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‘Bernie’ victim’s family fights for voice in court

By WTOP Staff

NOMAAN MERCHANT
Associated Press

DALLAS (AP) — When the East Texas mortician who inspired the movie “Bernie” was let out of prison, family members of the elderly woman he killed found out about his release from reporters. Now, they’re fighting to have their protests heard inside a courtroom.

Bernie Tiede’s attorneys have opposed a request by the family of Marjorie Nugent to argue their side to the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, which is still considering whether to formally approve Tiede’s release from prison on bond this past May.

Tiede was given a life sentence in 1999 for shooting the 81-year-old Nugent four times before hiding her body in her freezer in the East Texas town of Carthage. Interest in the case surged after the 2011 release of the movie “Bernie,” in which Jack Black portrays Tiede as a quirky mortician’s assistant beloved by the town. Nugent is depicted by Shirley MacLaine as a grumpy, unpopular cheapskate.

Nugent’s family hopes to persuade the court that Tiede should be sent back to prison — and to push back against the movie’s portrayal of the case.

“My grandmother was a real person,” her granddaughter, Shanna Nugent, said Friday in an interview. “She can’t tell you what happened and she can’t defend herself, and the reason she can’t is Bernie Tiede killed her. He stole her money and he killed her.”

A judge in May ruled Tiede had been sentenced too harshly because jurors did not know he had felt abused by Nugent and that he had been sexually abused as a child. But while Judge Diane DeVasto let Tiede go free on bond, the Court of Criminal Appeals must decide whether to formally accept the sentence reduction.

Nugent family members did not find out about that hearing until after it was finished, Shanna Nugent said. They are now trying to persuade the appeals court to return Tiede to prison, sending a brief to the court in June that argued Tiede should have revealed the abuse when he was convicted and that it could not be considered new evidence now.

But Tiede’s attorneys responded with an Aug. 12 letter arguing that Nugent’s family needed to wait to make arguments until after sentencing was settled.

“This case needs to be decided objectively, using legal precedents and the record, without the outside influence of emotionally based public opinion,” the letter said.

Panola County District Attorney Danny Buck Davidson, who prosecuted Tiede but now supports his release, and Austin attorney Jodi Cole, one of Tiede’s lawyers, did not return phone messages Friday.

Nugent’s family responded with an Aug. 21 letter arguing that the victim’s family deserved to be heard, especially since Davidson now agreed with Tiede’s attorneys.

Nugent family attorney Chad Baruch said he expected the appeals court to decide on Tiede’s sentence without saying first whether it would consider the Nugents’ arguments. The court could take months to make a final decision.

“We would like to be heard,” Shanna Nugent said Friday. “There’s no one else to present the opposite side.”

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Follow Nomaan Merchant on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/nomaanmerchant.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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