07/10/2011
Previously:
Never Heard of the Pearcy Massacre? One Guess Why Not!;
“Don’t Raise Your Voice at Me!” [Click!] “Read a Law Book!” [Click!] — A Pearcy Massacre Update; and
Samuel Lee Conway Given Seven Life Sentences for Pearcy Massacre.
My legman, David in TN, just sent me this note:
This is from KATV Little Rock. Warning! It will make you angry.
Boy, he wasn’t kidding!
Murder is a terrible crime to anybody. Not just the streets. But this is what is real sad about the streets. That ain’t the crime that is so terrible to the streets. You know what the crime is that is so terrible to the streets? And street n****s? Snitch! [VDARE.com note: The Deplorable Word behind those asterisks was not used by us, or one of our correspondents, but by Victor Davis. The asterisks were added by either the prosecutors, or KATV.]
Victor Davis
(N.S.: Not just to the “street,” but to blacks of all statuses.)
Transcript of PA Steve Oliver’s interview of Victor Davis (PDF)
Plea agreement between Victor Davis and the Garland County Prosecutor’s Office (PDF)
Victor Davis’ Police Interview (PDF)
PA Steve Oliver’s Interview with KATV’s Jason Pederson
Garland County, Arkansas, Prosecuting Attorney Steve Oliver was facing the first trial, of Samuel Lee Conway, in the Pearcy Massacre case. Conway, a mass and serial killer, has murdered at least six people, split so far between two known occasions in 2005 and 2009, but Oliver saw a problem in his lack of forensic evidence — e.g., Conway’s fingerprints on a murder weapon — directly tying Conway to the five Pearcy murders. Instead, Oliver had a wealth of circumstantial evidence, largely in the form of items found in Conway’s home and with his relatives that the Gentry family had been robbed of by their killers on the night of November 11, 2009.
Once upon a time, circumstantial evidence would have been more than enough to hang a Samuel Lee Conway, and it might still be more than enough today in the case of a white, heterosexual family man and Boy Scout leader (or a white female anti-illegal immigration activist). But where black serial/mass murderers are concerned, prosecutors face a much higher standard of proof, plus having to contend with racist, nullificationist black jurors, defense attorneys like Pat “Crazy Card” Aydelott, and reporters like Jason Pederson.
It seems that Victor Davis, who was allegedly friends with the white victim Jeremy Gentry, and knew all of the killers, alleged killer Jeremy Pickney, and many of their relatives, initially spilled the beans on everybody, and then did so once more, in order to cut a formal plea deal (PDF) on charges he faced for “residential burglary” and “FTA” — failure to appear in court. (I wrote that Davis was “allegedly” friends with young Gentry, because he hasn’t acted like a friend to Gentry, but to his killers.)
Victor Davis’ List:
Sam Conway
Detric Conway
Ernest Conway
Jeremy Pickney
Marvin Stringer
Anthony Cornilious
Samuel Lee Conway was just sentenced to seven terms of life in prison without parole on June 18. Detric Conway is his brother who, like Samuel Conway, is under indictment for the 2005 murder of Mary Anderson. Ernest Conway is another relative of Samuel Lee Conway’s. Marvin Stringer pretty much confessed to the Pearcy Massacre on November 18, 2009, when he opened fire on sheriff’s deputies that had come to arrest him, and who shot him dead in the ensuing firefight. The name Anthony Cornilious is new to me. (I’m guessing Davis was referring to Anthony Cornelius Jr., who was a pallbearer at Marvin Stringer’s funeral.)
But as the trial neared, Davis had second thoughts, based on racist blacks’ “don’t snitch” rule, or was unable to extort good enough terms for himself from PA Oliver or, more likely, concluded that his testimony would lead to his untimely death. Davis then secretly tape recorded (PDF) part of a pre-trial conversation with PA Oliver, in which the latter sought to cajole Davis into following through on their deal, and Davis came up with a self-serving story, according to which he was much smarter than Oliver had given him credit for. Pederson presents all of this as if Davis were some choir boy, and as if this story were a big black eye for Steve Oliver.
“….
In March of last year, Davis gave detectives a signed statement linking six men, including Sam Conway, to the murders.
“I tell them what they basically want to hear,” said Davis. “You know what I’m saying?…. But everything I told them was a complete lie because I knew I was fixin’ to skip town as soon as I left and stuff.”
[N.S.: Nice try, but it’s more likely that Davis initially told the truth, and then had second thoughts, which is the way these things usually work. Why would Davis waste Oliver’s time and his own telling a pack of lies, rather than not saying anything?]
Davis did leave town. When he came back he was facing active warrants and possible jail time. To avoid jail, Davis made a deal with prosecutors on February 8th and agreed he would “…testify truthfully if called as a witness in the Gentry homicides…”
“He was essential because we had a circumstantial case,” said Oliver. “We didn’t have DNA. We didn’t have fingerprints. We needed his testimony. And he had made a deal to testify.”
But as the June trial got closer, Davis grew more reluctant.“I told them from the jump I’m not testifying against nobody,” said Davis. [This can’t possibly be true. This guy’s a felon, and thus an expert in the way cases and testimony work. He knew when he signed his first witness statement that he would be obliged to testify in support of it in a court of law, where Conway’s defense counsel could cross-examine him on it. The plea agreement he entered into with PA Oliver likewise stipulated that it was incumbent on his testifying at Conway’s trial. He violated the First Law of Lying: Credibility.] “I’m not going to take the stand against nobody. None of that stuff.”
With the trial of Sam Conway less than a month away, Oliver summoned Davis to his office. The prosecutor worked for more than 30 minutes trying to convince Davis to testify.
“There has got to be an exception…even on the streets…to when you can violate the snitch rule…which is you don’t snitch on anybody. And in this case we had five people killed. Four of them were burnt,” said Davis. [Sic: That was PA Oliver, not Davis, speaking.]
Unknown to Oliver, Davis used his cell phone to record part of the prosecutor’s plea.
“And I’m going to tell you right now…I think there is an exception to the street…and you may not agree…but I think there is an exception. And the exception is when one crime is so stupid, so terrible…that is the exception. And this is the one. When you shoot a young girl and a fat, old b***h and then you burn them up like they are pieces of trash. That’s the exception. Now…that is my position,” said Oliver in the recording.
We asked Oliver about his choice of words in describing Pam Gentry, 52, who was shot three times and then burned.
“I used that expression because he used it. He used the expression ‘fat old b***h’ earlier on in our conversation so I was using his language,” said Oliver. “When I talk to someone I get down on their level. And his level is that of a street thug and I talk like a street thug myself. It is what he understands.”
“Of course they are going to bring…Victor Davis is this and this and that and that and whatever…and whatever they try to do it is not gonna matter because at the end of the day this is about Steve Oliver and the way he spoke about these people’s victims. What is he going to say to the family when they call him and ask him?” said Davis.
We tracked down Burl Fryar Jr., Pam Gentry’s brother. We played for him the prosecutor’s comments.
“The description of her is kind of disturbing,” said Fryar. “But I understand how he is trying to present the point and get this person to testify. And after sitting through the trial and seeing how Mr. Oliver performed and brought the whole story together…it doesn’t sound as bad. Initially it sounds really bad, but I can understand him using that to try…because this is the kind of thought process these folks on the street have.”Davis says his thought process does not include helping a prosecutor who disrespects the crime victims he is seeking justice for… including his friend, Jeremy Gentry…. [Oh, so Davis was motivated out of respect for the crime victims to aid and abet their killers? For that argument, he gets an “A” in Pretzel Logic 101. It’s a black thing; you wouldn’t understand. Note, however, that Pederson lowered himself to the same level.]
“You thought you were dealing with another little young dumb thug from the streets. That’s what he thought he was in there with. But I had sense enough to press record on him,” said Davis.
“He backed out of the deal, and then he wanted to blackmail me and said ‘you know…if you don’t give me what I want, if you don’t withdraw these warrants, them I’m going to embarrass you with the media,” said Oliver.
In the end Oliver got his conviction without Davis and now Davis has another warrant out for his arrest.
“This is the world I live in. These are the people I’ve gotta deal with. I wish I had doctors and lawyers and Indian Chiefs as witnesses…but I don’t. I have the Victor Davises of this world,” said Oliver.[Secret recording puts prosecutor on the defense by Jason Pederson, KATV, July 7, 2011; last updated July 8, 2011, 10:51 p.m. EDT.]
Note that when Jason Pederson interviewed PA Oliver, prior to the latter hearing Davis’ secret, partial recording, Oliver’s description of his conversation with Davis matched the recording (PDF). Thus, while I hold no brief for prosecutors, Oliver comes out looking pretty good here. Davis? Pederson? Not so much.
Self-proclaimed genius Victor Davis went from ratting out his real friends — not Jeremy Gentry, whom he betrayed — and having a deal that would have kept him out of jail, to having ratted out his friends, and having no deal. If he isn’t a “little young dumb thug from the streets,” he’s doing an awfully good imitation of one. Since Davis’ cut-throat friends now know that he was already willing to sell them all out, I don’t think he has much of a life expectancy anymore.
Bring out the violins.
Meanwhile, although KATV’s Jason Pederson seeks to discredit and humiliate PA Steve Oliver, to me, Oliver comes out looking like a hero who did everything humanly possible to win a trial for a heinous crime — and who did, in fact, prevail, even if he ultimately failed to get Conway proper punishment. (Though he will get another crack at Conway on July 14 in the Mary Anderson murder trial.) And that’s what murder victim Pam Gentry’s brother and most of the commenters at KATV’s Web site think.
Tammy
3 hours ago
It is wrong that you appeared to take the side of a street thug over a valuable PA by broadcasting this trash. I am very dissappointed in your lack of professional reporting.Michael
3 hours agoIt is a shame that the focus of such a horrific crime is on such petty, out of context, street thugs attempting to blackmail the prosecution. Little was mentioned about the fact that this family of murdering, drug dealing thieves have murdered their own aunt by shooting her in the face with two small children present, robbed numerous homes and pharmacies, related to over eight different murders and now act like they are the victims. Unbelievable!
BelieveNyou
3 hours agoReally, this is news…Victor Davis. He can live with murder but not being a snitch. It is a sad world that they live in. If they can do this to their own and turn around and do it to a family of five, What would they do to your family? Katv puts Steve Oliver on defense? Steve Oliver is doing his job. Steve Oliver and his team are putting these people away so that this will not happen to your family. What is the story here? Unbelievable! The Conway’s can rot in prison.
Michael
3 hours agoThe Hot Springs prosecution should be given a medal for putting this type of community threat behind bars for life. Too bad the death sentence wasn’t on the table. We can only hope and pray that they are able to get the rest of them before they slaughter someone else’s family. Every law abiding citizen better pay attention to what is going on here. This is the tip of the iceberg.
7SFGwife
2 hours agoYou call this news?! Prosecutors deal with this type of scum everyday. It’s sad that they even have to try and bribe people to get them to just do the right thing. Besides, if you read the Police Interview right under the video, you’ll find that he already snitched on everyone anyway. Davis thought he’d run to the media with only 1 side of the story, and I bet he was too stupid to know that everything he told the police would also be made public! HAHA! You got caught snitchin anyway, genius! Davis and all these other thugs are more worried about the “street code” when they should be terrified about how they’re going to explain themselves to God on judgment day. This is by far one of the sickest crimes I’ve ever heard of, and every single individual involved will eventually pay for their involvement in this life or the next.
BelieveNyou
1 hour ago
I just read the Police Interview right under the video. That is a lot of information for someone lying and he pretty much threw them all under the bus. He accused them of some real bad things just to be trying to save his **** to get out of town. Why so much detail, names, place and things said when all he had to do was name one person? A little overkill for a lie. Seems to me Victor Davis “This just back fired on you”LZ
1 hour ago
Unfortunately, the reason for this story is right there in the link — 5043653/pederson-”sweeps”. SWEEPS — ratings at any cost, even at the defamation of a prosecuting attorney who worked very hard on this case. This was not newsworthy, this was sensationalism in its highest form and all you were trying to do was pull in ratings!!! The fact that Victor Davis is afraid of these guys ought to give you a clue and you played right into his hands in his blackmail ploy. Hope you can be very proud of yourself for bringing this to light but I, for one, and after speaking to others in the family, do not fault Mr. Oliver for his verbiage, unfortunate as it was. You gotta talk the speak!! And the PA has to try to put away the guilty ones and all you’ve done is fuel the fire that could erupt anytime in Hot Springs. Most excellent job — NOT!!!!
You can pretty much tell posters’ respective races, based on their statements.
Karlton Haire
3 hours agofree sam conway
Trayson McDaniel
3 hours agosound like a snitch to me
Jannese
1 hour agoYou know what people always think wat people say is the truth any human would say wat people want to hear to get out of themselves going to jail so without physical evidence nobody knows anything…. Every human lies
* * *
Questions remain. Jason Pederson had over a year-and-a-half to seek justice on behalf of the five victims of the Pearcy Massacre, yet ignored them, and only got involved in the case, when he sought to discredit PA Steve Oliver. Pederson is still not seeking justice for them. The only victim he mentioned by name in the story was Pam Gentry, 52, and that was only because he was using her to humiliate Oliver. He doesn’t mention the other victims: Edward Earl Gentry Sr., 80, Edward “Eddie” Gentry Jr., 56, Eddie Jr. and Pam’s son, Jeremy, 24, and Jeremy’s girlfriend, Kristen Warneke, 19, at all.
Note to Jason Pederson: When you’re writing about a murder, mention the victims by name, so as to at least appear to care about them.
And whatever happened to that “gag order”? As soon as PA Oliver felt himself under attack by the MSM, he managed to loosen the gag.
I have to admit to being puzzled by Jason Pederson. Granted, he is guilty of having won several journalism awards, but otherwise his background would not lead one to expect him to do what he did. I expected him to be some pc kid barely out of J-school looking to land a job in a big-city newsroom. Instead, he’s a devout Christian, devoted family man, enthusiastic hog-caller, “the 2006 Arkansas State Fair Grand Champion Celebrity Cow Chip Thrower,” does charity work for kids and, though raised in Wisconsin, has been a reporter in Arkansas since 1993. He’s just the sort of fellow who, in an earlier day and age, John Hoover would have recruited for the FBI.
One clue may be the 2002 Citizen of the Year Award that the Arkansas Trial Lawyers Association bestowed on Pederson, and yet, there are some things you just don’t expect from a State Fair champion celebrity cow chip thrower.
I’ll have to see whether Pederson is as hard on Oliver’s political rivals as he is on the PA.
When are prosecutors going to start putting away racist blacks like Victor Davis for obstruction of justice, and as accessories after the fact to murder?
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