Collene Campbell has always loved her city of San Juan Capistrano, and last year took a second turn as mayor. But a few months back she chose not to seek reelection.
She wants to help organize a drive toward a national constitutional amendment that would give victims more rights in the criminal justice process. It's a longshot, she knows.
The only thing she wanted to do this month was mourn her grandson's death. And be there for her daughter. But the Ashcroft supporters called. Would she come help?
At first she said no, explaining her personal tragedy. Then they hooked her with a question she couldn't answer: Who else knows more about speaking up for victims? She paid her own way.
"The murder of our son was brutal," she told the senators, "and our treatment at the hands of the justice system was inhuman, cruel and barbaric. Nothing in our life had prepared us for such injustice. . . . I have faith that the [Thompson murders] case will soon be brought to trial. I only hope our family can again endure the justice system."
A Life Ended Early Lives On in Others
Whether you disagree with her views, or John Ashcroft's, who can dispute that Collene Campbell knows the victims' point of view?
Most years, on April 17, the anniversary of Scott Campbell's death, Collene and Gary have taken a boat past Catalina, to drop roses from their garden into the water for their son. They had provided a family burial plot for him, but his body was never recovered.
Brian Scott Campbell this month was buried in his uncle's grave.
Collene Campbell talked about how close Gary and Brian were, how grandfather and grandson spent every Tuesday night together while she toiled away at City Council meetings. And she talked about a young man half Brian's age he had befriended, a boy who suffered from a debilitating illness. It led Brian to tell his mother that if anything ever happened to him, he wanted to donate his organs to the living.
Collene described it as an unbelievable sight to see a helicopter take her grandson's organs, packed in ice, in a rush to help others. One was a 17-year-old girl given less than a few days to live without a new liver.
The report came back to the Campbells this week: Five people with Brian Campbell's organs, ranging in age from 17 to 55, are doing well.
Jerry Hicks' column appears Monday and Thursday. Readers may reach Hicks by calling (714) 966-7789 or e-mail to jerry.hicks@latimes.com
