Published: May 09, 2008 12:32 am            

Offenders pass to 2nd stage of parole board docket

District Attorney Cathy Stocker said the April meeting of the state’s Pardon and Parole Board saw a higher than usual number of offenders passed to the second of a two-stage docket for violent offenders.

“April was a noteworthy month for our district in regard to the pardon and parole process because of the number of violent offenders passed to the second stage of parole consideration for violent offenders,” Stocker said. “Usually only one or two at most are passed, but the board passed four violent offenders for additional consideration.”

Those who received additional consideration are Ricky Alexander, Earl Campbell and Lance Lebow, all from Garfield County, and Canadian County murderer David Edinburgh.

“Ricky Alexander has been serving a 500-year sentence since 1990 for robbery with a dangerous weapon after former conviction of two or more felonies and has a consecutive 500-year sentence for attempted kidnapping after former conviction of two or more felonies,” Stocker said.

Campbell was sentenced to a total of 50 years for four felonies and began serving time in 1987, 21 years ago, according to Stocker.

“He is being considered for parole on the final 20-year robbery one sentence he began serving in August 2001,” she said.

“Lance Lebow has been serving a 20-year sentence since March 2001 for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon for the violent battery of a Garfield County jailer during an escape from the jail along with concurrent sentences for that escape and larceny of merchandise from a retailer,” Stocker said.

Edinburgh has been in prison since 1991, serving a life sentence imposed following his conviction by a jury for murdering his stepfather by shooting him in the head with a .22-caliber rifle.

“J.D. Overton, my victim witness coordinator, will protest the possibility of release for all of these offenders when he personally appears on my behalf before the Pardon and Parole Board at its May meeting,” Stocker said.

The district attorney said she was “grateful” remaining violent offenders were denied by the parole board.

“I was grateful that the board voted to deny parole outright to the remaining violent offenders on the docket this month including the other two murderers, Dennis Bellis and Ronnie Dunford, both of whom are from Garfield County,” she said.

Danny Goulsby, who was at the second stage of the two-stage process for violent offenders, was passed to May’s docket for consideration during the meeting.

“Only two men were recommended for a parole to the street and, not surprisingly, both were drug offenders,” Stocker said. “They are Gar-field County offender Travis Jackson and Canadian County offender John Emberson.”

Canadian County drug offender Carlos Acosta-Salazar was recommended to parole to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer from Mexico, if it is still active and, if not, the recommendation is void.

Two of the three offenders recommended for parole to consecutive sentences also were drug offenders: Garfield County offender James Webster and Canadian County offender Ronald Hooley.

“The final man recommended for parole to a consecutive sentence shocked me because of the length of his sentence and the small percentage of that sentence he has served,” Stocker said. “Jesse Brutton began serving a 25-year sentence for possession of a stolen motor vehicle only in July of last year and has a consecutive five-year sentence for escape from a penal institution from Alfalfa County.”

Garfield County offender Elroy Ford Jr., serving time since 2004 for robbery by force after former felony conviction, was stricken from the docket as ineligible.