Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles grants most pardons, denies several after daylong review

The Connecticut Board of Pardons and Paroles held an absolute-pardon hearing July 8 by videoconference, reviewing dozens of applications and voting on each case before the panel.

The board, chaired by Nancy Turner, heard applicants who made brief personal statements or were represented by counsel, received input from the Office of Victim Services and reviewed prescreen findings from staff. Board members Michael Pohl and Raffaro Berry joined Turner in asking applicants about post‑conviction conduct, treatment and community ties before voting on each request.

Why it matters: Pardons considered at these hearings remove collateral barriers that can block employment, licensing and other civil opportunities. The board tentatively grants or denies pardons at the hearing; finalization requires record checks and administrative completion before a certificate is issued.

Key outcomes: After hearing each applicant, the board voted on individual cases. Among the applicants granted full and absolute pardons were James Masada; Kirk Reed; Jamal Radney Butler; Thembalila (Tamarisha) Bengu; Torrance Smith; Eddie Coleman; Tariq Ealy; Carlton Anderson; Rachel Cartagena; Delroy Coombs; Kitsana Fasanin; Phil Goodson; Eddie Muniz Jr.; Gen C. Reynoso Santiago; Sean Amara; Joanna Jack Fripp; Moran Cabral; Willie Poe; Nicholas Acampora; Angela Anton; Michael Bealer; Ryan Brown; Raymond Campbell; Michael Corbett; Fitzgerald Dedone; Tasha Flockhart; Derek Grant Jr.; Jacob Mendez; Richard Kucha; Javier Lanton; Shaquille Mailer; and others heard during the session.

The board denied pardons in several cases after members cited the seriousness of the original offenses, unresolved questions about responsibility, or active protective orders. Noted denials included the applications of Hamid Soikat (Soykad), Johnny Yetatika and Giovanni Torres and Ravachan Achabar. One case (Vincent Donnell Morgan) was continued to a later docket so staff could confirm administrative details (driver‑license/interlock and related record items) before the board votes.

What the board asked and why it mattered: Members repeatedly pressed applicants about: whether they had completed court‑ordered programs; ongoing sobriety and recovery supports; restitution and child‑support status; and whether they had clearly changed the behavior that led to the conviction. Board members emphasized that pardons are not findings of innocence but executive clemency used to remove long‑standing collateral barriers when rehabilitation is evident.

Victim input and staff notes: The Office of Victim Services provided victim statements or read victim requests into the record in multiple cases; those statements were publicly noted during consideration and occasionally influenced votes. Board staff also described prescreen reviews done before the hearing.

Process and next steps: All pardons granted at the hearing are tentative pending record checks; if those checks clear the board’s tentative grants will be finalized and certificates mailed. Applicants denied at this hearing may be eligible to reapply in the future under the board’s rules.

Votes at a glance (selected items) - Hamid Soikat (Soykad): DENIED — members cited victim impact and minimization of responsibility during testimony. - James Masada: GRANTED — board cited sustained sobriety and church/community engagement. - Kirk Reed: GRANTED — long period free of supervision and stable employment. - Jamal Radney Butler: GRANTED — victim input and evidence of rehabilitation cited. - Joanna Jack Fripp: GRANTED — board majority cited documented recovery and recent stability despite prior incidents. - Giovanni Torres: DENIED — board cited repetitive violent history and public-safety concerns. - Vincent D. Morgan: CONTINUED — board requested confirmation of administrative items (license/interlock and dates) before final vote.

What to expect: Applicants who received a tentative grant will receive an email or mailed letter from the board once state identification and record‑clearance checks are completed; the board cautioned applicants that internet background databases may continue to show historic records until official erasure and agency processes are complete.

For the public: The board emphasized that victims can submit statements and that its decisions rely on the full record, including court documents, supervision history and testimonies at the hearing. The full hearing was streamed and transcripts will be posted to the board’s website when available.

Ending: The hearing ran approximately the daylong docket and adjourned after the board resolved or postponed each item. The board will follow up with applicants and finalize any tentative grants only after state record clearances are received.