And Now You May Go

Those were the famous words that Virgil Sollozzo said to Tom Hagen in The Godfather Part I after telling him to convince Sonny to go along with the narcotics business that he proposed. Today, another Tom Hagen will be released; Thomas Hagen, the assassin of Malcolm X was paroled today:

Thomas Hagan, the only man who admitted his role in the 1965 assassination of iconic black leader Malcolm X, was paroled Tuesday.

While controversy surrounds someone who took part in the assassination of such an iconic leader, Hagen has done his part in prison and earned the right to his freedom:

To win his release, Hagan was required to seek, obtain and maintain a job, support his children and abide by a curfew. He must continue to meet those conditions while free. He told the parole board he's worked the same job for the past seven years. He told the New York Post in 2008 he was working at a fast-food restaurant.

Others feel that Hagen should spend the rest of his life in prison:

"I personally find it strange that for a couple decades any person convicted in the assassination of such an iconic figure would be allowed such leniency," Ramadan said.

That's Zead Ramadan, Board Chairmen of The Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center. However, it appears that Hagen has the right mindset:

"My focus is to maintain my family and to try to make things a little better for them. It's upward mobility, and to encourage my children to complete their education because it's a must."

History must move on.