…“I am totally, totally opposed to parole for Mr. Brown. I don’t care what he’s accomplished in prison. What else could he do?” -Grand Ole Opry Star Jan Howard.…
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| John Brown before Parole Board – 2008 |
For nearly an hour, two Tennessee Parole board members listened to John Brown’s tearful plea for freedom.
We can’t help but note the striking contrasts and differences between Brown’s tearful plea today for his release from prison and the documented plea of Stringbean’s wife Estelle 38 years ago when she, on hands and knees, was begging for her life to be spared just before Brown admittedly pulled the trigger and put a bullet in her head.
Both Parole Board Members attending the hearing today voted against Brown’s release.
The remaining five parole board members will vote in the coming days after reviewing the material from Tuesday’s hearing.
It will take four of the seven votes for Brown to be granted the parole he seeks.
Brown, now 60 years old, has served 37 years of his 198-year sentence for killing the Akemans in 1973 as they returned to their home following a performance at the Grand Ole Opry.
At the end of Tuesday’s hearing, he turned to those opposing his release and asked for their forgiveness.
“I asked the board to do the hard thing and give me parole,” he said, adding, “I made a promise to myself when I was in solitary conferment that I wanted to help people and influence them, and I think I have.”
Brown has received his GED, his associate’s degree and served as a prison pastor and mentor to other inmates while behind bars.
Opry member Jan Howard was among those who spoke out Tuesday against Brown’s release.
“I am totally, totally opposed to parole for Mr. Brown. I don’t care what he’s accomplished in prison. What else could he do?” she asked.
The state parole board has previously denied Brown’s request for parole three times, most recently in the fall of 2008.
If his request is again denied, the next time Brown would be eligible to seek parole would be in 2017.