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Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles denies most parole requests, grants several pardons and conditional releases
Summary
At its May 13, 2025 meeting in Montgomery, the Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles denied the majority of parole requests on the docket, granted several pardons and approved conditional paroles requiring programs such as PREP and GPS monitoring. Several cases were continued or reopened for additional testimony.
The Alabama Board of Pardons & Paroles met in Montgomery on May 13, 2025, and issued a series of decisions on parole and pardon requests, denying most parole applications, granting several pardons and approving conditional releases that include reentry programming and GPS monitoring. Chairperson Leigh Gwathney and Board Members Darryl Littleton and Gabrelle Simmons presided; Nicole Lewis is recorded as Board secretary.
The most consequential single decision granted parole to Wesley M. Bush (AIS# 251500) with special conditions requiring completion of the Perry County Probation/Parole Reentry Education Program (PREP) and continuous GPS ankle monitoring. The Board reopened Bush’s hearing for additional testimony before voting to grant parole with those conditions.
Several other parole requests were granted with conditions tied to reentry services and supervision: Jared B. Carbonneau (AIS# 297750) was granted parole conditioned on completion of the Mobile Day Reporting Center program, GPS monitoring and a drug assessment; Jermaine C. Crum (AIS# 286414) was granted parole contingent on completion of a Substance Abuse Program, GPS monitoring and a drug assessment; Kimberly L. Dougherty (AIS# 307811) was granted parole conditioned on completion of services at the Baldwin Day Reporting Center, GPS monitoring, mental-health follow-up and a drug assessment.
The Board also granted several pardons with specified restrictions. Dennis R. Gibbs Jr. (AIS# 279381) and Dennis W. Adamson (AIS# 284180) were each granted pardons that the minutes record as providing relief from the habitual-offender provisions and firearms disabilities; Harold Davis (AIS# 827304) was also granted a pardon with similar restrictions.
Most parole requests on the docket were denied. Examples include Shane A. Rickmon (AIS# 164263), denied with a reset date of May 2030; Clabon T. Draper (AIS# 216061), reopened for additional testimony during the hearing and ultimately denied with a reset date of May 2026; Christopher K. Burch (AIS# 291273), denied with a reset date of May 2027; and multiple others listed on the docket were denied with various reset dates or no reset date.
Advocates and opponents spoke during the open docket. Victim statements and family testimony were recorded: Dana Peavey and Ronald Costello spoke against parole for Shane Rickmon; supporters such as Jennifer Burch and Kellie Branton spoke on behalf of Christopher Burch; supporters including Alan and Sandra Bell spoke on behalf of Wesley Bush. Community advocates from VOCAL (represented in the minutes by Venesha Forbes) and Jackie Fowler of the Attorney General’s Victim Services Office are repeatedly listed as speaking against parole in multiple cases. The minutes do not provide verbatim quotes.
A small number of cases were continued for later hearings. J.C. Garrett Jr.’s pardon hearing (AIS# 151489) was continued to June 17, 2025, after a motion by Board Member Gabrelle Simmons. Darryl Littleton moved to reopen testimony in at least two hearings (Clabon Draper and Wesley Bush) before closing testimony and taking votes.
The Board reviewed a list of delinquent parolee files during the meeting and recessed for lunch from 12:15 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. The meeting adjourned at 3:36 p.m.; the Board scheduled its next meeting for May 14, 2025, at 8:00 a.m. at 301 South Ripley Street in Montgomery.
What the minutes do and do not show The minutes list who spoke for and against each case and record the Board’s vote and any reset dates or conditional-release terms; they do not include verbatim testimony, roll-call vote tallies by named Board member, or transcripts of public remarks. When the minutes record conditions—such as PREP, GPS monitoring, day-reporting-center placement or drug and mental-health assessments—those requirements are reflected above as stated in the meeting minutes.
Next steps Several people denied parole will next become eligible on the reset dates the Board recorded; J.C. Garrett Jr.’s pardon was continued to the June 17 meeting. The Board’s next scheduled meeting is May 14, 2025.
