A former death row inmate convicted of killing an Albuquerque police officer but had his death sentence commuted to life in prison is scheduled to go before the New Mexico Parole Board.
Joel Lee Compton, who was convicted for the 1983 death of Gerald Cline, is set to attend a parole hearing Wednesday. The 59-year-old has served 30 years in prison and was one of five death-row inmates who had a death sentence commuted in 1986 by then New Mexico Gov. Toney Anaya.
A spokeswoman for the state Corrections Department says the hearing will be closed and a final decision may not be released for a couple of days.
The family of Cline says the upcoming hearing has brought back memories of the tragedy and the commuted sentence.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.