Execution of the Terrorist Housewives

Execution of the Terrorist Housewives by Jill Crokett (copyright 2004)

Main Characters : Diane Howell, age 41, divorced, mother of Tracy

Tracy Howell, single, age 15

Sara Stahler, age 32, married, mother of a young boy

Anne Bowden, 38, single, never married, women's prison warden

Prolog

The United States had changed profoundly by 2052. After unidentified terrorists had detonated a small improvised nuclear device in Houston, Texas in 2037 - at a cost of an estimated 180,000 lives - the country had floundered into a neurotic state of social introversion approximating that of a xenophobic Orwellian republic on the edge of economic collapse. Like a bear burning its energy by haplessly swatting at the tiny bee which had stung it, the antiterrorist wars had depleted the nation's coffers without tangible success.

What followed were the revocation of many basic civil rights and the amending of the Constitution - removing the clause forbidding "cruel and unusual punishment" and replacing it with a clause mandating "appropriate punishment for the crime." Judicial retribution ruled the day. Most Americans, on an emotional level, believed they were personally a victim, and they craved justice. Juries handed out death sentences at an increasing rate. Traditional prison sentences, as a cost-saving measure, were now frequently passed over in exchange for severe corporal punishments, all legalized by new antiterrorist laws and constitutional augmentation.

As in all suicide-bombing crimes, the perpetrator vanishes at the moment he appears. America had evolved into a paranoid land, both emotionally numb and ethically bankrupt - a land of many victims – and in desperate need of perpetrators to punish. This is a story of three women who lived in that time.

The Tunnel Blast

The four-lane, twin tube, 16 mile long Clinton Tunnel connecting New Jersey with Long Island had opened with much fanfare in 2029, and was named to honor the late president who had served the people of New York. It was the longest transportation tunnel in the Western Hemisphere, and had been the most expensive civil engineering public works project in American history.

On March 22, 2052, Middle Eastern terrorists, in the country posing as Central American guest workers, succeeded in causing one of America's worst days of terror since Los Angeles '37. Relying on the assistance of collaborators to block the tunnel's east exit during the bumper to bumper afternoon rush hour, the terrorists succeeded in detonating a disguised propane truck in the middle of the tunnel, killing over 1,700 and seriously burning almost two thousand more. As the gasoline in each successive vehicle in the tunnel exploded, the resulting Domino effect created a blowtorch which burned for three days, eventually melting the concrete walls of the tunnel.

Among the victims was a busload of schoolchildren returning from a field trip. They were burned alive. Of the 'fortunate' survivors, over 100 required extremely extensive skin grafts to more than 50% of their bodies, and hundreds more were disfigured for life from third degree burns.

The Investigation

Since the terrorists themselves perished in the tunnel explosion, the investigation quickly focused on those who had used their vehicles to block both exit lanes of the Clinton Tunnel on March 22, 2052. It was found that the two "blocking" vehicles were registered to the fictitious Hispanic names used by the Middle Eastern terrorists. But it was also determined that those two suicide-bomber terrorists were driving the disguised propane truck on March 22, not the blocking vehicles. This was confirmed by digital video cameras located at the tollbooth at the west entrance to the tunnel. What was also determined by those cameras was the visual identity of the persons believed to be operating the vehicles which stopped and blocked the tunnel's exit at the other end. Since those blocking vehicles were not destroyed in the disaster, investigators quickly matched those vehicles with images of vehicles entering the tunnel at the other end that afternoon. The cameras showed that the two blocking vehicles were each driven by a single female with relatively short hair. The two females were both Caucasian.

The first of those females, then referred to by investigators as female A, appeared to have straight, short light to medium brown hair, cut with bangs in a wedged taper just slightly above the ear lobes on each side. Her hair naturally parted in the middle. She was of medium to slightly heavy build and appeared to be somewhat tan. She was attractive and appeared to be in her late thirties.

The second female, referred to as female B, also appeared to be the sole occupant of her vehicle. Female B had slightly longer and lightly curled very light blond hair, possibility bleached or highlighted. It seemed to be parted to one side and just covered both of her ears completely, but did not touch the neckline. She appeared to be of a lighter build but was not exactly petite. She had a very fair complexion. Female B was younger, probably early 30's, and was also quite attractive.

A third suspect was seen, not on the tollbooth video, but on the tunnel's hidden exit video camera. After stopping both of their vehicles and blocking both exit lanes, the perpetrators were seen exiting their vehicles and getting into a get-away vehicle which was parked and waiting at the tunnel exit. As traffic backed up inside the tunnel the get-away vehicle left the scene with its three occupants just before the explosion.

The get-away vehicle, which investigators referred to as the pickup vehicle, was driven by a short, youthful looking, female teenager with long-hair and a small build. She had either light brown or reddish hair which fell down her back to her mid shoulder blade level. It appeared she had straight-cut bangs.

The digitally enhanced tollbooth and tunnel exit photos of the women were distributed to news organizations about three weeks after the bombing. Those images of two early middle aged females were soon broadcast on television news networks throughout the world. Almost immediately, investigator began receiving hundreds of calls. Three suspects were quickly identified. All were western Long Island suburban residents, and all three females where quickly brought in for questioning.

Soccer-mom Diane

Diane Howell was the attractive 41-year-old divorced mother of an active, flirtatious 15-year-old teenage daughter. Her physical attractiveness presented itself in a somewhat matronly way. At 5'4" and 165lbs she was modestly overweight, but her weight was well proportioned due to her relatively narrow waist which was bordered above by full breasts and bordered below by rounded full buttocks and somewhat saddlebag hips. Her full D-cup breasts were somewhat pendulous, complimenting her full but rather shapely thighs and hips. Diane disguised her extra pounds well and wore a ladies size 14 without a bit of pulling at the pleats. When her weight fluctuated downward, she could occasionally fit into a snug size 12. Her figure could best be described as mature, motherly, matronly, and sexy, all at once. Her short light brown hair and was cut in a carefree 'toss-about' style which required no special care. The press described Diane as "an attractive soccer mom from next door-type."

Diana, who lived with her teenage daughter in a modestly comfortable suburban home, had been rapidly coming under pronounced financial distress since she and her husband divorced two years earlier. Diane's ex-husband, a previously successful New York accountant, had fled to the exotic back alley bars of Southeast Asia and had not paid child-support or alimony in over six months. Diane's own job in real estate sales had long been in a slump due to the failing American economy.

Under FBI interrogation, Diane Howell admitted to investigators that she and her close friend Sarah Stahler had been "conned by Mexicans" into parking the cars at the tunnel exit as a prank, and that she had nothing to do with the explosion. When investigators informed her that they had found evidence that she had recently received a large amount of cash from an unknown source, Diane broke down and changed her story. She confessed that she had met the "Mexicans" when their private landscape was doing some contract work at one of her real estate listings near Oyster Bay. She admitted that she was immediately attracted to one of them who she described as quite handsome. She said that she had been quite lonely since being divorced, and that she had a brief affair with the handsome Mexican, meeting him for trysts at her vacant listed properties. When questioned, Diane denied that the man had introduced her to cocaine. She said that eventually the landscaper told her a strange story that he had a beef with the tunnel authority over a car of his which had broken down in the tunnel. He convinced Diane that his car had been accidentally towed to a crush site and destroyed, and that the tunnel authority refused to reimburse him. He claimed that, being an illegal immigrant, the car was not insured. Diane told investigators that the Mexican convinced her and her friend Sara to participate in a prank as revenge on the tunnel authority. She stated that she believed no harm would come to anyone from the prank. Investigators did not buy her story.

Under further intense interrogation at FBI headquarters in Washington, Diane eventually confessed that the men she believed were Mexicans had given her $65,000 to block the tunnel, with another $65,000 promised to her after the operation was performed. She said she was in great financial distress and simply needed the money. Diane said she truly believed that, at worse, the tunnel blocking incident had something to do with a Mexican drug deal, and that no one would be physically hurt from the incident. Diane Howell also confessed that the landscape contractor had introduced her to cocaine, and that she had split most of the tunnel money with her best friend and sometimes aerobics partner, 32-year-old Sara Stahler. She claimed that she had recruited Sara to help with the tunnel blocking, initially offering her $25,000.

Diane Howell insisted to investigators that Sarah Stahler had never met the "Mexicans." But the FBI had learned otherwise. The FBI had evidence that in fact both she and Sara had visited the terrorists' apartment on at least several occasions, probably to snort free cocaine and have sex with them. They speculated that both women had also gone there to finalize the tunnel incident plans and pickup their payoff money. A neighbor of the terrorists' was able to identify photos of both women, and was prepared to testify that she had seen Diane and Sarah visit the terrorists' apartment on several occasions, one as a recent as two days before the attack.

Under further interrogation Diane also admitted that she had recruited her 15-year-old daughter Tracy to drive the getaway car. But she insisted that Tracy knew nothing about the money and that Tracy was simply helping her mother out. Prosecutors did not buy it.

Beautiful Sara

Sara Stahler was, at 32, a classic beauty. One news anchorwoman referred to Sarah as a "Princess Diana look-alike soccer mom," although in reality Sara was somewhat less busty and probably several inches shorter than the princess. A socially and physically active stay-at-home mom, Sara had natural looking light blond hair, a bit longer in the front and parted on the left. Sara's fair skin was smooth and flawless. Her hair, skin tone, and smile all gave her a radiant quality which commanded attention whenever she entered or room. Sara was 5'6" tall, weighed 118lbs, had slender hips, and had a B-cup bust. Her figure was, in a very chic kind of way, somewhat boyish up top, matched below with a full, rounded bottom. Sara religiously went to aerobics class twice a week, and her body was excellently proportioned and well toned. Sara was married to a modestly successful though often intoxicated independent insurance agent. She had a six-year-old son.

FBI investigators discovered that Sara Stahler and her husband both lived beyond their means and often fought over the management of household funds. They learned that Sara was known as someone who loved to shop, and that she had not long ago maxed out three credit cards, which increased the tension between her and her husband. Agents learned that Sara had recently made $3,500 cash payments on at least two of those credit cards, and that she had also recently made a $5,000 cash deposit toward the purchase a brand new 2052 Lexus. But there was one other interesting piece to the puzzle. A mandatory FBI drug test revealed that Sara Stahler had recently used a very expensive grade of Colombian cocaine.

Young Tracy

Tracy Howell was a pretty "girl next door-type" 15-year-old teenager who spoke in a somewhat immature tone of voice. Tracy was, at 5'1", the shortest of the three suspects. She weighed 108 lbs, had A to B cup breasts, a somewhat shapely waist and bottom, and had long straight reddish strawberry blonde hair that fell nearly to her waist in the back. Her hair was cut with eyebrow-length straight bangs in the front. Tracy had a light tan, lightly freckled skin, perfect teeth, and seemed to always smile. At 15, she was somewhat shy and self-conscious, and was still a virgin. There was just one problem investigators had. If in fact she was just following her mother's orders by driving the pickup car, why then did Tracy's blood also test positive for cocaine, the exact same expensive grade of cocaine that the FBI had found in Sara Stahler's blood. Traces of that exact same type of cocaine were also found in the apartment of the dead terrorists.

A guilty plea

Tracy would be 16 years old by the trial date. Prosecutors announced they would try Tracy not only as an adult, but as an equal co-conspirator, along with her mother and Sarah Stahler. All three females were to be tried at the same time in a single trial.

Further investigation had led prosecutors to believe that, although the terrorists initially were introduced to the younger women through Diane, the terrorists' had actually first lured Tracy and Sarah into the tunnel bombing plan, and it was they who then recruited Diane, not the other way around, as Diane had insisted. Prosecutors believed that Diane Howell had made up her story to protect her teenage daughter.

The trail date was set for July 11 ^th , 2052. Prosecutors charged Diane Howell, Sara Stahler and Tracy Howell each with 1700 counts of Capital Murder, and also Capital Terrorism - the highest crime possible in mid 21st-century America. The upcoming trial was the receiving worldwide attention and the press dubbed it the "soccer mom terrorists" trial. The FBI and Justice Department, who had gone a longtime without a living, surviving terrorist to prosecute, pulled out all the stops and brought in their best prosecutorial team. A team of over 2000 investigators had already gleaned and assembled every speck of condemning evidence.

Diane Howell, Tracy Howell and Sara Stahler were to be tried together at the same time, and they had been appointed the same attorney, a popular feminist-activist lawyer named Molly Charnel. Because juries in high capital crimes had been abolished by the Constitutional amendment of 2038, the trial would be heard by three High Court federal judges, two men and one woman.

On her first meeting with the three defendants, Molly Charnel explained to Diane, Sara, and Tracy that the Justice Department was building a solid case against them. She explained that the nation had been longing to prosecute terrorist collaborators in a high-profile case. Molly explained to the young women that they should plead guilty, which she explained would give them they are only chance for possible leniency. The women were all clearly aware of the brutal sentences handed down through the judicial system since the amending of the Constitution.

After meeting with Molly Charnel, Diane convinced her daughter that they both should plead guilty and appeal to the mercy of the court. She noted that one of the judges was a woman and mom herself, and she would surely show sympathy toward them.

Sara Stahler met with her husband and her parents one last time before the trial date. They agreed with Diane - a guilty plea was the only way for Sara to save her life.

Sentencing the terrorists

The newspapers and television news shows were all abuzz about the upcoming sentencing court date for the two "terrorist soccer moms" and the lone "teen terrorist." One news channel devoted an entire hour program the night before sentencing to speculation on the three females' sentence. Since the Constitutional amendment prohibiting cruel and unusual punishment had been repealed, judges were at great liberty to impose bizarre and esoteric punishments in both corporal and capital cases. Due to government budget shortfalls, and also due to a public enraged over terrorism, corporal punishment had essentially replaced prison terms longer than one year. New reality television shows, such as "America's Most Hated" frequently featured live whippings of men found guilty of rape and drug smuggling. Pay-per-view television occasionally offered live executions. The living room had become not only the jury box, but the witness room.

Diane Howell, Sara Stahler, and Tracy Howell had together appeared before the three High Judges one month earlier and, while begging for leniency court through their attorney, pleaded guilty to Capital Terrorism and a plea-reduced charge of 1700 counts of 'manslaughter.' Their sentencing date was set for August 19th, 2052 at 9 a.m. sharp. High Court judge Marla Cohen would pass down sentence.

On August 15 ^th Judge Cohen telephoned defense attorney Molly Charnel and informed her in advance that all the sentences would be equal, and that the two women and one teenage girl would all be sentenced at one time. Molly Charnel thought that was a bit unusual, but the next request from the judge was even stranger. Judge Cohen requested specific pre-sentencing information about the three women, including very specific information about their menstrual cycles and dates regarding same. She informed attorney Charnel that she needed this information immediately. Later that afternoon the medical information was passed on to the sentencing judge. Within 20 minutes of receiving that information Judge Marla Cohen's office made a public announcement that sentencing would be postponed until August 21st.

A huge, silent courtroom

The huge cavernous courtroom was packed but eerily silent. The high 35 ft. ceiling gave the large chamber a faint echo. The only persons standing in the packed courtroom were a dozen alarmed guards, and two television camera operators.

A restrained rumble came over the crowd as two wide side doors opened at once and the three women were brought into the courtroom escorted by nine uniformed guards. They each were handcuffed at the wrist with their arms in front of them. They were followed in by their defense attorney, Molly Charnel, who stopped to take a seat at the defense table. Diane Howell, her daughter Tracy and Sara Stahler were all then escorted forward to an open sentencing platform located about 10 feet in front of the tall judges' bench. The sentencing platform itself was raised about a foot higher than the rest of the courtroom floor. The three women were placed on the platform facing the judges' bench, each standing about 18 inches apart from one another. All three were well-dressed and neatly groomed. Their handcuffs were then carefully removed during the sentencing procedure. Studio lights and television cameras positioned in the front corners of the room allowed the public, and more importantly the hungry news industry, a proper view of the guilty.

The now 42-year-old Diane Howell was neatly dressed in a royal blue business suit jacket with matching slacks. She wore a simple white pullover blouse under the bright blue suit jacket. Around her left ankle she wore her only lucky charm, a thin gold ankle bracelet given to her years earlier by her ex-husband. Her only other jewelry consisted of a pair of enamel pierced hearings which matched her suit. Her shoes consisted off matching blue low-rise business pumps. She stared with an anxious expression at the empty judges' bench.

16-year-old Tracy Howell was dressed in stylish tan dress slacks with matching light brown belt and shoes. She wore a long-sleeved white silk dress blouse that billowed slightly at the sleeves. Tracy's long red hair glistened in the sunlight coming through the window. Her straight strawberry-colored hair had recently been neatly trimmed straight across at the level of her lower shoulder blades in the back, and her bangs had also been neatly trimmed across her forehead in the front. At only 5'1", Tracy appeared obviously smaller than the other two women to the people in the gallery. The teenager also contrasted with the other women because of her long hair. Her mother and Sara, standing to either side of her, each had their hair cut high up off their shoulders. Diane's cut revealed her ear lobes, while Sara's very light blond hair was longer but nonetheless stopped several inches above her collar.

On her way into the courtroom, Sara Stahler caught the eye of her husband and her 54-year-old mother sitting in the gallery. She held her chin up high and proud, and as she entered the room she passed her loved ones in glancing smile. Sara's blond hair blazed in the morning sunlight coming through the window as she was led up to the slightly raised sentencing platform. Dressed in a simple but very stylish lemon colored one-piece sleeveless summer shift dress hemmed generously above the knee she could've easily passed foreign movie star or the Princess of Wales. Around her neck she was a gold necklace which contained in the hinged locket tiny photos of her husband and son.

Beyond Shame

The seats rumbled as the packed gallery rose to its feet on the entrance of the three High Court Judges. The Judges took their seats quickly, with 62-year-old High Court associate Judge Marla Cohen taking the center chair. The bailiff ordered the gallery to remain completely silent and seated during the entire sentencing procedure. With a wave of the Judge Cohen's hand, the guards standing careful watch over the unhandcuffed prisoners stepped down off the sentencing platform. At this point Diane, Sara, and Tracy stood eerily alone on the sentencing platform, their eyes fixed forward on the judge.

After a few seconds of frightening total silence, Judge Cohen began to speak in a clear and determined voice.

"The guilty shall now raise their hands above their heads for sentencing." As had become the custom in recent decades, the three females slowly raised their arms overhead in the surrender posture to hear their sentence.

As the three beautiful young convicted female terrorists stood submissive before the bench, Judge Cohen continued "Diane Howell, Sara Stahler, and Tracy Howell, each having been found guilty of Capital Treason and 1700 counts of manslaughter by this court, I hereby order that you be immediately placed in the custody of the Federal Department of Correction and Punishment and transported to the Women's Federal Punishment Processing Center at Elk Flat, Nevada."

Judge Cohen paused slightly and then continued.

"It is the order of this court that there you shall, without delay, having been prepped and positioned in a manner prescribed by the Federal Department of Corrections and Punishment, each be administered not less than 40 strokes to your buttocks using a narrow leather razor strap of not more than 2 inches in width and not more than 18 inches in length."

Diane, her gaping eyes fixed forward on the female judge, could hear her daughter Tracy beginning to cry.

"An additional 40 strokes shall be administered to the remainder of you body using a short single-thonged leather bullwhip not greater than 4 feet in length."

Sara's eyes weld up with tears as her lower lip quivered.

"Within 48 hours of your punitive whipping you shall each, having been properly prepared and positioned in a manner prescribed by the Department of Corrections and Punishment; undergo a punitive procedure known as false childbirth. This procedure shall be performed in front of not fewer than 40 witnesses."

"Then, after a period of not more than 15 days from this date, and having received additional punitive corporal punishment of a type to be determine by the Department of Corrections and Punishment, and having been prepared in a manner prescribed by the Department of Corrections and Punishment for execution, shall without benefit of anesthesia undergo the live harvesting of your internal organs for transplantation, including your reproductive organs. May God have mercy on your souls."

Sara could hear her mother sobbing in the gallery behind her. Diane's face knotted up in a contortion as she mumbled to the judge "not my daughter too, no, no, please don't do it." Teenage Tracy continued to cry aloud.

Judge Marla Cohen, indifferent to the sobbing and pleas, continued, "the administration of this capital sentence shall be performed under the direct supervision of Ms. Anne Bowden, Warden of the Federal Women's Punishment Facility in Elk Flat, Nevada, who shall have full control and discretion over same."

With a nod from the judge the guards quickly handcuffed the prisoners and escorted the three now condemned females to an awaiting van which was to take them to an awaiting Federal government supersonic transport plane for the little over one hour flight to eastern Nevada. They would arrive well before noon Nevada time.

To be continued in Chapter Two