[transgendernews] [News] [TX, USA] Southlake woman's family fights to keep her killer from being paroled
Stephanie Stevens
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Excerpt: Then-Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Terri Moore
said O’Regan killed his wife because he feared that his cross-dressing
habits would be revealed in the divorce.
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Posted on Wed, Aug. 12, 2009
Southlake woman's family fights to keep her killer from being paroled
By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR.
ram...@star-telegram.com
There are dozens of parole protest letters to the Texas Board of
Pardons and Paroles against convicted killer Terence O’Regan of
Southlake.
The nonprofit crime victims advocacy group Texans for Equal Justice
will be sending 293 more such letters against the 61-year-old O’Regan,
who is up for his first parole review in the next few weeks in the
slaying of his wife, Lori O’Regan, in October 1994.
But her sister, Dianne Breder, is requesting an interview with a
parole board member to voice her opposition. Lori’s parents also want
an interview.
"The fear is there that he will be paroled," Breder said Wednesday.
"And we’re still afraid of him."
In fiscal 2008, officials considered 9,434 Texas cases involving
violent offenders, according to the parole board. Of those, the panel
approved 2,236 for parole, about 24 percent.
In all, the board considered 74,895 Texas criminal cases in fiscal
2008, statistics show. Of those, panel members approved 23,025, or 31
percent.
"The review process takes several months," said Jason Clark of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice in Huntsville. "That means parole
board members go through a lot of material before reaching a
decision."
This summer, Breder, of New Jersey, and her parents, who are from
Florida, have been on the telephone almost daily, calling parole
officials about the process and wading through voluminous information
to oppose parole.
"It’s been a lot information," Richard Hauser, Lori’s father, said
Wednesday. "And it’s been frustrating at times."
The process begins six months before a prisoner is eligible for parole
when court officials and victims are notified. A parole officer
interviews the prisoner and a case summary is completed.
At some point, the case is sent to a parole board member. A member
decides whether to interview the prisoner or other people who have
sent letters of protest or support.
But a panel member must grant an interview to victims.
"It can be very traumatic," said Rissie Owens, the presiding officer
of the parole board members. "There’s no time limit. It could be just
a few minutes or longer."
Once the interviews are complete and all material is reviewed, the
case is voted on by the parole member. A second parole member reviews
it and votes. If the first two votes differ from each other, a third
parole member looks over the case and breaks the tie.
A prisoner who is denied parole could be back before the board in one
to five years.
Interviews will be scheduled in the next few weeks in O’Regan’s case.
The slaying
In October 1994, the night before their divorce arbitration meeting,
O’Regan repeatedly stabbed his wife in their Southlake home, then
stuffed her body into a plastic bin.
Then-Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Terri Moore said
O’Regan killed his wife because he feared that his cross-dressing
habits would be revealed in the divorce.
He was arrested a few days later in Key West, Fla., as he prepared to
flee the country.
During questioning by Southlake police, O’Regan stated, "She got what
she deserved for trying to divorce me. I warned her."
O’Regan pleaded guilty to murder and was sentenced to 30 years in
prison in August 1996.
The protest
Hauser said there are numerous reasons he is fighting to keep O’Regan in prison.
"We agreed to the plea bargain because it assured us that he would be
in prison," Hauser said Wednesday. "Now we believe he must serve all
of it. And I want him to stay in prison because he destroyed our
family."
A closer look
Parole board members look at several factors in their decisions:
Letters of support or protest
How an offender adjusted to prison
Other arrests
Number of times in prison
Criminal history
Juvenile history
Offender’s age
Length of sentence and the amount of time served
Seriousness of the offense
Interviews
Source: Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles
The fear is there that he will be paroled. And we’re still afraid of him."
Dianne Breder,
victim’s sister
DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR., 817-390-7763
http://www.star-telegram.com/local/story/1535153.html
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