Louisiana Parole Board meets in Baton Rouge; grants one parole with conditions, revokes several others

BATON ROUGE, La. — The Louisiana Committee on Parole met Dec. 3 at the DLC headquarters in Baton Rouge and issued a mix of decisions on multiple parole and revocation hearings, granting supervised release to one inmate and revoking parole in several others.

The board voted to grant parole to an inmate identified in the record as Kimberly Law after an extended hearing in which Kimberly and multiple supporters described her rehabilitation. Kimberly told the panel, “I was an addict and I panicked,” and described years of sobriety, educational achievements and work mentoring other incarcerated people. Advocates from the Louisiana Parole Project, Operation Restoration and Tulane University outlined a reentry plan that includes housing, employment support and long-term mentoring.

Board member Danny Barra explained his vote to grant, saying, “Today, I’m gonna vote to grant you parole based on, you being a true first offender, you having a good plan with the parole project, the numerous letters of support, the accomplishments that you’ve made in prison.” The board attached conditions to the grant: at least two years of supervision with the Parole Project, weekly substance-abuse classes, monthly mental-health classes and compliance with recommended treatment and services.

The hearing also included family members of the victim and the assistant district attorney, who urged caution because of the gravity of the original offense. The board said it reviewed victim statements, facility reports and rehabilitation records before taking the executive-session vote that resulted in the grant.

Elsewhere in the morning, the board revoked parole for several individuals after separate hearings. In one revocation the panel concluded there was probable cause and evidence supporting a finding of criminal activity and firearms possession alongside drug possession and outstanding supervision fees; the board voted to revoke that parole. In a Jefferson Parish case (DOC 459592) the person pleaded guilty to a marijuana offense, acknowledged owing $252 in supervision fees and faced other allegations that the board found constituted violations; the board revoked parole.

In contrast, a New Orleans case involving an accused domestic incident ended without revocation after the alleged victim told the committee she did not see a gun and said her earlier statements had changed; supporters, an employer and a social worker described a release plan and job opportunity. The board recorded its concerns about bodycam evidence and domestic-safety issues but ultimately voted not to revoke and one member recommended a domestic-violence training condition.

In a separate Orleans-Parish hearing the board considered a case in which the district attorney declined to prosecute, but after reviewing bodycam footage and protective-order material the panel concluded probable cause existed for rule violations and revoked parole.

Decisions were largely made after direct testimony from inmates, family members, facility staff, employers and attorneys; the board frequently cited program participation, educational progress, housing plans, victim impact statements, bodycam/video evidence and prior supervision history in its deliberations. Several votes included named conditions when parole was granted, and when parole was revoked the panel noted repeated failures to comply with supervision obligations as the reason.

The committee said it would forward any paperwork required for implementation and that grants with conditions would be monitored by the Parole Project and parole supervisors. The meeting concluded after all scheduled revocation hearings; exact release dates, if any, were not specified in the public record.