The Kentucky Parole Board has deemed several inmates forever ineligible for parole, despite meeting all the criteria expected of us and the many factors of rehabilitation. We meet that according to their own regulations. Justice Michelle Keller, of the Kentucky Supreme Court, issued a 14-page opinion in the Conn v. Kentucky Parole Board case. She even questions life sentence serve out, saying, “The board has unfettered discretion to grant serve outs of life sentences.” In other words, death by incarceration.
In my case, almost 23 years ago, the Honorable Judge Gary Payne, in Fayette County where I was convicted, overturned not only my sentence but my conviction because he saw the facts of the case and truth, despite all the sensationalism that went around it. There are also many clergy that support advocacy for second chances. The late, esteemed Father Norman Fisher wrote letter after letter of support, pleading for my life, my commutation, as well as for other people.
Kentucky politicians, from our Governor to our representatives, reportedly place a high priority on faith in our state. They also place a high priority on truth. But when will we see this as a state, also as a nation, begin to see it in second chances and Second Look laws, fair sentencing, other things that places like Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Illinois, Oklahoma–they’re all beginning to take second looks. Judges and juries in our judicial branch of government are sentencing offenders to life with the possibility of parole.
The parole board is committing double jeopardy to resentence us to death by incarceration, with no real reason to do so in many cases. Please keep advocating across our state and our nation for redemptive steps of Second Look Laws and parole board reform. Thank you.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.
