If He Were A Killer, He Would Be Out By Now

Patrick Flaherty was 22 years old when he took a BB gun and robbed convenience stores to pay his rent. His take was $459 dollars. No one was injured. That was in 1999. Flaherty was sentenced to 40 years and remains in prison. Some murderers get less time. Those who kill are often paroled long before their sentences are served. But Patrick Flaherty must serve almost his entire sentence, 34 years, that is, unless someone hears his plea for a second chance. In the years he has been in prison, Patrick has turned his life around. He has translated thousands of pages into Braille and is currently on track to get his MBA. Patrick is soft spoken and articulate. Should he be released early? His victims argue the psychological wounds they suffered cannot be ignored. We look at the debate and the staggering cost to keep him locked up. Does the punishment fit the crime?

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