THE VERDICT

Trial stressful for both prosecutor and defendant

By Jack Brammer

Herald-Leader Staff Writer

Larry Mahoney left court Feb. 23, 1990, after his sentencing. File photo by Ed Reinke | Associated Press

Then: Paul Richwalsky worked for Attorney General Fred Cowan when he was named special prosecutor in the case against Larry Mahoney.

During the trial in Carroll County, Richwalsky, 38, had one personal encounter with Mahoney. During jury selection, Mahoney, always quiet, asked Richwalsky if he had a Tylenol. "I gave him one of mine. There was a lot of stress there."

In December 1989 a Carroll Circuit Court jury convicted Mahoney -- whose blood-alcohol level shortly after the crash registered 0.24, three times the current legal limit -- of 27 counts of second-degree manslaughter, 16 counts of second-degree assault, 27 counts of first-degree wanton endangerment and one count of driving while under the influence of intoxicants. He was sentenced to 16 years in prison in February 1990.

At the state prison in La Grange, Mahoney was a janitor in medium security. Described by prison officials as a model prisoner, he quit smoking, started jogging, received his General Educational Development certificate and attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.

He ended up serving 10 years, one month, and 11 days.

At 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 1, 1999, Mahoney walked out of prison and climbed into a relative's green Toyota Camry.

Now: Richwalsky is division chief in juvenile court for Jefferson County Attorney Irv Maze. He has worked for the county attorney's office for seven years.

"I think about it all the time," he says of the crash.

Mahoney has shunned media requests for interviews. He lives quietly in rural Owen County.

"I might see him once or twice a year," says Owen County Judge-Executive Billy O'Banion. "He keeps to himself pretty much. Good citizen. No trouble at all. He never talks about the bus crash. He told me a long time ago it was something he was going to have to live with."

Mahoney's calls to the judge usually are about a road problem. Mahoney lives on a country road about 10 miles from the Carrollton bus crash, where markers spell out to drivers on Interstate 71, "Site of fatal bus crash May 14, 1988."

After all these years, the commemorative markers occasionally are graced by crosses and flowers.