Man behind bars for 27 years claims innocence, has first case review before parole board
27-year prisoner has first parole hearing
Bryan Hooper Sr. was sentenced to life in prison in 1998 for the murder of a 77-year-old woman in Minneapolis, but he's adamant he did not commit the crime. FOX 9’s Mary McGuire has the details of his first upcoming parole hearing that could ultimately set him free.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Bryan Hooper Sr. was sentenced to life in prison in 1998 for the murder of a 77-year-old woman in Minneapolis, but he's adamant he did not commit this crime.
On Tuesday, he faced his first case review before the parole board.
Show of support outside of parole board
What they're saying:
Outside the Minnesota Department of Corrections, a strong showing of support for Bryan Hooper Sr. – a man who's spent more than two decades in prison for a crime he maintains he didn't commit.
"We know that Bryan is innocent. He's always maintained his innocence and today, they have an opportunity to do justice," said Briana Hooper, Bryan's daughter.
Dig deeper:
In 1998, investigators found the body of 77-year-old Ann Prazniak bound, gagged and stuffed in a box in her Minneapolis apartment. Her body was left to decompose for weeks and the apartment became a hot spot for drug use and prostitution.
At the time, several witnesses claimed Hooper admitted to killing the woman, and he was later arrested, charged, and convicted for the crime.
Since then, multiple witnesses have recanted their stories, but Hooper has remained behind bars.
On Tuesday, the parole board held their initial review of Hooper's case, looking at his time in prison, and hearing from his son, Bryan Hooper Jr, about the impact he's had in his life.
What's next:
The board decided to move Hooper from Stillwater to a medium-security prison and will review his case again when he is eligible for parole in three years.
His daughter tells FOX 9 this represents an important step towards her dad's freedom, but the fight isn't over.
"That's the response that we wanted. I understand how the system works. I know they aren't going to do an immediate release, although they should, because he is innocent," said Briana.
She adds that her dad's case is currently under review by Hennepin County's Conviction Integrity Unit, which investigates criminal convictions in the county where there is a plausible claim that an innocent person was convicted.