lulu
05-01-2004, 07:23 AM
Associated Press
ATLANTA - Eighteen state prison inmates have been paroled after it
was discovered that their files and those of dozens of others
languished in the office of a Board of Pardons and Paroles official -
in some cases for years.
Seven of the other 41 prisoners served their entire sentences while
waiting to hear if they would be released early, The Atlanta Journal-
Constitution reported Saturday.
The files were discovered on a cart in the office of clemency
director Michael Sullivan in February, the newspaper said. Sullivan
was demoted and his $103,000 salary was cut by $23,000 after the
discovery, according to the report.
Parole board chairman Milton E. "Buddy" Nix Jr. said the lapse was
unacceptable.
"I cannot even describe to you how distressed and just downright mad
I was because I know these cases represent human beings," Nix told
the Journal-Constitution.
Sullivan did not return a telephone call to his office seeking
comment.
The cases of all 59 inmates now have been reviewed. Seven of the
convicts were denied parole. Twenty-seven are still being considered.
The parole board considers 20,000 cases a year.
Nix discovered the problem Feb. 3 while reviewing an inmate's file.
The prisoner's tentative parole month - a date the board sets for
the inmate's potential release - already had passed.
Nix asked Beth Oxford, director of parole, to find out why there had
been a delay.
Oxford checked with Sullivan and removed about 100 files from his
office. She determined that 59 of the cases were "late, pending
follow-up action or otherwise questionable," according to a summary
provided to board officials.
Parole officials found that the tentative parole dates for 26
inmates had passed while the files were in Sullivan's office. The
other 33 files required board action before they could move forward.
Almost all of the files had been flagged for a variety of reasons.
In some cases, judges, prosecutors or victims' families had opposed
early release.
Nevertheless, the concerns should have been addressed and the filed
placed before the parole board for consideration, board member Mike
Light said.
Among the files was that of Timothy Alan Rustin, serving a 10-year
sentence for involuntary manslaughter. He was scheduled for early
release in December 2002. A question that arose about the release
never was resolved.
After the file was found, the board voted to parole him.
Rustin said he asked his counselors about his parole "but they kept
saying I was under investigation."
"I just figured they were making everybody do all their time, and I
figured they were making me do mine," Rustin said.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/8565703.htm
Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
http://www.ajc.com
ATLANTA - Eighteen state prison inmates have been paroled after it
was discovered that their files and those of dozens of others
languished in the office of a Board of Pardons and Paroles official -
in some cases for years.
Seven of the other 41 prisoners served their entire sentences while
waiting to hear if they would be released early, The Atlanta Journal-
Constitution reported Saturday.
The files were discovered on a cart in the office of clemency
director Michael Sullivan in February, the newspaper said. Sullivan
was demoted and his $103,000 salary was cut by $23,000 after the
discovery, according to the report.
Parole board chairman Milton E. "Buddy" Nix Jr. said the lapse was
unacceptable.
"I cannot even describe to you how distressed and just downright mad
I was because I know these cases represent human beings," Nix told
the Journal-Constitution.
Sullivan did not return a telephone call to his office seeking
comment.
The cases of all 59 inmates now have been reviewed. Seven of the
convicts were denied parole. Twenty-seven are still being considered.
The parole board considers 20,000 cases a year.
Nix discovered the problem Feb. 3 while reviewing an inmate's file.
The prisoner's tentative parole month - a date the board sets for
the inmate's potential release - already had passed.
Nix asked Beth Oxford, director of parole, to find out why there had
been a delay.
Oxford checked with Sullivan and removed about 100 files from his
office. She determined that 59 of the cases were "late, pending
follow-up action or otherwise questionable," according to a summary
provided to board officials.
Parole officials found that the tentative parole dates for 26
inmates had passed while the files were in Sullivan's office. The
other 33 files required board action before they could move forward.
Almost all of the files had been flagged for a variety of reasons.
In some cases, judges, prosecutors or victims' families had opposed
early release.
Nevertheless, the concerns should have been addressed and the filed
placed before the parole board for consideration, board member Mike
Light said.
Among the files was that of Timothy Alan Rustin, serving a 10-year
sentence for involuntary manslaughter. He was scheduled for early
release in December 2002. A question that arose about the release
never was resolved.
After the file was found, the board voted to parole him.
Rustin said he asked his counselors about his parole "but they kept
saying I was under investigation."
"I just figured they were making everybody do all their time, and I
figured they were making me do mine," Rustin said.
http://www.macon.com/mld/macon/news/local/8565703.htm
Information from: The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
http://www.ajc.com