HB638

Dear Chair Roy, Vice Chair Rhodes, and Esteemed Members of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee. My name is Sharon Reid and I am Gary's older sister. I am writing to express my support for HB 638, a crucial act that would allow older prisoners serving life without parole, the opportunity for parole eligibility upon meeting a specified criteria. Gary fully meets the requirements stated in the bill. proposed. Gary has always been accountable for his actions and has felt great remorse for them. For the past 42 years, I have witnessed and been impressed with his continued efforts to grow as a person and constant desire to rehabilitate himself as is evidenced by his many achievements and impeccable prison record. Gary has been a true inspiration to not only his family but to all who have come to know and respect him over the many years. Gary has had our unwavering support with weekly phone calls, visits, mail and keeping him an important part of all we do as a family. Gary has participated in numerous support groups and workshops over the years. He has worked for many years, at least the last 16, in the Mental Health Department as founder and co-facilitator of many self-help groups available to the men at NCF in Berlin. There have been a number of men who have participated in these groups who have since been released back out into the community and are doing incredibly well and give Gary all the credit. In fact, several of them keep in regular contact with my husband and I.. As Gary's brother-in-law (Tim) for the past 54 years, I am writing this in complete support of HB 638. I can attest to the fact that he is a man of integrity, very caring, kind and compassionate. Gary is a Vietnam Veteran, a Marine, and a survivor of Khe Sahn, one of the worst battles of that war. I have witnessed for myself over the past 41 years, a man who has done everything within his power to rehabilitate himself and help others to do the same. Gary has a tremendous support network consisting of his entire family, friends, the victims family and professionals who are committed to support him in any way needed. Sincerely, Tim and Sharon Reid

Dear Chair Roy, Vice Chair Rhodes, and Esteemed Members of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, Hi, my name is David proverb, Gary place is a dear friend of mine. I met Gary place in 2010, at ncf Berlin, where I was sentenced to 2 10-year sentences back to back. Gary place was at the time a facilitator in mental health. Gary saw in me the person I was always meant to be, he saw a good man who made a very very poor choice in life and was going nowhere if I didn’t change the way I was. Gary place was instrumental in my 10 years of participation in mental health programs. He challenged me on a daily basis to think differently to act differently to change my mindset to change the way I thought of myself and how I looked at myself. I became Gary’s cellmate in 2013 2014. So not only did I have him as my facilitator but he became my mentor by becoming my mentor he became like a dad to me and he challenged me every step of the way as much as I challenged him every step of the way. By me being his cellmate, his hair turned grayer and thinner and I aged him pretty well. Gary was instrumental in me being strong enough and having the confidence to ask the state for a sentence suspension. Though he did not always agree with things I said or did he agreed with me and gave me his blessings and he loved me like a son I became very much part of his life as he has become mine I love him like a dad he deserves this chance he has helped so many people not just myself to become better to be better and to think better of themselves and to change their thoughts to change their lives. Gary deserves this chance more than anyone in this state more than anyone in prison Gary deserves this chance a chance to breathe free air to touch free ground to hold his family and his loved ones and to share in their lives outside of the wall. If there was ever an inmate that deserved it Gary place would be the one thank you. Sincerely thankful for your time and consideration David Proverb

This bill is both humane and potentially more cost effective for the state.

Dear Chair Roy, Vice Chair Rhodes, and Esteemed Members of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, My name is Eric Reid, and I am writing to express my strong support for HB 638, which I believe will provide deserving inmates, such as my uncle Gary Place, with a fair opportunity for parole. When I was 10 years old, Gary walked into our Concord home and told us what he had done, then immediately walked to the Concord Police Department and took full responsibility for the crime he committed. Gary requested execution but was later offered a plea deal of 18 to life; Gary refused. Gary was raised by loving parents who taught him to take responsibility for your actions, and he is and always will be a proud Marine. "Semper Fi" best describes Gary: "Always Faithful." Gary has earned the support and respect of many, including his victim's sister and even his prosecutor. As an LWOP inmate, Gary is only required to stand for head count four times a day, but he chose to live a life of rehabilitation, self-discovery, and is committed to giving back to his peers and his community. Gary truly has mastered emotional intelligence. Like Gary's prison record, his support system is second to none. As Gary's nephew and a faithful supporter, I have witnessed his growth and rehabilitation over the years. Gary is a testament to the power of personal transformation, and I genuinely believe he exemplifies the very principles of redemption and second chances that HB 638 seeks to uphold. If not Gary, then who? He has worked tirelessly to better himself and those around him, demonstrating that he is more than ready to rejoin society as a contributing member. This bill represents hope for individuals like Gary who have earned the opportunity to prove that change is possible. I respectfully urge your support for HB 638 and for giving individuals like Gary the chance they deserve. Thank you for your time and consideration. Sincerely, Eric Reid

I am a dear friend , brother of previous military service and former inmate at NHSP. A gift awaits our public . Gary Place helped to transform the man I am today . I walk with humility , peace and the ability to love because of my relationship, knowledge and deep connection with Gary . I have known Gary Place for 13 years. I’ve spent countless hours, days ;weeks often wondering how and why he remains inside the walls of standing concrete and steel when there is so much good in this man . Gary is the most important, influential man I’ve ever met and I attribute my success to his dedication to self . I met Gary in 2012-2013 whilst incarcerated at NHSP Berlin . I served 3.5 years for HO. I joined a veterans group and sat with Gary , together we helped support our veteran families there and in society . My testimony is simple . Gary puts all others before him , himself last . Gary has impacted many young men who had not completely found themselves . To know Gary is to be in the presence of an amazingly humbled , quiet and caring man . A great human who has endured more than most and in turn has given back more than any one person I have ever known. If time , responsibility, accountability , acceptance and rehabilitation is enough then I encourage all of society to delve deeper into who Gary Place is and learn more about themselves . Please consider this much needed change in how Gary Place could set an example of complete change !

I believe a person can be rehabilitated . I am living proof at such a young age from the tools , education and life-skills I was given in prison . Depending on the severity of the crime I believe there should be certain crimes exempt from this bill . Keeping these people imprisoned for longer then you have to requires alot of money that could be used in other areas of reintegration for prisoners so our community is safe . Alot of people commit crimes to keep up with the lifestyle they had before they came to prison . We should be putting the money into creating programs so these prisoners can have educations and credentials to be a productive member of society . A lot of people walk into prison without knowing how to make a doctors appointment. passing this bill will give slight hope to someone serving lwop. Studies show you “age out” of criminal behavior which brings the low risk of reoffending, particularly in terms of violent crime . thank you for cosidering to pass this bill .

This bill has my 100 % my support ??

I fully support HB638 & the Case of Gary Place which would be a primary example for why this bill should be passed by the House & Senate and signed into law by the governor.

TESTIMONY ON HB 638 An Act Allowing Older Prisoners Serving Life Without Parole (LWOP) to Be Eligible for Parole Upon Meeting Certain Criteria House Public Safety Committee Hearing February 7, 2025 SUPPORT Submitted by: Jonathan Reid Dear Chair Roy, Vice Chair Rhodes, and Esteemed Members of the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Committee, I, Jonathan Reid, am writing to express my support for HB 638, a crucial act that would allow older prisoners serving life without parole (LWOP) the opportunity for parole eligibility upon meeting specified criteria. As a family member of an inmate serving a life without parole sentence, I believe it is essential to create meaningful parole opportunities for those aged 60 and above who have served at least 18 years in prison. Individuals who can demonstrate growth and rehabilitation, and who pose no threat to public safety, deserve a chance at release. Gary Place is my uncle and he has been incarcerated since 1983. Gary has many examples of how he has demonstrated growth and rehabilitation during his 40 plus years in prison and he has helped so many others along the way. This bill would provide Gary with the opportunity for a parole hearing. An opportunity that I believe he has earned. I fully support HB 638 and fully support the opportunity for Gary Place to be considered for parole eligibility. I believe this legislation is important because of the following: ? A parole hearing is not a guarantee of release, but an opportunity for individuals to be heard and considered for reintegration into the community after a long period of incarceration. I believe Gary Place has been an exemplary inmate and has earned the opportunity to have his case heard and to be considered for parole after serving more than 40 years. ? Life without parole represents a form of “walking death,” offering no hope for a future. Families and loved ones of those serving LWOP also endure this sentence by watching their loved one grow older and closer to death without hope of release. Gary Place has the full support of his family and HB 638 provides hope that Gary could someday be released and spend the balance of his life with family. For these reasons, I urge the Committee to vote favorably on HB 638. I appreciate your time and consideration of this vital legislation. Thank you. Sincerely, Jonathan Reid

I was given Mr. Places name when I first arrived in the New Hampshire system in 2006. He was highly recommended as a person i should contact in the Berlin facility when i got there. I was 56 and serving 2-20 to life sentences. His character was the thing that was pointed out to me and got my attention most. Soon after I arrived in Berlin I spotted a resident in the rec yard that fit Gary Place to a tee. I walked up to him and in an instant a bond took place. He was as warm and pleasant as anyone i had met in life. Every conversation was meaningful. He has a way of relating and listening that is one of his best strength in my eyes. He actually cares. We were a big part of the Veterans group that we started in Berlin and we attended Christian services together. We also worked together in the furniture shop for a period and showed far more interest than many in there. I spent over 20 years incarcerated and was granted parole in 2023 but i said one thing about if anyone deserved a second chance it was Mr. Place. Not that others didn't or don't deserve it that i served with but he's the only one i ever put a name to the statement. Gary was a Model inmate as long as i knew him and given the opportunity i believe he will be a Model citizen and asset to society as well.

House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you to consider passing HB638 because if an inmate has met the criteria of this bill, I feel they should be given a second chance to go before a parole board. As it stands now, the decision is made solely by the governor of NH. This makes it a political issue, which it should not be. On a personal level, my friend of 25 years, Gary Place, who is incarcerated at NCF, currently has a sentence of life without parole. He has owned up to his crime from day one and continues to do so. He's given back to the prison system in many ways and to the best of his ability in his situation. I think other inmates would follow in his footsteps if this bill was passed. It would give them hope. Thank you for your time.

Gary Place is my oldest brother. He has been incarcerated for 42 years as of July 2025.. Since the day he walked to the Concord police station and turned himself in, he has done everything possible to rehabilitate himself with little to NO support from the current system. Gary has taken every mental health course available and now teaches or facilitates the following courses:Understanding Anger, Solution-Focused Group. journey of awareness, self-discovery, house of healing, mindfulness of meditation, PTSD group, co-occurring disorder group, men's work, socialization, and psychological first aid. At the request of the prison system, he's also helped fellow prisoners and met with Chambers of Commerce, Leadership Concord and Leadership Manchester, law New Hampshire court clerks, students from UNH. I fully support this bill which would give Gary the opportunity for a hearing . Gary is much more valuable to be on the outside now as a counselor to work with young men BEFORE. they end up incarceratd.

Dear House Committee, I am writing in support of the HB638 bill. Currently the governor of NH is the only person who can pardon an inmate who's sentence is with life without parole. This makes it a political decision, which it shouldn't be. It would be more equitable if the decision was made by the parole board. The guidelines are strict, and should be. It would take a person a lot of work, dedication and time to meet all of them. Having the possibility of freedom would give incarcerated people the hope and initiative to better themselves and to become a benefit to society. The alternative of spending the rest of their lives in jail can cause the opposite - anger, frustration and uselessness. I would like to bring to your attention a man named Gary Place who is incarcerated at the Berlin, NH facility. I have known Gary for nearly 25 years now. When I first met him, I was taking a class called Intro to Criminal Law at what was then called CLL (College for Lifelong Learning). The class went to the NCF to hear an inmate talk about what happened in his life that led him to end up in prison with a life without parole sentence. I was so impressed with Gary's honesty and forthrightness about what he did and what he was doing to make amends as best as he was able to. I found out later that he wasn't required to do this - admit to a roomful of strangers the horrible circumstances that brought him to prison. The next day I wrote a note to him thanking him for telling us his story. He replied and we started corresponding. A few months later he asked if I would like to be on his visitor's list. I was hesitant, and so was my husband, but we decided I would try it and see how it went. That was 25 years ago. A few months later, my husband also got on Gary's visitors list. Since then we both go to see Gary about four times a year. He has become a good friend to both of us. As you may know by now, Gary has done an amazing amount of good work since his incarceration, at first for himself by taking any mental health course that was offered, and for decades now, teaching or facilitating a long list of courses for the inmates at the NCF. He has created or helped create, many of these courses. There's no way to know for sure how many men he has helped because of these courses, but I do know of one man who's life changed for the better because of knowing Gary. This man's name is Burt Burton and he was incarcerated at NCF. He is now a licensed mental health councilor and Master certified addiction professional and is the author of a number of books on recovery awareness. Gary Place is probably the most compassionate and non-judgmental person I have known. I am aware of his past and the crime he committed. It is my belief that Gary has atoned for what he did in 1983. I feel he would be a benefit to society, should he be released from prison. He has helped many people in the past few decades and I'm quite sure he would continue to do the same. He has a great support system of family and friends waiting for him, my self and my husband included. Please consider passing HB638.

Pls remember this isn't "I get out of jail free card." It just allows them ro be CONSIDERED for rekease. Surely, with the guidelines that this Bill includes, everyone should be allowed at least that... CONSIDERATION PLS PASS GB638. TkU Jamie Sherwood

I support this bill. I have known Gary Place since 2000 and have frequent communions with him. I believe him to be remorseful and takes responsibility of his actions. He has demonstrated thru years of working with legal groups & his continued work with fellow inmates in teaching or leading classes or support groups on self improvement and nonviolence. I considered Gary to be a very good and loving friend . Please consider passing this bill. Regards, Sandra Turner

I support HB638 because it creates a possibility for parole for prisoners serving a legislatively imposed automatic life sentence for first degree murder. HB638 would allow Gary Place and others like him to meet the parole board and allow the parole board to do its jobs. Anyone opposed to Place’s release (and others like him) could testify before the parole board.

Age takes its toll on all elderly people, and I surmise age takes a more severe toll on prisoners who have been incarcerated for decades. People change over time, and aging can definitely mellow people who committed crimes when younger. Perhaps, a second chance to live out their lives in freedom is this opportunity to live out the rest of their lives in peace.

Draconian penalties like life without parole for crimes committed by a young person are misguided. We as taxpayers pay for the old age retirement home of our prisons many decades later when most of these people pose no threat at all to public safety. Allow parole boards to consider release.

My husband, Burt, has shared many stories with me about his time in prison, but one name always stands out—Gary Place. Burt has told me time and time again that if it weren’t for Gary, he wouldn’t be where he is today. When Burt hit rock bottom in 2007—incarcerated, lost, and forced to confront the damage his choices had caused—Gary was the person who helped him see that change was possible. Burt struggled with alcohol for years, leading to multiple counts of Aggravated DWI. Prison became the place where he not only had to face the consequences of his actions but also the deeper wounds he had carried for so long. It was in that dark place that Gary made a difference in his life. He was the first person Burt ever opened up to about his military experiences, his regrets, and his pain. Instead of judgment, Gary met him with understanding. Instead of turning away, he stayed, listened, and gave Burt something he had never truly had before—hope. With Gary’s support, Burt started to believe that redemption wasn’t just for other people—that he, too, could rebuild a life worth living. When Burt was released in 2010, he moved to Florida with nothing but determination. So, at 35, he made a choice that once seemed impossible—he went back to school. Step by step, he worked his way through college and graduate school, earning a master’s degree in Addiction Counseling. He took everything he had learned—not just from textbooks, but from life—and turned it into something meaningful. Today, my husband is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor. He works at the University of Florida, the Florida Recovery Center, and runs his own private practice. Every day, he helps people who feel lost, just as he once did. He guides them toward healing, self-forgiveness, and the belief that a better future is possible. I’ve had the privilege of visiting with Gary myself, and everything Burt has shared about him is true. Gary is compassionate, thoughtful, and has the ability to see the best in people, even when they can’t see it in themselves. He has touched so many lives, and I have no doubt that, given the opportunity, he could continue to do even more. There is no one more deserving of a second look—the privilege of standing before the parole board—than Gary. If my husband’s life is proof of anything, it’s that redemption is real, and that people can not only change but go on to make a real difference in the world. Gary deserves that chance. Respectfully, Stephanie

Let's allow people who have turned their lives around to be encouraged with a prospect of parole.