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Parole granted to Leonard Burkholder with interstate transfer and weekly recovery meetings required
Summary
After victim-impact statements and law-enforcement opposition, the parole board granted Leonard Burkholder parole to an interstate compact and ordered weekly AA/NA attendance for the first year and other conditions.
The Committee on Parole voted March 19 to grant parole to Leonard Burkholder (DOC 491565), who apologized to the victim’s family and described extensive in-prison programming and plans for an interstate-compact transfer to Texas. Burkholder told the panel he has worked on education and vocational skills and serves as a tutor and mentor within the facility.
Several supporters — including family members, a Parole Project representative and a chaplain — described his steady record of programming and a concrete reentry plan; they said Burkholder has family support and employment prospects. The Capital City police and the district attorney’s office registered opposition, emphasizing that methadone wafers sold by Burkholder were linked to an overdose and arguing against early release.
After executive session, the board voted to grant parole conditioned on interstate compact approval and on participation in recovery meetings: the board required attendance at AA/NA at least once per week during the first year. The board also indicated it could add reporting and treatment requirements as part of supervision. Members said they weighed Burkholder’s programming, remorse, support plan and assessed risk to public safety when voting.
