Text from Healing From
Hate Crimes
Text/Images Copyright © 1995-2001. All Rights Reserved.
"Richard Campos doesn't
discriminate," a colleague once commented. "He's an
equal opportunity racist. Look at everyone he's attacked and he
appears to hate everyone equally."
July 1993: Congregation B'nai Israel
July 1993: Sacramento offices of the NAACP
October 1993: Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)
October 1993: Home of Sacramento City Councilman Jimmie
Yee
October 1993: state Department of Fair Employment and Housing
August 29, 1994: Richard Campos was convicted of 5 of 12
felony counts. Jurors found him guilty of: firebombing (arson)
the state Department of Fair Employment and Housing; firebombing
(arson with hate crime enhancement1) Councilman Jimmie
Yee's home; two counts of possession of a destructive device;
one count possession of an unexploded Molotov cocktail.
Jurors deadlocked on the following charges: attempted arson with
hate crime enhancement (Congregation B'nai Israel); possession
and igniting a destructive device (Congregation B'nai Israel);
arson with hate crime enhancement (offices of the NAACP); possession
of a destructive device with hate crime enhancement; arson (JACL);
possessing and igniting a destructive device (JACL); attempted
murder of Councilman Yee.
Campos Convicted - 12 Racial Firebombings in 2 Trials
December 14, 1994: Jurors, having deliberated for six
days following retrial on counts remaining undecided from the
previous trial, found Campos guilty of seven counts of firebombing
charges. Jurors deadlocked (11:1) on a charge of premeditated,
attempted murder of Councilman Yee, a charge that wielded a possible
life sentence for the felon.
Criminal's Views Play to the Public
March 24, 1995: Richard Campos spoke to KFBK radio listeners
about the crimes for which he had been convicted. He also admitted
the crimes - for which he expressed no remorse. KOVR News had
broadcast segments of the discussion between Campos and the KFBK
reporter.
Campos: "I let my anger kinda boil over and I thought,
well, I'm not doing anything now. You know, making pamphlets and
fliers. And, you know, let's do something. I regret, you know,
what happened, you know. I wish it didn't happen, but, uh, as
far as remorse, no."
The KFBK reporter had asked Campos: "Did you care
if anyone got killed?"
Campos: "I think, uh, no, I think, I don't think I
would."
In response to Campos' comments Dick Fukushima, JACL, said, "It
doesn't actually shock me. People like this, they want to do things
like this."
Justice: The Sentencing
April 20, 1995: Six victims of the hate crimes confronted
Campos in Superior Court. They made impact statements and asked
Judge James T. Ford for the maximum term.
Judge Ford responded to Campos' convictions by not offering a
lenient sentence. Campos had admitted his crimes and admitted
having no remorse; Campos' defense attorney also admitted his
client had shown no remorse, yet still asked the court for leniency.
Defense Attorney Michael Brady suggested that Campos be allowed
to serve some of his term at the California Youth Authority (CYA),
Ione, California; his client was 17-years-old when he committed
the crimes, his client was 18-years-old when he was prosecuted,
and his client was 19-years-old when he was sentenced. Brady had
hoped that sending Campos to the CYA would offer a greater chance
for "reforming" his client.
The prosecutor had a different perspective and a far better understanding
of the seriousness of the crimes, describing the firebombings
as a "terrorist political statement"; Campos, virtually
emotionless through two trials, held and acted on beliefs with
the crimes committed. His views were not on trial nor were
they sufficient cause for legal actions against him; his actions
taken and based on advancing his views distinguished Campos' crimes
from merely having some thoughts that even his attorney found
"repugnant" and "repulsive." His actions were
on trial, actions that were an outgrowth of his beliefs.
The prosecutor, addressing the court the day of the sentencing
said: Campos doesn't believe he has a problem. Society has the
problem. He quoted the felon as having said, "If someone
got killed that's too bad. Sometimes people have to die if the
cause is important enough." The prosecutor also assessed:
"Race has been a central issue in this country, and we have
made great strides since Selma, Alabama.... In 1993, in Sacramento,
it looked like we were going backwards."
Judge Ford rejected Brady's proposal for sentencing -- because
of Campos' lack of remorse for his destructive behavior and the
impact felt by the victims: "By reason of that conduct alone,
you bring to bear against the power of the State. And the State
will exercise that power now. Richard Joseph Campos you are hereby
committed to state prison for the maximum term allowable by law."
Judge Ford said, too, Campos' racist views "do not threaten
our community. They will lose in the competition of ideas and
because of our Constitution. You have spat upon that Constitution....
Each person in our society is responsible for their conduct. It
is not society's duty to fix you. It is your responsibility."
Seventeen years, four months: The maximum sentence victims urged
for Campos' crimes and saw result from Judge Ford's decision.
Campos' prison term could be cut in half with time he's already
served and with good behavior, making him eligible for parole
at age 27, the year 2002. A reduction in the total length of time
served will not diminish the fact that, in the event of parole,
Campos has been sentenced by the court for his crimes.
1 Hate crime enhancement:
An enhancement is an addition to a term, outlined by statutes.
Circumstance in aggravation (hate motivation) enables a judge
to add years to a term during sentencing. Another way to understand
a hate crime enhancement: A prosecutor puts special allegations
before jurors, and, if jurors find the allegations to be true,
the defendant gets more time on a sentence.
Reflections
The hope is that you
will use information you've read as a tool for understanding and
for realizing why we need to work together to heal and to prevent
hate crimes.
Passive resistance is not the solution. Taking a firm stand
with family, friends, colleagues, et cetera, may offer part of
the answer. Stated bluntly: Don't laugh at racist, homophobic,
ageist, sexist, and so on, epithets or "jokes"; confront
even the people closest to you who appear to take pleasure in
making others the punch-line; challenge their decor if it offends
your sensitivities and sensibilities; question their preference
in reading materials and viewing paraphernalia. Have enough respect
for yourself and for others to speak up and against influences
expressing or depicting hatred toward... people.
Children glean ideas and examples from adults, even our nuances
in speech and behavior convey messages. The responsibility for
modeling "good" behavior rests with us. Perhaps we could
each discover ways to re-model.
Healing
from Hate Crimes
A
Lesson: Avoid an Abyss of Indifference
Letter
to the Honorable James T. Ford, Superior Court
Victim
Witness Statement, 1995 Sentencing
Help
Make Hate Homeless
Rock-Soft
Fences
Internet
Filtering, Letter to Senator John McCain
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