[demkicker]

I'm all for law and order, but this guy obviously fell into a humongous crack!

[Paleo Conservative]

Where's the link to the original article?

[Redcloak]

I'm not a lawyer, but shouldn't his sentence have been automatically reduced when the penalty was lowered? I know that it doesn't work the other way around (ex post facto).

[Paleo Conservative]

Here's the text from a different AP story on a different Free Republic thead about the same criminal. You messed up the link to the Houston Chronicle story, so I can't compare them. This wasn't his first offense. He had a history of violent assault. I bet that figured into the decision to give him life.

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.

[Dubya]

Robber Sentenced to Life in Prison is Released from Jail

[LibKill]

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.

[Lockbar]

The answer to all this is easy. Don't steal stuff.

[smoothsailing]

There were statements taken at the time of his arrest that he had assaulted the 87 year old woman whose house he robbed.He had a history of assault and other crimes.

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.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I'm assuming he might have been paroled earlier, but became a problem child in prison.

[mrsparkle]

"The harshest punishment the offense could draw now is about three years in prison."

I wonder how the crime statistics of today compare to those in 1970. Likely as punishments have eased the incidents have risen.

He likely was not a model inmate because many get off with much less.

[M. Espinola]

Why was this man held for all this time?

[Flux Capacitor]

Wait'll this guy hears about HD.

-Dan

[SIDENET]

stealing a 19-inch black-and-white Motorola TV.

Just think of all of the nice TVs that he could steal these days.

;-)

[Bullish]

How many prior burglaries did the guy have?

[lowbridge]

Dont ever steal a mans tv.

[DouglasKC]

The headline should read:

Lifelone Criminal Released From Jail.