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NY Bills Could Parole 55-Year-Old Inmates, Raise Killer Fears

5/5/2026

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Summary

Story summary

New York lawmakers are reviewing two bills that would let inmates 55 and older with 15 years served apply for parole.
Victims’ families warn the proposals could free notorious killers such as the Son of Sam.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry called the measures a cruel blow to families of fallen officers.
Critics say the bills shift the burden to the state to prove a prisoner remains a danger.

History

Historical Context

David Berkowitz, the “Son of Sam,” killed six people in New York City between 1975 and 1977 and has faced parole denials, most recently in 2024. After the 1991 Supreme Court strike on the original Son of Sam law, New York revised the statute in 1992, and current proposals now would let inmates aged 55 or older with at least 15 years served petition parole.

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Story summary

New York lawmakers are reviewing two bills that would let inmates 55 and older with 15 years served apply for parole.
Victims’ families warn the proposals could free notorious killers such as the Son of Sam.
Police Benevolent Association President Patrick Hendry called the measures a cruel blow to families of fallen officers.
Critics say the bills shift the burden to the state to prove a prisoner remains a danger.

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