Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles denies most parole requests, grants several pardons and conditional releases

The Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles met July 22, 2025, in Montgomery and processed a daily docket of parole and pardon requests under Alabama Code, Title 15, Chapter 22. Chair Hal Nash presided, and board members Darryl Littleton and Gabrelle Simmons participated; Nicole Lewis served as board secretary.

The board denied a substantial number of parole requests and set reset dates in many denials. For example, the board denied parole for Lazadenian N. White (AIS# 224640) and set a reset date of July 2030 after victim-family speakers opposed release. William D. Touchstone (AIS# 237639) was denied with a reset date of July 2028 following victim testimony. Several other paroles were denied with reset dates ranging from 2025 to 2030 or with no reset date.

The board granted parole in select cases with specified conditions. Rodney J. Brown (AIS# 290639) was granted parole with special conditions including completion of a GPS ankle-monitor requirement, mandated mental-health follow-up, referral to Redemption Earned for reentry assistance and a no-contact order with the victim. Scott D. Carpenter (AIS# 334448) was granted parole with placement or detainer and enrollment in Baldwin County Day Reporting Center, GPS monitoring and required mental-health follow-up.

Board members also granted multiple pardons and forms of relief. The board voted to grant pardons with restrictions (commonly relief from the habitual offender act and relief from firearms disabilities) for applicants including Anthony A. Burton (AIS# 136983) and Wayne Daniel (AIS# 166680). The board granted a full pardon (with a firearms restriction) to Calvin L. Mitchell (AIS# 827393) and other pardons or partial restorations (for example, voting-rights-only restoration for Gary R. Taylor AIS# 817876 and William P. Frieson AIS# 801043).

Several parole grants were conditioned on completion of reentry programming. Heather L. Spivey (AIS# 336891) was granted parole contingent on completing Alabama Therapeutic Educational Facility (ATEF) programming or an approved halfway house, GPS monitoring, mental-health follow-up and drug assessment upon release. Nicholas P. Minor (AIS# 336794) and Keenan X. Wynn (AIS# 207873) were granted parole conditioned on participation in the Perry County Probation/Parole Reentry Education Program (PREP), GPS monitoring, mental-health follow-up and drug assessment.

The meeting included public commenters and victim statements. Ky'Toria Lawson (identified in the docket as VOCAL) and Sarah Deneve, a Victim Services Office representative from the Attorney General’s office, were repeatedly listed among speakers opposing parole in multiple cases. Defense or family speakers and attorneys also addressed the board in support of release on behalf of applicants.

Votes at a glance (selected docket outcomes): - AIS# 224640 Lazadenian N. White — Parole denied; reset date 7/2030. - AIS# 237639 William D. Touchstone — Parole denied; reset date 7/2028. - AIS# 334040 Thomas Eccles — Parole denied; no reset date specified. - AIS# 163115 Thomas E. Dixon — Parole denied; reset date 7/2029. - AIS# 250684 Jimmy D. Walker — Parole denied; reset date 7/2028. - AIS# 290639 Rodney J. Brown — Parole granted; conditions include GPS monitor, mental-health follow-up, referral to Redemption Earned, no contact with victim. - AIS# 318719 Joshua McMullen — Parole denied; reset date 7/2027. - AIS# 215578 Steven G. Robidoux — Parole denied; reset date 12/2025. - AIS# 136983 Anthony A. Burton — Pardon granted; relief from habitual-offender act and firearms disabilities (restrictions noted in grant). - AIS# 166680 Wayne Daniel — Pardon granted; relief from habitual-offender act and firearms disabilities (restrictions noted in grant). - AIS# 336891 Heather L. Spivey — Parole granted; conditions include completion of ATEF or approved halfway house, GPS monitoring, mental-health follow-up and drug assessment. - AIS# 334448 Scott D. Carpenter — Parole granted; conditions include detainer/program placement, Baldwin County Day Reporting Center (DRC), GPS monitor, mental-health follow-up and drug assessment. (Additional case outcomes are recorded on the meeting docket and minutes.)

The board reviewed a list of delinquent files as part of routine business and adjourned at 3:51 P.M. The next meeting was scheduled for July 22, 2025, at 8:00 A.M. in Montgomery. The board’s minutes record motions approving the minutes of the previous meeting and the outcomes above; the minutes list speakers who addressed the board in support of or opposition to release.

Notes and limits: the minutes record outcome language, reset dates and listed speakers (family members, counsel, victim representatives and VOCAL) but do not provide verbatim testimony or vote tallies by roll call for each item. Where the minutes list only the board action and a reset date, the article reports the board action and the reset date as recorded.