On this day in 1990, an argument turned into a mass murder at the Happy Land Social Club in the Bronx, NY.
Earlier in the evening, Cuban immigrant Julio Gonzalez was ejected from the club after arguing with his ex-girlfriend, who worked there as a coat check girl. Gonzalez, who had recently lost his job, was enraged. He screamed threats at the bouncers as they ejected him from the club.
Gonzalez returned to the club armed with a container of gasoline and some matches. He poured the gas on the stairs to the club and ignited it. The fire spread quickly. Due to a lack of working fire exits (they were blocked to prevent people from entering the club without paying), the people inside were trapped. Several managed to escape by breaking one of the barriers that blocked one of the fire doors. Eighty-seven people died in the fire.
Among those who survived was Gonzalez’s ex-girlfriend. She told police about the argument and Gonzalez’s threats. They tracked him down and arrested him the following afternoon. Shortly after being arrested, Gonzalez confessed to the crime. He was tried and convicted on 87 counts of arson and 87 counts of murder. He was sentenced to 25 years to life on each count. Since the crimes occurred in a single incident, New York State law required that the sentences be served concurrently, rather than consecutively. Gonzalez is currently incarcerated at Clinton Correction Facility. He will be eligible for parole in 2015.
The owners of the building were sued by the victims and the families of the deceased. The case was settled for $15.8 million, divided between the plaintiffs.
Further reading:
New York Times – Refugee Found Guilty of Killing 87 in Bronx Happy Land Fire
Crime Library – A River of Tears: Happy Land
Wikipedia – Happy Land Fire
Reblogged this on hocuspocus13.
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Reblogged this on Brittius.com.
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Thank you.
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You’re welcome.
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John D.:
“Happy Land”…how inappropriate (and obviouslty deadly)
After all that Gonzxalez DID (and all he murdered) he got CONCURRENT sentences?
WTF was up with that judge anyway?
The families, now seeing his parole imminent MUST be living this all over again.
We SERIOUSLY need the DEATH penalty reinstated for acts such as these.
Excellent story (and links).
Roll safe out there.
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Unfortunately, NY State law didn’t allow for consecutive sentencing for multiple murders committed in the same act. Thankfully, that has since been changed.
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That will be a quick parole review. The prisoner shouldn’t even bother to attend.
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The only way this guy is leaving state custody is in a coffin.
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