[Ppnews] U.S. Parole Commission Votes to Release Veronza Bowers

[PPnews at freedomarchives.org]

Let's not count our chickens, but this just came across from the FOP so 
consider it only an FYI

claude


http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=47914
U.S. Parole Commission Votes to Release Cop-Killer; F.O.P. Vows to Appeal 
to Attorney General

5/24/2005 5:12:00 PM

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To: National Desk

Contact: Tim Richardson of the Fraternal Order of Police, 202-547-8189

WASHINGTON, May 24 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Chuck Canterbury, National president 
of the Fraternal Order of Police, had only the harshest criticism for the 
U.S. Parole Commission, which voted late last week to release convicted 
cop-killer Veronza L. Bowers, Jr.

"I was appalled to learn that the Commission approved the release of this 
unrepentant murderer," Canterbury said. "Allowing this killer back in the 
streets puts the public and police officers at risk. We will exhaust every 
legal avenue in an effort to keep Bowers where he belongs--behind bars. To 
that end, we intend to ask the U.S. Attorney General to have the National 
Appeals Board review the case and correct the decision of the Commission."

Bowers was poaching deer with two other men in August 1973 when he was 
confronted by U.S. Park Ranger Ken Patrick. Bowers shot Patrick three times 
with his 9mm handgun, killing him. The killer has never expressed any 
remorse, nor has he admitted to killing Ranger Patrick. To this day, he 
maintains that he was framed by government authorities. Far from being a 
model prisoner, he was shot and wounded during an escape attempt, and was 
implicated in the murder of two fellow inmates.

"There is no way that a reasonable person can believe that this killer, who 
describes himself as a 'political prisoner' in 'fascist America,' has 
earned his release," Canterbury said. "The Commission should have denied 
his parole based on his conduct as a Federal inmate and the strong 
likelihood that he will commit further crimes once he is free. They have 
willfully ignored the facts of his case in what is a clear case of 
dereliction of duty. If the Commission fails to protect the public from 
criminals like Anthony Kelly and Veronza Bowers, then we must act to 
protect the public from the U.S. Parole Commission."

Canterbury's remarks referred to Anthony Kelly, an inmate released in 2001 
by order of the U.S. Parole Commission five years before the completion of 
his sentence. Within nine months of his release, he had assaulted a police 
officer, stolen numerous cars and firearms, committed two rapes and left 
three people dead-- including a six-year old girl. It was very clear from 
his file and the information available to the Commission that he never 
should have been paroled in the first place.

"We are going to make our views on this decision very, very clear to the 
Attorney General," Canterbury said, noting that the authorization for the 
U.S Parole Commission expires at the end of the year. "Ken Patrick left 
behind a wife and three children. Their lives were irrevocably changed on 
the night of his murder. Bowers was sentenced to life in prison--and life 
in prison is what he should serve."

The Fraternal Order of Police is the largest law enforcement labor 
organization in the United States, with more than 318,000 members.

<http://www.usnewswire.com/>http://www.usnewswire.com/

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/© 2005 U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/


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