Gregory Powell

Gregory Ulas Powell (August 2, 1933 was an American criminal who kidnapped Karl Hettinger and Ian Campbell, two officers from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), on the night of March 9, 1963. Assisted by accomplice Jimmy Lee Smith, Powell took the officers to an onion field near Bakersfield, California, where Campbell was fatally shot.

Infamously known as the "Onion Field" Killer, Powell's story was depicted in Joseph Wambaugh's 1973 non-fiction book, The Onion Field. The book was later adapted into a 1979 film of the same name, in which Powell was portrayed by James Woods.

Early life Gregory Powell was raised in Michigan by a dysfunctional family. At age 16, Powell stole money and a car from his sister; he stole another car when he was aged 18. Powell served time in Michigan for car theft, and was released from prison at age 20. He also worked as a gay hustler.

Kidnapping of Campbell and Hettinger At about 10:00 p.m. Present in the vehicle were Powell and his accomplice, Jimmy Lee Smith. Hettinger did not put down his gun until Campbell told him to. With Smith's help, Powell abducted both of the officers and forced Campbell to drive them to an onion field in Bakersfield, California.

Murder of Campbell and arrest When they arrived at the onion field, Campbell and Hettinger were forced out of the car and ordered to stand with their hands above their heads. After Campbell replied, "Yes," he was shot in the mouth. Hettinger later told the Los Angeles Times, "I knew I was next. I turned away and ran down the road. When I looked back, they fired at me...." Hettinger successfully managed to escape from Powell and Smith, running to a farmhouse.

It is believed that four other bullets that hit Campbell's chest Powell was arrested a few hours later by a California Highway Patrol officer after attempting to escape via a stolen car.

Conviction and imprisonment On September 4, 1963, Powell was convicted of the kidnapping of Campbell and Hettinger and of the murder of the former. Later that year, Powell unsuccessfully attempted to escape from San Quentin State Prison with three other inmates.

Death sentence commutation By 1972, Powell's sentence was commuted to life in prison when the State of California declared the death penalty unconstitutional.

Parole denied

Powell was originally scheduled for parole on June 13, 1982. A petition submitted by the group Citizens for Truth in Justice garnered 31,500 signatures protesting against parole, which led to the rescission of Powell's parole date. The group was assisted in its effort by Ian Campbell's daughter Valerie. Powell was able to obtain an order of release from Solano County Superior Court Judge Ellis Randall. However, John Mancino, founder of Citizens for Truth, was able to submit a legal brief to the First District Court of Appeals in San Francisco ordering Powell to remain in prison. The case then went to the California Supreme Court, where Mancino and his group prevailed.

California Governors George Deukmejian and Jerry Brown were against Powell being released. His lawyer, Dennis Riordan, blamed their court loss on a February 1982 television airing of The Onion Field, the film adaptation of Joseph Wambaugh's book on the case of the same name. and 2010, Powell had been denied parole eleven times.

Powell worked as a clerk in the law library at the Mule Creek State Prison in Ione, California. By 1994 he was incarcerated at Deuel Vocational Institution. In 2011, Powell was denied compassionate release despite a diagnosis of terminal prostate cancer.

Reaction to The Onion Field

Joseph Wambaugh, author of The Onion Field, interviewed Powell while he was in prison. According to Wambaugh, Powell had only one complaint about the book, "that he [Powell] thought he was more physically attractive than I portrayed him to be."

Media portrayal

Powell was portrayed by actor James Woods in the 1979 film The Onion Field. Woods did not meet with Powell when preparing for his role. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance in the film.

Death On August 12, 2012, He was 79 years old. His death occurred two days after a Hollywood intersection was dedicated in Officer Ian Campbell's name. Tyler Izen, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, issued a statement: "Gregory Powell was a cold-blooded murderer who avoided the death penalty, but he won't escape God's judgment. While Officer Ian Campbell can never be brought back, nor the damage and heartache caused by Powell and Smith be undone, justice was upheld when the parole board denied Powell's request for compassionate release and ensured he drew his last breath while confined behind prison bars."