’60s radical Kathy Boudin paroled

[Shrek]

From MSNBC:

ALBANY, N.Y., Aug. 20 — Kathy Boudin, the ’60s radical who has served 22 years in prison for a 1981 armored car heist in which three men were killed, was granted parole Wednesday. Boudin, 60, a one-time member of the Weather Underground described as a model inmate in prison, had been denied parole just three months ago, as well as two years ago.

Other links with additional info:

Her website.

Some concerns of the survivors.

[SpiralHawk]

1. Free Squeaky Now !

Just had to get that arcane reference in somewhere.

What do you suppose it could possibly mean? LOL

[markses]

2. Would you be referring to Squeaky Fromme?

Of Manson Family and shootin'-at-Gerald-Ford fame?

She's still a manson girl, unlike the others. I don't think parole is in the cards for Squeaky...;-)

[DEMActivist]

4. Lynette Fromme has turned down parole

Because they make "no contact with Charlie" part of her parole requirements.

[kainah]

8. Interesting book on Squeaky Fromme

I can't remember the name but I enjoyed it.

Personally, I wish Leslie Van Houten would be paroled. She really seems to have earned another chance. She wasn't involved in the Sharon Tate murder at all. But I doubt they'll ever release the Manson family members.

Nonetheless, I'm glad Kathy Boudin is out.

[Piperay]

10. Book title is actually "Squeaky"

I read it too, good book.

[demdave]

3. I read both your links and had mixed feelings about this

Then I did the math and realized that she was 38 years old at the time, the sixties had been over for more than a decade and the Weather Underground ws no more than a band of murderous thugs and thieves by 1981.


I believe you plan an armored car robbery, arm yourselves with automatic weapons and then execute a murderous robbery and excape...you deserve to die in prison. Let her do her "good works" in prison. This is a shame. Prison is meant for these kinds.


Yet another reason I believe in the death penalty......parole for murderous thugs.

[bicentennial_baby]

5. But

she was'nt armed, and did'nt participate in the actual crime, according to her website:

"Her role in the offense was that of an unarmed passenger riding in the closed cab of a U-Haul truck that had picked up those who had participated in the robbery after they had abandoned their getaway car several miles from the Mall. Under New York's felony murder law, Ms. Boudin was liable for any death that occurred during the course of the robbery, despite the fact that she was not directly involved in it, and was at all times unarmed."

"The plea and sentence were the product of a lengthy and painstaking investigation by the District Attorney and the Court. Prior to accepting her plea, the Hon. David S. Ritter reviewed the results of a polygraph that showed Ms. Boudin had neither carried a weapon nor been personally involved in any act of violence in connection with the robbery, and had never in her life been directly involved in causing physical injury or death to any person. At sentencing, the District Attorney recognized that she "personally did not fire a single shot and was unarmed." Transcript of May 3, 1984. The defense contended she was a last minute addition to the scenario, and emphasized that the prosecution's investigation confirmed that she did not participate in the planning. The District Attorney's office also confirmed, after checking with both New York City and federal authorities, that there was no evidence that she had ever participated in any offence in which anyone was injured."

[demdave]

6. She was in on the planning, execution and escape.

This was not a drugstore robbery gone wrong. This was a planned armed attack on an armoured car. They all planned murder and robbery. They all get life.

What would you have given the driver of the U-haul.....a speeding ticket?

[demdave]

7. Did you read the other link?

"Kathy Boudin, an occupant of the U-Haul, complained to the police that their guns made her nervous. Apparently, thinking they had the wrong U-Haul, the police stowed their weapons and shotgun. At that moment the rear of the U-Haul flew open and half a dozen heavily armed killers jumped out, each with military-style fully automatic weapons. Police Officer Waverly Brown was hit immediately and died at the scene. Detective Arthur Keenan was struck before he was able to take cover and return fire. Sgt. Edward O’Grady was shot numerous times and died ninety minutes later at Nyack Hospital. Officer Brian Lennon exchanged shots but was seriously outnumbered and under heavy fire."

[Skittles]

9. 22 years for each person killed would be about right

I cannot garner much sympathy for this woman. It was a terrible, terrible crime.

[Piperay]

11. I don't think she would have served

that long a term if she hadn't been a leftist radical. People have done worse than her and been out in less time. I'm not excusing her but because people can understand a murder that is for monetary profit easier than one that is for political reasons the one for greed is likely to get off easier. No matter what it was a sad thing, the loss of lives of the victims and the loss of her youth for Boudin.

[demdave]

12. This was murder for monetary profit. It was 1981.

"She was recruited for the Brink’s robbery by Black Liberation Army members and other radicals who apparently wanted whites driving the getaway vehicle, a U-Haul truck, to throw off pursuers."

The loss of her youth? Ganted as I get older I think young is relative, but this was a 38 year old woman. I think dhe knew very well what was going on and chose to participate. This was not a youthful mistake, it was the way she chose to live her life.

I do not believe you have the right to commit murder because. in your mind, it is for a good cause.

[Piperay]

15. Youth is relative for sure, I am 48 and

would have hated to spend the years from 38 to 60 in the slam because of some stupid misguided cause. I am not excusing her at all, it was murder. There is no excuse for murder but it seems people do accept the greed of it and let that go easier. It's a tragedy all round especially for the victims and the families who loved them. I actually once knew someone who knew Boudin but I don't think they had sympathy for her either.

[JackSwift]

13. I wish she would die in prison

she should never be allowed out. Murderous bitch.

[pretzel4gore]

16. blame the little guy!

friggin country teaches 'greed is only good' and poverty is evil etc....reagan elected....the most popular prez in US history (world history, i recall seeing JFK's photo on wall of shack in brazil) was murdered in broad daylight.....meanwhile US police wage war on drugs at same time as the only profitable biz in inner cities is the DRUG BIZNESS! yet Kathy still ought to bear the burden of her mistake.....like Karla faye Tucker did?

[xJlM]

18. He wasn't murdered

He was publicly executed, as is obvious to anyone who wants to look into it. That was just at the beginning of what we're seeing the fruition of today.

[maxanne]

17. that's nice, Jack

so much for compassion and the possibility of rehabilitation.

Certainly Boudin's sentence was influenced by her radical politics, but they were also influenced by her gender. Women in murder cases often recieve longer sentences than men. Robert Chambers, the preppy murderer served only 15 years for killing Jennifer Levin.

[kskiska]

14. "Fugitive Days" by Bill Ayers

is another recent good book. Tells of life in the Weather Underground and the Greenwich Village bomb blast and the bombing of the Pentagon.

[ScotTissue]

19. Sounds like we don't need a Weatherman

...to know which way the wind blows in this crowd. I agree, the crime was unforgiveable and she deserves to spend her whole life in prison.

[Ellen Forradalom]

20. It's not Boudin that annoys me..

she served time and for whatever reason the Parole Board decided to parole her. It's Bernadette Dohrn and Bill Ayers who annoy me. These glamour-pusses of the Weather Underground never quite came to grips with the destructiveness of their 'revolutionary struggle.' They have nice professorships and write books. Bill has yet to fully renounce the use of violence.