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14h ago

Kansas Governor Urges Reconsideration of Parole for Trooper's Convicted Killer

The Kansas Prisoner Review Board approved Jimmie K. Nelms’s parole, sparking backlash from law enforcement and political leaders over the 1978 murder case.

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This image of the late Conroy O’Brien is on a Kansas Highway Patrol page that offers information about the trooper killed in the line of duty.
Jimmie Nelms was granted parole, drawing condemnation from Kansas law enforcement officials and politicians due to his conviction for murdering a police officer.

Overview

  • Jimmie K. Nelms, 78, was granted parole after serving 46 years for the 1978 murder of Kansas Trooper Conroy O’Brien during a traffic stop.
  • The Kansas Prisoner Review Board justified the decision, stating Nelms poses no risk to the community or himself, though no release date has been set.
  • Governor Laura Kelly has called on the board to reconsider the decision, citing the brutal nature of the crime and its impact on law enforcement.
  • The Kansas State Troopers Association and Republican leaders condemned the parole decision, describing it as unjust and a failure to uphold accountability for killing an officer.
  • The case has reignited scrutiny of Kansas’s 2011 parole process reforms, which shifted decision-making to the Department of Corrections, raising concerns about inmate releases.