If someone kills a person then I am all for locking him up and throwing away the key.
Peter Sullivan has spent 39 years in prison after being found guilty of sexually assaulting a young barmaid and then killing her.
Fair enough, except that he didn’t do it.
DNA evidence which wasn’t avaliable at the time of his conviction has proved that he could not have done it.
Here’s the problem.
How many rapists and murderers did Peter Sullivan see come into prison, serve their entire sentence and then get released?
39 fucking years for his crime when other people who were actually guilty of similar offences have been given far less.
How many decades has DNA evidence been available which could have got him released?
I know that there have been advances in the way that DNA can be examined but while this innocent man has spent most of his life locked up, the legal appeal system have been dragging their feet.
39 years.
He now says that he doesn’t feel bitter about it.
A classic case of Stockholm Syndrome.
This poor man is now in his late 60’s and has lost his life.
He will never be able to rehabilitate into normal society.
Being out of prison and without the regular routine he will not be able to cope.
Simple things like having some money in his pocket and carrying a set of keys are totally alien to him.
Even being able to wear a belt will be something that will confuse him.
Whatever compensation that he will be paid is irrelevant.
He will not know how to spend it anyway.
Justice only works if it is applied to everyone equally.
Nominated by: The Artful Cunter
