Chowchilla Kidnappings

Chowchilla Kidnappings

The Chowchilla kidnappings gained national headlines on July 15, 1976, the kidnappers Richard Schoenfeld, James Schoenfeld and Frederick Woods kidnapped 26 children, and they were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole, but later on changed to life in prison with the possibility of parole. After being denied parole 20 times, one of the three kidnappers, Richard Schoenfeld, was deemed suitable for parole by the California Board on Parole Hearings on October 30, 2008. He was denied parole in August 2009. James Schoenfeld has been denied parole 16 times. Frederick Woods was denied parole for the 12th time on January 5, 2009 and will be eligible again in 2012. The state is now considering letting James Schoenfeld and Frederick Woods out on Parole being that it would help the state's budget. I think that James Schoenfeld and Frederick Woods should be let out on parole being that they have served thirty plus years in prison and during the kidnappings none of the twenty six children were seriously hurt. When these three men committed this crime they were young and immature. They kidnapped these kids so they could pay off debt they owed to a realtor. John Schoenfeld, the brother of James and Richard Schoenfeld said the three men had fallen into debt because of a real estate deal gone sour and hatched the kidnap-for-ransom plan involving the bus as a way to rid them of financial worry. James, John and Frederick all come from wealthy families, chances are they were probably spoiled and never disciplined by their parents and were allowed to do anything they wanted, I think the family of the kidnappers should be the blame for allowing their children commit such a terrible crime. I think the children did suffer mentally from being kidnapped but not as much as these men are suffering in prison for committing this crime. They have paid their debt to society, and have kept a clean behavioral record in prison; they should be let out on parole and given a second chance at life liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When James, John are let out of prison on parole their families will have jobs waiting for them being that they have wealth families. With James and John getting out of prison and going to work will help California's budget because they will be paying taxes just like the rest of the working middle class Americans. If James and john get out on parole they will not put the community in any danger because they will be on parole and have to follow the rules of their parole officer. The case was turned into a 1993 made-for-television movie titled "They've Taken Our Children: The Chowchilla Kidnapping," starring Karl Malden as the heroic bus driver. This case is being glamorized by the media, it had a happy ending for the bus driver the kids and the community and the families of the children. Everybody had a happy ending except James, John and Richard.