The thing that is so sad about this case is that the California Department of Corrections knew for two years about Mr. Chard’s condition. Did they do any thing to help him? No! They knew in 1994, through blood testing what he had, but somehow like so many others in prison, he fell through the cracks of time once again.

We as American’s can sit and watch on the television about a lady who is being starved to death because the husband says that it was her wishes. How do we know this is true ? But yet Congress stepped in on this personal matter? I did not see Congress step in for Mr. Chard? Why, for the fact that he was in prison? He was still a human being, but the California Department of Corrections let him die without any medical treatment. What is fair here, I ask?

We watched this week on television a child molester who rape and kill a seven year old girl 150 feet from her house. This man has been in and out of jail twenty-five without one strike. He worked at two Schools and also worked at the little girl’s school. Yet Mr. Mark Klass gets on the news and says we need to do something about it. If he would have supported the three strikes law of last year maybe this man would had not killed again. No! We put men in prison like Mr. Chard for petty crimes and lock them up for twenty-five years to life. What is fair here I ask?

We watched a boy kill his classmates, Teachers, and guard because we failed to help him. What are we doing America? Would Congress step in on a case with a child molester, or can they protect our Schools. We can spend Billions on the War in Iraq, but when are we going to take care of our own back yard?

Mr. Chard’s brother moved to Jamestown California where his brother was in a cell for two years taking care of him. His brother got so bad, that he could not even use the bathroom anymore or make a phone call to his mother. Eating became a wish for his brother and now life is gone. I ask anybody that is reading this story, is this fair? The Department Of Corrections denied Mr. Chard a Companionate release for him to go home to his family for the rest of his two weeks of life. Only after two days of his death, did they grant his release. It is a little too late, for the chains of hope are gone.

My heart goes out to his family, his two children and two grand-children; they will never get to know this man. It should be a crime when our own Governor of California at the last minute goes on television and spends five million dollars to defeat the Three Strikes Law. Why? The Department of Corrections would loose $30,000 a year for each inmate. Over 17000 inmates, can you see the money on a human being? Since when is life counted as money or is life counted for political gain? We take money from the poor, from the Schools and for what, for California to be called, “Prison State of America”. Yet the child molesters can go free and kill more children.

There needs to be a change now! If not we are on the road to being lost forever.

If you would like to send Mr. Chard’s family a card of support please address it to;

Ms. Christine Patterson

c/o support Mr. Chard’s Family

P.O. Box 22061

San Bernardino Ca. 92406-2061

I will see that his family gets all cards of support.