This browser does not support the Video element.
St. Paul cop killer up for parole
A man convicted of killing St. Paul police officer in 1970 will have his fourth parole hearing on Aug. 11, potentially paving the way for his freedom. FOX 9’s Maury Glover has the story.
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A man convicted of killing a St. Paul police officer more than 50 years ago is set for another parole hearing, sparking strong reactions from the officer's family and state officials.
Family of officer Sackett voices opposition to parole
What we know:
Ronald Reed, who was sentenced to life in prison for the 1970 killing of officer James Sackett, will go before the Supervised Release Board for the fourth time on Tuesday, Aug. 11. Sackett's family has made it clear they do not support Reed's release.
Julie Sackett, officer Sackett's daughter, said, "I think this is unfair, unjust." She explained that her family has felt like they have been serving a life sentence ever since her father was gunned down while on duty on May 22, 1970.
"We are constantly fighting to try to find justice," said Sackett.
The family questions why Reed, who was convicted of killing their loved one, could be considered for release after not serving a complete life sentence.
The parole process and what the board considers
Dig deeper:
Commissioner Paul Schnell of the Minnesota Department of Corrections addressed the family's concerns, saying, "Certainly the feeling of the Sackett family is utterly understandable."
Schnell explained that because Reed was sentenced under 1970 guidelines, he became eligible for parole after serving 17 years.
By law, the Supervised Release Board must consider 12 factors when reviewing Reed's parole request. These include Reed's behavior while in prison, his rehabilitation efforts, his criminal history and input from the victim's family.
Schnell said, "The role of the parole board is not to determine justice. That's the role of the court. The role of the parole board is to determine whether or not the person poses a risk of public safety."
Schnell noted that Reed has no disciplinary record in prison, is now 75 years old and spent years in the community without committing crimes before his arrest.
These factors, Schnell said, point to a lower risk of Reed re-offending if released.
"You can't make up for the loss of life that was caused here. You can't fix that. You can't bring someone back," said Schnell.
The board’s decision and what comes next
What's next:
Reed's hearing before the Supervised Release Board is scheduled for next week.
Schnell said he will be one of five board members deciding Reed's fate, and the decision is expected that same afternoon.
Schnell acknowledged the difficulty of the decision, saying, "These are decisions that are exceedingly difficult because oftentimes it leaves the feeling of somebody's a winner and somebody's loser. And that's not the feeling that the board wants to leave anybody with."
The Sackett family remains hopeful that the board will consider their perspective and keep Reed behind bars.