Thread: SPITZER LETS 215 KILLERS GO LOOSE

SPITZER LETS 215 KILLERS GO LOOSE
By FREDRIC U. DICKER

January 19, 2008 -- ALBANY - Nearly every one of the 225 violent felons authorized for release during Gov. Spitzer's first 11 months in office had been convicted of murder, records made public by the state Parole Board yesterday showed.

The figures revealed that 215 of the inmates granted parole were convicted murderers while the rest had been convicted of either attempted murder or kidnapping.

"This is greatly disturbing," said Senate Crime Victims, Crime and Corrections Committee Chairman Michael Nozzolio (R-Seneca Falls), who held a hearing on Spitzer-administration parole policies earlier in the week.

"We're not just seeing violent felons released, we're seeing murderers get out-of-jail-free cards," he continued.

Division of Parole spokesman Mark Johnson, however, said the figures were not surprising because the overwhelming number of those convicted in the A-1 category of violent crimes were guilty of murder.

The new figures were made public in the wake of published reports that the number of violent felons released on parole dramatically increased after Democrat Spitzer succeeded Republican Gov. George Pataki, who had ordered the Parole Board to restrict the release of dangerous inmates.

In 2006, Pataki's last year in office, 148 prisoners guilty of A-1 felonies were granted parole, while in 2005 the figure was 73.

Among the high-profile killers granted release last year were one-time wealthy Long Island surgeon Charles Friedgood, 89, who was convicted in 1976 for murdering his wife.

Also granted release last year was William Phillips, a former New York City police officer and one-time Knapp Commission witness who was convicted in 1975 for the 1968 murder of a pimp and a prostitute.

Nozzolio's committee heard Spitzer-administration officials defend their release policies at a hearing Tuesday.

He insisted the hearing wasn't politically motivated, but was seeking to "address a very serious question of public safety."

Spitzer spokesman Errol Cockfield insisted that "there is no policy shift" that has led to the increased number of releases.

Records show that 12 of the 19 current members of the Parole Board were appointed by Pataki.

Parole records show that a smaller number of paroled murderers commit additional crimes compared to the overall number of prisoners granted early release.

Between 1999 and 2003, 368 murderers were paroled and six, or 1.6 percent, returned to prison because of a new felony within three years, the records show.

Nozzolio said he intends to press on with his investigation of Spitzer's parole policies.

"We're going to continue to demand answers, and we're determined to ferret them out," he said.

"The administration's claim that the recidivism rate among murderers is low clearly doesn't make my constituents happy."

fredric.dicker@nypost.com

http://tinyurl.com/2r3rbd

ONLY a dunce would vote for him next time.They should check the records after the next governor election and anyone who voted for spitzer should be committed for insanity

Sounds like it's time to let Spitzer go ! Those... should let him reside w/those he has released, and see if they give him the same treatment.

Time to quit being nice guys, GUYS !!! We all know where they finish ...

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