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June 1, 2005
And yet Karla Homolka is going free
Junior Allen stole a 19" black-and-white TV in 1970 and has been in jail ever since (use 'veryfictional@yahoo.com' and 'nonexistent' if you need to log in). He has been turned down for parole 26 times. Society has been kept safe because they kept this animal, this black migrant farm worker in jail for so long. I suppose he should be glad; they probably could have had him killed.
Karla Homolka drugged and participated in the rape and (supposedly) accidental death of her younger sister. She also participated in the rape and murders of two other teenage girls. Because she could not have really been all that responsible for her role in it all, she sang like a bird and ratted on her man, Paul Bernardo, putting in him jail forever and netting her a sweet deal: 12 years, no questions asked, police incompetence and lawyer fuckery notwithstanding.
Is it just me, or does something seem unbelievably wrong here? Here's a little quote:
"When Junior came here, he was the bitter old man everybody expected," he said. "He had not a chip on his shoulder, but a VW. I told him, 'Junior, you've got to prepare yourself to get out, or you're going to die in prison.' "
So this man has had to kiss ass for almost 3 years, when the state of North Carolina should be kissing his for the rest of his life. It was a fucking TV. And he'll have to report to a parole officer and be watched between the ages of 65 and 70 like he's really dangerous. "During Allen's five-year parole, she said, he'll have to work, obey all laws and check in regularly with his parole officer. If all goes right, he'll be a free man at age 70." How fucking nice. I'm 30 right now, and my dad will be 71 tomorrow. Imagine that. I disappear and the next time I am seen anywhere, I'm my father.
Sure, these things happened two decades and a couple thousand kilometres apart. And sure, the law has changed in North Carolina. But I don't care. I consider these things relatively close in time, and not that far apart. Whoever was responsible for this nonsense in North Carolina, plus anyone supporting this crap, should have known better than to put anyone, even a super-dangerous animal like a black male, in prison for 35 years and counting for stealing a TV. He has seen rapists and killers go in and out (and back in and out), yet they felt it necessary to keep this petty thief in jail for 35 years.
And before anyone castigates me for playing the race card, ask yourself: do you REALLY think that a good ol' white boy would be in jail forever for such an offense? They changed the law for crimes of this nature, but I really don't believe that of all the people that got sentences of 20 years or more for these types of things that 90% of them weren't black or hispanic. It was 1970, after all. Only seven years after that debacle in Birmingham, AL. Maybe it was bureaucracy that kept him in there. Maybe his police record is as long as your arm. But he's in jail for stealing a TV. I imagine that most non-minority convicts that were convicted under the old law were released. I'd be interested in finding out.
Now, to be "fair", he refused the Mutual Agreement Parole Program, because all he wanted to do is go home. I suppose he could have been home quite some time ago, although I have no reliable information upon which I can base this. It's possible that they would have simply thrown him back in regardless. I don't know.
Lastly, just as an exercise, let's put yesterday's crime in today's terms. $140 USD in 1970 is $704.69 now, or $879.77 CAD on June 1, 2005. What can you get for nearly $900 CAD? A cheap laptop at Future Shop (limited time only). A hell of a fridge (although who would steal a fridge except as a prank?). A miniDV camcorder? Hmmm, come to think of it, I'd be pretty pissed if someone stole my camcorder. Throw the book at the fuckers, yeah.
Posted by JonasParker at June 1, 2005 9:46 AM
Comments
I don't fault you for "playing the race card," one bit. Today, while playing an online video game someone logged in, began behaving badly and chanting "die nigger" over and over again.
It's pretty clear to me that the tainted past of how people of African decent (to say the least) isn't as far behind us as we would like.
As for Homolka... let's just say the only reason she's dying her hair now is because on the outside, society doesn't care if you're blonde and pretty when you're a murderer. I guess it's a good tool on the inside, though. Go figure.
Posted by: Paolo at June 2, 2005 2:46 PM
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