This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Powered by ATC Online LLP The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles has scheduled 63 parole hearings and 30 hearings on requests for pardons this week, May 6 – 8 The list below contains the names of the inmates to be considered for parole May 6 – 8, 2025, along with their county or counties of conviction. News organizations can go to the Alabama Department of Corrections inmate database and search by the AIS number listed below for details on the inmates’ records of offenses A list of pardon hearings scheduled for this week can be found here. questions@paroles.alabama.gov Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Kern County man sentenced to life without parole for molesting childby BakersfieldNow Staff (KBAK/KBFX) — A Kern County man was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for molesting a child in 2020 The Kern County District Attorney’s Office said on April 3 David Aney pled to one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and two counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 Aney began a roommate relationship with a friend who shared the home with his 9-year-old son RELATED: Child molester faces life without parole after conviction Aney abused the boy in the home continuously until 2022 He also has prior convictions for child molestation and child pornography Aney was convicted of lewd and lascivious acts on a child under 14 he was convicted for possession of child pornography Aney was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole plus two 50-year-to-life sentences Pillen Announces Chairperson Cotton's Retirement from Parole Board Governor Jim Pillen announced the retirement of Rosalyn Cotton from the Board of Parole She was first appointed as chairperson in 2015 and again in 2020 Her current term was set to expire next year “Chairperson Cotton served under three governors in a highly challenging and sometimes difficult role She has been a strong collaborator with the Department of Corrections and provided solid leadership when implementing changes in law and bringing on new board members,” said Gov “I wish Ros the very best in her future endeavors and I thank her for her dedication to public service.” said she enjoyed what was an extremely rewarding career and that she looked forward to retirement and spending time with her family Pillen will announce an interim chairperson for the board at a later date PO Box 94848, Lincoln, NE 68509-4848Governor's Office is located at:1445 K Street, Lincoln, NE 68508Phone: 402-471-2244Contact the Governor's Office Nebraska.gov   |   Nebraska Policies   |   Login convicted of the 1976 murder of a Warren store clerk while on parole for manslaughter is scheduled for a parole hearing in August according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction has been imprisoned for 49 years and is serving a life sentence for the aggravated murder of 51-year-old Dominic Chiarella who was shot and killed during a robbery at the Austin Beverage Store in Warren during the robbery at the store located in the Austin Village Plaza acting on information from a service station attendant about the robbery suspects’ vehicle police stopped a car with the provided license plate number and the vehicle revealed multiple .32-caliber bullets a ski mask identified as similar to one used in the robbery and food items carried by the Austin Beverage Store Wade was indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury on charges of aggravated murder with specifications This will be Wade’s fourth parole hearing His previous requests for release were denied who prosecuted Wade as an assistant prosecutor in 1976 Watkins emphasized that Wade was on parole for a 1975 manslaughter conviction at the time of Chiarella’s murder The parole board will consider factors such as Wade’s conduct in prison and statements from the victim’s family and other interested parties when making its decision WTTV CBS4Indy The Indiana State Parole Board will hold a clemency hearing on Monday for a man convicted of killing a Beech Grove police officer in 2000 Braun considering deregulation bill affecting K-12 schools Carmel's Home Place neighborhood prepares for redevelopment plan Hinchman Racing Suits celebrating 100 years of protecting drivers Speed camera enforcement starts on northeast side Killer of Beech Grove police officer seeks clemency kills armed man outside Hendricks County courthouse A new survey ranks Indiana number two in the nation for phishing scam victims Former Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday repeatedly invoked the Constitution and said it is what “binds us all together” after receiving the John F Alex Palou came away with his third win of 2025 on Sunday afternoon He led by more than 16 seconds when the checkered flag flew A mural in Irvington honors an Indianapolis woman who helped bring down Indiana KKK Grand Dragon D.C Two juveniles were arrested after a chase in Speedway early Saturday morning A Bismarck man on parole from a 2023 drug conviction is back in custody and entered not guilty pleas Monday to new felony drug charges stemming from a February traffic stop is charged with possession with intent to manufacture or deliver meth and marijuana The meth charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; the marijuana charge has a max of five years He also is charged with driving under suspension 23 traffic stop when records revealed his driver's license was suspended He also told an officer he was currently on parole and consented to a search of his vehicle that turned up nearly 10 ½ grams of meth and 170 grams of marijuana along with a digital scale inside a backpack Fleming reportedly told police the drugs were for personal use but officers also searched Fleming's phone and discovered a number of messages from people  seeking to buy either meth or marijuana and asking about availability and price Court records indicate Fleming's status as a parolee stems from drug convictions in May and August of 2023 in McLean and Burleigh counties Burleigh County court records show he was sentenced to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised probation after pleading guilty to charges including possession with intent to deliver more than 50 grams of meth and an undisclosed quantity of fentanyl Those charges carry maximum sentences of 20 and 10 years in prison Jail records indicate Fleming is also being held for potential revocation of his parole and probation Revocation hearings were not immediately scheduled Fleming remains in custody at the Burleigh Morton Detention Center on a $5,000 cash bond Trial in the Bismarck case is set for July 22 Reach Brad Nygaard at 701-250-8260 or Brad.Nygaard@bismarcktribune.com Get the latest in local public safety news with this weekly email Email notifications are only sent once a day A former Bismarck man is now in custody after authorities served an arrest warrant first A Bismarck woman whose children reportedly ate a chocolate bar containing hallucinogens is now in custody and facing felony charges A Bismarck man who admitted stealing a woman's PTSD support dog and vehicle was sentenced to seven years in prison on Tuesday A Bismarck man is accused of setting fire to curtains inside a home where several people were sleeping allegedly telling police he wanted hel… A former corrections officer at the North Dakota State Penitentiary who reportedly brought contraband to an inmate will not serve any time beh… Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account For several years, Deborah Hanna-Kearney had a recurring nightmare about the death of her father — Massachusetts State Trooper George Hanna Jr. “I suffer with really extreme PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and all of these feelings are coming up again,” said Hanna-Kearney who grew up in Holliston and now lives in Douglas dreams of my father dragging himself to the street to get help and then being shot in the back three or four more times George Hanna's name is a familiar one in the law enforcement community. The Hanna Memorial Awards for Bravery are the highest awards the state presents to police officers who exhibit exceptional bravery while in the line of duty Hanna grew up in Natick, the son of longtime Natick Police officer George Hanna Sr. The younger Hanna joined the Massachusetts State Police in 1974 He was married to Marilyn and had three children — Deborah Kimberly and Michael — and was living in Holliston with his family in 1983 'World came crashing down': George Hanna's daughter remembers him on 40th anniversary of his death Hanna pulled over a red Chevy Vega in the parking lot of J&S Liquors on Southbridge Street in Auburn the three men intended to rob the store and were all armed with handguns While Hanna was frisking one of the suspects a struggle broke out and the men shot Hanna a total of seven times All three men — Emilio Otero and Miguel Rosado of Worcester — were convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole A change made in the law last year now prevents those younger than 21 at the time they committed their crimes from being ineligible for parole those convicted of first-degree murder but who were younger than 21 at the time of their offense are eligible for parole after 25 years Claims he wanted to testify: Retrial denied for man convicted in Mass. trooper's slaying “Shouldn’t he have to pay the price for what he has done?” asked Hanna’s other daughter “We can have 18-year-olds fight on the battlegrounds while in the military and make decisions that affect their lives and the lives of others but here we are saying this 20-year-old deserves a second chance He decided to kill my father and flee and leave my father dying in the street They made their choices that night and those choices were brought to court and they were convicted.” Daughters say Colon was the 'worst' of the three killersBoth sisters said Colon was the “worst” of the three men he (Hanna) starts frisking him and they pull their guns and shoot him,” said Hanna-Kearney That’s when this (expletive) bag made a decision to go pick up my father’s gun and then shoot him point-blank several times in the back Hanna Wittenberg added: “He was the worst of the three guys — they were all bad — but to be the one to make sure he (Hanna) was done…I don’t know how long he has been in prison but I feel he made the choice to kill him and he should stay in prison.” Both sisters said the family’s life was left in tatters after their father’s death they had to move in with their grandparents Her mother was constantly afraid that relatives of those who killed her husband would come for her children Hanna-Kearney said she has been constantly crying since learning that Colon could get out was only 6 at the time of the murder and did not have a chance to grow up with a father “My dad missed so much — he missed so many things in my life my children’s life…my mother has never been the same,” said Hanna Wittenberg Why should he (Colon) get a second chance at life He could still have a pretty good life at 65.” A parole hearing date has not been announced. Hanna-Kearney said the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office said it believed the hearing would be in June or July A spokeswoman for the District Attorney’s Office said it plans to oppose Colon’s parole The family is now imploring the public to send letters to the Massachusetts Parole Board asking it to deny Colon’s release. Letters can be sent to Katherine K. Moran, director of victim services, Massachusetts Parole Board, 12 Mercer Road, Natick, Mass., 01760 or by email to Katherine.K.Moran@mass.gov Hanna-Kearney said even if Colon is denied parole this time the family will have their emotional wounds reopened “It’s like they took his life sentence from him and gave it to us,” she said Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or nmiller@wickedlocal.com follow him on X @Norman_MillerMW or on Facebook at facebook.com/NormanMillerCrime The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles held 23 parole hearings Tuesday The Board also held 10 hearings on requests for pardons The hearing minutes document for this date is now available here. The list below contains the names of the inmates considered for parole Tuesday, April 29 along with their county or counties of conviction and the parole board’s decision. News organizations can go to the Alabama Department of Corrections inmate database and search by the AIS number listed below for details on the inmates’ records of offenses (KBAK/KBFX) — The California Board of Parole Hearings granted release to a gang member who was convicted of conspiracy to commit murder over 20 years ago saying he no longer poses a risk to public safety the man ordered a person to be fatally stabbed used a meat cleaver to threaten to kill a person and their relatives and had previous convictions of burglary and attempted robbery BPH found that Ricky Black no longer continues to pose a current and unreasonable risk to public safety Black was a member of the Nazi Low Rider (NLR) Gang Black attended a gang meeting and gave the order to have the victim The victim was fatally stabbed at a park by a member of the NLR gang Black held a meat clever to a second victim’s throat and threatened to kill the victim and the victim’s relatives Black told this second victim he was “a shot caller” for the NLR a Kern County jury found Black guilty of conspiracy to commit murder conspiracy to commit an assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon for both the 1999 and 2000 crimes The court also found that Black suffered two prior “strike convictions” for residential burglary and attempted robbery the court found true that Black had served two prior prison terms a Kern County judge sentenced Black to 75 years to life plus an additional 11 years the Fifth District Court of Appeals found that although there was sufficient evidence for Black’s conviction for conspiracy to commit murder the appellate court found that the jury was improperly instructed and Black was resentenced to 50 years to life plus 11 additional years His conviction for conspiracy to commit an assault with a deadly weapon and assault with a deadly weapon remained Black was resentenced yet again due to changes to the law related to eliminating sentencing enhancements for repeat offenders According to current records from the California Department of Rehabilitation Black is not eligible for parole until November 2038 an offender of a nonviolent offense is eligible for parole once the upper term of the sentencing range is fulfilled for the underlying offense ignoring any other charges or enhancements Prior to the reclassification and resentencing his earliest parole eligibility date was November 2051 The DA's office said that although classified as a non-violent offender Black was twice convicted while in state prison in Kings County One in 2003 for possessing a sharp instrument and another in 2012 for assault with a deadly weapon leading to an additional 2 years and 8 months in prison Black has had a total of four parole hearings the District Attorney’s Office appeared and opposed release the panel noted that he had “a minimum eligible parole date of November 3 2023): Despite the five-year denial of parole the prison administrative review process allowed Black to have his second parole hearing BPH denied parole and issued a three-year denial Black was given an opportunity to have his parole hearing early Black was granted parole with commissioners noting that his resentencing “carried weight with the panel because he was now a non-violent offender.” 2024): The En Banc Panel of the BPH reversed Black’s grant of parole due to a recording error and set his case for rehearing The commissioners focused on his insight into his crime the Kern County District Attorney’s Office asked the BPH to deny parole The BPH found that Black was suitable for parole and no longer posed a current unreasonable risk of danger to society The Board commented that Black’s grant of parole is “an intended consequence of the law.” District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented on the release saying “An individual with a clear and dangerous history of gang involvement has been granted parole under lenient laws that fail to prioritize public safety Black is not classified as a violent offender and became eligible for parole prematurely - an outcome that blatantly disregards the jury’s verdict The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles held 19 parole hearings Thursday The list below contains the names of the inmates considered for parole Thursday, April 24 along with their county or counties of conviction and the parole board’s decision. News organizations can go to the Alabama Department of Corrections inmate database and search by the AIS number listed below for details on the inmates’ records of offenses (KBAK/KBFX) — The California Board of Parole Hearings denied release to a convicted repeat sex offender BPH found that Timothy Groux continues to pose a current and unreasonable risk to public safety The Kern County District Attorney’s Office prosecuted Timothy Groux as a “Three Strikes” Offender after Groux orally copulated his new cellmate the first night the victim fell asleep in the shared cell on July 10 In the Information filed in the Kern Superior Court on April 16 the Kern County District Attorney’s Office alleged that Groux had been convicted of five prior strikes and previously served two prior prison terms a Kern County jury found Groux guilty of oral copulation while confined in state prison The DA’s office said after the jury found Groux guilty the court in a separate proceeding found true that Groux was previously convicted in a 1988 Santa Clara County case for forcible rape The court also found true that Groux was previously convicted in 2003 in a Santa Clara County for sodomy with a prisoner the court found true that Groux had served two prior prison terms Groux was pending trial in a Santa Clara County case for civil commitment as a Sexually Violent Predator this proceeding is typically done after a criminal sentence has been served but rules whether an individual may still be held if it is determined that they continue to pose an ongoing risk of committing sexually violent offenses in the future a Kern County judge sentenced Groux to 25 years to life under the California Three Strikes Law Groux is 56 years old and has served about 16 years of his 25 year to life sentence His sexual assault history spans about four decades Groux is considered a non-violent offender Groux was denied release at his first parole hearing in April of 2022 the BPH conducted Groux’s second parole hearing The commissioners focused on Groux’s 2025 risk rating that found that Groux is at “High Risk” of re-offense the commissioners focused on Groux’s lack of sex offender programming and lack of understanding related to his sexually violent and predatory history both in the community and while in-custody The Kern County District Attorney’s Office asked the BPH to deny parole The BPH found that Groux was not suitable for parole and posed a current unreasonable risk of danger to society The BPH has the option of denying an inmate parole for a period of 15 Groux’s commissioners issued a three-year denial District Attorney Cynthia Zimmer commented by saying “Sexual offenders have among the highest likelihood to reoffend upon release a fact that borne out by Groux’s history of sexual offenses Ensuring that dangerous criminals sentenced to life in prison are not allowed early releases that jeopardize public safety is a core function of the Parole Board and we are grateful that on this case Groux’s dangerousness was plainly clear and parole denied.” The man involved in the trial of the century is back in the news convicted of one of Mansfield's most notorious murders was convicted of aggravated murder and gross abuse of a corpse for the Dec The doctor was sentenced to 21½ years to life in prison Boyle struck Noreen in the head then suffocated her by putting a plastic bag over her Authorities obtained searched warrants partly on the word of the couple's children under the basement floor of Boyle's new home in Erie She had filed for divorce in November 1989 after 22 years of marriage charging extreme mental cruelty and gross neglect who would be a key witness for the prosecution Collier told police he heard thumps the night before Noreen disappeared The Boyles had lived in Mansfield since 1983 Boyle was planning to move to Erie to practice occupational medicine and review industrial injury claims less than two weeks after Noreen disappeared She and Boyle had signed a contract for a $299,000 home in Erie on Nov the doctor sent a letter to his patients to let them know he would soon close his local office Boyle's attorney previously referred to him as a 'difficult client'The late Robert Whitney was co-counsel with Charles Robinson "He was always right," Whitney told the News Journal in 2014 for a story on the 25th anniversary of the case "There was only so much he would allow me to do I had to pick up things as I went through the trial." Boyle was adamant about not taking a plea deal "He always maintained that some car came up," Whitney said Noreen's disappearance led to some wild stories Boyle's brother worked at the Pentagon and claimed he ran into Noreen at Washington Dulles International Airport He said he talked to Noreen and that she was carrying a gun Boyle's brother also made reference to Noreen being connected to a child abduction ring Defense attorneys did not call him as a witness Another theory was that the body found in Erie was not Noreen "The Cuyahoga County coroner did the autopsy and weighed the body It was a huge weight compared to what people said Noreen weighed," Whitney previously said It couldn't have been her because she didn't weigh that much." A blood sample from the body matched that of Noreen's sister and eliminated any lingering doubt before the late Common Pleas Judge James Henson Retired News Journal Editor Tom Brennan wrote a column about the trial and no one wants to miss an episode," he wrote The courtroom was packed with trial watchers for the entirety of its four-week run Those who couldn't squeeze into the courtroom watched on a TV that was hooked up in the lobby spending nine hours over two days on the witness stand He had leased a jackhammer two days before the murder to tear up the floor and bury Noreen "He said he got it for ice on the brick sidewalk of his (local) home," Whitney said "He was afraid his wife and children would slip and fall." called Boyle "diabolical" and "probably the biggest liar I've ever seen" for a 2010 News Journal story white clay about 2 feet below the Erie home's basement floor which was partially covered by a roll of green indoor/outdoor carpet She was wrapped in tarp with a plastic bag covering her head A jury convicted Boyle after six hours of deliberations More: Convicted killer John F. Boyle Jr. again denied parole who is an inmate at Marion Correctional Institution was turned down for parole in 2010 and 2020 the woman who kidnapped Elizabeth Smart over two decades ago has been arrested for violating the terms of her probation as a registered sex offender was found to have visited Liberty Park in Salt Lake City Conditions of Barzee's parole from the Smart case prohibit her from going to any community parks Barzee claimed that she went to the park because "she was commanded to by the lord," and that she likes to "sit on benches and feed ducks." Barzee also admitted to having been "commanded" to also visit Sugar House Park In 2002, Barzee and her husband, Brian David Mitchell, kidnapped the 14-year-old Smart from her home, holding her captive for nine months. After she pleaded guilty in 2009, Barzee spent nearly nine years in prison until she was released on parole in Sept. 2018 Mitchell is serving a life sentence in federal prison (This article was updated with additional details about the denial of Luster's parole.) in prison since 2003 for drugging and raping three women at his beachfront house in Ventura County a panel of the California Board of Parole Hearings rejected his request for an early release It is likely to be his last such hearing — the denial covers three years Though he is serving a 50-year prison sentence Luster is scheduled to be released no later than Oct due to provisions in state law that have since been changed for crimes like his "The parole board got it right," Nasarenko said after the April 29 hearing "Andrew Luster remains unfit for early release and we will continue to support the three victims." Luster's hearing was held via videoconference from Valley State Prison in Chowchilla Parole hearings are not open to the public Senior Deputy District Attorney Anthony Wold the lead prosecutor in Luster's case 22 years ago participated in the videoconference hearing a spokesperson with the Ventura County District Attorney's Office So did the three women Luster was convicted of drugging and raping is an heir to the Max Factor cosmetics company Before he became a resident of Valley State Prison He was arrested in 2000 after a college student from Santa Barbara told police Luster had drugged her and raped her when she was unconscious Police found videotapes in Luster's home that showed him assaulting other unconscious women and he was eventually convicted of 86 counts involving three victims He was found six months later in Puerto Vallarta who was just beginning his rise to reality TV fame as "Dog The Bounty Hunter." Luster was originally sentenced to 124 years in prison, but an appeal in 2013 lowered that to 50 years which allowed for people convicted of most crimes to be released after serving half of their sentences provided they get credit for good behavior while in prison People convicted of violent crimes are required to serve at least two-thirds of their sentences rape of an intoxicated or incapacitated victim was not classified as a violent crime in the state penal code A state law passed last year added it to the list of violent crimes so if Luster had been convicted under the current law he would likely be in prison another nine years Tony Biasotti is an investigative and watchdog reporter for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tbiasotti@vcstar.com This story was made possible by a grant from the Ventura County Community Foundation's Fund to Support Local Journalism By Elon University News Bureau April 28, 2025 was recently quoted in an article about the juvenile justice system in North Carolina Assistant Professor of Law Erin Fitzgerald was recently quoted by Carolina Public Press in a story about parole for juvenile offenders The article, “Sent to NC prison as teens, a ‘broken’ system has kept them there as adults,” highlights a lawsuit filed by Brett Abrams who was sent to prison in 1983 at age 15 for the murder of his neighbor He has been denied parole every time he’s been eligible since 1993 a federal judge ordered North Carolina to adopt a plan to give juvenile offenders serving life sentences a “meaningful opportunity” for parole The lawsuit asks a judge to find this process known as the “Hayden Plan,” unconstitutional Supreme Court decisions in the 2010s resulted in changes for those serving life sentences for crimes they committed as juveniles Carolina Public Press notes that the logic behind those rulings is that juvenile offenders are “more likely to respond to rehabilitation and reform.” “Research in the area of brain development shows that the brain is not fully developed until about age 25,” said Fitzgerald whose research focuses on juvenile justice reform “This lack of development makes juveniles more impulsive susceptible to peer pressure and unable to fully appreciate the consequences of their actions it also makes them more malleable and capable of rehabilitation.” Tagged: Elon University Professor of History Michael Matthews explores the romantic and sexual lives of Mexico City’s poor and working class during the rule of Porfirio Diaz The 6th annual Maker Takeover featured students’ experiments business and creative works to showcase the hard work taking place in Elon University’s Maker Hub Nia James says when doctors weren’t taking her pain seriously her athletic trainer and Elon alum John Lavender ’94 was her lifesaving advocate The graduate of Elon University’s human services studies program works on policy advocacy in Washington in a prestigious fellowship with the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism Get more Elon news delivered to your inbox © 2025 Elon University | All Rights Reserved LOS ANGELES (AP) — Erik and Lyle Menendez’s bid for shorter sentences and a shot at freedom has again been delayed due to disputes among prosecutors and their lawyers Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic said Thursday afternoon that the discussions over the admissibility of the state parole board’s comprehensive risk assessments will be considered during a new hearing May 9 READ MORE: Menendez family members advocate for brothers’ release as prosecutors review 1989 murders The brothers were sentenced in 1996 to life in prison without the possibility of parole for fatally shooting their entertainment executive father Jose Menendez and mother Kitty Menendez in their Beverly Hills home in 1989 The brothers were 18 and 21 at the time of the killings Defense attorneys argued the brothers acted out of self-defense after years of sexual abuse by their father Prosecutors said the brothers killed their parents for a multimillion-dollar inheritance The resentencing hearing is set to center on whether the brothers have been rehabilitated in prison and deserve a lesser sentence of 50 years to life That would make them eligible for parole under California’s youthful offender law because they committed the crime when they were younger than 26 Prosecutors filed a motion late Wednesday to delay the resentencing hearings so the court could obtain part of those assessments that they said had already been completed neither the judge nor the brothers’ attorneys had seen the governor’s report that spurred heated arguments in the packed courtroom “I need clarification from the governor’s office,” Jesic said and filed to postpone the hearing so everyone could consider it Menendez attorney Mark Geragos angrily denounced District Attorney Nathan Hochman for discussing the report during a morning news conference and said he would file a motion to recuse the district attorney’s office Deputy District Attorney Habib Balian argued that the report intended for a separate June 13 parole board hearing “If there is a report out there assessing the risk of violence Jesic said he was inclined to move forward because of all the relatives witnesses and observers who had traveled here to attend the hearing “there is no way I’m going to make a decision in the next two days to resentence.” The governor’s office confirmed that part of the risk assessment was shared with the defense and prosecution for review 60 days before the June clemency hearing They also notified the judge of the status of the report and offered to share it if requested but said it was not a stand-alone risk assessment the brothers would still need approval from the state’s parole board to leave prison The brothers watched the proceedings via video from a correctional facility near San Diego and could be seen in their blue prison garb on a screen in the courtroom They showed no obvious reaction to the arguments The brothers’ hearing has been delayed several times An initial hearing scheduled for January was postponed due to the LA fires and prosecutors’ attempt to withdraw their sentencing request The case has captured the public’s attention for decades and the Netflix drama “ Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story ” and a subsequent documentary brought new attention to the case Reporters from dozens of media outlets crowded outside the courthouse and vied for space inside the courtroom also denounced prosecutors for showing gruesome crime scene photos without warning family members who were in the room for a hearing last week to determine whether the resentencing hearing would go forward Balian apologized for the lack of a warning “Erik and Lyle Menendez caused that carnage Geragos and Freedman also decried the DA’s office for taking over the court’s victims’ services arm and for the lack of any contact between the office and the surviving Menendez relatives with the exception of an uncle who died last month has said they fully forgive the brothers for what they did and want them to be freed A resentencing petition laid out by former Los Angeles District Attorney George Gascón focuses on the brothers’ accomplishments and rehabilitation The brothers’ attorneys say their clients have worked hard over the decades to better themselves and give back to the prison community Prosecutors have said the brothers have not admitted to lies told during their trial about why they killed their parents or that they asked their friends to lie for them in court Hochman’s office has also said it does not believe that the brothers were sexually abused by their father and that by speaking about their childhood abuse they have not taken complete responsibility for the crime © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins according to the Macon District Attorney's Office Christopher Alexander Miller fired multiple shots at Building D of the infamous Fort Valley apartment complex during a dispute with a resident of the building The gunfire entered the bedroom of 23-month-old Marcus Ball Jr who were playing at the time of the shooting The bullet went through Markailey's arm and fatally struck Marcus in the head RELATED | Family of slain toddler and their attorneys make a plea to end violent crime At the end of Miller's trial on Thursday and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole The DA's office added that the initial investigation was met with obstacles as witnesses were hesitant to testify out of fear and several officers who testified no longer worked at the original investigation agency READ MORE | A call to action: Fort Valley rallies against gun violence with hope and unity District Attorney Anita Howard stated that her office was proud to bring justice to the victim's family and hopes the verdict sets an example Stick with WGXA as we learn more and keep you ready for what's next the man found guilty of running over and killing Parole Officer Christine Guerin Sandoval in Colorado Springs back in 2023 He will be behind bars for 48 years and 364 days Kula was sentenced as a habitual offender by Judge David Shakes because of his criminal record A jury convicted Kula in February on the following charges: Officer Guerin Sandoval was one of three parole officers trying to arrest Kula on a warrant Kula was sitting in his car at the time and tried to drive away it's worth noting that service members who retire and then teach at the Academy are considered civilian instructors Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5 Report a typo Wes Moore declared May 2 Fallen Heroes Day in Maryland Nearly a dozen first responders who have died in the line of duty were remembered in a ceremony at Dulaney Valley Memorial Gardens Wes Moore has ordered all Maryland flags to fly at half staff today for Fallen Heroes Day firefighters and other first responders who died in the line of duty the 40th annual Fallen Heroes Day Ceremony takes place Eleven police officers and other first responders who have died in the line of duty will be honored Among them was Maryland Parole and Probation Agent David Martinez who was the first parole agent to die in the line of duty Davis was shot to death in Chevy Chase as he was making a home visit to a convicted sex offender He loves to help people out when they’re down,” said Michael Martinez Michael says that his grief is still very raw “You can’t really prepare for anything like this And it’s something that I will take to my grave,” Martinez said He adds that the ceremony helps ease his pain and anger as the officer’s union claims the agency is understaffed I guess that’s what makes me still upset,” Michael Martinez told WBAL NewsRadio Others honored at the ceremony include Baltimore Police Officer Daoud Mingo was paralyzed in a crash during a funeral procession He died from his injuries in December 2023 at the age of 53 His sister Tara Mingo told WBAL NewsRadio that she and her family appreciated the support she received from the Baltimore Police Department over the years and I’m just excited and grateful that he is being honored for his service,” Mingo told WBAL NewsRadio Lieutenant Governor Aruna Miller and Baltimore County Executive Kathy Klausmeier are expected to speak The keynote speaker is veteran sportscaster Scott Garceau and the flagship stations for the Baltimore Ravens Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs which means we may get paid commissions on purchases made through our links to retailer sites.©2023 on behalf of WBAL NewsRadio 1090 and FM 101.5 © 2024 | Multnomah County General Information Line: 503-823-4000 an El Paso County judge handed down a sentence to a Colorado Springs man who had a lengthy criminal history Justin Kula will serve 48 years behind bars for running over a parole officer with his car and killing her in 2023 a judge and jury believe he drove into one of the parole officers an El Paso County jury found Justin Kula guilty of vehicular homicide the jury also found Kula guilty of three habitual offender charges which serve as sentence enhancers to the four counts he was convicted of: KRDO13 Investigates previously reported that Kula had 13 prior felony convictions in the state of Texas, along with 18 arrests. Kula was parked at a convenience store when he was approached by parole officers Security video showed that he quickly backed his vehicle out of the parking spot before speeding out of the lot and fatally running over Parole Officer Christine Guerin Sandoval in the process His arrest affidavit showed he had been using meth and heroin at the time of the incident He also told detectives he thought he was being robbed and claimed he did not know Sandoval was a law enforcement officer when she and others opened his car door His defense team explained similar sentiments in their Opening Arguments of the trial on Monday calling Officer Sandoval's death a tragedy the Chief Deputy District of the 4th Judicial DA's office argued that the officers were wearing marked uniforms and that Kula had fled from the scene Tyler is a reporter for KRDO. Learn more about him here. KRDO NewsChannel 13 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here Terms of Service | Privacy Policy | Community Guidelines | KRDO Jobs | FCC Applications | KRDO FCC Public File | KRDO FCC Applications | Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Contest Rules and the tourist industry was able to keep up with demand in recent years largely because of the estimated 740,000 individuals who have entered the U.S with immigration parole between 2021 and 2024 With labor demand at all-time highs coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic and a growing economy for years thereafter paroled immigrants have made a sizable difference toward closing labor gaps including adding 120,000 construction workers to the U.S 120,000 in the leisure and hospitality industry Parole provides relief to people seeking safety while also benefiting the U.S., as these new arrivals bring an array of talents and skills. Thousands of carpenters, medical workers, and manufacturing workers, among many other skilled individuals, have been admitted into the U.S. through immigration parole in recent months. With work authorizations available through immigration parole, they can contribute those skills to U.S. communities. Humanitarian parole has proven very successful for paroled individuals and the U.S. alike. Congress and the Trump administration should find legal pathways for paroled immigrants to remain in the U.S. and continue contributing their skills to the U.S. economy. Lucius Couloute has previously received funding from Mayors for a Guaranteed Income to carry out independent research on the impacts of direct cash transfers in the lives of formerly incarcerated people Lucius is also a board member of the Prison Policy Initiative Trinity College provides funding as a member of The Conversation US View all partners That means one out of every 60 Americans is entangled in the system — one of the highest rates globally Yet despite its vast reach, the criminal justice system often fails at its most basic goal: preventing people from being rearrested, reconvicted or reincarcerated. Criminal justice experts call this “recidivism.” About 68% of people who leave prison in any given year are rearrested within three years, according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics These restrictions dictate everything from what jobs they can take to where they can live I’ve recently undertaken research to understand the scale of this issue, aided by my former undergraduate student Skylar Hathorn, who is set to begin a master’s degree in the fall. What we found was sobering. As sociologist Reuben Miller and historian Amanda Alexander have put it people convicted of felonies are transformed into “carceral citizens.” Instead of helping people reintegrate, the system enforces rules – such as forbidding contact with friends or family members who have criminal records – which create new challenges for people trying to rebuild their lives after prison. As one individual from my recent study on reentry put it On average, people under community supervision must comply with 10 to 20 conditions regular check-ins with supervising officers These requirements are typically set at the state and can be supplemented with “discretionary” or “special” conditions imposed by court or parole officials But while community supervision is supposed to encourage reintegration and personal responsibility creating hidden traps rather than pathways to success What if you aren’t able to find a job or can’t afford to pay the supervision fees charged each month Does contact with a family member who happens to have a criminal record defy a condition of your supervision since you aren’t supposed to have any contact with law enforcement What happens if you struggle with addiction and fail a drug test Or what if you forget to charge your electronic ankle monitor — will your parole officer suspect foul play over half of all prison entries are of people on either parole or probation Importantly, if you’re on probation or parole, your chances of being sent back to prison are very different depending on where you live. You can see just how different by visiting the Justice Outcomes Explorer, a new data dashboard created by the Criminal Justice Administrative Records System among Idahoans who began a term of probation in 2018 roughly 16.6% were sent to prison within a year According to the Justice Outcomes Explorer Among those released on parole in 2018 from Utah prisons roughly 51.6% were reincarcerated within a year Although some variation may come from differences in data collection As sociologist Michelle Phelps explains supervision may act as “an off-ramp for some and a conveyor belt toward prison for others.” Part of the problem is that probation and parole offices vary considerably some states cap how long someone may remain on parole while others allow parole boards to extend that time indefinitely parole boards operate as resentencing entities and the use of electronic monitoring also vary by state Research suggests that Americans under community supervision must comply with many more conditions than they did just a few decades ago which raises the question: Does any of this work While some studies suggest that contemporary forms of supervision may reduce reincarceration, recent analyses call this into question For example, one study compared people who were randomly placed under intensive probation supervision — requiring more office check-ins home visits and drug tests — with those under traditional supervision Researchers found that while both groups committed new crimes at the same rate those under intensive supervision received technical violations – such as failing a drug test or not following curfew – more often In another rigorous study out of Kansas using what researchers call a “natural experiment,” legal scholar Ryan Sakoda found that post-release supervision significantly increased reincarceration rates This suggests that community supervision keeps people trapped in the system But after retrieving data from a public records request Skylar and I found that between 2020 and 2022 roughly 80% of all parole revocations were due to technical violations That said, the overall number of people admitted to U.S. prisons for technical violations has fallen significantly over the past few years. In 2018, roughly 133,000 people were admitted to prison for technical violations that number was around 89,000 – a decrease of about 33% community supervision wasn’t intended to be a form of punishment — it’s supposed to help individuals reintegrate If states are serious about reducing crime they should think about reinventing the system technical violators only made up 1.7% of the daily state jail population They had previously made up about 5% on average On a similar note, criminal records limit access to a range of resources and opportunities such as housing voting and social benefits like basic food assistance Simply having a criminal record also reduces the likelihood – by roughly 60% – that someone receives a callback after applying for a job. That’s why Skylar and I support automatic criminal record expungement, among other structural reforms. Put plainly: Research points toward a system in need of comprehensive solutions. Without them, many will remain in the incarceration trap. Skylar Hathorn, a recent graduate of Suffolk University and master’s student starting in September 2025, contributed to this article. SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A Sugar House man convicted of a more than a year-long campaign of threats and harassment asked the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to release him, but victims say his release would put the community in danger. Maurice Raffoul, who’s been behind bars for just over a year, told the board he’s ready to rejoin society. “I'm very sorry, I have a lot of remorse for what happened and give me an opportunity to move forward in my life,” he said at Thursday’s parole hearing. His victims strongly disagreed, urging the board to keep him in prison. “It’s scary to go outside and pull weeds, it’s scary to sit out front,” said Cheryl Hannon, one of several neighbors who testified at the hearing. Her husband, Sean Hannon, who works for KUTV but not in the news department, also spoke, saying, “I don’t think one person should be able to dictate what happens in our neighborhood.” Raffoul’s criminal record includes assaulting a police officer, abusing a vulnerable adult, domestic violence, violating multiple civil stalking injunctions and trying to tamper with witnesses. A judge in the case previously called him a “one-person crime spree.” While on probation for earlier offenses, Raffoul continued threatening neighbors. During Thursday’s hearing, he said he’s taken anger management classes and is no longer forcibly medicated, but would continue treatment voluntarily if released. “I’m not going to lash out at these people,” he said. “These people are older, I don’t want anything to do with them.” His father, Assad Raffoul, himself one of the victims, spoke in support of his son’s release. “He has paid his dues to society, he has been broken and has a stone-set desire to live in harmony with others,” he said. Raffoul has had no disciplinary issues in prison, and the five-member board will vote where a majority vote is required, and their decision is expected within two to four weeks. Based on his convictions, Raffoul could be released at any point between now and August 2034. all humanitarian parole programs have been terminated meaning that individuals can no longer arrive through these legal pathways While humanitarian parole is still available on a case-by-case basis it remains unclear if and when the Trump administration will use this authority to provide safe pathways to individuals or families.  Eliminating these types of programs, or not allowing people to extend their parole, would push families toward danger, damage the American economy and land people into legal uncertainty Understanding humanitarian paroleHumanitarian parole allows people to temporarily enter the U.S With the exception of some Afghan and Ukrainian parolees, people granted parole are not automatically allowed to work in the U.S. Research shows that humanitarian parolees contribute to the American economy and quickly achieve self-sufficiency humanitarian parole has been a critical lifeline for people fleeing life-threatening situations and remains an important part of the American humanitarian and immigration system Humanitarian parole is granted on a case-by-case basis It may be granted to individuals who can demonstrate they have an urgent need for safety Everyone benefits from humanitarian parole. Parole provides a critical safe pathway for people in crisis, strengthens the U.S. economy and can ease strains on the immigration system and border arrivals It’s simple: humanitarian parole saves lives and makes the U.S Humanitarian parole programs have proven highly effective in providing legal pathways to safety while reducing irregular border crossings For example, according to the Department of Homeland Security, the CHNV parole program, combined with CBP One appointment scheduling, resulted in a 98% decrease in border encounters with Cuban the Uniting for Ukraine program drastically reduced the number of Ukrainians seeking protection at the U.S Encounters of Ukrainian nationals fell from over 20,000 in April 2022 to just 21 in November 2024 helping to bridge gaps in the nation’s aging workforce legal way for people in crisis to find protection offering vulnerable people the opportunity to rebuild their lives with dignity better pathways to safety save lives and strengthen our communities The IRC is concerned about decisions to limit the use of humanitarian parole, including ending the CHNV parole program. Terminating humanitarian parole programs or letting people’s parole status expire will harm families, damage the economy and push people into legal uncertainty. For many parolees, returning to their home countries is not a viable option due to significant safety, legal and logistical obstacles. We ask the President to keep in place humanitarian protections for people from Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, Ukraine, Venezuela and other countries, who are currently residing in the US. It is not yet safe for them to return home and it would be wrong to return them to danger. Donate: Financial contributions are key for trusted organizations like the IRC, which support humanitarian parolees as they integrate into their new communities. Your donation can empower our work in the U.S. and more than 40 countries worldwide. Stay informed: Follow our coverage of U.S. news for a humanitarian perspective Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed SB 375 into law a bill which eliminates parole fees statewide Championed by Democratic Senator Moe Maestas SB 375 was carefully crafted by New Mexico Corrections Department (NMCD) Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero and her team This smart on crime initiative secured strong bipartisan support as part of an effort by advocates and justice system stakeholders to remove unnecessary financial barriers to reintegration Ending parole fees lifts a huge financial burden off people who have already paid their debt giving them a real chance to prioritize their families and rebuild their lives,” said Senator Moe Maestas “This law is the next step in our push to make our communities strong and prosperous for all.”     parole supervision fees serve as major barriers to successful reintegration racking up serious debts for the families of people on supervision these fees ranged from a monthly cost of up to $25-$150 per month with an annual cap of $1,800.  “We believe that alleviating this financial burden will reduce recidivism by removing barriers for individuals transitioning from prison facilities to communities,” said NMCD Cabinet Secretary Alisha Tafoya Lucero direct their financial resources toward essential needs like housing and transportation which are key elements for stability and avoiding criminal activity.”  “Every dollar spent on a parole fee could have been a dollar put towards food or supporting local businesses,” said New Mexico State Director Monica Ault “Ending these fees isn’t just the right thing to do — it’s smart fiscal policy that can reinvigorate local economies.”  This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Verite News. Sign up for Dispatches to get stories like this one as soon as they are published Calvin Alexander thought he had done everything the Louisiana parole board asked of him to earn an early release from prison learned a trade and enrolled in drug treatment And as his September hearing before the board approached more than midway through a 20-year prison sentence on drug charges was making preparations for what he hoped would be his new life with whom he had only recently become acquainted had even made up a room for him in her New Orleans home prison officials sent Alexander a letter informing him he was no longer eligible for parole A computerized scoring system adopted by the state Department of Public Safety and Corrections had deemed the nearly blind 70-year-old, who uses a wheelchair, a moderate risk of reoffending, should he be released. And under a new law that meant he and thousands of other prisoners with moderate or high risk ratings cannot plead their cases before the board According to the department of corrections about 13,000 people — nearly half the state’s prison population — have such risk ratings although not all of them are eligible for parole Alexander said he felt “betrayed” upon learning his hearing had been canceled “People in jail have … lost hope in being able to do anything to reduce their time,” he said The law that changed Alexander’s prospects is part of a series of legislation passed by Louisiana Republicans last year reflecting Gov. Jeff Landry’s tough-on-crime agenda to make it more difficult for prisoners to be released a former police officer and sheriff’s deputy who served as Louisiana attorney general until 2024 championed a crackdown on rewarding well-behaved prisoners with parole which until now has been typically assumed when judges hand down sentences “The revolving door is insulting,” Landry told state lawmakers last year as he kicked off a special legislative session on crime during which he blamed the state’s high violent crime rate on lenient sentences and “misguided post-conviction programs” that fail to rehabilitate prisoners Louisiana’s recidivism rate has declined over the past decade according to a 2024 department of corrections report.) That decision makes Louisiana the only state to use risk scores to automatically rule out large portions of a prison population from being considered for parole according to seven national criminal justice experts That was not how the tool, known as TIGER, an acronym for Targeted Interventions to Greater Enhance Re-entry Developed as a rehabilitative measure about a decade ago it was supposed to help prison officials determine what types of classes or counseling someone might need to prevent them from landing back behind bars — not be used as a punitive tool to keep them there Criminal justice advocates and civil rights attorneys say the new law could disproportionately harm Black people like Alexander in part because the algorithm measures factors such as criminal history where racial disparities already exist The law’s opponents also contend that the unique step Louisiana has taken to curtail parole is deeply problematic — and potentially unconstitutional — because it does not take into account the efforts of prisoners to better themselves while incarcerated “They deserve that opportunity to show they’ve changed,” said Pearl Wise who was appointed to the parole board by Landry’s Democratic predecessor and served from 2016 until 2023 “You demonstrate over time the changes that you made and that you are not the person that was sentenced on that day.” Alexander is like thousands of prisoners who have previously appeared before the board — repeat offenders accused of nonviolent crimes often mired in addiction with limited education or learning disabilities having dropped out of school as a fourth grader in the early 1960s He needed to help support his family in deeply segregated Mississippi and turned to selling crack cocaine as a child That period was also the start of his own lifelong struggle with narcotics that resulted in multiple arrests and extended stints in prison The department of corrections would not allow an in-person or phone interview with Alexander Verite News and ProPublica mailed Alexander written questions which a fellow inmate read to him and then wrote down his responses Alexander admitted he was reckless in his youth and that he had violated his parole — related to a 1994 drug possession conviction — by drinking and staying out after curfew That mistake would prove devastating three decades later because a prisoner’s history of parole violations plays a significant role in their TIGER risk score Louisiana’s TIGER scoring system was born out of a 2014 federal initiative to help states reduce their prison populations developed by the state department of corrections and Louisiana State University researchers using a $1.75 million federal grant was meant to “treat criminal thinking,” said Keith Nordyke For populations with the highest risk of reoffending the prison would flood them with services — addiction counseling job training — to help keep them out of trouble once they were freed “The whole purpose of this was to slow down the revolving door,” Nordyke said Louisiana corrections officials started using the TIGER scores as part of the parole determination process in 2018 but it was only in 2024 that they became the sole measure of parole eligibility Similar algorithms are used throughout the country in the parole decision-making process but legal scholars say the way such risk tools calculate a person’s odds of reoffending is among the reasons why no other state exclusively uses them to bar individuals from parole While algorithms like TIGER can predict on a group level that 40 out of 100 people will reoffend upon their release they can’t pinpoint exactly who those 40 people will be The Louisiana department of corrections declined multiple interview requests and did not respond to questions about the state’s use of the risk tool The reliance on a TIGER score to potentially block a prisoner’s bid for freedom is especially concerning because most of the factors considered by the algorithm — the crimes they committed whether they had any marijuana-related convictions prior parole revocations — are from a prisoner’s past which cannot be changed; they do not include anything related to what people have done in prison to rehabilitate themselves Criminal justice scholars say that when scores based on immutable facts are weighted so heavily in parole decisions racially segregated communities are more likely to be hurt Take the algorithm’s use of prior employment data: People raised in low-income communities do not have the same work opportunities as those brought up in more affluent neighborhoods an economist and criminal justice professor at the University of Virginia School of Law Using such an algorithm to determine someone’s chances of parole “suggests that poor people should be less eligible for parole than wealthier people.” Black people use illegal drugs at roughly the same rate as white people but are arrested and convicted for it in greater numbers because their neighborhoods are more heavily policed In using these data points to produce a risk score “you’re going to create a biased algorithm to make biased decisions,” Stevenson said Black people account for nearly two-thirds of Louisiana’s prison population more than double their share of the state population The Landry administration did not respond to requests for comment regarding potential racial biases in the way the TIGER scores are used for parole Louisiana’s legislation might also violate the U.S which prohibits laws that retroactively increase the severity of a person’s criminal sentence Tying parole eligibility to a computerized risk score that can’t be lowered by an inmate through good behavior or other actions appears to do just that since the opportunity for parole has traditionally been considered part of a sentence a professor at the University of Chicago Law School Some former Louisiana parole board members also bristled at the idea of an algorithm superseding human judgment “It doesn’t make much sense to me that a score generated by a process that the inmate has no control over takes away the authority and the power of the parole board,” said Keith Jones John Bel Edwards and served on the board from 2018 to 2020 Jones and two other former parole board members said the introduction of the TIGER tool as part of parole determination wasn’t in itself a bad thing as long as it remained just one factor to be considered among many Although some board members did refuse to parole anyone with a moderate or high risk score before the law took effect the state’s parole board had much more discretion in determining when a prisoner was released a former East Baton Rouge criminal court judge who served on the parole board until last year said he had placed greater emphasis on a prisoner’s disciplinary record and completion of self-improvement programs He also took into account whether the warden or victims supported their release when deciding whether to grant parole I wasn’t going to throw them out,” said Marabella who served on the board for four years under Edwards “I was more concerned about what they had accomplished.” That’s exactly what Alonzo Allen was able to show three years before the new law went into effect Allen succeeded in convincing the parole board that he was worthy of release — despite having the same TIGER score and a similar criminal history as Alexander Allen had been sentenced to 40 years behind bars in 2012 on multiple drug charges and carrying a gun he was written up for possessing contraband including a pencil sharpener and $2 worth of sugar and he previously had his parole revoked twice then warden at the David Wade Correctional Center in Homer lauded Allen for his tireless work overcoming his drug addictions and improving his communication skills Goodwin noted that Allen took classes even when he knew he had reached his limit for “good time” credits time shaved off a sentence for good behavior “He’s worked hard for this opportunity,” Goodwin told the parole board “and I think he’s really got his best foot forward.” questioned the accuracy of Allen’s TIGER score “Is it possible that this instrument might be wrong?” Roche’ asked during Allen’s hearing “You think you are rehabilitated to the point where you can prove that assessment wrong?” The board unanimously voted to parole Allen Speaking by telephone from his home in Mansfield said he was grateful for the second chance works full time as a truck driver and has not violated the terms of his parole in the nearly four years since his release Lawmakers who supported Louisiana’s push to place strict limits on parole have maintained that relying on the algorithm over human judgment was the most efficient way to clear a backlog of parole applications claimed during a Senate committee hearing in February 2024 that so many unrealistic parole petitions were coming before the board that prisoners most deserving of early release were not being prioritized “What I’m really trying to do here is make the system run more efficiently and effectively,” McMath said But data from the parole board doesn’t support his assertion According to the parole board’s annual reports the number of cases heard by the board actually dropped by 40% between 2016 and 2023 Prison reform advocates and civil rights attorneys say McMath’s bill was never anything more than a Trojan horse designed to kill parole given the law’s other requirements that make parole substantially harder to achieve including a unanimous board vote before parole is granted and an increase in the number of years prisoners must maintain clean disciplinary records McMath declined to be interviewed and did not answer questions concerning the impact of his legislation Landry, who signed the legislation into law in March 2024, appointed five new people to the seven-member board None of the seven were permitted to comment about the use of TIGER to deny prisoners parole executive director of the Louisiana Board of Pardons and Committee on Parole he provided a statement from board chair Sheryl Ranatza: “We believe Governor Landry’s reforms passed in the special crime session will enhance public safety.” The average number of people paroled in Louisiana has already dropped from 32 per month in 2023 to six per month since the law went into effect in August according to Department of Corrections data Opponents of the bill predict the new restrictions on parole will swell the state’s prison population costing taxpayers billions of dollars to build new corrections facilities and leading to more violence behind bars as inmates have fewer incentives to behave that means he will not have the same opportunity Allen did to show the parole board that he had heeded their advice to improve himself his family fears he will not live to see the end of his sentence in five years He’s got poor circulation,” said Alexander’s daughter “I don’t want to have to go to a funeral for him.” Instead of moving into Brown’s New Orleans home as planned Alexander will be able to see his daughter only when she makes the 85-mile trek north to the Rayburn Correctional Center “They told me once I received my risk score there is nothing I can do to change it,” Alexander said The story you just read was made possible by our readers We hope it inspires you to support ProPublica so we can continue producing investigations that shine a light on power ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom dedicated to nonpartisan evidence-based journalism that holds power accountable Founded in 2008 to address the decline in investigative reporting we’ve spent over 15 years uncovering injustice expensive and more critical than ever to our democracy With seven Pulitzer Prizes and reforms sparked in state and local governments our reporting ensures that the public interest comes first ProPublica remains on the front lines of the stories that matter most Your gift helps us keep the powerful accountable and the truth accessible Join 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Email Address: Arrow Right Sign Up ProPublica Investigative Journalism in the Public Interest © Copyright 2025 Pro Publica Inc Creative Commons License (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0) Thank you for your interest in republishing this story You are free to republish it so long as you do the following: The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles held 18 parole hearings Thursday The Board continued one parole hearing to a later date Parole HearingsGrant: 4Deny: 14Continue: 1 The list below contains the names of the inmates considered for parole Thursday, April 17 along with their county or counties of conviction and the parole board’s decision. News organizations can go to the Alabama Department of Corrections inmate database and search by the AIS number listed below for details on the inmates’ records of offenses Navarro had been convicted of public disorder he left the municipality seven times without court permission Sosa cited Article 135 of the Penal Enforcement Law Regulations saying that the law forbids a supervised person from travelling to another territory without judicial authorization Scopes arrested for teaching evolution in TN public schools