Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik convicted, sentenced for 77 murders

Fri, 24 Aug 2012 15:47:00 -0500

A panel of judges in Norway have sentenced Anders Breivik to 10 to 21 years in prison for the mass murder of 77 people last year. If the sentence seems short, though, it's an indication of just how differently the Norwegian justice system works.

Garm

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 06:57:21 -0500

He did not get "10 to 21 years in prison." He got 21 years to life in preventive detention.

For comparison, Charles Manson had his first parole hearing after 7 years. If the sentence Manson is serving were written up in Norwegian terms, it would be 7 years to life. Although Manson gets parole hearings twice as often as Breivik will.

Also, he gets 3 room rather than one because he can never safely mingle with the other inmates. In effect, he is in solitary. So it is easier and cheaper to knock together three cells to give him a gym and shower than to spend the next 60 years running a separate schedule for him.

PRI: Public Radio International

Norwegian mass murderer Anders Breivik convicted, sentenced for 77 murders

Garm