Prisoner Who Won Michigan Supreme Court Case Denied Parole
ADRIAN (WWJ/AP) - A prisoner who won a major Michigan Supreme Court case about changing his sentence won't be released anytime soon.
The Corrections Department says no reason was given by parole board members who rejected Matthew Makowski's bid for parole. The decision was made Dec. 11. He'll be reviewed again in 2016.
Makowski has been in prison since 1989 when he was convicted of first-degree murder for a robbery that turned into a fatal stabbing in Dearborn. Makowski wasn't present when co-worker Pietro "Pete" Puma was killed, but he had arranged the robbery.
In 2010, Gov. Jennifer Granholm commuted his no-parole sentence in one of her final acts as governor. But in an unprecedented move, she rescinded the order within 48 hours, on Christmas Eve, when the Puma's family protested. Relatives said they were not told that Makowski was being considered for release and only read of the commutation in the news.
In June, the Michigan Supreme Court unanimously agreed that Granholm's reversal was illegal, making Makowski eligible for parole.
Makowski, now 47, has been described as a model prisoner.
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