In 1983, Timothy Eling [above] tried to rob a hospital pharmacy in St. Paul, Minnesota. Off-duty Oakdale Police Officer Richard Walton—moonlighting as a security guard—intervened. When Walton stepped out of an elevator, Eling shot him in the head, killing Walton. After 29 years in prison, Eling has now been paroled. In interviews, he claims he’s “a different man” and professes remorse. (Funny how living in an 8×10 room for half your life can cause you to repent.) Corrections Commissioner Tom Roy believes Eling redeemed himself in prison; where Eling worked in the chemical dependency unit and served as a “senior elder” in the Restorative Justice Program. As a police officer, I believe some men are beyond redemption. By their deeds they are known.
