Posted on 10/15/2007 7:10:20 PM PDT by mombyprofession
Convicted killer Wayne Lee Stevens set for release, per judge's order
John Bumgardner
Created: 10/15/2007 2:10:53 PM Updated: 10/15/2007 7:05:18 PM
Muskegon - A Muskegon Judge has ruled, Wayne Lee Stevens has served his time and should be released. But while Judge Timothy Hicks has ruled in Stevens' favor, there is a stay on his release which means Stevens will remain incarcerated for now.
Judge Hicks says he expresses concerns about Stevens' release, but adds there is no lawful way to prolong his incarceration. In a court ruling released today, Judge Hicks says, “If the Court of Appeals sees another way and reverses this decision, no one would be better pleased than this judge.”
The Department of Corrections has said that Wayne Stevens has served his time and should go free. He was convicted for the 1979 sexual assault and murder of a Muskegon County woman.
Prosecutor Tony Tague says Stevens should not go free and not just because of the murder. His office contends the Department of Corrections calculator is broken and needs to be fixed.
By prosecutors' calculations, Wayne Stevens should remain locked up until 2024. After all, they say, he did admit to murder, escaped from prison and committed sexual misconducts while serving out his sentence.
A lawyer for the Department of Corrections says the math is correct. Stevens earned and was credited for nearly 16 years of "good time" behavior. The murder sentence and additional time for the prison escape have "maxed out" and, if not for Tagues' last minute legal challenge, Stevens would have walked from the Muskegon Correctional Facility earlier this month.
Sandra Girard from Prison Legal Services doesn't represent Stevens, but was allowed to address the court on his behalf.
"He only had to serve a certain number of years minus the good time credits that he earned for both convictions and he has served that."
Tony Tague, Muskegon County Prosecutor said: "If everything went right, he was entitled to be released on October 2nd. Guess what, every thing did not go right. He committed five major misconducts, two parole violations; he committed an escape from prison."
The guy never had a chance.
They should toss his mom and dad in prison for giving him the name Wayne Lee.
No matter what, 80% has to be served, and I really don’t know how one would get that 80.
When you go to jail in Virginia you go for the term specified at your sentencing.
Advice to the state legislature ~ abolish parole.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
“Judge Hicks says he expresses concerns about Stevens’ release, but adds there is no lawful way to prolong his incarceration. In a court ruling released today, Judge Hicks says, “If the Court of Appeals sees another way and reverses this decision, no one would be better pleased than this judge.””
I know this judge, and he’s actually a pretty reasonable guy. I can’t believe he didn’t try harder to find something, anything to keep this guy in. But- our lovely Ms. Governor Socialist is trying to have more prisoners released early to “save money”. Bah.
Maybe the reason you think he is reasonable is because he is actually trying to follow the law.
Did the prosecutor prosecute him for the escape?
So he goes out and commits another crime and the judge says “whoopsie”?
Yeah, I’m going to have to follow this story. I don’t think they give enough info on this situation. I’d like to see a breakdown of his years, his time off for good behavior, and whether or not he was punished for his escape and other crimes.
Good behavior credit is one of those things which isn’t as efficacious as life without possibility of parole — or the gallows.
I hope the murderous deviant b@stard moves in next to her. Good behavior, indeed.
This is another one laying right at the doorstep of Jenny Grandstand.
No word about this from the apparently anonymous Muskegon woman that was sexually assaulted and murdered by the perp.
The court has until the end of November to decide this one. I went to high school with Mary so this one really matters to me. My daughter and grand daughter live in Muskegon and I hate to think that Stevens will be free to roam the streets as he has shown everyone exactly what he was then and still is.
The escape and the other prison crimes needed to be prosecuted in the city of the prison that Stevens was in. It was not up to Tague to do it. Stevens did get extra time for the prison escape according to the DOC website. Here is the link to that site: http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2profile.asp?mdocNumber=161331
I believe Tony Tague will do everything he can to keep Stevens behind bars for as long as he can. He will move it up the ladder of courts if it is possible.
I now live in another state and have kept an eye on this situation for awhile now. Stevens has had another court case several years ago regarding his release and lost that.
I would suggest that anyone really interested in this case and pleased that someone is fighting against this release send a note to Tony Tague encouraging him to keep fighting for the citizens of Muskegon in this case. I did.
(sorry if I messed up the posting...I tried)
Appeals court judges release sex killer; whereabouts unknown.
http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2007/11/appeals_court_judges_release_s.html
It is a shame that justice and safety for the community has turned a blind eye.
Dexter Morgan to the white courtesy phone. (Showtime series about a serial killer that works for the Miami police department and releases his inner demons by killing bad guys).
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