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Donald Gilson
- Apr 26, 2009 at 4:00 AM
- By
- Comments (14) Total Views (2176) Everyone can see this journal post.
I normally would not ask, but this is such a serious issue. So please click Make Popular. We have to get the word out.
FROM MY BLOG: whatwouldmamasay.blogspot.com
What can Mama say? Mama can say shame on Goober-nor Brad Henry for considering clemency for this monster. Donald Gilson was convicted of murdering his eight year old "step-son" Shane Coffman in the late 90s.
First
let Mama clarify this post. If Mama had her druthers Shane's mama,
Bertha Jean Coffman, would have gotten the death penalty, too. She
received life in prison with no chance of parole. The story varies as
to whether she or Gilson beat that poor child to death. Either way -
she knew and should have gotten Shane out of that place.
Second Mama says shame on DHS in Oklahoma. DHS removed the Coffman children many times
prior to Shane's death. Mama understands that DHS is an administrative
agency and as such they can bend their rules and define words as they
see fit. As far as Mama is concerned - they should be be held partially
responsible for Shane's death and for the near starvation of his
brothers and sisters.
Let Mama give you the short story and then Mama will tell you what she thinks.
Bertha
Coffman and her several children lived in Newalla, OK in a two bed room
trailer. One boyfriend that was living there sexually abused someone.
DHS got involved and removed the kids (from what I've researched - this
was not the first time). Coffman met Gilson when they both worked for
Little Axe Schools as janitors.
Gilson physically removed the
boyfriend from Coffman's property. Well, the trailer was a pit. Gilson
got it back in semi-livable order and DHS gave Coffman back her
children. Gilson moves in. Shortly thereafter they all walked out of
Coffman's trailer and moved in to Gilson's two bedroom trailer. All the
children slept in the living room floor. One bedroom was for Gilson and
Coffman. The other bedroom was reserved for Gilson's leather working
supplies.
Coffman pulled the children out of school and
"homeschooled" them. At the end of it all - no evidence was ever found
that the children were homeschooled. The children were not allowed to
go outside. They were punished in many ways. They were beaten, they
were forced to take cold baths, and they were forced to stand
completely still against the wall. At the end of it all, once Shane's
body was found, two or three of his siblings were found malnourished
and practically starved to death.
One day, eight year old Shane
gets in trouble and is made to stand against the wall. He stands so
long and is not allowed to move to even go to the bathroom. At some
point, he urinates. Gilson allegedly took the boy outside and beat him
with a board. He brought him in and put him in a cold bath where they
struggle. The other children are made to go in to the bathroom to tell
Shane what a bad boy he was. Eventually Shane is beaten to death in
that bathroom. He is left in there until the other children fall
asleep. At that point Coffman and Gilson took him out and put him in an
unused deep freezer outside the trailer.
Of course Gilson
argued that Coffman beat the boy to death and Coffman argued that it
was all Gilson and that she asked Gilson to get help and that Gilson
refused.
Shane's body is found six months later in the freezer. Gilson and Coffman are arrested.
If you go here you can read more about the disgusting and disheartening death of that sweet, sweet boy. You can also read the appeal.
Gilson
was given the death penalty and recently received the date of May 5.
Mama and She of Unlimited Opinion joyously dubbed that day as Cinqo de
Fryo even though Oklahoma uses lethal injection. The site listed above
has Gilson's appeal. Please, have tissues handy. It doesn't matter who
killed the boy you will cry. Gilson appealed for clemency.
Goober-nor Henry has given him an additional week in order to consider the appeal.
Mama wrote to Goober-nor Henry and begged him not to give that monster clemency.
We
are talking about a man that didn't even have the respect to put Shane
into a shallow grave (not that it would have made the crime better).
The boy was put in an unused deep freeze. He had numerous injuries including a broken jaw that the coroner estimates happened around the time of Shane's death.
A
grown man took a 50 pound 8 year old and beat him with a board and beat
him in a bath tub until he died. His mother did nothing or may have
participated in the beating.
Mama told Goober-nor Henry that someone
has to stand up for this little boy. Someone needs to be the protective
parent. Gilson used his appeals, now please let justice be carried out.
He had no concern for Shane. Why should we have concern for his life?
This wasn't some bar fight. This was a vicious attack on a child. In
Louisiana one can get the death penalty for raping a child. Are we so
callous that we will not demand justice for the death of a baby?
Who
will mourn for Shane Coffman? Mama cried for him for more than an hour
after reading it. Shane was only about six years younger than Mama. Who
will demand justice be carried out?
Oklahoma residents, Oklahoma parents, and parents everywhere please read up on this case and email
Goober-nor Henry and tell him that he should not give Gilson clemency.
It would be a slap in the face for Shane and Oklahoma to allow that
monster to live when Shane never got the chance.
Please, stand up and be the parent Shane Coffman did not have. Advocate for justice!
If
Gilson receives clemency this sends a message to other abusive adults
that they could kill a child and not be charged with their own lives.
Comments:
Thank you, Crystal, for standing up for Shane.
Awful.
I don't live in Oklahoma, but I hope that those that do SCREAM so loud a this injustice that the Goober-nor can't but hear!!!
I agree with This Mama.... The mother should be put to death too! I would not way in hell stand by and watch as some ass beats my child to death. The first smack I would be calling cops, pulling him off, shooting him, whatever it took. This man needs to fry and she should too.
this is so disturbing! those poor babies!
i think they should BOTH be sentenced to 200 years of isolation, with the exception of regular beatings by someone in the jail house... they could take turns letting inmates in for all i care.
there is no way for justice here. there just isn't. for the sake of those kids, i will hope there is a god and there is a hell and that they will both find hell soon.
the only blessing is that the other kids are okay now (though traumatized for life) and that that poor baby is in the arms of the angels now.... he is finally loved.
it's so sad.
!!!! Right on!!
This Sapulpa Okie sent an email to Brad Henry. God bless little Shane.
What a horrible man AND woman! I sent my email!
Thanks for those that sent an email!! I encourage those, even if you don't live here, to please email the Goober-nor. All parents should be outraged.
Thank you ALL for your support on this issue. Thank you ALL for thinking of little Shane and his memory instead of wanting to spare the life of a baby killer.
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After my stomach settled from what I read, I sent a message to "Goober-nor Henry". Thank you for posting this.
- Crystal750
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