Overview
- The Kansas Prisoner Review Board rescinded its March 6, 2025 decision to grant parole to Jimmie Nelms during a May 16 hearing.
- Nelms was convicted of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and firearm possession in the 1978 killing of Trooper Conroy O’Brien and sentenced to two life terms plus nine years.
- The board provided no public explanation for reversing its decision, fueling criticism of the parole system’s transparency.
- Law enforcement groups and state leaders, including Governor Laura Kelly and Attorney General Kris Kobach, strongly opposed Nelms’ parole approval.
- Nelms has been eligible for parole since 1993 and has appeared before the board nine times, with this latest reversal reigniting debates over justice and accountability in parole decisions.