Two civil rights advocates argued Wednesday against the reappointment of state parole board member Lucy Soto-Abbe, saying she is wrong for the panel because of her background as a longtime victim witness advocate and tendency to deny parole.
Addressing the Governor’s Council, attorneys Patricia Garin and Leslie Walker said they would like to see more candidates like Tonomey Coleman, a criminal defense attorney. He was nominated to the board earlier this month, along with Soto-Abbe, by Governor Deval Patrick.
Comments
The Massachusetts Parole Board has become a politicized disgrace and I'm sorry to say I'm not surprised that Deval Patrick has created this monster. How can a parole board have even the appearance of objectivity when it is composed entirely of law enforcement types? People should care about this issue because most inmates are released and society is better off if they are managed upon their reentry which is what parole does.