The column I would’ve written hadn’t I been in Vegas

I met Dolores Roberto while covering a recent hit-and-run-legislation hearing up in NE Philly for PW. Her story left me thinking I hadn’t been through anything comparable to: having a 12-year-old son (Peter Roberto Jr.) killed by a hit-and-run driver on Thanksgiving day, by a drunk driver who ran to his lawyer friend’s house only to see the driver caught, but then released early on a technicality.
Well, Dolores and I were trading Facebook emails and texts throughout my trip. I’ll let her words take it from here. (And don’t worry, it ends well.)

Just wanted to let you know that we had the hearing today for the man who killed our son. (William Halloran was released 1 year early because of a clerical error on the part of the clerk of quarter sessions)
The State Department of Corrections position is that the 11 months that Halloran was out on the streets counts towards his 4-8 year manditory minimum sentence so the new release date for him is March 23, 2010. According to the record keeper at the Department of Corrections, mistakes like this have happen in the past and when it is deemed that the mistake was “of no fault of the prisoner” the state allows the time on the street to count towards their time in prison!
When asked if this was Prison policy the clerk said there was no policy for this.
How many other criminals are roaming the city streets because of clerical issues? It’s just crazy!

That was last Wednesday. I told her the morning after I got home, I’d be over their house to talk it through. But here’s what she wrote when I was in the airport waiting to get home …

On Wednesday, March 17, 2010 Judge Sarmina ordered William Halloran back to jail to complete his 11 months. While he can still appeal the decision, we have been assured that the Department of Corrections and the Parole Board will be following her order.

Finally, I hear a story about a judge doing something positive. Kudos. But, I’ll be watching to make sure Corrections and Parole stick to that commitment. If you want to see more about the story …

On Friday, Harry Hairston from the NBC Investigators came out and interviewed up about the whole thing. His story should air on Wednesday (the 24th).

Suffice it to say, I would’ve had unkind words for those who enabled a murderous drunk to waltz right out of prison. I’d have used terms like “blood on their hands” and “deserve to go to prison themselves.” Thankfully, it seems as if all worked out as best things can work out in these situations.