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A prison odyssey, continued
By STEVE PATCH
inquisitors had to know already that the murder
he committed and the voices in his head had nothing
to do with each other.
Otherwise, surely - or so he had thought - they
would have been utterly stupefied when they learned
his mental illness never once was used as a defense,
in court or out of it.
Alas, though, if Ernie Moy con-
vinced his lawyer that he wasn't
a short circuit shy of mayhem,
back in 1977, he certainly hasn't
convinced the parole board in the
22 years since.
Not last summer, surely, when
the board denied him his long-
awaited parole. And apparently
not now, either.
hat can I do for you
today?"
The voice in the telephone
earpiece was that of Kathryn
"Kit" Bail, head of the parole
board and object of Journal
phone-calling persistence going
'...people
who are
mentally ill
are also, in
our opinion,
judgments based on mental
health ?
"Well, I wouldn't argue with
you on that," said Bail. "But what
you're saying in the article is that
we keep people in prison because
they are mentally ill. And it de-
pends on how you frame it.
"We have made decisions to
not release - and the statute says
you may not release - because
people who are mentally ill are
also, in our opinion, dangerous,
and have demonstrated that be-
havior.
"But the assumption that we
keep them in prison because they
are mentally ill is incorrect."
AS FOR ERNIE specifically,
though: Isn't it true there's never
been any link between his mental
illness and his violent act?
dangerous.'
Convicted murderer
Ernie Moy
prosecutor's desk speaks of or mental illness."
even implies such a link, Bail The parole board chairwoman
again turned tothe board's more paused long enough to vent a
generic Imperative. frustrated but vaguely empathet-
back nearly two months.
Faxing her copies of the first "If you murder somebody," ic sigh.
two installments of Ernie's re- she said, "and you're actively Tou know? she mused, voice
sumed Journal series apparently mentally ill - and by actively softer than before, "I don't wanna
had its desired effect, because mentally ill I mean that you be- keep this guy in prison forever.
Bail phoned personally within have in bizarre ways, you report But he is a murderer.
half an hour of the fax going out. being told to do certain things by "And before I would sign my
Did you read what I sent you? voices, you report having halluci, 'Kit Bail' on a release for him I
"Uh-huh," said the parole nations: and not being in control have to be reasonably assured, in
board chief, of your own will, and you murder my own heart, that he's not
Aren't you getting into a diffi, somebody- you know, it's not a dangerous."
cult area when you're making .... leap to believe that it is highly ALAS, IF THIS' means'she's
commit and your mental illness., inmate advocates alike, added
BUT ERNIE CLAIM8 he act, Bail, so be it.
ongoing but in .fact ]
"Well," said Bait, ,I'm not sure
that I could prove to you it was,
Prove. Or that you could prove to
me it wasn't - I mean, when you
put factual information on the
you
O n
I thz k
hat
"But there's a direct link," table, which is he m
' h " "
said Bail. He was allucmatmg
- according
actively mentally ill at the time of dealt with: him
the murder." the crime and sentencin
:dered
at
st:
decisions about other people's
she observed, "you: can't
vec you; I mean,
gee
illness and
there? reports that at the time of the
"Well, I have to go back in crime
the file," said Bail. "But it's my hearin
recollection that the prosecutor's him to do
statement in the original crime
talked about that link."
the violence, was crime - as evidenced by his own like Ernie in so: we
-im to
who knows me and works:in: the
the Journal has :seen from "Well Y said pouc
Bail. "But, I mean, how leap that
IS it? And I'm not saying that timei
they did, and I'm not saying . , agency down.
his murder was caused by his : So, no, i dent have any
I mnot
mental illness, investment in keeping Ernie in
. ter- prison. I have an investment in
AND our j
sure a
who - how: manyyears
his murder
WAS caused
likely:.: Ernie not hurting other people or
to do himsel£ You know?"
(Next: the words that con.
ttnue to convict Ernie - and
the parole board's 0n-
voncern.)
crime -
actively
AND WHAT OF the board's
illness.
Lth or ,
We!l,
think
that misses the point,
"I think: the point is that
there's:inconsistent information:-
titution, but als0
thisguy
:: In prison
'And that's ormal ......
for somebody who suffers from
Court accepts pleas in cases
of burglary, assault and theft
Several cases originally sched-
uled to go to trial this month be-
came plea changes last week in
Mason County Superior Court.
They included:
Kenneth Mike Green, 25,
of 390 SE T'Peeksin Lane, Shel-
ton, who was arrested December
30 after a residential burglary
was reported in the Mountain
View area.
Green told the court in his plea
that he was guilty of entering a
residence belonging to Timmy
Zumwalt on Olympic Highway
North. Green was also charged
with possession of a controlled
substance after his arrest on the
burglary charge. Judge James
Sawyer, who accepted the plea,
set his sentencing for today.
Ronald Arthur Merritt,
37, of 690 East Colonel Wright
Road, Grapeview, entered a guilty
plea to a third-degree assault
charge through retained attorney
Bruce Finlay. Merritt, Finlay
noted, would have been charged
Superior court roundup:
Groome arraigned
in molestation case
Arraignment was scheduled for
today for Eugene Alan
Groome, 55, of Shelton, who was
identified Wednesday, February
10, in connection with allegations
of child molestation in the second
degree. He also faces potential
charges of indecent liberties, ha-
rassment and failing to register
as a sex offender
Judge James Sawyer, at identi-
fication proceedings, appointed
Ron Sergi to be his attorney and
set bail at $25,000.
On February 11, Judge Saw-
yer received diversion papers
from Robert M. McGee, 37, of
21 NE Leahy Drive, Tahuya, who
entered Friendship's program as
an alternative to going to trial
and risking a felony conviction.
McGee acknowledged that if he
doesn't comply with the program,
he will be tried before a superior
court judge without benefit of wit-
nesses or arguments other than
the arresting agency's informa-
tion.
Judge Sawyer set a review of
McGee's case for January 27,
2000, shortly before the expira-
tion of the year-Icing diversion
program's term.
Robert L. Henry, 27, of
Vaughn was identified Tuesday
after his arrest on a 1997 war-
rant. In December of that year he
was charged with rape in the sec-
ond degree.
Judge Sawyer appointed
Charles Lane to be his attorney.
He set bail at $5,000 and sched-
uled his arraignment for today.
Judge Sawyer noted that he is
now living with his alleged vic-
tim.
Timothy Longshore, 31,
of 170 North Tribal Center Road
was identified Monday in connec-
tion with a burglary investiga-
tion.
Sawyer found probable cause
for his arrest and appointed Lane
to be his attorney. He was re-
leased on personal recognizance.
Arraignment was scheduled for
February 25.
In plea agreement:
Fletcher admits
he violated order
A jury was already seated in
Mason County Superior Court
February 10 when the defendant
they were to try entered a change
of plea in a charge involving a fe-
lony violation of a no-contact or-
der.
James Arthur Fletcher, 31, of
SE 311 Whitener Road pled guilty
to the charge in connection with
an incident involving Paula J.
Nelson, who according to informa-
tion filed in the case was the
mother of his 3-year-old child.
The incident took place last
December 17 at 70 East Pine
Park Lane. It obtained felony sta-
tus because an assault was in-
volved, according to court papers.
Deputy Prosecutor Reinhold
Schuetz and attorneys for the de-
fense negotiated a plea agree-
ment shortly after a jury of six
was selected and a trial was
ready to begin.
Defense attorney Larry King
pointed out that his client had
never committed a felony before.
The maximum penalty for felony
assault is five years in prison and
a $10,000 fine. If Judge James
Sawyer, who took the plea, sen-
tences under the provisions of the
state's first-time offender option
Fletcher could get a jail sentence.
In the plea bargain, the state
has agreed not to seek additional
charges that might be pending
against Fletcher and the dephty
prosecutor indicated willingness
to ask Mason County District
Court to dismiss assault charges
filed by another person.
The jurors seated for the case
were Sharme Drake, Randel
Price, Arthur Burton, Allan Cava-
letto, Ruth Clement and Donna
Holliday. Judge Sawyer ordered
sentencing for April 1.
Legislators backing
bill to control felons
Two state legislators have in-
troduced a measure aimed at
keeping high-risk offenders under
closer supervision once they leave
prison.
State representatives Kathryn
Haigh and Lynn Kessler said last
week the proposed Offender Ac-
countability Act (House Bill 1252)
is essential for protecting commu-
nities and keeping offenders on
the straight and narrow.
The bill directs that offenders
be supervised to make sure
they're living up to the terms of
their release and that they pay
the costs of their supervision.
The measure has received a
public hearing in the House
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Committee and was due shortly
for further action.
with additional counts had the
matter gone to trial.
MERRITT TOLD the court
that he entered a residence on
East Murray Road on September
28, 1998 and that he panicked
and chased John Way with a
splitting maul after Way punched
him. He conceded that he had left
the scene of the immediate con-
frontation to get the maul.
Although Finlay said his client
was ready to continue to sentenc-
ing, Judge Sawyer set the sen-
tencing for February 25.
Darrell Borst, 19, of 1615
Judd Street SE, Lacey entered a
change of plea in a second-degree
theft case that stemmed from the
theft of a stereo from a vehicle
late last fall. He was initially ar-
rested in January in the case.
Borst, who remains free on pre-
viously established conditions,
told the court that he and another
defendant took property that be-
longed to the owner of the vehicle.
Judge Sawyer explained to him
that he would be assigned joint-
and-several responsibility for res-
titution, so that if his codefendant
failed to repay the owner of the
equipment, Borst would have to.
He is to be sentenced February
25.
ON FEBRUARY 8, one of two
cases pending against Steven
Leslie Hudson, 43, formerly of
1361 North State Route 106,
Shelton, was resolved with an Al-
ford plea. Hudson, who pled
guilty to charges of residential
burglary and second-degree as-
sault, indicated he was innocent
but felt evidence the state would
present might result in a convic-
tion by a jury.
He was originally charged with
the burglary and first-degree as-
sault in an incident that involved
a fracas with Jesse Davies at
1907 Olympic Highway North.
Hudson was hospitalized shortly
after the incident, which occurred
February 26, 1998, with a
ruptured spleen.
Sentencing in the case is
scheduled for March 25. Still
pending is an unrelated robbery
case filed after a December 1,
1997 arrest.
I IIII
* Residential
, Commercial
K
1714 Olympic Highway North
Same-Day Service on Most Glass
Residential Vinyl
Windows Mirrors
Contractor's Discounts
Rock Chip Repairs
Auto Glass Specialist
can 426-3163
Guaranteed Quality Monday-Friday 8-5
I
Olympic Dental Center
Crowns Extractions
Bridges Dentures
F. Scudder, DDS
2026 Olympic ttighway North, State 101
432.8379 Shelton
Most insurances and medical coupons accepted
()pen 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday
WCC to test
weapons on
two dates
The Washington Corrections
Center will hold weapons qualifi-
cation from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
February 19 and from 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23.
Those who live within earshot
of the shooting range north of
Shelton will hear sporadic gunfire
during that time. It's nothing to
worry about, says WCC Adminis-
trative Program Manager Alan
Adams.
NOW SELLING TOP SOIL!
Black crushed rock * Landscape rock. 3/C and 1'/4" clean rock
Rip rap Culverts for sale 12", 18" and 24"
Right across from Taylor Towne Texaco Half mile up 2900 Road
WE DELIVER OR YOU HAUL
Special Contractor Discounts
WINTER HOURS: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday 8 a,m.-noon
Thursday, February 18, 1999 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page 19
A prison odyssey, continued
By STEVE PATCH
inquisitors had to know already that the murder
he committed and the voices in his head had nothing
to do with each other.
Otherwise, surely - or so he had thought - they
would have been utterly stupefied when they learned
his mental illness never once was used as a defense,
in court or out of it.
Alas, though, if Ernie Moy con-
vinced his lawyer that he wasn't
a short circuit shy of mayhem,
back in 1977, he certainly hasn't
convinced the parole board in the
22 years since.
Not last summer, surely, when
the board denied him his long-
awaited parole. And apparently
not now, either.
hat can I do for you
today?"
The voice in the telephone
earpiece was that of Kathryn
"Kit" Bail, head of the parole
board and object of Journal
phone-calling persistence going
'...people
who are
mentally ill
are also, in
our opinion,
judgments based on mental
health ?
"Well, I wouldn't argue with
you on that," said Bail. "But what
you're saying in the article is that
we keep people in prison because
they are mentally ill. And it de-
pends on how you frame it.
"We have made decisions to
not release - and the statute says
you may not release - because
people who are mentally ill are
also, in our opinion, dangerous,
and have demonstrated that be-
havior.
"But the assumption that we
keep them in prison because they
are mentally ill is incorrect."
AS FOR ERNIE specifically,
though: Isn't it true there's never
been any link between his mental
illness and his violent act?
dangerous.'
Convicted murderer
Ernie Moy
prosecutor's desk speaks of or mental illness."
even implies such a link, Bail The parole board chairwoman
again turned tothe board's more paused long enough to vent a
generic Imperative. frustrated but vaguely empathet-
back nearly two months.
Faxing her copies of the first "If you murder somebody," ic sigh.
two installments of Ernie's re- she said, "and you're actively Tou know? she mused, voice
sumed Journal series apparently mentally ill - and by actively softer than before, "I don't wanna
had its desired effect, because mentally ill I mean that you be- keep this guy in prison forever.
Bail phoned personally within have in bizarre ways, you report But he is a murderer.
half an hour of the fax going out. being told to do certain things by "And before I would sign my
Did you read what I sent you? voices, you report having halluci, 'Kit Bail' on a release for him I
"Uh-huh," said the parole nations: and not being in control have to be reasonably assured, in
board chief, of your own will, and you murder my own heart, that he's not
Aren't you getting into a diffi, somebody- you know, it's not a dangerous."
cult area when you're making .... leap to believe that it is highly ALAS, IF THIS' means'she's
commit and your mental illness., inmate advocates alike, added
BUT ERNIE CLAIM8 he act, Bail, so be it.
ongoing but in .fact ]
"Well," said Bait, ,I'm not sure
that I could prove to you it was,
Prove. Or that you could prove to
me it wasn't - I mean, when you
put factual information on the
you
O n
I thz k
hat
"But there's a direct link," table, which is he m
' h " "
said Bail. He was allucmatmg
- according
actively mentally ill at the time of dealt with: him
the murder." the crime and sentencin
:dered
at
st:
decisions about other people's
she observed, "you: can't
vec you; I mean,
gee
illness and
there? reports that at the time of the
"Well, I have to go back in crime
the file," said Bail. "But it's my hearin
recollection that the prosecutor's him to do
statement in the original crime
talked about that link."
the violence, was crime - as evidenced by his own like Ernie in so: we
-im to
who knows me and works:in: the
the Journal has :seen from "Well Y said pouc
Bail. "But, I mean, how leap that
IS it? And I'm not saying that timei
they did, and I'm not saying . , agency down.
his murder was caused by his : So, no, i dent have any
I mnot
mental illness, investment in keeping Ernie in
. ter- prison. I have an investment in
AND our j
sure a
who - how: manyyears
his murder
WAS caused
likely:.: Ernie not hurting other people or
to do himsel£ You know?"
(Next: the words that con.
ttnue to convict Ernie - and
the parole board's 0n-
voncern.)
crime -
actively
AND WHAT OF the board's
illness.
Lth or ,
We!l,
think
that misses the point,
"I think: the point is that
there's:inconsistent information:-
titution, but als0
thisguy
:: In prison
'And that's ormal ......
for somebody who suffers from
Court accepts pleas in cases
of burglary, assault and theft
Several cases originally sched-
uled to go to trial this month be-
came plea changes last week in
Mason County Superior Court.
They included:
Kenneth Mike Green, 25,
of 390 SE T'Peeksin Lane, Shel-
ton, who was arrested December
30 after a residential burglary
was reported in the Mountain
View area.
Green told the court in his plea
that he was guilty of entering a
residence belonging to Timmy
Zumwalt on Olympic Highway
North. Green was also charged
with possession of a controlled
substance after his arrest on the
burglary charge. Judge James
Sawyer, who accepted the plea,
set his sentencing for today.
Ronald Arthur Merritt,
37, of 690 East Colonel Wright
Road, Grapeview, entered a guilty
plea to a third-degree assault
charge through retained attorney
Bruce Finlay. Merritt, Finlay
noted, would have been charged
Superior court roundup:
Groome arraigned
in molestation case
Arraignment was scheduled for
today for Eugene Alan
Groome, 55, of Shelton, who was
identified Wednesday, February
10, in connection with allegations
of child molestation in the second
degree. He also faces potential
charges of indecent liberties, ha-
rassment and failing to register
as a sex offender
Judge James Sawyer, at identi-
fication proceedings, appointed
Ron Sergi to be his attorney and
set bail at $25,000.
On February 11, Judge Saw-
yer received diversion papers
from Robert M. McGee, 37, of
21 NE Leahy Drive, Tahuya, who
entered Friendship's program as
an alternative to going to trial
and risking a felony conviction.
McGee acknowledged that if he
doesn't comply with the program,
he will be tried before a superior
court judge without benefit of wit-
nesses or arguments other than
the arresting agency's informa-
tion.
Judge Sawyer set a review of
McGee's case for January 27,
2000, shortly before the expira-
tion of the year-Icing diversion
program's term.
Robert L. Henry, 27, of
Vaughn was identified Tuesday
after his arrest on a 1997 war-
rant. In December of that year he
was charged with rape in the sec-
ond degree.
Judge Sawyer appointed
Charles Lane to be his attorney.
He set bail at $5,000 and sched-
uled his arraignment for today.
Judge Sawyer noted that he is
now living with his alleged vic-
tim.
Timothy Longshore, 31,
of 170 North Tribal Center Road
was identified Monday in connec-
tion with a burglary investiga-
tion.
Sawyer found probable cause
for his arrest and appointed Lane
to be his attorney. He was re-
leased on personal recognizance.
Arraignment was scheduled for
February 25.
In plea agreement:
Fletcher admits
he violated order
A jury was already seated in
Mason County Superior Court
February 10 when the defendant
they were to try entered a change
of plea in a charge involving a fe-
lony violation of a no-contact or-
der.
James Arthur Fletcher, 31, of
SE 311 Whitener Road pled guilty
to the charge in connection with
an incident involving Paula J.
Nelson, who according to informa-
tion filed in the case was the
mother of his 3-year-old child.
The incident took place last
December 17 at 70 East Pine
Park Lane. It obtained felony sta-
tus because an assault was in-
volved, according to court papers.
Deputy Prosecutor Reinhold
Schuetz and attorneys for the de-
fense negotiated a plea agree-
ment shortly after a jury of six
was selected and a trial was
ready to begin.
Defense attorney Larry King
pointed out that his client had
never committed a felony before.
The maximum penalty for felony
assault is five years in prison and
a $10,000 fine. If Judge James
Sawyer, who took the plea, sen-
tences under the provisions of the
state's first-time offender option
Fletcher could get a jail sentence.
In the plea bargain, the state
has agreed not to seek additional
charges that might be pending
against Fletcher and the dephty
prosecutor indicated willingness
to ask Mason County District
Court to dismiss assault charges
filed by another person.
The jurors seated for the case
were Sharme Drake, Randel
Price, Arthur Burton, Allan Cava-
letto, Ruth Clement and Donna
Holliday. Judge Sawyer ordered
sentencing for April 1.
Legislators backing
bill to control felons
Two state legislators have in-
troduced a measure aimed at
keeping high-risk offenders under
closer supervision once they leave
prison.
State representatives Kathryn
Haigh and Lynn Kessler said last
week the proposed Offender Ac-
countability Act (House Bill 1252)
is essential for protecting commu-
nities and keeping offenders on
the straight and narrow.
The bill directs that offenders
be supervised to make sure
they're living up to the terms of
their release and that they pay
the costs of their supervision.
The measure has received a
public hearing in the House
Criminal Justice and Corrections
Committee and was due shortly
for further action.
with additional counts had the
matter gone to trial.
MERRITT TOLD the court
that he entered a residence on
East Murray Road on September
28, 1998 and that he panicked
and chased John Way with a
splitting maul after Way punched
him. He conceded that he had left
the scene of the immediate con-
frontation to get the maul.
Although Finlay said his client
was ready to continue to sentenc-
ing, Judge Sawyer set the sen-
tencing for February 25.
Darrell Borst, 19, of 1615
Judd Street SE, Lacey entered a
change of plea in a second-degree
theft case that stemmed from the
theft of a stereo from a vehicle
late last fall. He was initially ar-
rested in January in the case.
Borst, who remains free on pre-
viously established conditions,
told the court that he and another
defendant took property that be-
longed to the owner of the vehicle.
Judge Sawyer explained to him
that he would be assigned joint-
and-several responsibility for res-
titution, so that if his codefendant
failed to repay the owner of the
equipment, Borst would have to.
He is to be sentenced February
25.
ON FEBRUARY 8, one of two
cases pending against Steven
Leslie Hudson, 43, formerly of
1361 North State Route 106,
Shelton, was resolved with an Al-
ford plea. Hudson, who pled
guilty to charges of residential
burglary and second-degree as-
sault, indicated he was innocent
but felt evidence the state would
present might result in a convic-
tion by a jury.
He was originally charged with
the burglary and first-degree as-
sault in an incident that involved
a fracas with Jesse Davies at
1907 Olympic Highway North.
Hudson was hospitalized shortly
after the incident, which occurred
February 26, 1998, with a
ruptured spleen.
Sentencing in the case is
scheduled for March 25. Still
pending is an unrelated robbery
case filed after a December 1,
1997 arrest.
I IIII
* Residential
, Commercial
K
1714 Olympic Highway North
Same-Day Service on Most Glass
Residential Vinyl
Windows Mirrors
Contractor's Discounts
Rock Chip Repairs
Auto Glass Specialist
can 426-3163
Guaranteed Quality Monday-Friday 8-5
I
Olympic Dental Center
Crowns Extractions
Bridges Dentures
F. Scudder, DDS
2026 Olympic ttighway North, State 101
432.8379 Shelton
Most insurances and medical coupons accepted
()pen 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesday-Thursday
WCC to test
weapons on
two dates
The Washington Corrections
Center will hold weapons qualifi-
cation from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
February 19 and from 11 a.m. to
5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 23.
Those who live within earshot
of the shooting range north of
Shelton will hear sporadic gunfire
during that time. It's nothing to
worry about, says WCC Adminis-
trative Program Manager Alan
Adams.
NOW SELLING TOP SOIL!
Black crushed rock * Landscape rock. 3/C and 1'/4" clean rock
Rip rap Culverts for sale 12", 18" and 24"
Right across from Taylor Towne Texaco Half mile up 2900 Road
WE DELIVER OR YOU HAUL
Special Contractor Discounts
WINTER HOURS: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, Saturday 8 a,m.-noon
Thursday, February 18, 1999 - Shelton-Mason County Journal - Page 19