In 1984, a Moroccan national named Abdelkrim Belachheb walked into Iannis Restaurant, a trendy Dallas nightclub, and gunned down seven people. Six died. Despite the fact that the crimes occurred in a state that prides itself on being tough on criminals, the death penalty was not an option for the Belachheb jury. Even though he had committed six murders, and his guilt was never in question (despite his insanity defense), his crimes were not capital murders under 1984 statutes. As a direct result of this crime, during the 1985 regular session the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 8--the “multiple murder” statute--to make serial killing and mass murder capital crimes. Belachheb’s case serves as an excellent example to explore capital punishment and the insanity defense. Furthermore, Belachheb’s easy entry into the United States (despite his violent record in Europe) highlights our contemporary fear over lax immigration screening and subsequent terrorism. The case is unique in that debate usually arises from an execution. Belachheb was given life imprisonment and is currently under maximum security--a fate some would argue is “worse than death.” He is scheduled to have his first parole hearing in 2004, the twentieth anniversary of his crime. “This is a …

Journal kept by Hugh Callaway from October 12th, 1991 to March 12th, 1993. Some of the entries discuss the murder of his significant other.

Interview with Charles M. Lagow, a Army WWII veteran from Dallas, Texas. Lagow discusses his family history, attending Texas A&M, joining the CCC, the lead up to war, activation and training with the 352nd Engineer Battalion, deployment to Khorramshahr, Iran, building roads, delivering supplies to the Soviets, crash landing in a B-17 in Palestine, returning to the States and transfer to the 1346th Eng. Bat., deployment to Okinawa, occupation duty and Japanese holdouts, thoughts on Hideki Tojo, attitudes towards the Japanese, shell shock and mental breakdowns, the atomic bomb, and life after the war.

A booklet called "local/e Photography and Video" featuring an exhibition "local/e" of several visual artists, including Byrd Williams IV.

Interview with Diego Echevarria, an Mexican-American immigrant from Mexico City. Echevarria discusses his childhood, life in Mexico City, living in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, moving to Texas City, experiences in school, moving to Irving, Texas, ESL, reflections on Mexico City, the visa process, the DREAM Act, employment, and immigration rhetoric in America.

Interview with Mary Franklin, an activist in the Dallas LGBT community from Riverhead, New York. Franklin discusses her family background, the neighborhood she grew up in in, dyslexia and struggles in school, her sexuality and coming out, the LGBT scene on Long Island, "gay" as a term, her first girlfriend, Anita Bryant, applying for a marriage license on National Coming Out Day, feminism and activism, moving to Dallas, the decriminalization of homosexuality in Texas, the HIV-AIDS epidemic, threats, involvement with the Unitarian Church, working at the Food Pantry, and changes in societal attitudes towards LGBT.

Interview with attorney and Army Air Forces veteran Edward J. Drake. The interview includes Drake's personal experiences about being a B-17 pilot in the European Theater during World War II, youth and education in Dallas, Texas, enlistment in the Aviation Cadet Program, various training programs, bombing transportation facilities during and after the Ardennes Offensive, crash-landing in Belgium after his plane was hit, and linking up with American troops. Additionally, Drake talks about his assignment to the 91st Bomb Group, the routine for a typical mission, formation flying, flying through enemy flak, rest and relaxation on-base and in London, recuperating from a collapsed lung, his return to combat for three more missions, and his return to the crash site of his plane 57 years later. The interview includes an appendix with "The Last Flight of 'Jezebel,'" written by Drake.

Interview with Miguel Soria, Mexican-born immigrant to Plano, Texas. The interview includes Soria's personal experiences about childhood in Mexico, his first visit to the U.S., illegally crossing the border to live in Dallas, Texas, and experiences with a human smuggler, along with his experiences as an undocumented person and with discrimination. It also includes his thoughts on the DREAM act and the immigration process, and advice for future immigrants.

Interview with David Braden, an Army Air Force WWII veteran from Dallas, Texas. Braden served as a navigator/radar-bombardier on a B-29 Superfortress in the Pacific; he recounts being in ROTC at North Texas Agricultural College and signing up for the Air Corps Reserves, flight training, the B-29, his crewmates, assignment to Saipan, organization of a bombing mission, the jetstream, flak and fighters, being shot down, switching crews, targets, briefings, recreation, Japanese holdouts on Saipan, fighter escorts, returning stateside, and leaving the service. In appendix is a letter sent to Dr. Marcello by Braden containing some corrections for the interview.

Transcript of an interview with Dr. Valerie Martínez-Ebers, professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas and former UNT student. Dr. Martínez-Ebers discusses her childhood as an Army brat; education; family background; discrimination against Mexican Americans; attending UNT with a Mexican American ancestry; growing awareness of ethnicity and ethnic identity; student activism; differences in treatment and attitudes towards Latinos/Latinas in various parts of the United States; teaching politics of race and ethnicity at UNT; continued activism; UNT organizations for Latinos/Latinas.

Program for the Turtle Creek Chorale concerts on October 4 & 7, 1980. The cover of the program is brown and has "Turtle Creek Chorale" printed towards it's center.

Interview with C. L. Permenter, a Marine WWII veteran and POW from Dallas, Texas. Permenter discusses his pre-war service with the North China Marines at Tientsin (Tianjin) and Peking (Beijing), the situation in Japanese-occupied China, his capture, and his experiences in internment at Woosung, Kiangwang, and Fengtai.

Interview with Tyrel James Billingsley, an Airman in the US Air Force Reserves from Dallas, Texas. Billingsley discusses his childhood and education, enlisting in the Air Force, basic training and technical school, his duties as a Aircraft Armament Systems specialist, memorable experiences, and plans for the future.

Interview with Robert Moore, a LGBT-focus journalist from Hurst, Texas. Moore discusses attending Texas Tech University, his career, working for Dallas Gay News and starting Dallas Voice, changes in attitudes toward LGBT people in Texas, HIV-AIDS, LGBT guilds and associations, and keeping up with changing media.

Interview with Lissette Moreno, a Mexican-American immigrant and activist from Monterrey, Mexico. Moreno discusses her childhood, moving to Dallas, family struggles with poverty, education, testifying in favor of the Texas Dream Act, college, reflections on immigration, the DREAM Act, being present for Pope Francis' 2015 address to the US Congress, and her faith.

Transcript of an interview with Kathy Jack concerning her childhood and education in Shreveport, Louisiana, and Dallas; "coming-out" narrative; social life in Dallas's gay and lesbian bars; effects of AIDS epidemic on Dallas gay community; career as employee, manager, and eventually owner of various bars; involvement in and support of various Gay Pride events; thoughts about future of gay rights movement.

Interview with Clarence Shockey, a farmer and former member of the Civilian Conservation Corps from Ridgeway, Texas, regarding his experiences and memories of participating in the CCC during the Great Depression. It includes an appendix with newspaper clippings about Shockey's efforts to host a reunion.

Interview with Rudolph Garza, a former member of the Civilian Conservation Corps from Donna, Texas, regarding his experiences and memories of participating in the CCC during the Great Depression and living in camps.

Audio interview with B. D. Fillmore, a veteran of World War II from Dallas, Texas, regarding his experiences as a prisoner-of-war of the Japanese after being captured on the island of Java in 1942. Fillmore discusses his transfer to several different camps as a part of the "Lost Battalion."

Interview with D. D. Hill, a United States Navy veteran from Pharr, Texas, regarding his experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941 while aboard the destroyer USS Dewey.

Interview with Herbert Young, a United States Navy veteran from Forest Hill, Louisiana, regarding his experiences and memories of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor of December 7, 1941 while aboard the destroyer USS Worden.

Interview with Gene Freeland, an assistant to the regional representative at the Labor Department from Dallas, Texas. He discusses the labor climate in Texas, his involvement with the Texas American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, and representation of unions in politics.

Interview with Yuri Fukui, a second generation Japanese-American from Oakland, California, about her experience pursuing higher education during the attack on Pearl Harbor and subsequent internment. Fukui discusses the discrimination she experienced in her daily life, struggles faced by her parents, who owned a local business, and life in the internment camps.

Interview with Louise Raggio about her career and the passage of the Texas Family Code. She discusses her education, internships, work with the National Youth Administration and the League of Women Voters in Austin, work as a prosecutor and as chairman of several law associations, and other legal activities.