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BURRIS HAD 25-PAGE RAP SHEET OVER 20-YEAR CRIMINAL CAREER
The man who took five lives in six days in a small Cherokee County town should have been in jail, according to South Carolina officials who have examined his criminal record.
Patrick Tracy Burris, who allegedly murdered five Gaffney residents ranging in age from 15 to 83, was a habitual felon with a 25-page rap sheet that included an eight year stint in North Carolina prison.
Police say Burris should have never been released from prison, and now they are demanding answers.
“When you have that many crimes you shouldn’t get parole,” said South Carolina Law Enforcement Chief Reggie Lloyd Tuesday. “I just think our entire system has to get serious about these types of offenders.”
The long list of crimes for the intimidating 6-foot-5 inch, 250 pound Burris — who was killed by police Monday in Gastonia, N.C. — began with blackmail in 1989 and escalated to the tragic Gaffney murders.
He was arrested more than 30 times in North Carolina alone with other convictions in Florida, Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland.
He was well known to authorities as a bully; so fierce to his victims was he that one elderly man refused to testify against him in an extortion case for fear of retaliation.
Records show that most of Burris’ convictions involved stealing from homes and businesses and forging checks. But over time, the crimes augmented to robbery and assault.
The Gaffney killings began on June 27 when 63-year-old peach farmer Kline Cash was killed. Four days later, Hazel Linder, 83, and her daughter Gena Linder Parker, 50, were found dead. The next day, Stephen Tyler and his 15-year-old daughter Abby were killed while closing the family furniture store.
Although Burris was paroled in North Carolina, the fact that the murders occurred in South Carolina has already renewed calls to abolish parole in the Palmetto State.
I think that victims and/or their families should be able to sue parole board members PERSONALLY if the parolee commits similar crimes after being parolled.
Do not point the finger at the parole board. There are four fingers pointing at you. We are destroying our criminal justice system via our drug prohibition laws. Follow this:
1. 500,000 non-violent people are locked in our prisons.
2. Some drug prohibition laws have minimum mandatory sentencing guidelines.
3. Our prisons are filled to the max.
4 Prisons are asking jails to keep convicted prisoners.
5. More than 90% of our states are having budget problem trying to keep all the drug offenders Locked up. Check California.
6. I do not have time to go on.
7. There is no violence in drugs changing hands (no tax either). The only violence is our law enforcement and justice system attempting to enforce these stupid laws.
You are on a parole board and you have a choice of someone making crack or someone there for B & E. Under todays thinking who are you gonna let out.
It is not the parole board at fault. It is our drug prohibition laws.
We are destroying ourselves from within and our enemies abroad know it.
Yeah…but why have any laws at all? Why should this guy have stayed locked up? What is the fundamental difference between killing someone and hooking them on something that forces them to do whatever you demand in exchange for more?
This guy thought it was ‘okay’ for him to do this. He didn’t agree with the popular moralization that it’s wrong for him to kill people. So his opinion is unpopular. Why does the majority therefore have the power to punish him for acting on his personal beliefs about who he should be allowed to kill? Why not just let everyone do it and leave the law out of the equation?
Personally, I do not see the point of laws against homicide. Imagine how much nicer the world would be if everyone were allowed to kill people they didn’t like, instead of it being a special privilege restricted to governments and other criminals.
Harold,
So jails are filled. The solution is to release the really violent ones first? Also, state’s jails aren’t underfunded they are overpaid. California allows pension at 90% of a person highest salary year. Meaning for a pension they get about 150% of their average year if they work the system (overtime, the gift that keeps on giving).
“What is the fundamental difference between killing someone and hooking them on something that forces them to do whatever you demand in exchange for more?
There you go blame every violent crime on drugs. Drugs are an aside. Keep drugs away from everybody and you will reduce crime, however we have proven in fact enforcing these laws produce more violence, then we know not the different between crime and drugs laws.
The McNair case in Nashville has determine to be a homicide and suicide. A very violent crime, right. When the police were give an address to the media, one of the first questions was; “Was illegal drugs involved?” How does it change anything if they we smoking pot or doing a little blow. Are you going out and find who sold it to them?
This guy should have been in jail. He should not have been let out to make room for non-violent drug offenders. Which is why he was let out.
We need to release non-violent pot smokers and keep the murderers, rapists and thugs in prison longer. Then make the Parole Board members subject to civil lawsuits or just a good ass-whoopin’ if their hunch about rehabilitation of murderers doesn’t pan out.
I see agravation and frustration toward government/bureaucratic ‘Built-in Non Responsibility’ causing the public to consider revolution. Again.
Could the S.C. Serial Killer Have Been Stopped By Those He Met Along the Way?
According to Tracey Hawkins, Safety Expert, something that may have lead to him being apprehended earlier is something that we all possess, gut instinct. Hawkins, recommends author Gavin deBecker’s book, “The Gift of Fear”. “The book changed my perspective about teaching personal safety.” The premise of the book is that we all should trust our gut instinct because we all receive fear signals, but we often don’t act upon them.
Oftentimes, in these cases people who are interviewed following heinous crimes say they are surprised that this person has committed this crime; workplace/school shooting, rape, etc., or that they never saw it coming. In this case, the suspected serial killer had a long rap sheet, but there were other clues predicting trouble. There are typically warning signs all along. If you think back to any interactions with that person, you will realize that they said or did something to give you that funny feeling that something was wrong. We mostly choose to ignore that feeling and to talk ourselves out of listening to it.
In the S.C. case against Patrick Tracy Burris, according to one woman who asked not to be identified, “He was a little strange. I had an eerie feeling about him,” she said. “You get these vibes about people.” Had she trusted those ‘vibes’ along with the knowledge that there was a sought after serial killer, perhaps she could have alerted law enforcement officials and let them determine if the concern was legitimate.
Speaking about the constant media coverage of the serial killing story, “It was like he was infatuated with (the coverage). He wouldn’t change the channel or anything,” according to Mark Stamey, the man, who along with his sister, spent the days prior to Burris’ shooting “partying” with him. “Just certain things that you don’t make jokes about that he was making jokes about.” He and his sister could have called law enforcement officials and allowed them to investigate. After all, there was a man who was wanted, and by his own admissions, they did not know much about this man, plus his behavior was inappropriate.
According to Hawkins, “I am sure there are several similar stories along the way. There are others who came in contact with him who could tell stories about a weird feeling that something wasn’t quite right about him.” Hawkins urges people to pay attention to our built-in survival mechanism, our gut, because it is hardly ever wrong and can sense fear. Trust and listen to the voice.
Tracey Hawkins, “Tracey, The Safety Lady” traceythesafetylady.com
http://safetyandsecuritysource.blogspot.com/
LinkedIn, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kansas-City-MO/Safety-and-Security-Source/64136812749
.I am saying we have lost our idea of you should be lock up. Our drug prohibition laws have put 500,000 non-violent into prisons. Some are saying drugs cause most all crime which is horse pucky. Drugs are an aside. WE are looking at drugs crimes not violent crimes. Parole boards are looking at the same things.
There are two men in MS correctional system by the name Reginald Dixon
One had 6 years + for rape
the had 60 years for cocaine possession
Which one off those you gonna let out in 6 years?
“knews” at 2:16 said “”.
If that policy were followed, members of parole boards would never parole anybody — or nobody would serve on a parole board.
Why ever parole a con? If you do and the fellow reoffends, his victims will sue you. The only con you might release would have to be a close relative or a good friend, and even then you’d be reluctant to take a chance.
And why serve on a parole board? All you have to look forward to is lawsuits from the victims of cons you thought were safe to release. Nobody needs that sort of aggravation. Unless, of course, parole board membership pays a lot more than you’re likely to lose in those lawsuits “knews” favors. And you can easily avoid those lawsuits by never giving any con a parole.
Chungling. You must be the dumbest person to have ever lived. ( NO seriously).. To follow your stupid moral precept, i want to murder you, your family, anybody that you love or loves you. scratch that, i want you to be alive while i do all these things, then you tell me if people should be allowed to kill whomever they want..
Anyways something tells me that your not that stupid and that was your weak attempt to be funny or sarcastic. I hope its both the latter.
Why does parole exist at all? If your punishment for a crime is five years in prison, you should be free in…FIVE YEARS. There should be no sentences of “two life terms plus 20 years.” That’s ridiculous. A single “life term” should be all that’s necessary, and it means you die in prison. Cruel? Not as cruel as taking someone’s life. I’m all for justice and making sure those judged guilty are actually guilty, but once that’s done, the perp should serve the time he gets. To the last hour. If it’s a death sentence, again, do all we can to be sure we’ve got a proper conviction. Then end it.
It’s not the fault of the drug laws. Everyone has a personal opinion of this law and that law. If it is illegal it is illegal PERIOD.
The problem is that these prisons and jails are no longer deterrents. We have coddled prisoners for WAY TOO LONG. One should viscerally AFRAID of going to jail regardless of what it is for.
But I will concur with locking up minor pot smokers is garbage, Singapore has a much better penalty for minor stuff – CANING. In public, and then it’s done and forgotten……unless you repeat offend.
Oh, and if you don’t see that drugs cause violence in and of themselves rather then because of law enforcement, then you must be stoned or willfully ignorant in the first place.
A guy like this is the reason that those who go out and commit murder should be in the express lane to execution. Life in prison should be abolished. All these ridiculous lengthly sentences should also be abolished unless the crime warrants it. Parole should be abolished as well. Our legal system needs on heck of an overhaul. You go out and murder some one, are found guilty of said murder, you die. End of story. No life in prison being taken care of with three square meals, some comforts of home, visitation, medical care and all that crap on my dime through taxes. You go out and rape some one and are found guilty? Castrate the pig and let them go. Abuse or molest a child? Toss them in with the general population and let the guys there take care of it.
As for the drug topic. Legalize every last bit of it. Put an age limit on it like you do with tobacco and alcohol. Sell it, tax it and take the big money out of it. Those who want to do drugs are going to find ways to do it anyways, and those who wish to sell drugs and make money will do it anyways. If someone wants to throw away their lives by doing the drugs especially the hard drugs, not like pot, what do I care. It is there life, they want to ruin it? So be it. They leave me alone, I have no problems. Legalize and tax it you will not have all the gang violence and turf wars associated with it.
As for the nonviolent criminals I totally agree. Fine them and let them go. Illegals in our jails? DEPORT THEM. Our tax dollars pay for all their care and everything else. It is on our backs and frankly enough is enough. The cost is ridiculous.
And that is my take on it.
Surety of punishment is a better determent for crime than severity
Oh, and if you don’t see that drugs cause violence in and of themselves rather then because of law enforcement, then you must be stoned or willfully ignorant in the first place.
Of course, you have evidence for this statement. Please share will it with the rest of us.
Forget the parole board THE JUDGES are the guilty ones.
you have a point there
Harold,
Your an idiot. Get your head out of your sisters butt, pick up a mitt and get in the game. These liberal parole boards are a joke. Build more prisons, they are good for the economy. Brings tax dollars back to the communities. Go do another bong hit and MELLOW.
Hey earth to Chunk King, open up those slanted eyes, this isn’t North Korea, Where we allow our citizens to ride around on their yak pulled carts and legally do drive by shootings. Its called Civilization 2009, not 300 ad like your home town. Wake up and smell the soybeans jack ass.
Harold, your an idiot. I can’t even respond to your logic. Hit that bong again for me