A Massachusetts pedophile who was convicted of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old boy was ordered to be released from jail because he suffers from health conditions that leave him vulnerable to the coronavirus.
According to the NY Post, 54-year-old Glenn Christie, who is confined to a wheelchair, suffers from kidney disease and a condition called spinal stenosis, which has left him in a wheelchair. He was ordered released from the Massachusetts Treatment Center by Superior Court Judge Heidi Brieger on Wednesday.
Christie was convicted of child rape and indecent assault on a child under 14 and was being held for violating his probation conditions, before being sprung from jail due to the threat of coronavirus.
Christie’s attorney, David Rangaviz, claims that two inmates at the facility, including one of Christie’s former roommates, have died of the virus and argued that Christie should not be left in prison for between one and two years for repeated violations of the ten-year parole he was given.
Rangaviz, who claims he was acting in the best interest of his client, began filing motions in Christie’s case weeks ago, arguing that it’s impossible to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in jails and prisons and the Salem courts agreed.
After Wednesday’s ruling, Christie’s lawyer David Rangaviz tweeted: “I’m cautiously optimistic that the court will see him as a perfect example of the sort of vulnerable person in need of release.”