The Kansas State Troopers Association is expressing its deep appreciation to the Kansas Prisoner Review Board for reversing its decision to grant parole to Jimmie Nelms, the man convicted of the cold-blooded 1978 murder of Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Conroy O’Brien.
Trooper O’Brien, a dedicated trooper and expectant father, was ambushed and executed by Nelms during a routine traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike. His murder has shocked our state and devastated the law enforcement community for decades. Nelms was subsequently sentenced to two life terms for first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, and firearm possession by a felon. His crime, if it occurred today, would have subjected Nelms to the death penalty.
The KRB’s recent reconsideration comes after overwhelming public outcry, bipartisan outrage from elected officials, and an outpouring of concern from law enforcement professionals across Kansas and the Nation.
The decision to reconsider their action releasing convicted cop killer Jimmie Nelms on parole, is a testament to how a public process can work when citizens band together for justice.
