An Ottawa Lake, Michigan, man serving prison time for a fatal crash that killed three people in Toledo was granted early release on Thursday.
After denying release twice last year, Lucas County Common Pleas Judge Stacy Cook granted Paul Never's request.
The 71-year-old has served 18 months of his four year sentence stemming from his role in a drunk driving crash three years ago on the 5400 block of North Detroit Avenue.
The parents of one of the victims was in tears in the courtroom.
"That's my son that I will never see again," says Bryan Richardson as he showed 71-year-old Paul Never a picture of his son.
The 20-year-old was one of three passengers killed in a crash in October of 2010.
Never was drunk that night backing his pick-up truck out of Chablis Lounge around 2 a.m. when he hit a car driven down North Detroit Avenue by Bryan's friend Noel Papenfuse.
Papenfuse was speeding while being the designated driver for his close friends who then died.
Papenfuse, Never's co-defendant in this case, was recently released on probation after serving 16 months behind bars.
Never's attorney asked for similar treatment on Thursday.
"Work release is another viable option given that as a farmer it's time to go back to work if the motion is granted for spring planting," says Richard Hasbrook, Never's attorney.
Judge Stacy Cook granted Never's early release from prison. She placed him on community control for five years. Never is not allowed to use drugs or alcohol.
"You didn't lose your life and you have paid ... will have paid a price for what was done," says Judge Cook. "For the Richardson's ... never enough. It will never be enough. There is no point in when you get your freedom back that you get to take a day and be frivolous with it."
"I find that our judicial system let us down," says Richardson.
Richardson and his wife Suzanne say they'll never forgive Never saying they're upset he's only serving six months for each victim.
"No, because he won't serve his time like a man," says Suzanne Richardson. "If he would've served his whole four years ... Which was nothing to begin with ... Then I could maybe consider. But he's whining and crying to get out early. I can't forgive a coward."
Never will serve five years of community control. It includes work release, 200 hours of community service, and AA meetings three times a week. He'll also wear an electronic monitoring unit.
Courtesy: The Toledo Blade
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2013 WorldNow and WTVG. All Rights Reserved.
