What Adrian Walker didn't tell you

Adrian Walker today takes up the case of Arnold L. King, serving life without parole for a 1971 murder. King, Walker writes, has made a remarkable turnaround behind bars, becoming a model citizen well worthy of probation (pretty much identical to the pleas made by supporters of Norman Porter before he escaped). What Walker doesn't specify is exactly why a jury and judge might have sent King away forever. Here's why:

King and two companions, Barbara Zelenka and Peter Yuhas, drove from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Boston late in the evening of October 19, 1971. They rode in Zelenka's 1964 Chevrolet convertible. Zelenka owned a gun which she stored, loaded, in the padding of her convertible top above the driver's head. Yuhas or King apparently took the gun while Zelenka was out of the car during a stop at a service station on the way to Boston. At around 1:30 a.m. on what was then October 20 they drove down Newbury Street in Boston and Yuhas told Zelenka to pull over and stop. Yuhas and King left the car for about three minutes, during which time they got into an argument on the street with Labanara. Labanara was shot in the head after he had gotten into his parked car and attempted to drive away. Yuhas and King then ran back to Zelenka's car and the three of them sped away and headed back to Portsmouth. Eventually King and Zelenka ended up at the latter's home in Portsmouth, arriving at about 3:00 a.m. There King gave the gun to Zelenka and Michael Vincent, who had been baby-sitting Zelenka's children, to file off its serial numbers. King then took back the gun and left several hours later.

So, yes, King may really be truly reformed. But at least now you know why three of the seven members of the Advisory Board of Pardons might have voted against recommending commutation.