Union slams Parole Board with campaign

CRANSTON, R.I. (WPRI) -- The Rhode Island Brotherhood of Correctional Officers, or RIBCO, is coming out swinging after a Target 12 story of a so-called "thrill killer's" early release. The group wants members of the Rhode Island Parole Board to step down, and is calling attention to the situation with a media and direct mail campaign.

The correctional officers' union says the Parole Board keeps making decisions that are too lenient, and the Board is unaccountable. The union also takes issue with provisions under which an inmate may have time taken off a sentence for good behavior.

Alfred Brissette was convicted of killing Jeannette Descoteaux back in June 1999, having lured her with another man to a wooded area of Burrillville. The pair beat her to death. Last month, the Parole Board granted Brissette an early release from prison -- so he'd serve only 13 years of a 35-year sentence.

After the Target 12 story aired, the Parole Board decided to review its decision, meaning Brissette remains behind bars. But that's nowhere near good enough for the correctional officer's union; the entire system needs overhauling.

David Mellon, the president of RIBCO, says the four members of the parole board who voted for the early release need to step down. "Anybody who voted for him to be released should resign or be removed, absolutely," he said Tuesday.

The union is now launching a campaign online, on the air and in your mailbox -- spotlighting criminals like Brissette.

"They have no business getting out of jail after the horrific crime they have committed," Mellon said.

The campaign consists of postcard fliers, a web site, endtheviolenceri.com, television and radio ads, as well as a "Rally for Safe Communities" set for this coming Saturday.

"They were all released from prison early... and they all killed people after their release," an announcer says in one of the commercials.

To be clear, the Brotherhood says these men are the worst of the worst, and should be treated as special cases. "We're not opposed to good time [statutes]... but these individuals -- the horrific crimes -- they should be exempt from good time," Mellon said.

The Parole Board has refused to comment. But, the members will meet Monday to reconsider the early release decision.