Killers try for early parole in Oregon, some are already out
SALEM, Ore. - “I did something that was savage and brutal,” convicted killer David Metz says on video tape during his time in prison. “I took the lives of two innocent people."
It was 1991 when Metz crawled through a window at an Oregon coast hotel as Ellen and Duncan McKinnon slept. A struggle ensured and he stabbed them both to death.
Now, Metz is trying to convince the parole board he is a good candidate for rehabilitation, decades ahead of when his 60-year sentence is up. He agreed to the sentence in 1991.
The Oregon Supreme Court cleared the way for a group of killers from the 80s and 90s to get paroled a decade or more early. Over half of those who have tried are now free on parole.
And Metz may also be released.
Metz is the latest in a string of convicted murderers in Oregon who have tried, and sometimes succeeded, in getting paroled well ahead of their release date.
Unsurprisingly, McKinnon family members are fighting to keep him behind bars.
Metz, on video, recalled his crime at his latest parole board review. “Both started yelling, 'who am I, what was I doing'” he said.
Mr. McKinnon and Metz struggled over a knife in Metz' hand. Even two decades later, Metz struggled to explain to the parole board what happened next.
"My wrist slipped out of Duncan's hand, and it went into his chest,” he said with emotion.
“Mrs. McKinnon started screaming even more, crying uncontrollably,” he added while trailing off with his head down, unable to describe how he killed Ellen.
If board members say yes to his release, they'll decide at another hearing how soon Metz should be placed on parole. It’s the same thing other killers have tried, including Kevin Roper.
“I keep asking myself, why I didn't stop, why did I keep going forward,” Roper told KATU News.
Roper murdered his friend for money. He was the first inmate under the Oregon Supreme Court decision to ask for early parole last November.
Then in December, Pepe Rivas also asked to be released early. "In my thought at that time, I needed to kill him in order to get the money,” Rivas said of his crime, the execution-style shooting death of a Baskin-Robbins ice cream store clerk.
In both cases, the parole board said the killers were not ready for release. But Roper and Rivas are the minority. Of the 15 inmates who have had early parole hearings so far, eight of them have been granted their freedom.
Six of the killers have already been let out this year. Two more will walk free in a few months.
The seven killers who were not released, including Roper and Rivas, get another chance next year to convince the parole board they're changed men.
That means the families of their victims will have to fight to keep them locked up. Again.
Mike McKinnon, son of Duncan and Ellen, appeared before the board with a photo to remind board members of Metz’s crime. 'This is a photograph of my parents,” he said, handing over an enlargement of the smiling couple.
McKinnon, who had to listen to Metz re-live the killings, wants to keep Metz from getting that parole hearing in the first place, 40 years before he expected him to walk free.
“Please do not grant Andrew Metz the hope that he is seeking to claim any part of his productive years as a member of society. He relinquished that privilege on Sept 8th, 1991,” he told the board.
The parole board hasn't decided yet whether Andrew Metz is suitable for possible parole.
There are another 15 killers who will get early parole hearings in the coming months. All of them have been convicted of aggravated murders.
Hold those that release them responsible. If the released killers kill again hold those that released them or stayed their execution responsible as an accomplice. The majority of Oregonians believe in and support the use of the death sentence. Use it or step out of the way. The majority has spoken.
Amazing how little human life is worth nowadays. Why bother to lock them up anymore? They'll just be let right out again. I can see letting some non-violent offenders out early, but murderers?
This is ridiculous! I can't believe this is happening in our own back yards! What gets me is that they are setting killers free, but then they want to imprison people for something as stupid as a fake dating profile (something tons of people do) and a couple blog comments in a comment forum such as this. I saw this story about a local Vancouver woman that they are trying to imprison for exactly that. Here's a link: https://www.eff.org/press/releases/washington-state-cyberstalking-case-based-unconstitutional-law So they let killers go free to make room in jails for someone exercising their rightto speak freely. What is wrong with this picture?
If the death penalty was used as the people of Oregon intended, this would not be happening! These murderers should have been destroyed for their crimes. All involved in their release should have to face criminal charges if they parole any of these convicted murderers and they kill again.
I wish that government would adopt the mantra used by physicians.. ..........Do no harm.
...and they wonder why people are arming themselves...
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I sure miss the America I grew up in...
You and me both, Margay !!!!!
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 @feministdolphinbuddha *yawn*
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Lincoln murdered more.
I don't know...but for some reason I wish we had a this time only one person on the parole board...and that was Henry VIII
Metz can't even get to the point where he takes full responsibility for the murders he committed. Why would anyone think he was ready to be released?
are they trying to thin the population in the prisons? Or are they trying to thin populations in general when these guys are released?
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Remember the recent killing of a woman in WA Co, I think, that was denied a restraining order by the judge and the ex killed her ? Same thing...the judge should be held accountable for that miscarriage of justice.
Yes!!!!!!!
what happend to finishing out one's sentence ? This is unacceptable.This will send the wrong message to potential law breakers.There has to be something someone/some group can do to prevent any of this
 @Mazda84 I agree Mazda. If a double murderer is able to walk away from their sentence, what message are those "in charge" sending? This would be an utter failure of any justice that is due to the family of these innocent victims. Another point; if this or one of the others who receive early parole repeat their crime I think it becomes a matter of shared blame. Of course the dog who keeps attacking must be directly dealt with. At some point the dog's handler becomes guilty of letting a known viscous animal loose on the street. It's the handler who gave the animal access to a new set of potential victims.Â
Sorry, we have to let out murderers so that we can keep all those terrible pot smokers in prison.
 @Motorhead79 I don't think there's anybody in prison for smoking pot, at least in Oregon.
Hopefully these criminals will start ending up dead after their early releases?
So, what was the change in policy that has opened the door here for these guys to be offered a chance to get out so early? Once again, KATU is doing us a disservice by only reporting part of the story...and frankly, I'm really getting fed up with the slip-shod excuse for journalism that's so common here.
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"Killers from the 80s and 90s" is what it says. Obviously, we're talking pre-Measure 11; that didn't come into effect until February, 1995. At most, it'd put the longest serving convicts at 32 years and less into their sentence.
Instead of tweaking the law in favor of non-violent, or 1st time offenders, Salem saw fit to throw the 25-to-life crowd a bone?!?! Taking into account the current budget deficit, I get that they are trying to thin down the prison population to save a couple bucks, but doesn't this seem like the wrong part of the herd to cut loose?
The politicians don't want to honk off their constituency by tinkering with Measure 11, so they monkey around with the Oregon Revised Statutes that apply to Reagan-era murderers.
Suuuure...that makes ever so much more sense!
Hopefully people will keep that in mind come November.
@Don_Keyshow You have to wonder if the aging killers are starting to cost the state more, as far as medical needs, etc., and if this is what is motivating this? To put the law-abiding tax paying public at risk to save some money is a gross miscarriage of justice. If even ONE of them re-offends and ends another life, then the state is liable to the family of the victim. That will end up costing the state more money in the long run than if they kept these monsters incarcerated for their full sentence. This is just unbelievable, horribly unbelievable.
First "pot smokers" don't go to prison (or even jail) for that matter. You simply cannot go to prison for mete possession of marijuana in Oregon.
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These killers do pre-date Measure 11, which is one reason Oregonians have voted for it TWICE - so when a judge - or in the vase of aggravated murder a jury, hands down a sentence the person actually serves it. Not one third as might happen with Metz.
These men are all stone cold killers and most were convicted of Aggravated Murder, which isn't even covered by Measure 11.
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Low -risk, non-violent prisoners rarely go to prison at all. 77% of all felons don't go to prison. When they do their average length of stay is less than 4 years, including murderers and for the few drug dealers, they average 1 year in prison.
"McKinnon family members are fighting to keep him behind bars."
Or save the fighting for his release date.
Anyone convicted of murder should never see the light of day outside of a prison. This country has failed for more than 200 years at rehabilitation. It is time to realize rehabilitation doesn't work and simply warehouse these murders for life in a secure prison without all the benefits they currently receive; which reads like a resort or hotels amenities.
 @I812 I totally agree!!
I get physically sick when I read these articles. These people are not protecting the public nor are they thinking more than 5 minutes ahead. I am sure they have not suffered the personal tragedies that the victims in these cases have or had to go through the perpetual suffering of surviving family members. I do not know how they get their positions but an overhaul seems to be in order.  I guess we will just have to watch and wait to see how long it takes for these losers reoffend. And, by the way, any tears they shed are only for themselves. You can bank on that.
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Who are these people that make up the parole board and what are their qualifications??? Have any them ever had a family member murdered????? Doesn't sound like any of the convicted murderers described in this article have any right to even be asking for parole!!!!! "the knife slipped" and landed square on that man's chest my backside!!!! These are admitted murderers that will likely reoffend within a couple of years of leaving prison. IF this tweaked out parole board BELEIVES that these people are "REHABILITATED" they have some serious problems and should NOT be deciding for the population of Oregon and the country who should/should not be released. Same with pedophiles!!!!! THEY CAN NOT BE REHABILITATED!!!
Another fine example of how the State of Oregon cares androtects it's citizens.
I'll bet that if the parole board and judge were held directly responsible for these guys when they get out , they would NOT get early release. As it is, they share no responsibility if the inmate reoffends and kills someone else. This needs to be changed...and now. The parole board should stand trial right along with the offender, if they had not released him, he would not have been able to reoffend, making them guilty of aiding and abetting a crime.
His wrist slipped...???? Yeah...right.
 @Maximus He was holding the knife and it accidentally discharged. He thought it was on "safe."
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