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Children Services exec: Do not parole 1980s child rapist
TweetSTAFF report
WARREN — Marcia Tiger, executive director of the Trumbull County Children’s Services Board, says former Howland resident John Whisonant should stay in prison 50 more years for raping four children.
Tiger, who has known the victims for 30 years, said in a letter to the Ohio Parole Board that the “despicable, depraved actions” Whisonant, 55, took toward the children has had a “far-reaching effect” on them.
“The nightmare was not over the day he entered prison 25 years ago,” Tiger said. “They grew up fearful and distrusting, sexualized and hungry for emotional attention.”
She added, “Despite years and years of therapy and counseling, the heinous abuse from John Whisonant has distorted their view of the world and all of the relationships they have experienced since.”
Psychological evaluations of the children reported “very low self-esteem, withdrawal, suicidal tendencies” and more, she said.
“I plead with you, as a responsible parole board, to deny John Whisonant’s release. Fifty more years in prison for John Whisonant would not be enough! Do not release this relatively young man back out into society where he can destroy the life of one more child,” Tiger said.
On Tuesday, the Ohio Parole Board will have a hearing to determine whether Whisonant should be released. Whisonant was sentenced to 21 to 75 years in prison in 1985 in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.
Whisonant, of Niles Road, was convicted of four counts of rape and one count of gross sexual imposition for acts committed against children age 9, 7, 6 and 5.
Trumbull County Prosecutor Dennis Watkins wrote to the parole board that the state should “keep him locked up until he dies.”
Whisonant committed the rapes in the fall of 1984 and in 1981.
The offenses came to light in February 1985 when one of the children reported the offenses to a teacher after watching a film at school on child molestation.
Comments
CRIMES LIKE THIS SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN LIGHTLY!! KEEP HIM IN JAIL HE DOES NOT DESERVE TO HAVE OUR FREEDOMS!
Is there really a parole board? If so, does each prisoner eligible for parole get to appear in front of the full body of board members? In the movies they always show a full board but in real life??????
He needs to be kept in prison till his last breath.
Yes, there is a parole board, but not like in the movies, usually it's the lawyers requesting early release, and in Ohio the prisoner may get a 1 on 1 interview with a board member. They get together about once a month.
Suppose I were to tell you that a prisoner who was up for parole was met by one member of the board who made a ruling against the prisoner.
Are these meetings taped? Are the records of these meetings public records? How do we know that this one person is actually carrying out the considerations of the entire board?
The parole hearings is public information but the interviews are private. The one who interviews the inmate does not make the decision, it has to go through all 7 members. The interview is only a guideline on how your mental state/programs you attended/troubles in prison, etc. The lawyers, families, victims of the family all have a input. The inmates all get a copy of the guidelines for early release and also whoever wants the doc.
http://www.drc.state.oh.us/web/Guidel...
I know for a fact things that are being said in the media are being twisted and dishonest. I was the oldest victim of my father john whisonant. yes I do have some problems but they mostly come from Trumbull county children services. including Marcia tiger. yes there was 2other men that had molested me but they we're not friends of my father and none of them knew the other had been molesting me. we we're not attacked. I see they still can't get their facts straight. they lied and mislead us then. now they are doing it again. they still don't give a damn about us kids. I forgave my father. I have moved on. they shouldn't be bring this out in public without even notifying us. they promised us so much and it was all a lie.including protecting us but most of us we're mistreated under their care. including molested. they should be sitting in prison right next to my father.
AmyMarie,
First, I'm sorry your dad and other men hurt you. I'm sorry that you were further abused and emotionally unprotected. It must be terribly hard to see this in the media, especially without warning. Please trust in yourself. You can heal from the abuses you endured. You are already stronger than most people could ever imagine. Keep the focus on your journey, on the path to healing.
Second, I must also comment on how our society treats molestors and rapists. It's mindboggling that still, in 2010, that anyone has to protest or beg Parole boards to keep the molestors or rapists IN jail. Just totally confusing why there'd even been a question about it--- KEEP these offenders IN jail.