The man who was involved in California mass kidnapping has been offered parole after 45 years of imprisonment.
Frederick Newhall Woods, 70, was approved parole during a hearing at California Men’s Colony, a state prison, after previously being denied 17 times. He had the support of two survivors. He spent more than 45 years behind bars.
In 1976, Woods along with his accomplices, brothers Richard and James Schoenfeld, hatched a plan inspired by the film Dirty Harry. They hijacked a school bus full of children and held them and their driver for a $5 million ransom.
According to CNN, Woods was one of three men who kidnapped 26 children and their bus driver, Ed Ray, in northern California. He drove them more than 100 miles away, placed them in a moving truck, and buried them alive in a quarry owned by his father.
But the children, aged 5 to 14, and Ray, who were all from the California town of Livermore some 100 miles away from the scene of the crime, were able to dig themselves out after 16 hours underground while the three kidnappers were sleeping.
The crime was considered the largest mass kidnapping in U.S. history. All three conspirators, who came from wealthy San Francisco families, pleaded guilty to kidnapping and were given 27 life sentences without the possibility of parole.
Governor Gavin Newsom’s late father, state Judge William Newsom, reduced all three men’s life sentences in 1980 so they could have a chance at parole. Richard was released in 2012 after an appeals court order and James was paroled by then-Governor Jerry Brown in 2015.
Joe Orlando, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesperson, has approved Woods’s parole. Woods, the last kidnapper remaining in prison could be freed by a parole board, despite having been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole.
Woods said: “I’ve had empathy for the victims which I didn’t have then, I’ve had a character change since then. I was 24 years old, now I fully understand the terror and trauma I caused. I fully take responsibility for this heinous act.”
CNN reported that several of the victims say they still have nightmares and anxiety due to the incident.point 220 |
Carrejo Labendeira, one of the victims, said: “I just get nauseous at the very thought of it.point 83 | I am living the whole ordeal all over again the whole kidnapping, just the buried alive, just the flashes of everything that has happened.point 198 | ”point 205 | 1
Jennifer Brown Hyde, another survivor opposing Woods’ parole, said he had not made complete amends for the crime. She said: “He could have done much more. Even the settlement paid to some of us survivors was not sufficient. It was enough to pay for some therapy but not enough to buy a house.”
The panel’s decision will now be reviewed by the California Board of Parole Hearing’s legal division. If no action is taken, Woods’ parole would be granted within 120 days from Friday’s hearing.
Governor Newsom then has 30 days to review the panel’s decision. The governor can only reverse parole if the inmate was convicted of murder, which Wood was not.
Two victims who participated during Friday’s hearing said they agreed that Woods should be paroled, according to NBC. Larry Park said: “I believe you have served enough time for the crime you committed.”
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