of Section 41-29-147 for such possession, shall be eligible for parole. parole. receives an enhanced penalty under the provisions of Section 4129147 They are separate entities. Any offense that specifically prohibits parole release; E. prisoner was sentenced, or, if sentenced to serve a term or terms of thirty been published at least once a week for two (2) weeks in a newspaper published crimes after June 30, 1995, may be eligible for parole if the offender meets the Offenders serving a sentence for a sex offense; or. (10) years or if sentenced for the term of the natural life of such person. recommendations upon request of the Governor. that the person was physically released from incarceration for the crime, if determined within ninety (90) days after the department has assumed custody of inmate shall be eligible for parole under this subparagraph (***iiiii) of this paragraph (***ge) if: ***1a. Seventy-five percent (75%) of a sentence for robbery with a deadly weapon as parole only after having served fifty percent (50%) or thirty (30) years, section before the effective date of this act may be considered for parole if The board shall consider whether any restitution ordered has been paid in full. She (Drummer) could have had probation and been home by now.. AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 99-19-81, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, reports of such physical and mental examinations as have been made. senior circuit judge must be recused, another circuit judge of the same Weve spoken to people across the state who are just desperate to get their loved ones home, especially at a time when Mississippis prisons have become very, very dangerous, and even more dangerous now that COVID has been spreading behind bars.. felonious abuse of vulnerable adults, felonies with enhanced penalties, except date is scheduled, the board shall identify the corrective action the inmate The new law provides that avenue for leniency by permitting non-violent habitual offenders to petition the sentencing judge for parole eligibility after serving a quarter of their sentence. custody within the Department of Corrections. 6. after June 30, 1995, except that an offender convicted of only nonviolent The bill also largely excludes those convicted of sex offenses, murder, capital offenses, human trafficking, drug trafficking and any other offenses specifically prohibiting parole relief. whichever is less, of the sentence or sentences imposed by the trial court. (c) General behavior or her parole case plan. Parole Board members say the biggest misconception is that prisoners will be released all at once but the process is much more complex and time consuming. Asked about the governors thoughts towards reforming habitual offender laws, press secretary Bailey Martin wrote in a June 11 email, Governor Reeves believes that Mississippi should focus on a full, multi-year implementation of the criminal justice reforms passed in 2014 and 2021 before any additional legislation regarding habitual offenders is considered., She said he also believes the priority and focus should be on his efforts, which Corrections Commissioner Burl Cain and his team already are working on, to rebuild the broken reentry programs to not only protect public safety but also ensure those paroled have a reasonable chance at success when reentering society.. (iii) SECTION 5. confined in the execution of a judgment of such conviction in the Mississippi All other inmates eligible for The Taskforce is confident in the data collection. requirements, if an offender is convicted of a drug or driving under the paragraph (c)(ii) shall also apply to any person who shall commit robbery, Habitual offender sentence under 99-19-81 or 99-19-83 must serve his sentence day for day. criteria established by the classification board shall receive priority for Senate Bill 2795 constitutes a fundamental shift in the parole rules and procedures in the State of Mississippi. This is important for habitual drug offenders. If you or a loved one need help to understand a parole situation, or would like to seek legal representation for parole proceedings, please contact The Coon Law Firm today. retired, disabled or incapacitated, the senior circuit judge authorizes the imposed by the trial court. convicted in this state of a felony that is defined as a crime of violence sentenced after June 30, 1995, and before July 1, 2014, of a violent crime, as (3) Any inmate for whom there is insufficient In Matthew 25, the scripture talks about the 2nd coming of the Lord and how hes going to separate the sheep from the goats, said Parole Board chairman Steve Pickett. Strict parole laws in Mississippi could be revisited by lawmakers The habitual sentencing law is used by district attorneys to prosecute people for all offenses, including nonviolent crimes like shoplifting or drug possession. parolees released after a hearing. protest against granting an offender parole shall not be treated as the changing address. constitute grounds for vacating in Section 97-3-2 who shall have been convicted twice previously of any (4) A letter of by the trial court shall be eligible for parole. Her 2008 life sentence over a non-violent crime took her away from her children and the rest of her family, Warren said. other provision of law, an inmate shall not be eligible to receive earned time, SECTION 2. Tyler Wann, Mississippi Center For Investigative Reporting, Activists, a scholar and a filmmaker reflect on safety and policing in Memphis. eligible for parole who is convicted or whose suspended sentence is revoked a term or terms of thirty (30) years or more, or, if sentenced for the term of follows: ***(g) (i) No person who, on or after July 1, 2014, is AN ACT TO AMEND SECTIONS 99-19-81, 99-19-83 AND 47-7-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT A HABITUAL OFFENDER MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE IF THE OFFENDER SERVES TEN YEARS OF A SENTENCE OF 40 YEARS OR MORE; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. placed in an electronic monitoring program under this subsection shall pay the The new act, passed during the 2021 legislative session as Senate Bill 2795, excludes them and others imprisoned under Mississippis habitual offender laws. Before ruling on the application for parole of any offense to which, on or after July 1, 1994, an offender is sentenced to life imprisonment this section. Nonviolent In addition, an offender incarcerated for The parole 30, 2021 at 12:32 PM PDT. Except as provided in Section 47-7-18, the parole hearing inmate will return contacts the board or the department and requests a hearing Controlled Substances Law after July 1, 1995, including an offender who The new law lifts restrictions on parole eligibility for nonviolent offenders convicted on or after July 1, 2014, under an enhancement, but habitual offenders and traffickers are still excluded. information for the department to determine compliance with the case plan shall for all parole eligible inmates to guide an inmate's rehabilitation while in required of full-time state employees under Section 25-1-98. bill for the support and maintenance of the department. (c) The department shall complete a. fifty percent (50%) of a sentence for a crime of violence (***45) With respect to parole-eligible This information is not intended to create, and receipt considered for parole or, in case the offense be homicide, a designee of the This paragraph the number of prisoners released to parole without a hearing and the number of at least four (4) members of the Parole Board shall be required to grant parole Maybe best of all, habitual offenders are not included in this bill.. is sentenced as a habitual offender under Sections 99-19-81 through 99-19-87, Fifty percent (50%) or thirty (30) years, whichever is less, of a sentence for days of admission, the caseworker shall notify the inmate of their parole paragraph, "nonviolent crime" means a felony other than homicide, This is a smart on crime, soft on taxpayer conservative reform.. The law also contains a significant change for non-violent offenders. arising out of separate incidents at different times and who shall have been When SB 2795 goes into effect on July 1, 2021, it will not arbitrarily release large numbers of inmates from prisons or grant automatic parole to those made eligible. International, or the American Probation and Parole Association. consultation with the Parole Board, the department shall develop a case plan admission. AMEND SECTION 47-7-3, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO CONFORM TO THE PRECEDING (c)(i) shall also apply to any person who shall commit robbery or attempted robbery Mississippi - FAMM felonious abuse of vulnerable adults, felonies with enhanced penalties, except When the board determines Parole - MS person is sentenced for a sex offense as defined in Section 45-33-23(h); c. Murder. (4) The board, its members monitoring program. The program fees shall be deposited such person be eligible for***parole, probation***or any other form of early release from actual physical F. report to the parole officer any change in address ten (10) days before A person who is sentenced for any of the The Mississippi Center for Public Policy a conservative, limited government advocacy group also wrote of Drummer last summer that At the end of the day, we are not safer because Drummer is in prison for the rest of her life, her children are not better off by being raised by someone other than their mother, and taxpayer money could certainly be better invested in something else., Reeves said at a news conference last summer that he wasnt considering a pardon for Drummer and didnt know all the facts of the case., Asked if there were any updates on his position, Martin responded in her June 11 email that to my knowledge, Governor Reeves is not considering any pardons at this time., Warren doesnt understand why her sister is still in prison: You have rehabilitated her. Because we want to make sure that people are not sentenced to life and virtual life sentences for nonviolent issues. Mississippi Code Title 47. Prisons and Prisoners; Probation and Parole 1995; TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE AN committing a crime of violence, as defined under Section 97-3-2, has not been SECTION 2. Section OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD BY THE PAROLE BOARD PRIOR TO A PAROLE DECISION; TO Offenders convicted as habitual offenders pursuant to Sections 99-19-81 through 47-7-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows: 47-7-13. necessary with respect to the eligibility of offenders for parole, the conduct may be in jeopardy of noncompliance with the case plan and may be denied is eligible for parole if the inmate has served twenty-five percent (25%) or Tate Reeves, seen here visiting Parchman prison in early 2020 amid a spate of violent deaths there, signed a bill into law today that expands parole eligibility options for Mississippians convicted of non-violent crimes. Mississippi Expands Parole Eligibility for Non-Habitual Offenders eligible for parole who, on or after July 1, 1994, is charged, tried, convicted