BS: Talk about a 'tough room'

Subject: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: rangeroger
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:03 PM

Just got this by e-mail.

Man Gets 99 years for killing over a song.
CORPUS CHRISTI,Texas (Reuters) - A Texas man was sentenced to 99 years in prison for killing a musician who did not know the song he requested,a prosecutor says.

Ramon Cabera,48, became angry with David Saenz,57,because Saenz could not play "El Guajolote",or "The Turkey",so he shot him in the head with a .38 caliber pistol,Assistant Nueces County District Attorney Mark Skurka told Reuters on Friday.

"As a prosecutor,I've seen a lot of senseless killings,but this one -- there's just no way to explain it", he said.

Saenz was a local character who often played the guitar and accordian and sang for his neighbors,Skurka said.

Witnesses said both men had been drinking beer when Cabera insisted that Saenz play "El Guajolote",but Saenz insisted he did not know it.They argued briefly and Cabera went home,only to return a few minutes later with gun in hand.

"He told people to move out of the way,then drilled him with the .38 right in the forehead",Skurka said.

Saenz died at the scene with the guitar an the accordian at his feet.

Cabera testified he was not drunk when he shot Saenz,but had no memory of the murder.He was sentenced by a jury on Thursday and,under Texas law,will be eligible for parole in 30 years.

rr

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:18 PM

Post the lyrics!!! Hurry up!!!!!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:21 PM

I'd rather have gotten shot than have to play that turkey!

Rick

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Kim C
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:26 PM

Them's mighty purty hands you got. You wanna keep em? Play I'm A Good Ole Rebel.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:27 PM

SONG CHALLENGE!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: catspaw49
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:34 PM

It wasn't that he didn't know the song, it was the accordion.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Rick Fielding
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:41 PM

Now of course if the musician HAD played

Feelings

You Light up my Life

Heart of Gold

Tie a Yellow Ribbon

Achy Breaky Heart

...they could have just pleaded "justifiable homicide" and the shooter would have walked.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: gnu
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:51 PM

Spaw.... the accordion ? You mean, a crime of passion ? jealousy ? I have read in some posts that the accordion has a ( sex ) life all of it's own. Perhaps it was homocide ?

gnu

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Matt_R
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:52 PM

For the last bleeding time, there is nothing wrong with Achy Breaky Heart!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:52 PM

Lessee... Rick wanted to learn target shooting... I think if I work those uo into an autoharp medley... yup, then when he and Heather come to call... yup.... ssshhh!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:54 PM

I have played in pubs for pints of beer where people have turned nasty if you can't do a song but this is crazy. I can't help but wonder again about the wisdom of the US gun laws.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: gnu
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:59 PM

The gun had nothing to do with it. Perhaps the alcohol ?

gnu

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 04:59 PM

OOOH Tie A Yellow Ribbon AND Feelings on the autoharp! That's worth practicing. Want to do a duet?

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Tyke
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 05:05 PM

It's about time the world got rid of Guns altogether!

The reform of the Gun Law in England has come too late for some. We don't even hear about the daily I drive by shooting's in the USA. Unless someone famous is shot or it happens in a School.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Wesley S
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 05:13 PM

I wonder if a National guitar would stop a .38 ?? Or if Martin could come up with some armor plate for the back of one of their special models ? Then they could identify the guitar with the bullet it will stop. A B-38 or a B-45 or even a B-12Guage. Hmmmmm.......

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Peter T.
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 05:27 PM

Old theatre joke:
"I don't want to say it was a tough crowd, but halfway through they turned the theatre back into a barn...."

yours, Peter T.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: wysiwyg
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 05:37 PM

Sins, bring it on!

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 05:39 PM

Sorry I fail to see the humour in this. It is just stupid and sad.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: bill\sables
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 05:53 PM

I recall one night a few years ago when I was playing in the Jolly Roger Pub in Scarborough Yorkshire with guitarist Steve Martin. After half time a group of six hells angels walked in wearing their "origionals" They were big buggers, you must have seen the type, tattoos on their teeth and muscles in their spit. Well in those days I used to play a few tunes on 5 string banjo and we had already played Grandfathers Clock, Beverley Hillbillies, and Dueling Banjos before they walked in. They saw the banjo on a stand behind me and requested Dueling Banjos again. Now I am not one to play the same tune twice in one night so I walked to the mike and said "This is a tune called Dueling Banjos" and lived to play again.
Percy French said "Best be a coward for five minutes than a dead man all your life"
Bill

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 06:37 PM

gnu, OK, it was the alcohol, lets try the prohibition again.

Jon

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: GUEST,petr
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 07:50 PM

theres a great book called Ireland a tin whistle and a bicycle. About a fellow traveling around Ireland and going to all the sessions. At one point he's in a pub in the North having drinks with some bikers. They see that he has a guitar so they make him get up and play. He goes through a number of tunes and they request John Denver. He doesnt know any, "Play some John Denver or well kill ya". somehow the words to country roads make their way to the forefront of his mind.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: FOG(Friend of Gnome)
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 08:10 PM

I have almost been shot on many occasions for actually knowing the words to some of the ones that I do!! FOG

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: DougR
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 09:50 PM

Prison sentence? I wonder why they didn't sentence him to be executed? Seems like a clear case of premeditated murder to me.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:10 PM

No, it's not funny, but you either laugh or cry. We make humor out of things that hurt the most.

i will not get involved in a gun debate again.
i will not get involved in a gun debate again.
i will not get involved in a gun debate agian.

Sorcha the Cop's Wife in the Wild, Wild West, USA.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Pete M
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:14 PM

DougR

perhaps because they realise that someone capable of doing this is in need of help not retribution, perhaps they realise that state sanctioned execution is also premeditated murder and that two wrongs don't cancel, perhaps they believe in the sanctity of life, much touted as slogan in America I believe.

Pete M

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Burke
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:29 PM

Pete, this is Texas we're wondering about.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:34 PM

Ahh, well, Texas.........no prob, then, right? Hey, Aine lives in Texas..........we don't want her shot, now, do we?

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:40 PM

Not so ong as she knows how to play "El Guajolote",or "The Turkey"......

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Sorcha
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 10:42 PM

Maybe she could make Mole instead? or play Turkey in the Straw?

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Pete M
Date: 12 Mar 01 - 11:07 PM

well yes Burke, but I did try and resist singling Texas out with an "even in Texas" clause. Perhaps now they have got rid of their last Govenor there is hope even there.

Sorry, I shouldn't pick on Americans, we have just as many (in percentage terms) people in NZ who cannot see any contradiction in advocating the "right to life" for a foetus and the death penalty in the same breath.

Sorcha, I don't particularly want to open that topic again either since it is very rarely a debate, more a continuous statement of opposing views. However the thing that concerns me is the number of the pro gun lobby who base their case on their "rights". If those who wished to own guns, as I do, saw it as a privilidge they had to earn by a practical demonstration of both need and their capability to handle the responsibility, I believe both this kind of incident, and many tragic accidents would be greatly reduced. I'm not naive enough to think they will ever be totally prevented.

Pete M

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Kim C
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 11:28 AM

Well, you know, Texas is sort of its own country....

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Steve Latimer
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 12:38 PM

Gnu, you're right, it wasn't the gun.

It was the bullet.

Having said that, I'm with Sorcha.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: DougR
Date: 13 Mar 01 - 08:03 PM

I hear you Peter M. But it seems to me they still should have fried him. No, they don't do that anymore, though, do they? Even in Texas they stick them with a needle.

DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Burke
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 07:18 PM

The death penalty in Texas did not begin with Bush, so it's doubtful that it will end with him. Bush could grant clemency, but its the judges & jurors of Texas who decide to pronounce the penalty in the first place. A new govenor might bring more commuted sentences, but real change needs the state as a whole to change. Given that so many do receive a death sentence in Texas one can wonder at why, in this case, he did not. Maybe the life of a musician wasn't considered a big enough loss. Maybe it was that accordian.

I've heard that the death penalty is less likely to be given if the perp expresses remourse for his/her actions. That may be the case here.

I am opposed to state executions in principal. There are cases when I am tempted to change my mind. I don't know enough about this case to have an opinion.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: DougR
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 09:05 PM

I've given this a lot of thought and I believe I have to agree with Rick. It think it was the accordian. DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Jim the Bart
Date: 14 Mar 01 - 10:44 PM

"He died with his accordion on" - we can all hope for as fitting an epitaph. But it still doesn't make up for a pointless death.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: DougR
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 12:48 AM

True Bart. They should have fried him. DougR

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: LR Mole
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 12:19 PM

Make Mole what?--LR Mole, peering about.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: Wesley S
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 01:57 PM

LR Mole - My guess is that Sorcha was talking about a sauce used in Mexican cooking called mole. It's pronounced with an "a" sound at the end.

Subject: RE: BS: Talk about a 'tough room'
From: mousethief
Date: 15 Mar 01 - 01:58 PM

I see. Make Mole "aaaaah." Which is to say, make Mole feel comfortable and/or plesant?