KATV I Marine Gilsovic
LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — In hopes of shedding light on new legislation that's expanding opportunities for Arkansas inmates, a Hot Springs woman is sharing her story after spending 32 years in prison.
Laura Berry was a juvenile when she was sentenced to life in prison, but in December of 2017, the Fair Sentencing of Minors Act gave her a second chance outside of prison.
"You still had to go through the parole process, you had to have a good institutional record, you had to sell yourself to the parole board and give them a reason to grant parole but that law opened it up for the parole board to be able to do that," said Berry.
Another piece of legislation passed this year, Act 821, could truly set her free, said Berry.
Berry spent 32 years and 9 months for first-degree murder after being found guilty of being an accomplice because she hid the murder weapon when she was just 17 years old.
Berry once had supervised visits with her child while in prison, but now she helps others navigate the system.
"I started a group called the 539ers and it's a support group where I actually communicate with other people that are coming home and been gone for decades,” said Berry. “Support them and hook them up with my attorney or somebody else that can provide them with resources and help them over the same obstacles that I faced when I came home.”
While Berry has overcome some obstacles, she's facing one more hurdle for a chance at truly being free.
"After five years, if we don't get in trouble and we do the right thing we will be discharged from parole after five years and our voting restored,” said Berry. “Which doesn't happen for any felon in the State of Arkansas but because we committed our crimes as juveniles they're giving us that second chance."