Published: April 19, 2008 09:45 pm         

Stocker’s office will protest 28 of 29 inmates seeking clemency

By Cass Rains

Staff Writer



All but one of the inmates from District Attorney Cathy Stocker’s five-county district seeking clemency at this month’s meeting of the state Pardon and Parole Board will be protested by Stocker’s office.

“I think it’s the highest percentage of protests we’ve made,” Stocker said.

Her office will protest 28 of the 29 inmates on the docket from her district, including two inmates with convictions in Garfield County for murder; Dennis Bellis and Ronnie Dunford.

In May of 1982, Bellis broke into the home of an elderly woman in an Enid residential neighborhood, Stocker said.

Edna Davidson was found by her grown son and grandson who had come to check on her and saw her body on the floor through a bedroom window.

Police determined Davidson had been awakened from her sleep by Bellis, who had beaten the woman about her face and head, after gagging her with a torn bed sheet. She died of asphyxiation.

Bellis had ransacked Davidson’s room, taking her money and car, and fleeing Oklahoma, Stocker said. Bellis was apprehended in Wyoming, still in possession of Davidson’s vehicle.

He pleaded no contest to a charge of first-degree murder and was sentenced in October of 1982 by a judge to serve life in prison.

Dunford is serving a life term for the first-degree murder of Jerome Freeman, who Dunford shot four times with a .22 caliber handgun in April of 1981.

Dunford was convicted by a Garfield County jury of the murder charge and began serving his sentence in September of 1981.

Stocker said she is also sending a member of her office to protest an inmate at the second of a two-stage docket for violent offenders.

Danny Goulsby is serving 40 years for manslaughter in the first degree for a crime he committed in 1994 in Canadian County and passed last month to the second-stage docket for violent offenders.

“On Nov. 1, 1994, Charles Spencer answered a knock on the front door of his home by partially opening the door. Goulsby shot him with a .380 caliber pistol through the partially opened door,” she said.

Stocker said Spencer died of a single gunshot wound to his chest.

“No reason or motive was found to explain Goulsby’s act of violence,” Stocker said. “He admitted to being a gun-carrying drug dealer who belonged to a gang.”

Goulsby was tried and convicted by a Canadian County jury

Stocker’s office protested Goulsby’s parole by letter last month. She said she would send her Victim Witness Coordinator J.D. Overton to protest in person.

Those being protested by Stocker’s office include:

• Ricky R. Alexander, convicted in Garfield County of robbery with a dangerous weapon, serving 500 years. Received: Feb. 2, 1990.

• Billy D. Berryman, convicted in Garfield County of DUI, serving five years. Received: July 2, 2005.

• Jesse J. Brutton, convicted in Garfield County of possession of a stolen vehicle, serving 25 years, Rebilled: July 14, 2007.

• Earl W. Campbell, convicted in Garfield County of first-degree robbery, serving 20 years. Rebilled Aug. 6, 2001.

• Billy D. Cossey, convicted in Garfield County of trafficking, serving 15 years. Received: April 19, 2005.

• Elroy S. Ford Jr., convicted in Garfield County of robbery by force or fear, serving 20 years, with 12 years suspended. Received: Aug. 5, 2004.

• Alejandro Garcia, convicted in Garfield County of assault and battery upon a police officer, serving five years. Received: Aug. 2, 2007.

• Jason J. Hendrick, convicted in Garfield County of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, serving five years. Received: March 29, 2007.

• Bob Hillbolt, convicted in Garfield County of possession of a firearm during commission of a felony, serving 20 years. Received: April 26, 2000.

• Travis E. Jackson, convicted in Garfield County of distribution of a controlled substance, after former conviction of a felony, serving 15 years. Received: Oct. 11, 2002.

• Lance D. Lebow, convicted in Garfield County of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, serving 20 years. Rebilled: March 4, 2001.

• Billy R. Rodriquez, convicted in Garfield County of unlawful delivery of controlled dangerous substance, after former conviction of a felony, serving 25 years. Rebilled Sept. 3, 2002.

• James L. Webster, convicted in Garfield County of unlawful delivery of marijuana, after former conviction of a felony, serving 20 years. Received: March 30, 2005.

• Adam F. Young, convicted in Garfield County of trafficking in a controlled dangerous substance, serving 10 years. Received: Aug. 3, 2006.

• Carlos Acosta-Salazar, convicted in Canadian County of trafficking in illegal drugs, serving five years. Received: Aug. 2, 2006.

• Vernon Blackowl, convicted in Canadian County of first-degree robbery, serving 60 years. Received: Dec. 3, 1987.

• David D. Edinburgh, convicted in Canadian County of first-degree murder, serving life. Received: April 2, 1991.

• John L. Emberson, convicted in Canadian County of unlawful distribution of a controlled dangerous substance within 2,000 feet of a public park, serving 12 years. Rebilled: June 9, 2004.

• Jonathan P. Emerich, convicted in Canadian County of first-degree manslaughter, serving 12 years, with seven years suspended. Received: May 14, 2007.

• Jesus Hernandez, convicted in Canadian County of unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, serving 15 years. Received: Nov. 1, 2001.

• Ronald G. Hooley, convicted in Canadian County of unlawful possession of substances with intent to manufacture a controlled dangerous substance. Received: March 30, 2006.

• Michael J. Jutte, convicted in Canadian County of trafficking in illegal drugs, serving eight years. Received: Feb. 20, 2002.

• Marco A. Nunez, convicted in Canadian County of possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute, serving six years. Received: Sept. 30, 2004.

• Justin L. Speaker, convicted in Canadian County of intimidation of a witness, serving six years. Received: Oct. 26, 2006.

• David P. Duke, convicted in Blaine County of malicious injury to property over $2,500, after former conviction of a felony, serving 10 years, with three suspended. Received: April 14, 2004.

• Jeffrey Gaither, convicted in Kingfisher County of possession of a controlled substance, serving 10 years. Received: Dec. 8, 2005.