Despite fighting all the way to the state Supreme Court for a second parole hearing, Robert Labrum will still serve his entire 15-year-sentence for the murder of Becky Jones.The Board of Pardons ruled Thursday afternoon that Labrum wouldn't be paroled earlier than his release date of February 2002. That's the same decision the board, which was then made up of entirely different people, made in 1987.
In December 1993 the Supreme Court ruled that the board must supply all inmates copies of everything in their file before their original parole hearings. Prior to that decision, board members were giving inmates information from their files orally at their hearings.
Officials estimate the new rules will cost taxpayers about $900,000 a year. All five members of the board met in conference Thursday to listen to an audio tape of last Friday's hearing.
Chairman Mike Sibbett said this type of decision is always difficult, but the decision to deny Labrum parole was unanimous.
According to a rationale sheet the board fills out when making parole decisions, board members felt the mitigating circumstances didn't outweigh the aggravating factors of the case.
Labrum pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the strangulation death of 19-year-old Becky Jones. The now 29-year-old St. George man was originally charged with second-degree murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter in exchange for his promise to lead investigators to her body.
Board members listed the nature of the crime, Labrum's sexual history, insofar as it supports his failure to live within accepted social rules, and Labrum's denial or minimization of his crime as reasons to deny parole.
Labrum told board member H.L. "Pete" Haun he remembered nothing about Jones' death and buried her out of panic, not guilt, during his hearing last week. He said he didn't even remember who was at the party where Jones was killed.