Varg Vikernes Fails to Return: "The Count" Denied Parole

[Azash]

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=54429

Former BURZUM leader and convicted murderer and arsonist Varg Vikernes (photo) (a.k.a. "Greven"), who has served 12 years out of a 21-year jail sentence, will not be released from prison just yet.

The Norwegian prison authorities have denied Vikernes' parole application, according to the newspaper Dagbladet.

Varg's attorney John Christian Elden says Vikernes' release is long overdue.

"He is disappointed by the decision because he feels he is ready to come back into the general community," says Elden.

Vikernes was convicted for the murder of MAYHEM frontman Øystein Aarseth and three counts of church burnings.

Vikernes has served 12 years out of the 21-year jail sentence, and in accordance with the previous legislation, he is due for parole. But during the years Vikernes spent behind bars, the government passed laws to increase the number of years required in time served before one can be considered for parole to 14 years for 21-year sentences, which is the most severe time-based punishment in Norway.

Elden says it is unreasonable that these new regulations are retroactive.

"We are baffled the Department of Justice chooses to use laws that came into effect nine years after he stared serving his sentence," says Elden.

Vikernes, 33, was known as Count Grishnackh in the days of his one-man music project BURZUM. A neo-Nazi today, he subscribes to "heathen Odalism' and is the creator of the far-right All Germanic Heathen Front.

He was imprisoned for 21 years in 1993 for the murder of former friend Oystein Aarseth, also known as Euronymous, whom he stabbed 23 times. Aarseth was another leading member of the black metal scene that caught the imagination of the Norwegian press after a series of arson attacks on churches back in the '90s.

Vikernes himself had also been found guilty of the arson of a church in Bergen. On his arrest, police found 100 kg of explosives in his home.

In October 2003, he failed to return to prison after being granted a short leave, and was later apprehended by police with an unloaded assault rifle, 700 rounds of ammo, and a handheld GPS system.

EDIT: Not all of you have heard of Vikernes. Here's some supporting info revolving around him.

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=36654
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=50856
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=28492
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=21767
http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/news.aspx?mode=Article&newsitemID=16250

 

[Erik Mesoy]

meh. 2/3rds of time in prison before parole sounds reasonable and this seems to be mostly arguing over technicalities.
Given that he failed to return last time and was apprehended with weaponry instead, he doesn't seem the type that should be granted parole. Character evidence and all that...

/me preemptively rolls eyes at silver 2039's angsty hateful anti-church rhetoric.

 

[Leifmk]

He is as he was: A loser.

 

[colony]

I still can't make my mind up about Vikernes, and whether he really is evil, or just a bit crazy. Anyway as far as I'm concerned he can stay in prison.

Also, I might be being slightly cynical here, but I think being sent to prison has probably made him far more famous than he really deserves. Burzum (IMO) are just an average Black Metal band and aren't really anything too special.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

I have made up my mind: He is evil and insane.

 

[The Last Conformist]

I have made up my mind: He is evil and insane.

Yup. I for one am happy if he stays behind bars.

 

[silver 2039]

edited out

 

[mrtn]

Didn't he burn a thousand year old stave church?
I'm happy that they'll keep him locked up.

 

[Hundegesicht]

Let's see, not only is the guy a nazi, an arsonist, and a murderer, but he's also a bad musician. Screw 21 years, I say lock him up for life!

 

[Zardnaar]

Sounds like a good arguement for the death penalty. He should have been shot.

 

[7ronin]

Sounds like a brutal murder. Let him do his full sentence.

 

[trader/warrior]

People never do their full sentences here in Norway, he`ll probably be realeased in 08. Atleast no he seems more "grown up" than when he went in, so i dont expect any more murders or arsons, he`ll probably be content with messing up the minds of his followers.

 

[Azash]

He won't be much use there either, since his pathologically lying nature and ideological instability have cost him a lot of credibility.

EDIT: Zardnaar, how is the murder of Euronymous worse than any other murder?

EDIT2: Euronymous is Aarseth's pseudonym.

 

[Norlamand]

Only 21 years for murder? Human life is indeed cheap these days.

 

[Cilpot]

21 years is no longer the ultimate sentence in Norway. It was in 1993, though. Nowadays you can get 21 years forvaring (wich means something like detainment i think). It's a de facto life sentence where you are eligble for parole after 21 years, but its not at all certain you'll get it.

 

[Zardnaar]

He won't be much use there either, since his pathologically lying nature and ideological instability have cost him a lot of credibility.

EDIT: Zardnaar, how is the murder of Euronymous worse than any other murder?

EDIT2: Euronymous is Aarseth's pseudonym.

Some murders are worse than other. 2 People get in drunken brawl and someone dies vs a child rapist who then dismembers his victem. The severity of the murder and the behaviour of the prisonor should influence the sentence and parole. This particular example seems to be human trash and should be treated as such.

 

[Azash]

So how is this worse than death in a drunken brawl?

 

[Riker]

Vikernes should be free.