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Parole panel denies parole for Ivan Wise after family and DA emphasize brutality of 1976 murder
Summary
The Committee on Parole unanimously denied parole for Ivan Wise at the Louisiana State Penitentiary hearing. Family testimony and the district attorney highlighted the violent nature of the 1976 murder; board members cited lack of remorse and victim impact in explaining the unanimous denial.
The Committee on Parole denied parole on Feb. 3, 2025, for Ivan Wise, who is serving a life sentence for a second-degree murder conviction arising from a 1976 homicide. The hearing at Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola) included testimony from the victim’s family and a recommendation from the Louisiana Parole Project to provide reentry support if parole were granted.
Family members described the crime and its effects in emotional testimony. Terry Kennedy, the victim’s sister, told the board the defendant showed no remorse at trial and urged the panel not to release him. Dane Kennedy and other relatives described the long-term trauma experienced by the family and children of the victim. The district attorney’s representative summarized trial evidence from the packet presented to the board, including that the victim had defensive wounds and signs of strangulation prior to being shot and that the defendant disposed of the body.
Parole supporters included Terry Myers of the Louisiana Parole Project, who said the organization could provide long-term transitional housing and reentry services. Inmate Ivan Wise acknowledged the jury’s verdict and said the events left him uncertain about what occurred. Board members pressed for evidence of remorse and drug treatment; panelists concluded Wise had not demonstrated sufficient remorse or program completion in areas recommended by the board and law enforcement.
The five-member panel—Chair Cheryl Renata and members Chuckie Tillis, Carolyn Stapleton, Jerry Ladoux and Pete Freeman—voted unanimously to deny parole. The board cited the gruesome facts of the crime, sustained family opposition, and concerns about the inmate’s expressions of accountability. The hearing concluded and the board signed off at 10:24 a.m.
