The Louisiana Committee on Parole convened in Baton Rouge on Dec. 8, 2025, for a multi‑case docket and denied parole in multiple hearings after weighing family testimony, reentry offers and law‑enforcement opposition.

At an early morning hearing, the panel heard supporters for an offender identified in the record as Timothy (DOC 477228). "I’m not asking for special treatment, only for fair consideration of the man he has become after 24 years of growth and accountability," said Catherine Ballham, who identified herself as the offender’s daughter. Kerry Myers of the Louisiana Parole Project told the panel the man had been a trustee, worked on a carpenter crew and had few recent disciplinary incidents, and that the project would provide reentry services including mentoring, employment help and program referrals.

Grant Parish Sheriff Steven McCain testified in opposition, saying the offender had tried to kill two deputies and asking the board to let the sentence stand. "Timothy Bolen tried to kill 2 law enforcement professionals," McCain said, urging denial on public‑safety grounds. The offender read a letter of apology into the record, accepted responsibility for the 2004 incident and described participation in victim‑awareness programming.

Panelists questioned facility staff and the offender about recent write‑ups, programming and observed remorse. After deliberation the panel announced the parole request had been denied. Throughout the morning and into the afternoon the board cited similar reasons — strong opposition from law enforcement and victims, outstanding program requirements, and concerns about time served and disciplinary history — when voting to deny other requests.

In a later docket, Oscar James Kenton Jr. (DOC 460038) described a long recovery from addiction and read a statement accepting responsibility for a 2003 robbery and related events. Family members, a fiancé and community ministers described housing plans, marriage plans and support in North Carolina; the Louisiana Parole Project offered to provide transitional services. Troopers and other law‑enforcement witnesses described injuries and lingering harm from the crimes and urged denial. Panel members focused their questioning on program completion, GED status and disciplinary records; some members recommended additional treatment and transfers to facilities that provide required programming before another hearing is scheduled. The panel recorded denials in multiple cases and instructed staff to document outstanding program and assessment requirements that must be met before future consideration.

What the board said matters: panelists repeatedly emphasized two practical thresholds for future eligibility — completion of court‑ or facility‑recommended programming (particularly substance‑use and victim‑impact classes) and a record free of recent disciplinary infractions. Several panelists also cited law‑enforcement and victim opposition as decisive. Reentry providers urged the board to consider concrete housing, employment and case‑management plans; law‑enforcement witnesses described the serious, sometimes violent, consequences of the underlying offenses and asked the board to weigh public‑safety risk heavily.

The Committee on Parole is statutorily empaneled as a five‑member board for cases involving crimes against law enforcement. Panel members identified in the record included Chuck Chiles, Danny Barra, Pete Freeman and Steve Prater (serving remotely); the chair presiding at headquarters identified later in the transcript as Jerry Ladoux. Several hearings included remote testimony from district attorneys, sheriffs and other officials.

The board announced its decisions on the record and closed the session after completing the scheduled docket; one offender was removed from the calendar for disciplinary reasons. No parole grants were announced on this docket. The committee said many cases will require additional programming or assessment completion before they are eligible for reconsideration.