Patrick Randall, the co-conspirator in the 1990 murder of Pamela Smart's husband to come up for release, has been granted parole. His earliest release is June 4.
Randall, 42, appeared before a parole board on Thursday morning. He confessed to helping his friend, William "Billy" Flynn kill the husband of Pamela Smart, Gregg Smart.
Flynn pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 28 years to life in prison, minus time served before trial. Flynn was granted parole last month, and is due to be released in June.
The family of Gregg Smart said Thursday that they are "deathly afraid" of Randall and asked that he stay out of several New Hampshire towns. After the hearing, they said they will never forgive Randall for his role in Smart's death.
Pamela Smart was 22 when her husband was killed. She was convicted of being an accomplice to first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. She admitted seducing Flynn but said she didn't plan the murder.
Pamela Smart's spokeswoman, Eleanor Pam, issued a statement following Thursday's hearing criticizing the parole board's decision.
"To no one's surprise, Patrick Randall was granted parole today," the statement said. "Like Bill Flynn before him, his admission of murder gave him a double benefit: he is rewarded for taking responsibility for his actions - and then denies responsibility by blaming Pamela Smart for everything he did.
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"Randall and his co-conspirators, acting in concert and with cold premeditation, ended two lives: Gregg Smart's and Pamela's too. Randall can now reclaim his life, but they will not.
"Eventually will come the realization that Pamela Smart is being punished for the sin, not the crime. Her obscene and punitive sentence is a scar on the justice system of New Hampshire. It is time to end the madness."
