A Hate Crime the Elite Media Missed

Palestine Herald Press ^ | August 2, 2003 | Paul Stone

[Extremist]

8-02-03 By PAUL STONE H-P Associate Editor RUSK - The past 3 1/2 years - as one relative put it - have been "a living hell" for the family of Geraldine Davidson.

On Friday, the slain woman's family members say they took another step forward in the healing process when a Cherokee County jury found Palestine teen-ager Lionel Simpson guilty of capital murder, sentencing him to life in prison.

"I'm just glad it's over," Carolyn Davidson, the victim's daughter-in-law, said. "We can begin to heal a little bit now."

During three trials held over the past three years, loved ones of Geraldine Davidson have sat patiently and quietly in the gallery, hearing one witness after another testify about the horrific death their loved one suffered on a dreary January day in 2000.

Testimony in those trials has shown that Geraldine Davidson was thrown into the Neches River with her hands tied behind her back; her mouth and head covered with duct tape; and a cinder block tied to her ankles.

Edward "Pete" McCoy, who was 13 at the time of Geraldine Davidson's death, is currently serving a 13-year sentence for his role in the former Palestine school teacher's murder.

McCoy testified Thursday that Geraldine Davidson was "moaning" and struggling for survival after being thrown into the Neches River.

Such memories, family members say, will remain etched in the back of their minds.

"The manner of her death can never be forgotten," said Clyde Davidson Jr., the victim's oldest son, following the verdict.

Simpson's trial has been put on hold for three years as the state appealed a lower court ruling that the defendant's statement to authorities be admitted as evidence.

Family members, however, have not grown impatient.

"I understand the wheels of justice grind slowly," said Paul Davidson, son of Geraldine Davidson. "...I don't feel 3 1/2 years to be any significant time in relation to the death of Geraldine."

Homer Alexander, son-in-law of Geraldine Davidson, pointed out that two families have been devastated by the tragedy.

"They (the defendant's family) lost too," Alexander said. "They've got four family members who are in prison."

During this week's trial, testimony from multiple witnesses showed that Simpson expressed dislike for white people as Geraldine Davidson was driven around in the trunk of her own car before she was murdered.

After formally sentencing Simpson Friday, 369th State District Judge Bascom W. Bentley III said in open court that the trials of Davidson's convicted murderers represented the "best argument there has ever been for capital punishment in a hate crime."

Davidson was white, while the four defendants convicted of her murder are black.

Paul Davidson likened his mother's death to the 1998 murder of 49-year-old James Byrd Jr., a black man who was dragged to death behind a pickup truck by three white men outside of Jasper.

"I hope the community of Palestine can come to grips with its own race relations because this is just the very reverse of what happened in Jasper," Paul Davidson said. "...All citizens of all colors need to learn to get along together and restructure their lives in a civil manner.

"That's what the lady was all about," he added.

----

[Extremist]

Funny how the elite media picks and chooses the hate crimes they report. This was a crime more horrible (IMHO)than Jasper, yet I'd be willing to bet most people outside East Texas have never heard of it.

[Teacher317]

Correct on both counts. Whites are non-entities as victims of racial hatred, as far as the major media is concerned. Only minorities can earn sympathy, and only their deaths can be regrettable, tragic, or of national interest.

[Free_at_last_-2001]

Funny how the elite media picks and chooses the hate crimes they report. This was a crime more horrible (IMHO)than Jasper, yet I'd be willing to bet most people outside East Texas have never heard of it. -Agreed - and yes it's the first I've heard of it!

[Paul Atreides]

The media were like a deer in the headlights when the D.C. snipers turned out not to be white, Bible-thumping, rednecks.

[Humidston]

I never heard of it and I'm just north of Houston!

No way blacks or gays can commit hate crimes. It's impossible, doncha know. /sarcasm

[Tax-chick]

Go back to Brainwashing 101, please. You obviously haven't accepted that only blacks, gays, and Moslems are victims these days! (/sarcasm)

[AngrySpud]

You're right ... just as horrible as the Jasper race murder, yet this is the first I've heard of it.

[Elliott Jackalope]

"All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others."

George Orwell, "Animal Farm".

[wardaddy]

Many in this nation think all guilt ridden whites have become soft as putty and are used to this double standard and abuse. They should think again.

"What makes you laugh can make you cry"

[JulieRNR21]

BTTT....the biased media only sees white on black crime as 'hate'.

[Mears]

God,what an awful thing,and no,I never heard of this case either.

The James Byrd and Matthew Shepard cases were all over the place but not this "white hater" story.

[Extremist]

Can you imagine if the thugs who drug James Byrd to his death in Jasper had been reported as commenting on their dislike of blacks while committing their crime?

This 84 year old woman was tied and gagged in the trunk of her own car while the little monsters drove for hours, buying crack and bragging about their "catch". Where the hell is Dan Rather? He gave live reports from the courthouse lawn during the media circus that was the Byrd trial.

[Tax-chick]

It's absolutely unspeakable. Dan Rather has no interest in anything but Dan Rather's paycheck, but you'd think this would get the attention of Rush Limbaugh or Bill O'Reilly. And a nationwide promotion of concealed carry for little old ladies!

At least the scum are going to jail, at last, and may they stay there a long, long time.

[Paul Atreides]

There was another story that Dan Rather never mentioned. It was a big story that the other networks featured, but ol' Dim Dan never mentioned it. I can't remember what it was.

Don't be fooled by Dan's crying jag on Letterman, concerning 9-11, he is rabidly biased.

[joesnuffy]

Since the victim is white and the murdereres are one of the favored race if not the favored reace..

its obvious that the victim is really the perpetrator or at least the facilitator, and either did something wrong, didnt do something she was supposed to , or said something wrong or didnt say what she was supposed to, at any rate being that the victim is white it should be obvious to even the least intitiated...that she, in some fashion brought this upon herself..

And the accused..due to circimstances beyond their control...such ...as being descendants of slaves or having been deprived by white folks somewhere.. sometime.. somehow..
should be excused..or at least understood..and their sentances properly mitigated
/sarcasm

[Extremist]

And a nationwide promotion of concealed carry for little old ladies!

She came into her own home and was caught by surprise. They had burglarized her home days earlier and returned for more. Palestine has such a terrible gang presence for a small town. The police almost treat burglary as a parking offense. Too bad the police didn't catch these creeps, who lived two houses from Mrs. Davidson, before they returned to the scene of their original crime.

[VOA]

bump

[Drew68]

This was a crime more horrible (IMHO)than Jasper, yet I'd be willing to bet most people outside East Texas have never heard of it.

Showtime just produced a film titled "Jasper, Texas" about --you guessed it, the Byrd murder.

I'm waiting patiently for Showtime to produce a film titled "Wichita, Kansas".

"What happened in Wichita?" is the question most people ask upon hearing my pitch.

[Paul Atreides]

Go to this link to see what kind of "newsman" Dan Rather is:

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3b5685d05372.htm

I'm not harping on your Rather comment, it is just that this helps explain why the story on this poor woman isn't mentioned.

[Nick5]

I think the reason the Jasper crime got so much attention is that it echoed decades, or centuries, of lynchings that people in this country like to think are a thing of the past: the story the media sold (and it's all about what will sell) was: we haven't come as far as we thought.