Some of us had been threatening our friend Colby for a long time, because of the way he had been behaving. And now he’d gone too far, so we decided to hang him.
From "Some of Us Had Been Threatening Our Friend Colby"
by Donald Barthelme
With what he had done, Ryan Copenhaver should’ve known his life would never be the same. Normalcy flew out the window the day he flipped his vehicle. But he was the lucky one; Two passengers did not fare so well. So much for—in the words of Prince—partying “like it's 1999.” August 6, 1999, to be exact. Injured: 1 Casualty: 1.
Copenhaver served 3 years and 7 months. Then he paroled. Then he experienced life as a semi-free man. Days rolled into months rolled into years. He worked two menial jobs. He’d been sober for God knows how long. (That was expected.) So why the change in events? Did he think his blatant disregard for the conditions of his parole would go unnoticed? Hadn’t he rules to follow? How careless could he be? Did he not read the fine print? Did he not listen to his parole agent? And only three months from becoming a truly free man! Three months! Shame, on, him!
Here’s his violation: Possession of weapons.
Here’s the punishment: Tack on 5 years. Reinstate his prison number. Retrieve his prison file. Stick a B prefix on the cover. Have the quartermaster fit him for his prison blues. He’s coming back. Second time’s a charm.
The Michigan taxpayers are much safer with Copenhaver off the streets. Face it, he didn’t pay enough in taxes. He’s much more valuable when locked up. He’ll create prison jobs. We’ll feed him, we’ll shelter him, we’ll supervise him. Do we have a choice? There’s no telling what mayhem he may have caused with two toy “air guns” found in the attic of his friend's parent's house. He could’ve robbed a fast-food joint. He could’ve robbed a gas station. Or worse—he could’ve robbed a liquor store and flipped another vehicle and heaven forbid killed another passenger.
12 comments:
Now that's rather beyond ridiculous. Isn't anyone in this whole situation able to think?
Here we go again. Do you realize how big a caseload a parole agent has? Do you even know what pressure they're under? You joke about this, but what happens when a parolee actually does violate? What if, in this instance, Copenhaver got mad at his girlfriend and threatened her with one of those guns you so mockingly describe? Then what? Who is responsible then?
All due respect -- soon everybody will be able to carry a gun anyway.
Guy's unlucky is all.
Shouldn't everything be "described mockingly"?
Anon apparently ain't got no impulse control . . .
Wow...that's pretty bent.
Wow, when some people are down on their luck, they're really down on their luck.
Did you hear what happened on a Greyhound bus in Canada a couple of days ago? *shudder* That guy's luck ran out!
This case is totally fubar of justice.
Anon,
Thus the title: "The Copenhaver Risk Factor"
He'd certainly gone too far. At least we know what he'd done wrong, unlike Colby in Donald Barthelme's story. The real irony though, is not that Colby had gone too far, but that his punishers were willing to go farther.
Thanks for the comments everyone. And for not "going too far."
JR enjoyed the read. Every one's a little skittish after Selapak. I agree with anon. Erik if you are reading?For whatever reasons microsoft explorer will not let me access your blog, and aborts any attempt. One of the many that enjoys reading not always commentting. MW
Hello Mr."Know's not a damn thing that he is talking about"....I am Ryan's Older sister, and you don't know what you are talking about...First of all this is the first time Ryan has been in trouble, Ryan was never a bad kid or a bad adult, he made a mistake. And unfortunetly it had caused someone to die, and another passenger to get his leg broken, and Ryan also got hurt too. Ryan did his time, and he got out on parole, and yes he was in his friend's parent's house, with a toy gun that he knew nothing about. Ryan worked 2 jobs, he never had anytime for anyone, he worked his butt off to pay his fines, and he had them paid 6 months out on parole..The state of Michigan gave Ryan his License back while he was on parole and he called his parole officer to ask if he was allowed to drive, she had told him "No, not until he was off of parole." What everyone fails to bring up in the entire matter, is that there was no reason for them to search his residence. The only reason they did, was because at the time of the Super bowl and the Michigan department of corrections was doing surprise visits to every person who is on parole....So this is why Ryan got searched, they found 2 toy guns that were not even in his place of living, they were stored in a closet that was not even occupied by Ryan....Ryan would never hold up a liquor store, or rob a store, making that assumption is ridiculous seeing that you don't know Ryan and that you are just assuming this about every prisoner. How would you like it if someone started saying things that you would never do? I just think that maybe you should know who you are talking about. Ryan never did anything wrong on Parole. This was just something that they found and they shoved this too him, and they should've let him go, Ryan has a lawyer and he is doing everything that he is supposed to do. Ryan is a statistic, and I think that this is unfortunate that there are so many people in prison, for things that aren't even horrible and violent offenses, and these are the one's that the state should release early and focus on the one's who are violent offenders...I will be more than happy to defend my brother, and I am open for discussion on this...Erica
I too know Ryan, and the Copenhavers. Ryan was a good kid, never got into trouble. The fact is, he made a mistake and he paid for it. He is still paying for it, and he will pay for it with the rest of his life. He doesn't need some whinny holier than though individual with a skewed glimpse of the case to remind him, he has a conscience for that.
You missed the HUGE article in the Oakland Press about him, and how the system-from paroles, FIA, social services-are antiquated and in desperate need of a rehaul.
You are one of the sad individuals who like to pass judge and jury on everything that anyone does. Tell him, when did you become God? Isn't the point of going to prison to rehabilitate? I wonder what you'd say about Nathaniel Abhraham who blantantly gunned down an unarmed man, wore a pimp suit to his hearing, got out and violated his parole?
You have a limited grasp of how the system works other than what you read in the paper. Question the sources before you form an opinion.
I am by no means saying that what Ryan did, or anyone in his shoes did, is wrong. But he admitted his guilt, and is his doing his time. He's asked for forgiveness to the family of the man who was killed, and it was granted.
Tragedies happen in life. Ryan himself has even said, (and im paraphrasing), 'I will live with that for the rest of my life. It's on my conscience, no one else's.'
Perhaps your a friend of the victim or his family, and if you are, I am sorry. Loss of life, ANY LIFE, is regrettable. But to punish someone over and over again, what does that say about you? Society?
Perhaps instead of pointing out the problem, maybe try being a part of the solution. Volunteer to be a safe driver on New Year's for MADD.
Why he even went back to prison is ridiculous. He was a young made who made a horrible mistake and he already served his time. He was doing alot better than other men when they get out of the system. Not to mention men who have never been arrested. He is obviously sorry for what happened that night and is trying to do better from now on. He should be released to get on with his life. And all of these bs theories on what he could have done are just that bs. He was never violent towards anybody and the guns were fake anyways and he didn't even know about them. Before you start attacking somebody maybe you should get all the facts straight. And try to think what you would do if you were in his shoes. Nobody knows how bad he feels unless this has happened to them.
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