Talk:List of longest prison sentences served

Brenda Spencer

Brenda should also be on this list. Incarcerated since 1980 for the 1979 Cleveland Elementary School shooting. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2001:8003:6DB5:A800:1109:2F25:1F64:A5AC (talk) 05:23, 12 January 2024 (UTC)

Leslie Van Houten

Shouldn't she be on this page? I don't know the exact day sentence started but definitely notable. About 50 years. Also newsworthy lately because eligible for parole.

Yeah, the whole Manson Family should be considered for inclusion.--Menah the Great (talk) 21:10, 27 October 2019 (UTC)

Van Houten should be lower on this list. She was freed for about 18 months in 1977 because of a procedural error at her original trial. According to this article she has been imprisoned continually since 1971, but it just isn’t so. BassPlyr23 (talk) 13:33, 25 January 2021 (UTC)

• There were three women convicted in the Tate-LaBianca murders, Patricia Krenwinkel and Susan Atkins, in addition to Van Houten. When Atkins died in 2009 Krenwinkel became the longest serving female prisoner in California. It does seem odd that the four male murderers, Manson, Watson, Beausoleil and Davis are mention while the women are not (Clem Grogan was released in 1985). In Krenwinkel's case, it's a continuous sentence since 1971, just as long as Watson and longer than Davis. freshacconci (✉) 19:02, 19 September 2021 (UTC)

I know Lelsie Van Houten is listed below but also Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel qualify to be on the list. Is there a reason they are not listed while the men in the case are? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.104.154.194 (talk) 19:05, 20 May 2022 (UTC)

"Above" rather than "below" after I moved this to bottom of thread Meters (talk) 19:13, 20 May 2022 (UTC)

They were listed until about January of 2021 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.77.151.116 (talk) 18:29, 13 November 2022 (UTC)

Francis Clifford Smith

According to a local newspaper, Smith was released on parole for 10 months before committing a violation that put him back in prison in 1975. Knowing that, I'm not sure if he still qualifies as the longest-serving prisoner. If he does, the "sentence duration" should be updated. Right now it says 69 years and 6 months, when in fact it is 68 years and 8 months. In addition to that, this website says he escaped from prison for 11 days in 1967 (the newspaper article mentions this as well, but they didn't specify for how long). Johndavies837 (talk) 08:55, 8 December 2019 (UTC)

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing about Smith. I guess his brief escape from prison could count as part of his imprisonment since he was supposed to be imprisoned then. (And given that there's not a lot of motivation for a lifer to not escape from prison, he's probably not the only person on this list to briefly escape.)

But can the period he was on parole really count as part of his imprisonment? He was actually freed by the legal system during that period.

And since this article is only about continuous time in prison, not the total time in prison over his lifetime, his continuous imprisonment is only 44 years and some number of months. This article starts at 45 years imprisonment, so that wouldn't even qualify him for this article. Wikidude87654321 (talk) 23:03, 26 January 2020 (UTC)

“My records indicate he was released to parole back in 1975. He was out on parole from January 30 of 1975, up until he was returned from parole, with charges, on Nov. 10, 1975. https://apnews.com/08d7e726a2bc4accaf222bc7f426710e — Preceding unsigned comment added by Billiz (talk • contribs) 22:22, 9 June 2020 (UTC)

It seems he's been transferred to a nursing home.

http://www.ctinmateinfo.state.ct.us/detailsupv.asp?id_inmt_num=16370 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Loppev (talk • contribs) 07:38, 5 September 2020 (UTC)

I think his sentence should no longer say ongoing because of his nursing home transfer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1010:B156:B117:202D:9A36:A24A:C2D2 (talk) 20:07, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

I read somewhere that Smith was paroled in july..anyways..his sentence is finished. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Martizaa (talk • contribs) 22:58, 2 November 2020 (UTC)

Can you tell me where you heard that?--2601:206:301:6300:258D:EE84:25AA:637A (talk) 23:14, 26 November 2020 (UTC)

Smith, Francis Clifford. 16370. Osborn. Release. JD - Bridgeport. Paroled 07/08/ 2020.

https://portal.ct.gov/search-results/?q=francis%20clifford%20smith#gsc.tab=0&gsc.q=francis%20clifford%20smith&gsc.page=1 — Preceding unsigned comment added by Trille11 (talk • contribs) 10:09, 4 December 2020 (UTC)

His sentence ended in july this year. And he was released on parole for 10 months in 1975. So he hasn't served 70 plus years at all. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Hilletrille (talk • contribs) 22:10, 12 December 2020 (UTC)

Clifford Smith don't deserve the nr 1 spot. He was paroled last summer. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Taraquel (talk • contribs) 22:43, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Here are some real articles that says he was released https://www.greenwichtime.com/news/article/Francis-Smith-longest-serving-prisoner-released-17017465.php https://ourcommunitynow.com/news/longest-serving-ct-prisoner-now-97-released-72-years-after-greenwich-yacht-club-murder https://www.middletownpress.com/news/article/Francis-Smith-longest-serving-prisoner-released-17017465.php?t=bf58adf345 Shktriib1 (talk) 01:46, 24 March 2022 (UTC)

Booker T. Hillery

Booker T Hillery was granted medical parole on September 2018, which means his sentence is over by a certain user keeps saying that there is proof he was paroled yet here is plenty of proof.— Preceding unsigned comment added by 2600:1010:B156:B117:202D:9A36:A24A:C2D2 (talk) 20:12, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

New sections go at the bottom; don't put them at the top. As usual your link doesn't go to a page that has anything whatsoever about Hillery. And the statement that he is in a nursing home does not mean his sentence is over. When inmates have special medical needs they go where they can receive it. That doesn't mean the sentence is completed or that he has been paroled. Cite a source that specifically states details of his sentence. Otherwise stop edit warring. You are evading a block as College railman, Cadeken, and a variety of other identities. Keep this up and you're headed for another of many blocks. Sundayclose (talk) 21:00, 27 October 2020 (UTC)

References

Tony Wheat

I was looking through the various state DOC websites but Antonio "Tony" Wheat doesn't appear as an active prisoner in Washington state anymore. He did have a parole hearing earlier this year, but I can't find anything that suggests he was given parole. I suspect he was paroled or died and this didn't get much attention in the media - similar to Richard Robles being paroled earlier this year by New York. Skycloud86 (talk) 13:58, 19 November 2020 (UTC)

I've found a Facebook group and a GoFundMe that say he was released on the 12th, but I'm not sure if these can be used as sources.Skycloud86 (talk) 13:37, 20 November 2020 (UTC)

"Wheat is scheduled to leave Monroe and take his first breath of freedom in half a century on November 12, 2020." Seattle Met 4/27/2015 --Menah the Great (talk) 16:28, 21 November 2020 (UTC)

Thanks, I've seen that before but didn't remember that part. Skycloud86 (talk) 19:46, 23 November 2020 (UTC)

Information on Henry McCollum (current last entry)

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/07/us/mccollum-brown-exoneration.html Menah the Great (talk) 03:16, 22 November 2020 (UTC)

John Norman Collins

John Norman Collins should be added to the list as he has been serving 50 years by now. Darren Cross (talk) 02:34, 25 November 2020 (UTC)

New additions and more info on current additions

We should add the following people to the list

Including this man

Kenneth Nicely’s sentence started on 12/22/1958 according to this

Timothy Clark

Barbaro Reyes Cho (talk) 22:01, 20 January 2021 (UTC)

References

Ligon is out!

https://www.inquirer.com/news/joe-ligon-juvenile-lifer-philadelphia-incarceration-release-lifetime-parole-20210211.html Menah the Great (talk) 00:52, 16 February 2021 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 24 June 2021

Add wikilink to Joseph Ligon, as there is an article about him: Joe Ligon. IcedQ (talk) 13:05, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

 Done ScottishFinnishRadish (talk) 13:20, 24 June 2021 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 15 July 2021

Change Rudolf Hess sentence duration from 21 years to 40 years. Hess was imprisoned within Spandau Prison from 18 July 1947 to his death on the 17 August 1987 which would account for 40 years rather the 21 listed between 1966 and 1987. This mistake is most likely due to the confusion of his isolation as the last prisoner within Spandau after the 6 other prisoners were released. Currently I believe it is Furthermore due to the aforementioned change this requires the information to be moved to the 40 years and above table. Larry The Third (talk) 23:33, 15 July 2021 (UTC)

 Done Hess was listed twice. I removed the duplicate with the shorter year. RudolfRed (talk) 00:05, 16 July 2021 (UTC)

Rodney Alcala

Rodney Alcala just died in death row. How much time was he in there? Menah the Great (talk) 22:05, 24 July 2021 (UTC)

“See Above”

What’s with the description just saying “see above” for several of the solitary confinement prisoners?? ElleBlair (talk) 19:40, 29 September 2021 (UTC)

Longest Spell On Death Row New Entry

This man should be added to the Longest Spell on Death Row list.--73.235.180.215 (talk) 23:28, 6 November 2021 (UTC)

EDITORS: This IP is very likely a sockpuppet of Cadeken (talk · contribs), a prolific sock master who has edited this page and similar pages with numerous sockpuppets. Cadeken's IP socks, such as this one, are almost always located in or near Tulare, CA, USA. See WP:Sockpuppet investigations/Cadeken/Archive. Sundayclose (talk) 18:38, 7 November 2021 (UTC)

References

Warren Nutter

Warren Nutter died in prison on December 8, 2021, for whoever wants to make the change https://apnews.com/article/iowa-fort-madison-ac25c8267b2f9111f49cd8b96d85ac42 Lightiggy (talk) 22:49, 9 December 2021 (UTC)

I've done it. Skycloud86 (talk) 12:44, 10 December 2021 (UTC)

David Berkowitz

Why is David Berkowitz (the "Son of Sam" murderer) not on the list? He has been in custody since 1977 and serving a sentence since he pleaded guilty in 1978, over 43 years regardless of when you start counting. NYS inmate lookup: http://nysdoccslookup.doccs.ny.gov/GCA00P00/WIQ3/WINQ130 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.175.242.16 (talk) 03:05, 13 December 2021 (UTC)

Myrel Shepherd

Arizona Department of Corrections inmate been incarcerated since 1966 for murder. Needs to be added to the longest time served list.

www.azcorrections.gov

Inmate data search inmate number 027345 2600:1012:B110:F0E4:2558:FEDF:F86C:272D (talk) 13:47, 25 December 2021 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Sundayclose (talk) 15:41, 25 December 2021 (UTC)

Danny Sharp

Danny Ray Sharp has been in prison since May 31, 1977 http://kool.corrections.ky.gov/KOOL/Details/10360 — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:2C2:400:35A0:404F:E35E:F2E4:D1C (talk) 21:59, 31 January 2022 (UTC)

Sammie Robinson

Sammie Robinson went to prison in 1953 and died in 2020. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lester-holt-what-i-learned-spending-two-nights-maximum-security-n1050286 Lightiggy (talk) 02:27, 8 February 2022 (UTC)

Manson women

Where are the Manson women? Shouldn't they be listed? Joseph A. Spadaro (talk) 05:24, 28 May 2022 (UTC)

Sundiata Acoli

Why is Sundiata Acoli still listed as serving his sentence when he was released? 2601:206:301:6300:ECC3:84ED:8492:9F7 (talk) 22:02, 18 July 2022 (UTC)

Pietro Acciarito

where does it say he served 46 years in solitary? Most sources that I can find say that he did 7 years solitary and was then sent to Montelupo asylum, with no indication that he was in solitary confinement after the initial 7 yrs. Source in Italian Sheila1988 (talk) 15:01, 5 August 2022 (UTC)

Exonerated list

There's a list of exonerated people at https://www.law.umich.edu/special/exoneration/Pages/longestincarceration.aspx, some of whom spent over forty years in prison. I'm not sure if they should be added or not (if they aren't already included), but ti would mean potentially adding thirteen people to the page. Skycloud86 (talk) 15:26, 9 September 2022 (UTC)

Move Earl Inge and John McHugh

Earl Inge and John McHugh in the 40-49 year section should be moved up on the list as their terms are longer than ones who are currently above them so I am going to move them to their correct spots in between Richard Palumbo and William Pierce, Jr. --Poop Pee Barf (talk) 18:58, 14 September 2022 (UTC)

UK jurisdictions

I am uneasy about having a catch-all United Kingdom to cover British prisoners in this list. Scotland has its own legal system with its own laws and prison system. Perhaps it would be better to use Scotland and England, to cover England and Wales? John (talk) 19:25, 24 October 2022 (UTC)

I agree, especially as the countries of the UK are often separated in other articles for various reasons, such as for sports. Skycloud86 (talk) 18:03, 30 October 2022 (UTC)

I am neutral on the question of whether to have a UK catch-all or not. However:

• The current situation, with one of the prisoners (Robert Mone) listed as "Scotland" and all the others as "UK", is messy. Consistency is needed. For the time being, I will change this one to UK. This can be put back if and when they are all changed.
• I am strongly opposed to the use of the flag of England alone to represent England and Wales. I can see that having an "England and Wales" category could make sense, if the two countries share a prison system and prisoners can get moved between the two countries within this system. But both flags would be needed: England and Wales.

Incidentally, my second point is based on the commonly understood meanings of the flags, rather than their pictorial content. For as long as the article uses a single UK category, this is most clearly communicated by using United Kingdom by itself (as at present), even though the exclusion of Wales from the flag's design is controversial.

--Dani di Neudo (talk) 22:48, 12 December 2022 (UTC)

I agree with Dani on all of this, though I would put the flag icons together, and link to either England and Wales or His Majesty's Prison Service, as so:

England and Wales

And yes, that second link option would imply that we should change the current country links to links to the respective prison systems. Possibly better to consider as a separate issue later. — HTGS (talk) 23:57, 12 December 2022 (UTC)

I agree that putting the flags together would make sense. (I didn't realise that there was a template set up to help achieve this conveniently.) But I still remain neutral on the main question that is posed here. --Dani di Neudo (talk) 22:53, 16 December 2022 (UTC)

Booker T. Hillery

I looked on the California DOC website inmate search, but he's no longer listed. I'm unable to find anything as to why.Skycloud86 (talk) 21:01, 25 January 2023 (UTC)

Sarah “Cindy” White (Indiana)

Cindy White has been incarcerated since 5/21/1976 — almost 47-years. It’s a controversial case and worthy of including in this list. 2600:1700:D670:ADF0:4009:E600:B215:6ED0 (talk) 00:16, 26 January 2023 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 3 August 2023

James "Jimmy" Nelson is currently serving a life sentence in the South Dakota State Penitentiary and has been incarcerated at the SD Penitentiary since June 10, 1963, and is currently over 60 consecutive years. He is serving for the January 1963 murder of his friend in a plot to collect double indemity from a life insurance policy on the victim due to "accidental" death. JDBent (talk) 03:13, 3 August 2023 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Cannolis (talk) 03:21, 3 August 2023 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 7 September 2023

Booker T. Hillery died on January 16 2023 so his section should be updated. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/257094928/booker-t.-hillery Firemancer6723 (talk) 00:16, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

 Not done: please provide reliable sources that support the change you want to be made. Find a grave is not a reliable source as it is user generated see also WP:RSP Lightoil (talk) 08:09, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

James LeRoy Iverson

North Dakotas longest serving inmate. 40 years. I believe he qualifies to be added to this page. I am a very inexperienced editor so I posted to talk page if someone wants to verify.

Nundahl24 (talk) 17:18, 30 September 2023 (UTC)

References

Larry Ranes

Larry Ranes is not serving his sentence anymore according to both his article and the state inmate locator website. It says he was discharged on November 12th and it does not say whether he died or was released but either way he is no longer serving his sentence so can someone please update this article? Startrain844 (talk) 23:19, 2 December 2023 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 26 December 2023

In the list of UK prison sentences, is it worth adding a footnote about John Cox, who was sentenced to Detention at Her Majesty's Pleasure on 26th July 1862, having been found Not Guilty on grounds of insanity of the charge of murdering of Adam Stapleton Puckett (see for example London Atlas of 2 August 1862), and died at Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum (as it was then known) some time in the week 11-15 November 1918 (see Birmingham Daily Gazette for 16 November 1918). He was therefore locked up for 56 years and about 108 days, probably longer than anyone else in British legal history. What made this murder particularly infamous at the time was that Adam Puckett was the doctor caring for John Cox at the time, and that after beating him to death, John Cox got a saw and sawed off Mr Puckett's head, one foot, and one hand, and chucked them over the garden wall into the road. He said to the police after his arrest that the head made a sound "like a damn'd old pumpkin". 87.115.248.170 (talk) 15:35, 26 December 2023 (UTC)

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. Deltaspace⁴² (talk • contribs) 16:05, 26 December 2023 (UTC)

Extended-confirmed-protected edit request on 10 January 2024

It is out of date. Startrain844 (talk) 16:58, 10 January 2024 (UTC)

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want to be made. Please mention the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. Shadow311 (talk) 17:04, 10 January 2024 (UTC)

Larry Ranes is dead now according to his article so his sentence is no longer ongoing and Booker T hillery is also dead according to Vasquez v. Hillery.--Startrain844 (talk) 20:19, 11 January 2024 (UTC)

Deleting entries under 50 years in prison

As the article keeps growing, it also becomes more difficult to edit and read. Given that its purpose is to list the longest prison sentences ever, it doesn't make a lot of sense to list people who have served twenty years less than them. Additionally, this section never showed less than 44 years in prison and was the only one not representing a ten year span like the others, as a result. For the time being I will leave the lists about solitary confinement and death row, however.Menah the Great (talk) 23:49, 18 October 2024 (UTC)

Some ongoing sentences that might reach over 50 years in the future and would be added by then are the following:

Name	Sentence start	Sentence end	Sentence duration	Country	Description
Earl David Inge	April 1975	ongoing	49 years, 269 days	United States	Inge had tried to break into a home but was chased off, one of the occupants identifying him as the would be burglar. Two weeks later he returned to the house and shot through a window, killing a man. Inge was up for parole in 2020 but was denied. He was last denied parole in 2023.
John McHugh	May 1975	ongoing	49 years, 239 days	United Kingdom	Jailed for the violent murder of a waiter.
Joe Remiro	June 27, 1975	ongoing	49 years, 182 days	United States	Last remaining incarcerated member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, serving a life sentence for one murder.
James Ryan O'Neill	1975	ongoing	49 years	Australia	Australian convicted murderer and suspected serial killer, currently serving a life sentence in Tasmania for a murder he committed in February 1975. Allegations have been made that O'Neill also murdered a number of other children in several Australian states from the mid-1960s whilst he was still a teenager through to the murder that he was imprisoned for in 1975. He is currently Tasmania's longest-serving prisoner for a single offence.
Patrick David Mackay	November 1975	ongoing	49 years, 55 days	United Kingdom	British serial killer who confessed to murdering 11 people in London and Kent in England, from 1974 to 1975. Mackay is currently considered for release after reportedly spending time in an open prison. However, in June 2020, the hearing of the Parole Board was postponed amidst a fresh investigation into Mackay's involvement in unsolved murders.
John Shaw	September 26, 1976	ongoing	48 years, 91 days	Ireland	English national who, aged 29, abducted, raped, tortured and murdered two Irish women, Elizabeth Plunkett (22) in Wicklow and Mary Duffy (24) in Mayo. His accomplice Geoffrey Evans was imprisoned from 1976 until his death in 2012.
William H Matthews	February 4, 1977	ongoing	47 years, 326 days	United States	Convicted in New Jersey of raping and murdering a 20-year-old college student a month before she was due to be married.
Richard Tobias Delage	April 18, 1977	ongoing	47 years, 252 days	United States	Convicted of the murders of two university students committed in 1960 and 1969, respectively, he remains a suspect in a similar double murder in Pennsylvania for which he was never charged.
Leonard Peltier	1977	ongoing	47 years	United States	American Indian Movement activist; convicted of killing two Federal agents in 1975. Escaped & recaptured in 1979. Last denied clemency in 2017, and scheduled for release no earlier than 2035.
Robert Maudsley	1977	ongoing	47 years	United Kingdom	Serial killer
Freddy Horion	1979	ongoing	45 years, 183 days	Belgium	Convicted for 6 murders.

Jeff Fort

In his article, Jeff Fort is said to have been placed in solitary in the early 2000s, but the sources given are dead (and don't appear to have been good to begin with). Can someone check this case for inclusion? Menah the Great (talk) 17:33, 21 October 2024 (UTC)

William Jones

According to the Arkansas DOC, Jones is no longer listed as an inmate. I can't find any further information, but as he was elderly I assume he has died. Skycloud86 (talk) 15:46, 28 October 2024 (UTC)