In Columbia, South Carolina, Tiffany Jenae Carroll, aged 36, will continue serving her 15-year prison sentence as the state parole board denied her request for early release on Wednesday. Despite a 3-2 vote in support of her reintegration into society, Carroll's bid for parole fell short due to stricter criteria for certain violent offenses.
With one abstention and another board member absent, she failed to secure the necessary two-thirds vote for parole.
The decision has left advocates disheartened, as they have tirelessly pursued various avenues since Carroll's sentencing in January 2020. Despite a state lawmaker's attempt to secure a pardon, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services deemed Carroll ineligible due to her parole eligibility.
Last fall, the state board unanimously rejected her initial parole request.
Carroll had pleaded guilty but mentally ill to voluntary manslaughter for the death of William Jamaal Johnson. The sentencing judge acknowledged her history of domestic violence in her relationship with Johnson, whom she fatally stabbed during an argument at a Greenwood residence.
Authorities had responded to their residence eight times between May 2016 and the fatal stabbing.
Attorney Travis Moore emphasized that when officers arrived at the crime scene on September 18, 2017, they found Carroll trying to save the life of her abusive partner, whom she had just stabbed. Moore argued that Carroll had no prior history of violence and that Johnson had been the primary aggressor in the argument leading to his death.
He further explained that Carroll had suffered psychological trauma due to domestic abuse, a condition known as battered woman syndrome, which can lead to feelings of helplessness and escalated violence.
During the approximately 30-minute hearing, questions arose regarding Carroll's plans if granted parole.
She expressed her intention to live with her uncle's family and seek employment to support her five children, who would not immediately join her. When asked about preventing future conflicts, Carroll mentioned that she had developed coping skills during her incarceration and hoped to help others in similar situations. She also emphasized her desire for forgiveness and support from the family of the man she killed.
Advocates have argued that the state women's prison is unsuitable for a mother who should be with her children. Carroll has maintained a disciplinary record without sanctions, earning several work certificates and accumulating credits as a custodian and landscaper, according to the South Carolina Department of Corrections' website.
Supporters highlighted Carroll's strong backing from the Greenwood community. Republican State Rep. John McCravy, who has represented the area since 2016, testified that Carroll had two pending job offers, one of which he extended personally. He even offered her a place to stay with his family if her initial plans didn't materialize.
No external voices spoke against Carroll's early release on Wednesday. However, Frank Wideman, one of the two members who voted against granting parole, cited the nature of the crime and mentioned a local police chief's opposition to parole during the board's brief discussion.
This case could lead to legal changes in South Carolina.
Attorney Travis Moore, also a Republican state representative, views this "temporary setback" as evidence that reforms are needed. He advocates for increased legal protections for individuals like Carroll, who do not meet the criteria for self-defense at trial.
Moore, along with McCravy, intends to introduce legislation next year addressing the inclusion of people with battered women syndrome in such scenarios.
Meanwhile in Las Vegas, a former fugitive from Colorado, Matthew John Ermond Mannix, 36, pleaded guilty for his involvement in a dramatic incident on the Las Vegas Strip, which led to a significant hotel standoff. See detailed story here
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