Those who support clemency for a notorious Central New York murderer are speaking out. They are reacting to an exclusive Action News report last week which featured the family of murder victim Bruce Kellogg. The family opposes Laurie Kellogg's bid for clemency, even calling her a "female Charles Manson."
Laurie Kellogg is serving a 25 year to life sentence after convincing a group of teens to commit the actual murder. Kellogg convinced them that her husband, Bruce was violent and abusive. Though she still maintains she's the victim of domestic abuse, Kellogg has applied for early release to the Governor's clemency board.
One of Kellogg's most ardent supporters is Andy De Mers who is a former prison guard at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility. De Mers says he was assigned to Laurie Kellogg's cell block. "The bottom line is I've watched this woman exclusively for seven years. What the clemency board really wants to know is she fit for society, does she meet the criteria. My answer to that? Yes and then some."
The Governor's office says it receives over a hundred requests for clemency each year and it considers each one. Those select prisoners who are freed by the Governor are usually announced at Christmastime.
De Mers helped establish a website to free Laurie Kellogg.
The family of Bruce Kellogg are also using the internet to lobby the Governor to oppose her release. You can send an email to brucekelloggstory@gmail.com for more information.
