CRANSTON, R.I. -- The state Parole Board voted to deny parole to Wayne Winslow, convicted in a 2001 drunk-driving case that killed Salve Regina student Brigid Kelly.
In its unanimous decision, the board cited testimony from Kelly's family and friend in its morning session as the main reason for deny Winslow's request for release before his sentence is due to expire in early 2015.
"The reason for the denial is after the board reviewed the testimony from all interested parties, victim's family, law enforcement, inmate," said board spokesman Matthew Degnan in a prepared statement, "and reviewing the police report and all institutional reports."
In a moving session earlier in the day, Chris and Ellen Kelly, parents of Brigid, told the board it should deny Winslow's request for parole because they were not convinced he is no longer a threat to others.
They also spoke of the sadness and the personal loss they have experienced since their daughter's death in December 2001 when a stolen van Winslow was driving forced another vehicle into the path of her car in South Kingstown. Winslow, an ex-convict, was driving drunk.
Also speaking at the hearing was former state Rep. Vincent Mesolella Jr., whose daughter Desiree, 19, a student at Adelphi University, was killed in a similar type accident in 2008 on Long Island.
Mesolella had not been expected to appear, but said he saw reports of the hearing and decided to come. He told the board that since his daughter's death, even happy days are tinged with sadness because of her absence.
"It never goes away," he said.