“Automatic parole hearings for inmates 55 years old who have served 15 years of their sentence are misguided and unfair to crime victims. Parole hearings must be earned. If this bill (Assembly bill A.4319) was passed and signed into law, a 40-year-old beginning a sentence of 30-years-to-life for raping and murdering a child would be eligible for parole at the age of 55 after serving just 15 years of their sentence. Even if denied parole, it would trigger an unspeakably traumatic, biennial process of re-living the harrowing event for the family members for the entirety of the sentence. This bill, quite frankly, is criminal in the way it despicably treats crime victims and their families," said Palmesano.

“Unfortunately, this bill is consistent with the priorities of Majority politicians in Albany these days. They want to hand inmates’ taxpayer-funded raises, tablet computers, bus trips for family members to visit them in prison and college degrees. They’ve pardoned murderers, rapists and sex offenders and restored their voting rights. All while they continue to block common-sense reform proposals like Brittany’s Law and Lorraine’s Law that would help protect citizens in our communities and provide just a little bit of compassion and respite to the families of murder victims.

“This bill is dangerous, insulting, sickening and very, very wrong," concluded Palmesano.