10A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2016
Queener:
6KHGDEEOHGLQ
acting, hopes
to act again
Continued from Page 1A
¿UVW WLPH KHU KHULWDJH RU
EDFNJURXQG GLGQ¶W FRXQW
against her.
“You would think that’s
really where you would expect
WKDW µRWKHUQHVV¶ EXW , ZDV
HPEUDFHGLQWKDWFRPPXQLW\´
she said.
Constitutional rights
4XHHQHU ² D \HDUROG
with a diamond-sharp mind
and a jaunty personality —
attended Clatsop Community
&ROOHJH IRU WZR \HDUV EHIRUH
transferring to Willamette Uni-
versity, where she earned her
EDFKHORU¶V GHJUHH LQ SROLWLFV
She graduated from the univer-
VLW\¶VFROOHJHRIODZLQ
Before
graduating,
Queener clerked in the Tilla-
mook County District Attor-
QH\¶V RI¿FH 6KH WKHQ PRYHG
LQWR SXEOLF GHIHQVH FRQWUDFW
ZRUNDQGLQEHFDPHD
solo practitioner.
Over the past several
years, she’s handled a spec-
trum of cases, from employ-
ment discrimination and land-
lord-tenant issues to criminal,
juvenile, family and adminis-
trative law. With her new prac-
tice, she plans to add a civil lit-
igation component.
Though many of her cases
KDYHKDGDFRPLFDOÀDLU²OLNH
WKH JX\ LQ 3DFL¿F &LW\ ZKR
swiped a police vehicle, drove
it into a dead end and hid in the
dune grass until the cops found
KLP²VKH¶VDOVREHHQSULY\WR
some pretty awful displays of
KXPDQ EHKDYLRU HVSHFLDOO\
ZLWK FDVHV LQYROYLQJ DEXVH
and restraining and stalking
protective orders.
When it comes to crimi-
nal cases, she has defended
FOLHQWV VKH EHOLHYHV ZHUH
falsely accused — “That does
sometimes happen,” she said
— and some she knew were
guilty.
“They have a constitutional
right to a good attorney,” she
said. “We have an adversar-
ial system in this country, and
if I’m not defending them for
any reason, they’re not getting
the fair shake that they should
EHJHWWLQJ,I,KDYHDZD\WR
defend a client, even if I know
that he is guilty, I’m going to
do that.”
A homecoming
Before her son, Drew,
ZDV ERUQ 4XHHQHU GDE-
EOHG LQ FRPPXQLW\ WKHDWHU
through the Tillamook Asso-
FLDWLRQ IRU 3HUIRUPLQJ $UWV
+DYLQJ QHYHU DFWHG EHIRUH
DQG EHOLHYLQJ KHUVHOI WR EH
inartistic, Queener needed
VRPH FRQYLQFLQJ$ QHLJKERU
and co-worker kept trying to
pull her into it, and she kept
refusing.
“Then one day he sort of
FRUQHUHGPHDQGVDLGµ+RZGR
\RX IHHO DERXW $JDWKD &KULV-
tie?’ And I said, ‘I love Agatha
Christie! Who doesn’t!?”
So she was cast in a produc-
tion of Christie’s murder mys-
tery “The Mousetrap.”
“I got to know the people,
and they were all so wonder-
ful ... It was so much fun,” she
said. “And pretty soon I wanted
WREHSDUWRIHYHU\SOD\$QGRI
course, it doesn’t work out that
ZD\EXW,GLGZKDW,FRXOGXQWLO
'UHZZDVERUQ´
When Drew gets older
DQGKLVEHGWLPHJHWVODWHUVKH
hopes to reconnect with her
inner thespian.
For now, Queener and her
KXVEDQG*DU\DUHVHWWOLQJLQWR
Clatsop County, which, for her,
feels rather like a homecoming.
“I have to say, I’ve met peo-
ple who love the rain; I’m not
RQHRIWKHP,GRQ¶W¿VK,GRQ¶W
hunt. So a lot of the attractions
that the folks around here gen-
erally see don’t necessarily
apply to me,” she said. “I’m
really looking forward to all
WKH ¿VKHUPHQ SRHWU\ JDWKHU-
LQJV DQG WKH DUW H[KLELWV DQG
all the cool stuff that happens
in Astoria that doesn’t neces-
sarily happen in other small
communities.”
Though she didn’t realize it
GXULQJKHU¿UVWVWD\LQ&ODWVRS
County as a college student, “I
WKLQN LW¶V JRLQJ WR EH D UHDOO\
JUHDWSODFHWREULQJXSP\NLG´
she said. “I think that the same
people that helped me out, and
were there for me when I was
KHUHDUHSUREDEO\JRLQJWREH
there for him while he’s grow-
ing up.”
And, if the area is the way
VKH UHPHPEHUV LW IURP
then it’s the community she
will appreciate most. “I’m hop-
LQJWR¿QGWKDWDJDLQ´
— Erick Bengel
Bill: ‘It gives an
opportunity for
families ... to heal’
Continued from Page 1A
Scott Lee, the chairman of
the Clatsop County Board of
&RPPLVVLRQHUVVDLGWKHERDUG
will likely pass a resolution in
VXSSRUWRIWKHELOO
“It gives an opportunity for
families and communities to
heal,” Lee said. “This is a very
good thing.”
7KHELOOLVQRZEHIRUHWKH
VWDWH+RXVHIRUFRQVLGHUDWLRQ
7KH SURSHUW\ WD[ EUHDNV
DUHVXSSRUWHGE\DVOHZRIODZ
enforcement associations: The
Oregon Association Chiefs of
3ROLFH 2UHJRQ 6WDWH 6KHULIIV
Association; Oregon Associa-
WLRQRI5HVHUYH3HDFH2I¿FHUV
$VVRFLDWLRQ 2UHJRQ 3HDFH
2I¿FHUV $VVRFLDWLRQ 2UH-
JRQ &RDOLWLRQ RI 3ROLFH DQG
Sheriffs; Fraternal Order of
3ROLFH²2UHJRQ/RGJH2UH-
gon Fire Chiefs Association;
Oregon Fire District Direc-
tors Association; Oregon Vol-
XQWHHU )LUH¿JKWHUV $VVRFLD-
tion and the Oregon State Fire
Fighters Council.
*RRGGLQJLVVXUYLYHGE\KLV
wife, Amy, and two daughters.
$ PHPRULDO LQ WKH IDOOHQ RI¿-
cer’s honor at the Seaside Civic
and Convention Center this
PRQWK GUHZ SROLFH DQG ¿UH-
¿JKWHUVIURPDFURVVWKHQDWLRQ
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Alexis Mather crowns Ryen Buys as Miss Clatsop County 2016.
Miss Clatsop County: Miss Oregon pageant takes
place this summer at the Seaside convention center
Continued from Page 1A
“I’m super happy I can com-
pete here,” she said.
Miller said she enjoys the
whole pageant experience,
IURP JDLQLQJ FRQ¿GHQFH WR EH
LQWHUYLHZHG E\ VHYHUDO DGXOWV
to making friendships with the
RWKHU JLUOV WKDW HQGXUH EH\RQG
the end of the night.
Most importantly, the pag-
eant is an opportunity for her to
promote her platform, “Lupus
— Raising Awareness.” Mill-
er’s mother has the autoimmune
disease.
“I just want everyone to
know what lupus is,” she said.
³,W¶VQRWFXUDEOHVRE\VSUHDG-
ing awareness and other people
helping out, I’m hoping we will
¿QGDFXUHODWHURQ´
The winners are …
The three girls from out of
county competing in the teen
SDJHDQWZHUHHOLJLEOHWRZLQWKH
Miss North Coast’s Outstanding
7HHQDQG0LVV&ROXPELD3DFLI-
LF¶V2XWVWDQGLQJ7HHQWLWOHVEXW
not the Miss Clatsop County’s
Outstanding Teen title, which
was reserved for Clatsop girls
DQGZRQE\&DLWOLQ+LOOPDQ
of Gearhart.
1LNNROH6DVVRRI$VWR-
ria, won Miss North Coast’s
Outstanding Teen.
Sasso started in the noncom-
SHWLWLYH 3ULQFHVV SURJUDP ZKHQ
she was 5 years old. This was
her second year competing in
the program at the teen level. She
enjoyed the interview process and
KHUSODWIRUPLV³6KULQHUV+RVSL-
tal for Children: The Importance
of Diagnosing Scoliosis.”
The Miss North Coast title
ZDVZRQE\5XQGRI$VWR-
ria, who attends the University
RI2UHJRQ+HUSODWIRUPLV³7KH
Ideal Body is Your Own.”
2IWKHFRQWHVWDQWVFRPSHW-
ing for the Miss or Outstanding
Teen titles at the pageant, nine
VWDUWHG LQ WKH 3ULQFHVV SURJUDP
Miss Clatsop County Scholar-
VKLS SURJUDP LV DERXW PHQWRU-
ship, said Newman, who started
volunteering with the program in
-XVWDVWKHFRQWHVWDQWVDUH
required to have a personal plat-
form, she said her own “personal
platform is mentoring to young
women and the future leaders
of tomorrow through the Miss
American Organization.”
The teenagers and young
women who competed in Clat-
sop County this year are “just
a great group of girls,” accord-
ing to Newman. From the start,
WKH\KDYHEHHQSURPSWHQJDJHG
and dedicated. Yet Newman has
seen growth and development in
FRQ¿GHQFH DQG VNLOOV DV ZHOO
she said.
“For those lucky few who
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
actually win a title and do a year
Teen contestant Viola Soprano performs a jump rope rou- RIWKLVWKHJURZWKLVLQFUHGLEOH´
tine during the talent competition.
she added.
:LWKWKH¿HOGRIFRXQW\UHS-
³,WGH¿QLWHO\KHOSVJHWDFURVV UHVHQWDWLYHV QDUURZHG IURP
³OHDUQLQJPRUHDERXWP\VHOIDQG
¿JXULQJRXWWKDWZKDW,¶PVD\LQJ the point if you’re very active WR¿YHJLUOV1HZPDQDQGRWK-
with (your platform),” she said. ers now will help the contestants
people want to hear,” she said.
%X\V RI 6HDVLGH ZRQ prepare to take the stage at the
Sasso not only promotes her
platform, the “Astoria Wishing Miss Clatsop County. Buys, a Miss Oregon Scholarship pag-
7UHH3URJUDP´EXWDOVRYROXQ- VHQLRU DW 6HDVLGH +LJK 6FKRRO eant this summer at the Seaside
did a cheer routine for her talent; Civic and Convention Center.
teers with it, as well.
Joshua Bessex/The Daily Astorian
Jeff Ter Har/For The Daily Astorian
Miss Clatsop County Outstanding Teen Caitlin Hillman hugs
Miss North Coast’s Outstanding Teen 2015 Hayliehe Bell.
Miss North Coast Tess Rund is crowned Saturday at the
Miss Clatsop County Scholarship Program.
Verdict: For another appeal, he’ll have to petition Oregon Supreme Court
Continued from Page 1A
,Q D MXU\ RULJLQDOO\
FRQYLFWHG .HOO\ RI FRXQWV
RI ¿UVWGHJUHH VRGRP\ DQG
FRXQWV RI ¿UVWGHJUHH VH[XDO
DEXVHIRURQJRLQJDEXVHRIWKH
DIDPLO\PHPEHUEHWZHHQ-XO\
DQG 0D\ 7KH JLUO
¿UVWUHSRUWHGWKHDEXVHLQ0D\
WRKHUIDWKHU¶V¿DQFHH
At the trial, the prosecution
relied on testimony from Dr. Roy
Little, who said the girl suffered
IURPV\PSWRPVRIVH[XDODEXVH
though there was no physical evi-
dence to support the claim.
An Oregon Supreme Court
GHFLVLRQLQKHOGWKDWPHG-
LFDOH[SHUWVFDQQRWWHVWLI\DERXW
FKLOGVH[DEXVHGLDJQRVHVLIQR
physical evidence exists. As a
result, Little’s testimony was
deemed invalid. The Oregon
Court of Appeals overturned
.HOO\¶VFRQYLFWLRQLQDQG
ordered that Clatsop County
Circuit Court schedule a new
trial.
“They said you could not put
on a doctor to give a medical
diagnosis without any physical
¿QGLQJV´&ODWVRS&RXQW\&KLHI
Deputy District Attorney Ron
Brown said. “We didn’t have
DQ\SK\VLFDO¿QGLQJV,WZDVDQ
automatic reversal.”
.HOO\ ZDV UHWULHG LQ
and was again convicted of
FRXQWV RI VH[XDO DEXVH DQG
sodomy.
Brown, the prosecutor at
ERWK WULDOV VDLG WKH FRQYLFWLRQ
on the retried case was possi-
EOHGXHWRWKHYLFWLP¶VWHVWLPRQ\
and DNA evidence found where
WKHDEXVHWRRNSODFH
³(YHU\WKLQJMXVW¿WWRJHWKHU´
Brown said.
Still, Kelly appealed the
FRQYLFWLRQ ZKLFK ZDV
XSKHOG E\ WKH DSSHDOV FRXUW
Thursday.
If Kelly wants to appeal the
latest decision, he will have to
petition the Oregon Supreme
Court to take his case. “There
LV QRWKLQJ DXWRPDWLF DERXW LW´
Brown said. “They turn people
down every day of the week.”
Kelly could also try post-con-
viction relief, claiming his attor-
QH\PHVVHGXS+RZHYHUWKDWLV
unlikely since he hired his attor-
ney and spent a large amount of
money.
“I don’t think he has any ave-
nues there at all,” Brown said.
In his appeal, Kelly claimed
the prosecution did not give
proper notice to use hearsay
statements of the victim. In any
FKLOGDEXVHFDVHWKHSURVHFXWLRQ
must give notice to the defense
that it plans to use hearsay state-
ments. In this case, the state-
ments related to an interview the
victim gave at the Lighthouse
IRU .LGV D FKLOGDEXVH DVVHVV-
ment center in Astoria.
The Court of Appeals ruled
WKHRULJLQDOQRWLFHIURPWKH¿UVW
trial was valid for the second trial.
“They said the notice was
SHUIHFWO\¿QH´%URZQVDLG
Kelly also unsuccessfully
tried to appeal the trial court’s
denial for a change of venue.
Kelly wanted the trial moved
VRPHZKHUH HOVH EHFDXVH RI DOO
WKH SUHWULDO SXEOLFLW\ %URZQ
QRWHG WKDW WKH SXEOLFLW\ ZDV
PRVWO\FUHDWHGE\.HOO\DQGKLV
supporters.
Many of Kelly’s friends and
IDPLO\ ZHUH RXWVSRNHQ DERXW
his innocence, including one
PDQ ZKR FUHDWHG WKH ZHEVLWH
freetom.info. A sign is still vis-
LEOHIURP86+LJKZD\RXW-
side Astoria expressing support
for Kelly.