Mar 22, 2008 11:02 am US/Central
Former SLA Member Sara Olson Released From Prison
LOS ANGELES (CBS) ―
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Sara Jane Olson was released from prison on March 20, 2008.
AP
A Minnesota mom who spent the last six years in prison is now out. Sara Jane Olson left California Friday afternoon.
She's reportedly relieved and happy to now be with her family, since leaving prison. The families of those she hurt are not happy.
"It was my mom that was not a threat to society, but she was gunned down in a bank for no reason by Soliah, and she should pay her debt for that crime," said Jon Opsahl.
His mother, Myrna, a mother of four, died inside a bank near Sacramento during a robbery in 1975.
Sara Jane Olson, who grew up as Kathleen Soliah, was accused of that crime, but at one point, she insisted she did not do it.
"I was not in Carmichael Bank in Sacramento. I am innocent," said Sara Jane Olson.
Later she pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in that case and conspiracy for attempting to bomb police cars in Los Angeles in 1975.
Olson was caught in 1999 when her minivan was pulled over by police near her home in St. Paul, Minn. She had changed her name and was living with a husband and three school-age daughters.
Because of good behavior in prison, she left eight years early on Monday.
"Like all inmates in her circumstance, she earned time for her good behavior in prison, she wasn't treated any differently than anybody else," said Bill Sessa, a state Department of Corrections spokesman.
"The judicial system that only requires her to serve one year for murder. That's the threat to society, because it sends the wrong message," said Jon Opsahl.
Olson's supporters, like local law professor Peter Erlinder, aren't sure if she was ever really involved in those California cases.
He is sure however, the woman he knew in St. Paul was a loving mother, wife and a social and political activist.
"There will be a lot of people to welcome her back, because they respected the positive role that she played in Minnesota," Erlinder said. "I never knew her to do anything unusual."
He believes, had prosecutors really believed Olson was directly involved in the crimes, she would still be in prison.
The union that represents Los Angeles police officers was dismayed at her release.
"She needs to serve her full time in prison for these crimes and does not deserve time-off for working in prison," Los Angeles Police Protective League President Tim Sands said in a statement.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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