Azle, Texas

August 4, 2005

 

Ms. Raven Kazen

Director, Victim Services Division

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

 

Dear Ms. Kazen,

 

       Please add my name to the growing list of Texans who feel it would be inappropriate to grant an early release to Ricky Carter [State ID#06227942 – TDCJ ID#01009150].

       Mr. Carter was sentenced to twenty years confinement for killing Mandi McWhorter, Whitney Welch, Staci Lee and Lacey Osina on December 19, 1998.  This sentence amounts to five years per teenage girl which seems to me is little enough price to pay for the havoc inflicted on the families of these fine young people as well as the citizens of the State of Texas.  Mr. Carter and others like him, who drink and subsequently imperil innocent people must be prepared to pay the price for their behavior.  By holding Mr. Carter accountable for his actions, we send an important message to others who might be tempted to engage in the same or similar behavior.  To release Mr. Carter on parole after he has completed barely more than one fourth of his sentence sends the wrong message to others who might be tempted to engage in drinking and driving.

       The message which should be sent to Mr. Carter is that each of us is accountable for our actions and part of his accountability for the death of these fine young women is twenty years confinement.  He should expect to serve nothing less that the sentence he received for his behavior.

       I urge you to use your good offices to see to it that Mr. Carter is denied parole and required to serve the full sentence he was awarded as a consequence of his reprehensible actions on the night of December 19, 1998.

Respectfully,

 

Henry C. Reinhard, Jr.