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Houston Chronicle story

It's like deja vu all over again ...

It's quite amazing that Parole doesn't concern itself with the fact that the man is a cold blooded murderer. They put their blinders on and merely look at the money laundering case when determining parole. I guess they are there just to move the papers from the "In Tray" to the "Out Tray"--What does protecting the public have to do with it?

The article merely points out that he is eligible for parole. It does not say that parole will be granted. Hopefully, they will take his past into consideration.

Unlike this guy, whose past they apparently ignored ...

Feb. 18, 2006
Houston Chronicle

Man charged in wife's death

A man wanted in the shooting death of his estranged wife in southwest Houston has been charged with murder. Police were looking for Esequiel Villareal, 39, who they say killed Benedicta Diaz Gonzalez, 35. Houston police homicide investigator Mike Miller said Gonzalez, who was the mother of seven children, was shot four times at her apartment in the 5700 block of Westward near Glenmont. Villareal had been released from prison on parole in May in connection with a murder charge, police said.


[I just hate it when bad murder parolees mess things up for all the good ex-murderers ... ]

Wait a second, I thought that according to all of those "actuarial approach" anti-death penalty experts, it was statistically impossible for a convicted murderer to ever present any kind of "continuing threat to society?" Once they go to the pen, aren't they supposed to become peace loving pacifists? Have you seen this one, A.P.????

Lee, hadn't gotten into that one yet, I'm still looking at the photos of the guard from the Eastham unit who, just days ago, was doused in the face with scalding baby oil, petroleum jelly and water. The felon who did it to the officer is a CONVICTED CAPITAL MURDERER out of Lampassas, and he has detainers out for 2 ADDITIONAL murder cases in the freeworld.

I wonder if Dr. Cunningham told any jurors about how peace-loving he would be with a life sentence?

I recently tried a burglary of a habitation case wherein defendant was enhanced with two prior burglaries. The jury found him guilty and sentenced him to 90 years. A recent check of the offender website revealed that his parole eligibility date is reflected as 1/28/2017. On his eligibility date he will have served almost 7 years. When the parole board was contacted to advise them of their mistake, they said it is not a mistake! How does a defendant become eligible for parole after serving almost 7 years of a 90 year sentence?

I never did understand the new math!

Read the small print. The 1/4th time includes good conduct credit. Sort of the reverse of the small print on your credit card that reveals how an absurd interest rate is triggered.

Oh OK. I never knew that good conduct credit was automatic. I thought that was something you had to earn along the way, or, do they have a crystal ball that tells them how much he will earn in 7 years?

I am just amazed that he could even be considered after only 7 years.

[This message was edited by TS on 02-14-11 at .]

There should be no such thing as "good conduct credit." When incarcerated, inmates should serve their time day-for-day. If they act up or cause problems, then (after the appropriate disciplinary hearing) their sentence should be lengthened for BAD CONDUCT credit.

Nothing drives people crazier faster than to hear how inmates rack up "credit" in our county system. But most people have no idea. Got a six-month sentence? That means he'll be out of commission for six months, right? No! He's automatically eligible for 2-for-1 credit off the bat, with back credit for every second he spent getting booked in originally. Maybe he qualifies for "house arrest," where he is now automatically given the same 2-for-1 he'd get in the jail.

So that crazy neighbor who assaulted you won't spend six months locked away, he'll spend three months (or less) sitting around his house, drinking beer and watching you come and go. Maybe that ankle monitor will deter him from committing any other crimes..... maybe. Hard to say what he'll do if he drinks enough though.

I just attended a legislative symposium at which a coalition of liberal (hug-a-thug) and conservative (save-a-buck) groups advocated restoring the old mandatory supervision laws, which would allow guys like Mr. 90 Years to be entitled to early release after a few years.

Oh, and if you entered this country illegally, some think you should get a pass on punishment and just get deported. Naturally, they also thinks such criminals would be sufficiently chastened that they would not return illegally to this country. And, if they did, by golly, their parole could be revoked (for doing something they already did).

This is the sort of thinking that happens when money matters more than safety.