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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Are We Not Men? Amnesty For Aging Inmates

Inmates pictured here (19) have spent a combined 516 years in Virginia prisons, have good prison records and are all parole eligible, having been incarcerated prior to parole being abolished in 1995. They also qualify for geriatric release (based on age and number of years served). Yet fewer than 3% of the nearly 4000 eligible inmates were released last year, and some have virtually given up hope of ever getting out of prison alive. 

Name; Age; # of years incarcerated; # of turn downs for parole

Mr. Kenneth Ray Pack; 65; 23; 11

Mr. John Bennie Williams; 82; 39; 20+ (blind)

Mr. James Franklin McKenzie; 65; 25; 14

Mr. Clarence Lee Barkley, Jr.; 68; 46; 31

Mr. Ronald Anthony Blair; 58; 39; __

Mr. Robert Davis Fitchett, Jr.; 52; 36; 12 (incarcerated since age 16)

Mr. Antonio S. Galacia; 78; 20*; 10

Mr. Patrick Michael Lockner; 62; 31; 12

Mr. Charles E. Zellers, Sr.. 47; 22; 7 (not pictured)


Mr. Donald Edward Worrell; 72; 36; 20+

Mr. David J. Ragno; 60; 30+; 20+

Mr. John Clinton Wright; 87; 38; 33+

Mr. Henry Tipold; 70; 36; 14+


Mr. Clarence Duke Reynold; 66; 25; 10

Mr. Bruce Andrew Ainsley; 63; 32; 15

Mr. Rickey Anthony Hickman; 61; 20*; __

Mr. Melvin Leroy White; 70; 20*; 8

Mr. James Benjamin Fitzgerald; 68; 29; 17

Mr. Bobby Fayne Hess; 64; 35; 24

Mr. Lonnie Eugene Coleman; 63; 39; 20+

Note: Men or women in prison who are seen as a current danger to others are confined to one of Virginia's maximum security facilities rather than in medium security ones like the above. These are but a few of many model inmates who are eligible, and many have significant health problems. The likelihood of individuals re-offending drops sharply with age, while the cost to taxpayers to keep them incarcerated dramatically increases.

* actual number of years incarcerated unavailable, but would be 20 or more

Here's a link to more posts on parole in Virginia
http://harvyoder.blogspot.com/search?q=parole+board

Here's a link to contact Governor McAuliffe https://governor.virginia.gov/constituent-services/Communicating-with-the-governors-office

6 comments:

darwin said...

Yes, Harvey, you're right. IF there are places they can be cared for when released, then they certainly should be in most cases (excepting severe mental illness that would represent possible harm to themselves or others). Otherwise, they become more homeless people.

Unknown said...

Praying for you men

Unknown said...

Just leaving that Donald Edward Worrell has passed while incarcerated! Only one I know of in the picture!

Unknown said...

RIP Donald Worrell

Anonymous said...


Mr. Patrick Michael Lockner got out this year and committed a different crime and is back in jail.dont see the point in letting someone out who killed his wife and then went after his daughter.

Anonymous said...

Robert Fitchett killed a 13 year old who was zipped inside a sleeping bag by stabbing her in the head repeatedly with a butcher knife. Then he stabbed her mother & 2 sisters, trying to kill them all. Why? Because one of the older girls didn't want to date him. NO MERCY! If he could do that at 15, what more would he do now?!?!?!