GOVERNOR HALTS EARLY RELEASES

Warns They Could Resume

FRANKFORT -- Gov. Paul Patton suspended the early release of felons
yesterday and challenged state lawmakers to find more money for the state's
prison system this year.

If legislators fail to shore up the corrections budget, Patton said, he
will face no other choice but to resume the early inmate release.

Nearly 900 inmates have been released several months before the end of
their sentences, starting in December, to try to keep the prison budget
intact. At least four of those inmates have been arrested for crimes
allegedly committed soon after their release, and the news coverage of
those incidents has brought home what Patton said is the pain of budget cuts.

In two noteworthy instances in Western Kentucky, one inmate was arrested
and charged with robbing several banks, while another inmate this week was
charged with a rape that allegedly occurred on Jan. 20, three days after he
was released.

Patton said during a Capitol news conference that he sympathizes with the
victims, but noted that a third of all inmates released at the end of their
sentences also commit new crimes. Patton said such incidents are
regrettable but expected, and he does not regret the early release.

"I believe the General Assembly is now ready to fully fund our prison
system no matter what it takes," Patton said during a hastily called news
conference.

It will take $2.25 million more this fiscal year and $9.5 million more
during the year that starts July 1 to pay for prison operations.

Patton said he will propose a tax increase of $570 million a year to
finance all the state's budget problems, but even he acknowledged yesterday
that the proposal may be "dead on arrival in the General Assembly."

Other programs are next

But without new money, there will be widespread government shutdowns, from
early inmate releases to closed state parks, lack of foster care and
teachers not rehired, Patton said.

"Would that be pain enough to cause the legislature to act? I hope so,
because those are the choices we face," the Dem-ocratic governor said.

The release of 883 inmates has been roundly criticized by legislators, law
enforcement and a number of gubernatorial candidates. Few have offered
realistic alternatives for finding the money to pay to house the inmates.

Patton said he was taken by surprise by the publicity about the inmate
release and some of the subsequent offenses. He said it will be incumbent
on the news media to give equal treatment when people lose Medicaid
benefits because of budget cuts and suffer catastrophic illnesses without
treatment.

"This is a difficult problem. It can't be solved based on emotion or by
trading sound bites," Patton said.

Attorney General Ben Chandler, one of the gubernatorial hopefuls, filed
suit to try to block the second release. Chandler said he would put the
lawsuit on hold unless Patton resumes the early releases.

Patton said he anticipated that Chandler would try to take some credit for
his decision, but said the attorney general "had nothing to do with it."

Prosecutors pleased

Prosecutors across the state voiced pleasure with Patton's decision.

"Our office did not think this was a good program in the beginning. We're
glad that it's apparently been suspended and we regret the harm that has
apparently been done to several citizens by the releases in the meantime,"
said Joe Bouvier, assistant Commonwealth's Attorney in Fayette County.

Rick Boling, Commonwealth's Attorney in Christian County, said, "I think
the citizens of Christian County and the Commonwealth all understand that
regardless of how bad the state's budget is, subjecting its citizens to
unnecessary risks and dangers is an inappropriate practice."

James Wethington, commonwealth's attorney in Daviess County, where a
prisoner released in December was charged with committing three bank
robberies in 10 days, said: "The amount of money allegedly saved did not
equal damage being done, and I'm very thankful the governor realized this."

Said Jefferson County Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Stengel: "I just think
that criminal matters and public safety are too important to use to make a
point, and I'm glad he's seen the light now."