Committee on Parole denies multiple release requests, grants one; orders treatment in others

The Committee on Parole met Oct. 9, 2025, at DLC Headquarters in Baton Rouge and issued final decisions on a slate of inmate parole cases, denying or revoking several requests and granting one release with conditions.

The panel — Chair Chuck Tillis and commissioners Stapleton and Freeman — conducted in-person and remote hearings. Most decisions turned on convictions, victim statements and the panel’s assessment of public-safety risk or treatment needs.

Why it matters: The committee’s rulings affect whether people sentenced to prison will remain incarcerated, be sent to treatment in lieu of revocation or be released under supervision. Several victims and family members provided direct statements at the hearing, and the panel recorded both unanimous and split votes on individual cases.

Key decisions and reasoning

- Gravardo Blackman Sr.: Parole denied/revoked. Blackman pleaded guilty at the hearing to a July arrest for driving while intoxicated (second offense) and driving under suspension and admitted being behind on supervision fees. The panel notified Blackman that his case was denied and recorded the revocation outcome.

- Justice Chanel Davenport: In lieu of revocation the panel ordered transfer to a long-term DLC substance-abuse program and added a domestic-violence treatment requirement. Davenport acknowledged a positive drug screen and described personal circumstances she said contributed to missed appointments; the panel cited both substance use and domestic-violence history in imposing treatment rather than returning her to the community.

- Gazer (Casir/Grasier) Macayo (parolee identified in public comment as a convicted domestic-violence offender): Parole denied following victim and family testimony describing long-term domestic abuse. Multiple speakers, including the victim, urged denial; the panel denied release citing lack of remorse and public-safety concerns.

- Nicholas Manton: Parole granted, 3–0. Manton described the 2019 offense and said he had been participating in custody programs and AA/NA while incarcerated. The panel granted parole with supervision conditions including attending recovery meetings (commissioner Freeman specifically ordered attendance at two Alcoholics Anonymous meetings per week; Stapleton urged both AA and NA). Manton’s family and siblings confirmed a job offer and housing support.

- Benjamin Sellers: Parole denied. Sellers acknowledged a long history of substance use and prior convictions; the panel cited the seriousness of the offenses, prosecutorial opposition and the short portion of the sentence served to deny the request.

- William Bradford: Parole revoked after the panel found probable cause and a guilty plea to a reduced charge of disturbing the peace following an arrest for domestic-abuse-related conduct. The panel revoked supervision based on the record and the parole condition violations.

- Terry Turner: Parole revoked. Turner pleaded not guilty to pending charges but admitted to arrears on supervision fees; the panel noted the pending indictments and probable cause found at the preliminary hearing and voted to revoke.

- Andrew Gross: Parole revoked. Gross pleaded not guilty to allegations of domestic abuse/battery and child endangerment; the panel considered law-enforcement affidavit material and the preliminary-hearing record and voted to revoke supervision while requiring no contact between Gross and the alleged victim.

- Emmy (Emmett/Emmy) Hill: Parole revoked. Hill denied possessing a firearm but the panel relied on the Baton Rouge police affidavit alleging discharge and discard of a firearm and voted to revoke.

- Clifford Lewis: Parole revoked. Lewis admitted to some supervision violations and the panel revoked based on multiple rule violations documented in the record.

Votes at a glance (summary)

- Grant: Nicholas Manton — granted (panel vote recorded as unanimous in favor of release with conditions). - Denied/Revoked (panel action to keep or return inmate in custody): Gravardo Blackman Sr.; Gazer Macayo; Benjamin Sellers; William Bradford; Terry Turner; Andrew Gross; Emmy Hill; Clifford Lewis. - Treatment order in lieu of revocation: Justice Chanel Davenport — transfer to a long-term DLC substance-abuse program; added domestic-violence programming as a condition.

What the panel and participants said

Panel members repeatedly emphasized safety and the record in court files when explaining votes. Commissioner Freeman told Davenport, “I am gonna order in lieu of revocation that you go complete a long term DLC substance abuse program,” and added that the program could also evaluate mental-health needs. Victim testimony in the Macayo case was emphatic; Stephanie (last name given in the record) told the panel, “He told me that if I ever left him, he would kill me,” and asked for continued protections if the prisoner were released.

Procedural notes and conditions

Several decisions referenced specific parole conditions by number (rule numbers 3, 4 and 10 were cited frequently: prohibitions on criminal activity, requiring compliance with treatment and payment of supervision fees). The panel sometimes relied on preliminary-hearing probable-cause findings or on guilty pleas entered in court as the basis for revocation. Where the panel approved release, it typically attached supervision conditions (treatment, AA/NA attendance, no-contact orders and reporting requirements).

What’s next

Each person denied or revoked may pursue statutorily permitted post-decision procedures (e.g., appeals or later rehearings) under the department’s rules. The committee indicated that treatment placements will be coordinated by DLC staff for those ordered into programs.

Meeting context

The meeting included both in-person and remote participants, multiple victim impact statements and staff reports from DLC facilities. Several cases prompted extended public comment and victim testimony; others were resolved largely on the parolee’s admission of violations and the custody record.

(For a list of cases decided at the Oct. 9 hearing and the panel’s stated outcomes, see the “Votes at a glance” list above.)