|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Jul 27, 2017 17:35:02 GMT -5
 
On the morning of Monday, March 5, 1984, my Grandfather Jack left his house and walked around the corner to his daughter Yleen’s home after she had failed to show up to drive him to a doctor’s appointment. As he walked towards Yleen’s house located on East 12th Street in the Heights area, he noticed her door was open and he immediately suspected that something was terribly wrong. In the entry way, he stumbled onto a grisly murder scene. His youngest daughter, Lillie age 23, was fully clothed lying on the floor near the entry way with a single gunshot wound to the head. Just a few feet away, his other daughter, Yleen age 33, was lying on her living room floor in a night shirt with her panties around her ankles. Yleen had paper towels shoved down her throat to muffle her screams. She had been bludgeoned over the head multiple times with a blunt object and shot once in the arm. Her throat had been stabbed several times resulting in death. The crime remained unsolved for several decades. My grandparents and mother (the eldest sister of Yleen & Lillie) went to their graves never knowing what happened to their loved ones.
For over 30 years, the murders of the Kennedy sisters remained a cold case until a tip was received at the end of 2014. Edmond Degan was interviewed by police back in 1984 when the murders occurred, but it wasn’t until a tip was called in to HPD in that the investigation was turned toward Edmond Degan. Edmond Degan’s DNA came up as a High Probability DNA match collected from Yleen’s rape kit that had been preserved by HPD all of these years. The High Probability DNA match led to the arrest of Edmond Degan on January 14, 2015.
Edmond Degan remained in the Harris County Jail until February 20, 2017. The Defense and Prosecution came to a plea agreement sentencing him to 15 years in state prison for the murder of Yleen Kennedy. As part of the plea agreement, the Capital Murder charge was reduced to murder by dropping the robbery and rape charges in the case. When Degan is released from prison, he will not be required to register as a sex offender because of the agreement. According to the law, Degan cannot be prosecuted separately for the murder of Lillie Kennedy. He has never admitted to causing the death of Lillie and has never provided a motive for the murder of Yleen Kennedy.
As the law states, murderer Degan is eligible for parole after serving only a quarter of his sentence! I want to ask you how you would feel knowing this individual has the potential to be released back into society after serving only two (2) years in the Harris County jail and less than a year in state prison on a 15-year plea bargain sentence?
I can only hope that it is unlikely he would be granted parole so soon but let’s not forget he is already under Parole Review by the state of Texas and will be up for parole every subsequent year until his release. According to statistics, it is estimated Edmond Degan will only serve a couple more years in state prison.
Let’s not ignore the fact that Edmond Degan has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple aggravated robberies with a deadly weapon, assault of a family member, drug possession charges and a terroristic threat charge. He literally got away with Murder for over 30 years before being charged. Who knows if there are other crimes Degan is responsible for that he has never been charged with. Do you feel safe having this individual released back into society including quite possibly in your very own neighborhood?
If you feel Edmond Degan is a danger to our society, I plead with you to please send in an email or letter of protest to the Parole Board. The Board's decision can be reached in as little as two (2) months’ time. My grandmother and grandfather along with my mother are not here to protest the parole of the Kennedy sisters' murderer. The victims, Yleen and Lillie, do not have a voice either. I will do everything in my power to fight Edmond Degan’s release, but I am asking for help from my family, friends and our community.
Please remember this is only one case and there are many other victims and families affected by similar tragedies. I encourage you to check into the POMC.com website’s Parole Block section and look under the “Current Petitions” link to fill out petitions blocking the early release of other criminals guilty of heinous murders.
Please submit protest emails and letters on behalf of the Kennedy Sisters, Lillie & Yleen, to the Victim Services Division in Austin, Texas. All protest information is confidential. The requestor must submit his/her protest in writing and should explain in detail the reason(s) for the protest. This can include details of the offense, the impact of the offense and any fears or concerns. Protest letters can be emailed, faxed, or mailed. Please make sure to include on the Email/Letter/Fax/:
Offender Edmond Degan
State ID# 02015096
TDCJ# 002116951
Mailing Address:
Victim Services Division
8712 Shoal Creek Blvd., Suite 265
Austin, TX 78757-6899
Fax: (512) 452-0825
E-mail: victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov
If you would like to verify Edmond Degan’s Parole Review date, please feel free to call (800) 848-4284 and provide his State ID# and TDCJ# that is listed above.
Please share this Parole Protest! |
|
|
|
Post by kitty on Jul 28, 2017 16:16:19 GMT -5
I'll be glad to send an email to the Parole Board, but I'm in Georgia, so will they pay any attention to people from out of state? Also, should we wait until he comes up for parole? If we contact them now, will they still have our emails in two years, or however long it is before he comes up for parole?
|
|
|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Jul 28, 2017 16:41:49 GMT -5
I'll be glad to send an email to the Parole Board, but I'm in Georgia, so will they pay any attention to people from out of state? Also, should we wait until he comes up for parole? If we contact them now, will they still have our emails in two years, or however long it is before he comes up for parole?
Absolutely! I have signed Parole Petitions from the POMC.com website for states all over the USA! Thank you for your support! The murderer Edmond Degan is already under Parole Review as we speak. I received the letter in the mail last weekend. All emails and letters sent to the parole board are permanently kept in the criminal's file. I am one of the only surviving members of sisters Yleen & Lillie Kennedy. Edmond Degan is eligible for parole after serving only 1/4 of his sentence. He was punished under the laws of 1984 when the murders occurred. I was the family contact on the cold case since my Grandmother (Yleen & Lillie's Mother) passed away back in 2007. I read a Victim Impact Statement on behalf of my family in court during the Plea Bargain sentencing. Once again, I appreciate your support! |
|
|
|
Post by Kate on Jul 28, 2017 17:10:40 GMT -5
Absolutely! I have signed Parole Petitions from the POMC.com website for states all over the USA! Thank you for your support! The murderer Edmond Degan is already under Parole Review as we speak. I received the letter in the mail last weekend. All emails and letters sent to the parole board are permanently kept in the criminal's file. I am one of the only surviving members of sisters Yleen & Lillie Kennedy. Edmond Degan is eligible for parole after serving only 1/4 of his sentence. He was punished under the laws of 1984 when the murders occurred. I was the family contact on the cold case since my Grandmother (Yleen & Lillie's Mother) passed away back in 2007. I read a Victim Impact Statement on behalf of my family in court during the Plea Bargain sentencing. Once again, I appreciate your support!
So in 1984, you could rape a woman, kill her and another woman in what was obviously premeditated murder, and get just 15 years in prison? What kind of heinous crime would a person have to commit in Texas to get the death penalty?
|
|
|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Jul 29, 2017 12:54:23 GMT -5
The prosecution must enforce the laws as they were at the exact moment a crime is committed. The Supreme Court had decided it would be fundamentally unfair to change the punishments on a crime after the crime had been committed. Back in the late 1970's, the Supreme Court invalidated most of the Capital Punishment laws across the country based on evidence that they were being applied inequitably. The Supreme Court struck down most of the Death Penalty laws and required that each state set up specific circumstances that would enhance the murder charge to make the defendant eligible for the Death Penalty. Many states took their time getting around to doing this, and Texas was one of them. The State of Texas was just a little late in passing the laws to make this particular case eligible for the Death Penalty. Had this exact same crime been committed just a couple of months later or today, the offender would be eligible for the Death Penalty in the State of Texas. Unfortunately, due to an old law, Edmond Degan will automatically be released in 2024 (after serving 9 years of his 15 year sentence) if he doesn't get paroled between now and then.
|
|
|
|
Post by jason on Jul 29, 2017 17:06:39 GMT -5
The prosecution must enforce the laws as they were at the exact moment a crime is committed. The Supreme Court had decided it would be fundamentally unfair to change the punishments on a crime after the crime had been committed. Back in the late 1970's, the Supreme Court invalidated most of the Capital Punishment laws across the country based on evidence that they were being applied inequitably. The Supreme Court struck down most of the Death Penalty laws and required that each state set up specific circumstances that would enhance the murder charge to make the defendant eligible for the Death Penalty. Many states took their time getting around to doing this, and Texas was one of them. The State of Texas was just a little late in passing the laws to make this particular case eligible for the Death Penalty. Had this exact same crime been committed just a couple of months later or today, the offender would be eligible for the Death Penalty in the State of Texas. We all know about the 1972 moratorium on the death penalty. I think what Kate is saying is that even in 1984, Degan should have at least been sentenced to life for two counts of premeditated murder in combination with murder during the commission of burglary, robbery and aggravated sexual assault. I live in Louisiana, where the laws are extremely lax, but even here, a man would get life for such heinous crimes. Texas sentenced a man to death in 1974, but he committed suicide. Also, the first person executed by lethal injection took place in Texas in 1982.
Something else I don't understand in this case is that the prosecution didn't require Degan to allocute. This was a gross miscarriage of justice all the way 'round.
Another thing I find odd in this case is that there was nothing in the news about Degan's guilty plea, the circumstances of the murders, or much of anything else. Considering that the Kennedy sisters murder was one of Houston's great unsolved crimes for so long, you'd think the press would have been all over it.
BTW, I'm going to send an email to the Parole Board objecting to Degan's parole.
|
|
|
|
Post by madeline on Jul 29, 2017 18:46:14 GMT -5
The prosecution must enforce the laws as they were at the exact moment a crime is committed. The Supreme Court had decided it would be fundamentally unfair to change the punishments on a crime after the crime had been committed. Back in the late 1970's, the Supreme Court invalidated most of the Capital Punishment laws across the country based on evidence that they were being applied inequitably. The Supreme Court struck down most of the Death Penalty laws and required that each state set up specific circumstances that would enhance the murder charge to make the defendant eligible for the Death Penalty. Many states took their time getting around to doing this, and Texas was one of them. The State of Texas was just a little late in passing the laws to make this particular case eligible for the Death Penalty. Had this exact same crime been committed just a couple of months later or today, the offender would be eligible for the Death Penalty in the State of Texas.
In the other thread, goldstalk posted:
Did they ever date, or is that just something he told people after he was arrested?
|
|
|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Jul 29, 2017 22:01:06 GMT -5
I have been the family contact on the cold case since 2007 after Lillie & Yleen's mother passed away. I was involved in the legal proceedings and provided a Victim Impact Statement on behalf of our family during Edmond Degan's Plea Bargain sentencing. During court, Degan had to admit before the judge he was pleading guilty to murder of Yleen Kennedy and was of sound mind. After I completed my Victim Impact Statement, Degan said to me before the judge, "I am truly sorry."
To answer Madeline's question, I asked the Prosecutor this exact question since Degan began claiming consensual sex after the arrest. There is not a single family member or friend that has any knowledge of Yleen and Degan ever dating. In fact, Yleen's friends have been adamant that she was not intimately involved with Degan. After the murders occurred back in 1984, Degan was interviewed by Houston Police Department and is on record saying he did not have a romantic relationship with Yleen Kennedy.
Jason, Houston Local News 11 KHOU ran a story on 07/31/2017 protesting the Parole of Edmond Degan.
After the arrest, I had a face to face meeting with the Assistant District Attorney, Prosecutor and Assistant Director of the Victim/Witness Division of Harris County to discuss the laws on the crime date of March 5, 1984. I was told the case was not eligible for the Death Penalty yet would have been if the murders were committed just mere weeks later. I further researched myself by discussing with the Houston Chapter leader of national organization Parents of Murdered Children (POMC) and contacted a friend with a Criminal Justice degree. I was referred to a Houston Police Department detective not related to the investigation of this case. The detective was able to explain the laws to me in layman’s terms so I could understand and explain the best to my ability as I don’t possess an education or knowledge in Criminal Justice. Unfortunately this case was not an easy open and shut case after remaining cold for over 30 years. Several witnesses have since passed away along with Degan's refusal to explain what happened on the morning of March 5, 1984.
It has been an extremely difficult journey navigating through the justice system for myself and family. Thanks to everyone for their support!
|
|
|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Jul 31, 2017 16:53:54 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by justice4kennedycuz on Feb 23, 2018 23:55:28 GMT -5
Edmond Degan, a violent criminal with a lengthy record, got away with murder for over 30 years before being charged. After serving less than 3 years (1/4 of his prison sentence), Murderer Edmond Degan is under review for Parole by the State of Texas.
On the morning of Monday, March 5, 1984, my Grandfather Jack left his house and walked around the corner to his daughter Yleen’s home after she had failed to show up to drive him to a doctor’s appointment. As he walked towards Yleen’s house located on East 12th Street in the Heights area, he noticed her door was open and he immediately suspected that something was terribly wrong. In the entry way, he stumbled onto a grisly murder scene. His youngest daughter, Lillie age 23, was fully clothed lying on the floor near the entry way with a single gunshot wound to the head. Just a few feet away, his other daughter, Yleen age 33, was lying on her living room floor in a night shirt with her panties around her ankles. Yleen had paper towels shoved down her throat to muffle her screams. She had been bludgeoned over the head multiple times with a blunt object and shot once in the arm. Her throat had been stabbed several times resulting in death. The crime remained unsolved for several decades. My grandparents and mother (the eldest sister of Yleen & Lillie) went to their graves never knowing what happened to their loved ones.
For over 30 years, the murders of the Kennedy sisters remained a cold case until a tip was received at the end of 2014. Edmond Degan was interviewed by police back in 1984 when the murders occurred, but it wasn’t until a tip was called in to HPD in that the investigation was turned toward Edmond Degan. Edmond Degan’s DNA came up as a High Probability DNA match collected from Yleen’s rape kit that had been preserved by HPD all of these years. The High Probability DNA match led to the arrest of Edmond Degan on January 14, 2015.
Edmond Degan remained in the Harris County Jail until February 20, 2017. The Defense and Prosecution came to a plea agreement sentencing him to 15 years in state prison for the murder of Yleen Kennedy. As part of the plea agreement, the Capital Murder charge was reduced to murder by dropping the robbery and rape charges in the case. When Degan is released from prison, he will not be required to register as a sex offender because of the agreement. According to the law, Degan cannot be prosecuted separately for the murder of Lillie Kennedy. He has never admitted to causing the death of Lillie and has never provided a motive for the murder of Yleen Kennedy.
As the law states, murderer Degan is eligible for parole after serving only a quarter of his sentence! I want to ask you how you would feel knowing this individual has the potential to be released back into society after serving only two (2) years in the Harris County jail and less than a year in state prison on a 15-year plea bargain sentence?
I can only hope that it is unlikely he would be granted parole so soon but let’s not forget he is already under Parole Review by the state of Texas and will be up for parole every subsequent year until his release. According to statistics, it is estimated Edmond Degan will only serve a couple more years in state prison.
Let’s not ignore the fact that Edmond Degan has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple aggravated robberies with a deadly weapon, assault of a family member, drug possession charges and a terroristic threat charge. He literally got away with Murder for over 30 years before being charged. Who knows if there are other crimes Degan is responsible for that he has never been charged with. Do you feel safe having this individual released back into society including quite possibly in your very own neighborhood?
If you feel Edmond Degan is a danger to our society, I plead with you to please send in an email or letter of protest to the Parole Board. The Board's decision can be reached in as little as two (2) months’ time. My grandmother and grandfather along with my mother are not here to protest the parole of the Kennedy sisters' murderer. The victims, Yleen and Lillie, do not have a voice either. I will do everything in my power to fight Edmond Degan’s release, but I am asking for help from my family, friends and our community.
Please remember this is only one case and there are many other victims and families affected by similar tragedies. I encourage you to check into the POMC.com website’s Parole Block section and look under the “Current Petitions” link to fill out petitions blocking the early release of other criminals guilty of heinous murders.
Please submit protest emails and letters on behalf of the Kennedy Sisters, Lillie & Yleen, to the Victim Services Division in Austin, Texas. All protest information is confidential. The requestor must submit his/her protest in writing and should explain in detail the reason(s) for the protest. This can include details of the offense, the impact of the offense and any fears or concerns. Protest letters can be emailed, faxed, or mailed. Please make sure to include on the Email/Letter/Fax/:
Offender Edmond Degan
State ID# 02015096
TDCJ# 002116951
Mailing Address:
Victim Services Division
8712 Shoal Creek Blvd., Suite 265
Austin, TX 78757-6899
Fax: (512) 452-0825
E-mail: victim.svc@tdcj.texas.gov
If you would like to verify Edmond Degan’s Parole Review date, please feel free to call (800) 848-4284 and provide his State ID# and TDCJ# that is listed above.
Please share this Parole Protest! |
|
|
|
Post by justice4kennedycuz on Feb 24, 2018 0:01:43 GMT -5
Who ever created this original post about the case.....please contact me. My name is Terri and the girls
And I shared the same great grandmother....Margaret Kennedy Street, making them my 3rd cousins.
I’ve been trying to reach I believe the daughter of Darlene. You can contact me via email at tstreetgsa@gmail. Once we. Edith who we each are i want to work together to do our best to keep this monster in as long as his sencence will allow! Harris Co let us down and Justice was not served! I Mabe looking for someone with the last name Elliott....I believe her Mom was Yleen and Lillie’s sister!
Thank you
|
|
|
|
Post by Graveyardbride on Feb 24, 2018 3:20:50 GMT -5
Who ever created this original post about the case.....please contact me. My name is Terri and the girls And I shared the same great grandmother....Margaret Kennedy Street, making them my 3rd cousins. I’ve been trying to reach I believe the daughter of Darlene. You can contact me via email at tstreetgsa@gmail. Once we. Edith who we each are i want to work together to do our best to keep this monster in as long as his sencence will allow! Harris Co let us down and Justice was not served! I Mabe looking for someone with the last name Elliott....I believe her Mom was Yleen and Lillie’s sister! Thank you |
|
|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Feb 27, 2018 17:32:08 GMT -5
Who ever created this original post about the case.....please contact me. My name is Terri and the girls And I shared the same great grandmother....Margaret Kennedy Street, making them my 3rd cousins. I’ve been trying to reach I believe the daughter of Darlene. You can contact me via email at tstreetgsa@gmail. Once we. Edith who we each are i want to work together to do our best to keep this monster in as long as his sencence will allow! Harris Co let us down and Justice was not served! I Mabe looking for someone with the last name Elliott....I believe her Mom was Yleen and Lillie’s sister! Thank you Hello, I sent an email today, February 27, 2018 to your tstreetgsa@gmail.com account. Please check! |
|
|
|
Post by kennedysisters on Mar 7, 2019 12:08:08 GMT -5
|
|
