THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, August 26, 1994 TAG: 9408260609
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: JARRATT LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
An inmate who is serving a life sentence for stabbing a woman to death has lost nearly 20 pounds in a hunger strike he vows to continue until he talks with Gov. George F. Allen about his plan to abolish parole.
``If there's a price to be paid, I'm willing to pay that'' for a meeting with Allen, Michael X. Johnson said Thursday in an interview with the Richmond Times-Dispatch at the Greensville Correctional Center.
``I am prepared to go as far as God will permit . . . even until death.''
Johnson has consumed only water and fruit drinks since Aug. 8 and is thin but appears otherwise healthy. He began his fast in the wake of publicity about Allen's Proposal X, a blueprint for abolishing parole.
``Society has a right to be concerned about crime, OK? But their concern should not be manipulated by Governor Allen, his parole board, nor his Commission to Abolish Parole,'' Johnson said.
``Punishing us will not solve the problem of crime.''
The commission Allen appointed unveiled its plan last week. Allen's promise to crack down on crime was a cornerstone of his gubernatorial campaign last year. Already, the rate of paroles granted by a parole board Allen appointed has dropped from about 40 percent a year ago to 5 percent last month.
The General Assembly will meet in special session starting Sept. 19 to consider his prison reform plan.
Proposal X would abolish parole for future inmates, stiffen sentences for violent offenders and cost about $850 million in prison building.
There has been little reaction from the nearly 20,000 inmates in 42 Virginia prisons who have watched as Allen's proposal picks up steam. A public relations blitz on behalf of the program has produced crime victims with sad stories and denunciations of ``liberal, lenient parole.''
Department of Corrections Director Ron Angelone said he was not aware of any incidents related to Proposal X, but knew of Johnson's protest and had heard rumors of an inmate sit-down strike. But he said he was not expecting problems.
Angelone said Johnson would not get his wish to talk to Allen.
``The inmate is requesting special consideration because he wants to be heard about Proposal X. He doesn't have a voice about Proposal X'' because he is not affected by it, Angelone said.
Johnson argues that the parole rate has dropped so low that Allen has effectively ended it for current inmates as well.
In 1985, when he was 16, Johnson stabbed a 45-year-old woman to death with a pair of scissors in a Crystal City office building. He was caught hiding in a ladies room with $37 and a bank card that belonged to the victim.
He was convicted of first-degree murder and robbery in 1986. His prosecutor was former Arlington Commonwealth's Attorney Helen Fahey, now the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia and on the legislature's Commission on Sentencing and Parole Reform.
Johnson received a life sentence, but will be eligible for parole in 1997. He knows the odds are against him.
Johnson told the newspaper many others at the prison know of his hunger strike and support him.
``It's a humane protest against an inhumane government,'' he said. ``I could very easily get, 100, 200 guys and lead a violent protest. What would that accomplish? Nothing. People might get hurt, and we defeat the cause.''
``But if we sacrifice our lives as (did) Christ, Jesus'' they might make a difference. ``He sacrificed his life and made a world of difference,'' he said.
Johnson said he is remorseful for his crimes, but ``I'm going to be honest with you. In the first couple of years in prison I didn't feel bad. I didn't know how to feel. I was 16 years old when this happened.''
He said that when inmates are paroled and commit new crimes the corrections system which did not offer them enough ``corrections'' is also to blame. ``To just punish us is morally incorrect.''
He said he expects more assaults among inmates and other violent behavior as fewer men are paroled.
``They are concerned, but they do not know how to articulate that concern. They are afraid, but they don't know how to defend themselves because the institution will not . . . allow us to stage peaceful sit-ins or protests.''
``Today, it's just me.'' by CNB