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Episode 65 | Brace For Impact: Juvenile Lifers, Parole Hearings, & The Families' New Fight






Massachusetts families of murdered loved ones are now faced with the prospect of their killers being released. Explore how landmark rulings , Miller vs. Alabama and Diatchenko vs The Commonwealth, have reshaped juvenile sentencing and removed every promise made to families that their juvenile killer would be behind bars for life. The families of Amy Carnevale, Shaun Ouillette, Janet Downing, and Beth Brodie find it unfathomable that they will now have to face these murderers who are entitled to regular parole hearings. They are fighting every step of the way.








Additional cases of juvenile offenders in this episode: Thomas Wharf, 1981 Boston, Mass - his killer, Diatchenko was granted parole but is now back in prison Cole Cannon, 2002 Five Points, Alabama (Miller v Alabama) - teen killer resentenced to LWOP

Laurie Troup, 1999 Blytheville, Arkansas (Jackson v Hobbs) all three boys arrested in her case were granted release, the shooter is back in prison Lewis Jennings, 1986 Middleboro, Mass - one of Lewis's killers was granted parole

Bonnie Sue Mitchell, 1981 Lynn, Mass - Bonnie's killer has gotten parole

Write to the parole board:


Massachusetts Parole Board

12 Mercer Rd

Natick, Mass  01760


Unsolved Somerville cases I talked about:





Photos


Beth Brodie and news about her case, Shaun Ouillette, Janet Downing, Amy Carnevale, Lewis Jennings, Bonnie Sue Mitchel L-- murder victims of juvenile killers; Gregory Diatchenko, juvenile killer of Thomas Wharf, who got paroled and had it revoked






Sources


Updating 
Dead of Winter: The Empty Chair - Jeanne Quinn, Shaun Ouillette - Discovery ID

Justice for Beth Brodie Speaking events and family member testimony

2024 Parole Hearing notes

Pappas Rehabilitation Hospital for Children (PRHC)

Boston Magazine - Would You Let This Man Go Free? Greg Diatchenko

Boston Magazine - The Reilly Factor


WCVB Channel 5 - Massachusetts SJC rules life without parole unconstitutional for offenders under 21https://www.wcvb.com/article/massachusetts-sjc-life-without-parole-unconstitutional-under-age-21/46351900

Boston magazine, 2014 - The Downing Family’s Fight to Keep a Convicted Murderer Behind Bars

WBUR - 'I Think I Deserve That Second Chance': Former Juvenile Lifers, Now Free, Try To Reenter Society https://www.wbur.org/morningedition/2016/09/07/juvenile-lifers-out

Bill S. 2008 An Act relative to juvenile life with parolehttps://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/S2008

Evan Miller, Juvenile Lifer from Miller v. Alabama, Re-Sentenced To LWOPh

EJI won a landmark ruling from the Supreme Court striking down mandatory death-in-prison sentences for children https://eji.org/cases/miller-v-alabama/

AL.com - Alabama man convicted of brutal murder when he was 14 to learn Tuesday if he gets chance at parole


Moulton Advertiser - Life without parole for Evan Miller


Evan Miller juvenile murderer

AL.com - Evan Miller, the Alabama inmate whose case became precedent for juvenile sentencing, set for hearing


Kuntrell Jackson - Jackson v Hobbs



MassLive - Beth Brodie’s family opposes killer’s parole 30 years after conviction


Canton Patch - Shaun Ouillette’s killer seeks parole again

Court Brief - Edward O’Brien Jr


Celeste Fuller obituary
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