TIME TO PAROLE BRIAN THOMPSON

In July of 1977 Brian Thompson who at that time was 23 years old had gotten into a fight with Mark VanDellen who had started having an affair with Brian's common law wife. They had been together since the age of 14. Sadly, during the ensuing fight Mr. VanDellen was stabbed 10 times.

Brian had been having several extremely high stress producing incidents before this happened, including the arson burning of his building.

He travelled to Chicago from Michigan to try to get his wife back only to learn of the affair. Upon learning of this, Brian lost control. 

Brian was arrested at his home in Michigan. He waived extradition and was released on an out of state bond for over a year with no problems. He is a first time offender. He was convicted of one count of murder, and sentenced to 40 to 80 years under the old sentencing code of indeterminate sentencing. He became eligible for parole in 1988, but he has been routinely denied based on the catchall "seriousness of the offense" criteria.

At the time Brian was "advised" by counsel to take the old sentencing law because 1 out 2 people seen by the board was paroled. Currently 1 out 100 is paroled.

All murders are serious. Brian has never denied that nor has he denied his responsibility in the crime.  He has an excellent prison record and has completed, at a top level, an unbelievable number of courses, programs and accomplishments (listed below):

Earned certificates in welding, small engines, heating & air conditioning, building maintenance, NIASE (now ASE) certified master auto body and master auto mechanic, electronics technology, diet chef, Illinois food service sanitation manager and paralegal studies. He has his Associates degree and is 3 credits short of his bachelor's degree.

Programs: vice-president, secretary, & membership comm. chairman for Lifer's Ltd, chess club, music club, guides for better living (positive mental attitude program), art program, legal skills programs, certified adult literacy instructor (project read), polar bear club, walkers club, internal board of directors prisoners' support coalition, and lifestyles redirection. (The lifestyles redirection class was just started last year and Brian was one of the first 25 chosen for the class.)

He has received recommendations from all his supervisors, teachers, and from people in the free community. Brian has a documented save of an officer and the exercise of restraint when he simply disarmed an attacker when he was attacked.

Brian does not smoke or drink. He does not use drugs nor does he belong to any gangs. This crime of passion was his only crime over 30 years ago when he was 23 years old. He has done so much to improve his life and to show he is not the same person he was then but the PRB will not give him the opportunity to prove that. They admit that he has done everything he can but he just has to wait. The few people who fit Brian's profile rarely reoffend. The PRB have routinely released worse offenders than Brian with worse records but keep denying him.

At a time when the prisons are overcrowded and there is a huge deficit isn't it time to let someone like Brian Thompson out of prison? Brian is now 55 years old, is anyone the same person they were at 23?

Please sign the petition to help release Brian! Thank you so much.

In July of 1977 Brian Thompson who at that time was 23 years old had gotten into a fight with Mark VanDellen who had started having an affair with Brian's common law wife. They had been together since the age of 14. Sadly, during the ensuing fight Mr. VanDellen was stabbed 10 times.

Brian had been having several extremely high stress producing incidents before this happened, including the arson burning of his building.

He travelled to Chicago from Michigan to try to get his wife back only to learn of the affair. Upon learning of this, Brian lost control. 

Brian was arrested at his home in Michigan. He waived extradition and was released on an out of state bond for over a year with no problems. He is a first time offender. He was convicted of one count of murder, and sentenced to 40 to 80 years under the old sentencing code of indeterminate sentencing. He became eligible for parole in 1988, but he has been routinely denied based on the catchall "seriousness of the offense" criteria.

At the time Brian was "advised" by counsel to take the old sentencing law because 1 out 2 people seen by the board was paroled. Currently 1 out 100 is paroled.

All murders are serious. Brian has never denied that nor has he denied his responsibility in the crime.  He has an excellent prison record and has completed, at a top level, an unbelievable number of courses, programs and accomplishments (listed below):

Earned certificates in welding, small engines, heating & air conditioning, building maintenance, NIASE (now ASE) certified master auto body and master auto mechanic, electronics technology, diet chef, Illinois food service sanitation manager and paralegal studies. He has his Associates degree and is 3 credits short of his bachelor's degree.

Programs: vice-president, secretary, & membership comm. chairman for Lifer's Ltd, chess club, music club, guides for better living (positive mental attitude program), art program, legal skills programs, certified adult literacy instructor (project read), polar bear club, walkers club, internal board of directors prisoners' support coalition, and lifestyles redirection. (The lifestyles redirection class was just started last year and Brian was one of the first 25 chosen for the class.)

He has received recommendations from all his supervisors, teachers, and from people in the free community. Brian has a documented save of an officer and the exercise of restraint when he simply disarmed an attacker when he was attacked.

Brian does not smoke or drink. He does not use drugs nor does he belong to any gangs. This crime of passion was his only crime over 30 years ago when he was 23 years old. He has done so much to improve his life and to show he is not the same person he was then but the PRB will not give him the opportunity to prove that. They admit that he has done everything he can but he just has to wait. The few people who fit Brian's profile rarely reoffend. The PRB have routinely released worse offenders than Brian with worse records but keep denying him.

At a time when the prisons are overcrowded and there is a huge deficit isn't it time to let someone like Brian Thompson out of prison? Brian is now 55 years old, is anyone the same person they were at 23?

Please sign the petition to help release Brian! Thank you so much.