Russell Obremski: A Killer's Luck

Russell Obremski, recent photo

Russell Obremski remains in the Oregon State Penitentiary today, having had his parole permanently revoked on the violations charge of drinking a beer to celebrate his engagement. "Getting the rest of my life in prison is what I get for being honest, for keeping my word to my parole officer," Obremski told reporters. "I gave him my word that I would never lie to him, and I didn't. And it was Olde English 800. If I'd known they were going to do this, hell, I would have bought Budweiser."

His fiancée is sticking by him.

"I'm a nice guy," Obremski told journalists.

Russell Obremski's unusual case provided grounds for many prison and sentencing reforms, but the matrix system is still used in Oregon to compute parole dates for violent crimes committed before 1989.