Recordpub.com - Family wants rapist to stay behind bars Man up for parole for Portage crime

By Colin McEwen

Record-Courier staff writer

COLUMBUS -- William Griffith is set for a parole hearing next month after serving 20 years for two counts of rape and aggravated burglary.

His victims's families hope he stays behind bars.

Griffith, 66, of Stark County, was suspected in more than 50 rapes in a four-county area, including Portage, and was convicted in 1988 and 1994 on two counts of rape and aggravated burglary.

In 1994, Griffith was sentenced in Portage County for a period of seven to 25 years for the 1988 rape of an Atwater girl. She was home alone when Griffith broke into the home.

While that was his only rape conviction in Portage County, investigators suspected him in other local cases.

At the time of that conviction, he was serving a term of 10 to 25 years for an April 1988 rape in Jackson Township.

He is currently incarcerated at the Richland Correctional Institution.

The victims' family hopes he will not be released, because they believe he is still a threat to society.

A family member of one of Griffith's victims told the Record-Courier they are hopeful he would stay in prison for at least "another 15 to 20 years."

The family member said the victim has "never been the same" and has since feared for her life.

Although the Parole Board hearing is not scheduled until the first week of January 2009, the family member said the family plans to approach the board in Columbus with letters of support from law enforcement officials, family members and dozens of newspaper clippings of his crimes.

"How can he get out and not want to do that again?" the family member asked. "An old dog is good for the same tricks."

The family members encouraged area residents to visit the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's Web site and write a letter in support of keeping Griffith incarcerated.

E-mail: cmcewen@recordpub.com

Phone: (330) 298-1126

8.	Posted by skully67 December 27, 2008
	I pray they do NOT let him out, but I fear they will.These types of people never change, even if they truly want to, they just can't stop themselves. If he was truly sorry for what he did, he would not want to get out. He knows he still desires to do it again and once he gets out the temptation will over power him, and make him do it again. Afterwards the fear of going to prison will set in and he will have to kill and hide or destroy any evidence. If it was me who raped all these girls, I would ask to be put to death or stay locked up. I would not want to ruin anymore lives.I believe in second chances for alot of things but this type of crime is definetly not one of them and I do not believe the type of person who does things like this can't ever be helped,and definetly should never be given a second chance to freely live in society among our children and familys.

7.	Posted by gucci December 26, 2008
	Inevitably when these animals are released it is only a matter of time that we hear of them committing worse crimes than what they were originally convicted of. Keep this monster in his cage. The victims and their families have suffered enough. Now they are faced with the possibility of this piece of garbage being set free. That is unthinkable and unaceptable to me as a citizen. I believe the better good for all of us will be served if his parole is denied, denied, denied. There is no question of his guilt. He has had his day in court. I will be personally writing the parole board to make my feelings known as a member of this community as described above. I would urge others to do the same. Otherwise we could be seeing him on the sexual offender list as living in our neighborhood. Or worse, headlines in this paper in the near future that he has graduated to murder...These monsters cannot stop what they do.

6.	Posted by tilhaas1 December 26, 2008
	This man is a waste of human life he should be left behind bars for the rest of his life I feel that he needs the samething done to him while he remains in jail. I feel bad for saying this but he ruined so many lives when he raped these women who now live in fear and more then likely jump everytime someone touches them the money and time but into therapy just so they can go outside or open their windows to let in light. What he has done to their family's he should never be released he'll only repeat what he has done Keep him in jail where he belongs. Just think the next woman he rapes could be your Mother, Sister , Daughter how would you feel then. Please quit freeing these rapist so they can hurt our family, friends, and loved ones. Keep him in jail he never gave his victims a chance to leave and get away. Leave the low life where he is in jail till death is his release. It's bad enough that the Judges release all the DUI's I say after the third DUI if a Judge wants to put the Drivers back out on the Streets then let him be responable for the damage or death of their next I haven't hurt anyone yet, I love how a Alcoholic says I haven't hurt anyone yet. I know because I had two DUI's and have been clean and sober for 13 years now but have many family members who are out there drinking and driving. I served my time and asked God for help and I thank him. But if the Judges would put them behind bars and get them the help they need the roads would be safer, and many lives would not be taken away and less whell chairs would be needed. So Keep him in prison where he belongs. And lets have the Judges be harder on the DUI's I would rather see my family in jail then dead or for taking another life.. Thanks for allowing me the space for this. Matilda