Parole panel revokes several paroles, denies multiple release requests across statewide hearings

The Louisiana Committee on Parole convened Oct. 15, 2024, remotely from Baton Rouge and reviewed a series of parole hearings that resulted in multiple revocations and denials across parish jails and state correctional facilities.

The panel — chaired by Jerry LeDouc with members Cheryl Renata and Steve Prater participating virtually — voted to revoke parole for several offenders after considering evidence, victim statements and staff reports. Among the decisions, the panel revoked paroles for an offender charged in the April 2024 phone-and-wallet theft and related allegations; for Walter White after findings tied to absconding and criminal mischief; for Tawan Leonard after reviewing police reports and a victim’s injuries; for Kerry Carter after determining he was absent from his approved residence without an active interstate compact; for Ezekiel Doyle after photographs and witness accounts showed injury to an alleged victim; and for Darren Allen after body-camera footage showed a firearm in plain view. In each matter the board cited violations of specific parole conditions and voted accordingly.

The panel also denied parole in cases where members concluded either that insufficient time had been served or that public‑safety and victim‑safety concerns remained. Anthony Bowman, whose record includes long‑past theft convictions and a more recent purse‑snatching arrest, was denied after board members weighed his history against community‑safety responsibilities. Jennifer Chapman was denied amid strong victim opposition and the panel’s conclusion that more time and programming were required.

In contrast, the panel declined to revoke parole for Paul Eisenow in a case centered on a $35,000 fraudulent check. Representatives from a reentry organization and the Louisiana Parole Project described an online "catfish" scheme and said Eisenow had been exploited; the organization reported it would not pursue criminal charges and offered to continue reentry services. The board instead imposed special conditions, including classes and closer supervision, and required cooperation with the Parole Project.

What the board said and why Board members regularly distinguished between allegations, findings by a preponderance of evidence and prosecutorial decisions. In several hearings, district attorneys had refused or declined to prosecute charged offenses; the panel nonetheless reviewed police reports, witness statements and photos as part of its independent parole‑condition assessment. Where panelists found evidence that parole conditions were violated — including failure to report to supervising officers, new arrests, weapons possession or conduct creating risk to others — they voted to revoke.

Most votes were recorded on the audio record with each panelist stating their position. In verdicts that resulted in revocation, the panel typically cited the applicable condition numbers (for example, refraining from criminal conduct or maintaining contact with parole officers) and applied the standard parole remedies.

Next steps Revoked offenders will return to custody pending time calculations and any applicable administrative processing. For denials and non‑revocations with conditions, the board set expectations for closer supervision, treatment referrals and, in at least one case, a prohibition on social‑media contact for a set period. The board asked staff and local service providers to follow through on referrals where reentry organizations agreed to support supervised release.

Votes at a glance (selected outcomes) • Revoked: Offender in April 2024 theft/battery matter (panel vote to revoke). • Revoked: Walter White (violations including absconding; panel vote to revoke). • Revoked: Tawan Leonard (found in violation of criminal‑conduct conditions; revoked). • Not revoked but conditioned: Paul Eisenow (fraudulent check; special conditions and increased Parole Project involvement). • Revoked: Kerry Carter (absconding / interstate compact not active). • Revoked: Ezekiel Doyle (domestic incident with victim injuries). • Revoked: Darren Allen (weapon observed in vehicle). • Denied: Anthony Bowman (parole denied). • Denied: Jennifer Chapman (parole denied).

The board’s written decisions and time‑computation orders will be entered in each offender’s administrative record and shared with supervising parole officers.