[url]http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-selena-weapon-found0610jun10.story [/url] Pistol Used to Kill Selena Destroyed By LYNN BREZOSKY Associated Press Writer June 10, 2002, 3:04 PM EDT CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas -- The weapon used to kill Tejano singing star Selena was destroyed on Monday under a judge's orders, despite protests from historians who said the revolver was a priceless piece of Mexican-American history. The .38-caliber Taurus revolver was run through a shredding saw and was scheduled to be thrown into the Corpus Christi Bay. Selena, 23, was killed by the gun seven years ago, just as she was on the verge of crossing over to the English-language market. The destruction of the weapon was bemoaned by some who said it should be kept for posterity. "You have literally the smoking gun ... the weapon that killed the symbol of Tejano pride," said Manuel Pena, an ethnomusicologist at Fresno State University who has written several books about Mexican and Mexican-American music. "How often do historians wish they had evidence of things that happened 100 years ago?" Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, and her sister, Suzette, watched as the gun was put through a saw system several times to break it up. Quintanilla then shook the hands of District Judge Jose Longoria, who cleared the way for the weapon to be destroyed. Long thought missing, the gun was found last month in the Harris County home of the court reporter at the 1995 murder trial. The reporter, Sandra Oballe, said she found it in a box of office materials. Yolanda Saldivar, who had been president of the singer's fan club, was convicted of murder and is serving a life sentence. Last week, Longoria ordered the gun's destruction, saying, "It's time to finally bring closure to such tragedy." Quintanilla said he wanted the gun destroyed. "Why would you want to keep an instrument that was used to kill a loved one?" he said. "I just wonder if some of those people that don't want the gun destroyed, I wonder if they would feel the same way if their child was killed with this gun." Selena Quintanilla Perez rose to stardom and won a Grammy during the boom of Tejano music in the early 1990s. She was working on her first English language album before she was killed; it was released posthumously in 1996 and debuted at No. 1. A movie about her life, "Selena," was released in 1997 starring Jennifer Lopez. A Selena statue in Corpus Christi draws a steady crowd of visitors, many of whom leave notes of love and grief. "She is a symbol of the potential that we all have," said Albert Pena, an attorney who has closely followed the Selena case. The city should have a Selena exhibit in a museum, he said, and the gun should have been included. Copyright © 2002, The Associated Press

That is just sad. Think of how much more good use that gun could have been put to... Scott

Excuse me? This girl was "potential", nothing more, nothing less. She sure as hell wasn't Linda Rondstadt nor Dolly Parton, etc. etc. If she was a "legend" it must be an awfully low standard. As for the gun being "historical", nonsense.

Linda who? Seriously, how many people know who Linda Rondstadt is these days? And Dolly Parton's careers is based solely on minor talent and plastic surgery, so the comparison is moot. Selena had more talent that Parton easily, and at least people remember who Selena was. If the family wanted the gun destroyed, so be it. I thought it was common practice here in Texas to destroy weapons used in crimes after they were no longer useful as evidence. It's not like the murdering wench who killed Selena didn't confess to the crime. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas.

The gun that killed Lincoln, then President of the United States, has significant historical significance. The gun that killed Selena, who was indeed a very attractive young woman with a bright future ahead of her, has little true historical significance. At the time of her death, she was a little known Tejano singer trying to cross over. The gun isn't evil, but I personally wouldn't want to own a gun used to commit a crime, especially murder. That's just me though. Remember the Alamo, and God Bless Texas...

Ok I guess that gun was about to waltz out of the property room and shoot another singer!!? Just like all those knives that should be cut up that walk around stabbing people. We need to act now! Thank God they have stopped it, I mean, can we afford to lose more Tejano singers? Dios Mio! What about all those spoons, forks and knives that cause people to be obese? If a fat person has a heart attack I propose that we go destroy all the silverware that person has used, as it may kill another!

GBT! Get some sleep! (I'm at the office) Oh and by the way y'all I remember Linda Ronstadt!

History no, but I reckon it could've fethced about $10,000 on Ebay. What happened to the Mannlicher Carcano that killed that SOB Kennedy? What about Jack Ruby's revolver? I tell you one thing, whoever snapped the shot of Oswald getting shot should've received a Pulitzer! Did he/she? That shot was classic. BTW- Chalk me up as another who know's Linda.

Seadweller, Do you actually think that Carcano of Oswald's had anything to do with JFK's death, other than being a plant? I believe the guy did get the Pulitzer for that picture. I remember watching it live on TV (black and white, of course) All these youngsters probably don't realize how truly HOT Linda Ronstadt was especially when she sang "Willin" Cheers

She was killed "[b]by[/b]" the gun? No, she was killed [b]by[/b] a nutcase [b]with[/b] the gun. Nutcase = actor Gun = instrument Don't they teach these things at journalism school? [rolleyes]

What the heck is Tejano??

As a citizen of the US, I have to believe what the Warren Commission told me. Ya right, Oswald was a patsy alright. Me thinks the mob done it. That said, I'm still waiting for the other documents to be released in the year 20XX.

It's a beer like Tecate, only better.

Better it be destroyed than released to the highest bidder. People are correct that it's nothing more than wood and steel and it can't do any harm unless it's user intends to do it. This same logic applies to its destruction. It's owner committed a murder with it, it bacame Texas property, and Texas can decide what to do with it. The pistol itself has no rights, its new owner decided to scrap it.

Hmm, it appears you know that they are just material objects. How about a gun which could have possibly killed 20...30...100 people? Say a U.S. M1 Garand? How would you feel about that? How about a car which was in an accident and killed someone? How about a bathtub which killed someone when they slipped and fell? What is the difference?

Did anyone question the fact that the court reporter ended up with this weapon at her house? I'm not familiar with the protocol for evidence but it seems like to me they would have had a tighter grip on it than to let it just disappear like that. Sounds kinda fishy to me.

i think thats its a type of hispanic music with TX roots. just a guess.

Like any evidence in famous court cases, the reporter probably stole it intending to sell it. She just got cold feet and decided to turn it in.

Who? Sgtar15

My response: So what?

Too bad they didn't do that to the psycho piece of shit that pulled the trigger. But nooo were gonna go after the inanimate object that had no choice in the matter!

They should have saved it for selene dion.

_____________________________ [i]Little Jimmy[/i] Daddy, daddy!! I finally decided what I want to be when I grow up!! [i]Dad[/i] What's that son? [i]Little Jimmy[/i] I wanna be an ethnomusicologist!!!! good lord.

WTF is an ethnomusicologist and why is there a need for one? Surely there is only one or could there be more? Should I to get one before my neighbor does? This is just what I needed today. To have to worry about being one upped by a person in my community because I don't have my own ethnomusicologist! DAMN IT!!!!!

the slug, er, citizen wrestling with the evil gun when it fired is alive, fortunately, the evil gun will be unable to escape or be parolled and commit more crimes. i feel much safer. ethnomusicologist - only in republic of kali

It all seems pretty silly - destroy the evil mechanism! I've never heard of Selena, but I'm not familiar with Mexican music. DrMark

Geeze, they act like the gun killer her all by itself. They should run Yolanda Saldivar through a shredding saw.

WHO CARES?

Doesn't say much for "Tejano" culture that the seemingly most important item to them is a gun used to rub one of them out. Doesn't make sense, somehow...