Senate to Hold Hearings on Parole Board Leniency & Pardons for Violent Felons

Albany, NY - The New York State Senate Republican Majority will hold hearings on the Parole Board’s leniency on cop killers, sex offenders, and violent felons who have appeared before them and received parole. Many of these dangerous parolees have received secretive pardons from Governor Andrew Cuomo who unilaterally granted them the right to vote by signing an Executive Order in April.

Over 24,000 parolees received special pardons to vote from Governor Cuomo. One pardon was granted to Herman Bell, who notoriously murdered two police officers in 1971 and had received a life sentence. Cuomo also granted the same status to 77 high-level sex offenders upstate. It is currently unknown exactly how many “conditional pardons” his office issued.

The hearings will be chaired by Senator Patrick M. Gallivan (R-C-I, Elma), Chairman of the Senate’s Crime Victims, Crime and Correction Committee, and specific details will be announced shortly.

“I am troubled by the Parole Board’s apparent disregard for the law-abiding citizens it is supposed to serve. The seeming automatic release of cop killers, sex offenders and violent felons is unacceptable. Further, thousands of criminals who have yet to fulfill their debt to society have had rights restored by the governor through a questionable process. It is time to get answers,” said Senator Gallivan, a former member of the New York State Board of Parole.

Over 125 pardoned parolees already lost the right Governor Cuomo gave them to vote, after violating parole or committing a new crime, including:

• Nicholas Pulido, who raped a 14-year-old girl in 2015 when he was already a registered sex offender. While out on parole, he received a conditional pardon from Governor Cuomo to vote — and then raped a girl under 17 years old. The high-risk, Level 3 sex offender is now back in prison.

“Andrew Cuomo’s Get Out the Vote operation includes pardoning the worst of the worst offenders. Cop killers, pedophiles, and rapists should not be rewarded with a vote and the peace and freedom that they destroyed for others. We are deeply concerned that these individuals will be entering polling places in schools, and demand a full release of the conditional pardons,” said Senate Majority Leader John J. Flanagan (R-C-I, East Northport).

A hearing schedule has not been finalized.

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