The facts put forth by law enforcement are disturbing enough: A state prisoner with a past of violence stands accused of raping a 17-year-old girl while he’s free on a weekend furlough authorized by the state.
John Scott Landingham, 41, has quite a history.
Landingham was deemed a habitual off ender and sentenced to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in 2003 to domestic battery in the third degree, domestic battery in the first degree, two counts of endangering the welfare of a minor in the second degree, and aggravated assault on a family or household member.
Landingham, formerly of Lowell, admitted to striking his wife with a croquet mallet, broom handle and other objects. He also admitted to cutting her with a butcher knife. Court documents state Landingham admitted hethreatened to kill his wife if police were called.
“It is absurd that he would be even considered for a furlough,” Benton County Prosecutor Van Stone wrote in 2007. “He is a dangerous violentindividual who received a 45-year sentence for a reason.”
Then comes March 2011. Landingham again is eligible for what’s called “meritorious furlough” in which he can check out of jail on weekends. Stone again objects.
The 17-year-old girl reported Landingham raped her June 12, 2011.
It’s easy to feel indignation over the situation. That a teenager would be attacked by a violent felon while he was on a vacation from prison raises all sorts of worries. But our concern today stems from another wrinkle in this case: Laningham wasn’t booked into the Benton County jail on the two counts of rape until just recently. Why? Investigators had to wait more than a year for DNA evidence to come back from the State Crime Lab. That evidence implicated Landingham.
That kind of delay is unacceptable.
The Crime Lab no doubt has to prioritize cases. Such was evident in the very recent murder of 6-year-old Jersey Bridgeman in Bentonville. The Crime Lab got kudos for its rapid response in helping police identify a suspect. In the Landingham case, there was less urgency because the suspect wasn’t likely to go anywhere.
But remember the old saying about justice delayed being justice denied? It doesn’t matter if the suspect is in jail on other charges. The state of Arkansas should be able to give victims in cases some sort of comfort - the kind that comes with an arrest - far, far more quickly.
Victims shouldn’t be left waiting for so long. The state should do better by its citizens.
THE CITY THAT KEEPS ON GIVING When it comes to generosity, the Walton Arts Center and the University of Arkansas should heap praise on Fayetteville.
The two entities made decisions to build performing arts venues away from Fayetteville’s entertainment district, where Fayetteville wanted them, but Fayetteville doesn’t hold a grudge.
The Fayetteville City Council just approved a new parking deck that includes building “shell” space the arts center can use as an expanded backstage area. The arts center previously planned to build the backstage space after a fundraising campaign, but it’s getting a nice gift in addition to new parking capacity nearby.
And now, the Fayetteville Advertising and Promotion Commission has agreed to give the university $500,000 to help build an on-campus performing arts center sized much like one originally planned at the arts center on Dickson Street. It’s half what the university requested and $500,000 more than many, including us, thought should be given.
Merry Christmas, from the city of Fayetteville.
Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/13/2012