Willie Horton Revisited

Yes, folks, I'm reading another Ann Coulter book "The Church of Liberalism". This book is a must read!

Maybe I'm the only one who vaguely remembers a Willie Horton to-do back when Bush #1 ran against mini-Dukakis. But, for the sake that maybe someone else doesn't know all the details (like I didn't and almost wish I didn't know now), here they are:

Then Gov. Michael Dukakis, of the great liberal state of Massachusetts is a total and complete idiot, 'er make that a liberal. And he decided to embrace the Furlough Program for convicts. It was meant for lesser offenders and they were let out for one day or once in a while. And as long as they honour it, come back and they are being readied for release.

But was Dukakis happy with that?

There is a man named Willie Horton. Willie Horton was arrested, convicted and jailed for 1st Degree Murder. He had robbed a convenience store. The clerk gave him all the money, but that wasn't enough for Horton. Joey Fournier, the 17 year old clerk, was grabbed behind the counter and stabbed nineteen times and then his mutilated body was stuffed into a garbage can. Because Gov. Dukakis hotly opposed Capital Punishment, Horton got a sentence of Life WITHOUT Parole.

But, the story goes on . . .

Then Massachusetts Gov. Dukakis felt so sorry for these poor misunderstood criminals. Especially the murderers. He worried about their self-esteen. Horton was allowed furloughs 10 times. Never mind that he had been in trouble 11 times in jail.

And so on June 6, 1986 he was released on his 10th and 48 hours long furlough and never returned. He left Massachusetts and fled to Maryland.

On April 3, 1987 he decided to break into a couple's home. When the man, Cliff Barnes, came home, Willie was waiting. He'd been there a while and apparently decided he was bored with just breaking and entering. Barnes was brutally attacked. He was dragged to the basement, tied up and bound and knifed in his torso for a few hours.

Then this poor man's fiance' came home. Horton beat and raped her. All the while her fiance' was in the basement and could hear her screams and couldn't help her. Horton rested a while and a few hours later raped her again.

Somehow, Barnes managed to escape and when Horton realized it, he left in Barnes' car. It took four homes before Barnes found someone to help him. Willie Horton led the Police on one of those patented chases.

He was caught, arrested, tried, and convicted for what he had done. He received two life sentences and 85 years.

The smart Maryland Judge refused to let Horton go back to Massachusetts. He saw quite clearly how well the Massachusetts Furlough Program worked.

The Massachusetts Supreme Court put their stamp of approval on the Furlough Program. But after what happened, the Massachusetts Legislaters passed a Bill that forbad people convicted of 1st Degree Murder from being permitted a Furlough. Never mind the fact that Horton had been in jail with NO PAROLE. It should have been clear he didn't qualify.

But that meant nothing to Dukakis.When the new legislation was passed, Dukakis vetoed it TWICE. Finally, political pressure was applied and he was forced to sign it while proclaiming he didn't agree with it.

A link about it:

http://www.forerunner.com/forerunner/X0158_Dukakis__Willie_Hort.html