Threat reaches state lawmaker from death row

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The Texas Department of Criminal Justice increases the monitoring of death row inmate Richard Tabler after another letter reaches a State Senator.

Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston) wrote a letter to the Texas Board of Criminal Justice complaining about the latest threat from the death row inmate.

Jason Clark at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told KXAN that the agency has enhanced monitoring for offender Tabler since the complaint. The prisons monitor all death row mail.

Tabler, who faces execution for the 2004 slaying of two men in Bell County, was busted last year for having a smuggled phone in his cell.

He was charged with retaliation, and his mother and sister were charged with possessing contraband in a state prison. Those cases are pending.

Tabler made several calls to Whitmires office and personal cell, and sent threatening messages in the past.

The Web posting, under Tabler's name, states: "So many thoughts are running through my head about these indictments against my family members. Some times I wish that I could really show my hand and ask Senator Whitmire how 'Rebecca's health' is. ... John please understand that just because I'm on death row does not mean that you cannot be gotten to ... or your family."