Transcript
00:00:02
Speaker 1: Do you want to do it?
00:00:03
Speaker 2: Do you want me to do it?
00:00:04
Speaker 3: You can do it?
00:00:05
Speaker 2: Okay, Okay. We are here at the at the building where the parole hearing is going to be taking place. It is eight forty six. I think Leo's case is going to be heard around ten. Yeah, and I'm right here with Gilbert to Yeah.
00:00:28
Speaker 4: I think we should sit in the back this time.
00:00:30
Speaker 2: Oh, I will need to be right by the podium. So make sure next is fine.
00:00:36
Speaker 4: Okay, no, Rolem, Yeah, sure. So we're at the break here. They've give him like a five minute break, and I think the Schoolfield case will be called very first next. Everybody seems to be here. Cup is ready, some people from CDP. Chrissy is here, and Jacob Orr will also be I'm here speaking for the state in the tenth I'm not sure if anybody's going to be calling in from the Saum families. I don't think so. But that's about all we know right now.
00:01:18
Speaker 1: Thank good morning everyone. It's ten thirty five am. We're back on the record. This is Melinda Kunrod with the Commission on a Fender review. I'm joining with Commissioner Davison and Commissioner Whant we're about to start the full portion of the docket where all three commissioners will be voting. The first case that we're calling is Item twenty two on page twelve, Leo Schofield. This is an effective interview that was conducted on March twenty seven, twenty twenty Ford Everglades CI the investigators recommending parole. Good morning, Jods, we'd be happy here for you.
00:01:49
Speaker 5: Good morning, Commissioner. It's my name is Scott Kopp. I'm the attorney for Leo Schofield. I'm not going to say much until the end. Want I want some folks that mean a lot to Leo who are present. There's three that are present. They're going to speak first. I'd like to call Sergeant Simmons.
00:02:07
Speaker 6: Good morning.
00:02:09
Speaker 7: My name is Sergeant James Simmons. I'm currently employed at Jefferson Correctional Institution. I've been with the department twenty eight years. Of those twenty eight years, I've known Lei Schofield for twenty seven of those years. Of them twenty seven years, me and Leal Scofield has worked together for the last ten years. Lei Schofield was a great inmate at Hardy Correction to institution. He was a great assets there. I know Mm Schofield had took the theology class to earn a degree in that. I know he had a large Bible class.
00:02:43
Speaker 3: He also.
00:02:46
Speaker 6: Helped me.
00:02:48
Speaker 7: In the locke and key department. I was the lock and key sergeant. He was my orderly. One day we were working pulling the lockout and I was a real bad diabetic bluoshuger dropped as I was falling forward. They tell me that Leo Scofield caught me before I hit the concrete floor and placed me in a chair, and he knew I was a bad diabetic, and he took the meter out of my pocket and placed it on my device to see what my blood sugar was and it was very low. And he got me medical attention quickly and got me some staff in there to help me out. And to this day I am very thankful Leo Scofield was there to help me. I know Leo Schofield has a great support staff with his wife and daughter and other family members. In my professional opinion before that, Leo Schofield make a great candidate for Parot.
00:03:38
Speaker 1: Thank you, sergeant, Thank you for your service.
00:03:41
Speaker 3: Thank you, Sergeant David Welch.
00:03:44
Speaker 8: Good morning, Donald. Commissioners met him, Chair Commissioner Davidson, Commissioner Wyatt. I stand before you today on behalf of Leo Schofield because this is the case that I know in and out, because I met Leo when I was seventeen years old, when I first entered Department of Corrections. Leo Schofield met me off the bus when I was there, scared, didn't know where I was going to go, what I was going to do, what to do with my life from then on, just received a natural life sentence at that point, with a possibility of pro after twenty five years. I am grateful for the grace of Parol. I'm a proud member of CTP. But Leo Schofield was an educational clerk back then. This was in nineteen ninety four. Again, I was seventeen years old. I'm now forty seven. Leo Schofield told me when I first met him I was going through orientation process that I could do my time a couple of ways. I could be like others and just go play poker, play basketball and run around the reck yard and waste my life. Or I could make the best of it, and that's what I did. He got me an education as an orderly So from then on I got my GED. I actually graduated, got my GED before I would have graduated high school on the street. From then on he continued to encourage me and impress me to go into vocational trades. So that started me on the bath that ultimately led me to be here in front of you today, to do my time wisely, to take advantage of opportunities to get in education and to do something with my life. Leo Schofield also signed me up for Cairo's prison Ministry. I went through a Chiros retreat there. Didn't know anything about chiros, but Leo signed me up for that and told me it would be something good for my life. That in turn changed my life because it's surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. And from then on now today I stand before you. Haven't been released, have been terminated from Parol. I'm now the chair of Chiro's Prison Ministries at Avon Parks CI. In fact, tomorrow I have thirty six men that are under me that I'll be leading in to do Chiros fifty seven at Avon Park. So from then on, from the very first time I met Leo until today. I am now a still citizen volunteer. I go back into the prisons every month. I'm leading Chiros fifty seven next month. And the education I received because of the influence of mister Leo Schofield when I first met him as a teenager. I've known him for thirty years. His character demeanor have never changed one bit, and I just know, out of all respect to the offense and the life that was lost in this case, Leo Schofield is not a threat to society in any kind of way. If Leo Schofield is released, I can guarantee you that I will be there for him in Tampa at Noah's House. I can guarantee you that he will participate in CTP programs and also be here in Tallahassee to represent others. Leo Schofield will be a benefit if you guys are give him the grace of prol today. I'm just simply asking, as someone that knows him for a long time, to give him that chance because I believe in Leo Schofield. I know as the only request that you guys asked of me to not let you down. Leo Schofield likewise will not let you down if you're grind the Groce pro. Thank you for allowing me to speak.
00:06:32
Speaker 1: Thank you, mister Welch.
00:06:33
Speaker 3: Thank you jeff Reuter.
00:06:37
Speaker 9: My name is Jeffrey Reuter, CTP Alumni, Noah's House, Community Outreach, House Coordinator, Commissioner, Kunrod, Commissioner, Dason Commissioner. Why. I've known Leo for well over a decade. We were students together in numerous classes, We facilitated classes together, we lived in the dorm together, we got recreation together. We just lived in prison together. And I know firsthand what that involves. And Leo was always he always stayed the course and no matter what came at as he had a clear head and solid judgment. This is a very unique case and I know that Leo's heart goes out to his wife, Michelle. Our hearts go out to Michelle and her families. So Leo is very mindful that as well. He worked first hand with me with the Peyton Tutthill and Peyton Tudhill Foundation and Miss Tutthill. He recorded a record for her, turned over, recorded a whole record, turned over copyrighted the record and then sent the record to Miss Tuthill, where recorded that music at Hearty CI and now that's part of the foundation's story where they actually helped raise his money for the children's scholarship victims. I know that we're not here to determine guilt or innocence, but ken Leo, pursuing to nine forty seven, can Leo conducted himself as a citizen, as a free citizen, as a responsible citizen. And I submit that he can. Pastor Tony Parker and I from Noah's Community Outreach, we've been talking about Leo for the past two weeks. There's a brand new house at Noah's House. There's four guys in it right now. Gregory Samuels, who was released yesterday, was the newest guy in the house. He came yesterday. So we have a bed for Leo at the new house where I'm the coordinator at that house. We have an all star team there. We will help lead and guide Leo post release. If you grant him grace today, and that is my humble request, would you please grant Leo grace today?
00:08:33
Speaker 3: Thank you, thank you.
00:08:36
Speaker 5: I'm not sure who's on the phone from.
00:08:38
Speaker 3: CTP, but you got about a minute.
00:08:40
Speaker 5: Could you pick one person to speak please?
00:08:43
Speaker 10: Yeah, Good morning, Convintions. Choy Martin, thank you, missus, Missus Coonroh and Missus Davis and mister Waynanet. Thanks for the opportunity to speak on Leo's behalf. My condoc is to the victim, Michelle and her family as well. I need to be met Leo in October two thousand and two at South Bay where he taught and played guitar in the chapels. In the choir, Leo also taught guys to play the guitar. He continues to do so today in CTP. I see him on a weekly basis. He's thriving in the program. I believe it was a group called the Old Jays that sang a song that says I love music. I want to say to you today with all due respect, that Leo loves music as well, and he loves it so much that he's willing to give his time and energy to help others learn to play the guitar and have a love for music as well. I believe that he's an excellent candidate for parole, and I believe that he is an epitome of a model prisoner that would translate into being successful citizen and society. I respectfully request that you parole him today. Thank you for your time of consideration.
00:09:49
Speaker 5: I'm not going to Labor commissioners what you already know. We've had our meetings, you for view to pack it. I think you pretty much know what you want to do, and I suspect you're going to do the right thing, and I trust you to do that. I can't say more than what these men have said and what you've read. Leo has continued to achieve and exceed expectations wherever he's been the one thing I do want to address, if you do grant him parole, which I believe you're going to do, I want to address the walkout date, because it's very important. It's very important to Leo, it's very important to all of us. He needs to go as soon as possible.
00:10:28
Speaker 11: Thirteen days. He needs to go April thirtieth, not in June, not two more months. If that becomes the walkout date, that, in my opinion, is merely punitive.
00:10:41
Speaker 5: It serves no purpose whatsoever with that.
00:10:44
Speaker 3: I'll turn the podium over to the state.
00:10:47
Speaker 1: Thank you very much. Now we're going to move to those in opposition. Mister Orr is here, and do we have anyone online wishing to speak, if so pressed our six.
00:11:00
Speaker 12: Hello, good morning.
00:11:01
Speaker 1: Are you speaking on the Schofield case?
00:11:04
Speaker 12: Yes, but I'm not in opposition. I'm his brother. I tried to call in last year and I wasn't able to talk. I just wanted to say that my brother has been he's been doing a lot of great things in prison, but he was doing a lot of great things before he went to prison. I didn't have much of a father, so he basically raised me. And I just wanted to be there for him for whenever I could, because I know he's a good man, a good person, and he's one of the only reasons why I've been able to make it through this life. And I just wanted to I just wanted to say thank you for an opportunity to get him out of prison. And I pray that you guys do the right thing today. And that's all I ask.
00:12:07
Speaker 1: And what is your name?
00:12:08
Speaker 12: My name is Jason Schofield.
00:12:10
Speaker 1: All thank you, all right, mister Orr from you, Good morning, commissioners.
00:12:17
Speaker 6: Good morning.
00:12:17
Speaker 13: My name is Jake or I'm an assistant state attorney in the tenth Judicial Circuit.
00:12:22
Speaker 3: It's good to be with you again.
00:12:23
Speaker 13: Last year I addressed you regarding this case, and I told you then that you cannot pursue justice without first pursuing truth. And I believe that to be a true statement, and I think that it has a particular relevance in this case. The reason being there's been a whole lot of media attention. As you know, there's been TV shows, print media, multiple multiple episode podcasts, and I'm reading that there's going to be more.
00:12:47
Speaker 3: There's going to be a.
00:12:48
Speaker 13: TV drama series maybe, and some sort of novels in the works. It's all very entertaining and in truth, it's an interesting case. I'm not going to go into all the facts because I think you're kind of I'm familiar with some of them, but it's a circumstantial case, lots of twists and turns, and the storytelling related to it has been outstanding. However, the truth telling has been unacceptable. An example of that that involves this commission happened in May of twenty twenty when Jerry Hill addressed you regarding the case. Mister Hill recited certain facts of the case, including going into who found the body in this case? And I've pulled the transcript and I just want to read a couple things that mister Hill told you. He told you quote Missus Schofield's body was discovered in the canal located in a hilly wooded area on the morning of February twenty seventh, eighty seven, by Leo Schofield Senior. Close quote Later in his presentation, mister Hill told you that Leo was driven by an inter force and he said he felt drawn to that area and felt Michelle was calling out to him. He said he had told Detective Russell, and I'm still quoting here, told Detective Russell that his daughter in law was within a certain distance. Now, the podcast that's got the most attention covering this case covered that hearing in twenty twenty.
00:14:09
Speaker 3: They even used some of the audio, but they got it wrong. They edited out.
00:14:14
Speaker 13: Mister Hill telling you that the body was found by Schofield Senior. They edited out mister Hill telling you that he was searching for his daughter in law. They played select clips about Leo searching, and then the narrator came in and said said this, Jerry Hill gets it wrong in a major way. The narrator stated that Jerry Hill made it sound like the body was found by the defendant Leo Schofield Junior. Now take a minute and focus on that reporting. Obviously that's not what happened you were here. But it's worse than that, because this is not argumentative argument or interpretation of facts of the record. It's it's not a narrative told from a particular point of view that is one hundred and eighty degrees.
00:14:58
Speaker 3: Opposite of what happened in front of it. It's false.
00:15:03
Speaker 13: This should cause concern for anybody that thinks they know facts about this case because they heard a podcast, read something on social media or the internet, or even a newspaper article. Because good storytellers have picked up this case and they've told stories that are incomplete, that misrepresent the actual evidence in the case, and sometimes are false, you are reading, or more likely hearing, a very compelling story that has no fidelity to the truth. Today, we've gone through one black and white example that involved this commission, but there are many, many others when you get into the facts of the case.
00:15:42
Speaker 3: Now, why am I telling you this? Why is it relevant to today? Because my one ask of you is whatever decision you make, don't.
00:15:51
Speaker 13: Base it on some sensational media accounts that are set to dramatic music.
00:15:56
Speaker 3: Base it on truth. In the criminal justice.
00:15:59
Speaker 13: System, trial courts, appellate court's parole commission, whatever it is, it's of the utmost importance that we always pursue truth because it's.
00:16:07
Speaker 3: Our only chance at pursuing justice.
00:16:11
Speaker 13: This case has been reviewed by multiple courts, multiple trial judges, multiple panels of appellate judges for over thirty years, and there's a difference between what they do in those reviews and the entertainment industry. In the court, you can't edit out the facts you don't like. You can't edit the facts to fit your storyline. What those judges have done has reviewed this case based on the actual transcript, the actual evidence, and the law, and in all those reviews, every time they've determined there is sufficient evidence to support this conviction. Now, in the interest of fairness, I think it's important that I also tell you that I'm not telling you about those falsehoods in the media for you to hold them against mister Schofield. That's not my intention. He did not write those stories, he didn't edit the audio. I told you about those falsehoods so you could focus on the truth. And truth is from what I know, he's been an outstanding inmate. Sounds like it's got an incredible support system, and you should consider all that. I also know that you should consider that he was convicted of a terribly violent crime, and you know that you must use caution before you release such an individual. I guess what I'm saying is, in the end, if you determine that justice requires he be parolled or not based on an honest review of the evidence, the law, the time he's served, and all the factors that you would consider in any other case, and you do that with an honest review, then justice will be served. That's all anyone could ever ask of you.
00:17:47
Speaker 3: You have a tough job.
00:17:49
Speaker 13: I thank you for your service to our state, and I thank you for your time this morning.
00:17:53
Speaker 1: Thank you, Miss jore. Do we have either Ricky or Jesse Som online? If so, ProStar six and Muture film all right here, and then we'll perceive that the vote is starting with mister Dason.
00:18:13
Speaker 6: In the matter of Leo Schofield.
00:18:15
Speaker 14: I've had the opportunity to review this case, and it's entirety I've listened very closely to the testimony in support as well as the testimony in opposition. Here today today is not the first aid that I've had the opptunity to give input into this case. The last time this case was before us, my vote was to extend mister Schofield's ppr D by twenty four months and to refer him to the Corrections Transition Program at the Everglades Correctional Institution. I really the vote of this commission was to extend by twelve months, which was set the new ppr D at June twenty five, twenty twenty four, and in agreement to refer mister Scholfield to the Corrections Transition Program at the Everglades Correctional Institution. Since that time, mister Scholfield has participated in the CTP program, has done well, and I think that he has greatly benefited from his time there. I think that he will continue to benefit from his time in the corrections Transition program if he continues to serve until the PPRD date that this commission set, which is June twenty five, twenty twenty four. So I know that there was some question here about a walkout date, and I think that that walkout date should be consistent with the PPRD that this Commission set less than a year ago. That datea is not punitive. That date is necessary for moving mister Scholfield toward a successful parole if he has paroled here today.
00:20:12
Speaker 6: So as mister Orr has requested my.
00:20:15
Speaker 14: Honest review of this case, and that is my honest review of this case. So my vote here today is not a question of guilt or innocence. That is the province of the judicial system. This case has been litigated both in the trial as well as the appella arenas, and that determination is that mister Scholfield is guilty.
00:20:36
Speaker 6: Of first degree murder. Today, my vote is.
00:20:43
Speaker 14: To parole mister Scholfield to the max on June twenty five, twenty twenty four, Terms four and five.
00:20:53
Speaker 1: Thank you Commissioner.
00:20:54
Speaker 15: Waite, Thank you man, Thank you all for your testimony today as it relates to mister Schofield. And I too have reviewed this case as a and I'm familiar with the case. I've had meetings regarding the case, and during the last Commission action I stressed the importance of programming. Mister Schofield has been incarcerated for a long period of time. A lot has changed since then, so I felt it important that he gets some programming from the CTP. Program. Since his admission into that program, he's done well. He's completed numerous classes. The testimony here today, of course, speaks highly of him as far as his interactions with those in the program in review. In this case, it's entirety considering all things, and I too support the court systems and their findings.
00:21:39
Speaker 6: Upon my review this case, my.
00:21:41
Speaker 15: Vote today is parol to the max April thirty, twenty twenty four, Reasons four and five.
00:21:48
Speaker 1: And after review the entire record and hearing all the statements both the opposition and support, and my vote would be to parole to the max for April thirty, twenty twenty four, Reasons four and five. Mister Davison, What are your conditions?
00:22:02
Speaker 14: Yes, The special conditions are entering complete the Noah Community Outreach Program for a period of one year.
00:22:09
Speaker 12: Agree.
00:22:09
Speaker 14: Mandatory mental health and substance of use evaluation and treatment as necessary.
00:22:14
Speaker 1: Agree.
00:22:14
Speaker 14: Agree Anger and stress management evaluation and treatment as necessary.
00:22:18
Speaker 1: Agree.
00:22:19
Speaker 14: Agree six months community controlled during the Noah Community Outreach Program, followed by eighteen months of curfew ten pm to six am.
00:22:28
Speaker 6: Agree.
00:22:28
Speaker 1: Agree.
00:22:29
Speaker 14: Participate in the after care components of the FIU Alumni Program and the Noah Community outreach program. Agree no contact with the victims family and case number eighty eight twenty three forty six. Agree n AAA three times per week for the first year, two times per week thereafter.
00:22:47
Speaker 6: Agree pay restitution to.
00:22:49
Speaker 14: Be determined the case number eighty eight, that's twenty three forty six. Agree and mandatory attendance at the first supervision before the Florida Commission offend of review unless otherwise excused for good costs by the Commission or the parole officer.
00:23:04
Speaker 9: I agree.
00:23:05
Speaker 6: I don't have any additional terms. I don't know that concludes my terms.
00:23:10
Speaker 1: Thank everyone. Just take a real brief break so that the cameras can be very movement.
00:23:16
Speaker 14: Thank you.
00:23:26
Speaker 4: Leo is being paroled and he'll be getting out of everyglades on April thirtieth.
00:23:33
Speaker 16: What happened today. Obviously it's a good thing, but it's just a step, a step on a much longer road. Leo is going to be paroled. Then I'll go to a halfway house. But he's not free, and people need to understand he's still a convicted murderer.
00:23:50
Speaker 12: He is not free.
00:23:51
Speaker 16: He's gotten all kinds of restrictions and all kinds of hoops. He's going to have to jump through, and it's going to be extremely difficult.
00:23:59
Speaker 3: While it's a good thing in a.
00:24:00
Speaker 16: Sense, it's prison without bars, is what it is. And some folks have extreme difficulty doing it because you look like you're free and you can go out in public and you can do certain things. But he's going to literally have to account for literally.
00:24:19
Speaker 11: Every minute of his day and he has to have permission to do everything.
00:24:24
Speaker 16: Try living that way. So the fight now turns to looking into getting him exonerated. But he's in for a very difficult time, make no mistake about it.
00:24:43
Speaker 17: You want to walk and talk for a minute, Sure, I get us up crying.
00:24:48
Speaker 2: You're loving right.
00:24:51
Speaker 17: The whole entire day is exhausting. You know, you think you're going to be calm and cool and relaxed, and they start talking.
00:25:00
Speaker 14: And in the tone and.
00:25:02
Speaker 17: You're the emotions and the butterflies just kick in and you just start going, oh, here come the tears, Here come the tears, and uh so it's a lot. It's ah, it's hard to put into words the level of emotion that I feel right now. Like a lot of people are saying congratulations and yay, and it's exciting, but it's we're still we're not done. He's not free. I mean he's out, but it's not over.
00:25:37
Speaker 13: M
