NATICK, Mass. — A Massachusetts parole board hearing brought a decades-old case back into focus Thursday, as officials weighed whether a convicted killer could be released from prison.
The emotional, more than four-hour-long hearing centered on Jose Colon. The 63-year-old has served 43 years behind bars after being convicted in the 1983 murder of state trooper George Hanna, who was shot and killed during a traffic stop in Auburn.
Hanna left behind three children, including his daughter’s, Deb and Kim, who are still traumatized by that day.
“There’s not a day that passes that something doesn’t remind me of him or that I miss him,” Deb Hanna said. “It’s still a hole in my heart that will never be repaired.”
Colon was 20 years old at the time of the killing and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. That sentence changed due to a shift in Massachusetts law, bringing Colon before the parole board on Thursday.
“I would never do anything like that, never by myself. Never. Because that’s not in my heart. I’m so sorry for what I did. His family suffered the most. I know that,” Colon told the parole board.
Outside the hearing room, members of the Hanna family gathered in a stand-out, urging the board to deny parole. They say Thursday’s hearing forced them to relive the loss of a father, a husband, and a trooper killed in the line of duty. Deb and her sister Kim made a plea before the board.
“I am here to oppose his parole with every part of my heart,” Deb told the board.
During the hearing, the board also heard arguments from Colon’s legal team, who pointed to his age at the time of the crime and his behavior during decades behind bars.
“Mr. Colon has no intention to come before this board or ever to try and present an excuse or a justification,” his attorney, Shannon Lopez, said.
After hours of testimony, the parole board did not immediately announce a decision. Though during the hearing, three of the six members indicated that they don’t feel as though Colon has proven enough to be granted parole.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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