The James Logan Courier

By Mike Anton
Los Angeles Times (MCT)

LOS ANGELES — An Irvine, Calif., couple who became upset with a parent volunteer at their son's elementary school have been arrested and charged with conspiring to frame her by planting drugs in her car and calling police.

Kent and Jill Easter, both 38 and both attorneys, are charged with three felonies. If convicted, they could face up to three years in state prison.

Orange County prosecutors say the story began in 2010 when Jill Easter was angered by the unnamed school volunteer, whom she accused of not properly supervising their son. In retaliation, the Easters allegedly hatched a plot to have the volunteer arrested.

Thomas C. Dula (June 22, 1845 – May 1, 1868) was a former Confederate soldier, who was tried, convicted, and hanged for the murder of his fiancée, Laura Foster. The trial and hanging received national publicity from newspapers such as The New York Times, thus turning Dula's story into a folk legend. While the murder happened in Wilkes County, North Carolina, the trial, conviction, and execution took place in Statesville, North Carolina. There was considerable controversy surrounding his conviction and execution. In subsequent years, a folk song was written (entitled “Tom Dooley”, based on the pronunciation in the local dialect), and many oral traditions were passed down, regarding the sensational occurrences surrounding the murder of Foster, and Dula's subsequent execution. The Kingston Trio recorded a hit version of the murder ballad in 1958.

Read more about Tom Dula.