SALAMANCA, N.Y. — The very controversial decision by the state parole board to agree to release convicted murderer Edward Kindt was fully realized Thursday as he was indeed able to walk out of prison.
Sources say the City of Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County is now apparently the new temporary home for 39-year-old Edward Kindt. His cross-state transition began in the City of Salamanca, where he was found guilty at age 15 in the 1999 slaying of mother and nurse midwife Penny Brown.
From there he was in the state prison system for 24 years at the Elmira Correctional Facility, and now his supervised release placing him in Poughkeepsie in the Hudson Valley Region, north of New York City.
Acting State Corrections and Community Supervision Commission Anthony Annucci was contacted again Thursday by State Senator George Borrello.
"I was assured by acting Commissioner Annucci that he has a GPS monitoring system and they're watching him. However, that is just not enough," Borrello said.
A Corrections spokesman says Kindt was assigned to a "structured residential contracted program," perhaps better known as a halfway house with certain conditions including continuous monitoring through that GPS ankle bracelet.
That's still worrisome for Borrello.
"Obviously we all know that these GPS monitoring systems, ankle bracelets are not foolproof. They're going to monitor him. We're going to continue to press and make sure that he is being closely monitored by law enforcement and by DOCCS. But again, this is still a threat, a threat to everyone. I informed my colleagues over in Dutchess County," Borrello said.
The Dutchess County Sheriff's Office did not return a call from 2 On Your Side, and was referred back to the state by Poughkeepsie City Police Department.
Borrello is still upset overall with the parole board's February decision with reports of Kindt's prison misconduct, and he is pressing Gov. Kathy Hochul.
"The governor has an opportunity, in light of this situation, to make sure this doesn't happen again, and she can do that by cleaning house in the Parole Board, and she should do that immediately," Borrello said.
Governor Hochul's office issued a statement Thursday night.
"The Governor's office is actively reviewing candidates to be nominated to fill the five additional seats on the Parole Board. State law outlines qualifications of board members and candidates are being reviewed with those qualifications in mind," the statement read.