Judge OKs chance of parole in life sentence for Centennial teen

[Linda]

Judge OKs chance of parole in life sentence for Centennial teen


07/22/04
By Penny Colston

A Howard County Circuit Court judge sentenced 19-year-old Ryan Thomas
Furlough to life in prison July 20 for fatally poisoning his childhood
friend and classmate, Benjamin Vassiliev, with potassium cyanide.

The sentence, delivered by Judge Raymond Kane Jr. to a packed
courtroom following four hours of legal arguments and emotional
testimony, affords Furlough the possibility of parole.

"He's committed an egregious, egregious offense, but there's no
indication from his conduct that he is a hardened criminal," Kane said
before imposing the sentence, which drew a range of reactions from
attorneys and family on both sides of the case.

Furlough's eligibility for parole did not sit well with the
Vassilievs, knowing they will have to relive the memories surrounding
Benjamin Vassiliev's tragic death at Furlough's future parole
hearings.

"This is not over," said the teen-ager's brother, 15-year-old Erik
Vassiliev. "This will never end."

Kane added to deny Furlough the chance of parole would not be
"appropriate," given his clean criminal record and the fact that the
court has "no evidence" of how Furlough will respond to incarceration
or treatment.

Furlough was convicted in May of premeditated, first-degree murder for
putting potassium cyanide in a Vanilla Coke he handed to longtime
friend and Centennial High School classmate Benjamin Vassiliev.

Vassiliev died Jan. 8, 2003, five days after ingesting the drink,
which was spiked with chemicals Furlough bought weeks earlier on the
Internet using his mother's credit card.

Kane's decision drew mixed reactions from Vassiliev's family and
prosecutors, who requested life in prison without the possibility of
parole for what they called a "meticulously planned and carried out"
murder.

The sentence followed hours of tear-filled victim impact statements
about the loss of the popular and talented Vassiliev, and a courtroom
apology by Furlough, who turned to face the Vassiliev family before
saying he was "truly sorry for any pain that I have caused."

However, Erik Vassiliev said after the sentencing that the apology and
the sentence left him feeling "unsatisfied."

Walter Vassiliev echoed his son's disappointment, calling Kane's
ruling "misplaced sympathy on a cold-blooded killer."

"I think that ... it devalues the life of my son," he said. "I'm
concerned about if and when Ryan Furlough ever gets out of prison."

State's Attorney Tim McCrone said he was "pleased" with the sentence.
He added that Furlough could receive his first chance at parole in
less than 15 years.

"We believe it is unlikely," that Furlough would be granted parole so
early into his sentence, he said.

Anti-depressant effects cited

The sentence also drew mixed reactions from Furlough's mother, Susan
Furlough, and one of Ryan Furlough's two attorneys, Joseph Murtha.

Murtha had urged Kane to consider Furlough's chronic struggle with
mental illness and what he and medical experts have labeled as an
ongoing battle with the side effects of anti-depressants.

Murtha urged Kane to impose, at best, a life sentence with time
suspended and grant Furlough a referral to the Patuxent Institution, a
state treatment facility for offenders.

Kane denied the referral.

"It's difficult to say I'm relieved," Murtha said after Kane imposed
the sentence. "I am pleased that Judge Kane didn't receive Ryan
Furlough as a hardened criminal and that Ryan will have a chance to
seek parole in the future."

Murtha added that he felt there was a "great likelihood" the Furlough
family would seek an appeal in the case, which he called "one of the
most difficult" he has ever tried.

Susan Furlough said after the sentencing that she planned to devote
time to educating the public about the side effects of certain
prescription anti-depressants.

"I do not think being incarcerated is the answer," she said about the
sentence. "The judicial system needs to become educated. These drugs
are causing people to do things they would never do."

Earlier, she testified about her son's mental state, worsened, she
said, by escalating and adult-level doses of anti-depressants
prescribed to her son in the years leading up to Vassiliev's death.

Supporting her testimony was that of a health-sciences expert from
Utah who told the court that some countries had banned the use of
Effexor to treat adolescents because of its dangerous side effects,
such as suicidal thoughts and psychosis.

Ryan Furlough was taking 300 milligrams, the maximum recommended dose
of Effexor for adults, when he poisoned Vassiliev, Susan Furlough
said.

In testimony, Susan Furlough likened her son's withdrawal over the
past year from anti-depressants to emerging "from a dark cloud."

"As a person and a human," she said, "Ryan is now coming around to
being the person he used to be."


E-mail Penny Colston at ***@patuxent.com.
















©2004 MyWebPal.com. All rights reserved.


Linda


Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph. Haile Selassie

[Lucida]

It is always very sad to see peope trying to blame other things for
their own criminal behavior. Of course this murderer will try to say
the drug made him do it. Ever since the Twinkie defense worked, it is
something all of them try. But it doen't mean that drugs are bad. All
it means is that a desperate criminal will try anything to wiggle off
the hook. If he was realy that ill, why didn't his parents get him
better supervision? Oh, that might have involved some effort, and who
wants to do that? Easier to blame something else.
My sympathy lies with the family of the victim. Not only have they
lost their child, but they have to watch his murderer try to blame
everything but himself for his own actions, and senseless people
trying to use a sad event as propaganda for their own misguided
crusade.


Lucida

Post by Linda
Judge OKs chance of parole in life sentence for Centennial teen
07/22/04
By Penny Colston
A Howard County Circuit Court judge sentenced 19-year-old Ryan Thomas
Furlough to life in prison July 20 for fatally poisoning his childhood
friend and classmate, Benjamin Vassiliev, with potassium cyanide.
The sentence, delivered by Judge Raymond Kane Jr. to a packed
courtroom following four hours of legal arguments and emotional
testimony, affords Furlough the possibility of parole.
"He's committed an egregious, egregious offense, but there's no
indication from his conduct that he is a hardened criminal," Kane said
before imposing the sentence, which drew a range of reactions from
attorneys and family on both sides of the case.
Furlough's eligibility for parole did not sit well with the
Vassilievs, knowing they will have to relive the memories surrounding
Benjamin Vassiliev's tragic death at Furlough's future parole
hearings.
"This is not over," said the teen-ager's brother, 15-year-old Erik
Vassiliev. "This will never end."
Kane added to deny Furlough the chance of parole would not be
"appropriate," given his clean criminal record and the fact that the
court has "no evidence" of how Furlough will respond to incarceration
or treatment.
Furlough was convicted in May of premeditated, first-degree murder for
putting potassium cyanide in a Vanilla Coke he handed to longtime
friend and Centennial High School classmate Benjamin Vassiliev.
Vassiliev died Jan. 8, 2003, five days after ingesting the drink,
which was spiked with chemicals Furlough bought weeks earlier on the
Internet using his mother's credit card.
Kane's decision drew mixed reactions from Vassiliev's family and
prosecutors, who requested life in prison without the possibility of
parole for what they called a "meticulously planned and carried out"
murder.
The sentence followed hours of tear-filled victim impact statements
about the loss of the popular and talented Vassiliev, and a courtroom
apology by Furlough, who turned to face the Vassiliev family before
saying he was "truly sorry for any pain that I have caused."
However, Erik Vassiliev said after the sentencing that the apology and
the sentence left him feeling "unsatisfied."
Walter Vassiliev echoed his son's disappointment, calling Kane's
ruling "misplaced sympathy on a cold-blooded killer."
"I think that ... it devalues the life of my son," he said. "I'm
concerned about if and when Ryan Furlough ever gets out of prison."
State's Attorney Tim McCrone said he was "pleased" with the sentence.
He added that Furlough could receive his first chance at parole in
less than 15 years.
"We believe it is unlikely," that Furlough would be granted parole so
early into his sentence, he said.
Anti-depressant effects cited
The sentence also drew mixed reactions from Furlough's mother, Susan
Furlough, and one of Ryan Furlough's two attorneys, Joseph Murtha.
Murtha had urged Kane to consider Furlough's chronic struggle with
mental illness and what he and medical experts have labeled as an
ongoing battle with the side effects of anti-depressants.
Murtha urged Kane to impose, at best, a life sentence with time
suspended and grant Furlough a referral to the Patuxent Institution, a
state treatment facility for offenders.
Kane denied the referral.
"It's difficult to say I'm relieved," Murtha said after Kane imposed
the sentence. "I am pleased that Judge Kane didn't receive Ryan
Furlough as a hardened criminal and that Ryan will have a chance to
seek parole in the future."
Murtha added that he felt there was a "great likelihood" the Furlough
family would seek an appeal in the case, which he called "one of the
most difficult" he has ever tried.
Susan Furlough said after the sentencing that she planned to devote
time to educating the public about the side effects of certain
prescription anti-depressants.
"I do not think being incarcerated is the answer," she said about the
sentence. "The judicial system needs to become educated. These drugs
are causing people to do things they would never do."
Earlier, she testified about her son's mental state, worsened, she
said, by escalating and adult-level doses of anti-depressants
prescribed to her son in the years leading up to Vassiliev's death.
Supporting her testimony was that of a health-sciences expert from
Utah who told the court that some countries had banned the use of
Effexor to treat adolescents because of its dangerous side effects,
such as suicidal thoughts and psychosis.
Ryan Furlough was taking 300 milligrams, the maximum recommended dose
of Effexor for adults, when he poisoned Vassiliev, Susan Furlough
said.
In testimony, Susan Furlough likened her son's withdrawal over the
past year from anti-depressants to emerging "from a dark cloud."
"As a person and a human," she said, "Ryan is now coming around to
being the person he used to be."
©2004 MyWebPal.com. All rights reserved.
Linda
Throughout history it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph. Haile Selassie

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