To: The Georgia State Senate and Governor Brian Kemp
Allow Georgia Citizens to Hold the Georgia Parole Board Accountable
Make all information regarding parole decisions public information.
Why is this important?
In 2009, my wife was falsely accused and was sentenced to 20 years regarding a charge about a letter found by police in our home in Georgia. This note was actually authored by a relative of ours while we were living in Texas, but my wife's attorney failed to defend her on these reasons. To further increase the injustice, after attorneys were consulted, a determination was made that my wife was denied parole based on charges she was found innocent on and were dropped.
The Georgia Parole Board has refused after multiple requests to provide detailed information on the denial decision. It would be important to know from the Georgia Parole Board their reasoning for denial to ensure they are upholding their public claim that they exist to hold accountable the Georgia judicial system. It would also be important to make sure the Georgia Parole Board is judging in an ethical manner.
Because of the way the parole board is given power in Georgia, the inmate is not allowed to attend the hearing and the prosecutor is requested to provide their input. No information on the reasons for denying parole ever have to be provided. Any inmate can be denied parole for other reasons besides dropped charges such as race, religious beliefs, etc. without anyone ever knowing it.
This year, a law was passed allowing open records for parole decisions regarding death row inmates; however, no such right is given to the citizens of Georgia to know whether a parole decision is fair and ethical for non- death row inmates.
I am calling on the government of Georgia to allow the public to hold the parole board accountable by having open access to all information that pertains to the decision making process when any inmate is considered for and denied parole.
The Georgia Parole Board has refused after multiple requests to provide detailed information on the denial decision. It would be important to know from the Georgia Parole Board their reasoning for denial to ensure they are upholding their public claim that they exist to hold accountable the Georgia judicial system. It would also be important to make sure the Georgia Parole Board is judging in an ethical manner.
Because of the way the parole board is given power in Georgia, the inmate is not allowed to attend the hearing and the prosecutor is requested to provide their input. No information on the reasons for denying parole ever have to be provided. Any inmate can be denied parole for other reasons besides dropped charges such as race, religious beliefs, etc. without anyone ever knowing it.
This year, a law was passed allowing open records for parole decisions regarding death row inmates; however, no such right is given to the citizens of Georgia to know whether a parole decision is fair and ethical for non- death row inmates.
I am calling on the government of Georgia to allow the public to hold the parole board accountable by having open access to all information that pertains to the decision making process when any inmate is considered for and denied parole.