After spending more than four decades behind bars for a crime committed when he was 15, Wayne Thompson is closer to a possible release than he has been in the past 15 years.
On Monday, during this month’s Pardon and Parole Board meeting, Thompson received four ‘yes’ votes from the five-member board, solidifying his opportunity to appear before them in December.
For people convicted of violent crimes like Thompson, the process for parole has three distinct stages.
The first stage is the most difficult to pass. Members of the board vote on hundreds of cases every month, using a packet of materials about each prisoner to make a decision. The board only recommended about 15% of cases in the first stage during the last fiscal year.
During the second stage of the parole process, prisoners have the chance to respond directly to questions from the board. For Thompson, that opportunity will come in early December this year. He will get to join the meeting over Zoom from the Joseph Harp Correctional Center.
Board members will be able to ask him about his time in prison, the rehabilitation programs he’s participated in and what he plans for his future if released.
A prisoner’s chances for a recommendation significantly increase during the second stage. Last fiscal year, the board recommended 82.4% of prisoners for release at the second stage.
If Thompson makes it through the second stage , his release will hinge on a decision from Gov. Kevin Stitt. For cases involving violent crimes, the governor has sole discretion on whether to grant parole. Stitt will be able to review the video recording of Thompson’s appearance before the board as well as his case file.
In 2003, Thompson made it through the first two stages, but his recommendation for release was denied by Gov. Brad Henry.
Now, Thompson is 57 years old. This week’s recommendation from the board marks a significant shift in a process Thompson has described as “death every three years.”
