OPINION
6A
THE DAILY ASTORIAN • WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016
GUEST COLUMN
Story too sympathetic to violent felon
Founded in 1873
By JOSHUA MARQUIS
For The Daily Astorian
STEPHEN A. FORRESTER, Editor & Publisher
LAURA SELLERS, Managing Editor
BETTY SMITH, Advertising Manager
CARL EARL, Systems Manager
JOHN D. BRUIJN, Production Manager
DEBRA BLOOM, Business Manager
HEATHER RAMSDELL, Circulation Manager
Water
under
the bridge
Compiled by Bob Duke
From the pages of Astoria’s daily newspapers
10 years ago this week — 2006
For nearly two hours, the Astoria Fishermen and the Sherwood Bow-
men were locked up in one of the most intense, dramatic Oregon high
school state championship games ever played.
And then it wasn’t so dramatic. And then it really wasn’t dramatic.
And then Sherwood just wanted it to end.
And after a while it did, mercifully and with respect.
When the dust settled, the Astoria Fishermen – winners of 17 games
in a row – had won their 18th straight and irst state baseball title, a 9-2
decision over the Bowmen at Volcanoes Stadium in Keizer.
Astoria took a big step Thursday toward a memorial to
honor Chinese immigrants and their contributions to Ore-
gon’s coastal economy and history.
U.S. Rep David Wu announced that $75,000 has been allo-
cated for the project by a U.S. House subcommittee.
“Chinese immigrants were an essential part of the coastal
economy, and contributed greatly to the vibrant history of
Astoria and Clatsop County,” said Wu an immigrant from
Taiwan. “I am honored to have this opportunity to memorial-
ize their rightful place in Oregon’s history.”
A
front-page story in The
Daily Astorian on May 30
told the account of a local man,
Vincent Davidson-Gilbert, who
sounded like he couldn’t catch a
break.
This highly sympathetic story
claimed that Davidson-Gilbert had
somehow gotten a 65-month prison
sentence from Judge Cindee Matyas
because of “misdeeds” somehow
caused by his heroin addiction.
Readers should know that his
defense lawyer’s claim that the “crim-
inal justice system has criminalized
the mental health disease of addic-
tion” is latly untrue. Davidson-Gil-
bert didn’t receive a ive-year prison
sentence for using heroin. He earned
that sentence because in the course of
two months earlier this year he armed
himself with a gun and then burst
into one home, threatened the people
who lived there and then, two months
later, broke into his ex-wife’s home
and assaulted two people.
A home-invasion burglary is one
of the most dangerous crimes. The
writer attempted to wring sympathy
for Davidson-Gilbert by claiming, “It
didn’t matter that Vincent’s irst fel-
ony occurred almost a decade ago. It
didn’t matter that he had volunteered
for a local food bank ….”
What mattered is that he had a gun
and broke into two homes and terri-
ied the occupants. The District Attor-
ney’s Ofice does look at all factors
of a defendant’s crimes, including
his life and various second, third and
fourth chances.
A reader of this story would
assume Davidson-Gilbert got him-
self sent to prison for joy riding nine
years ago, then held down
ing people to prison. We
a supervisor’s job at a
have plenty of custom-
local big box store. Except
ers and would much rather
that wasn’t his record.
help those willing to show
The reporter just took the
responsibility for their own
word of the defendant, his
addictions. Our drug courts
mom, and his lawyer and
reward participation in
only did a cursory review
treatment and staying clean
of the record. The reporter
by erasing a felony convic-
also attended the sentenc-
tion. Davidson-Gilbert was
ing on the two home-inva-
far beyond that. His drug of
Josh
sion burglaries yet never
choice was heroin.
Marquis
mentioned the tearful
Prison is all that’s
statement by one of the
left for someone who
A home- has now reached double
victims.
In Oregon, less than
digits in felony convic-
invasion tions
7 percent of prison
— half of them for
inmates are doing time
violent
crimes (DUIIs
burglary aren’t considered
for drugs. Davidson is
vio-
part of the 70 percent
lent
crimes).
is one of
who are in for violent
There are partici-
the most pants in Judge Philip
felonies. Back in 2007,
at age 18, he racked up
Nelson’s drug court
eight felony convictions dangerous who have inspirational
and three misdemean-
stories of redemption.
crimes.
ors. The crimes for
It’s an insult to their
which he went to prison
accomplishments when
included another home invasion bur- we continue to offer multiple chances
glary and a felony assault. Although to a man like Davidson-Gilbert.
the article implied he had straight-
Readers deserve to know what
ened out between 2008 and 2011, he he did to earn his lifetime achieve-
had in fact spent most of that time in ment award for crime. This is why his
prison.
mom won’t get what she wants — her
Despite
Davidson-Gilbert’s son released after a year or two. Still,
appalling record, a local company Davidson-Gilbert may only serve 47
took a chance on him and gave him months of his 65-month sentence. His
a good job. By all accounts he had lawyer, Ms. Inhofe, got him a pretty
a supportive family. His mother is good deal considering that if con-
quoted throughout the article, blam- victed of just the two new burglar-
ing drugs and a less-than-perfect ies, sentencing guidelines could have
mental health system for her son’s meant a 130-month sentence.
failures.
As the district attorney for more
Davidson repaid the fresh start than 22 years, I often see people who
that was offered him by racking up a really screw up but deserve a sec-
second, then a third drunken-driving ond or third chance. Vincent David-
charge before arming himself (illegal son-Gilbert isn’t one of them after 10
for a violent felon) and breaking into felonies and six misdemeanors.
two homes earlier this year.
Joshua Marquis has served as the
Those of us in law enforce- district attorney of Clatsop County
ment don’t get rewarded for send- since 1994.
The staff and students at Astoria High School capped a four-day roller
coaster ride with a huge, emotion-packed pep assembly Tuesday after-
noon at the Brick House.
Following Saturday’s historic championship victory, the Astoria
baseball team was oficially presented with the state trophy, while the
student body — complete with pep band — honored all of its spring
sports athletes who competed at the state tournament level.
The reaping of rewards actually began Monday night at the Asto-
ria City Council meeting, when Astoria Mayor Willis Van Dusen recog-
nized the team for its 2006 championship season.
The mayor proclaimed June 6, 2006 to be “Astoria High School
Baseball Day,” in honor of the team’s irst state championship.
50 years ago — 1966
Clatsop college is apparently
going to inish the current is-
cal year “in the black” for the
irst time in its career, a report
inance committee chairman
Henry Desler indicated Thurs-
day night at the regular meeting
of the college district board.
Desler reported that it
appeared the district would end
the iscal year June 30 with per-
haps $5,000 inancial surplus
for the year’s operations.
Clatsop County Powder Puff
Derby entries, pilot Mrs. Lucy
Drucker and co-pilot Mrs. Rita Ginn
were guest speakers at the Tuesday
Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
The 20th anniversary light of the
Powder Puff Derby, sponsored by
the National Aeronautics Associa-
tion, will begin July 2 from Boeing
Field, Seattle, to end four days later
in Clearwater, Fla.
West End business men
Mrs. Drucker, with more than 500 say they think these two
light hours compiled since she began signs are a bit incongru-
lying in 1935, explained that she still ous. Recently the city gov-
had to recently complete 40 hours of ernment banned parking
instrument light in order to become in two stalls on West Ma-
eligible for the derby. Co-pilot Mrs. rine beside the Doughboy
Ginn has been lying since 1958 with Monument restroom. West
100 light hours to her credit.
Enders say it is hard now
According to Mrs. Drucker the for people seeking the rest
derby is made up of amateurs and room to find a handy place
professional women liers with the to park and are going to
latter having 12,000-15,000 hours of ask the city government to
light time. The race is run on a hand- remove the parking ban.
icap basis with the best speed com-
bined with weather and wind judgment declared the winner.
75 years ago — 1941
While everybody is shouting about Seaside’s prospects
for a howling summer success in resort business, on down
the road a spell the good people of Cannon Beach, nestled
betwixt Tillamook Head and Arch Cap, are quietly prepar-
ing for their own private little nervous breakdown.
Cannon Beach has been more somnolent than Seaside.
More bucolic. To the vacationing public the resort settle-
ment on the south of Tillamook promontory has amounted
to a better symbol of nature in the raw, without the ine
feathers, the white paint and chromium of city business.
Somebody once said that haystack rock is the third larg-
est monolith in the world. Yes or no, this great, mountainous
stone and its jagged fraternity of lesser brethren washed by
the blue Paciic all melds into one of the most gorgeous pan-
oramic landscapes on any coast of the seven seas. Beauty
has been the trump of Cannon Beach.
The regional ofice of the Civil Aeronautics administration has rec-
ommended to Washington that Astoria have a non-college student
lier training program this summer, it was announced today by Neil R.
Moritt, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce’s aviation committee.
Hannah Saylor/For The Daily Astorian
The Sea-Pac Ham Radio Convention was last weekend at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center.
Ham radio buffs have stories to tell
By TERESIA SAYLER
For The Daily Astorian
I
used to think ham was just
a tasty treat during the hol-
idays … but then I became one.
Let me explain.
The term “ham” is the title given
of amateur radio operators. The
Federal Radio Act of 1912 tem-
pered the mania of this new technol-
ogy that had gripped thousands by
requiring the licensing of the radio
operators and stations.
What has transpired over the
decades is a culture of service,
belonging and love of this hobby
for well over 700,000 in the U.S.
alone. Each June, thousands attend
the Northwest’s largest convention
of these “hams” in Seaside, known
as Sea-Pac.
In times of disaster, when your
cellphones and land lines fail, you
can rest assured that these radio
geeks will be there to support and
communicate wherever their signals
can reach.
While conventions have their
share of lectures and the manda-
tory swap meet of all things radio,
what I found most appealing were
the stories of what these hams are
capable of.
Twilight on the beachfront
brought a zombie-like trek of one
ham after another to huddle around
an experiment of hoisting aloft a
wire antenna afixed to a kite and
attached to a radio, from which
the operator would attempt contact
others as far from his location as
possible.
With little to no wind on Friday
evening, the “techie” in them came
out. A quadcopter drone was revved
up as a substitute for the kite. About
10 minutes later a roar of
meet weekly for a Sat-
applause broke out from
urday morning brunch,
the crowd. It was almost
to chat about the latest
as if contact was made
upgrades to radios, acces-
with someone on the
sories, computers, etc.,
moon.
and have been doing so
Other endearing sto-
for decades. They trade,
ries come out of just lis-
give advice and perhaps
tening to the hams chat
give a young new ham
about the latest gadgets,
used equipment to get
interfacing radios with
them started.
Teresia
computers, the ability to
I recently witnessed
Sayler
track movements of
this devotion save a
radio equipped vehi-
life of an amateur radio
cles, etc. To see the
operator. Over a two-
It was
expressions of the
three year period, one
younger
generation almost as of the local group’s
when told you can link
member’s health began
computers to the radios if contact to decline very seri-
and cover even more was made ously. At one of the
distance is priceless.
regular
gatherings,
Hearing the one
he needed immedi-
with
about the young man in
ate medical attention.
someone The comrades rallied
his basement bedroom
in the middle of Idaho
around their longtime
on the
dairy country, where
friend, got him to the
he was able to receive
healthcare he needed
moon.
the mayday call of a
just in the nick of time.
ishing vessel off the
While he recovered his
Paciic Coast and summoned help ham family rallied once again to
for it, was remarkable. Good thing clear out his house, take care of his
his parents allowed him to mount kitty and encourage his return to the
that antenna on top of the feed silo “air” and social events soon. Most
that was several stories tall.
were afraid that 2014 was his last
The stubbornness and motivation Sea-Pac event, but this year he was
of hams can come out on the air as there smiling from ear to ear.
well. There was the blind ham who
While some may think these
was chatting one day with another folks are super geeky odd ducks, I
ham on the radio about borrowing am happy to be associated with one
a ladder to climb a tree to install a of the most kind, generous groups
better antenna … needless to say, of “amateurs” you’ll ever meet.
Teresia Sayler is a long-
help was sent over for his project as
his wife had already grounded him time ham aficionado who lives
for beginning to trim the tree with a in Clearwater, Washington. She
has been active with Civil Air
chainsaw.
What impresses me most about Patrol for 36 years and Snohom-
the culture of these hams is their ish County Search and Rescue for
devotion to each other. Many will several years.