November 15th, 2017
Dear Friends,
We are writing to inform you that, for the third time, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles has denied Brandon Threet's parole. We could not have done it without your strength and support.
On November 14th, 2017, we received the following notice from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Victim Services Division:
RE: Offender THREET, BRANDON, State ID# 06768247, TDCJ# 01115991
On 11/13/2017, the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles denied parole for this
offender and set the next review for 11/13/2019. You will be notified when the case
is placed in the review process, approximately four months prior to the next
review date. Should the Board receive additional information that may return the
case to the review process earlier than the next review date, you will be notified.
We understand how difficult it was to write a parole protest letter, or to sign a parole protest petition. We appreciate the time, effort, thought and heart you put in. Every word in each letter, and every signed petition, had a significant impact on the Parole Board's decision. The Parole Board denied the offender's parole request based on:
"The record indicates the instant offense has elements of brutality, violence,
assaultive behavior or conscious selection of victim's vulnerability indicating
a conscious disregard for the lives, safety or property of others, such that
the offender poses a continuing threat to public safety."
The Parole Board also deferred the next parole review for two years which means our voice was heard.
Both the Director and Deputy Director of TDCJ Victim Services told us that once again our protest has been one of the largest in recent history. To process our protest, TDCJ expedited improvements to the system that ultimately help other victims, their families and friends in protesting their offender's parole.
There are not enough words for us to express our gratitude to you. We can only recite Terence's expectation of life which he wrote on his college essay:
My goal is to reach an old age and be able to look back on my life and smile,
knowing that others have benefited from me being alive, and I have impacted
their lives in a positive way.
Because of Threet's cruelty and violence, Terence didn't live to an old age and Terence will never get the chance to look back on his life and smile. Terence's death has brought us pain and grief forever.
Your support and friendship along with Terence's words have helped bring us the courage to live positively. Again, we thank you for standing with us. If you have any questions, please contact us. When it comes time to protest this offender's release once again, we hope we can count on your help.
Sincerely,
James, Chung and Brendan McArdle
Dear Friends: Thank You 2015
Dear Friends: Thank You 2012