State Senator Pam Helming is taking aim at a pair of criminal justice reform bills she says could endanger New Yorkers by allowing violent offenders early release from prison. In a column released Friday, Helming criticized growing legislative support for the Elder Parole and Second Look Act, calling the measures an alarming shift away from justice for crime victims.
The Elder Parole bill would require the Board of Parole to review cases of incarcerated individuals aged 55 and older who have served at least 15 years, regardless of their original offense. According to Helming, this could include those convicted of torture, murder, and other severe crimes. She expressed concern that the bill already has enough Senate sponsors to pass if brought to the floor.
“Is that justice?” Helming wrote, warning that individuals responsible for some of the state’s most heinous crimes, including the murder of Rochester Police Officer Anthony Mazurkiewicz and the brutal killing of a man named Sam Nordquist, could be eligible for parole under the proposed legislation.
Helming also criticized the Second Look Act, which would allow incarcerated individuals with long sentences—regardless of crime severity—to request sentence reductions. She highlighted the backing of the state’s top judge as a troubling sign of institutional support for what she described as “criminal-first policies.”
Adding to her concerns, Helming pointed to Governor Kathy Hochul’s proposal to close up to five more state prisons. She questioned the broader direction of state policy, suggesting it prioritizes the release of inmates over the safety of the public and respect for jury decisions.
“Where is the concern for victims of crime over the perpetrators of crime?” she asked, urging lawmakers to shift their focus back to justice for victims like Nordquist, Officer Mazurkiewicz, and 63-year-old Myrtle Watson, who was recently killed in her Rochester home.
Helming concluded by calling on New Yorkers to reject what she sees as a dangerous trend. “We must stand together to protect innocent people and ensure that those who commit the most horrific crimes remain behind bars where they belong,” she wrote.
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