Cases of Concern
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Contents
 
bullet Patrolman Anthony Raymond's family asks for help
bullet The Prisoner Review Board considered the release of a Cop-Killer.
bullet The Case of William Heirens, Illinois' longest serving inmate
bullet Victim's Family Protests Release of Inmate Outlaw Without Their Input or notification
bullet The Prisoner Review Board's minutes of the release hearings for C# prisoners, John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas along with the victims' families response and our concerns
bullet A story from the Chicago Sun-Times on the Outlaw and Thomas releases
bullet News stories about Prisoner Review Board releasing two C# prisoners without proper victim notification prior to parole hearing.
bullet WREX in Rockford reports on victims' opposition to the Prisoner Review Board's actions following the February 2007 release of two C# prisoners
bullet The Chicago Tribune reports that prosecutors are calling for changes to the prisoner review process
bullet Read what a conservative blog says about the release of Outlaw and Thomas

 

 

The family of murdered Hillside Patrolman Anthony Raymond asks for your help in blocking the parole of his killer.

February 22, 2008


Dear Family and Friends,

Many of you can recall thirty four years ago, hearing and seeing the news bulletins, detailing the abduction and murder of my brother, Hillside Patrolman Anthony Raymond.

Those of you who were part of our lives then, were at our side during the eleven months of searching, waiting, and praying. You honored him as we were finally able to lay him to rest, at a hero’s farewell. Through the years, many of you who never knew my brother, joined in our cause to keep his killers in prison. In more ways than you will ever know, each one of you has eased our pain, and has kept the memory of my brother alive.

For over 25 years, through your help and support, parole was denied for Silas Fletcher and Robert Martinez, the two men who are responsible for my brother’s abduction and murder. Unfortunately, it is once again time for Silas Fletcher to receive another parole hearing. As a result, on April 8th, we will once again travel to Dixon, IL to appear before the Prisoner Review Board, to protest the parole of Fletcher.

However, we are concerned that, as time goes by, his chances for parole become better. Fletcher is almost 73 years old and some people might not consider him to be a danger any more. Our prisons are over-crowded and expensive to maintain. In recent years, there has been a push by some elected officials and activist groups to secure the release of “C-number” prisoners (those sentenced before 1975). Fletcher is one of those C-number prisoners. This is why, more than ever, we need your help.

Because of your help, all of these years, we have been successful in having their parole denied. I must once again ask for your help. Enclosed is a copy of a petition. Please feel free to photocopy the blank petition and circulate it to others you feel could help.

If you or anyone else is so inclined, personal letters of protest send a strong message, and can also be sent in. Personal letters do remain in the prisoner’s file, but names and addresses are protected. Signed petitions are counted and disposed of. Only the total number of signatures is presented to the Prisoner Review Board.

There is a time limit which must be me. Petitions and/or letters must be received by the Prisoner Review Board by March 25th, 2008. Please send letters, completed and partially completed petitions, to the following address:

Prisoner Review Board
Attention: Tracy Buckley
319 East Madison St. Suite A
Springfield, IL 62701

Know that your efforts help to keep the memory of Anthony alive, and have given us comfort over the years. On behalf of myself and my family, I want to extend our profound gratitude for all that you have done for us.

Sincerely,

Mary Anne Raymond Blair

Mary Anne Raymond Blair
 

The Case of Murdered Chicago Police Officer Kenneth Kaner

THE KILLER OF KENNETH KANER, CHICAGO POLICE OFFICER, IS UP FOR POSSIBLE PAROLE

Click Here to Send an Email to the Family and Opposing the Killer's Parole

Click Here to contact the Illinois Prisoner Review Board

Click Here to view the Police Officers Memorial Page and the Down Officers Memorial Page

A letter from the murdered Police Officer's daughter:
On 8/22/07, there will be a parole hearing for Bruce Sharp at the Criminal Courts Building in Chicago. It will be video taped and presented to the entire Parole Board on 10/16/07. My brother, the State's Attorneys Office [and others] will attend. I have sent in a letter requesting denial of parole. I will also send a letter which is due by 10/6/07, directly to the Parole Board.

I thought you might need the whole story on the facts surrounding my father's murder. Please feel free to use as much or as little information possible on the IllinoisVictims.org website. Once again, thank you for all of your help.

My father, Kenneth G. Kaner was born on October 15, 1936, with beautiful blue eyes and blond hair. While at St. Rita High School he won the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament two years in a row. He served in the Army and then became a Chicago Police Officer. Shortly after that he married my mother, Pauline, and they had two children.

On June 19, 1970, when he was just 33 years old, Officer Kaner was assigned to look for a missing child. When he approached Bruce Sharp and his friends, Officer Kaner asked them if they had seen the missing little boy. They told him "no." Later that evening, while Officer Kaner was sitting in his parked squad car, Bruce Sharp and his friends ambushed him. As they approached the squad car they said "hi Pig" and shot him in the face at point blank range with a sawed off shot gun. Officer Kaner sustained a fatal wound to his head and left hand. It was a closed casket funeral. Later that evening the assailants were arrested. I believe it was because of my father's murder, there was a big controversy in Chicago about the one-man squad car and as a result, the Police Department instituted the two-man squad car rule.

When he was killed, my mother was 30 years old, I was 7 and Kurt was 5. I remember hearing the door bell that night, but never heard the door open. My mother knew that the Department sent the Police Chaplin to deliver the fatal news in person, so when she looked out the peep hole, she screamed. She screamed, and screamed and screamed all night. A policewoman stood in my bedroom doorway and told me that my father had been hurt that night and that I should pray for him. That is all I did that night until I fell asleep. The next morning when I woke up I saw my grandmother's sister in my kitchen with alot of relatives that I only saw at birthday parties and other family gatherings.  I didn't immediately see my mother but when I ran into my brother he told me, "Kim, Daddys dead."

When Bruce Sharp and his 4 friends stood trial for the murder, my mother received a letter from an organization he belonged to. It said something like, "you have one of ours, we want one of yours. We are going to kill your children." I was in the backyard when she got that letter. She screamed for us to come in and then we had a police man assigned to park in front of our house. My mother was fed up with everything and moved us out of state.

As we got older, my brother and I convinced my mother to move back to Chicago. We missed our family and felt like this was where we belonged. I went to college got married and had a family of my own. Kurt joined the Army and then he too became a Chicago Police Officer. My mother once again moved out of state and never remarried.

In August of every year I get a letter from the Prisoner Review Board telling me that Bruce Sharp is up for parole. His 4 friends were either not convicted or have served their sentences. Mr. Sharp was the trigger man. Mr. Sharp has even asked for Executive Clemency due to health problems! Yeah, my dad has a health problem too Mr. Sharp. He's dead, because of you! We have written letters and we have appeared before the Board. This has been very hard on all of us. That year seems to just fly by. I was told that last year four members (Dye, Findley, Madison and Tyler) voted yes to parole. What were they thinking? This man is a Cop Killer. What does this do to keep our streets safe and what kind of message does this send to our Police Officers who are on the street now!

The Parole Board information is as follows:

C15289 Bruce Sharp
Ind. No.: 70-1928
Crime: Murder (30-125yrs)
Sent. Date: 01/29/71

Well, those are the facts surrounding my father's murder. I hope they will be useful to you. Once again, thank you for everything you are doing. With everything we hear about criminal's rights, it is nice to hear that there are people who care about the victims too. I have your phone number and will give you a call this week. Thank you!
Kimberly, Daughter of Kenneth Kaner
 

A THANK YOU LETTER FROM THE VICTIM'S FAMILY from November 16, 2007:

Good Morning,

 
At yesterday's En Banc Hearing, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied parole to Bruce Sharp, the man who murdered my father Chicago Police Officer Kenneth G. Kaner in 1970.  The vote was 9-Against Parole, 3-For Parole.  The members of the PRC who voted for parole and to release Bruce Sharp are: Mr. Dye, Jesse Madison and Geraldine Tyler.
 
While my brother Kurt was at the hearing yesterday, he saw the voting record for the past several years.  One year, 6 Board Members voted for parole!  Last year 4 members voted for parole.  Only 8 votes are needed to release a prisoner!  As you know, Bruce Sharp petitions for parole annually.
 
At this time I would like to thank all of you for your letters, petitions and prayers in support of the Kaner family.  I truly think it made a difference. Thank you and God Bless you!
 
Kimberly Kaner

Ed. Note - we find the voting patterns here to be very telling once again. See the Prisoner Review Board page for more details on the voting records of the members of the PRB. We continue to worry about the qualifications of some members of the PRB because it appears, for example, that Geraldine Tyler never met a prisoner she did not like.


Previous Reports:
Report from November 1, 2007 - The Prisoner Review Board postponed for a second time the en banc hearing, once again putting the victim's family through inconvenience and delay. While we do not doubt that sometimes genuine circumstances necessitate such postponements, and that intentions are the best of many honorable public servants, we have proposed some reforms to the PRB that could prevent victims families from experiencing proceedings "free from unreasonable delay" (wording for the proposed Victims Rights Constitutional Amendment).
Some of these reform proposals include a panel of THREE PRB board members reviewing each case - not just one. Not only would it help eliminate bias of any one member of the PRB, it also would prevent the absence of one to create unnecessary problems for the victims family.
And we believe the Crime Victims Compensation Fund should be made available to help victims who have to take off work and spend considerable resources traveling to attend these PRB hearings.
Worst of all, in a recent horrific trauma for members of the Kaner family, while visiting the prison where the killer is housed, so as to be able to be heard at the Prisoner Review Board hearing on October 16, the killer was brought into the same room as the victims family members.
Take a moment and imagine how that would feel to them.
Its bad enough that victims are having to go to the prisons for these PRB hearings. They should not ever have to lay eyes on the offender, unless they want to. We want those families to know that they can opt to attend hearings in other locations. Contact the Prisoner Review Board for more information.
We heard that a similar, even worse, incident happened years ago at the same prison to the family of murdered police office Michael Mayborne. (See Rockford Area for details)
We will be writing the Illinois Department of Corrections to make sure this kind of incompetent mistreatment of victims never happens again. We encourage you to call IDOC and do the same. We do not oppose release of all C number prisoners - some of them have very genuine legal appeals that should be heard and considered. And we support reforming the C number issue so that this yearly process is ended once and for all. But as with other cases we have opposed release on, a cop-killer remains among those most severe of situations where we believe the enabling statutes of the PRB are clear - to release them would deprecate the seriousness of the offense. Cop-Killers have to get the long sentences they have earned - there can be no question about this in the public's mind. Kill a cop and you lose your freedom forever.
 

Victim's Family Sends Letter to Parole Board Protesting
Inmates Release

The family of the victim of convicted killer John Outlaw has been notified every year that his killer has come up for parole, except the year he was actually released - 2007.  Each year, they have been able, as is their right, to provide input and statements of the impact this brutal killing has had on their family.

2007 was different.  This year, the family was not notified that the Prisoner Review Board was considering the release of John Outlaw (see story below).  And this year, Outlaw was released. 

The family, and victims of Illinois everywhere are outraged by this flagrant denial of the victims' rights in this case.  The victims family has sent a letter to the Prisoner Review Board requesting that they withdraw the granted parole citing a lack of due process.

Read the family's powerful letter in PDF format.

PRB Minutes from Outlaw and Thomas Release Hearings

In February, 2007, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board released two C# prisoners, John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas.  Read the news stories here.  Serious questions have been raised about the proper victim notification in these cases as well as the release of convicted murderers whose original sentences indicated that they were intended to spend the rest of their lives behind bars.  Upon request, the Prisoner Review Board sent to us the minutes of the meetings of the full board (an en banc meeting) and we have shared those minutes with the victims' families. 

The minutes of the PRB's deliberations regarding the release of Outlaw and Thomas in PDF format.

Below, you will find both the response of the victim's family in the Outlaw case, and our response to these minutes, as well:

Dear Illinois Victims,

Thank you for this information.  This is what we should have been given to us in the first place (all victims should receive) and we should have had the RIGHT to respond to the POTENTIAL decision BEFORE a final decision is put into place.  

 What kind of system do we have here?  No input from the victim’s family and false statements being believed as true?  If they reviewed the Outlaw case correctly they would find he worked at Spiegel and must have hid there knowing he would encounter guards.  He also had a weapon he used twice as part of the pre-meditated murder. So in this document he admits the burglary was pre-mediated but he “panicked” in the murders.  How does one “panic” when you strike someone 13 times (as he did my father).  Does that sound like panic to you?  He also dragged Mr Atkins body to a dumpster after he killed him (does that sound like panic to you).  It does not take a genius to figure out how he has tried to make this look “softer” that is was in reality.  The facts from the case should readily show that the murders were pre-meditated; he expected to encounter them as he had a weapon and used it twice.  What he did not count on was the guard in the back closing the door on his get away vehicle.  He would have known the patterns and had a weapon (never found – but expected to be a hook type object) that he used to kill my father and Mr Atkins.  The facts of the case do not show a chance encounter – sounds like they deliberated with incorrect information from Outlaw and not facts from the case.  

In their process review I wonder how many facts of the case get lost.  This is all the more reason why the district attorney office and families should be part of this review process.  Let me know what you think the next steps are in getting stronger laws to stop this incompetence in this extremely important role of government.

A family member of the victim in the Outlaw case

HERE IS OUR RESPONSE TO THE VICTIMS FAMILY:
I can't even imagine how painful it must be for your family to read these minutes of the meeting where the PRB voted to parole your father's killer.
  
As you report, I can confirm that I have heard of other cases where the facts that the PRB is reportedly considering regarding the murder cases are not matching eyewitness accounts of the case, as in your case and the release of John Outlaw.
 
An example of this was in the recent Theodore Bacino hearings for the murder of police officer Michael Mayborne, another C number case, but not yet decided. Bacino has told the PRB, and it has been publicized in a documentary film, and the PRB is reporting his account of the crime, that there was a struggle and that is when he shot him.But in fact fellow police officers eye witnesses from the actual crime scene said he shot him from 30 feet away in cold blood. Another thing that is troubling to the victims family in the Bacino case is that the PRB is saying such as that his wife is providing the perfect home for him to be released to. But the wife had helped hide evidence in his previous crimes. And there are other facts in dispute.
 
We suspect people will question how they can release someone as "reformed and expressing remorse" where the killer is continuing deny facts of his own full culpability, as in your case and the Bacino case, and also where they even deny that they committed the crime, as in the Frederick Thomas case. And the victims families and other experts on the case such as witnesses are not even finding out that the PRB is hearing the case and considering release in a manner that would allow their input. This is left to the representatives from the Prosecutors offices that generally attend the PRB hearings. We are not sure how seriously the PRB is required to consider the facts of the original crimes and the intention of the original sentences.

Of course the PRB is not a court of law, and is not weighing guilt or innocence. That has already been legally determined and, hopefully, properly appealed in the judicial system. They are all assumed to be fully legally guilty of the crimes for which they are serving. If any of the C number prisoners, or any prisoners have innocence claims, we hope that proper other legal mechanisms will address those claims. Not, of course, the PRB.

 
You asked about what we can do next to bring about stronger laws to govern the PRB and release of C number inmates. Here is where we are now as far as I know:
 
1. Governor Blagojevich has approximately 5 appointments soon that he must make to the PRB that then must be approved by the Illinois Senate. We have met with the Governor's very helpful staffers. We are taking to them a proposal for appointments that include victim representation on the PRB and more balance in law and order voices on the PRB which, along with the States Attorneys at the recent press conference, we are concerned may be lacking. We have already researched national models of the several other states that already have victims on their versions of prisoner review boards, and sent those to that office for examination.
 
2. County States Attorneys have been looking at drafting legislative language for revising the PRB, including victim representation. Some of them are interested in getting the PRB laws changed. Some of them expressed concern with the weaknesses in their enabling statutes.
 
3. The Cook County States Attorney, Richard Devine, along with DuPage and Lake county States Attorneys at the press conference about your father's killer being released, had proposed that the law be changed to include 3 PRB members making all C number reviews. And that they be required to serve at least half their sentences.
 
4. I had a meeting with the PRB chair Jorge Montes and went over some of our concerns and he promised to continue dialogue with us about our concerns. He has made some contradictory claims to what you have experienced as a victims family, however. I would think these contradictions need to be explained.
 
5. The Crime Victim Services Division of the Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office can meet with your family to discuss whether or not an investigation into the release in your case was conducted properly.
 
6. I have made freedom of information act requests of the PRB to get minutes of all releases of C number cases in the last few years to see if we can see a pattern emerging. It appears that the percentage of C numbers they are releasing versus denying is on the rise, but we are awaiting firm data on that.
 
 
 

These are some of our concerns regarding the content in the Minutes of the PRB hearing for the releases of Mr. Outlaw and Mr. Thomas:
1. There was only one dissenting vote and that was for the Outlaw release from Dye, who is no longer on the PRB. The public would likely, and correctly we believe, see these near unanimous and unanimous votes on the PRB in these two cases as proof positive that the PRB is not "balanced" or in touch with general public sentiment about these crimes, and the sentences they originally were given, which clearly seemed to have intended life sentences, given the laws of the times.
 
2. Note there is no mention of victim protest or victim family notification, and no remorse required to be shown directly to the victims family. Remember that the victim's family did not receive notice until the day after they were released. In the Outlaw case, the victims family had faithfully sent in protests every time they were notified of previous hearings, for years.
 
3. Outlaw was still required to attend anger management classes during the first months of his release, though they graded him an "acceptable risk" for release according to these minutes. How can any convicted killer still needing anger management classes be released as an "acceptable risk"?
 
4. Outlaw's sentence of 150-300 years, plus more years for other aspects of his crime, were clearly intended to be a life sentence at time of trial. No consideration of that seems to have been given.
 
5. We don't know what "prior outside clearance" means.
 
6. Thomas was voted release unanimously. Given the facts of the case it seems hard to believe a "balanced" Prisoner Review Board could vote to do that.  These votes were taken after John Stenson had been removed from the PRB.  See above news stories.
 
7. Thomas was labeled as "rehabilitated" but had not even confessed to his crime and did not express remorse for doing it, and still is denying culpability. How can he be released for being appropriately remorseful and changed when he has never accepted responsibility for the crime?
 
8. There was a motion to deny the parole based on their enabling statutes that says no parole should be given if the "parole would deprecate the seriousness of the law and promote disrespect for the law." but in the minutes that motion seems never to be acted on, and that seems to violate proper procedures as we understand the parliamentary process. While the error may be in the note-taking, the motion either died for lack of a second, or should have been acted on and properly recorded, as far as we can tell from this public record. And it does not indicate who made the motion.
 
9. Once again in the Thomas case, no mention of the victims family feelings on this - which of course we know was massive disapproval when we saw that family at the press conference after the release. Somehow, they were not empowered to speak before the parole either.
 
So this brings us back to the discussion already begun about the possible need for legislation to reform the PRB. Several Illinois States Attorneys have already proposed changes like requiring three PRB members instead of one to hear each of the C number hearings. And that they be required to serve at least half of their originally intended sentence. And one we particularly value, that victims should be represented on the PRB.

A story on the Outlaw and Thomas releases from the Chicago Sun-Times

2 who killed in '70s win parole
(http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/250355,CST-NWS-parole09.article)

February 9, 2007

BY ERIC HERMAN Staff Reporter
As young men, they killed. Now middle-aged, they will walk free.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board's recent decision to parole John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas -- convicted of separate murders in the 1970s -- provoked an angry response from prosecutors and victims' families Thursday.

"These individuals were convicted of brutal crimes," said Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine. "I don't see how you could conclude that these men should be out."

If their crimes had been committed today, Outlaw and Thomas could not be paroled, prosecutors said. Both would be eligible for the death penalty, and Outlaw, at a minimum, would have received a mandatory life sentence.

. . .(t)he son of one of Outlaw's victims, called the review board's decision "shocking."

On Jan. 23, 1976, Outlaw and his cousin robbed a Spiegel warehouse at 1200 W. 35th St., intending to take fur and leather coats, according to prosecutors and press accounts. He encountered security guard Lawrence O'Connor and mechanic Michael R and bludgeoned them to death.

Outlaw had [Michael R's] wallet and bloody clothes when he was caught, [the victim's son] said. He was convicted and sentenced to 300 years in prison.

Thomas raped and murdered Irma Jean Williams in a vacant building in the 4000 block of South Michigan on May 9, 1974, prosecutors said. He stabbed Williams 24 times. Thomas, who was on parole for rape and armed robbery at the time, drew a sentence of 75 to 150 years.

Changes in Illinois sentencing laws have made parole inaccessible for today's felons. But those convicted under the old rules still have a shot at it, no matter how long their sentence. Illinois did not impose the death penalty at the time of Outlaw's and Thomas' convictions.


Job opportunities noted
Today, convicted murderers receive a specific sentence, not a range of years, said Bernie Murray, chief of criminal prosecutions for Devine's office. They must serve every day of their sentence, he said.
[The son of the victim], now 50, was 19 at the time of his father's murder. The slaying "devastated" his family, which included his mother and three other children, he said. "We still deal with it year after year. It's not something that goes away," he said.

[The victim's son] said in past years, the review board notified his family in advance of Outlaw's parole hearings. This time, the board didn't, he said. Instead, he got a letter Saturday saying Outlaw was getting out.

Outlaw, 54, has already been freed from Dixon Correctional Center. Thomas, 55, remains in Dixon but could go free soon.

"In both cases cited today, which were thoroughly deliberated, the inmates had shown excellent institutional adjustment, obtained an education and had solid housing and employment opportunities," the review board said.

But prosecutors worry that the board is showing an increased interest in releasing people, no matter how long their sentences or how brutal the crime. "When trial judges in the 1970s sentenced defendants to 100 to 200 years in prison, they were sending a message they thought these defendants should spend the rest of their lives in prison," said Lake County State's Attorney Michael Waller, who has similar cases coming up in front of the review board.
 

Prisoner Review Board Releases C# Prisoners Without Proper Victim Notification of Parole Hearing

News stories covering a press conference held by Cook County States Attorney on February 8, 2007 to address the release of two C# prisoners by the Prisoner Review Board.  The family of one of the victims was not notified of the parole hearing this year.

Cook County States Attorney, Richard Devine stated the following during the press conference:

"...it is disturbing to me and I believe to other prosecutors and victims and their families that in recent months it appears that a new philosophy has grown up in the Prisoner Review Board that gets beyond analysis of individual cases - it seems to have a theme of we should get more and more people out and put them back on the streets"

 

From WLS Chicago, www.abc7chicago.com, February 8, 2007

Group voices concerns about paroled killers

Call for careful screenings

WLS By Leah Hope

February 8, 2007 - Two killers -- John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas -- were paroled recently. Their release outrages the victims' families and Chicago-area prosecutors.

The group voiced their concerns about the paroles at a news conference Thursday morning. The killings took place more than 30 years ago. But for the victims' families the memories are still vivid today.

Relatives of the victims say their lives stopped when their loved ones were murdered. In addition to the trials and sentencing, each year they are informed about the inmates appeal to the parole board. But, this year, they were informed the men would be released. Some say these are examples of a troubling new trend in our penal system.

These families of murder victims have had enough. They came to support several states' attorneys to call for a more careful screening before inmates are paroled.

"It seems to have a theme that we should get more and more people out and put them on the streets without regard to the underlying crimes that were committed," said Dick Devine, Cook County states attorney.

"Just because somebody is old when they are released from prison doesn't mean they won't commit vicious crimes. We've seen that over and over again," said Michael Waller, Lake County states attorney.

In 1974, Frederick Thomas was convicted of gagging, raping and stabbing Irma Jean Williams. Williams was a then a mother of a toddler. Her child is now grown. This week, the Illinois Parole Board unanimously agreed to grant Thomas' parole.

"Who's to say he won't do it again? Tomorrow he might come kill you once he's on the streets," said Brenda Payne, victim's sister.

"I'm looking out for everybody, people in the world with their families. They might come in contact with the same guy," said Olivia Payne, victim's sister.

In 1976, John Outlaw stayed late at the Spiegel warehouse to rob the facility. But before Outlaw left he killed a security guard and Michael [R]. [He] was the night janitor. His sons say their father was hit 13 times in the head with a meat hook.

"This is a man who spent his life with other hardcore criminals. Would you want him sitting next to you? Being your neighbor? Would you want to know if you were in my situation that he's walking the streets?" said [the] victim's son.

A victims advocate says the current system adds more burden to victims families and endangers society.

"They have to spend the rest of their lives worrying about this, watching the legal process happen, having almost no say in it. It's extremely re-traumatizing," said Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins, Illinoisvictims.org.

The chairman of the Prisoner Review Board, Jorge Montes, issued a statement saying in part:

"The Prisoner Review Board's decision to grant a parole is based on a thorough and careful review of each inmate's case."

Regarding the inmates mentioned at Thursday's news conference: "Both were graded as minimal security risks by the Illinois Department of Corrections and had strong support in their communities."

In order to be paroled, the inmate has to show change and proof of a transitional plan.

John Outlaw was released last Friday and the Cook County state's attorney is trying to stop Frederick Thomas' release.

NBC5.com

 

Families Beg Parole Board Not To Release 2 Killers

Parole Board Says Men Are Rehabilitated

POSTED: 5:08 pm CST February 8, 2007
UPDATED: 6:37 pm CST February 8, 2007

CHICAGO -- Two convicted killers could be getting out of prison early Thursday, and their release has outraged the states attorney's office and the victim's families.

[The victim's son] said he still finds it hard to talk about his father Michael's brutal murder. It's been 31 years since he was bludgeoned with a meat hook at what was then Spiegel Warehouse.

John Outlaw was convicted and sentenced to 150 to 300 years for that crime.

Now, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board says Outlaw should be released because he's been rehabilitated.

"He spent his life with other hardcore criminals. Would you want him next to you?" said [the victim's son].

Outlaw's release is apparently not able to be appealed, but that won't stop the victim's family from trying.

The board also wants to release Frederick Thomas, who was convicted of Irma Jean Williams' death back in 1974, just months after being released from prison for a previous rape conviction.

The family said Thomas picked up Williams and told her they were going to a party. Instead, he brought her to an abandoned building and raped, beat, and killed her.

Williams' sisters said they believe Thomas manipulated the board and the system and should serve his 75-150 year sentence through.

"He says he is good today, but tomorrow he may kill you," said one of Williams' sisters, Brenda.

"I'm not looking for revenge," said other sister Olivia Payne. "It's been 31 years but today I'm still torn up in side."

State's attorney Dick Devine said if convicted today, both men would be eligible for the death penalty and he doesn't completely buy the rehab release.

"I don't want to send the wrong message," he said.

Devine is asking the governor step in and not grant the men parole, and he's asking the board to consider the families' feelings in its decision.

Copyright 2007 by NBC5.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

From www.CBS2Chicago.com 
February 8, 2007

2 Convicted Killers About To Be Released

Victims' Families Furious Over Decision To Grant Parole To Criminals

Image

Mike Parker
Reporting

(CBS) CHICAGO Two convicted killers are about to be set free in Illinois. As CBS 2's Mike Parker reports, the decision has the victims’ families and local prosecutors furious.

In 1974, 19-year-old Irma Jean Williams was lured to an abandoned building near 46th Street and Michigan Avenue on Chicago’s south side. There she was raped, strangled and stabbed to death.

Frederick Thomas was arrested, convicted and sentenced to 75 to 150 years in prison for the crimes.

Thursday prosecutors from Cook, Lake and DuPage counties were railing about the Illinois Prisoner Review Board's decision to parole Thomas.

"When a judge sentenced a defendant to 75 to 150 years, he was sending a message to future parole boards. Do not let this person go,” said Lake County State’s Attorney Michael Waller.

The young victim's surviving relatives are also angry.

"He just got out of jail for doing two years for rape, he came out three months later, he raped and strangled and stabbed and killed my sister,” sad Olivia Payne.

Another killer, John Outlaw, is due for release. In 1976 he was sentenced to 150 to 300 years for two murders inside the old Spiegel warehouse at 35th Street and Racine. One of the victims was 59-year-old mechanic Michael [R] .

"It’s not about revenge. It’s about being worried that he'll do this again, do the same thing to another family,” said . . . Michael’s son. "This is a man that's spent his life with other hardcore criminals. Would you want him sitting next to you, being your neighbor?"

The votes by the 15 members of the Prisoner Review Board were overwhelmingly in favor of releasing the two men.

The reasons given were that both Thomas and Outlaw had been rehabilitated in prison and that both men have support systems of friends and relatives waiting for them on the outside.

Prosecutors say it's the parole system that needs to be rehabilitated.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Victims' Advocates Speak Out Against Illinois Prisoner Review Board
By Ryan Cummings
13 News

A recent decision to let two murderers out of prison prompts victims' advocates to speak out against the Illinois Prisoner Review Board. The board says it's doing everything it can. But some believe the PRB isn't honoring victims' rights.

In one case out of Cook County, John Outlaw served about 8-percent of his nearly 400 year sentence for murder, armed robbery and burglary. The family of the man he killed says they weren't told about his most recent parole hearing and that's why victims groups around here are so upset. Gerri Flynn, whose son Eric was murdered in Winnebago County in 2004, says, "I feel that the parole board owes them a very specific explanation as to what happened, what went wrong, why were they not notified, and I think someone needs to make this right for them."

Eric Flynn's killer won't be paroled because the state stopped that practice in 1978. But for those convicted before that time, they are eligible. Victims' families want to be part of that process and say they too have rights.

Under Illinois' constitution those right include the right to notification of court proceedings, communicate with the prosecution, and the right to information about the conviction, sentence, imprisonment and release of the accused. Winnebago County Deputy State's Attorney Chuck Prorok says, "They need to be a part of the prosecution from day one, advised of all the dates so that they know exactly what's going on, and have a voice in what occurs doing the course of the prosecution."

The group 'Illinois Citizens for Earned Release' thinks people should be given a second chance, and agrees the victims have a say in the parole process. Aviva Futorian with ICER says, "They should have the right to look at this inmate and see what's become of him if they want to. Has he changed his life? Does he feel remorse? Does he regret what he's done? And by the way, if they feel that regardless he should stay in, they should be able to express that." But Gerri Flynn says, "My son didn't get a second chance at life. I don't get a second chance at having my son in my life and the victim's voice needs to be heard."

A statement from the Prisoner Review Board says it does notify family members every time a parole hearing comes up. In the case we mentioned earlier, the PRB says it tried contacting everyone, but got disconnected numbers. 

(Ed. note:  This last claim by the PRB has been refuted by the victim's family.  They state in a personal e-mail to us, "...we have seen the coverage and ... they are lying.  I talked to my sister, who is in Washington DC area, and she is the only one that did get a letter (in August) last year.  Both of my brothers and I, and [the other victim], who have been contacted each year did not receive any prior notice to the hearing.  I am not sure about [the other victim], but my brothers and I have not moved in many years.  It seems the only letter that was sent was to an out of state address.  I checked and we did send a response letter to the parole board in response to their notice sent to us in 2005 and did my brother.  There is something really wrong here and now it appears it was deliberate since they are outright lying about their attempted contacting of us.")


Updated: February 16, 2007, 5:21 pm

Murderers' parole spurs prosecutors to call for changes
--------------------

By Mitch Dudek
Tribune staff reporter

February 9, 2007

This story contains corrected material, published Feb. 10, 2007.

Cook County State's Atty. Richard Devine on Thursday called for changes to the process in which the Illinois Prisoner Review Board reviews cases, pointing to two murderers who were recently granted parole.

Devine, who was joined at a news conference by Lake County State's Atty. Michael Waller and DuPage County Chief of Criminal Prosecutions Bureau Michael Wolfe, said the cases are examples of the larger trend of freeing violent criminals too early.

Devine highlighted the paroles last week of John Outlaw, who bludgeoned to death a security guard and a mechanic while stealing fur coats from a South Side warehouse in 1976, and Frederick Thomas, who raped and fatally stabbed a woman in 1974 in an abandoned South Side building (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text).

"These are dangerous men who took the lives of innocent victims," Devine said. "They are not candidates for reform who should be foisted on the community. The release of these men sends the wrong message to the public."

Outlaw, 54, was sentenced to 150 to 300 years in prison; Thomas, 55, was sentenced to 75 to 150 years in prison. Devine contends that such lengthy sentences were imposed because the judge clearly intended the men to stay behind bars for a long time, if not the rest of their lives.

Had they been sentenced under current laws, both men would be eligible for the death penalty, and Outlaw would have received a minimum of natural life in prison, he said. The board has more leeway in deciding parole for people who were sentenced prior to 1978.

Devine said the review system is flawed. Only one member of the board has to attend parole hearings, and that member then reports his or her findings to the 13 other members, Devine said.

All board members "have undertaken this obligation, if they are going to vote on such an important thing ... they should have all the information in front of them, and right now they don't. They rely on the one board member," he said.

The board said in a statement that each man had shown "excellent institutional adjustment, obtained education and had solid housing and employment opportunities" and were "minimal security risks."

Waller said the board "is susceptible to being naive." Both Waller's and Wolfe's offices have similar cases with inmates who might be eligible for release.

Outlaw and Thomas were granted parole after a Feb. 1 hearing. Outlaw was released the next day, and Thomas remains incarcerated in the Dixon Correctional Center pending approval of parole restrictions and completion of paperwork, said Illinois Department of Corrections spokesman Derek Schnapp.

Devine said his office is seeking to keep Thomas in prison on the grounds that he is a sexually violent person.

On May 9, 1974, Thomas was out on parole for rape when he arranged to meet his victim, Irma Jean Williams, and took her to an abandoned building. There he raped her, tying her up and gagging her before stabbing her 24 times.

Outlaw's victims, security guard Lawrence O'Connor and mechanic Michael [R], suffered extensive skull fractures from the attacks on Jan. 23, 1976 (this sentence as published has been corrected in this text). [The Victim] was beaten so severely that his brain was completely dislodged from his head.

"It's shocking. The intent of the original sentence was life in prison," said [the victim's] son. "This is our worst nightmare. It's just a terrible thing to think that he is out on the street and could hurt others."

----------

mrdudek@tribune.com
Copyright (c) 2007, Chicago Tribune

 

William Heirens Case - Illinois' Longest Serving Inmate

The Chicago Tribune published our letter on the problem of early release of those guilty of the most heinous murders in our state. Read it here, and the full length letter we submitted is below.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board voted on Aug 2, 2007 not to release William Heirens, the longest serving murderer in state history. Prosecutors and the victims' family expressed thanks for the support of members of IllinoisVictims.org.  The vote was unanimous not to parole him, 14-0.

One of the Victims' family members and one of the Cook County States Attorney's offices assistant prosecutors contacted us right after the vote to express the thanks of the support of those at IllinoisVictims.org who helped advocate for the well-being of the victims' families and the general public in Illinois.

This excerpt from an email we received the evening of August 2 from the prosecutor from the Cook County States Attorney's office to all of us: "On behalf of my office and the  families of the many victims of Heirens crimes please pass along my personal  and professional thanks for everyone's  support."

We believe that the increased visibility of PRB votes through press discussions by prosecutors around Illinois, along with our website, phone calls, and conversations with members of the Prisoner Review Board, has caused PRB members to think more carefully about how their votes are perceived by the public, especially after the outraged reactions to their votes in early 2007 to release John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas. Transparency is always an important thing in a democracy.

See detailed coverage in the Chicago Tribune of the Heirens case. 

We at IllinoisVictims.org do question three things about the Tribune coverage: First, the glorification of and focus on the offender; second, the repeating in the story of issues of "innocence" even though those claims have long since been completely discredited; and finally, worst of all, the headline they chose, "Is 61 years of retribution enough?".

We believe that this headline is biased and makes it sound as if the only reason he is serving life in prison is because the victims and others are being vengeful, and unnecessarily harsh. As such this kind of headline only belonged on the editorial page. As a regular news feature, the appropriate word to use would have been "imprisonment" instead. The print versions of the Tribune article before the PRB vote to deny parole did however feature a lovely photo of Suzanne Degnan's family mourning over her precious young portrait.

The victims' families, especially these two, the brother and sister of little Suzanne Degnan, the last of Heirens victims, wrote also to thank us for our support. They have appeared faithfully before the PRB each year and have supported prosecutors in making well the case that he not be released. Unfortunately the PRB denied them the 3 year option and they will be facing new hearings to battle his parole again in as early as 6 to 10 months from this August 2007 hearing.

Heirens thought this would be the year that the Illinois Prisoner Review Board would vote to let him out, and in his words, it is a blot on Illinois' reputation that we would ever keep anyone imprisoned for life  -- a view obviously that most people do not share when it comes to convicted multiple murderers.

We strongly support reforms to the "C number" or indeterminately sentenced prisoners (pre-1978) for this reason - victims families of the 294 remaining indeterminately sentenced that the PRB votes on for possible release each year are suffering from constantly having to endure this annual re-opening of wounds. We suggest a reform that would have a final one time review by an appropriate JUDICIAL body that would look at this last small group for possible re-sentencing if need be, but give life without parole for the rest, or whatever permanent solution is legally possible. If not, the process should be extended so that families do not have to endure this yearly. 

We also suspect that the States Attorneys that we have spoken to, who report to us that what is left now is pretty much the "worst of the worst", are right, and we urge the General Assembly to act to keep the victims families from having to go through this process again every year.

The PRB is structured in such a way in Illinois law that it is answerable to virtually no one except the Governor, they are not elected - they are appointed for a term and can only be removed by the Governor. They operate largely in the dark from the general public, and there is no appeal of their vote and no way to "un-elect" them, as we can do even with judges. If they had voted to release Heirens after 61 years in prison, there would be no way to appeal that decision.

The pattern we are seeing in the last two years is that the more attention paid to their votes by the media and advocates like us, the less likely they are to vote to release someone.

So we know we must continue our diligence.

Even though Heirens was sentenced to three life terms originally, because of changing laws over the years, he is one of a very few last vestiges of cases that have a chance each year to be released. We know there are some cases of injustice in sentencing that must be corrected and we of course support every effort to undo those miscarriages of injustice.

We at IllinoisVictims.org ask only that the PRB follow their enabling statutes when voting on any case. This year it was good to hear PRB members quoted as realizing that to vote for his release would "deprecate the seriousness of the offense" of one of the worst murders in Illinois history.

The original intent of the sentence given at trial, affirmed many times over by layers and layers of other courts, was clear - that Heirens should serve life in prison. He was sentenced to three life sentences.

The victims' family has shown IllinoisVictims.org years of documentation that show Heirens' claims of innocence to be highly questionable. And he did confess. His protestations of innocence now come only after all witnesses against him are dead.  But ultimately guilt and innocence is something none of us can decide - only a court of law.

The PRB is in such a position as it has to consider that every case they judge, including Heirens, is absolutely guilty. They are not allowed to make evaluations that only a court can make about guilt and innocence. They must assume all cases before them are legally guilty, because they are (if not actually guilty) and act according to their enabling statutes, one criteria of which is that the offender shows remorse. (We have spoken elsewhere on this website about the contradiction that exists legally for those inmates with genuine innocence claims.)

If there are innocence claims that are legitimate, they should be dealt seriously with in a court of law. This is a very important legal matter that deserves the utmost attention.

The PRB, however, can only make release judgments based on the criteria set in law that define standards for release. In this case, Heirens still claiming innocence after the many years that have discredited those claims, seemingly indicating otherwise, and shows that he cannot qualify for one of the criteria: Remorse -- which one can only expressed if one admits guilt. And the law requires no release if it would "deprecate the seriousness of the offense".

[We note also in a related vote on the same day, the PRB voted not to release Patty Columbo, another Cook County case that is one of the "worst of the worst" in Illinois. The PRB chair Jorge Montes explained his NO vote by saying, "There are very few cases that come to mind that are as heinous ... as Ms. Columbo's case," Montes said. "Having said that, there are very few cases where there has been such a splendid rehabilitation." We applaud this decision by Chairman Montes, but have to ask the question about a consistent standard by the PRB. Why would he not also see for example the murder of Michael Mayborne (see Rockford cases) a police officer in cold blood, also as heinous? Montes votes every year to release Bacino, Mayborne's killer, and called himself in a documentary film an "advocate" for Bacino. And why would he vote to release John Outlaw earlier this year who used a meat hook to hack at the head of the father of the grieving  . . . family - all while still requiring Outlaw to take anger management classes on his release. Outlaw only served 30 years of a 375 year sentence.]

Heirens main argument for release has been now only his age and deteriorating medical condition, and that he has served a long enough sentence. While at his age it hardly seems like that Heirens is any real threat any more, the victims' families have still expressed fear and trauma at the thought of his release.

 

The largest issue in all this is whether or not our society wants life sentences to exist for these "worst of the worst". Ultimately what we see in these cases is the debate that we in society are going to be called on again and again to contemplate while the prison population ages.

Does a life sentence mean a life sentence?

Surely we want no one innocent to be in prison, and surely we do not believe that over-sentencing solves anyone's problems. Prevention is far more valuable to victims than overly harsh punishment.

But if a killer is guilty of a most heinous offense, and they are sentenced to multiple life sentences, should they serve them out, even when they get old and sickly, and are therefore much more sympathetic?

That is the debate at stake here in this case. And it has ramifications far beyond this one case. 

All of this attention to the offender reminds us of how victims families often feel - our loved one brutally murdered is gone - out of sight, out of mind, and all that is left that people can see and hear from is the offender that is alive and tangible, and for whom some can feel sympathy. Its a horrible place for victims to be when they feel that all the focus is on the "poor offender" and not on what was taken in an act of unspeakable evil, and is no longer there to feel sorry about. Its as if the offender is being rewarded for being the only one left alive. There is no justice in any of this - the only justice would be for those we love to still be alive and with us.

So, we are very concerned once again about all the attention and resources being lavished on the offender while little is being done in support of the victims' family other than the few helpful hours given to them by the devoted prosecutors and victim advocates in the Cook County States' Attorney office.

We commend the PRB for doing the right thing in the Heirens and Columbo cases. 

We hope that those people who are investing so much money into trying to free Heirens will join the offender himself in finally devoting what resources they have to trying to offer some comfort to the families of the victims.

Heirens, to this day, has never apologized.

 

Read below the letter to the "Voice of the People" in the Chicago Tribune that we sent in August 2007:

This last week there was an attempt by Illinois' longest serving inmate William Heirens to leave prison early before serving the three life sentences he earned decades ago. We applaud the 14-0 decision by the Illinois Prisoner Review Board to deny him parole again this year. In a front page article, the Tribune questioned Mr. Heirens' life sentence as "61 years of retribution". Sunday's "Voice of the People" published a letter that was inaccurate regarding the Heirens case - in fact the supposed innocence claims in his case have long since been discredited.

Mr. Heirens' case has been heard in every court from Cook County to the Supreme Court. They have all unanimously re-affirmed his guilt. Life changed after Heirens' murders in 1946. Terrorized parents no longer let their children play freely. Even Heirens' own parents acknowledged his guilt. Heirens knew untold details of young and innocent Suzanne Degnan's bedroom. The evidence against him is extensive and his innocence claims rely conveniently on witnesses long dead.

Some misunderstand: the Prisoner Review Board cannot judge guilt or innocence, only a court can do that. They evaluate those 294 cases left from before 1978 still eligible for parole as to their worthiness for release. These who remain have been repeatedly denied parole and are clearly among the "worst of the worst" in our state.

Yet earlier this year the PRB inexplicably released Frederick Thomas, and John Outlaw, the "meathook killer" without notifying the victims' family of the hearing, and even nonsensically required the killer to take anger management classes upon his release. They came very close, by a one vote margin, to releasing Rockford area cop-killer Ted Bacino this year who is still lying about the facts of the brutal shooting of a devoted sheriff, husband and father, while some on the PRB evaluated him as "remorseful".

In all of this media attention to these murderers, mostly lost from view is the pain of the victims' families. They have suffered far worse than any prisoner still serving out a sentence. Families left from before the move in 1978 to more just "determinate" prison sentences, have had to go back year after agonizing year to re-live their trauma to keep these offenders serving their life sentences.

There are those now in Illinois that would have us return to the days of indeterminate sentencing, where random, often racist, variations of sentences were given and served, and victims families every single year went through the untold re-traumatization before a parole board.

Bringing back the parole system to Illinois not only will keep innocent victims' families in an unending nightmare, but it places all of the public at further risk, as demonstrated in Connecticut recently. Parole is an unwieldy bureaucracy that gives no thought to the victims of crime. The resources wasted on this ill-conceived effort, and efforts to free killers sentenced to life, could far better be used by helping victims and by working to prevent crime.

Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins
IllinoisVictims.org

Here is just one example of the correspondence we have received from all over the nation in response to the attempts to free William Heirens . . .

Attention THE ILLINOIS PAROLE BOARD-

I am a married mother with children and I live in the State of New York. I am writing to you as a wife, a mother, a sister, a daughter- a person. I am writing to you on behalf of ALL people across the USA. It is not just Chicago that is affected by the heinous acts of William Heirens - It is EVERY state that is part of this country. WE are ALL responsible as human beings that people like William Heirens NEVER see the outside of a jail cell.

Living on the East Coast- we were struck with horrible tragedy last week when the Petit family of Connecticut were victims to PREDATORS (released EARLY- on their parole) by being beaten, raped and savagely murdered. Mrs. Petit & her daughter were "spotted" in a stop & shop a few miles from there home- and were "followed" by 2 predators as they await in the night- and at 300am-these 2 predators (released early on parole) invaded this home- beat up Mr. Petit and locked him in the basement where they proceeded to RAPE 17 yr old Haley, 11 year old Michaela and their Mother Nancy for a period of 6 brutal hours before robbing them, strangling Nancy and than BURNING ALIVE Haley and Michaela to their deaths.
Had the Connecticut Parole board NOT released these criminals early- this family would be alive today, and Haley would be attending Dartmouth in August for collage.

Is it that the "sight " of William Heirens- in a wheelchair - evoke some pity? Well let me assure you that - his medical problems, his being in a wheelchair- all of it- should NOT erase the memory of the MURDERED victims. PLEASE do not erase from your memory the breaking & entering, the strangling, the stabbing, & the dismemberment of the 6 year old.
William Heirens in his OWN words- wrote in lipstick on the mirror- "HIS INABILITY TO CONTROL HIMSELF".
PLEASE remember that he DENIES his crimes. He refuses to take responsibility. THE TRUE response to a brutal, cold, calculating sociopath KILLER.

I can speak for myself, my family and everyone that I know- and WE WOULD NEVER WANT TO SEE WILLIAM HEIRENS OUT OF JAIL EVER. He has NO regard for human life.

It would be a shame "to GAMBLE & see if he was rehabilitated". PLEASE- consider the lives he could take. He could require a nurse in a home. When he is alone with her- he will kill her. How would you feel or the parole board if you were responsible for letting this animal out of jail and he repeated. HE WILL REPEAT- as he is a killer.

I can't even begin to list the cases were people were released and they repeated WORSE and more violent crimes. How can you consider letting out a person who is guaranteed to murder again. Murder is his oxygen. He kills to breathe.

EXAMPLES- the case of Steven Avery (Calumet County) in the savage- imprisonment, RAPE, MURDER of Theresa Halbach- Steven Avery WAS JUST RELEASED FROM PRISON.
The Petit Family Murders- Cheshire Connecticut- Rape and Murder of Nancy, Hailey and Michaela.
The case Of Polly Klass- her killer Richard Allen Davis- released from prison, the case of Jessica Lunsford, ECT

I will end this letter ASKING AND BEGGING FOR YOU NOT TO RELEASE WILLIAM HEIRENS FOR ALL AMERICANS AND THEIR SAFETY. We are just as concerned here in New York that this man NEVER sees freedom and we choose to pray for the VICTIMS who do not get to have choices and for the City of Chicago- that forever remains changed since the start of this mans brutal senseless attacks on the innocent. We do not want to see him rejoining society EVER- amongst our mothers, fathers, children, siblings, friends or strangers.
Thank you.

AND THIS FROM ANOTHER VISITOR TO THIS WEBSITE -

Heirens has been repeatedly denied parole probably because he has always claimed innocence and, when the courts examine the evidence, they find that the case against him is strong. Parole is based on remorse and it is impossible to show remorse if one refuses to admit to the crime.

You are invited to visit my website on the subject, "The Monster That Terrorized Chicago."

http://home.earthlink.net/~chicago1946/

 

 

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