| Campaign
aims to keep killer behind bars Parole officer Brian Rooney was shot to death execution-style in October of 1985 because he dared to arrest a Queens drug lord for violating his parole. Now his killer, Perry Bellamy, is up for parole. Bellamy, the gang enforcer who was convicted of second-degree murder in the death of 34-year-old Rooney was sentenced to 15 years-to-life in the contract killing ordered by crack kingpin “Fat Cat” Nichols. If the state Parole Board approves his parole application he could soon walk out of the Sullivan Correctional Facility a free man. But a letter-writing campaign launched by the parole staff at Sullivan is under way to make sure that doesn't happen when the Parole Board considers the case later this month. More than 200 hundred letters have already been received, and parole officers hope more will be sent soon. “Bellamy’s sentence was not only inadequate from the get-go, but his release could have a devastating impact on Rooney’s wife and child as well as the entire parole community,” said Gary Stern, PEF Executive Board member and assistant Statewide Council Leader for Parole Division 236. Bellamy lured Rooney to the spot where he was gunned down in his car by offering to supply him with information about another parolee Rooney was supervising, Stern recalled. Bellamy was also part of the conspiracy to murder New York City police officer Edward Burns, he said. “We could all be drawn into a situation like that,” Stern said. “For (Bellamy) to do a minimum sentence on something like this would be a travesty of justice. “We’re already dealing with a violent clientele,” Stern added, and it would not be unreasonable to believe that Bellamy “would be going back to his comrades right after his release. He deserves to be incarcerated for the rest of his life.” —Mel Hyman Join the letter writing campaign! Tell the state Parole Board to keep Perry Bellamy behind bars. Send your letters to: Tony Campion, Senior Parole Officer Victim Impact Unit NYS Division of Parole 97 Central Ave. Albany, NY 12210 |