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Saturday, July 26, 1997

Judge revokes probation of man convicted in 1991 gay bashing murder

HOUSTON (AP) - A man convicted in the 1991 gay bashing murder of a Houston banker has had his 10-year probation sentence revoked and is going to prison.

State District Judge Brian Rains on Thursday revoked the probation of Derrik J. Attard, one of 10 men convicted in the slaying of Paul Broussard, because he failed to perform community service.

Rains ordered the 23-year-old to prison for 10 years.

Attard had been ordered to complete 500 hours of community service in his first year, but completed only 325, said Mike Anderson, an assistant district attorney.

About a year ago, the judge modified Attard's probation terms and ordered him to do community service once a week.

"He's never done what he's supposed to do," Anderson said.

Attard told the judge he began a job as a computer technician at a software company in March, working six days a week.

Rains told Attard that if his job prevented him from doing his community service, he should have found a new job.

Attard said his probation officer told him that he could make up his community service. However, the probation officer testified that she did not tell him that.

On July 4, 1991, Attard and nine friends from McCullough High School in The Woodlands went to Houston's Montrose neighborhood looking for gays to harass. They brought nail-spiked boards and rocks to throw at their victims.

The 10 youths attacked Broussard and two of his friends as the three were leaving a gay bar. One of the youths, Jon Christopher Buice, stabbed Broussard to death.

Buice is serving 45 years. Four others were sentenced to prison terms. Five, including Attard, were assessed probationary sentences and sent to boot camp.

This is not the first time Attard has been in trouble while on probation. Last year, he violated probation for giving alcohol to a minor, but his probation was not revoked.

Broussard's mother, Nancy Rodriguez, attended the hearing and said she was glad Attard is going to prison.

"I'm glad Judge Rains gave him the 10 years," she said. "I wish it could be more." Send a Letter to the Editor about This Story | Start or Join A Discussion about This Story
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