Domestic Terrorist's Sentence Commuted: Cuomo

Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday that he commuted what he called the "extraordinarily long sentence" of Judith Clark, who was convicted in 1983 in the Brinks armored car robbery in Rockland County, a bloody act of terrorism by a group of radicals called the Black Liberation Army.

The commutation will enable her to appear before the Board of Parole within the first quarter of 2017. Based on her original sentence, she would be 106 years old before she became eligible for parole, leaving her without an opportunity to appear before the parole board during her natural lifetime, the governor's office said.

Any act to reduce Clark's sentence has been bitterly opposed in Rockland County.

SEE: Opposing Clemency for Brinks Robbery Driver Judith Clark

Reaction to Cuomo's announcement was swift.

SEE: Day Outraged at Commutation of Deadly Brinks Robbery Driver's Sentence

The Bedford Hills Correction Facility inmate was the getaway driver in the Brinks armored truck robbery Oct. 20, 1981.

Two Nyack police officers and a Brinks guard were killed that day. Peter Paige was shot by members of the BLA during the armored truck robbery at the Nanuet Mall and Sgt. Edward O’Grady and Officer Waverly Brown were gunned down near the New York State Thruway entrance after stopping a U-Haul truck that was part of the getaway convoy.

Clark, 67, has served over 35 years of her 75 years to life sentence. On October 14, 1983, she was convicted of Murder in the Second Degree and Robbery in the First Degree. Clark, who appeared pro se at her trial, received one of the longest sentences of her six co-defendants, the majority of whom are either deceased or no longer in custody.

She received the same sentence as one of the known shooters, the governor's office said. Her only female co-defendant, Kathy Boudin, whose participation in the underlying crime was similar to Clark’s, received a 20-year minimum sentence and was paroled in 2003, and then discharged from parole supervision in 2010.

According to the governor's office, while at Bedford Hills, Clark has made exceptional strides in self-development. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree from Mercy College and has an extensive prison programming record including teaching pre-natal parenting courses in the Nursery Program, founding an HIV/AIDS education program, training service dogs in the Puppies Behind Bars program, and serving as a college tutor. Further, she has maintained a perfect disciplinary record and lives in honor housing.

In 2014, Rockland County Executive Ed Day expressed his strong opposition to clemency for Clark, saying that action would be "a cruel and unjust slap in the face" of the families of the slain officers, particularly the nine children left without fathers. "The conduct of Judith Clark - and her fellow radicals - was so abhorrent, it simply warrants the imposition of life in prison to ensure that justice is served and society is protected. As a member of law enforcement at the time of this incident, I strongly believe Clark deserves the same sentence she inflicted on her victims."