Nearly 5 Decades Later, Man Who Killed New York Officers Wins Parole

The fact is that Officers Jones and Piagentini were lured to the location by a phony phone call made to 911. The purpose of that phone call was to bring the officers to the location for one purpose: to be executed. First, the three killers shot both oficers in the back and then after the officers were severely wounded, they removed Officer Jones' gun from his holster and proceeded to use that gun on the officers, who by now, were prone on the sidewalk bleeding to death. Mercy? The murders of Officers Jones and Piagentini shocked the conscience then and still do today. But it is must be noted that one officer was black; and the other was white -- But together they wore BLUE--and for that they were executed. God bless them both and the men and women who wear blue. I stand with them and NOT the Herman Bells of the world.

He was not sentenced to life without parole. He was sentenced to 25 to life, which is not technically life. He has been eligible for parole and he got it. If the legislature in Albany wanted to make this crime punishable by a different sentence, they would have. Even all the family members of the deceased officers do not agree on keeping him in prison.

Joseph A. Piagentini and Waverly M. Jones were killed in an ambush, shot in the back multiple times as they returned to their car after answering a call near Macombs Dam Bridge in Manhattan. These two fine public servants never had a chance - they were never afforded the opportunity to defend themselves or even unholster their firearms against such a heinous, cold blooded act of murder. Since both young officers lost their lives, then Herman Bell should lose his freedom permanently as well. I cannot help by feel that all police officers have been betrayed by this decision to grant parole to Herman Bell.

This is an age-old question: Is prison for rehabilitation or retribution?

As a retired police officer (Detective), this disgusts me. In my time on the job, I lost count of how many parolees I've arrested. Parole rarely violates a violator. At 70 years old he has decided to admit his crime, so parole would be granted? Correctional facilities DO NOT correct bad behavior. Along with the fact that Mr.Bell at 70 years old now being released back into society that he cannot be prepared for. The world, especially New York, especially NYC has drastically changed in 40 years. Mr.Bell earned a college degree while incarcerated? What is that degree for and putting his "felon" status aside, at 70, who will be hiring him? Is his family prepared to house and feed him? Or will he end up riding the subway homeless, like many parolees?

46 years in prison is long enough for anyone to be in prison. How is justice and humanity served by keeping people in prison when they become elderly or infirmed? The parole board made a humane, lawful and good decision to release Mr. Bell.

In 1973 police were butchering blacks like Tyson chickens all over the country. It didn't matter the city, it didn't matter the stature, it didn't matter the circumstances. Hoover and Nixon opened fire on all of us, and some of us - like those in the BLA - shot back. The BLA was to the left of the BPP - and THAT is quite a statement. BPP believed in defense and BLA believed in offense. However, while the two group argued tactics, white cops were killing black men and women like it was free...because it was free, and sanctioned by both Nixon and Hoover. This man did 50 years for a shooting that happened when the US government was napalming Cambodians in secret, overthrowing Chilean presidents, and killing blacks during riots and demonstrations like it was a turkey shoot. Those were different times. He is out. Get over it.

Curious how this man will transition into a society and city (if he returns to NYC) dramatically different from decades ago. Does he have family to take him in? How will he support himself, even if he lives with relatives? Could be a tough transition. It has been for many who were imprisoned that long.

If it takes you 45 years to even acknowledge your crime (having exhausted all legal appeals), perhaps before rejoining society you should spend some time actually thinking about the enormity of shooting a young father 22 times.

Regardless of whether Mr. Bell has expressed remorse for what he did, some crimes require that the perpetrator continue to pay the price for his/her crime, just as the victim(s) and their survivors live with the ongoing consequences of the act. Premeditated murder, particularly of peace officers, is just such a crime. I am opposed to capital punishment, and I fear that this action by the Parole Board will reenergize a movement to restore capital punishment in New York State as the only way to ensure that those who knowingly and purposefully take an innocent’s life permanently forfeit their freedom.

I consider myself a broad minded individual and objective in matters of police conduct and the prison system. But in this case, and on these facts, I disagree with the decision of the Board. Parole is an important element of the criminal justice system to allow a current review of a person whose crime was committed years earlier. However, deterrence is also an important aspect of the criminal justice system-----and given these facts and the cold blooded nature of the crime----deterrence and justice for the victim and his family, would seem to me to be the most important goals to be achieved in the case of Mr. Bell. There can be no societal forgiveness of a crime of this nature----and that is the message that the criminal justice system should be sending in this instance.

The logic of Pat Lynch's position is that parole should never be granted for anyone who kills a cop. If it were the law, the sentence for cop-killing would always be a life sentence without opportunity for parole. In fact, Bell's sentence was 25 to life, and he has served 45 years. He has been eligible for parole for 20 years, and the Parole Board has denied him parole every time (typically every two years) until now. Obviously, Bell's crime was serious - not just a double murder, but murder of two police officers, and for the very purpose of attacking the authority of the law. Today, that might be considered to be terrorism. But the law makes clear that the seriousness of the crime is only one of the factors the Parole Board must consider. Other factors include whether the person is likely to lead a law-abiding life if released and whether the person has maintained a good record while incarcerated. The Parole Board clearly considered all relevant factors, not just the one that Pat Lynch prefers. No doubt Pat Lynch figures it will help him in his next run for re-election as head of the police union to have called a news conference to make nasty remarks about the Parole Board. But that tells you more about the politics of police union elections than it tells you about the propriety of the Parole Board's action. politicsbyeccehomo.wordpress.com

It is sad that compassion and forgiveness seem horribly out of fashion in our society today. Two wrongs have never made a right, ever.

Any thoughts about the mind set of today’s police professional, a person expected to put all personal interests and even familial responsibilities aside when danger threatens anyone at any time and act accordingly? If a heartless and vicious murderer of two officers can be mitigated to a limited jail term, might not a message of ‘indifferance’ to the suffering of so many result? Worse still, remember the term ‘street justice’? Let’s hope not.

I get that people need to be punished for wrongdoings, but all my life I have heard that incarceration was not only punishment but rehabilitation. Some people kill because they were high on drugs or made a fatal mistake at a moment in time that they would never do again. Those that stop drugs and never get high again, or who see the error of their ways, why are we punishing them forever and a day? That seems more like revenge to me than punishment. I know noting about this case specifically, so I am not commenting specifically on this case. It just seems to me that too many people want revenge and not any real justice. When did we stop treating wrong doers as people who made huge mistakes that need time to think about those mistakes and instead see prisons as a place to keep people who victims can't forgive? If after fifty years you have not forgiven someone, -you don't have to forget, how could one?- then I think that says more about you than the wrongdoer. A lesson I learned as a child is that nothing you can say with scorn to someone who has made an accident, does real wrong, steals, etc, will never be as bad as what they say to themselves. That is of course, barring that they are a sociopath. Forgiveness let's you move on and it gives a bit of grace to the wrongdoer. Revenge just keeps it all going in an insidious cycle.

As a retired NYPD officer (1969-93) I was STUNNED and saddened when I saw this story in this mornings paper of Bells parole. As a child of the 60"s I was a liberal cop (much to the disdain of many of my fellow officers) Saw it all (and participated in some), police brutality, racism, corruption plus countless acts of humble kindness, compassion and a quest for truth and justice from the people I served with. Still am left of center and proud of it. That being said I believe there are certain acts that people commit that are unforgivable, this being one. Additionally Bell has been a prime suspect in a number of other unsolved police assassinations {Patrolman Greg Foster and Rocco Laurie, 9th Pct., East Village Jan. 27th, 1972, also black and white partners} across the U.S. in the early 1970's. We have had a long history of and continue to have a very schizophrenic criminal justice system in this country. We execute people who are minimally mentally functioning and parole "assassins". My hats off to Waverly Jones son for finding peace and love in his heart forgiving Bell for senselessly taking his father. Better than to live with the hate. I only hope that if Bell is paroled he learns from that act and possibly makes the world a tiny bit better before he leaves this place.

It's interesting that in The Times' coverage of the nanny child killer, it repeatedly has indicated that if convicted she will spend the rest of her life in prison but if found not guilty by reason of insanity she wouldn't be incarcerated for life (or, if you believe The Times, might not even be incarcerated at all). This article shows that even those sentenced to life in prison can eventually be freed.

As a retired NYC Police Officer I am outraged. My father and uncles were Police Officers during these crazy times when NYC Cops were being ambushed by these thugs and shot and killed for nothing more then wearing the blue uniform of the NYPD. Police Officers represent society, and defend its weakest , poorest, and most vulnerable. The actions of this man, and his cohorts during the era of their activities was deadly, costing the lives of dozens of cops across America. In 1971 some 47 NYC Cops were shot in one year! War was declared on the NYPD and this guy was a murdering enemy. No one should ever be paroled for murdering an on duty Police Officer doing their job. And these assignations where particularly cold, calculated, and vicious. He should have rotted in a jail cell until death. He learned to play the flute and obtained a Masters Degree? Wow. Shame that these two brave cops never got the opportunity the past 47 to see their kids and grandkids do the same.

How does a murderer, and a cop killer to boot, ever merit parole? What ever happened to life in prison for the ultimate crime? The State Parole Board, like most of the politicians in Albany, are nothing more than bleeding heart liberals who regard the police as the enemy of the people. This is a despicable decision which should not stand.

There are some bad police officers. For the most part, though, police officers rush into situations the rest of our city runs from. They try to quell domestic disputes. They apprehend drug dealers and murderers. They arrive to find children dead, killed by deadbeat boyfriends and psychotic mothers. Their jobs are dirty and dangerous. And sometimes they're shot in the back. Eh.

People who kill cops should never be free to walk the same streets as the rest of society. The very act of killing a cop proves that they are the enemy of the law and all it represents. Whether 17 or 112 and on life-support, they should remain incarcerated until they are dead.