Man who fatally shot college-bound girl on prom night gets parole

[tawadi]

A man who shot a 17-year-old La Crescenta high school girl to death after her prom night celebration has been granted parole despite opposition from the Orange County district attorney’s office.

Paul Crowder has been in prison for nearly 20 years for fatally shooting Berlyn Cosman, a high-achieving student who had earned a college basketball scholarship to Missouri Western State University.

Crowder was granted parole last year but then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reversed that decision. Gov. Jerry Brown would have the same discretion.

After celebrating prom night in Universal City, Cosman was attending a prom night party at the Sterling Crown Suites in Anaheim in June 1991 when Crowder showed up with beer and two guns, prosecutors said.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/10/man-who-fatally-shot-college-bound-girl-on-prom-night-gets-parole.html

[Lionessa]

1. He's served 20 years on a 19 year sentence, so where's the problem?

The only problem I see is that if someone serves their entire sentence + one year, why do they even have to have parole, I thought parole was for early release. They don't mention any incidents in jail that would have lengthened his sentence.

[tawadi]

2. Parole? Really?

19 years doesn't seem long enough to me. 19 years to life in prison was his sentence, btw.

[Xithras]

5. His sentence was 19-to-life

Effectively, he was handed a life sentence with the option to be released after a minimum of 19 years. Since he's not remorseful and still tries to claim that it wasn't his fault (he was witnessed shooting a girl while she slept), I don't think he should qualify.

[Lionessa]

14. That's not what the article says.

[DontTreadOnMe]

3. The murderer is still young

He can now go murder again, and get another 20 years... and still be alive to get out a second time...

on second thought, maybe they should lock him up for life -- for taking a life.

[tawadi]

4. This is what bothers me:

"Early in the morning, however, Crowder returned to the bedroom, took out his gun, waved it around and, while laughing, shot Cosman as she slept." And,"he has never taken responsibility for his crime and continues to show a lack of remorse."

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/crowder-322803-parole-room.html

[onehandle]

6. Will he retain his second amendment 'rights?'

I'm sure somebody supports that.

They're called rights, people!

[customerserviceguy]

7. Since it's been such a short time

he might just encounter someone who supports a Second Amendment solution to the problem of overly light sentences in California.

[friendly_iconoclast]

11. And you would be wrong. He lost his Second Amendment rights after due process n/t

[Fuzz]

8. Man who fatally shot miserable bastard at dog fight to be paroled.

Wanted to see what that would look like in print.

[tawadi]

9. Man fatally shoots pit bull to end dog fight in Severn

Usually the other way around, huh?

http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-06-05/news/bs-md-pitbull-shooting-20110605_1_pit-bull-local-veterinarian-office-severn

[Kurmudgeon]

10. "Crowder came back into the girl’s room, pulled out a gun and -– laughing -– shot her as she slept."

And got paroled...this isn't right.

[friendly_iconoclast]

12. They have to make room for operators of pot dispensaries,

Glad to know people have their priorities straight...

[tnlefty]

13. Guns don't kill people, pot does...

:sarcasm: if needed.

[U4ikLefty]

15. Can he play football?