Posted on 05/29/2005 7:11:05 PM PDT by demkicker
RALEIGH, N.C. - Junior Allen, who spent 35 years in North Carolina prisons for stealing a $140 television, walked out of prison Friday a free man.
Allen, 65, will live with relatives in Georgia.
He was paroled on his 26th try after getting a life sentence in 1970 for second-degree burglary. Georgia authorities will supervise Allen's parole, which could last up to five years.
If Allen follows all laws, keeps a job and reports periodically to his parole officer there, he'll gain complete freedom by age 70.
Under an old law, the late Judge Pou Bailey sentenced Allen to life in prison for sneaking into an unlocked house and stealing a 19-inch black-and-white Motorola TV. Allen, a migrant farm worker, was 30.
The harshest punishment the offense could draw now is about three years in prison.
Where's the link to the original article?
Very good question. Something is very fishy here, but maybe no one was looking out for the guy. The lawyer who represented him should be shaking in his boots, IMO.
Usually there's no shortage of "do-gooder" lawyers to file just such an appeal.
TV Theft Offender To Be Released After 35 Years
May 19, 2005 8:08 a.m. EST
Niladri Sekhar Nath - All Headline News Staff Reporter
RALEIGH, N.C. (AHN) - A man who has spent 35 years in jail for stealing a $140 television set will be released in a few weeks.
However, the 64-year-old man Junior Allen will have to work, comply with all laws and check in periodically with a parole officer for five years after his release.
Allen stated Wednesday that he will go back to his home in Georgia and never come back. He will also meet his brother, sister and other relatives in Georgetown, Ga.
In a telephone interview with the AP, Allen said, "I am not going to stick around. I feel like I've done worn out my welcome in North Carolina. And I know it's worn out me."
Allen was punished with life-imprisonment for second-degree burglary in 1970 for sneaking into an unlocked house near Benson and stealing a 19-inch black-and-white television.
At that time, he was a 30-year-old migrant farm worker from Georgia with a criminal history of burglaries and a violent assault.
The law related to his offense has been amended and the harshest penalty anyone can now receive for second-degree burglary is three years, reported The Associated Press.
Thanks. Looks like the Chronicle left out some details in their story that were in the AP story.
Hopefully he will be too old and weak to rob anyone anymore. This sounds like a cure for crime to me. Lock them up until they're old and gray.
The answer to all this is easy. Don't steal stuff.
My opinion also.
This man got a very raw deal.
Thanks, I should have know better. Posting a story from the Houston "Comical" has become very unreliable as they are legendary for their bias. Think I'll send them this link just to let the bastards know they're BUSTED on the www and most importantly, on FR!
Looks like this article from the Houston Chronicle was very one sided and deliberately left out important facts. Check out Paleo Conservative's post.
Dubya
My opinion also.
This man got a very raw deal.
You might want to reconsider. Here's what Freeper mbynack dug up on post #26 of the thread I linked to on my previous post #8.
Oh yes, he soulds like a nice guy I'd want to run into in a dark alley.Some items were in the original article that were left out of this one. Not that the MSM would intentionally mislead us, but maybe they needed to cut a few lines to make it fit the available space on the internet."Allen was sentenced to life in prison for second-degree burglary in 1970 for sneaking into an unlocked house near Benson and stealing a 19-inch black-and-white television.
Some state records say Allen roughed up the 87-year-old woman who lived there, but he wasn't convicted of assault. At trial, her home was presumed to have been unoccupied when he broke in.
At the time, he was a 30-year-old migrant farm worker from Georgia with a criminal history that included burglaries and a violent assault. The law governing his crime has since been changed, and the most severe penalty anyone can now receive for second-degree burglary is three years.
"I been in here way too long," Allen said. "I don't believe no justice been done in my case. I've overpaid for my crime. I feel like I got the back end of the tail."
Correction Department records state that since he was sent to prison, Allen committed nearly 50 infractions including fighting, having sexual contact, possessing contraband, tampering with a lock, gambling, using unauthorized money and disobeying orders.
OK thanks for the info.
The judge may have seen the TV theft as a way to get this societal menace off the street for good.Sounds like good old southern justice to me.
I'm assuming he might have been paroled earlier, but became a problem child in prison.
Nothing like leaving out the details... criminal history of burlaries and a violent assault.
Thanks for posting that info.
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