Dan Abrams And The View Tackle The Grim Story Of The RI Child Killer Released On Parole

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by Jon Bershad | 2:16 pm, March 22nd, 2011

» 6 comments

Today on Good Morning America, John Foreman warned that he might not be able to control himself if he were to ever come in contact with Michael Woodmansee. Woodmansee is the man who, 36 years ago, brutally murdered Foreman’s five-year-old son Jason. He was arrested years later while trying to attack another child and, once police connected him to the earlier crime, he was charged with 40 years in prison but is now being released 12 years early. Mediaite founder and ABC legal analyst Dan Abrams joined the hosts of The View to examine the legal implications of Woodmanee’s parole and the tortured father’s threat.

The crime was absolutely heinous (before even discussing it, Whoopi Goldberg warned that parents should take their children away from the television). It was so terrible that the family agreed to a deal made by the prosecutors that gave Woodmansee the 40 years without going to trial. However, this deal opened up the possibility of a parole. While Abrams explained that deals like this for these kinds of crimes no longer exist, he also pointed out that prisons need to offer incentives like early release so as to keep prisoners in line.

Abrams also explained the tricky legal issues surrounding with the communities new attempt to keep Woodmansee off the streets. Many are petitioning to have Woodmansee placed in a mental institution directly upon his exit from prison. However, Abrams said this was unlikely as they’re trying to use the man’s journals from the time of the crime as evidence, and that would get very close to extending someone’s sentence for the same crime.

As for Foreman’s threat, Abrams warned that, despite the circumstances, “an assault is an assault and a murder is a murder.”

Watch the segment from ABC below:

Dan Abrams, Good Morning America, Jason Foreman, John Foreman, Michael Woodmansee, The View, Whoopi Goldberg

Pokerdude777

I can’t imagine the pain of this father, having two sons myself. Legal is legal but he should have never said he would hurt the man. He should have put on a tremendous acting role and said how he forgives the man and has no hard feelings toward him and wish him well. After that, liquidate all his assets, and after he’s released from prision, hunt him down and kill him then head for a country with no extradition agreements with the U.S.
ROCKSTEADY

I agree with you poker.The monster took more than just the child’s life he took the family’s life away also.
IIWII

Right now, before the world, I volunteer to be on the jury hearing the father’s possible future case. Jury nullification… the father walks.
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ROCKSTEADY said:
I agree with you poker.The monster took more than just the child’s life he took the family’s life away also.

It is cause to celebrate when you and I share common ground and I commend you for your awareness into the full impact of that heinous crime. I want to believe there are other liberal folk like you who see how our screwed up court system has enabled not just one but thousands of sex offenders and murderers of innocents to not be adequately punished. Basically, I believe the AGs are somewhat to blame in that they’re too damned lazy–or incompetent–to do the job they are appointed to do: Prosecute criminals to the fullest extent of the law. Finally, I believe the assurance of specific punishment is a strong deterrent to would be criminals.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Leah-Ma/1391341060 Leah Ma

I’ll join you on that jury. I lost my brother when he was 16. There is nothing worse than having a child’s life cut short, whatever the cause. I think this country is entirely too lenient on its child murderers and child molesters. People who commit property and drug crimes often get longer sentences, such as the ’3 strikes and you’re out’ law. When did property become more important than children?