Fri Jul 30 2010
Convicted killer John Greene has been sentenced to more than 10 years in jail on drug-related charges.
With the help of an accomplice, Greene broke into the home of Walter Redmon in Cardinal Hills in July 1991. The two young men found Redmon sitting at the table in his kitchen and attacked him.
An autopsy revealed Redmon died of blunt force trauma after Greene punched him and the accomplice kicked him in the head. Greene took his wallet and stole between $100 and $200 cash.
He spent more than 12 years in prison for manslaughter and was indicted on drug trafficking charges in July 2007 after he returned to Franklin County. According to the indictment, Greene, 38, sold marijuana to a confidential informant and was later found to be in possession of heroin, OxyContin, Valium and Klonopin.
Greene was originally sentenced to probation, but failed a drug screening when he tested positive for cocaine.
Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland said he went out on a limb for Greene when he agreed to probation.
"What were you thinking?" Cleveland asked Friday in Franklin Circuit Court.
Greene said he tried to stay sober but was depressed and had relationship problems.
"I fell off the wagon," he said.
His attorney, James Nicholson, asked Franklin Circuit Judge Thomas Wingate if he would sentence Greene to six months in jail and then allow him to enter a substance-abuse treatment program.
Wingate refused, saying Greene was "a very dangerous risk to the community."
"The court can't give you any more chances," Wingate said.
Cleveland said he was willing to go along with the suggestion but said Wingate's decision was the safest choice.
Nicholson was a district court judge in Jefferson County for more than 20 years and said he can't argue with Wingate's decision.
"When you have a debt to society you can't just go out and re-offend," he said. "I know society has to have its pound of flesh so to speak."
Cleveland said he feels sorry for Greene's family who has supported him the entire time.
"He had a good family that supported him and he let everybody down," Cleveland said.
He said Greene struggled after he was released from prison, because he had no skills or education. A psychologist testified at the murder trial that Greene scored below average in many key areas of an IQ test.
"This is an individual on the edge with a great deal of apprehension," according to the report.
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5 Total Comments
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Posted by BadstreetUSA March 1, 2008
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It's pretty pathetic that our justice system which is suppose to protect the innocent shifted gears in reverse on this case. Individuals like Greene should never be allowed to even go outside prison bars for the rest of his life. But he was cut loose and back on the streets. Pretty sad given the potential this guy had to repeat an act he commited before. Hopefully, this criminal will never get out of jail this time. And as far as his illiteracy is concerned, he had plenty of time to correct that before and he certainly has plenty of time to do that now. But why should the prisons be concerned with making prisoners smarter? In doing so, they are making them more dangerous in giving them a greater mindspan in being more methodical in commiting their crimes since that's all most of them know how to do to survive.
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Posted by terrell19631 February 25, 2008
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Want to know the issue? Commonwealth's Attorney Larry Cleveland.
Maybe if Cleveland wasn't such a bleeding heart, this criminal would have already been in prison and not cost taxpayers more $$ for another trial. But then, lawyers do like to waste tax dollars. Don't believe it, just look at the Legislature. |
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Posted by hp1980 February 25, 2008
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Walter Redmon was my great grandfather and to hear that Johnny Greene is going back to jail is a relief! What my great grandfather went through was horrific and no one or their families should have to endure the pain that we did! GREAT JOB JUDGE WINGATE for realizing a threat to the community and possibly someone elses elderly great grandfather!
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Posted by fellowbaldknobian February 24, 2008
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"I fell off the wagon" what a joke. Think back to 1991 when you took an innocent elderly mans life for a few hundred dollars. This man should have been sent away for life how he got manslaughter beats me. Hopefully the laws have gotten better since the murder trial in 1991. Just because Greenes IQ is lower than normal doesn't mean he should get away with crimes as severe as he's done. Poor guy should have learned to read in prison there not much else you can do in there so I've heard. Hopefully Wingate will put this man away.
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Posted by ema February 24, 2008
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People are given a lot of chances by the system before the finally end up in prison. Judge Wingate certainly made the correct call on this one.
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