Should Gerturde Baniszewski have been paroled?
Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.:
Google the basics of the case if you haven't heard of it, but be warned that it's one of the grisliest things I've ever read about; Greater Atlas is not a community that generally requires or asks for trigger warnings, but I've provided them on Discord and I'll provide them here: it's incredibly disturbing even to read dry factual information about what Baniszewski did to a sixteen-year-old girl in her care, and encouraged others to do, including other minors.
The murder took place in 1965 and she was paroled in 1985. She had been a model prisoner and a mentor to a lot of younger female prisoners in Indiana during the intervening twenty years, and after her release she never reoffended, yet her crime was perhaps one of the most morally evil (on a sheer interpersonal level) ever committed, nobody has ever been able to find a coherent motive for it (other than her insanity defense at trial, which failed), she roped in and ruined the lives of numerous other people besides her victim, and she never expressed clear responsibility and remorse.
Which set of considerations does the C&L board care about more in this case? Personally I would have strongly opposed paroling Baniszewski, and I say this as someone who usually favors the restorative justice/"soft on crime" approach.
Stand With Israel. Crush Hamas:
No, and I would have made the argument that given her preference for preying on children, there is absolutely no argument that she is not a danger to society. If there is one group vulnerable to an old lady sociopath on the loose, it's children.
Torie:
Given the fact that she was released and has not been a problem since, makes the question somewhat unfair. If it were 1985, and without knowing what was in her mind when she committed her heinous acts, and her apparently being closed mouth about it, either to authorities or a therapist, right out of the box there is a lack of confidence as to what her behavior would be after release. So no.
If one had confidence that she was a changed woman, perhaps I would consider a program where she can provide services to others, while returning to prison at night. It could be a low security prison. There is something to be said, that for one who has been thoroughly rehabilitated, with the hormones having waned, to keep them locked up solely for punishment, is cruel and unusual. That however would be a set of unusual facts.
Yeah, I know I sound like I have devolved in a useless bleeding heart liberal. Where have all the flowers gone? But there is some hope for me yet. I still favor the death penalty in unusual circumstances, where to do otherwise means the act is penalty free. For example, if there is no death penalty, after you do first degree murder on one person, why not murder again? There is no additional penalty. Or you are in prison for life with no prospect for parole, why not murder anyone who annoys you while in prison? It is a "free" kill.
(no subject):
Sylvia has been targeted again in death, simply because the cisgender Miss Likens was played in a film by someone who... has turned out not to be cisgender.
(no subject):
I should clarify that its internet trolls not me who needle Elliott Page about having played Sylvia.
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