The Committee on Parole in Baton Rouge continued a preliminary parole revocation hearing on Wednesday, June 4, and ordered appointed counsel after the person before the panel disputed the identity shown in records and refused to sign a revocation questionnaire.

The action matters because it halted a final finding on probable cause and ensured the subject will have a lawyer at the next proceeding. Board members said they would assign counsel under the Board’s indigency procedures and continue the hearing to allow counsel time to prepare.

At the start of the session the subject declined to sign the Louisiana Board of Parole revocation questionnaire. The subject told the panel, referring to the questionnaire, “Yes, sir. I did,” when asked if he had refused to sign. During questioning he also said he was known to others as “King” and disputed the name shown in the board’s certificate. Board members paused the hearing, went into executive session to review records, and when the panel returned said the certificate in the file indicated the person had signed and was on parole.

After the review a board member moved to continue the preliminary hearing and have appointed counsel assigned; the motion was seconded. The board announced that, as of 09:00 the next morning, the hearing would be continued and counsel would be appointed; until further action the subject remained in custody. The board said that if probable cause is found after a properly represented preliminary hearing the case will return to the board for further action.

This was a procedural continuation; the board did not make a final revocation determination at the June 4 meeting. The board cited its authority to consider appointed counsel requests under U.S. Supreme Court guidelines when an indigency claim is raised.