By Dee DeQuattro, WPRO News
The Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers (RIBCO) has begun a public safety campaign petitioning the Rhode Island Parole Board to stop being lenient with violent offenders.
The campaign, End the Violence, RI, has sprung up after the Parole Board approved the release of Alfred Brissette, a man convicted of murdering a woman by violently beating her with a lug wrench for the thrill of the kill, after only serving 13 years of a 35 year sentence. After public outcry the parole board decided to halt Brissette’s release and revisit the situation later this month.
The campaign includes online, T.V., and radio ads, a petition to the parole board, and a direct mailer. The group has also planned a rally for Saturday Dec. 15 at 3:30 p.m. at the Donald Price Medium Security Prison.
The ads highlight several violent criminals including Freddie Bishop, Andrew Jett,, and Jason Pleau who were all released from prison early only to commit murder after their release.
"In the last few years, we have seen some of the most violent criminals released early because of a careless Parole Board and a lenient Good Time law. The latest example of this carelessness is Alfred Brissette, also known as 'The Thrill Killer,' who the Parole Board recently granted early release,” said David Mellon, President of RIBCO.
Mellon said between the Parole Boards policies and the state’s “good time” law Rhode Island communities are being put at risk. "These policies are allowing for vicious criminals to be released into our neighborhoods. Just because they behave in prison does not make them fit to be released. The intent of this campaign is to notify the public of how their safety is being put at risk-and highlight some especially egregious examples like Freddie Bishop, Andrew Jett, Matthew Komrowski and Jason Pleau, all of whom were released early-and all of whom murdered people not long after they were released. We want the powers that be to know that we are going to hold them accountable in the public eye,” said Mellon.
