Two teens accused of the murder of their father may visit campus early in March to help initiate campus-wide discussion on child and spousal abuse, according to Lara Santiago Renta '03.
Renta is leading an effort to bring the boys, Jesse Ethan and James Neal Eldridge, who have been referred to as simply "Neal and Jesse," along with their mother and younger sisters to campus.
The teens reportedly endured years of physical and emotional abuse from their father.
"Generally, domestic and child abuse is not something people like to talk about. To have [the boys] here, to have people see the faces of people who have been through this, I think would create a great discussion," Renta said.
Renta said she first heard about the Eldridge story when she was flipping through the channels on her television a few months ago and happened upon the talk show "Leeza."
Neal and Jesse were featured on the show which peaked Renta's interest. Domestic and child abuse are issues that has always been very important to her, and Eldridge story particularly interested her, Renta said.
Renta began corresponding over e-mail with two boys and their attorney, Tom Furth. The boys, with the help of Furth, had been telling their story at forums around the country. Renta came up with the idea to bring them to Dartmouth for a discussion on abuse.
"A lot of people have the perception that this happens to [other people] -- not to good people," she said. "I want to help people become more aware of this issue, and that the perception is wrong."
Renta said the boys and their attorney have been traveling and speaking to spread awareness about abuse and to gain monetary support for legal and medical fees they have incurred.
Neal and Jesse are currently out on bail, awaiting a trial set for mid-April on first-degree murder charges. Renta said that she wants it to be clear that the boys are not justifying murder.
"They're not saying what they did was the best thing, or the way they wished it to end, but it was the only thing left for them to do," Renta said.
Jesse was 15 and Neal was 14 when, on Jan. 24, 1998, they shot their father at the family home in Russellville, Ark., with .22 caliber semi-automatic rifles, which they used for hunting.
Neal and Jesse said in a TV interview with "Extra" that on that day, their father, "who always carried a .38 caliber pistol, threatened to kill them if they didn't complete an impossible list of household tasks."
They said they loaded the rifles and hid outside their home, waiting for their father to return from visiting a neighbor. When he came home and got out of his truck, Jesse fired one shot first, and then Neal followed with four more.
When asked why he shot so many times, Neal told "Extra," "I wanted to make sure he was dead so he wouldn't come back and kill me and Jesse." They surrendered when the police arrived soon after the shooting.
The teens, their sisters, and mother have all said they were abused, often violently, and threatened with death by Ricky Eldridge. The children's teachers also reportedly noticed signs of abuse and attempted to intervene but Social Services told them they could not find enough evidence to merit removing the children.
The Arkansas state prosecutor gave "Extra" his reasoning for the state's murder one charge, "This was an ambush -- definitely first degree murder." The teens will be charged as adults, and their conviction could result in life prison sentences.
Renta said that she is not promoting their actions but, instead, sees this as a chance to generate discussion on a controversial topic.
"It's a amazing opportunity, whether you are for or against them, to hear what they have to say because you don't get that opportunity every day," she said.
Renta said that the cost of bringing the Eldridge boys, their attorney, and a security guard is approximately $2,000, which includes transportation and lodging costs and a donation to The Neal and Jesse Defense and Advocacy Fund.
She said she has a little over a $1,000 committed from various campus groups including dorm clusters, the Rockefeller Public Issues Forum, Uncommon Threads, among others.
She said she has been loosely working with La Alianza Latina to coordinate the forum. She said that although nothing is definite at this point, she is optimistic that she will receive enough funding and that the discussion will occur.
