[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 64 (Thursday, April 6, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S5323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          VIOLENCE IN AMERICA

  Mr. WELLSTONE. I thank the Chair.
  Madam President, I come before the Senate today to underscore the 
commitment that we must make to end domestic violence in America.
  Beginning today, every time a person in my State of Minnesota dies at 
the hands of an abuser, I will make sure that their story becomes part 
of the Congressional Record. I do this so that we all remember how 
deeply this violence scars our society and, most importantly, as a 
reaffirmation of our commitment to ending domestic violence.
  Indeed, if we are ever going to stop the violence in our communities 
and in our workplaces and on the street, we must begin in the home.
  I am here today with evidence that the brutal violence continues, and 
while it continues to be the single most important or the single most 
significant cause of injury to women, this violence knows no boundaries 
of age or gender or race or geography or income or education. The 
violence goes on year after year, generation after generation.
  In Minnesota in 1994, at least 19 women and 7 children were killed 
brutally by a spouse or former partner. With pain, but also with great 
determination, I ask that we honor the memory of the following 
individuals, and from my heart, I ask that we work to end the kind of 
violence that has cost these individuals, their families and their 
communities so much:
  Pamela Bennett, 34 years of age, January 5, Bemidji, MN. Pamela and 
her boyfriend of Bemidji were traveling together in Oregon when they 
stopped at a rest stop. Hoagland reported to authorities that a hit-
and-run driver struck Pamela at the rest stop as she exited the 
restroom. She was dead upon arrival at the hospital. When police found 
no evidence of an accident, Hoagland told authorities that he had lied 
about the accident and that she fell beneath their travel trailer as he 
pulled away from the rest stop without her. Hoagland was charged with 
filing a false police report, assault and harassment. In late March, 
Hoagland pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges in her death. He was 
sentenced to 5 months in jail.
  Pamela Kay Currie, 45, January 14, St. Francis, MN. Pamela was found 
stabbed to death in her home by police who were called by her husband, 
Gary Currie. He reported awaking in the morning and finding his wife 
dead on the bed and a knife sticking out of his own chest. He told 
authorities he remained in bed for almost a whole day before calling 
911 because he hoped he would die. Curry was charged with second-degree 
murder.
  Mary Sue Oberender, 46, February 16, Watertown, MN. Mary Sue was 
found shot to death in her home by her husband, Lawrence. Authorities 
discovered the car in Minneapolis and, within a half an hour, arrested 
two youths. The youths, Mary Sue's teenage son, Christian, 14, and a 
friend, also 14, were arrested. They indicated the shooting stemmed 
from a minor difference one of them had had with the mother. Police 
said the shooting appeared somewhat planned, as if by ambush. There 
were no signs of struggle. Mary Sue was a volunteer for Scouts at a 
local elementary school. Her husband is a Watertown-Mayer school board 
member.
  Gertrude Bestor, 86, February 19, Granger, MN.
  And finally, some murders of children:
  Lydia Healy, 4 years of age. Police officers found Lydia lying on her 
living room floor after her mother, Judey Healy, reported to police 
that Lydia wasn't breathing. Lydia was hospitalized for 8 days before 
she died. Her injuries included massive swelling of the brain caused by 
shaking or hitting; large black-and-blue marks on the tops of her feet; 
marks on her legs; bruises on her stomach and chest; a burned hand; 
bruises on her face; two large welts above an eye and on her cheek; and 
a burn or cut on her chin. Lydia's 11-year-old brother told police that 
his mother beat Lydia with a spatula and was left sitting in a bathtub 
of cold water. The next morning, neither he nor his mother were able to 
wake Lydia. Judey Healy was charged with second-degree murder.
  Geneva Broaden, 15, March 10, 1995, St. Paul. Alfred Robinson, 51, 
the live-in companion of Geneva's mother, summoned authorities to their 
home and reportedly confessed to beating Geneva. Robinson told police 
he punched Geneva and kicked and stomped on her after she fell down 
because of a dispute over use of the telephone. When found, Geneva was 
not breathing and was transported to a medical center where she was 
pronounced dead. Police described the assault as ``a very vicious 
attack.''
  Adriana Whiteside, age 4, March 11, 1995, St. Paul. Adriana was found 
stabbed inside her father's apartment. She was stabbed near her heart 
with a pocketknife and was rushed to the hospital where she died a 
short time later. A 14-year-old boy, Randy Burgess, who was babysitting 
Adriana and her infant stepsister, was seen by neighbors running 
through the building, carrying Adriana screaming, ``Call 911. I stabbed 
a baby.'' He was arrested at the scene. He allegedly told police he was 
planning to kill someone when he found himself alone with Adriana. 
Randy Burgess was charged with intentional second-degree murder.
  And finally, Jessica Turner, age 8, March 31, 1995, St. Paul. Jessica 
died after being stabbed in the chest and tumbling down a flight of 
stairs in her parent's apartment. Her stepfather, who had been released 
from a chemical dependency center on March 24, was drinking when he 
allegedly stabbed Jessica and her mother. He was found 5 hours after 
the stabbings, arrested and was charged with second-degree murder and 
attempted second-degree murder.
  Madam President, as I went over the names of these Minnesotans who 
died at the hands of an abuser--and as I say, I want their story to 
become a part of the Congressional Record because I want us to honor 
them, I want us to make a commitment to stopping this violence--I 
realize that I did not read the circumstances of Gertrude Bestor, 86.
  Gertrude's daughter went to her mother's house after a signal had 
been sounded by Gertrude's medical alert alarm. As she approached the 
house, she saw a pickup truck speeding away and found Gertrude lying on 
her bedroom floor beaten to death.
  The daughter recognized the truck as belonging to Gertrude's step-
great-grandson. He was arrested about an hour later after police 
stopped him in his pickup truck and noticed bloodstains on his clothes 
and hands. He was charged with two counts of second-degree murder and a 
count of first-degree murder.
  Madam President, I would like to end this presentation with a quote 
from my wife, Sheila:

       We will not tolerate the violence, we will not ignore the 
     violence, we will no longer say it is someone else's 
     responsibility.
  I urge all of my colleagues, and I have two great colleagues out here 
on the floor with me right now, the Senator from Oregon and the Chair, 
the Senator from Kansas, to work with the survivors, the advocates, the 
medical professionals, the justice system in our own States, and to 
support full community involvement in ending the violence.
  I urge my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans alike, to work with 
passion and conviction to make this a priority for our work of the 
Senate. We must do everything we can to make homes the safest places 
that they can be. I yield the floor.
  Mr. HATFIELD. I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. LEVIN. Madam President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded and I be allowed to proceed in morning 
business for 8 minutes.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.


  

                          ____________________