Opinion: DePalo, Kennedy encourage Baker to advance commutation petition

As elected members of the 8-member Governor’s Council, one of our roles is to provide advice and consent on pardons and commutations put forth by the Governor. That’s why we’ve closely watched the commutation process for Mr. Thomas Koonce, whom the Parole Board recently recommended for commutation. Mr. Koonce was the Board’s first clemency hearing in over six years. The Board’s recommendation now awaits the Governor’s action: either deny, or send to the Governor’s Council for advice and consent.

We recently visited Mr. Koonce and his attorney at MCI Norfolk. At 19, Mr. Koonce fired a shot into a crowd while fleeing a violent mob, killing a man. Mr. Koonce, an honorably discharged Marine, has served 29 years under a life-without-parole conviction for first degree murder. Mr. Koonce presents a tale of redemption: while incarcerated, he has spent decades coordinating restorative justice programs for at-risk youth. At Mr. Koonce’s Parole Board hearing, even the District Attorney’s office that prosecuted Mr. Koonce supported his commutation.

We believe in the goal of rehabilitation in our criminal system, and support the Governor’s clemency guidelines when they frame commutation as a “strong motivation for confined persons to utilize available resources for self-development and self-improvement and as an incentive for them to become law-abiding citizens and return to society.” A commutation is essentially a celebration of the system’s success.

The Parole Board issued its recommendation on January 14, 2021. We encourage the Governor to timely advance Mr. Koonce’s petition to the Governor’s Council for advice and consent.

Submitted by Governor’s Councillors Paul DePalo (District 7) and Terrence Kennedy (District 6)