Photo: iStockphoto
It looks like, on top of bail reform in Texas, we may also need parole reform. A now 18-year-old who was out on parole is now accused of attacking and robbing an 81-year-old woman near her Alief apartment.
The accused attacker is Benny Simmons. He was paroled early this year, at the age of 17, after being convicted of capital murder in 2022. Since being paroled, he has turned 18 and now stands accused of aggravated robbery.
He allegedly ripped the car keys from a lanyard worn by an 81-year-old woman and knocked her to the ground. Andy Kahan with Crime Stoppers now wants to know why he was released. He told KTRH, "The juvenile system deemed him worthy of being paroled after serving just 2 years of a 20-year sentence. Never seen anything like it."
Kahan now wants to know who made the decision to let Simmons out after spending such a short amount of time behind bars. Kahan asked, "Was it the Texas Parole Board, was it juvenile officials? There's an explanation that the people of Texas deserve."
He added that someone being sentenced in 2022 for capital murder and released in 2025 is almost unheard of, and pointed out that normally, serving half a sentence would be required before receiving parole, but because Simmons was convicted at just 15, it appears that that was not the case.