House Passes Anti-Home Invasion Bill

Lawmakers voted today to increase the penalties for home invasion by approval of House Bill 1030, by Rep. John Wright (pictured). The bill now moves to the Senate for action.

The bill makes “home invasion” a specific crime subject to Oklahoma’s “truth in sentencing” law requiring those convicted to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.

Under the bill’s provisions, individuals convicted of home invasion would serve a minimum 10-year prison sentence and as many as 20 years in a correctional facility.

“Few things are more frightening to the average citizen than violent criminals who will brutally attack you in your home,” said Wright, R-Broken Arrow. “This legislation will increase the penalties for home invasion and hopefully deter some criminals while ensuring those who do commit the crime are removed from society for a long time.”

House Bill 1030 defines “home invasion” as a crime involving “two or more” armed persons who enter a dwelling while the owners are present “with intent to commit some crime."The bill defines a home invasion as a crime that involves “forcibly bursting or breaking the wall, or an outer door, window, or shutter” at a home.

Last December, Fox 23 in Tulsa reported that 16 home invasion robberies had occurred in Tulsa in that month alone.

“Unfortunately, the Tulsa area has experienced a rash of this type of criminal activity,” Wright said. “It’s a growing problem that needs to be addressed immediately.”

Because home invasion is a more serious crime than simple burglary, Wright said the penalty should be greater than the seven-year maximum handed down to those convicted of burglary.

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Home Invasion Punishment Bill Clears Panel

A bill by state Rep. John Wright that would create harsher penalties for “home invasion” passed out of the House Judiciary Committee Thursday.

House Bill 1030 makes “home invasion” a specific crime subject to Oklahoma’s “truth in sentencing” law requiring those convicted to serve at least 85 percent of their sentence.

Under the bill’s provisions, individuals convicted of home invasion would serve a minimum 10-year prison sentence and as many as 20 years in a correctional facility.

“People have a right to dwell safely and securely in their own home,” said Wright, R-Broken Arrow. “This law would uphold that standard.”

The bill defines “home invasion” as a crime involving “two or more” armed persons who enter a dwelling while the owners are present “with intent to commit some crime" and as a crime that involves “forcibly bursting or breaking the wall, or an outer door, window, or shutter” at a home.

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Unarmed Texas Homeowner, Former Oklahoman, Victim Of Home Invader With Baseball Bat

By Mike McCarville ~ At 41, Randy Glasser had it all going his way. He was chief technician at Fresenius Medical Care in Dallas, a serious fisherman and accomplished bowler with a perfect 300 game to his credit.

His home in Midlothian, Texas, at 1813 Millbrook, revealed his Oklahoma ties. The son of Rich and Pat Glasser, former owners and operators of Mustang Bowl who now live in Edmond, Randy grew up bowling as he attended Western Heights High School. He worked for his parents as manager and mechanic at the popular bowling establishment, where I met him while bowling in tournaments with my grandson.

Randy had become friends with Fresenius Medical Care coworker Wendy Lane, who was ending a strained relationship with another man. At a New Year's party, Lane's former boyfriend, John Robert Spencer, a 37-year-old with a raging temper (shown here after being arrested for assault on New Year's eve), had confronted Lane. Randy defended her. Police were called and Spencer was charged with assault; she and Randy filed the police report. On January 30th, Randy called police to report he and Lane, who had moved into his home from her home in Waxahachie a short distance to the southeast, were being harassed by Spencer over the telephone. Police took a report. Randy turned his phone off last Friday night to stop the ceaseless calls.

Shortly before 2 a. m. last Saturday morning, the Midlothian Police Department's 911 operator took a call from Wendy Lane and a neighbor. Lane told the operator Spencer had broken into the home, in the Dallas Metroplex suburb with a population of only 14,000 or so, found the couple in the bedroom and that Randy had tried to defend them. She said Randy, unarmed and with nothing to defend himself, was being beaten with a baseball bat.

Police arrived on the scene at 2:05 a.m. and were confronted by Spencer at the front door.

“Officers were told ‘don’t come in and I’m not coming out,’ ” said Britton Snipes, public information officer for the Midlothian Police Department. “Officers couldn’t see Spencer’s right hand behind a pillar and knew there was an injured person inside.

“Officers told Spencer they didn’t want to hurt him and they didn’t want him to get into any more trouble,” Snipes said. “Spencer told them ‘I can’t get into any more trouble than I’m already in.’ ”

Snipes said at that point one of the three officers on the scene shot Spencer below the left eye with one round from a 12-gauge bean-bag gun. Spencer was subdued and transported to Parkland Memorial Hospital by ambulance.

Inside the home, in the bedroom, police found the body of Randy Glasser; he was dead at the scene of multiple blunt force injuries. Snipes said emergency medical technicians were unable to treat Randy due to the extent of his injuries. Spencer is charged with murder.

Snipes said this was Midlothian’s first homicide in at least five years.

Randy was buried Tuesday in Resurrection Cemetery.

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