Opinion ID: 612705
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Attorney General's appeal and the Parole Commission's June 14, 2005, reopening of Bowers' case

Text: At the end of May 2005, the Office of the Deputy Attorney General requested information about Bowers' case from the Parole Commission's Chief of Staff. In a memorandum dated May 31, 2005, the Parole Commission's Chief of Staff described the administrative appeal process as well as the background on the Bowers case. The memorandum noted both an inmate and an attorney general may appeal a Parole Commission decision under 18 U.S.C. § 4215, and stated in a footnote the view of the Commission's legal office that § 4215(c) would also apply to original jurisdiction cases, even though the Commission's regulations do not specifically refer to Attorney General appeal of such cases. Counsel to the Deputy Attorney General posed some followup questions, including whether it would be appropriate for Commissioner Cushwa to explain in her own words why she voted to detain. The Parole Commission's Chief of Staff responded in a June 1, 2005, memorandum: [I]t would be inappropriate and not in the best interests of the Commission  or the Attorney General  for the Attorney General to ask her to explain her vote. For one thing, it suggests a relationship incompatible with the independence sought by Congress when it established the Commission and could create the appearance of an attempt to influence. On June 9, 2005, then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales requested that, [p]ursuant to the Rules and Procedures of the United States Parole Commission and in response to the May 17, 2005 Notice of Action, the Parole Commission review and consider the Veronza L. Bowers matter and render a new decision on whether to grant or deny parole to Bowers. The memorandum further stated that: Because the original jurisdiction decision was split 2-2-1, reconsideration may clarify the Parole Commission's decision in this matter. Further, review will give each of the five Commissioners the opportunity to clarify their positions on whether to grant or deny parole to Bowers. Finally, the review may address any factual and/or legal ambiguities contained in the initial decision. On June 14, 2005, the Parole Commissioners, with the exception of Commissioner Fulwood, voted to reopen the case and delay Bowers' mandatory parole date of June 21, 2005, for up to 60 days to consider petition of the Attorney General for reconsideration of Original Jurisdiction decision.