George Ryan Spends Little Time in Halfway House: Facebook Feedback

Updated, 11:10 a.m., Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013

George Ryan spent a few hours at a halfway house on Chicago's West Side, before prison authorities decided to let him serve the remainder of his 6.5-year prison sentence at home in Kankakee on house arrest.

Ryan's attorney Jim Thompson, another former governor, said he didn't request the move to house arrest, reports the Chicago Tribune. Thompson said the move came because Ryan is 79 years old and wouldn't need common halfway house services, such as writing checks and resumes.

More than six dozen individuals were indicted and convicted in the Operation Safe Road investigation that ensnared Ryan.

Orland Park Patch's Facebook fans had this to say Wednesday:

• Larry Allen: Does that mean he is a free man, If so I'm really MAD as HELL.
• Julie Doyle: wonders why they would waste the time to send him there in the first place if he wasnt going to be there until July...
• Billy Madden: While all these people will say they feel sorry for him, and that he has served his time, I wonder how the Willis family feels about it?
• Sophie Yasin: Must be nice!!! I'm sure there are 2 families who are not happy --- the victim of the truck accident and the blagojevich's... Justice has not been served. He shouldn't get special treatment because of his age!
• Larry Allen: He has not served his time, not fair FREE OUT OF JAIL CARD. Anyone of us would have to do the full sentence.
• Alan Perkaus: For one item it has saved us some money. He still has to follow the rules. For another in a very short period of time he will be 79 I don't think he will be running away.The programs in the half way house aren't set up for a man who is chronologically challenged.
• Karen James Whitney: It stinks to high heaven just like everything else pertaining to politics in this state.
• Janine Manhatton Sullivan: He is on house arrest and cannot leave without written notice from the prision board.
• Kevin Murphy: He went as part of the release protocol and yes he's now free. I'd guess probation but likely that's meaningless.
• Thomas Gorz: The Board does that in some cases, a) he was in a prison for first time offenders (petty things) b) the half way house mixes 1st timers & repeat and/or major crime offenders.
• Lorraine Schwartzkopf Panozzo: Thinking about the Willis family, only people that matter, in this sad story.
• Karen Sendera: He should have died there. What's with the special treatment? There was no special treatment given to John Ambrose with his prison location. Illinois is a joke!
• Marilyn Zemanek-Bailey: typical Illinois- but remember we vote for these people.

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