# Inhuman monster gets off light with life in prison **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 21, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929 "2005-01-21T16:34:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/41 "2005-01-24T00:13:13Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > Well, I, for one, am in favor of the DP in certain cases. This being a prime example. > > Since he didn’t get the DP, I hope that every day he rots in prison, he’ll wish he had. > > As for salvation from God, tell that to the 2-yr old. This is the pit so I guess staying on topic isn’t too big of a deal, but I would like to stay on topic somewhat, so let’s not have this turn into a religious debate. I just follow my interpretations of scripture, and that leads me to understand everyone is entitled to salvation (and I truly believe and wish everyone could get said salvation) and from that same scripture I understand that one shouldn’t taint oneself with hatred simply because of the terrible actions of another person. ---
**Author:** ![Fionn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Fionn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fionn)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/42 "2005-01-24T00:16:04Z")
> [@jinwicked](#): > > And kudos to that pizza guy for bothering to notice something like that, and then caring enough to go to the trouble to report it. I want to second this. The pizza guy wasn’t a mandated reporter, he wasn’t a teacher or a school nurse or anything like that, but he saw something that wasn’t right and he took the time to report it, rather than assuming someone else would take care of it or rationalizing it away. People like this balance out bastards like Padilla. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/43 "2005-01-24T02:41:12Z")
**Broomstick** Somehow I had a feeling I’d get a reply from you. Anyway, you stated: “[Leopold’s] _conduct in prison was extraordinary. And I also mentioned I didn’t completely condone giving him parole. I was raising the point that he was an extremely unusual individual and that in his particular case an alteration in sentence 33 years after it was handed down may have been called for_.” Too bad **Bobby Franks** (the 14 year old murder victim) never had a chance to show what an exceptional person _he_ might have been. ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/44 "2005-01-24T03:28:14Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > Here’s the main reason I am _for_ the death penalty though. When someone is sentenced to “life in prison without parole”, how long do they _actually_ serve? Just thinking of a quick example here - remember Leopold and Loeb who killed a young boy back in the 1920’s? They were each sentenced to _life in prison_ for the murder _AND 99 years_ for kidnapping. Loeb was killed in prison in 1936. However, Leopold was paroled in 1958 after 33 years in prison. (Does 33 years = life PLUS 99 years ???) > > \ > > Want to make a bet that this alleged human being, Frank Padilla, gets interviewed, gets the occassional mention in the news and even worse - gets paroled? Well, in Texas certain serious offenses (called “3g” offenses) aren’t eligible for parole until a goodly amount of time is served, at least 40 years for capital murder and 30 for other sentences over 60 years. It looks like his capital murder and his aggravated sexual assault cases were stacked, so he’ll have to serve 70 years before being eligible. So he’ll most likely die in prison. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Bird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Little\_Bird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Bird)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/45 "2005-01-24T15:54:06Z")
> [@Windwalker](#): > > I’m sure I’ll get roasted for this, but it doesn’t sound like the guy is really evil, just totally delusional. Why would he be so eager to demonstrate what he did to his child? Any truly evil person would try to pass it off as an accident. A truly evil person would definitely not have taken his daughter to the hospital. Perhaps he really didn’t think he was hurting his child all that much? Perhaps his sense of reality is just really fucked up in this regard? Perhaps he thought he was really just punishing her? > > I’m not trying to let the guy off the hook here, and he’s obviously committed a monstrous act and deserves to spend all or most of the rest of his life in prison. But this guy is not nearly in the same league as someone like John Wayne Gacy… The death penalty should not even be an issue here, IMO. I have to agree with **Windwalker** here. I think the guy may have some serious issues with right and wrong. Remember the (for lack of a better word) “mother” who left her kids in the car to roast while she got her hair done? She had all kinds of excuses and lies about how it happened and wasn’t her fault. This guy just took her to the hospital and admitted what he did. I guess I’m rambling, but I don’t think he’s evil. Just a sociopath with no sense of what is right and wrong. Either way he should be kept far, far away from other people. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Ashtar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@Lord\_Ashtar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Ashtar)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/46 "2005-01-24T18:14:51Z")
This guy won’t make it more than 10 years in prison, and that’s being generous. And I give him five minutes before he becomes somebody’s bitch. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2005, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/47 "2005-01-24T23:56:27Z")
> [@Little Bird](#): > > I guess I’m rambling, but I don’t think he’s evil. Just a sociopath with no sense of what is right and wrong. All right, if you prefer depraved, unthinking, and dangerous to “evil”, that’s perfectly fine with me. > [@](#): > > Either way he should be kept far, far away from other people. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/48 "2005-01-25T00:00:03Z")
> [@Lord Ashtar](#): > > This guy won’t make it more than 10 years in prison, and that’s being generous. 10 years in prison or five minutes on a gurney with a needle in his arm. It’s all good. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/49 "2005-01-25T11:24:08Z")
> [@wolf\_meister](#): > > **Broomstick** > Anyway, you stated: > “[Leopold’s] _conduct in prison was extraordinary. And I also mentioned I didn’t completely condone giving him parole. I was raising the point that he was an extremely unusual individual and that in his particular case an alteration in sentence 33 years after it was handed down may have been called for_.” > > Too bad **Bobby Franks** (the 14 year old murder victim) never had a chance to show what an exceptional person _he_ might have been. True. That is WHY the two men were convicted of a _crime_… I should also point out that if you continue to be a badass, out-of-control monster in prison your sentence can be INCREASED, and additional punishments like solitary confinement added to the original sentence. So it’s not like the original sentence for any crime is some sort inviolate, never-changing thing. One’s conduct in prison DOES count, even when sentenced to life. Loeb died in prision because he got involved in fights (stabbed to death in a bathroom, wasn’t he?) and continued to be a violent, anti-social person. Leopold lived out his natural lifespan because he didn’t provoke others or continue to use violence. As for the OP - yes, it’s utterly horrific, but I don’t think it was as much a matter of premeditated murder or intent to harm as much as this man was so fucking ignorant of what constitutes being a parent that he was a danger to any child in the vicinity. That does not excuse his actions, but while what he did was vile it’s not quite in the same league as a pedophile who kidnaps children and _delibrately_ tortures them to death. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/50 "2005-01-25T15:19:23Z")
**Broomstick** I think we have both raised some interesting points and maybe it is time to call an end to this “debate within a debate”. (Heck, I _started_ the darned thing). Actually, our views on this issue seem to be somewhat similar but I’ll admit I’m much more vindictive and unforgiving. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/51 "2005-01-25T15:25:47Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > Of course you’re not a child abuser or molester, Mr. Padilla. Those are terms that apply to humans, ??? They are? Sorry, I don’t agree on that point. Just ask a victim, I think they’re right up there with this guy. At any rate, I totally disagree with the death penalty, NOT from any bleeding heart BS, but because then the criminals are getting off too easy. It’s a great thing when they have to think about what they’ve done, for the rest of their lives. And it doesn’t exactly break my heart that other inmates “remind” them of their crimes from time to time. Death is too quick and easy. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2005, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929/52 "2005-01-25T23:46:32Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > As for the OP - yes, it’s utterly horrific, but I don’t think it was as much a matter of premeditated murder or intent to harm as much as this man was so fucking ignorant of what constitutes being a parent that he was a danger to any child in the vicinity. That does not excuse his actions, but while what he did was vile it’s not quite in the same league as a pedophile who kidnaps children and _delibrately_ tortures them to death. The article did say that there was evidence of sexual assault. And yes, no matter how bad a crime is, there’s always something worse. That treads no water with me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/inhuman-monster-gets-off-light-with-life-in-prison/285929.md?page=2)