Topic: Skip Henderson Update

[BigJimslade]

I was friends with Skip during our days in Huntington.  Have communicated with him on more than a few occasions during his incarceration.  Provided some financial help for his commissary account.  I know my opinion is subjective as I wasn't a victim of his crimes, but 30 years is probably enough time to at least earn the chance for an appeal or release with stringent conditions.  Just my 2 cents.  Plenty of other folks who have killed people in DUI crashes and committed other  crimes resulting in death who haven't served anywhere close to his sentence.

Your last sentence displays a lack of awareness as comparing crimes and sentences is very challenging due to so many variables.

[herd1990]

Your last sentence displays a lack of awareness as comparing crimes and sentences is very challenging due to so many variables.

I'm not talking about the variables that affect sentences.  I understand that impacts sentences and such.  I'm talking about common sense.....something that doesn't always apply to the law.  I'm also not making excuses for him.  He's at where he deserves to be.  Just not sure a life sentence is appropriate, in my opinion only.

[BigJimslade]

Skip Henderson is a criminal and deserves to be exactly where he is. Keep it real

[herdorbust2]

Skip Henderson is a criminal and deserves to be exactly where he is. Keep it real

Maybe so but the law isn't consistent. Again, there has been people let out after a few years that did much much worse. There lies the problem imo.

[MUther]

Skip Henderson is a criminal and deserves to be exactly where he is. Keep it real

You're a clown.  A life sentence for never actually harming anyone is pretty harsh.  Hopefully no one you care about ever does something stupid in their YOUTH and pays for it with the rest of their life. 

I don't know whether he should or should not be in jail, but I believe he should at least have a chance at parole and let someone evaluate his case some 25 years later.  FFS, murderers and rapists get a revolving door in any liberal city/state.  Skip is neither and his crimes were drug related.  I would hope after that long in prison the itch is gone and would go a long way towards preventing a recurrence.

[herd1990]

Skip Henderson is a criminal and deserves to be exactly where he is. Keep it real

What did my next to last sentence say on my previous post?

[wasbarryb]

You're a clown.  A life sentence for never actually harming anyone is pretty harsh.  Hopefully no one you care about ever does something stupid in their YOUTH and pays for it with the rest of their life. 

I don't know whether he should or should not be in jail, but I believe he should at least have a chance at parole and let someone evaluate his case some 25 years later.  FFS, murderers and rapists get a revolving door in any liberal city/state.  Skip is neither and his crimes were drug related.  I would hope after that long in prison the itch is gone and would go a long way towards preventing a recurrence.

I question whether it can reasonably be said Skip's crimes "never hurt anyone."  Yes his mangled third offense didn't physically hurt anyone.  Being hijacked at gun point and forced to drive your attacker around isn't good for anyone.  His two earlier convictions for drug selling is far from a victimless crime.  The drugs he sold can harm the users and their families.  Sold drugs can end someone's life.

Still I think there should be a point where the jail time in exceeds the crime.  That is why we employ judges instead of computers to apply laws.  I think at some point incarcerations of extremely long duration merit being reviewed and changes considered.

[MUther]

I question whether it can reasonably be said Skip's crimes "never hurt anyone."  Yes his mangled third offense didn't physically hurt anyone.  Being hijacked at gun point and forced to drive your attacker around isn't good for anyone.  His two earlier convictions for drug selling is far from a victimless crime.  The drugs he sold can harm the users and their families.  Sold drugs can end someone's life.

Still I think there should be a point where the jail time in exceeds the crime.  That is why we employ judges instead of computers to apply laws.  I think at some point incarcerations of extremely long duration merit being reviewed and changes considered.

He never physically harmed anyone.  Not like the murderers and rapists that get out right after they're booked.  If you want to discuss mental trauma that's a different conversation than the point I was making. 

[BigJimslade]

He never physically harmed anyone.  Not like the murderers and rapists that get out right after they're booked.  If you want to discuss mental trauma that's a different conversation than the point I was making.

Who are these murders and rapist that GET OUT RIGHT AFTER THEY ARE BOOKED?
LOL
Name a few

[herd1990]

Who are these murders and rapist that GET OUT RIGHT AFTER THEY ARE BOOKED?
LOL
Name a few

Dude, he's been incarcerated for 25+ years.  Plenty of rapists, murderers who are released prior to 25+ year sentences.  Nobody is talking about anyone getting released right after being booked but you.     I'm not even saying he should be released yet, but I do think he should have a hearing in front of a parole board who can better assess his prospects for a productive and law abiding life outside of prison.  Right now he has zero hope of that.

[herdorbust2]

Dude, he's been incarcerated for 25+ years.  Plenty of rapists, murderers who are released prior to 25+ year sentences.  Nobody is talking about anyone getting released right after being booked but you.     I'm not even saying he should be released yet, but I do think he should have a hearing in front of a parole board who can better assess his prospects for a productive and law abiding life outside of prison.  Right now he has zero hope of that.

And I will add he made some horrible decisions at a young age. Now if someone does these things over and over at 40-50?years old then put them away. But he never physically injured or killed anyone. Yes I'm sure mentally it was awful for someone having a gun pulled on them. But again he never killed or physically harmed anyone at his young age. Imo if they have shown remorse and been a model prisoner they deserve to have a parole board hearing to finish their life in freedom after 25-30 years. Now rape or murder? Never!!!

[HerdEcon]

My guess is that some people may feel differently if he had held a gun to their son, daughter, spouse, or parent's head kidnapped them and forced them to drive him around in their car OR if it was their loved one behind the counter of the convenience store whose life he threatened while robbing the store of $300.00.  And they learned that he had prior felony convictions on his record for violent crimes before holding the gun to their loved ones head.  But that's just a guess on my part, some people may be okay with that.

What got Skip the life sentence was not one or two occasions of criminal conduct or one or two crimes.  Skip got the sentence he did because of his collective criminal history and the fact that he exhibited a pattern of increasingly violent crimes.  Ultimately he committed a capital offense with a firearm. 

The 25+ years in prison, that is the collective amount of time he has spent in prison for ALL his crimes, not just his most recent crimes.     

[herdorbust2]

My guess is that some people may feel differently if he had held a gun to their son, daughter, spouse, or parent's head kidnapped them and forced them to drive him around in their car OR if it was their loved one behind the counter of the convenience store whose life he threatened while robbing the store of $300.00.  And they learned that he had prior felony convictions on his record for violent crimes before holding the gun to their loved ones head.  But that's just a guess on my part, some people may be okay with that.

What got Skip the life sentence was not one or two occasions of criminal conduct or one or two crimes.  Skip got the sentence he did because of his collective criminal history and the fact that he exhibited a pattern of increasingly violent crimes.  Ultimately he committed a capital offense with a firearm. 

The 25+ years in prison, that is the collective amount of time he has spent in prison for ALL his crimes, not just his most recent crimes.   

Again it's about fairness of the law. You are correct in saying that. But do you think it would be worse to hold a gun at your daughter or son or actually rape your daughter or molest your son? These judges let these pedophiles out or don't even make them serve and same for some rapists. If they applied the law fairly and left them all in then fine. But there are people that have done far worse and walking the streets today. I don't have a bleeding heart for any criminal but he deserves a chance to be a free man after all this time compared to others.