Evil Beside Her formerly The Rapist's Wife (1995) is a journalistic account of the 1992 investigation and conviction of James Edward Bergstrom on five counts of rape in Houston, Texas, as well as the true story of a Texas woman's marriage to a dangerous psychopath.
Paperback: At first, Linda Bergstrom's marriage to her husband James was idyllic. They were young and in love; he was about to enter the Navy and she was eager to start a family. But it wasn't long before the dream exploded.
James became abusive and violent, prone to sudden bursts of anger, long silences, and unexplained disappearances. But Linda vowed to hold on, despite the pain and fear, and her disturbing suspicions about her husband's secret life.
Then, not long after their move to Houston, Texas, she made a terrifying discovery: James's hidden cache containing duct tape, a ski mask, and handcuffs. No longer could Linda Bergstrom deny the hideous truth, that the man she lived with, the man she married for love and had a daughter with, was a dangerous psychopath.
And there was no escape and nowhere to run. Because no one - not her friends, the Navy, or the police - would believe her.
About the author: Kathryn Casey is an award-winning journalist and author, who has written for Rolling Stone, TV Guide, Reader's Digest, Texas Monthly and many other publications. She's the author of six previous true crime books - writing about real cases, real people and real murders - and the creator of the highly acclaimed Sarah Armstrong mystery series. Casey has appeared on Oprah, Oprah Winfrey's Oxygen, Biography, Nancy Grace, E!, truTV, Investigation Discovery, the Travel Channel, and A&E. Casey is based in Houston, where she lives with her husband and their dog, Nelson.
Updates: At his trial in 1992, James Bergstrom was charged with burglary and was given a ten-year sentence in the Texas prison system. He was also charged with four counts of aggravated sexual assault and given four ninety-nine year sentences by the jury. So far, James Bergstrom was denied parole twice, in 2007 and 2010. His latest parole date was last month, June 2013, and the outcome is a positive one - his parole has been denied again. However, he will become eligible for parole in three years' time and every three years from that point on.
According to Kathryn Casey (the author), James Bergstrom is a danger to society, especially women. If released, he will, without a doubt, victimize more women. In the two years he lived in Houston, he attacked thirty-five women, raping five of them, and threatened to kill the last victim, a high school cheerleader. We will have to be vigilant and continue the fight to keep James Bergstrom behind bars.
You don't have to be a Texan to file a protest. All you have to do is write a letter or send an email saying you believe James Bergstrom should not be set free on parole, that he continues to be a danger to society, and that he deserves to spend the rest of his life in prison. In your letter, please include the following information:
Name: James Edward Bergstrom
TDCJ Number: 00659297
SID Number: 04408281
Birth Date: 4 June 1963
Your protest can be submitted via email to victim.svc@tdcj.state.tx.us
Or fax it to 512-452-0825
Or snail mail to TDCJ Victims Services, 8712 Shoal Creek Boulevard, Suite 265, Austin, TX 78757
Thank you.
If any one ever gets the impression that this was a non violent crime you have never had a gun put to your head. You have never been the victim of even attempted rape or potential harm. You have never looked at or felt a knife against your throat. The most incredible and torturous fear is instilled in you the moment you are threatened. For you men out there that don't understand, envision yourself the victim in deliverance. Except Burt Reynolds is not sneaking up to save you. Your at the mercy of your rapist in the privacy of your home. Now go ahead and send that email to keep this prick in prison.
ReplyDelete