Relatives say father was prone to violence

Kim Smith

Wednesday, June 28, 2000 | 10:54 a.m.

Three weeks ago James Pope and Priscilla Falknor did not know that Conan Pope existed. But they knew his father -- their brother -- and that was enough.

It was enough to prompt them to fly thousands of miles, Pope from Massachusetts and Falknor from Colorado, to try to help Conan.

Conan Pope, 15, is in the Clark County Detention Center awaiting trial in the January death of Frank Pope, 62.

On Tuesday James Pope, 67, and Falknor, 65, were ready to testify on behalf of a boy they know only from a short visit at the jail.

"I couldn't help his father, but I can try to help his son," James Pope said.

Deputy Special Public Defenders Kristina Wildeveld and Dayvid Figler believe that what James Pope and Falknor have to say could mean the difference between a life in prison and freedom for the son.

While only James Pope took the stand during Conan's preliminary hearing Tuesday and was limited in what he could say, what he and Falknor plan to say under oath at Conan's trial in the fall could weigh heavily on the minds of the jurors.

James Pope, a semi-retired software salesman, and Falknor, a financial consulting company employee, believe their brother was inherently evil, a murderer and a constant source of terror to his family.

Both recalled times Frank Pope choked people, broke limbs and beat his wives.

When Wildeveld called three weeks ago to inform them of their brother's death and Conan's arrest, both said they knew without a doubt that Frank had caused his own death.

"Knowing my brother, there was never any question," Falknor said. "I wouldn't be here for a minute if I thought this was first-degree murder."

"When the public defender's office called me and told me my brother was dead," James Pope said, "it was not a terrible surprise to me. I was expecting that call. I was expecting that call 15 years ago. But I had no idea that he had poisoned his own home so much that his son, in desperation, did what he did."

Falknor and James Pope said that from the time Frank Pope was 8 years old, he flew into rages that resulted in people being seriously injured. Although their father and stepmother sent him to military and boarding schools, it didn't help.

Going into the military didn't help either, Falknor said. She said her brother received a less-than-honorable discharge after he killed a German civilian with a broken bottle.

A few years later Frank Pope's 11-month-old daughter, Sandra, was missing, and he and his wife at the time, Carol, went to jail for refusing to reveal her whereabouts. Six months later, after they were released from jail, a second daughter -- Carolyn -- died of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, they said.

"Some of us didn't believe it was SIDS at the time. It was too coincidental," Falknor said.

Washington court records show that Frank Pope was convicted of second-degree murder for Sandra's death and served four years in prison.

Falknor said Carol Pope divorced her husband, and she and their son, Frank Pope Jr., have not contacted the rest of the Pope family since.

James Pope said he helped pay for his brother's attorney and even tried to help him when he returned to his home state of Massachusetts after being released from prison.

"I wanted to get him involuntarily committed for psychiatric care," James Pope said. "When I suggested he get counseling, it produced such a violent reaction I had my wife and son go home to her mama's for a week. It was as though he was missing a piece of his brain that you and I have."

He continued to try to help his brother over the next several years, but their conversations were always highly volatile, James Pope said. The last time he spoke with Frank was about 10 years ago.

"It was the hope of my life that I'd get him straightened out, and I tried to help again and again and again and I couldn't," James Pope said.

Falknor and James Pope said until three weeks ago they were aware of only two of their brother's marriages and divorces and five children -- the two daughters who died, Frank Pope Jr. and two sons from his second wife, Sharon. The siblings have no contact with Sharon or those boys.

The last time Falknor spoke to Frank Pope was in 1974. She cut off contact with him after she said he threatened the life of her then 8-year-old son.

Now that they know about Conan and Desiree, James Pope and Falknor said they plan to keep in touch. Both of them spoke to Desiree on Tuesday.

"I think Conan is a sweet young man and I think Desiree is a sweet young lady," Falknor said. "But I think they need help, a great deal of help."

James Pope said he hopes justice is served and both teens can come to grips with what has happened.

"I like the boy a lot, but she's (Desiree's) got to internalize the truth about her father," James Pope said. "She's not aware that the man was lethal to the women around him. Maybe she'll never come to believe it."