Sandra Humenny is fighting to keep Leslie George Moran in prison, 50 years after he killed her sister, Deborah Humenny Moran.
“I am urging the Michigan Parole Board to immediately reverse its decision to grant parole to Inmate Leslie G. Moran #149819 — the man who murdered his own wife, my sister Deborah Humenny Moran, in a premeditated, execution‑style killing that should have resulted in a conviction of first‑degree murder,” Sandra Humenny said in a statement released on Tuesday, May 26.
Moran, now 85, was convicted in April 1977 of second-degree murder after shooting his 22-year-old estranged wife multiple times in the head and chest after luring her to his West Bloomfield home on Sept. 20, 1976, under the guise of needing a ride to the airport.
On April 13, 49 years after his conviction and following several previous parole denials over the past 15 years, including one by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in November, the Parole Board granted Moran parole, against the wishes of Deborah Humenny Moran’s family as well as Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. They have petitioned to block his release from prison.
On May 21, Oakland Circuit Court Judge Jacob Cunningham ordered a temporary stay of parole until the petition can be ruled on. Leslie George Moran remains incarcerated for now at the Egeler Reception and Guidance Center in Jackson. Jeff Wattrick, public information officer for the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office, said Moran does not currently have an attorney and one will be appointed for him by the court.
McDonald said in a news release that the joint motion argues substantial and compelling reasons existed for the parole board to depart from the parole guidelines in this case, as Moran has not shown true remorse, has not accepted full responsibility, continues to blame the victim for his actions, and has been less than forthright with the Board.
“Moreover, the Parole Board clearly abused its discretion in choosing not to depart from the parole guidelines for these substantial and compelling reasons,” McDonald noted.
Sandra Humenny wrote in her statement that for nearly 50 years, Moran has refused to accept responsibility for taking her sister’s life, “instead blaming Debby, the psychologist, the courts, and anyone else he can, while changing his story again and again.”
“Granting parole to an individual who refuses to accept responsibility, blames his victim, and continues to present a threat to public safety is unacceptable and a clear abuse of discretion by the Parole Board,” Nessel said. “My office is committed to working alongside the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office and Deborah’s family to ensure this convicted murderer remains behind bars and justice is upheld.”
Sandra Humenny said the parole board’s decision to grant Moran release from prison ignores evidence, prosecutors, the attorney general, more than 1,000 letters submitted in opposition to Moran’s parole, as well as the “lifelong devastation to my family — especially to my mother, who died believing the system would protect her daughter’s memory.”
“Debby cannot speak for herself,” she concluded. “My mother cannot speak for her. I will. The Parole Board needs to reverse this decision immediately for my safety, the safety of my family, and the members of the community.”
Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com
This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Woman fights to keep sister’s killer in Michigan prison 50 years later
Reporting by Susan Bromley, Hometownlife.com / Hometownlife.com
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
