State Senator Rob Ortt wants to repeal existing legislation that allows for the early release from parole supervision before a term expires. The North Tonawanda Republican suggests without early release, a Buffalo woman might still be alive.
Ortt appeared in Buffalo Friday, joined the family of Amanda Thompson, who was shot to death outside her home on South Ogden Street in Buffalo in July. Her ex-boyfriend, Rickey Crouch, is charged with murder. But he was reported earlier in the year to have engaged in violent confrontations with Thompson and one of her children in separate incidents. He was freed on bail after the second incident, in May.
Ortt, speaking Friday, pointed out that Crouch was paroled after serving time for a murder conviction, and had his supervision lifted in 2023.
“I am not a prosecutor, but my understanding is had he been still under parole supervision when he was arrested on domestic charges, that would have been a parole violation,” he said. “There's a real reasonable likelihood that he would have been held in jail, in prison, or in a holding center, and would not have been free to kill Amanda.”
His bill, which currently awaits action in the State Senate’s Rules Committee, would end the ability of the Parole Board to grant early supervisory releases.
“Allowing early termination of supervision eliminates effective monitoring of individuals who have been convicted of serious offenses,” said Ortt, who added that Crouch should have remained under parole supervision for the remainder of his life.
Pre-trial motions for Crouch are scheduled to be heard November 21. His trial is tentatively scheduled to begin June 3, 2026.