Did Harris get what he deserved?
Varner Harris Jr. was 18 years old, on probation for an earlier robbery attempt, when he took off running as two police officers told him to stop last December as they responded to a call about a fight at a downtown convenience store.
Harris was carrying a loaded .38-caliber pistol and whether or not he had anything to do with the dust-up at the store, it didn't matter. If the cops caught him with the gun, he'd be going to prison for four years for violating his probation.
So as Harris turned to face the two officers, he pulled out the gun and started firing. When the smoke cleared, Officer Patricia Parete, 41, became the first female Buffalo Police officer wounded on duty. A bullet hit her chin, continued on to strike her spine, and left her quadriplegic. Officer Carl Andolina, shot three times as he wrestled Harris to the ground, was later named the 2007 hero by the television program "America's Most Wanted."
Harris was sent to prison for 30 years to life Monday for the shooting, another 1 1/3 to 4 years for violating his probation.
Was it enough? He'll be eligible for parole in his early 50s. Should he be?
--- Michael Beebe
The sentence should be life in prison no chance for parole.
Posted by: Tim Ruhland | November 20, 2007 at 12:59 PM
yes, 30 years is the bottom of a sentence but--- life would be O.K. with me.
Posted by: rocking ron | November 20, 2007 at 04:23 PM
As a NYS CO, I thank the judge for giving us someone else to look out for. It is scum like Harris that give us job security.
I think that 30 years is too lenient...Give 'Em Life!
Shoot Officers of the Law, and you get Life! That should be the way it is!!
Posted by: NYS CO | November 21, 2007 at 02:21 PM
I love how this article forgot to mention that Harris is mentally challenged. I would rather see him admitted to a mental hospital or some other kind of alternate facility for the mentally challenged (which currently doesn't even exist when it really should). If he was in rehab in the first place he wouldn't have even been in a situation like this one. This would prevent him from endangering society and there wouldn't be a tragedy like this; there wouldn't be a woman suffering for the rest of her life from becoming a quadriplegic. It's sad to think that this could have been prevented. Does anyone realize that he (and other mentally ill offenders of the law) may not be able to comprehend the situation or even his own actions, or that persons with mental disabilities are very often victimized in prisons where they are not protected in any way and are often unable to defend themselves? I would also like to know where Harris' mother was BEFORE this happened when he was violating his parole. And please just for pity sake take a little time to realize just how long 30 to life really is, because it is unfortunate how quick we are to condemn someone.
Posted by: Erin | November 21, 2007 at 10:40 PM
30 years or life are both way too lenient; it should have been death/execution in this case. I know it wasn't murder, but still a perfect reason why we need capital punishment brought back in this state and to take zero tolerance stand against nonsense like this. This guy is a piece of garbage, mentally stable or not, and we shouldn't be paying to keep him locked up.
Posted by: Bark | November 22, 2007 at 11:04 AM
If he is mentally handicapped[political correctness be damned]he should be locked up in a mental health institute for life;not in a prison cell.
Posted by: fcsanders | November 23, 2007 at 10:17 AM
Erin, regarding your "how quick we are to condemn (people)..." Here's an answer: Don't want to suffer for doing wrong, then DON'T DO WRONG!
Varner Harris had a chance to turn away from doing what he did, but decided to go ahead. Now, he's going to be locked away for a long time... maybe forever. His fault, not ours'.
There you go...
Posted by: Lloyd Marshall Jr. | November 26, 2007 at 08:50 PM