Would you release this guy from prison?

http://news.yahoo.com/iowa-governor-holds-hearing-releasing-killer-183926507.html

A 66 year old killer has been in jail since 1974. He has been reported as being a model prisoner and someone who has even saved the life of two guards as well as speaking to younger generations about his life and mistakes.

My major issue, amongst many, is that the criminal "justice" system in this country has little, if anything, to do with rehabilitation. Rather, punishment. I also truly believe that USA prison systems create more hardened criminals than there otherwise would be. Not to mention all the for profit prisons popping up in this country. It is truly a great shame.

With that said, I think this guy serves as an example of someone who has (ACTUALLY) been rehabilitated. We call prisons "correctional facilities" (deliberate use of "") but if someone like him is not released, I fail to see how we can continue to use those two words any longer (and I realize there are tens of 1000s, if not 100s) of examples like this over the countries long history). He has worked to make himself a better human.

 

i don't think it was down to any rehabilitation,cos he was already a good man going in.

 

Well what about our silly and useless drug laws? It's proven rehab is more effective than prisons for drug addicts! Still we lock people up for "victimless crimes"

 

Damn that's stupid.
I'd say set him free though. How can you repent taking ones life though.. What kind of karma does that bring onto yourself?

 

it was'nt a cold blooded murder.and he did give himself up straight away.he has no bad karma due to him for that.

 

Yeah, I think he's served his time and shown that he has become a better man for it.

 

Roamy, I'm not sure what you mean by "cold blooded murder".

In my eyes it was a cold blooded murder. He laid in wait, with a gun, and killed the man for $30 stinking bucks. To me, that's cold.

EDIT - I've gone and researched the difference and I stand corrected.

If you do something in the "heat" of the moment, as in an argument that gets the better of you, it is not considered "in cold blood".

In cold blood is emotionless like the story from Georgia when two teenage boys shot a baby, in a stroller, in the face and killed it.

 

What he did was definitely wrong, there's no doubt about that, but I guess for me, it's just that he did seem to create something positive out of the experience, while a lot of criminals never change their stripes no matter how long they are incarcerated. Not all, certainly, but there are some that need to stay in there for life, and will likely never learn a lesson.

 

A good man wouldnt murder someone over THIRTY dollars

 

there is only one thing any criminal justice system can actually do, and that is deny a known or believed offender, the opportunity to repeat their crime. it may also keep an honest person honest, up to a point, but for any punishment there is always an incentive that seems worth the risk. "correctional" is of course a euphemism. no punishment corrects anything, nor can. but that isn't a reason to allow anyone opportunities to repeat their crime. of course there may be, almost certainly are in some cases, other ways of doing so, which while unfamiliar, are be no means more crewel.

 

He Has Served His Time For The Crime,

Time To Move On With The Remaining Years Of His Life....



Cheers Glen.

 

in his defence, $30 in 1974 is $150 in today's dollars.

 

i would consider that a cold blooded murder.shooting a baby in the face.it was'nt just the info on him was how i knew he was'nt a cold blooded murder aery.i also knew by looking in his eyes.a persons eyes are the mirror to their soul.that mans soul is shining

 

He killed a guy over $30. I don't care that he got an education in prison.
Actually, I think it's bs that our taxpayer's money is funding that. Anyhow, as remorseful as he may or may not be, I think he should continue to serve his life sentence.

 

His chances of getting out whether I agree with them or not are slim.

If he can get out and lead a good life then good for him. I don't see it happening though.

 

I just used my powers of trance channeling and guy he killed told me he should rot in prison for the rest of his life -

hotwater

 

It's hard to imagine being murdered by someone named Rasberry.

 

How do they figure out sentencing anyway?

He got life for killing someone with a gun.

I know someone who got 35 years for strangling someone to death.

 

The justice system is so screwed up...

 

I concur. And if the Parole Board, the warden, and even the prosecutor believe he's worthy of being released, then I think he should be released.

For everyone who's saying he shouldn't be given the opportunity or repeat his crime, there are two things to consider. First, his crime was such that it was an act of passion and that doesn't suggest he'd be a repeat offender. Second, we don't imprison people to prevent them from committing crimes, we imprison them as a means of punishment. If we imprisoned people to prevent crimes, pretty much the entire population should be locked up, since the majority of people are going to commit some kind of criminal act in their lifetimes.