en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Connolly_(FBI)
2 corrections found
Under Florida sentencing guidelines, Connolly was required to serve at least one-third of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
This is incorrect: Connolly was already eligible to seek parole in 2017, after about nine years, well before one-third of a 40-year sentence.
Full reasoning
Connolly's state sentence was 40 years, but reporting from 2017 shows he was already eligible for parole after serving a little more than nine years. Boston.com reported on March 14, 2017 that he would have a chance to argue for parole later that month after serving a little more than nine years in prison. The Boston Globe then reported that his July 2017 hearing was his first bid for parole and that the Florida Commission on Offender Review set a presumptive parole release date of June 26, 2039. Since nine years is far less than one-third of a 40-year sentence (13 years and 4 months), the article's statement about needing to serve at least one-third before parole eligibility is wrong.
2 sources
- ‘Whitey’ Bulger’s former FBI handler eligible for parole in 1982 slaying
Former FBI agent John J. Connolly Jr. will have a chance to argue for parole later this month after serving a little more than nine years in prison...
- ‘Whitey’ Bulger’s handler, John Connolly, given 2039 parole date in slaying
the brief hearing in Tallahassee that marked his first bid for parole since he was convicted... The Florida Commission on Offender Review set a presumptive parole release date of June 26, 2039
since federal employees only lose their pension if convicted of espionage or treason.
That overstates the rule. Federal pension forfeiture applies to more than just espionage or treason.
Full reasoning
Federal law does not limit pension forfeiture to only two crimes. Under 5 U.S.C. § 8312, forfeiture applies to a broader set of offenses, including treason-related offenses such as misprision of treason, rebellion or insurrection, seditious conspiracy, advocating overthrow of government, certain atomic-energy and classified-information offenses, and specified perjury or subornation of perjury tied to national-security matters. A Congressional Research Service overview likewise explains that federal pension forfeiture covers espionage, treason, and other national security offenses. So the article's claim that federal employees lose pensions only for espionage or treason is too narrow and inaccurate.
2 sources
- 5 U.S.C. § 8312 — Conviction of certain offenses
section 2381 (treason), 2382 (misprision of treason), 2383 (rebellion or insurrection), 2384 (seditious conspiracy), 2385 (advocating overthrow of government)... Perjury... Subornation of perjury...
- Federal Retirement Plans: Frequently Asked Questions (Congressional Research Service)
pension forfeiture... Loss of Federal Pensions for Members of Congress Convicted of Certain Offenses... federal crimes that relates to espionage, treason or other national security offense against the government.