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Man convicted of triple-murder at 17 gets shot at freedom

TOWNSEND, Mass. — A man accused of killing a Townsend mother and her two young children is getting a shot at freedom.

Daniel LaPlante was convicted in 1987 of a triple murder. LaPlante was just 17 years old when he shot and killed Priscilla Gustafson in her home. He then drowned her seven-year-old daughter and five-year-old son in separate bathtubs.

In 2013, the Massachusetts' Supreme Court ruled that juveniles could not be sentenced to prison without parole. Due to the ruling, LaPlante has a re-sentencing hearing on March 22.

The original judge in LaPlante's case, Judge Robert Barton, told FOX25's Bob Ward that he believes LaPlante should stay behind bars.

"This kid was a savage," Judge Barton said, "I don't think he should be paroled."

Judge Barton recalled the gut-wrenching testimony he heard in court almost 30 years ago.

"With the little girl, clumps of her hair were found in the bathtub. She fought for her life," Barton said, "and [LaPlante] is pushing her head under the water, pulling out her hair...it was a horrible case."

"At 17 years old, did [LaPlante] know the difference between right and wrong?" FOX25's Bob Ward asked the judge.

"There's no question about it," Judge Barton said. "Insanity wasn't an issue in this particular case."

Judge Barton went on to say that he would have given LaPlante the death penalty if it was an option. "He sure as heck shouldn't be back in society," Barton said.

As for LaPlante's new parole hearing, Judge Barton doesn't believe he has any business being released from prison.

"These psychiatrists are going to tell you about the transformation that has taken place in these 29 years...as far as I'm concerned, the evil that he committed wasn't deserving of even continuing his life...he doesn't deserve to get out," he said.

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