactly what this death row slime ball is:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clarence_Ray_Allen
Why doesn’t the story start with a run down of this bastards crimes. I guess its
more sensational to say that “Arnold is going to let a human being die.”
Sadly, when it comes to many things state side, this is the quality of BBC online
journalism. I really don’t know whether things have degenerated to this level, on
TV, in the UK, but I do have a good recollection about fake stories which resulted
in the dismissal of some senior BBC editors/directors.
Bastards.
By the way, Clarence, its a shame that your departure from this worlld isn’t more
painful. Putting you to sleep is, well, merciful. That is a real shame.
Comment by V I — 1/15/2006 @ 9:40 am
I don’t believe in the death penalty but when you know a person that has been killed it changes your way of thinking. Doug White’s parents have gone through so much since his death. They were so very proud of their son and they had a right to be. He was a great son. I only think that our court system should change the way they do things. Allen is very old and in bad health, but when he planned these murders and did it from a prison cell he wasn’t. It is scary that someone can plan and execute murders from a prison cell. A young girl’s life was taken, and three more lives at Fran’s market. Texas takes care of things alot faster and it doesn’t put the families through years of pain and suffering and dredge things up all over again 26 years later. We need a better system. If Doug hadn’t been at work today what could he has been and what would he have accomplished in his life. We will never know. And that is a real shame. That’s why when we think of what will happen to Allen we really need to think about what he took away from the victim’s and their families. I am just sorry that it took so long for the state to put closer to these families ordeals. I pray that the families get through this sad time and finally can put this all behind them.
Comment by youvonne — 1/16/2006 @ 3:50 pm
I’m surprised by the comments of “revenge” and “cruel and unusual punishment” regarding this case. This savage was availed every opportunity to appeal his case on almost every excuse imaginable and all that that did was add more years to his life. Now people want to say he paid for his crime, or it’s cruel to execute him after all these years. I cry bullcrap! The first person he ordered killed, Mary Sue Kitts, was the only child of a couple that had a very hard time even producing a child. It took Mary Sue’s parents 19 years before they could have children and then they were only able to have one and her life was taken from them after only 17 years!!! This bastard has been allowed to live 28 years past that… and 24 years longer than Bryon, Doug and Josephine. He should be grateful for the years he has had to live and the years he has had to get to know his grandchildren while Bryon never got to know his niece or nephew…. or be a father himself. Let hell take back one of it’s demons!
Comment by sheri — 1/16/2006 @ 6:56 pm
My philosophy is “There, but for the grace of God, go I.” I don’t try to judge other people. When I read the above account of Clarence Ray Allen it sounds like a lot of drugs (these people were acting very stupidly) and a lot of snitching to get off the hook. I think it is a big leap of faith for anyone to assert that they know what really happened.
Comment by Ginny — 1/17/2006 @ 3:36 am
After all that goes on should not a total ban on guns be a good direction for the USA who now change laws to suit ,the need for petrol .why bother with trials .you have given yourself the right not to bother wild west time again .
Comment by Dave Right — 1/17/2006 @ 5:13 am
I just want everyone to remember this would not be happening if Clarence Ray Allen, brought this on himself no one forced him to go on a criminal binge to begin with, and then to involve his own children in along with it, and then to convince some weak people to kill some innocent people that were also Allen’s victims at one point. I personally believe the doctors should not have revived him and just let him die. I remember those killings very well I was a teenager living in Fresno at the time, and they were not only senseless, but it was a horrific crime scene. Those people paid with their lives because of Allen and his clan, so why shouldn’t he pay with his life. This is a bunch of crap, he was sentenced to death therefore that is what should have happened, and it did. I still feel sorry for the families of his victims, and lets not forget Mary Sue Kitts, she was one of his victims also, and you know I even feel sorry for Allen’s remaining family, they shouldn’t have to go through this either. So in closing not only did he cause pain and misery for the victims families, but he caused it for his own family, and you know I don’t think he cared or else he wouldn’t have done it. So now he will go rest where he shall.
Comment by Stacy — 1/17/2006 @ 12:41 pm
Well to those of you who are obviously not familiar with this case and are so ‘forgiving’ it would be different if you were familiar with it. I have grown up in Fresno and I remember clearly this heinous murder. The murder scene was chilling and the thought of all of those innocent young lives being cut short because of some old man’s greed and so called ‘Honor among thieves’ was one of the most senseless acts that have happened around here. As for the debate as to execute him now that he was so sick and old.. those things didn’t change the fact that he was a cold blooded murderer and coward because from what I see.. he was real good at ordering his flunkies to do his dirty work but as to whether he actually killed anyone.. well to me it comes down to the same thing. Just like Charles Manson or Marcus Wesson.. (for those of you who are familiar with that recent tragedy) So I don’t see the ‘cruelty’ in putting this old dog to sleep and out of his misery.. which is more humane than what was done to his victims.. now lets get the gurney ready for Billy Ray Hamilton!
Comment by Debi — 1/17/2006 @ 10:57 pm
OMG OMG! Put him in a cell and put his family in front of the cell with SAWDOFF”S and tell them u cant have slaughter without laughter. and omg im a genous. punishment fits crime! I love it. Execution by the offended.
Comment by David — 1/18/2006 @ 3:20 am
In response to Debi, I totally agree Hamilton should be the next one. I was thinking about it last night again and you know those murders were as gruesome and un-called for as the Manson murders. And you know Allen is alot like Manson, technically Manson never killed anyone either he had a bunch of morons do it for him too. I really hope the the Allen clan reign can be put to bed, because after all the king of the clan is none gone.
Comment by Stacy — 1/18/2006 @ 12:21 pm
I am in favor of recreating the murder with the convicted as the victim. We could show it on TV and sell commercials with part of the proceeds going toward family members of the victims. I bet you it would kick any reality show’s butt in ratings. This lethal injection crap is too humane.
It shall be done unto you as you have done unto others.
Comment by Vincent — 1/18/2006 @ 5:58 pm
I don’t think we should waste taxpayer dollars on healthcare for capital criminals. They should instead be sold to corporations as research subjects to test very risky drugs and if they survive this, they should then be killed for the harvesting of their organs provided the organs haven’t been rendered useless by said drugs.
Comment by Vincent — 1/18/2006 @ 6:04 pm
Also people who steal should have the word “THIEF” Branded on their forehead with hot irons (hopefully this will fry their brains as well!!) if they are
caught after their 3rd offense.
Comment by Vincent — 1/18/2006 @ 6:08 pm
They should have scalped the mothe_rfu_c_ker alive
Comment by Vincent — 1/18/2006 @ 6:36 pm
Let’s just set the record straight, Ms. Doeckel WAS NOT Furrow’s natural mother nor adoptive mother. Remember that what you write about needs to be the truth or it becomes slander. Get you facts straight before you write BS like this!
---Testimony in Clarence Allen's trial for the murder of Mary Sue Kitts referred to her as his adoptive mother. I can't vouch for the truth of what was testified to, only that it is what the court record reflects. Furthermore, in order for Ms. Doeckel to be libeled (not slandered -- that involves spoken defamation) she would have to first demonstrate that the allegation harmed her character and second that it was published with malice. As she knowingly allowed her apartment to be used for a murder, her character is already questionable, and fairly recounting testimony from a trial eliminates the question of actual malice.--Mark G.
Comment by Kari — 1/18/2006 @ 10:36 pm
You know the days to follow the execution of this cold blooded person, I am reading all of this crap about poor Clarence Allen, because he is blind, wheelchair bound,has diabetes,and going deaf and his life should be spared. This is a bunch of bull, did he think about the lives that he hired someone to take, did he think of his own childrens’ lives, after all one of his sons, Kenneth, went to jail for him. So if he loved his family so much, which is what his granddaughter Paula stated that he was such a loving person, then why did he put them through this crap? I truly feel sorry for the remaining family members of Clarence, however I think maybe they have lost the memories of what this man had done. I don’t blame them for loving him after all he was the family, but come on they know he was guilty and they know what he was capable of doing, and they know what he did. I just can’t stand it that everyone is making Clarence the victim here, he is not the victim, well in a way I guess he is a victim of his own ignorance and evil ways. He was not the victim, he was a cold blooded killer and was capable of anything, we seen that (well those of us that lived in Fresno), so lets remember the true victims and hope that their families can now go on after waiting so long for justice.
Comment by Stacy — 1/19/2006 @ 10:47 am
Hi Stacy, I have read your article and I agree 100% with what you say. I remember very well the horrible thing’s that were done by the people involved, and what Clerance had done. I really didn’t understand why people felt that his age and health should have stopped the exucution.What about the people he killed. They had no choice. I pray for forgiveness for feeling so happy when they excucuted him. I finally found someone who think’s the same way I do. Hope to hear from you soon.
Comment by star — 1/28/2006 @ 2:01 am
Yes Star I do agree, I truly believe that the justice system was and is too slow when it comes to things like this. As far as age that should have nothing to do with it. you said you remember the killings, I assume then that you live or lived in or around Fresno at the time, if that is the case then you are very familiar with the string of crimes that he committed or orchestrated. I want everyone to know I feel sorry for the remaining Allen family (grandchildren-great granchildren) they didn’t ask for all this negative publicity because of what this man did, it is not their fault. I hope now that with him gone then all the families that were affected can now go on with their lives.
Comment by Stacy — 2/4/2006 @ 10:34 pm
Stacey, Iknow it’s a late response, but I finally got your response. Yes, I am familiar with all the crimes they committed. I was wondering how do you feel about the female that was involved? Do you think she got off easy with just a life sentence? I think you would have to be a heartless bitch to be involved with some terrible men like these guys. I also feel sorry for all the families involved. Exspecially the victims famailies. I often wonder how did the children of the female involved in the crime grew up. Again, I do feel sorry for all those involved. Would love to hear from you again. Star.
Comment by star — 6/3/2006 @ 5:19 am
He wasn’t old and ‘harmless’ when he chose his crimes.
What I wonder is why he got so old before his execution…at our expense.
And what happened to his son Roger?
L
Comment by Laurie — 5/12/2007 @ 10:06 pm
Mark G is a wannabe; know it all, smart ass! Slander is an untruthful oral (spoken) statement about a person that harms the person’s reputation or standing in the community. Even if certain information is in a deposition, a responsible person would seek the truth and not print lies. Does he truly know if she “willingly” allowed certain things to happen or maybe, just maybe, her life was threatened too! Mark G must be a liberal!
Comment by Portia — 9/27/2007 @ 11:51 pm
Maybe it was justice or maybe some feel it was revenge. What you all really need to hear is the sequel to this sad story. It could be titled “Modern Day Witch Hunt…not Satisfied Yet”
Comment by Mother Raven — 10/25/2007 @ 4:19 am
I am sometimes ambivalent about the death penalty. However, everytime I start to think maybe, just maybe those who oopose it may be on to something, someone like “Tookie” or Clarence Ray Allen come along and prove me wrong forcing me back to my default position on capital punishment.
Think about it! Some say life in prison without parole is a fitting penalty for murder. It is both fair and just. Someone who has to spend the remaimder of his/her life in prison can do no more wrong. Right?
But along comes Ray Allen, who while humanely locked away in a safe place still manages to kill a further three and nearly four persons.
Now think about all the gang leaders, and other “powerful” persons for whom others will willingly commit crimes then ask yourself how safe is imprisonment, and for whom is it safe. Ray Allen’s being locked away did nothing to protect the lives of three innocents.
Think also about those who are killed in prison by those who, having been convicted of murder, are safely locked away behind bars. I ask you, how safe is imprisonment, and safe for whom.
People like Ray Allen deserve to be exterminated.
The only justice he deserved was provided by Governor Arnold, the “Terminator” himself.
Comment by Steve Skeete — 2/8/2008 @ 2:27 pm
Did Clarence Ray Allen have anything to do with the 1983 murders of the Ryen family of Chino Hills, California? The connections are eerie.
Comment by anonymous — 8/3/2008 @ 9:38 pm
James Hayes- Are you really that ignorant? This country is going down the tubes and it is people like you that are ruining it. The man should have been put down long ago and if this had happened in Texas he would have been dead by now. I suggest that if you feel so strongly about this you should talk to the victims families and tell them that their pain and loss does not matter because you James Hayes know better than them and this poor old man shouldn’t be killed. I would like to see if you had the guts to tell them face to face.
Comment by Max — 11/15/2008 @ 2:13 am
First of all, clarence was the first man in california to be convicted with no evidence,no body nothing but LEE FURROWS testamony.Lee Furrow was involved in the mass murders of the ryen family.san berdino police dept threw his bloody clothes in a dumster and coopers on death row for it .hmm…somethangs wrong here!!!
Comment by paulafirstnamew@yahoo.com — 3/19/2009 @ 8:31 pm
I lived less than 5 miles from the former Fran’s Market when the murders occurred. I live here still. Recently my 24-year old son asked why I never go to the now renamed market. He asked if I’d had a “bad experience” there. He thought I may have purchased spoiled meat there or maybe the employees were rude. (The murders happened 5 years before my son was born.) I told him about the murders and how I went to the market a few times afterward. I had to avoid going by to the meat counter area near where the walk-in freezer is. All I could think of was how those young people died and how the deputy sheriffs found Connie Borba vomiting in the bathroom after Billy Ray Hamilton had left his so-called “girlfriend” behind. The current owners are probably very nice people, but it will always be “Fran’s Market”, the scene of the murders to me. I’m sorry Bryon’s parents died before seeing justice finally done.
Comment by Terry — 10/29/2009 @ 1:30 am
Interesting case. The defendant’s son not only failed to inform authorities of the plot, but brought in and paid off the gunman who carried out the killings. Therefore, isn’t he actually the “primary” suspect. Only he got off in a plea arrangement.
Rather than showing the need to “incapacitate” certain criminals. This is an example of how the death penalty can pervert the criminal justice system by encouraging a prosecutor to seek a more severe penalty against someone who is more vulnerable to prosecution, because of a prior record, and in the process go past someone who may actually be more culpable in a particular crime, or perhaps is more dangerous. At the most, the father was guilty of conspiracy to commit murder, not a capital offense.
Comment by David — 9/24/2010 @ 11:19 pm
I am curious as anyone about the law and why criminals do what they do. I know some family members of Clarence Ray Allen and they are sweet loving people. I think people need to remember that although what he did was horrific that carrying on and keeping the memory of what he did only serves to force the victims families to relive the experience by having to remember it and the innocent family members of Clarence Ray Allen also have to suffer. I’m not making light of what he did. I feel the same way most people feel. But knowing both sides of this type of pain made me realize how insensitive we are to the people who were actually involved. We dissect the crimes and give opinions when that only adds to glorify what he did. Silence and refusal to acknowledge Clarence’s Obtruse behavior takes away the impact of his actions while leaving the family to heal and move on with their lives. There is way too much media attention and journalistic information on crime such as that. The focus should be on what can we do for the victims and loved ones left behind in his wake; not on him and the crime. Can anyone understand what I’m saying? Maybe there wouldn’t be as much of this crap if we as the public didn’t glorify it with our curiosity and opinions. That’s all. I’m as guilty as the next person when it comes to gruesome crime stories, but I wouldn’t be so much if it wasn’t out there to see in the first place. I think we all as a nation need to turn our backs on the people who commit crimes like this and not give them any attention other than their punishment. They don’t deserve to be noticed. You know what I mean?
Comment by Nonya — 9/14/2011 @ 1:06 pm
People will always argue about this. I’ve heard and seen these arguments my whole life. I have also heard and seen my grandparents and mother cry quiet tears on my uncles birthday. I’ve been in the car with my family and seen their eyes glass over with tears when we pass “Frans Market” more than a few times. People really need to get ALL the facts straight before they say something. The Allen family that was involved with this case were NOT loving people. My uncle Bryon was a loving person. My grandparents Ray and Fran were loving people. My mother the only living member of her family is a loving person. These people woke up everyday with heartache. They went to sleep every night knowing that they were living a nightmare, so bad dreams couldn’t even haunt them…..their reality did. It’s real easy to have an openion when you’re not part of the case. I am certain if the rolls were reversed people would understand. Clarence Ray Allen had a lovely death. I was there, I know. I said goodbye to all the people he loved, had a delicious meal thet he picked out, heard beautiful music and just went to sleep. I wish the same could be said for my uncle Bryon. I wish the same could be said for my grandparents for that matter. It’s hard to find any kind of peace in a situation like this, however I feel like I have found some. My grandparents and mother have always told me to never carry around evil or negative thoughts when it comes to this subject and the people involved. Even after everything they have been through, they ALWAYS told me that. So because I respect the words spoken by those three people, I tell myself that justice has been done. Not just because our justice system followed through with the sentence they placed on Clarence Ray Allen, but because I know a higher power has sentenced him as well. We have Capitol Punishment for a reason. I believe that in this case it took too long, but it was still the right thing to do.
Comment by B* — 12/10/2012 @ 8:08 pm