This may be the one and only time I agree with the AG. Someone must have taken leave of their senses.
Jens Soering was convicted of the 1985 murder of Bedford couple Derek and Nancy Haysom in their Bedford County home. Soering’s girlfriend Elizabeth Haysom is currently in prison for her role in the murder of her parents. Soering, a German citizen, is currently serving 2 life sentences. Background information from the Roanoke Times:
RICHMOND — Gov. Tim Kaine has asked the U.S. Department of Justice to approve the transfer of Jens Soering — who is serving two life sentences for the 1985 murders of a Bedford County couple — to a prison in his native Germany.
Kaine, who leaves office Saturday, approved the transfer request by Soering’s attorney this week after earlier denying a clemency petition from the former University of Virginia honor student. Soering, the son of a retired German diplomat, received consecutive life sentences for the stabbing deaths of his girlfriend’s parents in their Boonsboro home. The case attracted international media attention and Soering has maintained his innocence nearly a quarter century after the murders.
Under terms of the transfer agreement, Soering would remain in a German prison for at least two years before being eligible for release, Kaine spokesman Gordon Hickey said. Soering has been eligible for parole in Virginia, but he has been denied.
Hickey said the transfer request from Soering’s attorney “didn’t come until very recently” and that Kaine did not make his decision lightly. Kaine sent his authorization to the Justice Department on Tuesday, a necessary step for Soering to be transferred under terms of an international treaty.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is digging his heels in and refuses to release this prisoner. He refuses to release Soering. The Daily Progress explains:
“We have documents prepared to go,” partly at the insistence of state Sen. Steve Newman, R-Lynchburg, if the Justice Department grants the transfer request, Cuccinelli said.
But he doesn’t expect to need the papers, Cuccinelli said in an interview in Lynchburg on Monday.
“If the [U.S.] administration wants Jens Soering transferred to Germany, they are going have to sue us to do it,” Cuccinelli said.
“It is hard for me to imagine that they are going to go into federal court to sue the commonwealth for the purpose of springing a double murderer. That takes a level of chutzpah that bypasses the Olympics if they had a chutzpah contest,” Cuccinelli said.
“I just can’t see it happening.”
McDonnell spokeswoman Taylor Thornley confirmed Cuccinelli’s remarks.
“Absent a valid court order from the federal government, the governor will not transfer Jens Soering to federal custody. Jens Soering should remain in the commonwealth’s custody,” Thornley said.
Why should Soering be with the ones he loves? Why should he be released in 2 years? He committed cold blooded murder in one of the most heinous crimes Vriginia has ever known. His girlfriend, former UVA student Elizabeth Haysom and he bludgeoned her parents to death. The crime was so horrific the story of the murder was featured on the A & E show City Confidential. Jens Soering and Elizabeth Haysom should never see the light of day. I rarely agree with Ken Cuccinelli. Today I will make an exception.
Jens Soering has written a book while in prison, entitled Way of the Prisoner. Procedes go to charity.
His website is quite a read. www.jenssoering.com Check out this sick (expletive deleted.)
In other words, Kaine did not have the guts to grant clemency, so he’ll do it at the last minute and let Germany do it. Typical.
Kaine should not have granted clemancy. Read some of the link at the bottom of the page. Had I not seen the City Confidential episode on this murder, I might not feel so strongly about keeping this cretin locked up. Pure evil. Shudder.
http://www.jenssoering.com/letter_by_gail_marshall
Did you read this? I think I need to see the City Confidential special to get a better picture.
You might be able to see the line up on A & E. City Confidential comes on a couple times a day. I think it is under Lynchburg.
Season 6 Episode 74. Now, how to figure out when it is on…I dont know.
Yea and there is always a snow job somewhere. Remember the women who fell in love with Powell?
I don’t think that letters like this are unusual. He is a slick and convincing person. I am comfortable holding him forever. Charlie Manson and his ladies talk a good game too.
This is really strange. I was overseas all this time and don’t remember a thing about the Haysom-Soering case. When I went back into the linked Soering website, I discovered that I was sort of linked very distantly by marriage to this case. One of my second cousins once removed is married to a man from an old Virginia family which, like the Haysoms, was related to Lady Nancy Astor. Lady Nancy was one of the five Langhorne sisters of Virginia known for their wit and beauty. She married British and became the first female member of Parliament. One of the other sisters married Charles Dana Gibson of the famed “Gibson Girls” drawings. My second cousin once removed, by the way, is rather wealthy. Moon, this blog is starting to creep me out!
For once, I’m in total agreement with Ken Cuccinelli. How anyone could consider letting this murderer return to his home country with the potential for release is beyond me. Shame on Kaine!
In slight defense of Kaine, read Elena’s comment #3. slight
Wolverine, that is creepy for sure. Look at the good side, you are still alive and kicking.
I am trying to figure out all the ‘once removeds’ on your side Wolverine. Is there someone out there we should know about.
My cousin just told us cousins that we are all related to Obama via his grandfather Dunham. something line 8th cousin or something.
Slight is not good enough for me to take back my “Shame on Kaine”.
Someone mentioned Jens as being ‘slick and convincing’ and I think that is absolutely right! Something I’ve always wondered about is this: As much as he attests to his innocence, why has he consistently refused to take a polygraph exam? Because Jens knows he is a monster.
Elena,
Am I to understand that Defense Council, after unsuccessfully seeking exoneration at trial which included a confession, appeal, appeal twice to the VA Supreme Court and then to both the Federal District and the Federal Circut Court of Appeals – sent a letter to then Gov Kaine and that the Governor, in turn, prepared an agreement with Germany to take Mr.Soring, vacate two consecutive life sentences for murder and permit parole in two years? And the argument is, juries make mistakes and VA is an old south, family run enterprise?
My question is, why was Kaine so interested in this case and willing to let this guy go?
Maybe he saw it as a way to be paying for one less person in prison. Every penny counts. Soering might not have gotten parole. He has been up for it in Virginia and has been turned down. Why would the Germans want to put their population at risk?
I will gladly pay to keep both Jens and Elizabeth in prison. Sick puppies need to be behind bars.
Not sure I am ready to shame on Kaine. There is something to be said for letting someone else foot the bill. I would just prefer him in prison here…and therefore Cucinnelli gets to use up his one and only atta-boy from me.
Because they would not feel that their population was at risk. Their sentencing guidelines are much more lenient. If you read some of the reports on his website, the Germans thought that he would be transferred at the outset and he would have gotten about 5 years.
My question still stands — why was Kaine so interested in this case and willing to let this guy go?
If this is not a Shame on Kaine what could be?
Cargo, There is no answer to the German weird ideas about criminal activity. Perhaps that is why Europe in general is so crime ridden.
Off topic but I just wanted with wish the inventor of the Internet and pusher of junk science Al Gore a happy b-day today! 🙂
57 year old Al is the 45th Vice President, an Oscar winner, Grammy winner, Prime time Emmy Award winner, Webby Award winner, runner up for Time’s 2007 person of the year award, Nobel Peace Prize winner (even though I think you get one of those in a cracker jacks box now).
After inventing the Internet and being Vice President Al Gore went from being worth $2 million to well over $100,000,000.00 pushing ‘global warming’ and if Cap and Trade passes looks to be worth well over a BILLION.
If it wasn’t for Al Gore’s glorious Internet none of us would be talking with each other, thanks Al and happy b-day!
Also, I remember seeing this story on A & E a long time ago. The crime scene photos were just horrific and if you can find this particular episode on “On Demand” I recommend it. It was very interesting.
It was a gruesome and brutal murder.
The City Confidential today on biography is over a murder in Middleburg.
There is always an open topic thread. In this case, it is the 4th post down.
All off topics remarks go there. Thanks….the management.
My question still stands — why was Kaine so interested in this case and willing to let this guy go?
If this is not a Shame on Kaine what could be?
He is interested only in your mind, TP.
Why don’t you stop asking the same question and write him and ask him. I doubt if he was all that interested.
Oops, your right Moon, sorry about that. I was just excited to celebrate Al’s b-day today, it’s really just an excuse to have a beer today on my part to tell you the truth.
You know what’s odd though, I could have sworn that his b-day was on April 1st… 🙂
I like Al. Always have. I like Tipper too. She did a lot to clean up the recording industry trash.
Moon, the way I figure it is that, if I keep digging deep enough, I will probably find out that Elena and I are related. Then, if we have a disagreement on something, we will be able to claim that it is just a little “family feud.”
I was going to ask the Obama’s for a dinner invitation. I could just tell them Cousin Moon wanted to come for dinner.
So what happens to Jens Soering? Does he just stay here unless there is a lawsuit to free him? How do these things work?
Here’s hoping he rots.
Clearly he and the woman were both involved in the murders. The idea that one did it alone and then the other ran off with them knowing this is too unlikely.
Agreed Rick. He is a miserable rodent of the rankest order, IMHO.
The City Confidential show left no doubt. Those are always done with police records.