Former world lightweight boxing champion Paul Spadafora is a step closer to freedom.

He will "graduate" April 17 from the state prison system's boot camp. After that, he will be placed in a halfway house, a situation that could allow him to resume his boxing career.

At Quehanna Boot Camp in Clearfield County, Mr. Spadafora has followed orders and obeyed the rules.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette
	Paul Spadafora leaves Judge Jeffrey A. Manning's courtroom after pleading guilty to aggravated assault and a weapons violation in the shooting of his girlfriend, Nadine Russo, in December 2004. Mr. Spadafora will be released form the state prison system's boot camp on April 17.

Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning sentenced Mr. Spadafora to 21 to 60 months in prison for shooting his girlfriend in a drunken rage. But the judge also recommended that the state Department of Corrections place Mr. Spadafora in its six-month boot camp program, effectively cutting years off his sentence.

Corrections administrators accepted the judge's suggestion, but first mandated that Mr. Spadafora complete anger-management classes in prison. In total, Mr. Spadafora has served seven months in a traditional prison and almost six months in boot camp.

Mr. Spadafora, 30, will be on parole for another three years. He also could face five years after that under the supervision of a state probation officer.

"I assume that, as high-profile as he is, he will be watched closely all that time," Judge Manning said.

Mr. Spadafora's sentencing was controversial, especially because his crime involved violence with a handgun.

"I got a lot of heat on it, but I don't care," Judge Manning said. "I made the decision that I thought was right."

He said he believed boot camp was a sound option because it requires uneducated prisoners such as Mr. Spadafora to take academic courses and undergo counseling for drug and alcohol abuse.

Mr. Spadafora dropped out of Sto-Rox High School to pursue a boxing career. In addition, he describes himself as an alcoholic and somebody who occasionally used cocaine and other illegal drugs.

Mr. Spadafora pleaded guilty to shooting Nadine Russo in the chest the morning of Oct. 26, 2003. But she was a reluctant witness and did not want him punished.

Those circumstances helped Mr. Spadafora make a plea bargain with the district attorney. His guilty plea to second-degree assault made him eligible for boot camp. A first-degree conviction would have put him in prison for five years.

"Just because he's graduating from boot camp is no guarantee that he's home free," Judge Manning said. "I hope he doesn't fail, but if he does, he'll be categorized with the rest of the addicts who had a chance but didn't make the most of it."