Tuesday, August 09, 2005

ATTN: Raven Kazen
Director - Victim Services Division
8712 Shoal Creek Blvd Ste 265
PO Box 13401
Austin, Texas 78711-3401

Dear Mrs. Kazen:

Please consider my request to deny parole for the above referenced Ricky Carter. 

As a teenager, I was fortunate enough to attend Brock High School and become a part of the Brock community.  A thriving community, Brock is a unique blend of generations of families who have lived in the area as well as an influx of new families who are relocating to the area.  These new families are eager to take advantage of the excellent schools, relaxed country atmosphere and most importantly to enjoy the “family” type embracement that we extend to each other.  Our community is centered heavily around church, school and the ever strengthening relationships that are treasured by all of us in Brock.  This feeling of comfort and security can’t be put into words, but can be felt by all who are a part of our community. 

On December 19, 1998, our community was dealt a devastating blow that has forever changed our community and has left an eternal lump in the throats of its residents.  Mr. Carter single-handedly destroyed the hopes and dreams of four (4) young student/athletes and their families.  In addition, he selfishly stole four (4) members of our “Brock family” who were already making great impacts in life and were shaping up to be some of the most influential young ladies this country could have ever hoped to produce.  All four (4) were beautiful, smart, athletic, dedicated, personable, fun and innocent.  The girls were an asset to the Brock ISD and to the community as a whole.  Mr. Carter’s decision to drive while intoxicated lent itself to his inability to responsibly operate his pick-up truck.  More than just an accident, this event is a result of Carter’s choice to drive drunk and demonstrate his reckless disregard for the lives of others. 

Because this horrendous event was so widely publicized, I am often asked about it when others find out that I am from Brock.  This event was so unthinkable that people feel a sense of sadness and share in our bereavement even though they are from other parts of Texas.  Some of the more common questions include but are not limited to:

I am writing this letter to urge you to deny parole for Ricky Carter.  The reason that I feel so strongly about Carter serving his entire sentence is not to see him be punished for his decision/action as there is no punishment severe enough for the crime.   I am not concerned with Mr. Carter having to sit in jail and think about what he has done, as I am sure that he has thought about it every day of his incarceration.  My motivation for your denial of Carter’s parole is very simple……..to prevent this kind of tragedy from ever happening again.  If you allow America to watch Ricky Carter walk away without serving his full sentence, it will be a disservice to him, his family, the families of the four (4) girls killed and to society as a whole.  If you grant his parole, you will be showing everyone that Texas is not serious about the consequences of drinking and driving.  Again, I am requesting that you fully execute Ricky Carter’s sentence.  This will dissuade others from making the choice to drive under the influence of alcohol.  We need to make an example out of this widely publicized event so that everyone in Texas will know that if you drink and drive, you will be prosecuted.  People need to understand the serious ramifications of their decision to drink and drive BEFORE they ever start drinking and not AFTER they have created death and destruction.  I hope that you will give my request your full consideration and that you will feel good knowing that you did your part to help prevent this kind of event from ever happening to anyone else. 

If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me directly via the contact information in the header at the beginning of this letter.  Please feel free to redistribute this letter, with my contact information kept in confidence, to any persons in which you see fit. 

Respectfully,