Parole Granted to Michael Connolly
A panel found the 78-year-old, convicted in a 2001 Daly City stabbing death, no longer an unreasonable risk to public safety.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Criminal Justice
The Board of Parole Hearings granted parole to Michael Connolly, 78, at a hearing held at Folsom State Prison. The People opposed his release, and the case now goes to the governor's office for approval or reversal.
Why it matters
The decision sends a case involving a violent 2001 killing committed while Connolly was on parole to the governor, who can approve or reverse it. It also reflects the board's judgment about whether a long-incarcerated offender still poses an unreasonable danger.
Connolly was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 39 years to life, with sentencing enhancements for knife use and a prior strike found true. The parole grant now awaits action from the governor's office, and the People's opposition has been noted.
The players
Michael Connolly
A 78-year-old man convicted of second-degree murder for the 2001 knife killing of his roommate in Daly City, who has been in and out of prison on 30 occasions.
Board of Parole Hearings
The California state board that conducts parole hearings and determines whether incarcerated individuals may be released.
The details
Connolly was convicted of stabbing his roommate to death at their Daly City residence in 2001. He attacked the roommate with a knife before dawn on Oct. 22, 2001, while he was on parole, and a San Mateo County jury deliberated for two days after a 24-day trial before finding him guilty on Dec. 10, 2003.
Timeline
Oct. 22, 2001: Connolly attacked his roommate with a knife while on parole.
Dec. 10, 2003: A San Mateo County jury found Connolly guilty of second-degree murder.
Jan. 7, 2004: Connolly was sentenced to 39 years to life in prison.
Nov. 6, 2026: Parole was granted at a hearing at Folsom State Prison.
Legal Context
The decision applies California's parole-suitability standard, which asks whether an inmate remains an unreasonable risk to public safety, to a defendant whose offense was committed while already on parole. Whether the governor upholds the grant will test how that standard is applied to long-sentenced offenders with extensive prison histories.
The decision determines whether a man convicted of a fatal stabbing in Daly City will be released from prison. Residents of San Mateo County and the broader state may follow the governor's review to see whether the grant stands.
The takeaway
Parole decisions for long-sentenced offenders depend on a board risk assessment that can be reviewed at the governor's level. Following that review shows how California weighs public safety against release for repeat offenders.
What happens next
The parole grant goes to the governor's office, which will decide whether to approve or reverse it.
Further reading
Explore more reporting in the Criminal Justice section for context on how parole decisions are reviewed across California.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KRON4.
