Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Parole Denial topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parole denied for Andy Swanson amid victim and law-enforcement opposition
Summary
The Louisiana Committee on Parole denied parole to Andy Swanson on May 14 after victim-family members and law-enforcement letters opposed release despite testimony citing rehabilitation and a reentry plan from the Louisiana Parole Project.
The Louisiana Committee on Parole denied parole to Andy Swanson at a hearing May 14 at Allen Correctional Facility. The committee cited victim and law-enforcement opposition in its decision to deny supervised release.
Swanson said at the hearing that he killed a woman and has spent nearly 25 years in custody working on sobriety and programming, including AA, veterans'tier programming and victim-impact classes. Attorneys and advocates presented a detailed reentry plan. Andrew Hundley of the Louisiana Parole Project told the committee the organization would provide transitional housing and reentry supports, then assist an interstate transfer to Florida if approved. "We commit to the board to provide Andy transitional housing in our reentry program," Hundley said.
Family members and facility staff, including a Warden and assistant staff, offered testimony in support of Swanson's rehabilitation. Supporters said he led fund-raising and mentoring efforts inside the facility and had a package of staff support letters. Counsel for Swanson said the record showed nearly 25 years of institutional programming and that staff had offered 24 letters of support from ranks including captains and majors.
The committee also heard opposition from the victim's family. Jeff Bertholdt, the victim's brother, told the panel the killing left children without a mother and said he did not hear a sincere apology at previous proceedings. Patty Bertholdt echoed that the original sentence and the victim's injury warranted serving the sentence in full.
A member of the legal team clarified that Swanson was convicted of manslaughter: a jury found the lesser offense at trial rather than the original second-degree murder charge. The committee noted the history of opposition from law enforcement and the victim's family in reaching its decision.
Committee members voted to deny parole, citing the opposition in the record. The panel recorded the decision at the hearing and declined to grant supervised release.
