My anniversary gift from Sylvester
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For nineteen years, I figured Sylvester Foster would be really mad at me.
In December of 1991, I outed his fake death to escape credit card fraud charges. Foster’s friends convinced the Coast Guard he had gone overboard on the weekend before he was scheduled to turn himself in. Don’t you hate when that happens?
It would be a news story that would shape Houston political history. Foster’s lawyer was then and current Mayoral Candidate Sylvester Turner. Foster’s business partner and beneficiary of a chunk of insurance money, was a guy named Dwight Thomas. Even though Turner was married, he was actually sharing a house with Thomas in the midst of the runoff election.
Nineteen years ago today a jury ruled the story wasn’t true, even though I have never been sure of what part. In 1994 the U.S. Attorney declined to indict Sylvester Turner and Dwight Thomas in the case, despite credible information. Key players in the scheme to fake Foster’s death had died. Russ Reinders and Keith Anderson both claimed to have witnessed Foster’s fall into Galveston Bay. Anderson eventually claimed Sylvester Turner was involved in the conspiracy, but later died of AIDS.
Sylvester Foster refused to testify in my trial, or cooperate with the federal government. After prison, he went on with his life. His Hollywood career includes appearances on the TV Detective Show ‘Castle.’ That’s not my anniversary gift, this is.
Sylvester Foster and I talked for the first time a few weeks ago. After all this time, I found out he wasn’t mad at me. In fact, he thought my story was great. What does that tell you?
We talked about his involvement with the wanna-be Mayor, and my journalistic effort to ask questions about a guy who wanted to run our city. We even talked about writing a book together about the intersection of our lives.
Foster says he regrets ever being involved with his Attorney Sylvester Turner, especially after seeing Turner on TV in 1991 arguing Foster should pay if he broke the law. Sylvester Foster kept an audio diary of the Galveston Bay Plot, and says he may tell all one day.
After our chat, I am looking forward to that day. How about you Mr. Turner?
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