On August 19, Felix had his 5th parole hearing, this time held over a conference call. I did not have to travel to Florida to appear before the Parole Commission.
The outcome was a denial.
The next hearing will be in Aug. 2022. When a sentence is handed down, the inmate is given a PPRD. This would be the proposed parole release date. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this would be the actual date the inmate is released. Felix has been a model inmate for most of his long prison life. Therefore, his PPRD has been reduced several times, and a full year was taken off at this hearing. If not released sooner, Felix will be paroled in 2024.
However, due to an outbreak of Covid-19 in his pod, Felix is being quarantined with other uninfected inmates in the prison gym. He’s OK, though, as far as that is concerned. But, the only way to reach him with the news about his own hearing, was to talk with his ADA Coordinator, who told me he could have Felix’s counselor bring him his iPad, and we could communicate via email.
I told Felix:
“This could be considered a win, Felix, knowing what the alternatives were. The parole commission was not going to consider anything else but setting another parole date. I am sorry. We
[attorney Reggie Garcia and I]
tried hard in our petition for an Effective Parole Interview. I spoke on everything I could about your accomplishments – work – classes.”
Family members of the victim were also on the phone call and they got to speak as well as the Chief Deputy State Attorney, after Reggie and I had finished our 10 minute time allowed.
I felt very let down at the decision but wanted Felix to feel better about it as we both been through so many denials in our 24 years together on his case. He finally did get to read my email and responded with these words which I have copied just as he wrote it:
I finally got your email and now I know what happened with parole. Don’t be upset, you gave it your best shot. The best anyone can do is try. I love you to death for all you have done for me. My god you have done more then everyone put together. Please tell Mr. Reggie I said thank you for his help.
There will come another time when I get to see the board and maybe that will be the time, only God knows… And I look at what you did do, you got 12 months knocked off the parole release date, that’s a hard thing to do. But you did it and you got the board to see me in two more years, that is a win, win.
I know you would have liked to hit a home run but a base hit is just as good. Can you understand what I am saying. I love you mama, I truly do, you gave me hope where others could not.
Felix will soon be 59 years old on October 1st. If you would like to honor his birthday, I invite you to send him a birthday card. Do not include any items in it. All cards are copied on both sides in black and white, nothing original is given to an inmate. His mailing address is:
Felix Garcia #1805390
Greensville Correctional Center
901 Corrections Way
Jarratt, VA 23870
I thank you all and appreciate your continuing interest in Felix and his case. I will keep you posted when news comes forth but even in those times of no word about him, you are thought of.
Sincerely,
Pat Bliss
[Editor’s Note:] Unfortunately I didn’t get this post up until today, Oct. 1st. So…
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