Yeah right the judge has her own brain to think for herself and make dicision herself not another citizen.

It is sad when the care-takers are not listened to. So the guards had a serious problem with a man who murdered his mother. Was tried and convicted by his peers. While in person he had marks that showed he continued to have some very serious issues going on in his mind.
A recently appointed judge, a woman, felt he had served enough of his sentence and despite the warnings from those who knew him. She released the man to go out and kill a couple of newly-weds. This is so sad. Two family's now have great tragedy in dealing with her careless opinion ... despite the warnings. Sounds typical and unfortunate for Mitt, not that we were not already worried about his credentials. Being soft and careless about selecting the right people will always haunt you.

the reality is that this man only had 1 year to serve before he was available for parole. 4 until he was free. The judge's decision to release Tavares now vs. later would not have resulted in a different outcome. He most likely would have killed again, but the targets may have been different.

Blaming the judge in this matter is reckless and ignorant. If there's anyone to blame, which everyone loves to blame someone; we should blame the original verdict. It allowed a violent killer to get back on the streets regardless of time served. He should not have been given 17-20. He should have been given life or death.

I like to believe the best in people. I think he probably really thought she was a good candidate, probably even investigated her thoroughly. But you never really can know someone completely, and she turned out to be a little off. A truly unfortunate thing, but probably not Mitt's fault. Anyone would have made the same mistake, or else escaped it by luck only.

Thank you tumbleweedin and bdkjones, for your postive input

It's Romney's fault that MA doesn't hve the death penalty.

Agree with CharlesSr. The second murder had its seeds in the original prosecution and sentencing for manslaughter (rather than 1st or 2nd degree murder).

As I read this article, I kept thinking, "Am I missing something here? It wasn't as though she overturned a life-sentence. He was close to release anyway." Just another chance for Romney to grandstand as I see it (and Guiliani too, may I add?). It doesn't matter what the guards thought, once his sentence was over, it was over and he was going to walk out of prison.

The fact of the matter is that this felon would have repeated the crime whether released in four months, or one year, or four years. This is pure politics. Had Guliani had appointed any bench officers (which he did not being a lowly mayor), we would have similar examples.

type: make that "Giuliani."

doesn't mitts response appear impulsive and his eagerness to request her resignation seem politically expedient as an attempt to distance himself from his past decisions? hmmmm.....if he were elected president, would that impulsive trait to extinguish his cognitive dissonance impact our country in a positive way or place us in even more danger?

Willie Horton did not kill that couple in Maryland, but don't let the facts get in the way of a good story.

We are a Nation of laws, not men. The judge, a former 'law and order prosecutor' was experienced and made a ruling under rule of LAW. What a novel concept! (for Republicans).

Now if Repulsians like Romney and the other Repulsian idiot mentioned want to make it about men instead of law... hey, what makes them think they're the only ones who can play that game?

Properly the judge should not (generally may not) go public to defend herself. So it kinda makes it look like Romney's also a COWARD as well a PANDERER to an ignorant and lawless mob.

Course, that's just MY opinion. For what its worth.

I'm in complete agreement that only citizens with a complete and infallible grasp of the English language should have an opinion.
I also agree that it's 100% Romney's fault that he appointed a (HA!) woman that allowed the whole tragedy to unfold by releasing a prisoner a few months early.
However, I also have to admit the merits of a simple life-or-death legal system. Think of all the money saved in DNA testing alone, much less the lawsuits brought when the wrongly convicted are later released.
This whole discussion could be avoided if we just forced all women to devote their lives to the dissemination of English grammer and spelling and strung up anyone who broke the law.
Ah, that life, like answers, were cheap and easy.

Totally agree Charles Sr. It's not like she released him 10 years early. Just another pathetic sentencing in Massachusetts.

This is a rather pathetic attempt by Romney to seem tough on crime.

As several others have already pointed out, the perp would have walked shortly anyway. Judges exercise far less discretion in these matters, and in deciding cases in general, than the non-lawyer public likes to believe. Unless anyone can point to a legal mistake by the judge, blame the laws she applied to the specific case, not her.

Romney's a charlatan.

Although the situation is undoubtedly unfortunate, Finn has a good point. He STANDS TRIAL for murder. Did I miss something, or are you still innocent until proven guilty in this country?

I think ToNancy has a good point, too - unlike bdkjones, he/she makes the point "germane to the argument", at least to a certain extent, and isn't so demeaning either. I also don't see any errors in his/her post, but I'm no English Prof ...

Typical! At one time, just over a year ago, Mitt Romney strongly supported this judge. Now that she had been involved with a decision that he fears will reflect badly upon him, he comes out in favor of her resignation from the bench to which he appointed her. I say, in keeping in line with that thinking, Mitt Romney should also step down from running from for president of the US. Obviously, if the Judge's making a bad decision requires her to step down, then Mitt Romney's decision to appoint her to begin with, should require him stepping down. What's the difference? If he truly wants to focus blame, then it is he who is to blame for appointing her in the first place. Interesting how politics works.

Thanks, GoodPoint, but my point was as follows: The ABC News story above states that Willie Horton killed a couple in Maryland after being furloughed. In fact, he raped the woman and severely beat the man, but he did not commit murder.

Finn, you are absolutely right. Horton committed rape and assault on that couple. What a joke abcnews is.

I think Romney made a huge error here. This may cost his nom, ironically what he is trying to avoid. Unless people aren't paying attention to details (and why would anyone anyway ?