James Schoenfeld who kidnapped 26 children and their school bus driver in Chowchilla nearly 40 years ago was granted parole on Wednesday . Schoenfeld , 24 at the time , his brother , Richard , and a friend , Fred Woods , were convicted of the 1976 caper . The kidnappers were inspired by the 1971 film the Fresno Bee film Dirty Harry in which the antagonist kidnaps a school bus for ransom . They kept the children 'buried alive ' in trailer that had been buried into a hillside while they negotiated a ransom . Parole date has not yet been set and the decision could take months .
James Schoenfeld who kidnapped 26 children and their school bus driver in Chowchilla nearly 40 years ago was granted parole on Wednesday . Schoenfeld , 24 at the time , his brother , Richard , and a friend , Fred Woods , were convicted of the 1976 caper . The kidnappers were inspired by the 1971 film Clint Eastwood film Dirty Harry in which the antagonist kidnaps a school bus for ransom . They kept the children 'buried alive ' in trailer that had been buried into a hillside while they negotiated a ransom . Parole date has not yet been set and the decision could take months .