The media became aware that a former drug dealer, in 1984, killing 10 people in one of the houses in Brooklyn, was released after 34 years after conviction. The court sentenced 34-year-old Christopher Thomas to 10 prison terms of 25 years each. He is now 68 years old.
Christopher Thomas, who received sentences of 10 to 25 years. Photo: New York State Parole Board
To go after three decades at the freedom it helped that he was convicted under article «manslaughter«. Then the prosecutors thought the assailant being under the influence of cocaine, didn’t understand what he’s doing. That is why the article was changed to easier.
«The massacre of palm Sunday» occurred on 15 April 1984. Then Christopher Thomas, being under the influence of drugs, walked to a house in Brooklyn, which was his wife, and without warning, shot all present. The main motive was jealousy. Among the dead were six little children, two girls-a teenager and two women. Then survived only breast girl.
In paragraph, mitigating the punishment, it was stated «an extraordinary emotional excitement«, which the killer supposedly was not aware of what he’s doing. Due to this paragraph the perpetrator in a mass shooting could early be out.
Former police officer Martin Golden, who now works in the Senate, served in those days, and remembered the fateful day.
«I remember the massacre on palm Sunday. Is impossible to forget, «says Golden.
«This is complete madness. The man who killed eight children and two adults, will now go among the people of new York. The laws of the state proved ineffective in this case,» said a joint author with Senator Golden’s bill Nicole Malliotakis.
According to their proposal, the state government needs to ban guilty of manslaughter 1st degree to qualify for early release. According to legislators, this should allow to avoid such errors in the future.
