Larry Race to be released - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Todd Mueller · 04-14-2005, 11:14 PM

Larry Race was convicted of murder in the early 1980's in Duluth, Minnesota. They were in a boat together when it started taking on water and the engine died and wouldn't restart. He put his wife in a raft and then tried to swim to shore. He couldn't make it and then returned to the boat, which somehow started again. His wife washed up dead the next day. They said he swam back and cut her raft which took her life.

His final appeal was featured on UM some years ago. It was a pretty interesting case, especially for me since I live in MN.

They led the local news tonight with Larry and the fact that he will soon be a free man. He has to do a month of work release and then he is out. His family is thrilled as are his late wife's parents, who believed Larry all along.

I'm still mixed on this case. I want to believe him but some of the facts just don't hold water (pardon the pun) for his story.

Those of you that remember this, what do you think?

JimmyHendricks · 04-15-2005, 02:26 AM

He's getting out? Was he pardoned or something?

I think he's innocent. If he was going to kill his wife, it's much easier to just toss her overboard than put her in a raft, swim with her for a while, then swim all the way back to the boat, put on scuba gear, then swim all the way back and cut the raft just right with a knife.

I think the raft was defective or hit a rock or something.

Awsi Dooger · 04-15-2005, 04:42 AM

In fact, I posted a "Who was wrongly accused or convicted?" thread a year or two ago here, and highlighted the Larry Race case among my top choices.

It just galls me when prosecutors dream up Superman scenarios to put a convenient check mark beside their case, and look no further. If anyone screamed as a Mr. Nobody it was Larry Race. Yet they had him treading water and managing one herculean feat after another. Yet when it's in their best interests, I've seen prosecutors in other cases argue how near-impossible it is for humans to tread water for any length of time.

I was extremely impressed with the parents of the dead wife. "If you only knew Larry..." Every time I see that segment I'm struck by how powerful the family can be. In Jeffrey MacDonald's case, for instance, it is certain that the tunnelvision "fry the bastard!" approach of his in-laws and brother-in-law was almost solely responsible for the trial and conviction a decade or so after the incident.

crystaldawn · 04-15-2005, 12:22 PM

Hey, thanks for the info! Yes, I always believed he was innocent as well.

I did find an article about it:
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_arti...?storyid=79596

I also noticed that he's a blond now.

yo · 08-24-2005, 02:21 AM

I am a recent in-law of Larry, and I just wanted to say that it is interesting to hear other peoples opinions. Larry has just recently married my aunt and they are very happy together. And he isn't blond now, he's grey. Lol.

george ramos · 08-25-2005, 03:36 PM

That's excellent news. I'm glad he can live a normal life again. I always believed he was innocent but I have to honestly say I never thought he was going to be released. Thank God I was proven wrong.

MetalHybrid · 08-26-2005, 12:23 AM

According to Lifetime's TV schedule this story will be aired on Wednesday 8/31, I think. I will have to set the VCR up to tape it I will be working at that time. I'll just record the whole show. I guess the fact that he is going to be let out soon makes it irrelevent whether he is guilty or innocent, but I always believed he was innocent. Thay never actually found the knife that the prosecutors claimed he used. And he was coopertive with the police from the start.

Did his prosecutor wrinkle anyone's brows with disgust in a manner similar to Stuart Heaton's prosecutor, who many of you have scorned? Why did you not like him anyway, even if you think Heaton was guilty?

george ramos · 08-26-2005, 08:46 AM

Who's Stuart Heaton?

MetalHybrid · 08-26-2005, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by george ramos

Who's Stuart Heaton?

Another indivudual who had a final appeal case profiled on UM. He was a carpenter in Illinois who was convicted of mudering a 16 year old girl in the summer of 1991. The prosection claimed the cuts on his hands were consistant with the wounds one would get on themselves if they were to inflict the kind of stab wounds on a person that the victum had. He cliams all carpenters have cuts like that as it is part of the trade.

Regardless, many here have expressed a real big disgust for the prosecutor in that case. I can't help but wonder if the prosecutor who put Larry Race behind bars is much different.

george ramos · 08-27-2005, 05:45 PM

Was he ever released?

MetalHybrid · 08-27-2005, 07:09 PM

Not as far as I am aware.

Kane · 08-27-2005, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by george ramos

Was he ever released?

No. Stuart Heaton's last request for a new trial was denied in 2003.

Kane · 08-27-2005, 10:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MetalHybrid

Did his prosecutor wrinkle anyone's brows with disgust in a manner similar to Stuart Heaton's prosecutor, who many of you have scorned? Why did you not like him anyway, even if you think Heaton was guilty?

If anything, I would say that the prosecutor struck me as arrogant. I remember him saying that he considered the case to be "not appropriate" for UM. He seemed too confident about his belief in Larry's guilt.

yo · 08-29-2005, 02:12 AM

Yes, he was released in May, and got married in June.

george ramos · 09-01-2005, 04:45 PM

I was referring to Stuart Heaton.

04-14-2005, 11:14 PM	#1
Todd Mueller Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,626	Larry Race to be released Larry Race was convicted of murder in the early 1980's in Duluth, Minnesota. They were in a boat together when it started taking on water and the engine died and wouldn't restart. He put his wife in a raft and then tried to swim to shore. He couldn't make it and then returned to the boat, which somehow started again. His wife washed up dead the next day. They said he swam back and cut her raft which took her life. His final appeal was featured on UM some years ago. It was a pretty interesting case, especially for me since I live in MN. They led the local news tonight with Larry and the fact that he will soon be a free man. He has to do a month of work release and then he is out. His family is thrilled as are his late wife's parents, who believed Larry all along. I'm still mixed on this case. I want to believe him but some of the facts just don't hold water (pardon the pun) for his story. Those of you that remember this, what do you think?

04-15-2005, 04:42 AM	#3
Awsi Dooger Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 18, 2003 Location: Miami Posts: 1,537	Great! I always believed he was innocent In fact, I posted a "Who was wrongly accused or convicted?" thread a year or two ago here, and highlighted the Larry Race case among my top choices. It just galls me when prosecutors dream up Superman scenarios to put a convenient check mark beside their case, and look no further. If anyone screamed as a Mr. Nobody it was Larry Race. Yet they had him treading water and managing one herculean feat after another. Yet when it's in their best interests, I've seen prosecutors in other cases argue how near-impossible it is for humans to tread water for any length of time. I was extremely impressed with the parents of the dead wife. "If you only knew Larry..." Every time I see that segment I'm struck by how powerful the family can be. In Jeffrey MacDonald's case, for instance, it is certain that the tunnelvision "fry the bastard!" approach of his in-laws and brother-in-law was almost solely responsible for the trial and conviction a decade or so after the incident.

04-15-2005, 02:26 AM	#2
JimmyHendricks Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 11, 2004 Posts: 112	He's getting out? Was he pardoned or something? I think he's innocent. If he was going to kill his wife, it's much easier to just toss her overboard than put her in a raft, swim with her for a while, then swim all the way back to the boat, put on scuba gear, then swim all the way back and cut the raft just right with a knife. I think the raft was defective or hit a rock or something.

04-15-2005, 12:22 PM	#4
crystaldawn Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 17, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 4,261	Hey, thanks for the info! Yes, I always believed he was innocent as well. I did find an article about it: http://www.kare11.com/news/news_arti...?storyid=79596 I also noticed that he's a blond now.

08-24-2005, 02:21 AM	#5
yo Member Forum Cub Join Date: Aug 24, 2005 Posts: 2	I am a recent in-law of Larry, and I just wanted to say that it is interesting to hear other peoples opinions. Larry has just recently married my aunt and they are very happy together. And he isn't blond now, he's grey. Lol.

08-25-2005, 03:36 PM	#6
george ramos Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 28, 2005 Posts: 148	That's excellent news. I'm glad he can live a normal life again. I always believed he was innocent but I have to honestly say I never thought he was going to be released. Thank God I was proven wrong.

08-26-2005, 12:23 AM	#7
MetalHybrid Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 10, 2005 Location: Campbell(near San Jose), CA Posts: 141	According to Lifetime's TV schedule this story will be aired on Wednesday 8/31, I think. I will have to set the VCR up to tape it I will be working at that time. I'll just record the whole show. I guess the fact that he is going to be let out soon makes it irrelevent whether he is guilty or innocent, but I always believed he was innocent. Thay never actually found the knife that the prosecutors claimed he used. And he was coopertive with the police from the start. Did his prosecutor wrinkle anyone's brows with disgust in a manner similar to Stuart Heaton's prosecutor, who many of you have scorned? Why did you not like him anyway, even if you think Heaton was guilty?

08-26-2005, 08:46 AM	#8
george ramos Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 28, 2005 Posts: 148	Who's Stuart Heaton?

08-27-2005, 05:45 PM	#10
george ramos Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 28, 2005 Posts: 148	Was he ever released?

08-27-2005, 07:09 PM	#11
MetalHybrid Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 10, 2005 Location: Campbell(near San Jose), CA Posts: 141	Not as far as I am aware.

08-29-2005, 02:12 AM	#14
yo Member Forum Cub Join Date: Aug 24, 2005 Posts: 2	Yes, he was released in May, and got married in June.

09-01-2005, 04:45 PM	#15
george ramos Member Frequent Poster Join Date: May 28, 2005 Posts: 148	I was referring to Stuart Heaton.