Another side of the story

It is my letter that Ms. Williams refers to. Tom Kemp (and his family) were told several times by legal counsel to have absolutely no contact with the Beno family. I'm no lawyer, but in retrospect, this advice by counsel would appear to have been bad advice. At Tom's last parole hearing, the Kemp family was told by parole officials that if any of them approached the Beno's, the hearing would end right then and there. I have been in contact with Mr. Kemp and his family several times in the last month. While the Beno family did, in fact, request letters from friends, the Vindicator called for a "flood of letters from the public". It was those letters that I was referring to. Let me ask you this: If Tom Kemp did write to you or somehow contact you to express his remorse, would it make a difference? If it would, I would certainly urge him to do so.

Ralph....I, being the daughter of Tom Beno, personally would not want Kemp's apology. The reason for that is growing up around these people I know that it would not be a sincere apology. Here's my thing, as my aunt said, he had plenty of time BEFORE he murdered my father to make the right decision (4 hours to be exact) and in those 4 hours he also had the chance to think about me or my brother whom he left fatherless, or my grandparents whom he left without their only son, or my aunt whom he left without her brother...need I go on??? All Tom Kemp cared about that day was making sure that my dad didn't have Lori. If you choose to defend a sociopathic killer sir then that is your choice but please get all the CORRECT facts before speaking on something you obviously know little about. As far as I'm concered..the entire Kemp family can join their beloved Tom in hell.

Ralph: It sounds like Kemp's counsel must be the same moron that was with them at the last parole hearing. At that time their attorney stated to the parole board, "Tom Kemp never threatened Tom Beno, but if he did, he was just joking". And you ask if an expression of remorse would make a difference? Actions speak louder than words. We are not interested in anything except keeping this murderer in prison where he belongs. He should have gotten the death penalty!

In all your interviews, in all your internet postings, in all your letters to the editor, you folks complain that Tom Kemp never made a personal apology to you. Now you finally come out and admit that it wouldn't have made the tiniest bit of difference. I took Tom Kemp's side because he is the son of my father's best friend and I felt he was getting piled on by the media. I still feel that way because of other people from this valley who have committed murders that required weeks of premeditation and have since been paroled. The media took little or no note of the releases of Mr. Carrabia, Mr. Masters or Robert Williams. Remember Mr. Williams? He went into a barber shop in Poland and shot and killed the barber and his 9 or 10 year old customer without any provocation. He's out. If these people rate parole, then Tom Kemp rates a fair and impartial hearing before the parole board. That is all I ever wanted for him and I hope he will recieve it. You always tell me that I don't have the real facts. Well, I do know that only 4 people were in the kitchen that day. Only two were not involved either as victim or shooter. Both of these remaining 2 witnesses are very supportive of Tom Kemp and have been all these years. So, I think it is only fair to ask where your facts come from.

My facts, sir, come from the police reports, the coronor's report and court documents. They are not twisted, turned, manipulated nor controlled by Tom Kemp. The one and only reason that my brother was murdered that day is because he married Lori Elder Kemp Campana. Kemp's total jealous obsession and control of his stepdaughter were the only factors that led to my brother's death (Only one example of his control: Mrs. Campana legally dropped her married name, Beno, to take Kemp's name instead shortly after my brother's death). Curious to me that you could watch your new husband of 4 hours be shot dead and immediately after his funeral do anything and everything you could to get his murderer out of jail. I don't know if you are even aware of your contradictions when you make reference to other murders that took place. Again, (in case you missed it the first time) the parole board makes their decisions based on the facts of each individual case. They do not base their decision on, "Well, we let one murderer go - let's just let them all go". You keep bringing up the words "fair and impartial" when you talk about Kemp's parole hearing. I think you believe that if Tom Kemp is denied parole again, it will be because he did not receive a fair and impartial hearing. Shame on you! You will continue to believe what you are told by your "sources". For now, I have shared with you enough of my time and energy and I am done.

Ralph: You are absolutely correct that there are only 4 people who really know what happened that day, but let me ask you this..don't you find it very strange that a person shot Lori's husband and she supports that person? I know that if someone murdered my husband I definitely wouldn't be on the murderer's side. Kind of peculiar, don't you think? All I can say to you is this, I loved my father very dearly and at one point in my life I loved Lori and Tom but the day he KILLED my father all that changed. Do you even realize what a life of torment and agony I've gone through??? Do you even care??? I know that my aunt and my cousin do and that's why all 3 of us have gone back and forth with you, but I am done arguing with you about something that makes me cry everytime I push a key on my keyboard. I just hope and pray that you never have a loved one taken away from you in the manner that my dad was taken from me because unless that happens you will truly never understand.

I was unable to read your entire post because the Vindy.Com site skips about every fourth line. In any event, I also am tired of all the sparring which, so far, has produced nothing but ill feelings and not a whole lot of new information. I feel bad for your loss. I hope you believe that. I am not an evil person. I abhor violence. I worked for some time in a sporting goods\firearms store. When I sensed that a customer was possibly planning to do something stupid or violent, I refused to sell them a waepon. Several times. I only met Tom Beno once or twice. I really knew very little about him. Yes, I fully realize that my friend shot and killed him. When you are a law-abiding person, it is not easy to put your good name on a published letter defending someone who has pled to aggravated murder. For your family's sake, I would hope that some day, Tom Beno will be remembered for his life, not his death.