Victims should have more rights than prisoners

Seeing the article in The Gazette asking if we release prisoners from jail too soon made my heart break. It reminded me of the case of Kathlynn Shepard, who was abducted and killed a few years back by Michael Klunder. He had abducted and abused two toddlers, but because he didn't kill them, and due to "good behavior" in prison, he was released early, and abducted both Kathlynn and her friend, Dezi Hughes, who fortunately escaped. When he went back for Dezi and found her gone, he committed suicide.

At that time, the people whose job it is to be prison guards made the excuse that if those types of prisoners aren’t given the hope of early release, they become too difficult and violent to deal with. What a slap in the face to those parents, especially when Kathlynn's father served our country in the military and put his own life on the line. I was disgusted then, and even more so now, at the excuses that get made and the leniency shown towards prisoners who commit sexual crimes like the ones Mr. Klunder committed.

All Kathlynn's parents have left are the memories of their child. I don't know what it takes for this nonsense to change, but I'd certainly like to see it stop and see victims have more rights than prisoners. This has gone on for decades, and in any case, it's unacceptable.

Lisa Boyes

Grinnell