a. Only time will tell if he's a changed man or not. He's paid his debt to society and he's getting a fresh start. Time will tell whether he f***s it up or not but as a society, we should be rooting for his rehabilitation not endlessly condemning for a crime whose punishment he's already served.
b. The beaning was obviously Bannister's call and Bush had no leverage to refuse him. If you want to use this as another excuse to pile on Bush go ahead but it's completely gratuitous on your part.