Woody Harrelson's Father Dies in Prison

[Divernan]

Source: Associated Press






Woody Harrelson's father dies in prison.
http://news.yahoo.com
(Under "more stories")
- Actor Woody Harrelson's father, Charles Harrelson, died of a heart attack in the Supermax federal prison where he was serving two life sentences for the murder of a federal judge, officials said Wednesday.


Charles Harrelson, 69, was found unresponsive in his cell on the morning of March 15, said Felicia Ponce, a Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman in Washington. Fremont County Coroner Dorothy Twellman said an autopsy showed Harrelson had severe coronary artery disease. She said he probably died in his sleep. "It appears it was very sudden."

Charles Harrelson was convicted of murder in the May 29, 1979, slaying of U.S. District Judge John Wood Jr. outside his San Antonio, Texas, home. Prosecutors said a drug dealer hired him to kill Wood because he did not want the judge to preside at his upcoming trial. Charles Harrelson denied the killing, saying he was in Dallas, 270 miles away, at the time. Wood, known as "Maximum John" for the sentences he gave in drug cases, was the first federal judge to be killed in the 20th century.

Charles Harrelson was transferred to Supermax, the highest-security federal prison, after attempting to break out of an Atlanta federal prison in 1995. Other inmates at Supermax, about 90 miles south of Denver, include Unabomber Theodore Kaczynski, Oklahoma City bombing coconspirator Terry Nichols and Olympic Park bomber Eric Rudolph.








Read more: www.yahoo.com

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The actor was just 7 when his father was first imprisoned on a murder conviction. He was in college when his father was imprisoned for killing a federal judge.

[Maat]

1. Comforting and healing energy to Woody.

May both the Judge and Charles rest in peace.

We certainly don't choose who our parents are, and Woody turned out to be pretty successful despite it all!

[Coventina]

2. Wow, poor Woody. That's pretty wild.

I wonder if he believed his father was innocent or not.

[NashVegas]

19. Woody Must Have Overcome Some *major shit* to Go As Far As He Has

I have nothing but sympathy for him, poor guy.

[cali]

3. sympathy for Woody

none whatsoever for his father, who was a coldblooded hired killer. It's my understanding that the Judge was not his only victim.

[leveymg]

4. Is this the same man as "The Tall Tramp"?

"The Dallas Tramps" (11/22/63)


Charles Harrelson and "The Tall Tramp" (center, photo 1)

[democrat in Tallahassee]

6. I've read that he was involved in the assassination. I believe

but I'm not sure that Woody Harrelson has talked about it.

[leveymg]

7. Here's the listing at Demopedia

http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/index.php/Charles_Harrelson

Also, see: http://demopedia.democraticunderground.com/index.php/Chauncey_Holt

Other theories say that Tramp #3 (with hat) is E. Howard Hunt. See, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x461116

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. Didn't Harrelson cop to it, but was ignored because, as we know,

Oswald was the only shooter?

Always wondered if the Judge's shooting was pinned on him (he did have a fairly strong alibi) to get him back off the streets and shut up.

[leveymg]

13. Not married to any particular theory.

:shrug:

An enigma, hidden in a paradox, wrapped in an irony.

Layer upon layer of cover stories protect that one.

[Itchinjim]

5. That man was an evil SOB.

His kid is pretty cool though.

[Ninja Jordan]

8. Wait, he was released originally following an initial murder conviction?

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. Automatic life sentences are a relatively new thing.

Used to be that a murder conviction carried 20 to life, and you were eligible for parole after 2/3 of the 20. If he was a model prisoner, he'd serve 13-14 years.

[Ninja Jordan]

12. Even in Texas? Wow....

Also, he didn't get the death penalty for murdering the judge--perhaps this was during the Furman moritorium period...

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. The conviction was in '68.

But now that I think about it, it is funny because the second conviction was in '79, so he obviously did not serve even 11 years.

Maybe he was a JFK shooter, and somebody pulled some strings?

[melody]

16. One of the theories is that Harrelson was a hit man for the Texas Gang

So, JFK shooter or not, he had friends in high (or low and powerful) places.

[xchrom]

10. peace be with woody and his family at this time.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

14. I lived in San Antonio at the time.

I had just graduated from college. I remember when it hit the news that the Judge had been shot outside his townhouse on Broadway, in Alamo Heights, which is a rich N.E. suburb of San Antonio. It starts a bit north of Incarnate Word College. I also was living there when some nut in a small motorhome shot four people at the Fiesta parade. It was probably just a couple of months earlier.

[Vidar]

17. Condolences to Woody.

[BlueManDude]

18. another link to finding out what happened on 11/22/63 fades away

[donheld]

20. Much love and sympathy to Woody