The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, April 23, 1998, Image 12

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Cannon executed for 1977 slai
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HUNTSVILLE(AP) — Con
demned killer Joseph Cannon ad
mitted he was a dangerous person
when he killed a San Antonio
woman more than 20 years ago but
didn’t believe he should be put to
death Wednesday evening for
something that happened when he
was 17.
“I don’t know if something
changed in my brain or the fact I’ve
grown up and can appreciate the
value of my wrongs,” Cannon, 38,
said last week on death row. “I just
want people to know that I’m sorry.”
Cannon, who had spent more
than half of his life on death row,
was set for lethal injection for fa
tally shooting Anne Walsh, 45, a
San Antonio attorney and mother
of eight.
Walsh’s brother, also an attorney,
had represented Cannon in a bur
glary case and convinced her to let
him live at her home in September
1977 so he could remain on proba
tion and avoid jail.
A week later, on Sept. 30, Walsh
was shot repeatedly by Cannon af
ter she came home for lunch. High
on alcohol and drugs, he also tried
to rape her and then drove away in
one of the family’s cars.
“The Good Samaritan story was
turned upside down by him," Paul
Canales, the assistant district attor
ney in Bexar County who prosecuted
Cannon, said. “He’s the type of guy
that makes you want to lock your
doors and not pick up hitchhikers.”
Cannon blamed his behavior on
mental problems that started at age
4 when he was hit by a car.
He was kicked out of the first
grade and never attended school.
Repeatedly in trouble as a juve-
I just want people
to know that
1 j
m sorry.
Joseph Cannon
Convicted murderer
nile, he learned to read and write
on death row where he picked up
the nickname "Electrode,” be
cause of his skill repairing electri
cal devices like fans and radios for
fellow inmates.
Cannon would be the fifth Texas
inmate convicted of a murder com
mitted at age 17 to be executed
since the state resumed capital
punishment in 1982.
He is one of at least 27 con
demned inmates in Texas who
were 17 when they committed
murders that earned them a trip to
death row.
His attorneys argued before
the U.S. SupremeCoiiii;|
be spared because®:;
law sets 18 as therairj
for executions.
The high courts
morning rejected thee-
out dissent.
The execution attiaa
tional attention,
from the pope, nio
clemency for the inn®;
Walsh’s five sonspfc
ness Cannon’s death.
“It was devastatingrj
pened but it’s worsens,
Walsh. “We all havekids®
er gel to know theirgrtcijniT
A brother, SeanWal ate Hi
live three years ago in; AlSb
state officials to begin j jlBst
survivors of murderw i'Sei
tend executions. aceis;
He was reluctant to©
the execution approach;
"To me, it’s intense;
al,” Walsh, a policeo£;
the San Antonio Exp®
“It’s just somethingte
and Cannon.”
“I know 1 betrayed lid
non said. “It bothersmi
I’ve done that.
“I am ashamed of tit
going n xlir. I arngoingi >|
Two other condemne:
preceded him Wednesday
chambers in Arizona and
\nother execution is set
on Friday.
DELTA
ZETA
AZ & 2X
DERBY DAYS
19 9 8
DERBY
DAYS
Women drowned, autopsy finl
313 S. COLLEGE
846-3343
GIDDINGS(AP) — Five resi
dents of a home for mentally re
tarded women who died when a
collision sent their van into a stock
pond were drowned, according to
preliminary autopsy results.
"It’s the community’s prayer
that they didn’t suffer,” Lee Coun
ty District Attorney Ted Weems
said Wednesday.
“It’s just a great sense of loss and
tragedy throughout the entire
community because of the nature
of the victims and the helplessness
and what they must have gone
through,” he said.
Weems said Tuesday’s acci
dent remained under investiga
tion. A grand jury is expected to
be asked to decide whether to in
dict an 84-year-old woman who
officials say failed to yield the
right of way.
Lee County Justice of the Peace
Paul Fischer, who pronounced the
five women dead, said Wednesday
he had not received the official au
topsy documents.
But preliminary findings are
that all five drowned, he said.
Two women in the van sur
vived after being pulled from the
vehicle by an oilfield roustabout
who was across the road when the
accident occurred.
TVventy-three-year-old Kristen
“It’s just a great sense
of! oss and
tragedy...because of the
nature of the victims...
and what they must
have gone through.”
Ted Weems
Lee County District Attorney
Lindy, a resident of the Country
Club Croup Home, was in critical
condition in Brackenridge Hospital
in Austin, 50 miles west of Ciddings.
Home staff member Tomeka
Kelly, 22, the van’s driver, was in se
rious condition.
The accident occunal|
van headed south on
about 3 miles south ofC
The women were
workshop where reside®!
formed such jobs as ass
silverware, salt and
picnic packs.
The Conn try Club Grt
worked to prepare resides
more independent life.
Elsie Nitsche, 84, failt
the right ofvvayassheatteni
left turn onto the road I
northbound, authoritiess
Nitsche, also injureditit
cident, was treated andrelj
from Fayette Memorial Hoi
in La Grange.
Weems said Texas Dep
of Public Safety officers bads
been able to intervieweith
because of their injuries.
“Our next grand jim jta<
County meets on May IC
hoping to have all the inform: |
together by then to present*
grand jury,” he said.
Man holds hand of dying d
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SAN ANTONIO (AP) — When Joel LeDon realized
he couldn’t save a 17-year-old girl who was trapped in
her burning car, he did the only thing he could. He
held her hand.
After helping rescue three other teen-agers from the
burning car after a collision Tuesday, LeDon held
Theresa Ann Johnson’s hand until she died.
Intense heat from the fire hampered rescue efforts,
officials said. The fire was said to have started under the
dash near where she was seated.
LeDon said the girl died peacefully. “She did not
scream,” LeDon said. “She collapsed peacefully.”
The victim was the daughter of Bexar County Court-
at-LawNo. 5 JudgeTim Johnson. Her car collided head-
on with another vehicle as the students were on their
way to San Antonio Taft High School.
Bexar County deputies interrupted proceedings in
the judge’s court to tell him about the wreck and drove
him to the scene.
Three students injured in the accident were taken to
area hospitals.
Matthew Leggett, 15, was in serious condition late
Tuesday at University Hospital. His sister,Virgij
was in fair condition at University HospitalaBt
rice Fox, 18, was in stable condition atWi
Medical Center.
The driver of the other vehicle, SunshineSete
was taken to Wilford Hall and was in stable com
LeDon, 32, said he was on his way to worm
arrived at the scene just moments after thecofe]
“They were all on top of each other, aim
front seat,” LeDon said of three passengers.
LeDon said he hesitated before movingthesti
concerned that he might harm them. ButanotW
torist who stopped to help reminded LeDontM
fire would kill them.
“It happened so fast it was hard to keep
time,” said LeDon, who estimated therescuetow
three to five minutes.
The students fought and yelled in pain
rescued. After they got out, Johnson was incoh^
she sat trapped in the car.
The fire, which officers said had started urf
dash, then consumed the car.
Ydutc closer to home
than you think.
1-SOO-COLLECT