Parole board defers decision on Kentucky school shooter's release

Sept. 20 (UPI) -- A two-member panel in Kentucky was unable to reach a parole decision on Tuesday, involving convicted school shooter Michael Carneal's appeal for freedom.

Kentucky Parole Board Chair Ladeidra Jones and board member Larry Brock could not reach a unanimous decision, meaning the case is referred back to the full parole board, with a decision expected on Monday.

Carneal, 39, is serving a life sentence for shooting and killing three girls and injuring five other people in a 1997 school shooting at Heath High School, in West Paducah, Ky.

Tuesday was the second day of the two-day hearing after Carneal's living victims had their opportunity to speak to the parole board on Monday.

Now confined to a wheelchair because of the shooting, Missy Jenkins Smith told the panel that while she believes Carneal has a mental illness, he should remain in prison for the rest of his life.

"Continuing his life in prison is the only way his victims can feel comfortable and safe without being haunted by the 'what ifs,'" she told the board members on Monday.

Other victims also spoke out against his release, including the family of 14-year-old Nicole Hadley, who was killed in the shooting.

Jones and Brock had the option to grant parole or defer the decision for a period of up to 60 months.

With no consensus, the case returns on Monday to the full parole board, which can defer the sentence for 10 years or order that Carneal spend the rest of his life in prison.

Then 14, Carneal was armed with a .22-caliber Ruger and also had two shotguns and two rifles in his possession. The guns had been stolen on Thanksgiving Day from a neighbor's home.

Carneal, who has served 24 years and 9 months of his sentence, officially becomes eligible for release in December, 25 years into his life sentence. He spoke to the board members on Tuesday, telling Jones and Brock that he still hears voices, as he did on the day of the shooting, but he no longer acts on them.

The two board members also asked if he felt he was ready to be paroled.

"It depends on when you ask me," he said during the remotely-held meeting.

"Sometimes I think I deserved to be killed. I think that honestly. And other times I think that due to the fact that I could do some good for a lot of people, maybe, it would be beneficial if I were released some day."

Carneal is serving his sentence at the Kentucky State Reformatory.