Robert J. Parins
Judge Robert J. Parins was the president of the Green Bay Packers, an American professional football team, from 1982 to 1989. He is currently a reserve judge for the Wisconsin circuit courts in District 7.[1]
Parins in 1994[2] ruled police officers Joseph T. Gabrish and John Balcerzak reinstated because their dismissals were too harsh. Additionally, they were rewarded around $55,000 as back pay.
The officers were originally dismissed for returning Konerak Sinthasomphone, who was a 14-year-old Laotian boy, to the serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer on May 27, 1991. Sinthasomphone was reported missing the prior day. He had escaped Dahmer and was found naked, drugged, and with anal bleeding by Nichole Childress and Sandra Smith, two young black women. The women called police and four officers showed up, two being Garish and Balcerzak. The officers threatened to arrest Childress and Smith if they persisted in trying to help Sinthasomphone or to provide information.[3] The officers escorted Sinthasomphone back inside Dahmer's apartment where Dahmer later killed him. At the time, Dahmer was a known registered sex offender and on probation for sexually fondling Somsack Sinthasomphone (Konerak's older brother) years earlier. Sinthasomphone became Dahmer's 13th rape and murder victim.
Judge Parins was appointed to hear the case by the director of state courts because he was not from Milwaukee County. Judge Parins said, "It is shocking to one's sense of fairness," of the dismissals and Garish and Balcerzak should have been suspended for 60 days at most.
The records of conversation between dispatch, the officers, and witnesses conveyed racism and homophobia by police, which demonstrated bad judgment and led to the death of Sinthasomphone[4] and the reason Garish and Balcerzak were fired. Despite repeated statements to police that Sinthasomphone was underage, police did not bother to investigate any available information.
Packers' president
After being a vice-president in the Green Bay Packers organization,[5] Parins was named the team's president on May 31, 1982, succeeding Dominic Olejniczak.[6] He was the teams' first full-time president[6] and served until he retired on June 5, 1989 after being succeeded by Bob Harlan.[6] While Parins was president, the Packers' record was 43-61-2.[7] Parins was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1998.[8]
Tenure
During Parin's tenure, the team's most notable activities were:
- The Packers made the playoffs in 1982, their first appearance since 1972.[6]
- In 1983, coach Bart Starr was released and replaced by Forrest Gregg.[6]
- The Packers built 72 private box seats in 1985, increasing their stadium's capacity to 56,926.[6]
- Green Bay Packers Foundation was created in 1987 to distribute funds to area charities.[8]
- The Packers increased their profit from $2 million in 1986 and to $3 million the following year.[6]
- Forest Gregg resigned as head coach in 1988 and was replaced by Lindy Infante.[6]
References
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