BATON ROUGE ' The Committee on Parole denied Joel Kasneid's request for parole at a July 23 hearing at Department of Corrections headquarters, the panel said, citing his long criminal history, a revoked reentry probation term and written opposition from the sheriff.
The board said Kasneid, DOC number 48BY000, had multiple opportunities in the community and on supervision that ended in revocation, and that those factors weighed against release.
Acting Chairman Steve Prater said the panel would hear from the inmate, institutional staff and supporters before voting. Committee member Carolyn Stapleton summarized the case for the panel: "Mister Casnave has spent most of his adult life either on probation, parole, or behind bars since 2003 when he turned 18," and that he was "sentenced as a habitual offender." She recorded the sheriff's written opposition and recommended denial.
Kasneid told the board he had completed classes and worked in the prison kitchen, and said he hoped to "go back to my wife and my my daughter. She might be 14 years old, and I'm trying to go on." The board also heard from a lieutenant at Caldwell Correctional Center, who described Kasneid as "a well modeled inmate, who's not been in any trouble. He's always, very polite to the staff."
Two family members spoke in support; a father told the board his son had "received God in his life" and had taken programs and was trying to change. The chair and both members then voted to deny parole. Stapleton said, "Based upon, your 6 time felony offender, you were given an excellent chance to move forward in your life, and you didn't do that," and recorded her vote to deny. Chuck Tillis said, "My vote is to deny," and Prater concurred. As of 9:17 a.m., the board recorded a unanimous denial.
No further directions or conditions for an earlier rehearing were adopted at the hearing. The board noted the sheriff's written opposition, Kasneid's supervision history, and the institutional report when explaining the denial.
The denial was announced at the close of the hearing and the panel moved to the next scheduled case.