The Dairyland Sentinel
With Clock Ticking, Evers Opens Door to Early Prison Releases to Fulfill Campaign Pledge
As his term wound down, Governor Tony Evers announced he would use his executive power to revive Wisconsin’s long‑dormant commutation process, and the first public steps come this Friday when a dozen inmates, including several convicted of homicide, go before the new Commutation Advisory Board. The move signals that Evers may act on his pledge to reduce the state’s prison population as he enters his final months in office, raising fresh questions about timing, policy, and what this moment means for Wisconsin.
During his 2018 campaign, Evers openly embraced the idea of cutting the state’s prison population in half, telling debate watchers it was “a goal that’s worth accomplishing.” While his administration framed that as a long-term ambition, the sudden restoration of commutations could indicate a late-term sprint to start emptying some prison beds before he vacates the executive mansion early next year.
It has been 25 years since a Wisconsin governor actively considered shortening the sentences of current inmates. Former Republican Governor Tommy Thompson was the last to issue commutations before leaving office in 2001. Now, through Executive Order #287, Evers has established the 14-member Commutation Advisory Board to field requests.
The administration maintains that granting commutations “promotes rehabilitation by providing a system that rewards the positive efforts of incarcerated individuals who demonstrate personal growth and a commitment to change,” according to the governor’s official announcement.
Navigating the Maze: Commutation, Parole, and Pardon
The path to early release in Wisconsin is notoriously complex, but a commutation offers a distinct kind of executive relief.
Unlike a pardon, which acts as official forgiveness to restore civil rights like serving on a jury, a commutation directly modifies an active sentence. It can shave years off a prison term, convert confinement to extended supervision, or push up a parole date. Notably, inmates cannot even apply for a pardon under Wisconsin rules until they have fully completed their sentence and spent five years off state supervision. A commutation is designed specifically for people still behind bars, though the original felony remains on their record.
Parole, on the other hand, operates outside the governor’s office. It is handled administratively by the Wisconsin Parole Commission. However, the governor nominates the chairperson, who serves a two-year term and holds the final authority for granting discretionary paroles. Thanks to late-1990s “Truth-in-Sentencing” legislation, traditional parole is essentially a legacy system. It largely applies only to inmates serving time for crimes committed before Dec. 31, 1999. Those convicted after that date serve bifurcated sentences with no option for traditional parole.
The Fine Print on Eligibility
Despite the tough-on-crime blowback already brewing, the guidelines established by Executive Order #287 show that inmates serving time for severe felonies have a legitimate avenue to apply, provided they hit certain benchmarks.
To be considered for a standard commutation, an applicant must have served at least half of their incarceration term (or 20 years for a life sentence) and have at least one year left to serve. They also need a clean disciplinary record for the last five years and must be clear of any outstanding warrants or unresolved charges.
The administration did carve out absolute exemptions: Inmates are banned from applying if they are registered sex offenders or if their convictions involve sexual assault, child abuse, incest, or child trafficking.
The order also establishes a specific track for juvenile lifers. Inmates tried as adults and sentenced to life (or anything over 39 years) can apply if they were 19 or younger at the time of their conviction and meet the basic time-served requirements.
Homicide Convictions on the Docket
The new system gets its first public test this Friday at 8:30 a.m.
According to official meeting notices, the Commutation Advisory Board will interview its first 12 applicants. The proceedings will be streamed live online, and the agenda makes it clear the board is not sticking solely to low-level or non-violent offenses.
Half of the inmates slated for Friday’s interviews are serving time for homicide convictions. The six seeking early release include:
- Daniel Cerney: Serving two concurrent life terms from a June 2000 sentencing for two counts of first-degree intentional homicide, armed robbery, and burglary in Monroe County.
- Mighty Howell: Sentenced to life in prison in December 1993 for first-degree intentional homicide and attempted armed robbery in Milwaukee County.
- Michael Maldonado: Serving a life sentence handed down in Jefferson County in June 1995 for first-degree intentional homicide.
- Demian McDermott: Sentenced to life imprisonment in Milwaukee County in November 1991 for first-degree intentional homicide while possessing a dangerous weapon.
- Natalie Murphy: Convicted of first-degree reckless homicide and recklessly endangering safety in Juneau County, serving a 20-year confinement sentence from December 2016.
- Sabir Wilcher: Serving a life sentence handed down in December 1995 for first-degree intentional homicide in Milwaukee County.
The rest of the Friday docket is filled out with individuals serving decades-long stints for armed robbery, multiple burglaries, and drug trafficking.
Following the open interviews, the board will retreat into closed session before passing their non-binding recommendations up to the governor.
With Evers’ clock running down, these initial recommendations will be significant. Friday’s hearing marks the official start of the public process, but the final test will be how many of those prison doors the governor actually decides to unlock.
