Assemblyman Chris Tague (R,C,I-Schoharie) is urging the swift passage of a bill known as Paula’s Law, which aims to ensure that persons who sexually assault and then murder a child under the age of eighteen will never be released from prison. This follows the granting of parole to Robert McCain, one of two men who brutally raped and murdered Paula Bohovesky in 1980, a 16-year-old who lived in Pearl River, New York.

Paula is survived by her 90-year-old mother. She expressed her fear that McCain and his accomplice, Richard LaBarbera, who was also granted parole a year ago, will go on to reoffend and attack other innocent women in the community.

Tague is also calling for the resignation of the entirety of the New York State Parole Board, headed by Tina M. Stanford, following their decision to grant McCain his release. His release is one of many controversial decisions made by the Parole Board, who have repeatedly released violent criminals back into the public under Governor Cuomo’s administration.

“To release somebody with the capacity to do such a heinous thing to an innocent child, back into our society, is absolutely unconscionable,” said Tague. “There are some acts which can never be forgiven, regardless of the amount of time that’s passed since they were committed, and the rape and murder of a 16-year-old certainly fits that bill. We must pass Paula’s Law immediately and seek the replacement of our pro-criminal Parole Board to protect our communities from monsters such as McCain and LaBarbera, and ensure people who commit the most violent of crimes are never given the chance to harm others again.”