Victims Issues
This page covers victims stories and communications between the Illinois Prisoner Review Board and victims families. For more information and stories visit www.illinoisvictims.org
There is a bill SB-2254 pending in the Illinois Senate and sponsored by Senator Haines. It is being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee next week (Week of March 10th). What it will do is to raise the standards concerning the voices of victims and prosecutors before the Prisoner Review Board can vote to release one of the C number, or indeterminately sentenced killers that come up for regular review before the PRB. It will require that the ENTIRE PRB would hear the testimony of victim’s families and prosecutors before they can decide to release an inmate. Some of you may have heard that last year the PRB released inmates Outlaw and Thomas without notifying their victim’s families of the hearings that year. The Rysiewicz family had been notified EVERY year except that one and they wrote and sent in protests each year. The only notice they got last year, was after Outlaw was released. And we have heard other horror stories of how victims have been treated by the PRB. I am sure you have some horror stories of your own. And we have seen "COP-KILLERS" get serious consideration for release by many PRB members. So this bill would go a long way to make sure that these things would not ever happen again, and that it would be much harder to let any inmate out. And it would eliminate the bias of any one of the PRB members, which we all know is a problem. Some of them are very pro-inmate. To have only one of them hearing victim testimony and recommending release has been a problem too. Anyone wishing to join in support of SB-2254 please contact Jennifer Jenkins @ www.illinoisvictims.org immediately. Most gratefully, Jennifer Bishop-Jenkins IllinoisVictims.org
Important new development 
Illinois Senate Bill SB-2254
RE: Actions of the Illinois Parole Board in Regards to the Rysiewicz Family and the Release of John Outlaw, Murderer of our Father, Michael Rysiewicz
Following are the actions committed by the Illinois Parole Board to our family concerning the release of John Outlaw who was paroled in 2007.
Parole Board Does Not Send Notification of Parole Hearing as We Had Consistently Received - Only a Notice of His Impending Release Was Sent
John Outlaw murdered my father and Lawrence O’Conner January 23, 1976. My family and the O’Conner family have received parole board notifications over the last 25+ years. We have always received a notification that he was up for parole (usually in the fall or around Christmas) and then a second letter with the outcome of the parole board decision. Since he had a sentence of 50 years for armed robbery, 25 years for burglary and two 150 year sentences for murder (370 years total) and the fact that when he was sentenced the district attorney had told us the sentence was strong enough and was intended to "send a message" to future parole boards, we believed there was never a chance of him being released from prison. Even with this knowledge my family would still write letters each year to the parole board stating our desire for him to never be released and to point out the pre-meditated and viciousness nature of his crime. In 2006 we never received any notice of John Outlaw being up for parole. On February 2nd, 2007 we received letters stating he was paroled as of February 2, 2007. Not only did we not have a chance to send protest letters, the release was already decided by the time we received the letter. There was never any attempt to receive input from us on this critical decision. We also talked to the remaining relative of Mr O’Conner (Fred Atkins) and he did not receive any prior notice of the parole hearings and just received the letter of his release as we did.
The Parole Board Lies to the Media
My family was contacted by the cook county district office the following week after we received the parole release letter and we were offered to attend and speak a press conference they had arranged in protest of the release of John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas. There were various articles written and news stations that reported the story. One news station, Channel 13 in Rockford, Illinois, talked to the parole board about why they did not contact our family. This story was aired on their station February 15th. The parole board stated to the Channel 13 news that "it does not notify family members every time a parole hearing comes up and they tried to contact everyone (our family) but they had disconnected numbers" (Ryan Cummings Channel 13 news). This is an outright lie. The parole board has correct information on all four members of our family. We all received the letter that John Outlaw was released on the day he was already approved for release. Two members of our family have been at the same address and phone number for over 15 years. This was an outright lie and another disrespectful and disgraceful act against our family by the Parole Board.
Being Outraged by the Parole Board’s Action and Public Lies We Contact the Parole Board for More Information
We called the parole board on February, 15, 2007 to ask them to send us all information they had about the John Outlaw’s parole. We were faxed two pages – the first page is one sentence that simple states that John Outlaw was paroled based upon the following: "Reviewing all factors available at this time, it is the boards conclusion that the subject is a good risk for parole" The second page had the parole board signatures and a box checked off that John Outlaw had to take an "anger management" course as part of his parole. This is all we received from the parole board. It was not until Jennifer Jenkins (Illinois Victims of Crime advocate) met with the parole board in March that we received the minutes of the parole hearings that were given to her. From these minutes it was obvious to us that the parole board had not reviewed the case. The minutes stated that John Outlaw entered the building to commit a robbery and "panicked" when he ran into the guard and my father making it sound "softer" than the facts of the case. John Outlaw worked with my father and Mr O’Conner who was a guard at the building. He hid after work and never left the building. The murders were pre-meditated. He killed Mr. O’Conner, dragged his body into a dumpster, preceded to a lower level and killed my father with the same metal hook. Note the discrepancy in the Parole documentation reviewed by the board and the actual murder case. It is obvious the Parole Board never even reviewed the facts of the case. This is a disgrace to the Illinois justice system and the actions of this Parole Board should be reviewed by an independent council.
The week of March 26th,, 2007 my brother called the Parole Board to ask them about the terms of John Outlaws parole. He specifically wanted to know how John Outlaw would be monitored after his six month in house period (with the ankle bracelet) was over. He also asked why we did not receive the letters we were suppose to receive. The person he talked to was very rude to him and stated that "they cannot control the mail" and that "it is the parole officers decision on how long he is monitored" There was no apology, no sympathy and certainly no respect from this person towards my brother and my family at the parole board.
Due to The Manner Our Family was Treated We Sent the Following Letter to The Parole Board Chairman
To: Mr. Jorge Montes - Chairman of the Parole Board:
The recent decision by the Parole Board to parole and release two murderers, John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas, whose extremely violent crimes of a double homicide and murder/rape is a disgrace to the people of Illinois and the justice system.
Your cold and heartless form letter notice to my family simply stating that John Outlaw, who brutally murdered my father, is to be released with no further explanation was extremely disrespectful and an insult to any victims of crime in this state. Your parole board provided no prior notification of the parole board hearings and did not provide any request for input from the victim’s family for this critically important decision that could put others lives at risk. How can the parole board let these two men out of prison without input from all possible areas, including the victim’s families prior to making this decision?
John Outlaw brutally murdered my father, Michael Rysiewicz. He was waiting for the front door guard, Lawrence O’Conner, to get a cup of coffee before he was to leave work Friday afternoon, January 23, 1976. He never had a chance to leave. John Outlaw, who worked there with them, was waiting in hiding to kill them and steal fur coats from the warehouse where they worked. He knew them and brutally killed them by striking them from behind. This was premeditated murder. He valued the fur coats more than the lives of two hard working men. Thank God for the guard in the back of the building who called the police who later caught John Outlaw with my father’s wallet and the blood of both victims on his clothing.
My family and the family of Lawrence O’Conner were grateful he was caught and given multiple sentences of 300 years for murder, 50 years for armed robbery and 20 years for burglary so he could never walk the streets and kill again. Now, 31 years later and serving less than 8% of his term, you and the Illinois parole board have released him due to "good behavior" while in prison.
Frederick Thomas brutally raped and murdered Irma Jean Williams on May 9, 1974. Frederick Thomas had been on parole after having been convicted of rape when he invited Miss Williams to a party. Instead of taking her to a party, Frederick Thomas took her to an abandoned building where he tied her up, gagged her then brutally raped her and stabbed her 24 times. The judge sentenced him to 75 to 150 years in prison. He too has been paroled by your Illinois parole board due to his "good behavior" while in prison.
The victim’s families have a direct message for you, Mr. Montes, and the parole board:
You have failed the police who put their lives on the line to arrest these two men. You have failed the prosecutors who prosecuted them to the full extent of the law. You have failed the jury who found these murderers guilty of these hideous crimes. You have failed the judges who sentenced these men to a prison term that was intended to keep them in prison for life.
You have also failed the spirit of the victims whose lives were taken from them. You have failed the friends and communities of these victims who knew their kindness and friendship. You have failed the families of the victims who feel the loss of their loved one every day of their lives. You have failed the people of the state of Illinois who want to live their lives in peace and in the comfort of knowing that violent criminals of this nature are in prison for life. You have let the criminals go and sentenced the victim’s families.
The State Attorney of Cook County, Dick Devine is also outraged at this decision. If John Outlaw and Frederick Thomas were prosecuted today under current laws they would be, at a minimum, in prison for life. How could you and the parole board let these men walk the street again? Would you allow these murderers to be near your loved ones? How many more murders have to be committed by paroled inmates before we stop this madness?
We demand you and the parole board reverse this decision now. We call on the Governor and the Legislators to right this wrong and take whatever action is necessary to assure us these two criminals are back in prison where they belong. We call upon them to assure the people of Illinois that there are no more "loop holes" for violent criminals to pass through to get an early release. We ask for justice as you would ask for justice for your family.
This letter has never been responded to by the parole board. After this letter was sent, Jennifer Jenkins from Illinois Victims advocate group met with the parole board. They provided to her information on the parole including our contact information. The parole board never contacted us and we never authorized them to provide this information about our family to anyone. Although we have been in contact with Jennifer Jenkins (She made us aware of the information provided), our privacy was violated by the Parole Board as our information and addresses were given out without our permission. What will they do next, provide our addresses to the released criminal?
It is unbelievable the way the Parole Board has released a murderer without review of the facts of the case or input from the victim’s family. It is outrageous how they have treated our family. We have been treated as if we are the criminals by the Illinois Parole Board. We believe it is critical that victims of crime be treated with respect and have the right to protest the release of the prisoners up for parole. Please take the necessary steps at the legislative level to correct these injustices to victim’s families and place legal requirements on the Illinois Parole Board to mandate victim’s rights to protest the release of any violent criminal. It is essential to have legislation that creates a due process of law that the Parole Board must follow that includes a review of the facts of the criminal case and a mandate to hear the input from the victim’s families before any parole decision is ever made.
Thank you,
Richard J. Rysiewicz and Family
C-Class inmate reform - DVD Videos
This is great work, Terry, getting the "Hero" DVD about your murdered husband, fallen officer, to ALL the members of the legislature. Since there are several bills that are attempting to bring back parole to Illinois, a situation that would make ALL of us into "C number victim families" with annual parole reviews that we have to fight, I can't tell you how grateful we are to those of you who ARE C number victim families that you are speaking out about how horrific this process is for you all each year.
National Victims Week Award Honoring Ms. Barb Stone:
NCVIA supporting Mayborne Family:
NCVIA stands for the National Coalition of Victims in Action in which Debra Puglisi is a board member and victim. NCVIA is located in Deleware. Her comments below after hearing about the Mayborne case.
Fallen Chicago Police Officer Kenneth Kaner
Patrolman Kenneth G. Kaner was shot and killed when he was ambushed by a suspect in a missing child case.
Patrolman Kaner was sitting in his squad near 71st Street and Union Street. Five assailants approached and one fired a 12-gauge shotgun through the open passenger side window. Patrolman Kaner was mortally wounded when he was shot in the right side of the face.
The five gunmen were stopped within minutes for a traffic violation. The shotgun and the officer's weapon were found during the traffic stop and the offenders were arrested.
The killer was sentenced to 30 to 125 years. He petitions for release annually and on November 15, 2007, the Illinois Prisoner Review Board denied parole.
Patrolman Kaner is survived by his wife, daughter, and son. His son followed in his footsteps and became a member of the Chicago Police Department, assigned to the Marine unit where a boat has been named in father's memory.
Officer Kenneth Kaner
Jorge Montes, Chairman Ind. No: 70-1928 Please accept the enclosed letter as "perpetual" documentation soliciting a protest of the above named inmate, for the upcoming parole hearing, to be held October 6, 2007. This has caused me great ‘distress’ to hear from Kimberly and Kurt, another family who has fallen victim to the parole hearing and protest process. The children of yet another slain officer murdered by C#15289 being considered for parole, is disgusting. I realize the Prisoner Review Board must follow laws that have been in effect many years previous. With that being said, with the seriousness of the crime, the lasting pain, suffering, fear and loss this has had for the loved ones, including family, friends, and co-workers of murdered Officer Kenneth G. Kaner, I am asking each one of the Board Members to VOTE "NO" for parole. Any member who has or is considering a yes vote for the above named prisoner, does not deserve our Law Enforcement protection. You would be deprecating the seriousness of this crime and the dedication by all law officers who continue to diligently create a safer city for you and me to live in. I feel SAFER when murderers are behind bars, serving their given sentence. I feel SAFER for my children and grandchildren, nieces, nephews and neighbors. As a mom, I can’t help but cry, be angry, and upset that Kimberly and Kurt are also experiencing the demands of this system and the compassion that is verbally extended to the prisoner, yet the victim’s voices of pain and fear, year after year, are challenged or neglected. I know you are aware of my concerns, they have not changed. I beg of you to consider the fact that the majority of the public, as I have witnessed, voice their objection. You, as members of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, are in a position to make a difference. I receive e-mails for End of Watch notices of Fallen Officers and hear of murderers committing horrible crimes daily. I am afraid that releasing murderers, who were given life sentences or sentences that meant they die in prison, is sending the wrong message to the criminals in today’s society. Also, we were denied a three year extension. (all we have ever asked for from this board, although the prisoner’s requests are usually honored as documented in our case). I ask you to please extend the three year option to this family. Now is the time to show that you also have knowledge of the victims needs. You not only work for the PRB and prisoners, but for the victims affected by the acts of these inmates. In review, I am asking that you vote NO at the enbanc hearing for the above inmate, that this family be entitled to the three year extension and that this letter be considered as a perpetual protest to the release of C#15289 Bruce Sharp, so that the family of Officer Kenneth G. Kaner, will feel safe in their environment for three more years. We appreciate and thank you for your attention to our protests and concerns. As taxpayers will appreciate your efforts as long as the PRB board recognizes, with respect, all victims families and their pain.
Letter to the Illinois Prisoner Review Board regarding fallen
Chicago Officer Kenneth Kaner:
Illinois Prisoner Review Board
319 E. Madison Street, Suite A
Springfield, IL. 62701Re: C#15289 Bruce Sharp
Crime: Murder (30-125 yrs)
Sent. Date: 01/29/71Dear Mr. Montes,
Illinois Victims message to State of Illinois Victims Support regarding Fallen Chicago Officer Kenneth Kaner:
Linda -
Letter from Ms. Debby Brown 2-8-2008 - Regarding Louise Betts Family PRB Hearing
Terry and Jennifer,
It is OK to post my experience. Here is a synopsis of events. I'm also sending a copy of this e-mail to my brother Gary. I feel he may want to add some since he dealt mostly with Victims Services since I started a new job and didn't have much time to deal with them.
As soon as I received the letter from PRB that the hearing would be held 2/4/08, I sent a certified letter, return receipt requested, stating that my brothers and I would be testifying. No response from PRB. There were several phone calls and e-mails between my brother and PRB asking for letters of admission, being told they don't send them out anymore; saying everything was OK, then an e-mail saying they needed additional information. The letter from PRB stated hearings would begin at 10:00 a.m. We arrived at the facility at around 9:45 a.m. knowing we would need to check in. Of course PRB knows that three of us have come from Texas to testify and two of us (the other victim and her husband) have come from another state to testify. The other victim sent in a letter stating she and her husband would both testify and brought a copy to the prison with her. When we arrived the other victim was told her husband was not on the list and could not go in. She demanded that they contact Robin Miller, from the PRB who reluctantly gave permission for the husband to enter. There was also a reporter from a newpaper who arrived at the same time as we did also driving a long distance to attend. Remember that at this point the PRB and the facility have our names, addresses, drivers licenses and they know how far all of us have come for this hearing. We sat in the prison waiting room until approximately 12:30 p.m. before we began the search procedure to see the PRB member. No contact from anyone telling us what the hold up was, when we might be able to testify, soda machines do not accept cash, only cards. It was nearly 1:00 p.m. by the time all of us completed the search procedure and went to see the hearing officer. We did express to the hearing officer that we felt it was extremely difficult to deal with the PRB and we felt very frustrated. Of course, he assured us our concerns would be shared with the Chairman. Given the information we know about the chairman, that holds little cheer for us.
I certainly would be willing to talk with any legislators and/or advocates to help stop this madness on the part of the PRB.
In His Service,
Debby Brown
Illinois Victims Information Contact: http://www.illinoisvictims.org
Winnebago County Victims Assistance
Office of the States Attorney
Winnebago County, Illinois
Ms. Barbara Stone
Victim Assistant
815-987-3160
Copyright . Friends of Mike Mayborne. All rights reserved.
In the loving memory of fallen Sheriff Detective Michael E. Mayborne
