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Friend of the victim forgives Gary


Claudia, 

Hello, my name is A.C. I was a good friend of Christi Chauvirre's. I just wanted to write and say I have nothing against you personally. I just got finished looking at the website for Gary. I disagree with a whole bunch of the comments made. First of all, I know Christi's brother in law that is on the police department, Mr. Whittig. Trust me, no one beat Gary and made him confess! No one would let any of the family involved with the police to even speak to Gary! Has it crossed your mind that maybe Gary is lying? Would it be the first time he has lied? I also know Gary's mom. Mrs. Etheridge was my 4th grade teacher. I have so much admiration for her. She has been through the mill raising those boys! 

But to may main reason for writing you ( I am shaking as I write this)... could you do me the biggest favor I have ever asked of anyone? Please if you would talk to Gary and tell him I forgive him. If he is lying, or telling the truth, that is no concern of mine, only the Good Lord knows the truth. I know Gary had a bad life and a tough time growing up. I keep asking myself, If he hadn't been on the drugs would he not have done these things??? It is a hard thing to forgive, and even harder to forget. But as a Christian I have to forgive and let God do His will, now.

For 11 years now, this has weighed on my mind. My parents wouldn't allow me to go to any of the trials, and that is what hurt me most. I wanted to sort truth from lies in my own mind, and hear things for myself instead of having to hear second hand. I ended up having a nervous breakdown over this and alot of other things I was going through as a teenager. My parents just couldn't understand! I have saved every newspaper clipping on this subject. It has been about a year since I have even thought about Gary, trying to forgive and forget. That is until I got a call from my Dad saying Gary was back on the execution schedule. Everything came flooding back. I can't imagine the fear Gary is going through now, I just wish he would have named the second person, if infact there was an accomplice. No one will ever know for sure, I guess. I can't tell you how much I wish this all hadn't happened. I hate to think of anyone dying, for any reason. I just hope Gary has made his peace with God. No matter what happens now, it will never bring back Christi or Gail.

Anyways.... email me anytime if you like. I would like to hear from you. Please don't take my email the wrong way, I mean no harm.
M. S. C.


Since Gary got a new execution date I receive plenty of e-mails from people I do not know and I bet who also does not know Gary but they think they can judge about us although they do not know us at all. I got a few reasonable and fair e-mails even from people who are for the death penalty but most e-mails I get are from hateful people of Brazoria County where the crime happened. I think that each of them who take the time to get in touch with me deserves an answer from me and I answer each single e-mail no matter if nice or not so nice. Gary of course is very sorry that I get all these e-mails since I did not hurt or harm anyone down there in Brazoria but he was very happy about my answer of a certain e-mail I got and he want me to share this one with you. He was so happy and proud that I defended him so well but hey , what can I do ? I love him. So enclosed you'll find the e-mail I got and my very detailed answer. I could not respond in any other way since I did not understand why a person who does not know me at all judges about me. Only after I sent my answer I heard that this e-mail was written by the mother of the one who has forgiven Gary. The mother as well as the father obviously has not forgiven Gary.


Mail to
Claudia:
Subject: were you there ??

Claudia,

I cannot believe there is anyone who is this hard up to be standing up for a cold-blooded killer just because he has fed you a bunch of garbage!

Your website is a big joke!!!!  All of the county of Brazoria knows that your precious Gary is guilty and there was no one else involved in this murder but him!   Unless maybe it was a figment of his imagination since he had been doing cocaine all the day long the day of the murder!  Going into a bar a bragging about he had just killed someone!!  Do you really believe there are any of the so called SWAT team that did any of the things Gary has told you they did??  What is your proof of such treatment?  I must see such treatment  to believe and believe me I am not a real lover of the law around this place!

I do know that they have Christis murderer and I do know he should have been charged with 2 murders not just one!  He also should be held responsible for the death of Gail!!!  If he hadnt attacked her she would still be alive for she wouldnt have had to go have blood transfusions and so forth!!!

I would like to know just what kind of a woman would jump up and marry a man like this!  Is it for the name in the news? Well no matter what you did it for, I think it is the most repuslive thing I have ever read!  Gary Etheridge is no more than an animal!

Please do everyone in Brazoria County a favor and stop knocking one of the best Judges we have and stop trying to collect money for the fat little man you call your husband!  We have already fed him too many years now and he should have died by hanging the day they brought him back here and put him in the jail house!   Maybe the state wouldnt have spent so much of the taxpayers money on someone who isnt worth a dime and never has been!  We dont think he needs any snacks or sandwiches and if they just fed him bread and water we would be satisfied!  I speak for many people that knew Christi and her mother,Gail.  They were very sweet very nice people and their lives were snuffed out by a piece of trash and I agree with Judge Ray Gayle!!!  We need more judges like him and we need less people like you  trying to make people feel sorry for murderers!!!
Sincerely, J. S., Brazoria, Texas


Claudia's answer

Subject: were YOU there ??

Hi J.,

we have a few things in common. You cannot believe there is anyone who is this hard up to be standing up for a cold-blooded killer and I cannot understand why you don't simply leave me alone. When I don't like a person I simply leave that person alone. You know ... I let him live his life and I live my life ... I am old enough and don't need to explain anything I do to others.

But since you took the time to write to me I will answer your questions. I don't know in which way you are involved in Gary's crime ... if you are friends or family with the victims or if you "only" read about it in the newspaper. I wonder because you obviously know things about the day when it happend that is no part of our website. Regarding the website ... when you think Gary's website (not mine, it's Gary's btw) is a joke then I am glad for you because then you surely had lots of reasons to laugh and as we know to laugh is pretty healthy ... or should I better say ... You don't like the website ? Then don't read it !

I am surprised that "all of the county of Brazoria knows that my precious Gary is guilty and there was no one else involved in this murder but him!" and I think the only true thing in this statement is that my Gary is precious *S* Your statement that "all of the county of Brazoria ... etc. bla-bla" makes me wonder if the crime was broadcasted live on your tv's or HAVE YOU ALL BEEN THERE ?

You believe in what the newspaper wrote about Gary, what the lawyers and judges told about Gary and I do not care about what you think or believe. It is your right to believe what ever you like to. And it is my right to believe what Gary told me ... at least he and the other man are the only ones who truly know what happend. Neither you, nor the entire population of Brazoria county, nor your honorable Judge Gayle or the lawyers or prosecutors were there. So I would appreciate it when you simply leave it up to me what I believe or not because it is nobodys business but mine and I think people like you ... people with hate in their hearts and prejudices cannot judge if Gary fed me with a bunch of garbage. And even if so ... SO WHAT ? I love him anyway because I love the todays Gary and this Gary is a wonderful human being, much more honest and sincere, sensitive and lovable than people like you and than most people I ever met in my life before. He is a believing religious man with a great personality and a big heart, always helpful and loyal to his friends, wonderful and loving to his wife which gladly happend to be me :-)

Back to the things we both believe. You believe things others (who clearly were not there) tell you and I believe what the only person who can know (because it was him being there) tell me. What I mean ... I wonder if you spent the day with Gary or from where do you know that he had been doing cocaine all the day long the day of the murder. Did you spend the day with Gary or did you observe him or how can you know what he did nor not did. As to my knowledge and also regarding Gails testimony and regarding the trial files ... has Gary been to work on that day and he surely did not cocaine "all the day long" while he was working or did they pay him for shooting cocaine?

Going into a bar bragging about he had just killed someone. Aha ... I understand ... you must be Tanya Ray ... otherwise I only can say : Objection Mam ... hearsay by a third person. I don't know if Gary went to a bar and bragged about he had just killed someone. The only thing I know is that Tanya Ray testified so and she also testified that he mentioned a males name ... that he just killed a man. You blame Gary for taking drugs and for making a statement ... that he just killed "someone" and it's funny to me that you believe the first part of this so called statement ... that he killed someone ... even if it's clear that the second part of the statement, the "someone" part, is not true because on that day in February of 1990 there was no male killed in Brazoria county.

Hey ... come on !!! I don't have to be in love with a prisoner to believe that it happens all the time that police men hit suspects to get a statement. You surely are an intelligent person and read newspapers etc. When they hit Gary it surely did not happen the first time in history. You ask me what my proof of such treatment is ? I surely have no proof because I was not there as well but Lady ... what is your proof that it did not happen ? Only because people belong to the SWAT team or are police men does not make them a better person. You have never heard about police men hitting convicts ? I can't believe this. Please keep in mind that nobody is a saint only because he wear a uniform.

I agree with you that Gary should get a punishment for what he did to Gail and I wonder since I know Gary ... why Brazoria county never tried him for what he actually did ? Have you an answer for me ? I suspect that they could not wait to try Gary for a killing where they KNEW that he is not the killer just to close a file and to cover up that they were not able to find the real killer. They needed to present a killer to the population of Brazoria county. It's always the same and they could not wait to convict him and put him in prison. Or have you any reasonable explanation for me why a man never was tried for a thing he never denied but he was tried for a thing he did not do.

You would like to know what kind of woman I am ? Well ... it's hard for me to explain because I rather let my friends and family judge about me ... what kind of woman I am. So let me try to explain in their words ... when I told them about Gary ... that I write to a man on death row, that we fell in love and later when I told them that we even got married ... each of them said that they understand what I was doing because I have told them about Gary and they instantly liked him from my description and from his letters. My friends think that I am encouraged and brave to do "such a thing" and they surely think that I have a good heart to rather marry a man in prison (because in such a marriage you truly can see if you love someone or not because it would not make any sense to marry a prisoner when you don't love him) ... well to rather marry a man who does not own a big house or drive a fancy car and have plenty of money on the bank. Would you have more respect for me if I would have married a guy only because of his money ? Just an example to explain that my only intent to marry Gary was that I could not resist ... it was not possible for my heart to not reach out and when I thought about marriage, if it's right or wrong to marry him ... well, I simply followed my heart.

If it is for the name in the news ? I wonder how often you already read my name in the news ??? It would surprise me very much since I don't go to talkshows or give interviews to see my name in the news. The only time I talked to Rhonda Moran of "The Facts" was by chance. I have been there to ask for a few old newspapers with articles about Gary and when the receptionist heard that I was searching for Garys articles she told me that a reporter just visited Gary and if I like to talk to her ... It happened by chance and it was not my idea. Rhonda asked me if she can interview me and I told her that I actually don't want this but she convinced me that it will not harm Gary, so I finally agreed. You see I am not so eager to read my name in the news and it only happend once.

But if you don't mind ... maybe I will give an interview soon. Oh no ... not to read my name in the news. I know my name and I see my name each day on the door plate of my appartment. I know what my name is and how to spell it ... why should it be interesting to me to read my name in the news ? That's ridiculous. The only reason why I maybe will talk to the press is ... to tell people like you that Gary has changed so much and that today he is a wonderful human being. Unfortunately I don't know the young Gary of 1990 but I am convinced that he already had a good heart back then. He only did wrong in life because he never was given a chance.

You maybe heard about the 19 year old guy in Germany who killed 16 people (teachers and students in a school in Erfurt) before he shoot himself ? It just happened a few days ago and they held a service where a few politicans held speeches and one of them said that his heart and prayers goes out to the killers family as well. And he said that each person ... no matter what he may have done in his life ... still is and always will be a human being. I wish you American people would be more human and not so blood thirsty and revengeful and hateful and could think in the same way. I do not believe that the world will be a better place when they kill my husband. But I do believe that the world would be a better place if people would be more peaceful and understanding.

It is so sad and such a shame that some people have less luck in life than others and Gary surely did not do so much drugs because he was so happy in life. He had a pretty bad childhood and teenage years. He was unhappy as a teenager because he never got a chance by anyone. He was treaten like trash ... the same way as people like you still treat him today. What do you expect from a person, from a young men who never got a little love or at least a few words of encoragement ? Such a person get depressed and this is the only reason why Gary did drugs. Today of course he is more intelligent and know that drugs does not resolve anything but back when he was young he did not care if he destroy himself or what he is doing with his life because he never was taught that each life is precious and that his life as a God given gift.

You think that me marrying Gary is the most repulsive thing you ever heard and it's pretty sad that you judge about a thing you don't know anything about. You don't know anything about the love we share. I don't know if you ever met Gary but we both surely never met and I don't know what made you judging about ME. I think to marry a man is the most normal thing in the world. Yes, a MAN. Gary surely is no animal like you called him and to me he is no prisoner. I do not see the bars or handcuffs. When I look into his eyes I look straight into his wonderful heart and he has a heart of gold. Is marrying a man ... a man who simply had less luck in his life than others ... is this really more repulsive to you than to strap down a person ... a living breathing human being ... strap them on a table, put three needles in his arms to kill him ? To me this is pervertet, barbaric and cruel. The most horrible thing I can imagine in life.

I don't know what you mean ... doing you a favour in stop knocking one of the best Judges you have and stop trying to collect money for a fat little man I call my husband. First of all ... why should I do you or "everyone" in Brazoria county a favour at all ? Second ... until today I never told anyone my opinion about your honorable Judge Ray Gayle III. Not to my knowledge that I ever said anything about him ... no matter if good or bad. Third I guess it is my business and only my business if I collect money and what for I collect money. If you don't like the idea ... well ... then just simply don't send money. Fourth, in saying so carelessly ... "the fat little man I call my husband" ... you just show yourself as unobjective and irrelevant and I am very sorry for you. I mean ... you can hate Gary if he is a killer in your eyes ... Sure, of course you can hate me as well and I don't care because I have other things to do but to care about what people I even don't know think about me. I simply don't understand it because you don't know me at all and I did nothing to harm you. So I don't see the reason to judge about me or to hate me but if you feel better now call us what ever you like. It is not important to me because I love that sweet little fat man and this is the only thing that is important in life. Love conquers all ! Not hate, not revenge and not people who never are able to forgive.

Another very intelligent statement of yours is that he already should have died by hanging the day they brought him back and put him in the jail house. Hurray ! Congratulations ! Just hang him higher. I suspect that you either watch too much western movies or you grew up at the Stone Age. Are you aware that already 100 men are freed from death row ? Yes from death row !!! Because they clearly and 100 % could proof that they are not guilty. They wasted up to 18 years on death row because they were not heard, because they were hated, because people said they had a fair trial, so they ARE guilty etc. etc. etc. It is my believe where 100 innocent men are there surely are much more, so how in the world can you prevent these poor men from fighting for their lives, desperately trying to proof their innocence. If they would hang everyone after they arrested him ... OMG ... I hardly can imagine how many innocent man you would hang on your trees of revenge.

It's truly sad that you say Gary isn't worth a dime and never has been. Although I am fully against the death penalty because I think a life sentence must be enough for a killer and only God should deside for us when it's our time to go Home but since you are for the death penalty I understand it when you say that he is not worth a dime yet. I do not agree because I have another opinion but I understand yours. But what I do not understand at all is how you can say that he never has been. Are you really surprised why so many men end up in prison when they never were given a chance ? It is so arrogant to say that he never has been because this means that you also belong to people who never would give a chance to a man who struggled in life. You think even as a young man Gary was not worth to live or to be helped when he was not worth a dime in your eyes. That's pretty sad and if you have children I only hope that you are a perfect mother and that you raise your kids perfectly right and that they will become perfect right children, never doing some mistake. And I hope that they never meet wrong friends or do wrong because ... not to think about ... other hateful people in your stupid country maybe would point at your son or daughter and say that he/she is not worth a dime. Gladly I do not judge about a person only because of what maybe happened in a few minutes of this persons life. A person is so much more than what happend in a few minutes on one terrible day.

So you don't think he needs any snacks or sandwiches and if they just fed him bread and water you would be satisfied. My goodness, you must be so full of hate and I don't understand this at all. As I said I don't know if you are friends or family with the victims. I would understand if Gail Chauviere would have hated Gary but even she did not hate him. She had not one bad bone in her body and she has forgiven Gary. Even at the pre-trial she did not say one bad word about Gary. She described him as polite, helpfully, loyal and true. You maybe should try to let God into your heart, then you would be more peaceful, understanding and forgiving. We here in Germany, we don't have the death penalty, so I am surprised that you obviously forgot one important fact but I gladly will explain something about the death penalty to you. You really should know this since you are so for it. The men and women are sentenced to die !!! Do you understand this ? They are sentenced to die by lethal injection. It is no part of the penalty to torture them until they are put to death. It is no part of the penalty to fed them just with bread and water. It's just the death ... no further torture. We ain't in the Third Reich and this is no concentration camp. Well ... the circumstances are like in a concentration camp but they still call it death row, not concentration camp.

You say that you speak for many people that knew Christie and Gail and I don't know if you knew them. If so ... I only can express how very sorry I am for what happened. I am not only in love with Gary ... I think about Christie and Gail as well and I pray for their souls and GLADLY I know that not each person who knew the Chauvieres hates Gary. Just to your knowledge I also got an e-mail of a close friend of Christie and she gave the biggest gift possible to Gary. She asked me the biggest favour she ever asked of anyone and the favour was to tell Gary that she FORGIVE him. This is human, this is a wonderful great gesture and this means the world to Gary. I am so happy to tell Gary that she forgive him. Although he did not kill that poor little 15 year old girl it will make him happy. Just to know that not each person in Brazoria hate him. Her e-mail ... her words ... that's a true blessing, a God given gift and it mean the world to me that even a person who was and still is involved is able to forgive and try to heal Garys heart. I think this woman lives more in peace then you and all the other hateful people in Brazoria does. Don't you think so ?

I can't judge about the judge you obviously admire so much because I don't know him. I don't know him and I never met him but to know the words he spoke to Gary while he sentenced him to die are enough for me to know what to think about him. He is neither honorable nor admirable. He is as hateful as you are with no respect for a human life and with no understanding for poor people who had no luck in life. While saying those things to Gary while he sentenced him he clearly exceeded his authority. His only job was to sentence Gary, not to call him names. But in treating him in that respectless way he shows that he has no good manners and it is clear to see that he wanted to see Gary ending up on death row even before the trial began ... just as he stated before the trial. You probably even are so blind to think a man got a "fair trial" when the judge even admit in advance that he has prejudices against the defendant and want to see him dead.  The last thing I like to tell you before I go ... as less as you understand my intent why I love Gary and why I married him (and I am sure you even did not try to understand because you prefer to call people you do not know names) ... as less you understand my intent why I built Gary's website. I do not try to make people feel sorry for muderers because I did not build the website for people who are for the death penalty, who hate Gary or what ever. I built the website for loving caring people. For human beings who have a heart and THANK GOD there are plenty out there. Among all the war and killings in the world there sometimes is sunshine coming from people who has a heart

God may bless you,
Claudia Etheridge, Munich / Germany


PS: Enclosed you'll find my favorite picture of Gary and me. It was taken on the day we got married and I love the tender way he look at me. Just wanted to share this with you to show you that he is no animal but just an ordinary guy ... a young man who did a mistake in his life because he was desperate and things went out of control and terribly wrong when he asked Mrs. Chauviere for an advance money. A young man who is tremendously sorry and remorseful for what he did to Gail and who took responsibility for what happened to Christie in protecting the actual killer. He protected him because he felt and still feel guilty for what happened to Christie because it was his idea to go to the Chauviere home. I just wanted to show you a picture of my beautiful husband. Animals are the ones who walk on four paws. You confused something in calling my husband an animal. I guess in Texas there are lots of things possible ... the government even legally kill their own population but as to my knowledge a mixed marriage between a human and an animal is strictly prohibited.

 
   
 
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