Friday, December 10, 1999
Judge to refuse holiday furloughs
Change follows slaying
BY SHEILA McLAUGHLIN
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Judge Powers
|
LEBANON — A week after an inmate's furlough led to the death of a South Lebanon mother of three, the judge who released William Chapman is abandoning a longstanding Warren County tradition of holiday releases.
Two days after he blamed Mr. Chapman's release on the sheriff's office, Judge Dallas Powers said he would consider furloughs for inmates on a case-by-case basis and only for dire family emergencies.
Even then, the prisoner might have to be accompanied by a deputy, the judge said in a statement issued through the court clerk's office.
“It's overdue,” said Warren County Prosecutor Tim Oliver. “Each individual judge has to make his own decision. But I would think this would cause everybody to rethink their position.”
Judge Powers is one of five county and municipal court judges who have the authority to furlough prisoners.
Judge James Heath, a second judge on county court, could not be reached. But Mr. Oliver said Judge Heath had agreed to terminate holiday furloughs as well. Judges in Lebanon and Mason municipal courts told the Enquirer they don't offer holiday releases.
Still in question, however, is Judge James Ruppert of Franklin Municipal Court, who freed half of the 14 inmates released from the Warren County Justice Center for Thanksgiving.
Judge Ruppert could not be reached Thursday and the staff at his private law office said he is out of town until next week.
“It doesn't make a good impression if they get off for the holidays,” said Mason Municipal Judge David Batsche. “Just to let them out to have a party one day and tell them to come back the next, that's self-defeating.”
For relatives of 42-year-old Suzie Thompson, Judge Powers' decision obviously came, in her brother's words, “a little too late.”
She was gunned down in her bedroom six days after Mr. Chapman, a two-time convicted felon jailed in October for threatening her by phone, failed to return from a one-day pass.
After killing Ms. Thompson, police said Mr. Chapman used the same gun to commit suicide.
“I'm glad that they have finally done something. I don't think the furlough system should ever have existed,” said Ms. Thompson's brother, Jean-Jacques Desfosses of Mason.
“I think the entire system should be done away with. When somebody breaks the law, they should do their sentence.”
He said the family has hired a lawyer and plans to sue the county over his sister's death.
Judge Powers has said he did not know Mr. Chapman was being held on a parole violation when he arbitrarily agreed to release him. Mr. Chapman was one of seven inmates Judge Powers released after considering 49 inmates who were jailed under county court jurisdiction.
The practice of holiday furloughs was started decades ago in Warren County to ease jail crowding, but continued even after the crowding problem was solved with an addition to the jail three years ago. Warren County is the only county in the Tristate to offer mass holiday releases.
The judge said sheriff's deputies erred in releasing Mr. Chapman because he had a parole holder, which superseded the furlough order.
Sheriff Tom Ariss maintained deputies knew about the parole holder but released Mr. Chapman rather than violate Judge Powers' order.
“This thing has impacted everybody,” Sheriff Ariss said Thursday, adding that he is reviewing the jail operation in the wake of Ms. Thompson's death. “I would say that the furloughs aren't going to happen.”
Mike Brown's game planned by dad's past
Butler highway to open Monday, 8 months early
Deters to step in as county GOP chairman
Grandparents on the Web
Judge to refuse holiday furloughs
Holiday gas prices highest since 1990
Megafight brews over megafarm
New radon test could quantify Fernald risk
Police officer indicted in jogger's death
Police review panel wants earlier say in discipline cases
PUCO weighing area code options
Firefighters' deaths hit hard
Health centers come to schools
N.Ky. lawmakers' bill would prohibit local gay-rights laws
Peace bell passes test
Study: Coils in arteries would save lives
Local patients involved in research studies
Dentures key to renewed strength
Early arthritis can't keep couple down
GET TO IT
Queen City's moments to shine reflected in book
Women's health conference expands
Area told to get tech college
Blood stains match victim's DNA
Grand jury to get fatal boat-crash case
Man admitted on 911 to killing N.Ky. actress
Roeding formally announces 2000 run
Woman injured in car-semi crash on I-75
