Once upon a time in Mississippi, life did not mean life when someone went to prison. Eula Roundtree served only ten years of her "life" prison sentence after she was convicted of killing Dr. Clara Porter in cold blood in 1987. The Parole Board saw fit to set her free in 2000. This case is a prime example of why the "85% rule" and other "truth in sentencing" measures were passed by the legislature in the early 1990's.
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| Eula Roundtree |
Dr. Porter was a 37-year old attractive professor at JSU. Students loved her and she was well-respected by her peers. She revived the Opera South guild to much success. However, the professor who had so much to live for made the mistake of dating one of the more notorious cads to inhabit Jackson, JPD officer Cleon Butler. A Mississippi Supreme Court opinion provides the relevant details of the case:
In 1983, Eula met Sgt. Cleon Butler of the Jackson Police Department. They decided to marry in June 1983, but Cleon changed his mind and married another woman, Debra, in May, 1983. Almost immediately after Cleon and Debra married, Cleon assured Eula that he would divorce Debra and that they would eventually marry as previously planned. With this assurance in mind, Eula was persuaded by Cleon to spend a lot of money on him; for example, she bought him new tires for his automobile, a bedspread for his and Debra's marital home, as well as draperies and blinds. She even loaned him $1,500.
Cleon's assurance, Eula soon learned, was an insincere one. He did separate from Debra and divorce her after approximately one year of marriage. Cleon and Eula did re-commence their relationship. However, Eula discovered that Cleon was also seeing other women including Clara Porter, who Eula warned to "stay away" from her fiancé. Her warning was to no avail; Cleon and Clara continued to see one another. Meanwhile, Cleon would call Eula on numerous occasions and persuade her to come to his house and have sex. Sometimes, he would physically and mentally abuse her. For example, he would call her names, embarrass her in front of others, and beat her. On a few occasions, he threatened her with a knife or a gun.
Eula's emotional state worsened as Cleon's abusive nature and broken promises became a customary matter in her life......
On March 10, 1987, Eula purchased a gun and ammunition. Nine days later, she went to Cleon's home and waited on the porch for him to return from work. Her plan was to commit suicide; instead, she fatally shot Clara Porter who showed up unexpectedly. Eula explained that she did not mean to shoot Clara; in fact, she doesn't really know what happened. The gun simply "went off two times in rapid succession" when Clara screamed in response to seeing Eula with a gun. Rest of opinion.Roundtree shot Dr. Porter in the head and chest. The murder of the popular professor was a blow to the community. However, Roundtree got one break after another.
She was allowed to post a $50,000 bond. She was allowed to remain free on appeal. Judge Coleman released her from incarceration after she was convicted because the Hinds County Detention Center's female section was overcrowded. She remained free for two weeks. She eventually reported to prison to serve her sentence.
Fortunately for Dr. Porter's killer, the Parole Board felt merciful in November 2000 and granted parole. She walked forth a free woman on December 14, 2000, just in time to make it home for Christmas. A life sentence in 1988 mean that a killer was eligible for parole after only ten years.
Meanwhile, Dr. Porter didn't get to celebrate Christmas with her loved ones.
Why is the Kingfish reporting this old crime? It took place over thirty years ago. Dr. Porter meant quite a bit to more than a few people in the community. The reporter who did an excellent job in covering this story moved on to another career and no one ever reported on the parole and frankly, it deserves to be reported. The parole serves as a helpful reminder of why some of the much-criticized "tough on crime" legislation was passed.
There is also the fact that Dr. Porter deserves to have this troubling news about her killer reported, even if it is 17 years too late. Someone has to speak for the victim.
The Parole Board members were Donald Pope, Patricia Miller, Kareem West, Morris Lee Scott, and Marilyn Starks.
15 comments:
KF....... you think that is a tragedy, report on the release of one douglas hodgkins by the parole board in 2009. that capital murder took place in oxford in 1986.
Pitt, can't approve your comment due to the language. You are spot on though.
I found out about the parole yesterday so I thought it was worthy of a post.
THANK YOU, for bringing this to everyone's attention, how soon we forget!!
Correct 8:16: how soon we forget.......
Those five parole board members were all Musgrove appointments. The parole board is
only as good as the members. It’s ironic that Morris Lee Scott as a legislator along with
senator Mike Gunn and representative Ken Stribling were the ones who pushed the 85% rule
law in the first place.
It's been 17 years and no one has heard a derogatory word about Ms Roundtree. I recall this case and it was so emotional that manslaughter was the crime committed although jury said murder. She did her time and has bothered no one since. Go blame Cleon because that philanderer caused everything
7:30 - Please allow us to understand your claim that 'she did her time'. What sort of math or thought process brings you to that conclusion?
Meanwhile, still chuckling at The Kingfish's comment that he censored a comment because of language. Is there any word in the street-dictionary that has not been allowed here at least a hundred times?
Meanwhile: "Big Apple Brings Big Bucks To Mabus Reelection Campaign"...
Har.
The boy musta had pictures of thousands of people up to and including Clinton and Obama.
Love endures all.
Has she committed a crime since she got out? Ran a stop sign, gotten a speeding ticket? Leave these folks alone, if you just found out about it after all these years later, why open the wounds?
Because, 11:07, we, as citizens, deserve to know how our government operates and what decisions they make.....even if we find out years later. There is no statute of limitations on our right to transparency and our right to know these things.
Your question is about as ridiculous as somebody who might claim Byron De la Beckwith harmed nobody and let a quiet life for the last 45 years prior to his conviction.
Dr. Porter and Mrs. Round tree deserved better than Cleon, I believe to this day he should have been charged with something. Two lovely women destroyed. I was in highschool when this occurred.
“Tough on crime” legislation was enacted to benefit private prison and prison upply industries. Great “shocking” stories help that stay in place. Not every inmate needs to serve 85%.
8:06 - What a revelation. Who gets to decide which need to serve 86%? You? How do we know which we need to give dispensation to? Do we turn to you for advice? What behavioral chart do we keep on prisoners to let us know when one has 'served enough time'? Do we ask you?
There were no private prisons when these rules were put in place. These rules were put in place due to public outcry and survivor demands.
"Teen gets 5 year term in gang related death" - there's a societal problem that we've made nearly zero headway with in 30 years.
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