Sunday 21 February 2016

Man Completes 30 Year Murder Sentence, Kills His Mother Two Days Later

In October 1984, Steven Pratt shot dead a man in his home town in New Jersey.
He was tried as an adult for the murder and began serving his 30-year sentence at a maximum security prison.

Thirty years later, Steven was expected to start his life afresh, as he made his way home to where his family held a welcome party.

Things should have been different for Steven but history would repeat itself very soon.

Gwendolyn Pratt, 64, was killed by her son two days after her came out of prison.

Police found her dead from blunt injuries to the head and Steven was charged.
MORE: Boy, 4, sentenced to life in prison for four ‘murders’ he is accused of committing aged one.

He reportedly told the judge ‘I have failed’ and added, ‘ I don’t want a trial. I’m guilty.’

Steven officially pleaded guilty to manslaughter this week and is expected to be sentenced to 25 years in prison.

According to a 2014 Bureau of Justice Statistics report, 77 per cent of released prisoners were arrested for a new crime within five years.

But the timing of Steven’s crime is being considered an anomaly and has led many to ask whether he was impacted by being locked up so young.

Ronald Gruen, a psychologist who has evaluated juvenile criminals for decades, told the Press of Atlantic City: ‘If anybody’s been in prison 30 years in the adult system, they’re no sweethearts.

‘They’re probably a very angry, very paranoid individual. Probably very upset with the world.’


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