TO: Texas Parole Board of
Pardon and Reviews
RE: Parole Review
Offender: Ricky/Rickey Carter
State ID: 06227942
TDCJ ID: 010091
Placed in parole review on 07/05/05
Dear Sirs:
I could tell you how devastated and shattered
my sister's family has been since the death of their
daughter and my niece Lacey Osina, but I am sure that you
have heard that many times and know in your heart without a
doubt that it is true. Or, I could go on and on about how
Ricky Carter should have to pay for the deaths of my niece
and her three precious friends with more than just the time
he has already spent in prison. This I am sure common sense
tells you. Yet, it is for common sense that I am appealing
to you and the Texas Parole board when it comes time to
either deny or grant Ricky Carter a parole.
Mark Twain lost his daughter to an unexpected illness, and I
once read something that he expressed when he was asked by
someone how it felt to lose a child. He replied something to
the effect that he could not express the loss of his
daughter to the world for to do so would bankrupt all the
languages of the world. The night that Ricky Carter chose to
drive under the influence of alcohol was the night that he
bankrupted the lives of not only my sister and her family
but the lives of three other families. Most importantly he
not only bankrupted but also forever ended the lives of
Lacey, Whitney Welch, Mandy McWhorter, and Staci Lee.
Ricky Carter was given the sentence of only 20 years for the
ending of four lives that were full of promise and hope. I
recently heard that Mr. Carter's lawyer stated that Mr.
Carter has been a model citizen since death of Lacey,
Whitney, Mandy and Staci. I feel that Mr. Carter should have
been a model citizen who used common sense and good judgment
before he killed the girls. He would have put two
and two together: Drinking + Driving can equal death and
lifelong devastation.
I cannot believe that anyone in his or her heart feels that
the time Mr. Carter has spent in prison comes anywhere near
the time that he should be punished by society for his
crime. I am neither a political person nor an activist, but
I do believe that any of us who drink and then pick up the
keys to a car to drive should know without a doubt that if
we are caught we will pay a penalty. And if we drive and
kill anyone—no matter what age, color, or creed—we will
serve a sentence of no less than a set number of years.
There are no numbers of years spent in prison that can
compensate for the loss of a loved one to a drunk driver.
However, for Mr. Carter to spend less than his judgment of
twenty years is heartbreaking and soul shattering to the
families of Lacey, Mandy, Whitney, and Staci. No family
should ever be told or made to believe that their beautiful
child's life is of such little value to society.
In closing I would like to ask anyone who would release Mr.
Carter how they feel when they are in a room with one
of their children or one of their loved ones. I can tell you
how my sister and husband feel when they are in a room
without Lacey. That room, whether it is in there home in
Weatherford or in a room hundreds of miles away, is
filled with grief for the absence of their child.
Please let society know that we, Texans, will
not allow the drunk drivers that take our loved ones away to
pay any less than the full due that they owe society.
Sincerely,
Patricia L. Anzelmo
Liz Osina's Sister and Lacey's Aunt