Surviving Onion Field Killer Seeks Parole

Los Angles, CA—Gregory Powell is an exceptionally gifted paralegal, classy sounding gentleman and a frightening cold-blooded cop killer. He’s 76 years old and in failing health. Powell was a career criminal and a total waste of good sperm.

Powell escaped the death penalty and is currently serving one of those life sentences that do not necessarily mean life.

On October 18 Powell will face a California Parole board and with any luck he will get the same result he got a year ago, more tasty prison gruel.

Actor James Woods played Powell in the film based on Joe Wambaugh’s best selling book. Woods should have won an Academy award for his performance. Although the film was well-done and accurate, Powell blames the film on keeping him locked up nearly three decades longer than he would have had the film not been made and released. I’m sure he’s right.

Fellow killer and partner Jimmy Smith was somehow let out in 1983 only to repeatedly reoffend and put back behind bars. Finally in April of 2007 in custody at the Pitchess Detention Center in Castaic, California he died of an apparent heart attack at age 76.

Powell was considered the mastermind and has yet to see the light of day outside prison.

There is little doubt that he’s not the man he was in 1963 and that prison has refined and educated him in the nearly 50 years he’s been caged. Powell is also a gifted writer that should be publishing books but has not chosen that vocation.

I could support parole for Powell if he was totally disabled and incapable of leaving his nursing home alone.

Frankly this is about the savage kidnapping, murder of one cop, Ian Campbell and the attempt to kill the other policeman, Karl Hettinger.

Powell has managed to outlive nearly everyone ever connected to that infamous case. He may already be the last man standing. Powell is one fellow that earned every bit of his punishment in spades.

As much as I hate the death penalty I’d have found satisfaction had he sucked lethal gas at San Quentin like he deserved.

I might be tempted to attend that parole hearing and bring my video camera if someone sponsored my trip. I’d love to post the entire hearing on this blog.

California’s Onion Field Cop Killer Up For Parole

San Luis Obispo, CA—Today California parole officials will consider releasing Gregory Powell 47 years after he and his crime partner, Jimmy Lee Smith kidnapped LAPD Hollywood Division detectives Karl Hettinger and Ian Campbell at gunpoint in Los Angeles.

In March of 1963 the two criminals drove the captive officers up to farmer’s field just outside of Bakersfield and the trip culminated in an attempt to execute them. Hettinger was able to escape but Campbell was brutally murdered by the salt and pepper pair.

Originally Powell and Smith were sentenced to death but after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the famous Fuhrman vs. Georgia case the cop killers were given life and the possibility of parole.

Smith was paroled several times but kept reoffending and died in prison in 2007.

Powell never made parole and blamed former LAPD cop and author, Joseph Wambaugh for bringing him too much publicity and wrecking his chances for parole after the book and movie The Onion Field were released.

Powell who is 76 years-old educated himself in prison as an effective jailhouse lawyer and judging by some of his correspondence I have read he seems to have excellent writing skills. Powell spent most of his life behind bars and if the police protective league has their say he will stay in prison.

This update from the AP!
A California Board of Prison Terms panel found the 76-year-old Powell unsuitable for parole Wednesday after a hearing at the California Men's Colony at San Luis Obispo. It was his 12th parole hearing.

Deputy District Attorney Alexis de la Garza, who was at the hearing, said the denial was for three years.