People are more than the worst thing
they have ever done in their lives. – Helen Prejean
Explaining her opposition to the death
penalty. As quoted in: N.Y. Times Magazine, May 9, 1993
The above
quote by Helen Prejean, was quoted in N.Y. Times Magazine, May
9, 1993, where she explained her opposition to the death penalty. This infamous
quote was used by her to give an excuse why guilty murderers should not be put
to death. Sadly, this quote has been used by people who want to end mass incarceration
as an excuse on why criminals cannot be locked up forever.
Keith
Burley, Jr. is accused of killing an 8-year-old boy in New Castle, just months
after his release from prison. The reason for his release: he is a model
prisoner. Just like Barry Hadlow and Lenny Keith Lawson, they were brilliant
actors to fool the parole board to release them.
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Keith Burley Jr., the man Charged With Kidnapping, Fatally
Stabbing 8-Year-Old Boy Has Criminal History
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Pa. parole
board cites good behavior as reason for releasing parolee now accused of murder
Keith Burley, Jr. is accused of
killing an 8-year-old boy in New Castle, just months after his release from
prison
by: Chelsea Simeon
Posted: Nov 19, 2019 / 10:44 AM EST / Updated: Nov 19, 2019 / 11:02 AM EST
Related
Content
(WKBN) – The Pennsylvania Board
of Probation and Parole released its reasoning for releasing an inmate who is
accused of killing a Lawrence County boy while he was out on parole.
The board decided to release
Keith Burley, Jr. from SCI — Fayette in March following an interview with him
and a review of his file. The parole board said its decision was based on the
following factors:
- Burley’s
participation in and completion of prescribed institutional programs
- Positive
institutional behavior
- A positive
recommendation made by the Department of Corrections
- Burley’s
demonstrated motivation for success
- His acceptance of
responsibility for the offense(s) committed
- Stated remorse for
the offense(s) committed
- Development of a
parole release plan
- A positive
recommendation made by the trial judge
WKBN also requested records
that were given to the parole board before it made its decision, but that
information was not provided. According to the board, that information is confidential.
Burley is accused of killing
8-year-old Mark Edward Mason, Jr. after a fight with the boy’s mother in New Castle just
months after his release from prison.
He had spent 20 years in prison after he was convicted of killing a man during a robbery in New Castle.
While Burley was in prison, he
was charged again in 2002 for an incident that happened inside the facility.
According to court documents, he was charged with aggravated harassment and
assault by a prisoner.
The case against him and four
other parolees prompted a review of the state’s parole practices.
Burley was first booked into a
Pittsburgh facility in 1996. Records show he was moved in and out of various prisons 47 times until March
28, 2019, when he was paroled.
The Department of Corrections
did not release information on whether any misconduct was at play in the moves,
citing it was unable to release inmates’ misconduct reports due to
“investigative, security and privacy concerns.”
According to the records
provided by the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole, Burley was ordered
to meet certain criteria to remain on parole.
He was ordered to have a
curfew, have a job or be actively looking for a job, participate in out-patient
drug or alcohol treatment, go through random drug tests and avoid consuming
alcohol. He was also ordered not to possess ammunition.
Burley is awaiting trial early
next year on homicide, kidnapping and other charges.
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Mark
Edward Mason, Jr., New Castle, PA – Obituary
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2
teens witnessed Pa. boy, 8, being stabbed to death by homicide parolee: cops
By John Luciew
pennlive.com
Two boys who state police say witnessed a homicide parolee stabbing an
8-year-old boy to death first thought the man was hitting the boy.
But what was happening in a Lawrence County home on Monday night was far more
horrific than that.
The newspaper reports the two young witnesses were at a New Castle home playing
video games when the suspect, Keith L. Burley Jr., entered the house with two
other young boys.
Burley, who just made parole in March on another homicide conviction, had a
gun, but apparently no ammo. So he ordered the startled boys to search the
house for a magazine full of bullets, the newspaper reports citing the criminal
complaint.
But when the boys returned from their bedroom search, they saw something they
couldn’t comprehend at first.
One of the boys told police he saw what he thought was Burley hitting one of
the young children.
But as the two young witnesses neared Burley, they saw he wasn’t just hitting
the 8-year-old.
Burley was repeatedly – and ultimately fatally -- stabbing the boy, now
identified by police as Mark Edward Mason.
One of the boy witnesses described the weapon as a pink camouflage knife, the police
report said.
Both boys told police that Burley ran from the house after stabbing Mason, who
police say suffered multiple stab wounds. An autopsy is pending.
A manhunt for Burley, 43, of Edinburg, Pa., ended Tuesday morning as U.S.
marshals arrested him in Youngstown, Ohio.
Burley faces charges of homicide; two counts each of aggravated assault,
kidnapping to inflict terror and unlawful restraint; three counts of
terroristic threats; four counts of recklessly endangering another person; and
one count of simple assault.
Police say the deadly domestic incident was sparked when Burley had an argument
with the dead boy’s 36-year-old mother — believed to have been his girlfriend.
Burley was on parole from a 1999 robbery shooting death, according to state
police. He had pleaded guilty to third-degree murder and having a gun without a
license. He served the minimum on a 20- to 40-year prison term in the case.
Burley was released from state prison in March.
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Pennywise the evil clown
in the 1990 TV series and the 2017 Movie.
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