CONYERS, Ga. — A significant parole board deadline has passed. Now, a convicted Conyers killer could get out of prison any day. Family of the woman killed said they ae waiting in fear.
Shirley McKnight’s ex-boyfriend, Joseph Monroe, stabbed her to death at her home 30 years ago.
“Christmas, holidays, will never be the same for us, never,” said Melba McKnight-Lett. She was Shirley McKnight’s sister.
She spoke to Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco as she arranged her sister’s old holiday decorations. Family sets them out each year to feel closer to her during the holidays, but they said this year, the loss feels heavier.
“It is very cruel. It has been cruel,” said McKnight-Lett.
In Sept., the Georgia Parole Board tentatively granted Monroe parole. The next month, the McKnight contacted Channel 2 Action News to expose a potential flaw in the board’s notification process.
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The McKnight family said they never received the warning letters the board typically sends in the mail.
“I said, how many other people, how many other families have been neglected, and they don’t know,” said McKnight-Lett.
She found out because her daughter, Amber Lett-Hammond, received an e-mail from the board. It said the family had 20 days to send letters objection to Monroe’s parole.
“The fear and the duress that we’ve been living under since that day,” recalled Hammond-Lett.
Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco called the parole board then. Staff said this was such a violent case, the family had until Dec. 20 to send in objection letters.
“The ball was dropped on the notifying of victim’s families. The ball was completely and totally dropped, and the ball has remained on the floor,” said Lett-Hammond.
That deadline was Friday. The parole board has not decided yet. A spokesperson said there is not decision timeline.
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The McKnight family said staff told them, “Maybe one month, two months, a year, but be happy because that means he’s still in there,” said Lett-Hammond.
The family said they took offense to that.
“There’s nothing to be happy about when we’re sitting here like sitting ducks waiting to see if this person is going to show up on my front doorstep,” said Hammond-Lett.
A spokesperson said if parole is granted, Monroe may be required to complete a Department of Corrections Work Release Program as a precondition.
If parole is denied, a future parole consideration date will be set. The board members would do that. That reconsideration date could be set anywhere from one to eight years from when the denial decision comes down.
The McKnight family plans to share their experience with the parole board with state lawmakers. They want an investigation that examines the notification process, and they want the board to set decision dates.
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