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Parole denied for George Branch; board cites 2024 act and missing prerelease requirements
Summary
The Committee on Parole denied the application of George Branch (DOC 296088) on March 12, 2025, citing a 2024 legislative act that requires prerelease programming; Branch’s family spoke in his support while a victim’s husband described lasting harm.
The Committee on Parole denied parole for George Branch, DOC 296088, at a hearing March 12, 2025, after members said he lacked required prerelease programming under a recent law.
Branch, 53, testified in person at Loyola University and told the committee he did not carry a weapon during the armed robberies for which he was convicted. “I didn't have no weapon,” he said during questioning.
The committee’s chair, Cheryl Renata, said members had reviewed Branch’s record and prison conduct but that a 2024 law (Act 11 of 2024) requires completion of prerelease programming that Branch has not met. “I'm gonna have to deny his parole today based on the act of 24 and his eligibility,” Renata said, citing the statutory requirement that includes substance-abuse or other prerelease coursework.
Why it matters: The board’s decision keeps Branch incarcerated despite testimony from family and visitors who asked the panel to reunite him with relatives after decades in custody, and despite staff reports that he has improved his conduct record. The statute cited affects other parole-eligible people who lack required credits or program completions.
What the committee heard: Staff and institutional officials described Branch’s lengthy criminal history and the specific counts that produced his aggregate 165-year sentence. Warden Benoit (Angola staff) and Sam McKay, mental health director at Louisiana State Penitentiary, described Branch’s mental-health diagnosis and treatment; McKay said Branch is being treated for schizophrenia and is compliant with medication. Family members and visitors, including Hannibal Branch and Amy Bichon, urged release and described plans for community support and medical care if Branch returned home.
Victim impact: John Rabia, whose wife was a victim in one of the robberies, recounted the events and the lasting effects on his family. He described the encounter and said the family continues to feel the consequences of the crime.
Decision and next steps: The committee denied Branch’s application. The committee said Branch may reapply after completing any statutorily required prerelease programs; staff will provide guidance on eligibility and reapplication timing.
For the record: Committee members, institutional staff and advocates participated in the hearing at Loyola University and Angola. The committee read offense and sentence details into the record and gave Branch the chance to speak and to present supporters.
