It is with heavy hearts and much dread that we are forced for the 21st time in 34 years to fight the parole of the man that robbed and brutally beat our Mother to death. We just went through this last November 2017 with the actual hearing Jan 2018. We received the final decision in March 2018. This week, just 8 months after notification and decision of the last hearing, we are notified of yet another parole hearing for this same man.
It is not with any vindictive/revengeful thoughts of keeping this man in prison, but a matter of keeping one behind bars that had a record prior to this extremely heinous brutal murder, who has now been institutionalized for several years, NEVER expressing remorse. The recidivism rate for these type of crimes is 76.6% within 1-5 years of release before they re-enter the system. That risk it to high! We appreciate you signing the petition, and requesting by law SB-721 that it be at least 5 years before his parole is heard again. All details of this crime is listed in the letter below. Please share and THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!!
Nov. 15, 2018
To: State of Illinois Prisoner Review Board
Re: Parole DENIAL request for Danny D. Lillard (C71613)
We were notified today, that once again Danny D. Lillard will be sitting before the Prisoner Review Board on Jan. 3, 2019. He will be asking for his freedom despite the fact that on Dec. 2, 1976, he robbed and brutally beat to death an innocent woman (our Mother), Mary E. Huffman, while she innocently went about her daily duties of running her gift shop and candy store.
This murder was extremely brutal and heinous as he beat her with a crow bar, striking her 17 times in the head. She literally had no head left and both arms were broken in multiple places.
This robbery and murder took place while Danny D. Lillard was on probation for a previous armed robbery. He had also been treated in 2 different mental facilities on 3 occasions, and left each time before completing treatments.
In 1977, after our Mother's murder, the Judge sentenced Lillard to 110-180 (CS) consecutive years with no parole in an attempt to keep him off the streets. Sadly, due to loopholes in the laws, after serving only 7 years, he was eligible for his first parole hearing. This in now the 21st time in 34 years we have fought his parole.
Though I will be appearing before the Prisoner Review Board prior to Jan. 3rd, we've been advised by the Parole Board at every hearing to obtain letters and/or signatures from others to show the public does not want prisoners with this type of background released.
The risk of this man being released is to great of a threat to society.... EVEN if that risk is only 1%. Let him live out the sentence the Judge imposed on him, and maintain his lifestyle behind bars.
We also request that by LAW SB-721 that it be up to 5 years before he is considered for parole again!
Please SHARE this with as many people as possible! Our deadline to have signatures to the Parole Board is Dec. 20, 2018.
From the children of the victim Mary E. Huffman.... Thank you for your support!
Joe Huffman
Diana (Huffman) Paddock
Debbie (Huffman) Smith
Elizabeth (Huffman) Sadowski
Tim Huffman
Jim Huffman
