Providence Murder Suspect Out Early From Drug-Dealing Life Sentence

(Providence, RI)--Police were still looking yesterday for the suspect accused of a murder in Providence last week.Joel Francisco allegedly stabbed Troy Pine to death at a Providence hookah bar.Questions are being raised about Francisco being released early from prison in February from a life sentence for cocaine-trafficking.His release came as a result of reforms in federal sentencing for drug cases.Providence Police Commander Thomas Verdi, who was on Francisco's case before he was sentenced in 2005, was quoted in a Providence Journal article saying some criminals deserve to spend their lives incarcerated, and that Francisco is one example.


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